Vine Peach spacing

I got these seed free from a burgess order a couple of years ago, but after doing some research they look pretty cool. Only one question....

How many per square?

I read on some other websites that it grows something like a cucumber...anyone know?

Thanks

Sorry, never heard of them. Hope someone else can help you.

According to multiple websites. Vine Peach cantaloupe grew naturally in and before colonial America. It was a favorite wild fruit of Native Americans. The plant is a cantaloupe but produces a peach size and colored fruit. The texture and taste are likened to a mango. It is an heirloom and vine grower.

It can be used for anything any other fruit is used for. Pies, jellies, salads, etc. Like I said, it sounds really intriguing and since I have the seeds... why not?

The name was deceiving, like my Garden Peach is really a tomato.

Since its a cantaloupe and you don't know how vigorous, I would give it 2 outside squares per plant, add a strong trellis, and see what happens. Sounds fascinating. You'll have to tell us how it tastes.

My vine peach plants are off to a good start, but I've never grown them before. Anybody else have any experience with these?

No experience, but I think as a first venture I would space them like a melon, which in my case is 1/SF. But some folks do 1/two SF. That is what the book recommends for melons, is 1 per 2 SF. But I am gonna let them sprawl.....

Keep us posted? Would love to hear about this! I am growing 3 types of melons for the fist time ever! 2 musk melons and a watermelon. Loves me some fruit

Scorpio Rising wrote:No experience, but I think as a first venture I would space them like a melon, which in my case is 1/SF.  But some folks do 1/two SF.  That is what the book recommends for melons, is 1 per 2 SF.  But I am gonna let them sprawl.....

Keep us posted?  Would love to hear about this!  I am growing 3 types of melons for the fist time ever!  2 musk melons and a watermelon.  Loves me some fruit

"Loves me some fruit, too."   I spaced mine 1 per sf at the back so they could climb. I'll post a pic, later. I'm also growing 2 other cantaloupe varieties, too. One is already starting to bloom even though it's not even a foot long -- ambitious little guy. 

countrynaturals wrote:

Scorpio Rising wrote:No experience, but I think as a first venture I would space them like a melon, which in my case is 1/SF.  But some folks do 1/two SF.  That is what the book recommends for melons, is 1 per 2 SF.  But I am gonna let them sprawl.....

Keep us posted?  Would love to hear about this!  I am growing 3 types of melons for the fist time ever!  2 musk melons and a watermelon.  Loves me some fruit

"Loves me some fruit, too."   I spaced mine 1 per sf at the back so they could climb. I'll post a pic, later. I'm also growing 2 other cantaloupe varieties, too. One is already starting to bloom even though it's not even a foot long -- ambitious little guy. 

Fun! I would love to hear how it goes! I am super excited about the melons!

Looks like I'm receiving a free gift of these as well.  We're they any good? Considering it seems multiple companies are literally GIVING them away, I'm guessing they aren't the mist sought after fruit haha

Robbomb116 wrote:Looks like I'm receiving a free gift of these as well.  We're they any good? Considering it seems multiple companies are literally GIVING them away, I'm guessing they aren't the mist sought after fruit haha

I haven't grown (or eaten) these - but I have read about them. Vs "any good", if you are expecting something that tastes like a sweet, ripe, peach, then no, you will likely be disappointed. Some say they are more cucumber -like in flavor than melon-like.

If you are growing them for their original intended purpose of making, pies, preserves, or pickles, then you'll likely have a different opinion. In Heirloom Vegetable Gardening the author, William Woys Weaver, explains that they weren't intended for eating raw but instead for "preserves like citron watermelon, in sweet pickles, fried like eggplant, or 'mangoed' as a condiment for roast meats."  Back before we could ship tropical fruits fresh using refrigeration, mangoes used to be pickled to preserve them; the word for the fruit and the pickling process, or even a pickle of other fruits/vegetables, were used interchangeably. (Bell peppers being referred to as mangoes in some areas of the US is also related to this history.) The vine peaches are also known as mango melons. They have a texture similar to canned peaches or mangoes when preserved/pickled... but I suspect they don't taste particularly peachy or mango-y even after these processes.

I swear somebody grew these....and they were cucumbery, more suited to pickle than eat out of hand....

Scorpio Rising wrote:I swear somebody grew these....and they were cucumbery, more suited to pickle than eat out of hand....

I grew them. They were AWFUL! Like cucumbers that had already been pickled. They grew exactly like a cucumber. Spacing? As far away from me as you can get.

countrynaturals wrote:

Scorpio Rising wrote:I swear somebody grew these....and they were cucumbery, more suited to pickle than eat out of hand....

I grew them. They were AWFUL! Like cucumbers that had already been pickled. They grew exactly like a cucumber. Spacing? As far away from me as you can get.

That's right!!!  They SOUND so delicious...lol!  

Received a catalog flyer from Burgess Seed & Plant Co. today, and it had a free package of Vine Peach seeds enclosed with it. I had never heard of a Vine Peach, so I did a Google search of them, and found this interesting article:

Vine Peach – Ancient Melon of Many Uses

The article points out that they aren't for eating fresh as the name Peach implies, but for baking into pies or pickling. Maybe I'll plant some on the garden fence and see what they're like...

Interesting!  I grow a melon, Sakatas Sweet, it is an Asian melon, smells like heaven, but it is sweet and edible including the skin..small, green.  I have to focus on short season stuff up here!  

I will be interested in how you feel about them!  Sounds like they might make some yummy pickles/jams, etc.