Description of varieties of melons with names, what varieties are

Melon is one of the cultures that a dinner table cannot do without in late summer and early autumn. The sweet pulp looks great both fresh and after processing as candied fruits, jam or pie filling. Of course, most of the time it doesn't matter what you call the melon, because it tastes good even without scientific definition. But sometimes in a conversation you want to call her correctly, and then a logical question arises, what she is. Is melon a berry, fruit or vegetable? In this article, you will find out which family this culture belongs to, where it came to us from, and how, after all, it is correct to call it.

• 1 Origin
• 2 Vegetable, fruit or berry?
• 3 Video "What fruits are berries"

Watermelon: general information

This crop is a plant from the Pumpkin family. Watermelon is a berry, not a vegetable. Different peoples have different names. For example, Belarusians and Ukrainians call a watermelon kavun, and a pumpkin is called a harmelon.

The culture is originally from South Africa. Wild watermelon can still be found here today. Mankind has been familiar with this plant for a long time. The ancient Egyptians were still engaged in its cultivation, as evidenced by the tombs where the watermelon was placed to feed the pharaohs who lived after death in the afterlife.

Where do watermelons grow? In the distant past, the culture began to grow in Western Europe. This has happened ever since the watermelon was brought there during the Crusades. Over time, the growing area has increased. Persian traders brought watermelons to Russia in the 12th century. The fertile lands were to the liking of the new plant, it quickly took root. Where do watermelons grow? Nowadays, they grow in almost every corner of the world, but they are most cultivated in China.

Melon transplanting outdoors

While our seedlings are growing 5-6 permanent leaves, which will be a sign of their readiness to move to the beds, we will prepare the soil for them.

The best option is a garden bed with a groove in the middle. We fill the groove with humus, then we make holes in it according to the diameter of the peat cups (10 cm). The scheme is at least 60x70 cm.

Over time, the seedling will develop a powerful root system 2 m wide with a main root length of at least a meter. The roots of adjacent stems must not interfere with each other!

The whip stalk itself will stretch up to 4 m (depending on the variety), catching its antennae on all kinds of supports, and will form from 2 to 8 fruits weighing 1.5 kg and more. They will also need a place in the sun!

Melon is planted at the age of 1.5 months, provided that the soil has already warmed up well, and forecasters do not portend return frosts. Depending on the region, such conditions correspond to the second decade of April-May.

The root collar of the sprout should rise 5-7 cm above the ground.

After planting, the seedling is watered abundantly, the bed is mulched with dry grass or straw, and shaded from the direct sun.

Planting seeds in open ground

The area for melons should be well lit and warmed up by the sun, while the wind should not walk there. Various buildings, rows of berry bushes or the so-called curtain plantations - sunflowers, peas or beans, corn, planted in a checkerboard pattern (in 2 rows) around the perimeter of the site - can serve as protection from the winds.

Melon predecessors

It is good if, before the fragrant melon, crops such as:

• onion,
• garlic,
• cabbage,
• cereals,
• legumes,
• corn,
• turnip;
• radish.

It is bad if the predecessors were: any "relative" of the Pumpkin family from the genus Cucumbers, as well as tomatoes and carrots.

It is very bad if potatoes grew on this site.

It is very good if this land was used for fragrant and spicy herbs: basil, mustard, oregano, hyssop, etc.

Preparing the soil for transplanting

The site has been selected. Now we need to process it correctly. Melon will give a good harvest, both on dry, saline soils, and on loamy soils with neutral pH readings.

The only thing that she will not bear is the swamp.

In order for the yield to be at the highest level, the soil must be made light and saturated with rich organic matter. To do this, in the fall, a plot for melon is dug up to the depth of a shovel bayonet with manure or humus - at least 4 kg / m2. Sand is also added to heavy soil - 1/2 bucket per 1 sq.

In early spring, hedge beds with a row spacing of 70-75 cm are formed, sprinkled with peat or ash and covered with non-woven material or film for the best heating.

As soon as the ground temperature is at least + 13 *, usually - in the second half of May, we loosen the bed deeper, add superphosphate (40g / m) + potassium salt (20g / m) + nitrogen fertilizers (15-20g / m) and close it again before planting seeds.

Before planting the prepared seeds, in the shelter we make small cuts crosswise, at a distance of at least 60-65 cm from each other and deepen 2-3 seeds each.

As soon as the first green "beaks" appear on the surface, the shelter must be removed, and the bed must be abundantly powdered with sand.

Further - the same complex of agrotechnical measures as when forcing seedlings, observing the rules for its maintenance:

• remove unnecessary ones;
• watering correctly;
• pinch the tops;
• do 2 dressings, etc.

If fears about your plantings do not leave you, install arcs over them, on which you can always stretch the film in case of an unforeseen danger to young plantings.

Description of watermelon

This culture is an annual or perennial herb, the stems are climbing or prostrate. The main root has the ability to penetrate deep into the soil, about two meters. Many other branches are formed from the lateral roots, which reach even deeper depths - three to four meters. The root system has a strong development, due to which the plant is provided with nutrition in such an amount, which is enough to create a large vegetative mass and form large watery fruits.

Slender stem - well-branched, creeping, its length reaches three to five meters. The leaves have five lobes, their plates are dissected. Different varieties have different shapes and sizes. Young leaves are pubescent, they are tender and soft. Whiskers are formed in their sinuses.

Watermelon has split or bisexual flowers that bloom at dawn and stop blooming closer to 16 o'clock in the afternoon. At the beginning, the green mass grows slowly, since the plant gives all its strength to the development of the root system.

When about a month has passed after the shoots have appeared, the culture will grow well, and side shoots will form if conditions are favorable for this. At this time, or half a month later, the flowering season begins, which will continue throughout the growing season.

Growing seedlings

To get seedlings, you need to germinate the seeds - this is understandable. This is easy to do:

Cover the bottom of the plate with a cloth, paper napkin or filter paper. A piece of toilet will do too! Cotton wool, so beloved by many, can only be used as a "backing" for paper - it will not let our seeds dry out. You should not lay them directly on cotton wool.The sprouting stalk can become entangled in its fiber and, when trying to free it from captivity, it can easily break off. Such a seed can only be thrown away - it is no longer suitable for seedlings.

We spread the seeds on a damp surface, lightly cover with water and leave in a warm place, waiting for the sprouts to appear 3-5 mm long. All this time (a day or two), we make sure that the seeds do not dry out, but also do not float in the water.

Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, author of books on traditional and newest technologies for growing various crops in greenhouses, greenhouses and open ground, shares useful advice: “The most powerful means of activating any seed crop is the human biofield. Before immersing the seeds in the soil, hold them in your palms for a while, warm them and ask (program) them for a good harvest. They won't let you down! "

While our future fragrant "Asian girls" are releasing their tender sprouts, we will prepare the soil and containers for them to grow.

Since all melons do not tolerate well, we will plant them in peat cups, which we will then bury in the soil.

Seedlings are sown closer to mid-April.

Soil preparation

Planting soil can be purchased ready-made, or you can prepare it yourself

We need:

• Peat, sod land, humus. Everything is 1: 1: 1.

