Casaba Melon

Cucumis melo 'Casaba'

fruit

Casaba is the winter melon: deeply wrinkled bright-yellow rind, sweet creamy white flesh with no muskmelon perfume, and an exceptional shelf life of 4 to 6 weeks. The melon ripens late in the season, takes 110 to 120 days from sowing, and is the best storage melon for southern gardeners who want fresh fruit through November.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Nasturtiums — Trap crop for squash bugs and aphids; attracts pollinators to the melon flowers
• Marigolds — Suppress nematodes in the root zone
• Borage — Bee magnet that boosts pollination rates
• Radish — Repels cucumber beetles when interplanted at the corners of the patch

❌ Keep away from

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Cucumber beetles →

  Floating row cover until female flowers open; remove the cover then for pollination

• Squash bug →

  Inspect the undersides of leaves weekly and crush egg clusters; trap adults under wooden boards laid on the ground overnight

• Squash vine borer →

  Wrap stems with foil collars near the soil and remove borers by hand if frass appears

• Powdery mildew →

  Water at the base, prune for airflow, and consider weekly milk sprays late in the season

🌾 Harvest & storage

Casaba does not slip from the vine; you must cut the stem when the rind turns full golden yellow and the blossom end softens to gentle thumb pressure. Cure in a warm dry place for a few days, then store at 50 to 65F (a cool basement is ideal). Properly cured Casaba keeps 4 to 6 weeks; the flavor actually improves during the first 2 weeks of storage.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

About 28 calories per 100 g with 0.9 g fiber, 21 mg vitamin C (35 percent of daily value), and 182 mg potassium. Casaba is also a good source of folate.