I like how Baker Creek describes the Kiku: "A very rare, early and beautifully productive, small, white, creamy melon that has mellow flesh. It tastes like Greek yogurt with a hint of lychee; the flavor has also been compared to pear." I'll give them the lychee but not the Greek Yogurt...yet. Nonetheless, this palm-sized melon is a complete success in our bioregion despite the cool, wet summer we had this year on Orcas Island. It's not a heavy cropper like the Minnesota Midget so, if space is an issue, stick with the Midget. Kiku also matures later than the Midget.
Tasting Notes:
I may have waited too long to cut the water and didn't get the flavor development I wanted. (Remember to "dry farm" these gems for more complex flavor development and higher sugar content.) I really feel I could have done better managing this. I even installed a valve on my irrigation line just for this reason but didn't mind it too well. So, I lost some balance and got more water than sugar, but I have hope for my later maturing Kikus. Lychee, as noted by Baker Creek, was present, and the pear, too. The Greek yogurt flavor is probably a few dry days behind, so next week I'll probably be pass out in the hoop house and wake with a melon hangover. Outwardly, these are "cute" melons, courtesy of their petite size. They are light in color and easy to spot in the jungle of vines.
Growing notes: Same as the others, so reference this earlier post for more details.