Or:

• Peat-sand mixture 9: 1

Any resulting mixture should be calcined in the oven for 30-40 minutes or spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

For every 10 kg. add a spoonful of superphosphate, potassium sulfate and a full glass of wood ash to the mixture. After thorough mixing, the planting soil can be considered ready!

Sowing seeds

To obtain seedlings of melons and gourds, a special sowing technology is used:

1. Pour the prepared soil into peat cups with a diameter of 10 cm, without adding it to 1 finger.
2. Spill it with warm water as it should.
3. In the center, we make a depression of 1.5-2 cm.
4. Place 3 seeds in each recess.
5. Sprinkle the seeds with a layer of clean sand of 0.5 cm, in order to avoid the appearance of a "black leg".
6. Place the cups on a common tray, baking sheet or tray. We will water only in it! No watering from above!
7. Cover the cups with foil on top.
8. After the first shoots appear, remove the film and place the containers with cups closer to the sunlight, best of all on the southern windowsill.

Seedling care

When the seedlings hatch, we take the next step towards obtaining a melon crop - we observe the rules for keeping seedlings.

1. In each glass we leave one of the strongest and most beautiful seedlings. We do not pull out the other two, but very carefully cut them at the root.
2. We water in the “first leaf” stage, avoiding water getting on the leaves.
3. When 3 pairs of true leaves appear, pinch the top of the shoot, stimulating it to give side shoots.
4. Until the time has come for planting in open ground (mid-late May), we carry out a couple of dressings with complex fertilizers. No more!
5. If there is not enough natural light for the seedlings, we supplement them with fluorescent lamps.
6. We must loosen the sand pillow with a fork twice a week, grabbing a little peat layer, but not deeply, so as not to damage the growing roots.
7. 10-12 days before planting in open ground, we begin hardening procedures - open the window and let fresh air from the street to the sprouts. After a week, the pallet can be taken out on the balcony or in the garden for a long time - 5-6 hours, increasing by an hour every day.
8. Although the sun is necessary for proper development, in order to avoid burns, young tender leaves of seedlings should be shaded, placing them under other tall plants or newspapers.

Where do watermelons grow in Russia?

Our country, of course, lags behind China in terms of the volume of cultivated crops, nevertheless, our watermelon grows in many regions.They are Rostov and Volgograd, Saratov, Leningrad and Novgorod regions, Stavropol, Khabarovsk and Krasnodar regions, as well as the Moscow region. In the struggle for the right to be called the capital, the center of watermelon cultivation in Russia, the Astrakhan region won. Although all of these regions have the opportunity to grow sugar watermelons in large quantities.

This is facilitated by favorable climatic conditions: heat and sun are just what this culture needs. In this climate, there is also a severe drought, but it is not terrible for watermelons, since they are native to Africa. Their huge plantations are located in the south of our country. Here watermelons are grown on an industrial scale. For this culture, the steppe, as well as the Mediterranean climate, is suitable, when the summers are dry, hot and long, and the winters are short and mild.

Melon varieties for central Russia

Melon varieties are classified not only by the timing of the ripening of the crop, but also by the regions in which they can be grown. There are six varieties that are recommended to be planted in the middle zone of the country.

Mohawk F1

Mohawk is one of the most productive varieties grown in this region. Gardeners collect at least 10 kg of ripe fruits from a square meter.

Also, the advantages of the Iroquois include its immunity to pathogens of diseases such as fusarium and powdery mildew.

Ripe pumpkins should be harvested 2-3 months after planting the seed.

Princess Svetlana F1

This is an early ripening hybrid variety that tolerates temperature extremes and is resistant to dangerous pests. If Princess Svetlana is grown in favorable conditions, the harvest will ripen within 60-65 days. Ripe melons are covered with a creamy skin with a yellowish tinge. Their average weight is 2-3 kg.

F1 passport

This melon with an early ripening period will fully ripen in a month and a half after planting in the soil. The characteristic features of the Passport include its large fruits, which weigh more than 3 kg. Melons have a sweet taste and aromatic odor, which makes them suitable for fresh consumption and preservation.

See also

Description of the pineapple melon variety, features of cultivation and careRead

Rainbow

The variety is distinguished by its thermophilicity, due to which the ovary on the bushes is formed only at temperatures above 20 degrees. In this case, the crop will begin to sing if the air temperature is not less than 30 degrees. Rainbow melon is considered healthy because it contains carotene, vitamins and acids. Therefore, it is often used to normalize the functioning of the nervous system.

Serezhkina love

Breeders of the Altai Territory relatively recently bred this variety specifically for growing in the middle lane. Melon Serezhkin love is attributed to early ripening plants, the harvest of which will ripen 35-45 days. The advantage of the variety is its unpretentiousness, which allows Serezhkin's love to grow even in infertile soils.

Kazachka

This melon has an average ripening period of 70-80 days. Experienced vegetable growers do not advise growing Kazachka on the street, since the plant does not cope well with sudden changes in weather conditions. To get a high-quality harvest, you will have to plant and grow bushes indoors.

Astrakhan watermelons

In written sources in 1560, watermelons from Astrakhan were first mentioned. Two centuries passed, Emperor Peter 1 ascended the Russian throne. Once having tasted a delicious berry, he ordered to regularly deliver it to the table, as he fell in love with a sweet delicacy. The watermelon was awarded a high honor: by order of the sovereign, a commemorative coin was issued and a salute was fired. Since then, Astrakhan has been associated with watermelons.

It is believed that only this type of culture is characterized by the right look, the right size, attractive color, rich aroma and sweet taste. Astrakhan watermelon can be recognized by the following features:

• It has an oblong or rounded shape.
• The crust is elastic, strong and two centimeters thick. The surface is smooth.
• Characteristic pattern: dark green spiked stripes on a light background.
• The pulp has a high content of sweet liquid, it has a coarse-grained consistency and a bright red color, crunchy.
• The fruits are large, up to 8-10 kg.

Where do Astrakhan watermelons grow? For their growth, you need comfortable conditions that the climate of the southern regions has. From Astrakhan, watermelons were floated down the Volga for sale in the 19th century. Where do the most delicious watermelons grow? The peasants allocated huge plots of land for melon in the Tsaritsyn area and up to Kamyshin itself. It is no coincidence that this area was chosen for their cultivation. The fact is that here watermelons grow without the use of chemicals, the fruits are environmentally friendly. That is why buyers want to buy Astrakhan watermelons. But this thermophilic culture grows in another area: non-chernozem regions, the middle zone. Over the years, the popularity of the Astrakhan watermelon has not diminished. He is as a symbol of taste, as a mark of quality among his species.

Seed preparation

Quality seedlings can only be obtained from quality seeds.

There will not be a good harvest from first-year seeds! There will be no harvest at all, except for the harvest of large, abundantly blooming with male "gramophones" long lashes with bright burdock leaves.

To get both male and female flowers, melon seeds should be allowed to “mature” for 3-4 years.

It is equally important to calibrate the seeds before sowing them - uniform seedlings are obtained from seeds of equal size and fullness (density).

