"PMR Delicious 51" Muskmelon

Cucumis melo

“PMR Delicious 51” is a Powdery Mildew Resistant variety of muskmelon developed in 1951 by renown classical vegetable breeder Dr. Henry Munger at Cornell University. “PMR 51” was bred and selected specifically for disease resistance in the cool and moist Northeast. Dr. Munger selected “PMR 51” from a strain of the infamous “Bender’s Surprise” muskmelon. Working from the popular 1876 muskmelon variety, “Surprise”, young commercial farmer Charles Bender of New Scotland, New York sought to create an unsurpassable melon to sell at market. Over years he selected “Bender’s Surprise” which became a sensation of a muskmelon at his NYC markets. The unrivaled flavor was able to command 10 times the asking price of other varieties, featured at high end restaurants like the Waldorf-Astoria and shipped to over 30 states. To protect the proprietary genetics of his famous melon and his livelihood in a highly competitive market, Mr. Bender would half the melons and remove the seeds upon delivery! In 1917 “Bender’s Surprise” was first offered to growers through the Jospeh Harris Seed Company.

“PMR 51” was developed to thrive in the moist northeast and demonstrates exceptional powdery mildew resistance. PMR 51 bears 2-3 lb deeply aromatic fruits that are juicy, sweet and flavorful all the way to the rind, but sturdy enough for storage. We eagerly await melon harvest each year and are so thrilled to offer such a reliable variety for short season growers! Enjoy nature’s candy and treat your family to the Delicious and nutritious PMR Delicious 51!

Growing Instructions:

Direct seed after last frost or start indoors in trays 3-4 weeks before last frost. Transplant out after last frost when melon plants when roots have developed enough to hold the soil around them when pulled out of the trays.

Put a hearty helping of compost and a sprinkle of wood ash in each planting hole at time of transplant. A fall or spring leguminous cover crops would benefit the crop greatly as well.

Recommended soil pH between 6-6.8

Harvesting:

Melons are ready to harvest when they easily “slip” from the vine. You can also pick the melon up and smell them. Ripe melons with exude a deep, sweet, melon-y fragrance. PMR Delicious 51 can also be harvested slightly early (no earlier than 5-7 days) and further ripen indoors outside of refrigeration.