HelpfulGardener.com

Hello, I'm recently new to gardening and growing vegetables. I bought a yard of 75% organic topsoil from a local farm to use in my vegetable garden.

After a few weeks, I noticed a plant started growing that I did not transplant. It had leaves very similar to a pumpkin plant seedling, but after a few more weeks, it was clear this was no pumpkin.

At first I thought it was a gourd based on the shape (looked like an 8 ball squash). But later I noticed it couldn't be a squash because I had current squash bugs on my pumpkin vine leaves (also a random grow) and none on the other vine. Also, the leaves are shaped different and are smaller.

So the question is, what melon am I growing!? It looks like a honeydew, very round and smooth, with a green-yellow tinge. Its about 4 inches in diameter, and has been that size for about 2 weeks now. During this past week, I've noticed scratch-like marks on the outside, which I think I have heard indicates bee polination but Not 100% sure.

Can anyone help me Identify what little gem has appeared in my garden?

Do you have pictures? That would help tremendously.

Melons are very often hybrids and this offspring from seeds perhaps in a compost pile might not grow true -recognizable- but yes, lets see what this looks like -- melon blossoms are tiny like cucumber blossoms BTW, an easy way to tell them apart from squash with the big yellow flowers.

Here it is! I had to take the pic with flash on, the first one I took was too big in size and wouldn't upload, then it got dark out. Its less yellow than the picture shows

Without flash

I didn't respond because I wasn't sure -- not much melon experience as I'm still finding it difficult to grow melons well.

It looks a bit like honeydew to me, too, but the scratch-like marks look more like "netting" that some varieties of melons undergo when they are becoming ripe.

Its been a while since you posted the photos -- has the scratch-like marks become more extensive? Have you noticed a distinct ripe melon aroma?

I think honeydew doesn't "slip" but if this is a volunteer, maybe it is a bee-crossed hybrid with a netting/cantaloupe-type that will slip from the vine when ripe -- check where the stem connects to the fruit -- do you see a dry line/callus developing?

Here are a few pics from today. Hasn't got much bigger since last post

That looks more like either an Ogan or Gahlia melon to me.
The Ogen would have more lateral greenish stripes down it though...so I lean towards the Gahlia.