If everything is clear "by eye" with the external dimensions, then the density of the seeds is checked using a saline solution - like the freshness of a chicken egg.

Dissolve 1.5-2 tbsp in a liter jar of barely warm water. salt "without top" and fill it with the seeds selected by the size. Let them stand for an hour or two.

Those that have sunk to the bottom are suitable for planting, the rest are splashed along with water as unnecessary. We wash and dry the "fatties" on a newspaper without heating.

What is the point of processing already calibrated seeds before planting? And how to do it right?

When processed in an elongated melon seed, such important processes necessary for a high-quality harvest are activated, such as:

• awakening;
• inclusion of biological development;
• change in shell permeability;
• fast emergence of shoots.

Processing and soaking of seeds

In the Pumpkin family, in order to increase the number of "ladies'" flowers and amicable "pecking" of sprouts, the process of warming is very important. This can be done "dry" or with a thermos.

For dry heating, melon seeds with a layer of 1.5-2 cm are placed in a cold oven, which is gradually heated to 50-55 *, constantly stirring the seed layer.

For convenience, the seeds can be scattered into linen bags, spread out with flat pads (up to 2 cm) on a grid and shake, turn the bags over every 20-30 minutes. Dry heating time - 3-4 hours.

This is the first dry method.

The second method is with an even thin layer on the windowsill. 10 days, if the sun is already well warming the windowsills through the glass.

The third method is in a thermos. We mix boiling water with "well" in a proportion of 50x50 and pour melon seeds in a thermos flask with this water for the same 3-4 hours.

Heating in any way is a guarantee of increasing the resistance of future plants to viral infections.

Soaking the seeds in melt water will help speed up the germination of melon seeds. Ordinary settled water at room temperature is also suitable.We need a loose fabric bag immersed in this water, which will be there until the seeds are completely swollen.

You can also soak with the addition of various micronutrient fertilizers, microelements. Soaking with trace minerals is a good start for any crop.

You can buy the nutrient mixture at the store and dissolve it in warm (but not hot!) Water and soak the seeds.

You can cook it yourself: 1 liter of water + 10 g of superphosphate + 0.2 magnesium sulfate + 5 g of potassium nitrate.

Slurry diluted 10 times or ash water settled for 2 days (20 g per 1 liter) is perfect.

Do not soak for more than 24 hours!

Processing and soaking can be carried out with the addition of oxygen, a hose and an aquarium compressor. The air from the narrow tube-hose itself will turn over and the seeds in the nutrient broth will bubble.

After the resulting bath, the seeds must be slightly dried.

The next step to a good harvest is disinfection, which is often referred to as “dressing” or “disinfecting” the seeds. This will minimize the risk of fungal and bacterial diseases affecting the melon.

The simplest is irradiation with an ultraviolet lamp or direct sunlight for 2-3 days.

The most common is a 1% solution of potassium permanganate and bathing seeds in it for 20-30 minutes.

Bathing well and in a 2% solution of hydrogen peroxide for 10-15 minutes.

Aloe leaf soaked in water in a dark place for 5 days will also come in handy. We dilute the resulting infusion one to one and immerse a bag of seeds there for a day.

A purely folk method of disinfection is garlic infusion. Peel and chop a large head of garlic, pour a glass of warm water over the floor and leave for about 3 hours. It remains to soak the melon seeds in the filtered infusion for 1-1.5 hours.

Rinse the etched, disinfected seeds (lightly) and dry again. Slightly.

Pelleting

If desired, the seed can be pelleted. This is not a required item, but it is desirable because this will provide the seed with additional nutrition when the seed is passed.

Dragee seed mixture:

• peat - 600g;
• humus - 300g;
• mullein - 100g;
• powdered superphosphate - 15g.

Sprinkle the slightly damp seeds with the resulting mixture and shake them so that the mixture clothed them like breadcrumbs on a cutlet. We dry it. We spray. We repeat the process until the crust from the mixture reaches 2-4 mm. This is how the "seed dragee" will turn out.

Hardening and vernalization

For a thermophilic crop like melon, seed hardening is the right choice! This will contribute to the better adaptability of the young sprout to conditions somewhat different from the hot-arid zone of its homeland.

Let's make a reservation right away: hardening and vernalization are different technologies, although for a beginner in growing melons, these methods may seem little distinguishable.

Vernalization - preparation of seeds with a long germination period for cold-resistant crops.

Hardening is applicable only to thermophilic plants, increasing their resistance to changes in outdoor temperatures.

The hardening method is used for swollen, “ready-made” seeds of melon, pumpkin, squash, etc. from the genus Cucumber, but they have not yet “hatched” in order to avoid rotting of the seed.

The previously prepared seeds (warming up and soaking) are subjected after swelling at room temperature to sharp cooling to 0 * C - placed in a refrigerator for 5-10 days.

The second option - swollen seeds from + 20 * are transferred to the cold 0 * for 12 hours. They take it away, let it warm up in the room for the next 12 hours, then put it back in the refrigerator for the next 12. And so on for a week. At the first attempts of seeds to sprout, we stop hardening. This means it's time to plant! The goal of hardening has been achieved - the germination rate for future early maturation has been increased many times!

You can also freeze-harden dry seeds.Dry material is hardened from 0 * to -10 *, or even to -20 *. It all depends on the variety.

After stress therapy with hardening, some of the seeds may refuse to germinate. This is normal. But the rest will give magnificent plants, resistant and strong, with earlier flowering and a friendly return of the harvest.

A plus will be the possibility of earlier planting of seedlings in open ground.

Where do yellow watermelons grow in Russia?

The yellow-fleshed watermelon is the result of crossing a wild plant with a red crop. After the selection work, only the color of the wild-growing watermelon remained - yellow. It can be round or oval in shape, and small in size. The peel is dark, with barely marked stripes, sometimes without them at all, the flesh is juicy, almost pitted. The berry has a pleasant taste, reminiscent of lemon, pumpkin, mango. In appearance, it is almost impossible to distinguish a yellow watermelon from a red one. Now the watermelon is called "lunar", the people call it "baby".

Where do yellow watermelons grow? Round fruits are grown in Spain, and oval fruits are grown in Thailand. These countries are famous for the fact that yellow watermelons are more popular here than red ones. Where do watermelons grow? Recently, yellow watermelons have also been grown in Russia. The Astrakhan region was chosen as a place for their growth.

Possible difficulties

If a healthy, abundantly flowering plant does not set fruit, an urgent need to do pollen transfer. To do this, the petals of the male flowers are torn off and the stamens are applied to the female.

Such preparations as "Fitoverm" and "Iskra-bio" will help to fight pests of Melons.

To prevent diseases, it is recommended to spray the soil and plants (before flowering) with "Fitosporin", Bordeaux liquid, "Hom".

The use of a mixture of "Zircon", "Epina-extra" and "Tsitovita" has proven itself well. Dissolve two drops of each substance in a liter of water. The first spraying is carried out in the phase of 3-4 true leaves, the second - after the buds appear.
Editorial staff

Watermelons in their natural environment

Wild watermelon native to South Africa. Being the "king of the desert", over time, he spread to India, Australia, Central Asia. Where do wild watermelons grow? Currently, they are abundant in desert areas in Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa. It is here that genetic forms of watermelons with bitter and sweet pulp have been identified in large numbers.

Wild berry does not look like a cultivated species. It belongs to perennial plants that are not afraid of heat. A powerful root system is capable of entangling large areas. Fruits in the form of small balls stay on the stems for a long time, their ripening occurs within six months or more. During the period of desert winds, they roll over endless sands, bump into bumps, burst, spreading seeds around them. They have the ability to sprout quickly, forming whole plantations of wild berries that have a bitter taste. Poisonous and sweet varieties come across.

Vegetable, fruit or berry?

No matter how interesting the travels of melons across continents are, this does not answer the question that interests many, how to correctly name a culture: a fruit or a vegetable. To begin with, there is a significant difference between the culinary and botanical definitions of many plants. So, for example, we used to say “fruit” about all sweet fruits, and “vegetable” about any unsweetened part of the plant. That is, given that melon is sweet and usually eaten as a dessert, from a culinary point of view, it is a fruit.

In biology and botany, everything is different. A vegetable is the leafy part of a plant (such as spinach), roots (such as a carrot), stems (such as ginger), or flower buds (such as cauliflower).

According to BES, a vegetable is also called a fruit, meaning those parts of a plant that form from a flower and serve as a storage for seeds. Dry fruits include: leaflet, bean, pod, capsule, nut, caryopsis. Juicy: berry, apple, pumpkin, drupe.Expanding this definition, a vegetable is a succulent part of herbaceous plants that are eaten, such as shoots, roots, tubers, rhizomes, inflorescences, leaves, heads of cabbage, bulbs. Since the fruits of the melon are pumpkin, from the point of view of botany, it is a vegetable.

The confusion arises from the fact that "fruit", as a definition, is used along with fruit. Fruit - The edible fruit from a tree or shrub, usually angiosperm, and also derived from an ovary.

The following species variations of the large “fruit” group are shared:

• with juicy pulp and seeds - orange, melon, apple, cucumber;
• with juicy pulp and large bones - cherries, peaches, plums;
• dry fruits - nuts, beans, peas.

Therefore, melon fits both categories at the same time, being both a fruit and a vegetable. At least why argue with botany?

Nothing less than a fruit vs. vegetable ", takes people to a dispute on the topic:" What if a melon is not a fruit or a vegetable, but a berry? " And then everything becomes a little more complicated, since this representative of the Pumpkin family is really, in addition to everything else, a berry, again in a botanical definition. We used to call small juicy fruits that grow on trees, grasses and bushes as berries. And the melon is not at all like a cherry or strawberry, at least in size. What's the logic?

According to the botanical definition, the berry has a thin shell, juicy pulp and hard bone. It is formed from the ovary, but it can appear not only from it, but from any part of the flower (in strawberries and strawberries, the berry is formed from a receptacle). This development pattern is called a false berry.

Melon pumpkin, watermelon and cucumber (even a cucumber is not just a vegetable!) Are similar in structure to berries, but differ in a significantly larger number of seeds and pericarp. Therefore, these representatives of the Pumpkin belong to the false berries.

Where do watermelons grow in the world?

Today, 96 countries of the world are engaged in the cultivation of watermelons, but most of all - China, where the volume of production is about 63 million tons. The sweet berry is cultivated in large quantities in Turkey and Iran, Brazil and the USA, Egypt and Russia, Mexico, Uzbekistan, and the Republic of Korea. Why is watermelon so popular? Like any other plant, after pollination of a flower, a fruit is formed in its place. So, watermelon is grown for it. In this case, the fruit is a false berry, the pulp of which is juicy and sweet in taste.

Chemical composition

The fruits of the common melon are quite varied in composition. They contain a very large amount of carbohydrates with fast absorption. Glucose, fructose and sucrose account for about eighteen percent. Melon also contains starch and fiber, it contains proteins, minerals and vitamins. Most of all in the melon of vitamin C, there is carotene and B vitamins, nicotinic and folic acids. Melon fruits contain a lot of iron and about thirty percent fatty oil.

Seedless watermelons

Such plants are triploid hybrids with an oblong shape. Their weight ranges from 5 to 10 kg. To say that they have no bones at all would be wrong. They are available, only in an underdeveloped form. In Russia, such watermelons are rare. Many people do not trust seedless crops, considering them genetically modified. But this is not the case. The seedless watermelon was obtained by scientists from America as a result of breeding work. They differ in that the seeds are suitable for consumption. The pulp is watery and contains a lot of sugar.

Where does the seedless watermelon grow? In Russia, this crop is grown in the Astrakhan region, namely in the Akhtuba region. The varieties used are bred by breeders from Israel. In the United States of America and neighboring countries with a warm climate (Paraguay, Uruguay), seedless watermelons are commonplace. Here they are sold all year round.

Early maturing varieties

It is no secret that melons come in different varieties that have characteristic differences. Among gardeners, mid-season melons are popular, which fully ripen within 60-70 days after planting in open ground. Their advantages include the fact that they grow well in humid and cold climates with little sunlight.

There are three early maturing types of melons, which are most often grown by gardeners.

Caramel F1

This melon belongs to hybrid varieties, which were bred only for industrial planting. However, over time, caramel began to be planted by ordinary gardeners who grow vegetables and fruits. The popularity of this variety is due to the fact that its fruits ripen very quickly. After a week and a half, fully ripe melons appear, which can be picked and eaten. Also, the advantages of Caramel include its high level of productivity and resistance to sudden changes in weather conditions.

Caramel fruits are distinguished by a rounded, slightly elongated shape, reminiscent of an ellipse. Their surface is covered with a dense skin, painted in a bright yellow color. Under the peel of the fruit there is a light pulp with a pleasant sweetish taste.

To increase the level of yield, experienced gardeners are advised to grow Caramel only in seedlings.

Altai

Breeders have created this variety of melons specifically for growing in an unsuitable climate with constant temperature changes. Also, the Altai variety grows well in regions with a high level of air humidity.

The fruit is rounded and tapers slightly near the edges. Ripe melons weigh a lot - about 2-3 kg. Thanks to this, more than 20 kg of crop can be harvested per square meter. The distinctive features of the Altai species include the taste of ripe fruits, which have aromatic and sweet pulp. They contain many vitamins and other useful components. Therefore, many advise to eat the Altai variety to strengthen the immune system and normalize the work of blood vessels and the heart.

Cinderella

Among the early and sweet varieties, Cinderella, which is often grown by gardeners, should be distinguished. It is recommended to plant this species in open ground, as it tolerates sudden temperature changes and is resistant to common insects and diseases.

Cinderella's fruits are spherical in shape. Their flesh is covered with a yellowish skin, which protects the melon from the external environment. The weight of the fruit, like that of the Altai variety, reaches three kilograms. The disadvantages of Cinderella include a not very sweet taste, with a slight sourness. Also, the disadvantage is that the harvested crop is poorly stored and quickly deteriorates.

Planting Cinderella is best done in the second half of spring, when the earth warms up to 15 degrees. At low temperatures, seeds will germinate worse.

Melon

This plant is considered the queen of melon. She came to our country from Asia Minor and Central Asia, although the centers of origin, besides Asia, are Iran and Afghanistan. Russian breeders have developed early ripening varieties that are more adapted to our climate.

Where do melons grow? Even the middle zone of Russia is suitable for normal growth. Here, for melons and gourds, areas that are well warmed by the sun are allocated, which should not be exposed to the cold wind. If the southern regions are chosen for melon growth, the soil in the places where it is grown should be fertile, it should be good for water and air to pass through. It is better if these are small hills on which water does not accumulate.

Melon is prized for its taste and dietary qualities. Scientifically classified, it is a false berry, although it is also called a dessert vegetable. The melon is consumed fresh. It is stored only in processed form (preserves, jams, compotes). It is a low-calorie berry, which contains 90% water.

To show your skills to a gardener or gardener, you need very little - to successfully grow and get fruits of a plant in areas for which this culture is considered unconventional. And if many years of work on growing a tree can be destroyed by too strong winter frosts, then with annual crops the situation is much simpler: it is quite possible to create suitable conditions for the period of their growth. In addition, modern developments of biologists and agronomists have led to the creation of varieties that are resistant to low temperatures and have a shorter development period. For example, super-early melon varieties allow melons to be grown in the middle lane.

Content

1. Melon - the origin of the plant, its main characteristics
2. Melon cultivation - what conditions can be considered ideal
3. Melon cultivation in the middle lane - how to choose the right seeds
4. What conditions will be required to obtain a video crop
5. Melon cultivation technology in the middle lane
   how to grow seedlings of melons
6. how to plant seedlings in the ground
7. basic rules for caring for melons video
8. pests and diseases

Melon - the origin of the plant, its main characteristics

By origin, melon is a plant of the pumpkin family, a species of cucumber. This melon crop is a false berry. Melons are considered the birthplace of South India and Africa. Like all southern plants, melon loves well-lit areas, it tolerates drought quite easily, but low air temperatures and excessive soil moisture are poorly tolerated.

Melon gives good yields, under optimal growing conditions, up to 8 fruits can be set and ripen on each stem, the weight of each of them can reach from 1 to 10 kg. Their ripening lasts from two months to six months.

Modern developments of biologists and ongoing breeding work have led to the appearance of early varieties with a short growing season, resistant to cold, so that melon cultivation in the open field, and giving good results, can be observed today in the middle lane quite often.

Melon cultivation - what conditions can be considered ideal

As we already remembered, unshaded beds should be allocated for planting melons and gourds. For seed germination, a temperature of +17 C is required, but higher indicators are considered ideal - from +25 to 35 C. For the growth and active development of melons, it will take +25 - +30 C during the day, and at least +18 at night. The possibility of waterlogging of the soil and air should be excluded - otherwise, melons and gourds are threatened by serious diseases caused by fungi. The optimum air humidity is considered to be of the order of 60-70%.

Melon cultivation in the middle lane - how to choose the right seeds

The choice of melon seeds should be considered competently: pay attention to hybrids and varieties that are resistant to temperature extremes, a short growing season, and rapid ripening of fruits. The selection of varieties with such characteristics on the shelves of seed shops is quite wide. It is possible to get high yields with excellent taste almost every year, of course, subject to the recommendations on agricultural cultivation techniques.

Experts do not recommend growing Central Asian melons - in the middle lane they give poor shoots and weak bushes, their flowering does not differ in intensity, fruit can only be obtained in case of an abnormally hot summer.

The best varieties for the middle lane are:

• hybrids of Aikido, Galileo, Gold of the Scythians, Cinderella, Polydor, Millennium,
• varieties Iroquois, Ozhen, Sweet pineapple.

They all differ:

• resistance to powdery mildew and fusarium infection,
• quite high sugar content, about 8-12%,
• fast ripening of fruits,
• fruit weight, depending on growing conditions and varieties, can range from 0.8 to 2 kg.

So, in order to get a tasty result, a melon should be planted for the middle lane, the varieties of which we recalled above, the second sine qua non will be the creation of conditions suitable for its cultivation.

What conditions will be required to ensure the harvest

Normal growth of the bushes will ensure planting on light and medium loamy soils rich in organic additives, heavy loams and sandy soils can provide yields only if the proper portions of mineral fertilizers are applied, but in any case, the taste of the crop will be lower.

Melon is a southern plant, surprisingly, but it can withstand an increase in soil temperature up to +63 degrees C, air - up to +43 degrees. At the same time, a decrease in air temperature to + 15 ° C will slow down growth, to + 10 ° C - to stop it, -1 ° C will cause the death of the plant. The optimum temperature for melon development is from +30 to + 40 ° C.

Melon prefers well-lit beds. Lack of light can lead to a significant gap in the flowering period of male and female flowers, which adversely affects the amount of ovary. The slowdown in photosynthesis, which is observed in cloudy weather, leads to a decrease in the accumulation of dry substances and sugars in fruits.

Similar phenomena can also be observed as a result of artificial shading of plants - in the case of crowded planting of plants. Therefore, compliance with the prescribed density of planting is a prerequisite.

Interestingly, with its light-loving melons, melons tend to bloom earlier at 12-hour daylight hours, with an increase in daylight hours, the flowering period begins later. If the duration of daylight hours reaches 8 hours, the plant slows down its growth.

The root system of melons is very well developed, reaching the soil layers in which moisture is retained even in the heat. Growth is practically not affected by a decrease in air humidity. Melons can withstand drought, but timely watering and fertilization will help increase yields.

For planting melons, you can use the same beds for no more than two years. The best predecessors for melons are the lands on which they were grown: winter wheat or barley, corn for silage, onions or cabbage. Planting a crop on one site for 3-5 consecutive years leads to depletion of the soil, a decrease in yield, and increases the tendency of plants to morbidity.

Melon cultivation technology in the middle lane

Studies show that it is possible to grow a full-fledged crop in the middle lane in the case of using technologies for growing melons from seedlings, under a temporary cover from a film or in greenhouses.

how to grow seedlings of melons

To obtain high-quality seedlings, planting seeds in pots will be required - it is undesirable to damage the root system of plants. It will take from 30 to 35 days to get a full-fledged seedling. The diameter of the pots is 10 cm, 2 seeds can be planted in each of them. If untreated seeds are purchased, then before planting they are soaked for half an hour in a purple solution of potassium permanganate, then washed under running water. Germination of seeds is also practiced, it is especially effective if it is produced in a special solution of trace elements throughout the day.

Seeds are sown in the last days of April, when the seedlings reach 30 days of age, they are planted in the soil. During this period, frosts are practically not observed.

The best place for growing seedlings is greenhouses or greenhouses, but if there are none, then you can use a window sill, or any suitable place, but with the organization of lighting - a fluorescent lamp placed 15 cm above the seedlings.

A mixture of soil from the garden, loose humus is used as a soil for seedlings; it is advisable to add a half-liter can of ash to the bucket of the mixture. If the soil is heavy, add peat.The soil needs to be steamed, then add to it:

• 1 teaspoon potassium sulfate
• 1 tablespoon superphosphate.

Sprouted seeds are sown to a depth of one and a half centimeters, covered with polyethylene, and left at a temperature of +20 C.

A greenhouse or greenhouse must provide reliable protection of plants from frost, sufficient lighting. If a window sill is used for growing seedlings, then it will be necessary to provide for the possibility of hardening the plants.

Watering is carried out without allowing water to enter the stems. For this, the soil around the stem should be formed conically. Moderate watering is required - if there is too much moisture, the root collar may rot.

Top dressing of seedlings is done two times:

• the first - dissolved mullein (1:10) or bird droppings (1:15), with the addition of 1 tbsp. spoons of superphosphate;
• the second - with mineral fertilizers: Solution or Kemira-universal.

The readiness of seedlings for planting is evidenced by the presence of from 4 to 5 true leaves.

how to plant seedlings in the ground

Returning spring frosts can be observed before the onset of June; planting seedlings at an earlier date is inappropriate. For growing melons in the open field, it is recommended to cultivate high beds (10-15 cm), 0.3-0.4 m wide, planted on such plants in one row, or 0.9 m wide - in 2 rows.

The soil is carefully dug up, while adding for each square meter:

• 1 bucket of compost or humus
• 1 tbsp superphosphate
• 1 teaspoon of potassium sulfate,
• 1 teaspoon of urea.

The prepared bed is watered with a pink solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate (a tablespoon in a 10-liter bucket of water). After drying, holes are made at a distance of 0.4 - 0.5 m, seedlings are planted. The arches over the planted plants are covered with foil. The height and width of the arcs should be about 0.7 m. In case of an unexpected decrease in temperature, the arcs are additionally wrapped over the film with old polyethylene or any materials that will prevent overcooling of the air under the film.

In warm sunny weather, the film should be opened to ventilate the plants. It is recommended to shoot the film in the twentieth of June (weather conditions should be taken into account). During this period, flowering begins, for pollination it will be necessary to open access for insects to flowers.

After removing the film, the beds are weeded, the shoots are evenly distributed over their territory.

basic rules for caring for melons

Watering is carried out once a week, with warmed water, under the root, avoiding soaking the root collar. In hot weather, watering is carried out in the evening, in cool weather - in the morning. Loosening of the soil will be required after each watering, weeding should be stopped when the leaves of the plants close.

Watering of plants is limited during the period when fruits ripen.

Fruit ovary occurs on lateral shoots, therefore, after the appearance of the sixth leaf, the main stem must be pinched - this will cause more active branching. Female-type flowers appear on the first or second nodes of the lateral branches.

After the formation of two or three fruits, all emerging ovaries are removed, and the tops of the shoots are pinched. Lateral shoots without an ovary are removed - this will improve the illumination of the plants. Top dressing is carried out after 1 or 2 waterings. At the same time, nitrogen fertilizers should be strictly normalized - they cause too rapid growth of the vegetative mass, but significantly reduce the yield. Top dressing is produced alternately with mineral and organic fertilizers. Herbal infusions can also be used. Until the melons begin to bloom, you can add them with a solution of ammonium nitrate or mullein, the flowering period will require the use of full mineral fertilizers.

Agronomists consider the increased growth of one of the fruits while all the others turn yellow as an alarming symptom - this means that the plant does not receive sufficient nutrition.To correct the situation, you will need to organize additional feeding. You can use slurry (1:10) and urea. Periodically watering should be carried out with a solution of potassium permanganate.

pests and diseases

A particularly important point is the fight against diseases and insect pests. Here are the most common ones.

Fusarium - caused by fungi, reduces yield and taste. Symptom - the leaves become grayish and mottled. Plants die from fusarium for several days. Infection occurs through the root system, planting melons in the same place significantly increases the risk of an epidemic. The fight against fungal infection is:

• in refusal to plant melons on these beds for 6-7 years,
• collecting and burning all diseased plants,
• deep winter plowing,
• seed treatment before sowing with a solution of 40% formalin (5 min),
• uniform watering that does not cause excessive moisture,
• loosening the irrigation furrow,
• spraying melons with a solution of potassium chloride.

Often the death of a plant is caused by powdery mildew, which manifests itself as the appearance of spots on the lower and then the upper part of the leaves, whips and stems. The fight against the disease consists of:

• in the alternation of cultures,
• thorough cleaning of areas from infected plants,
• in spraying plants with wettable sulfur powder when the slightest signs of disease appear and the procedure is repeated every 10-12 days.

Copperhead or anthracnose - initially manifests itself in the appearance of brown spots on the sheets, deformation, drying out, lashes suffer - they thin and break off, the fruits change shape and rot. Control measures are:

• in proper agricultural technology,
• processing with ground sulfur,
• spraying with Bordeaux mixture.

The most common insects that harm melons are:

aphids

spider mites

tobacco thrips. Treatment with agrochemical agents can be recommended as effective methods of control: Fufanon, Commander Maxi, Aktellik, Kemifox, Fitoverm.

10

Crenshaw

Crencho melon is often added to salads and made into juices.

Melon with yellow peel and orange flesh is a hybrid obtained by combining cassaba and Persian varieties. Crencho has a unique and incomparable juicy taste, as well as a sweet-spicy aroma. The size of the roll can grow up to 4 kg. It ripens in mid-August - early September. Another distinctive feature of the variety is its oval shape.

Melon is one of the best foods for people with dry skin, as it contains a lot of vitamin C to help moisturize it.

Torpedo

Fresh use of a torpedo can stabilize the functioning of the intestines and increase the properties of the immune system.

A variety that is well known to Russians. The elongated yellow fruit has a rough mesh structure. The color of the honey pulp is white and even milky. Torpedoes ripen at the end of summer, they mainly grow in Central Asia. The variety tolerates transportation well, and that is why these melons can be found so often at Russian fruit fairs.

The torpedo is considered a late variety, so melons, which sometimes appear in supermarkets until the end of August, should be treated with caution: most likely, stimulants were used to grow them.

For the first time, such melons began to be grown in Uzbekistan. There are all conditions for torpedo growth - hot and dry climate. The variety got its name due to its oblong shape. The torpedo is considered a dietary product, it is actively used in cooking (and even crusts are used).

Fun fact: Mouse melon is not melon at all!

This is a Mexican gherkin. It is a creeping vine. The fruits are called "cucamelons".

Description. In appearance, the fruits look like small watermelons. The pulp is green, sour and watery. The fruit is up to 3 cm in diameter. The skin is green, striped. They taste like cucumbers, there is a smack of hare cabbage.

Features. This exotic variety is grown only in greenhouses. One plant produces up to 7 kg of fruits.

In the fall, when the harvest of cucamelon comes to an end, try to dig up the roots of the plant - there will be up to one and a half kilograms of tubers. They look like sweet potatoes, but taste like a mixture of cucumber and radish.

Cultural history

The very first mention of this plant is found in the Bible. Currently, a wild plant is practically not found, but the selected cultural forms from weed-field species still exist. Presumably, the cultivation of the plant took place in the territory of Northern India and in the neighboring regions of Iran. The cultivated melon began to spread gradually from these regions.

In the 16th century, historians first mention Moscow melons, praising their large size and wonderful taste. At that time, this melon crop was grown in greenhouses near Moscow. In the middle of the 19th century, the traveler from Hungary Vambery described the melon as a fruit, the sweet aromatic taste of which is not known in any country in Europe. In Turkmenistan, every year the local population officially celebrates the holiday of this culture.

Wild melon (Cucumis melo subsp.agrestis)

It has small, split leaves and fruits the size of a plum or orange, with a thin, slightly sweet, bitter-sour pulp:

• weed-field (var. agrestis): the stem is rough, thick, strongly branching, the flowers are large. Fruits are gray-green, odorless, with a short stalk.
• wild growing (var. figari): small leaves and flowers, thin stem, ovary with short pubescence, fruits on long curved stalks, 3-4 cm long, without aroma.
• small-fruited, fragrant, dudaim (var. dudaim): fruits with a strong aroma, small, with bright white, yellow, purple-brown bark and firm, yellow or orange flesh.

Late

Late melon varieties ripen within 95-110 days. Late melons ripen for a long time, but they have important advantages over early and mid-season varieties - they are very tasty and have a long shelf life.

Torpedo (Rainbow)

It is the most popular variety cultivated in the Central Asian region. "Torpedo" in her homeland - in Uzbekistan - is called "Mirzanchul". In Central Asia, fruits grow up to 15 kg.

Description. The fruits are oblong - the melon got its name precisely for its elongated shape. The color of the peel is deep yellow, it is covered with a white "openwork" mesh. The color of the pulp is milky, the taste is sweet-honey, with an admixture of vanilla, the consistency is soft-oily. The sugar content is over 8%.

The late-ripening "Torpedo" ripens at the end of summer. Therefore, oblong melons that are marketed too early are probably dangerous due to the use of chemicals that accelerate ripening.

Features. It is well transported and stored. When favorable conditions are created, the fruits can last until spring. Rather, "hang up" - melons are stored in a dry, cool room, suspended. From 1 sq. m get 2.5-3 kg of melons. Caloric content of 35 kcal per 100 g. There is a variety of the "Torpedo" variety, adapted for the conditions of Russia - "Rainbow" melon. The weight of the "torpedo" grown in Russia is no more than 5-6 kg.

Wintering

Medium late variety with a growing season of 100-110 days.

Description. Yellow oval fruits with greenish-white flesh. The surface is smooth with a mesh. Weight 2-5 kg. The pulp is crispy, with a delicate texture.

Features. High drought tolerance. Well transported. High resistance to disease. Yields up to 270-330 c / ha. They do not crack, they keep well. The sugar content is up to 8.5%. Immunity to powdery mildew and anthracnose.

Yakup Bay F1

Late-ripening high-yielding melon of the Tendral variety. Dutch selection hybrid.

Description. Oval fruits reach a weight of 4-5 kg. The rind is green and the flesh is white and juicy.

Features. The sugar content is up to 15%. Ripening signs are the appearance of a yellowish tint and a persistent aroma.If the fruits are collected green and put in a dry place, in 2-3 months they will ripen and be ready for consumption. Resistance to traditional diseases of melons.

Pest control

Melon Cantaloupe

Melon is a vegetable that is loved not only by humans, but also by insects. Melon crops are often attacked by the following pests:

• Aphid. The insect can look harmless due to its small size. However, pests are placed in groups on the leaf in order to suck the juice out of it. As a result, yellowing, drying and twisting of the entire ovary occurs. The main method of combating melon aphids is collecting plant residues from the site, processing the planting area with a special solution. The composition of the liquid: Karbofos (60 g - 8 l of water), laundry soap (100 g - 10 l of water) and Actellik (2 ml - 0.7 l of water).
• Spider mite. The parasite harms in the same way as the melon aphid. The tick is eliminated with the help of acaricidal preparations and phosphorus (sulfur) compounds.

Spider mite on melon

• Wireworm. A lover of potatoes looked after in the form of delicacies and a melon. It is not recommended to treat its appearance calmly, because the wireworm gnaws seeds from the fruit. Control methods - loosening the soil, timely removal of weeds and supply (when planting) each hole with 1 tbsp. crushed egg shell. It is recommended to arrange pest bait. At the end of spring, straw and last year's grass should be placed in the soil depressions. The bait is burned when it has collected a sufficient number of parasite larvae.
• Gnawing scoop. The plant stems suffer from the caterpillars of this butterfly. Volaton and Decis will help to destroy pests (use according to the instructions). You can moisten the furrows and treat them with Bazudin (15 g per 10 square meters), mixed with 0.5 liters of sand.
• Melon fly. The pest lays eggs in the pulp, after which the fruit rots in a short period of time. Methods of dealing with melon fly - dressing seeds in potassium permanganate before planting and treating the beds with Zenith or Rapira solution. When a plant blooms, it will benefit from treating it with the insecticide Kemifos (1 ampoule per 5 liters of water).

Important! Insects are resistant to poisons if they get used to them. Funds should be changed if the treatment has to be carried out several times per season.

Ethiopian

Ethiopian is mainly consumed fresh

Bred by Russian breeders relatively recently. The variety is classified as mid-season. The ripening period of the melon can take the whole summer. They usually try it in September. Outwardly, the Ethiopian looks more like a pumpkin than a melon. The fruits of the variety are very large. They can weigh up to 3.5 kg, which is more than many other popular varieties. Fruit rind is dark yellow, with green stripes and a branched network of small cracks. Hidden inside is orange pulp, which has a very strong aroma carrying honey tints.

The variety is thermophilic (as you can guess by its name), therefore it is grown exclusively in the southern regions.

Melons surprise with their variety. They differ in shape, color, pulp structure and taste. But in one thing they are exactly similar - in the beneficial properties that characterize the melon culture. All melons are rich in proteins, carbohydrates and mineral salts that improve physical fitness, help the body gain strength and prepare for winter. In late summer and early autumn, the melon should appear on the table as often as possible. And it is desirable that every time it was some kind of completely new variety.

Basic rules for the selection and storage of melons

To enjoy the flavor of the aromatic fruit, you need to know how to choose a melon.

1. To sniff. Pumpkin berry should smell good. If the aroma is absent or gives off by grass, the fruit is not ripe.
2. Knock. A dull sound will indicate a ripe, sweet berry.
3. Hang. A ripe, juicy berry cannot weigh little.
4. Pay attention to the ponytail. It should be thick but dry.
5. Examine the surface of the fruit. The color must be uniform.Spots and dents indicate damage.
6. Touch. A very hard pumpkin gives out its unripeness, too soft a berry - overripe.
7. Cut. Gray empty seeds, lack of melon odor may be signs of nitrates that have been pumped into the plant.

Cucumber melon (Cucumis melo subsp.flexuosus)

A distinctive feature of this melon is dioecious flowers, worm-like ovaries and elongated, wrinkled fruits, used in the same way as cucumber greens, includes varieties of all kinds of cucumbers:

• serpentine, or container (var. flexuosus): flowers are dioecious, the bark of mature fruits is white or green, without a net, the pulp is of medium thickness, loose, white, unsweetened.

Snake melon, or container (Cucumis melo var.flexuosus)

• melon cucumber, ajur (var. adzhur): cultivated in Syria, Palestine and North Africa. Typical are club-shaped, sickle-shaped, with thickening at the ends, fruits up to 80 cm long. The bark is wrinkled, whitish or green-yellow, the stalk does not separate (it is necessary to cut it off with it, otherwise the fruit will start to rot). The pulp is loose, fibrous, juicy, unsweetened.

Diseases and pests

Whether grown outdoors or indoors, melon can be susceptible to a variety of diseases if not properly cared for. The southern culture is not insured against the invasion of harmful insects.

Table: diseases and pests, treatment and prevention

Photo gallery: how to recognize diseases and pests

Powdery mildew appears as white spots

It is almost impossible to save a plant from fusarium

The melon aphid hides on the underside of the leaf.

Problems with melon cultivation

Sometimes inexperienced gardeners fail when growing melons. But there is nothing irreparable.

Table: problems and solutions

When the melon begins to ripen, stop watering and feeding, otherwise the fruit may crack.

Kassaba

The flesh of the cassaba in the cut is dense, in freshly cut fruits it is grassy with a cucumber aroma

Cassaba (or winter melon) differs from other varieties of melons in almost complete absence of a strong smell. By the time of its ripening, the fruit has a round, slightly flattened shape. He has a bright yellow or creamy rind with small dark green specks and white flesh. Usually kassaba ripens in the soil in the middle of autumn. This is one of the latest varieties that can be found in large stores from mid-September to almost December.

During the storage period, the cassaba acquires an even richer taste, which compares favorably with the fruits of the same variety, which have just been removed from the garden. That is why it is called "winter", that is, reaching the maximum of its taste closer to winter.

The variety is used for cooking Indian and Asian dishes. It is also good for health: experts on proper nutrition distinguish winter melon from all other varieties, as it does not contain cholesterol.

Cucumber sister

To answer such an interesting question, it is necessary to mentally transfer to the garden or melon and remember how the melon grows, what its leaves look like, which family it belongs to.

Some, seeing for the first time a whip of melons and cucumbers, will be surprised, because they are so similar. A kind of liana, depending on the variety, extends for several meters. Apart from this common trait, the leaves of both crops are also almost identical. They are small, fan-shaped. Of course, for example, in Uzbekistan melon leaves will be large, but in greenhouses near Moscow they are very modest. And this will help answer the question: "Is melon a fruit or a vegetable?" After all, it is the small size of the leaf of the fragrant beauty that makes it possible to clearly see its relationship with the cucumber. He has them exactly the same in shape, but slightly darker in color and less pubescent.

Recommendations for choosing a variety

When choosing a variety of melons, climatic conditions, soil quality, the presence of neighbors in the garden, and the growth rate of the plant are taken into account.

When buying seeds, you need to carefully read the instructions on the package. Some varieties are intended solely for greenhouse cultivation and do not grow well outdoors.

For greenhouses, you can choose any variety, but in the conditions of the Moscow Region climate, the following varieties feel best:

• Kuban collective farmer;
• Torpedo;
• Sybarite's dream;
• Altai;
• Titovka;
• Ethiopian;
• Krinichanka;
• Lada;
• Dina;
• Kasaba (Kassaba);
• Caramel;
• Aikido f1;
• Chamoe;
• Vietnamese;
• Cantaloupe (nutmeg).

"Aikido"

"Chamoe"

Vietnamese melon

Cantaloupe

"Kuban Kolkhoz Woman"

"Torpedo"

"Dream of Sybarite"

Altai melon

Ethiopian

"Krinichanka"

"Lada"

"Kassaba"

Contraindications

The main danger of melon lies in its overeating., which is the cause of the development of hypervitaminosis (excessive vitamin overload).

Do not forget that melon is an independent product that should not be mixed with main dishes. Otherwise, it is can cause stomach heaviness and diarrhea.

Melon should be treated with caution by those people who have a predisposition to sudden surges in blood sugar.

Galia

Galia is ideal for making candied fruits

Galia is a melon that produces the most impressive fruits in size. And this is its distinguishing feature.Such melons have a round shape, their rind is yellow, with a slight orange tint and a network of small cracks. Inside there is a dark, greenish pulp with a sweet taste and bright aroma. Galia is a variety of Israeli origin. Now it is actively grown in South America, Chile and some states of the United States.

The variety is considered very unpretentious. It ripens within two months and appears on the shelves in early August. In terms of sugar content, the fruits are similar to the cantaloupe variety.

Galia is often used in a variety of dishes, from salads to desserts.

Melon care on site

Melon needs constant care.

After germination of seeds, the beds are thinned out, leaving 1-2 of the strongest stems in each hole.

To reduce the area occupied by melons and to protect the fruits from rotting when in contact with the ground, tapestries are used:

1. They are installed in the garden after the germination of the first elongated stems., which are attached to the trellis with ropes.
2. The fruits are also tied up, so that being in limbo, do not break off.
3. For this purpose, you can use ordinary gauze (mesh), attached to the trellis, or special stands.

The vertically located lashes of melons are better illuminated, which contributes to the formation of a larger number of fruiting ovaries on them.

Options for arranging vertical beds

General care rules

Melons love light, lack of light is a common cause of poor growth, ovary dropping and lack of sweetness in fruits. In order for the melons to grow better, getting maximum heat and moisture, the ground around them is regularly loosened. This is done carefully so as not to damage the roots close to the surface.

Land-draining weeds are also removed regularly. Plants tolerate drought well... With proper care, you can get a good harvest even from a small bed of 3-4 holes.

Watering and feeding

1. For good growth, plants are not watered every day, and when the top soil layer dries up.
2. Do not pour water on the roots, they can rot... It is better to make a small depression next to each hole and pour it there.
3. To save moisture, the ground is lined with a special film before planting, access to water is provided by a drip irrigation system.
4. Such watering allows you to regulate the amount of moisture at different stages of plant growth.... So, about 1 month before the onset of marketable fruit ripeness, the plants practically stop watering.
5. Melons are fed with saltpeter, chicken droppings and mullein. The first feeding is done 2 weeks after germination. Similar dressings are made every next 3 weeks.

Pinching and shaping

1. The melons are pinched at the top, in order to prevent the plant from using all the nutrients coming to it for the accumulation of green mass.
2. Pinching allows nutrients to be redirected directly to the fruit, which has a positive effect on the rate of maturation and taste.
3. The melons placed on the trellis are pinched over each 3-4 leaves. When grown on the ground, they also pinch at a designated level, but leave at least 2 beautiful shoots, which, as they grow, pinch to the ground.
4. Subsequent pinching is done on the lateral processes, however, no more than 5 sheets are left on each of them.

After pinching the tops on the trellis, the melons begin to branch strongly. To form a bush, the 2 most developed shoots are selected, the rest are cut off. The remaining shoots are tied to a trellis. As a result, the plant takes on a beautiful shape.