We grow a delicious harvest ourselves: how melon grows in a greenhouse, open ground and at home

History of melon cultivation

Central and Asia Minor are considered to be the homeland of melon. It is assumed that the domestication of wild plants occurred in Northern India and the surrounding areas of Iran and Central Asia. This happened many centuries before our era. In Russia, this fruit appeared in the 15th-16th centuries.

Melon - a native of sultry Asia

Currently, melon is cultivated in almost all warm countries of the world. But it is believed that the most delicious fruits are grown in Central Asia.

Turkmenistan has celebrated the annual holiday “Turkmen Melon Day” since 1994. In Ukraine, where this culture is also loved, they hold a “Melon Fair”.

“Turkmen Melon Day” is celebrated annually in Turmenistan

Harvest and storage

The harvest is harvested as the fruits ripen, as evidenced by the following signs:

• easy separation of fruits from the vine;
• color that matches the variety;
• a dense network of cracks that evenly covers the peel.

Ripe melons should be eaten within 30-40 days. Fruits that are only half covered with mesh are suitable for storage. They need to be stored in a cool cellar, barn, garage or any other room where the temperature is about +4°C and air humidity is up to 70%. The shelf life of some varieties reaches 6 months.

Description of the plant

Melon is an annual herbaceous plant. The round-faceted and slightly pubescent creeping stem, equipped with tendrils, grows from 1.5 to 2 m, and sometimes more. The leaves are very large, alternately arranged, and have a rounded-ovate or palmate-lobed shape. Attached to the stem with long petioles. The leaf blade also has pubescence, so it seems a little rough to the touch. Flowers and tendrils are located in the axils of the leaves.

Melon is a climbing plant reaching a length of 2 m.

The root system is powerful, because the plant comes from arid places where water is in great short supply. The branching of the root system can cover a diameter of 1 to 2 m, and the taproot penetrates up to 1.5 m in depth.

The melon fruit is called pumpkin and has a spherical or cylindrical shape. The outer shell of the fruit (exocarp) is leathery and elastic. Its color can be different - white, yellow, green or brownish, with or without stripes. The surface is also different - from absolutely smooth to rough. One plant can form from 2 to 8 fruits, the weight of which ranges from 1.5 to 10 kg.

The pulp is very juicy, aromatic, sweet. Some varieties have sugar levels as high as 20%. Medium density consistency. The color can have various shades from white to greenish (depending on the variety).

The color of melon pulp depends on the variety.

Inside the fruit is a cavity filled with seeds. There are quite a lot of them. Flat, narrow or broadly oval seeds have a white or yellowish tint. The surface of the outer cover can be glossy or matte.

Numerous seeds are hidden inside the melon.

How to distinguish male flowers from female ones

Melon is a monoecious plant. Male and female flowers can develop on it simultaneously. Melon pollen is heavy and sticky, so pollination requires helpers - bees or ants. But sometimes manual dexterity is also useful - in greenhouses or in bad weather, insects will not be able to help.

The first flowers to appear on a melon are male. Their number depends on the ripening period of the variety. In early ripening melons, flowers are formed in the axils of the 2nd or 3rd leaf, in late varieties - on the 4th or 5th. Before the first female flower appears, the melon manages to lay from 6 to 30 male flowers.

Melon flowers are divided into male and female

The difference between male and female flowers is in their structure. The male has 5 stamens on which pollen is formed. The female flower has a well-developed pistil, which forms an ovary after pollination.

Video: manual pollination of melons

Application

Melon is often used as a dessert. But the juicy pulp is good not only in its raw form, it is an excellent product for making jam, jam, melon honey, and candied amber fruits. Melon is also dried and canned.

In the Middle Ages, melon was the most popular food in Asia, especially during the long fasting period before Ramadan.

Melon is a wonderful and healthy dessert

Benefit

The healing properties of melon have been well known and widely used in medicine since the time of Avicenna.

Table: content of proteins, water, carbohydrates, fats

Melon is a low-calorie product. 100 g of pulp contains an average of 35 kcal, so the fruit is not contraindicated even for those suffering from obesity.

Melon can be called a real “first aid kit” due to the high content of various useful substances in its pulp. The peel and seeds are also actively used to prepare medicinal drinks and decoctions.

Melon can be safely called a real storehouse of nutrients.

For a long time, melon has been used as a remedy to help recover from a serious illness. The pulp stimulates the intestines and improves its microflora. Melon is useful for:

• anemia;
• atherosclerosis;
• tuberculosis;
• gout;
• scurvy;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• kidney and bladder diseases.

Used as:

• sedative;
• anti-inflammatory;
• laxative;
• diuretic.

Cosmetologists actively use the properties of melon to prepare tonic and nourishing masks. The pulp of the fruit, ground into a paste and applied to the face, will make the skin elastic, eliminate oily shine and give a delicate color. This mask should be applied regularly for a month.

But melon also has contraindications:

• should not be used by nursing mothers. In a baby, this can cause disturbances in the functioning of the stomach and painful digestion;
• It is not recommended to eat melon on an empty stomach;
• After taking melon pulp, you should not eat fermented milk products or drink cold water. This leads to indigestion;
• cannot be combined with alcohol;
• People who suffer from ulcers, diabetes or liver disease should use melon with caution.

Melon fruit - description

Melon berry is an annual plant with a creeping stem 1.5 to 3 m long with large, entire, heart-shaped, palmately lobed leaves consisting of five lobes. Melon flowers are light yellow, unisexual. Each plant can produce from 2 to 8 fragrant fruits and berries. Green, light brown, yellow or white, often with green stripes, the melon berry can be cylindrical, flattened or round in shape. The flesh of the melon is white, greenish, orange or yellow. The growing season of the plant lasts from 2.5 months to six months.

Growing melon in seedlings

By growing melon in seedlings, you can get fragrant pumpkins a little earlier than usual. In addition, it will help gardeners in cooler regions cultivate tender crops.

How to collect seeds

The quality of seeds from unripe melons is very low; in this case, there is no hope for a good harvest. Seeds are collected only from ripe fruits:

1. The melon is cut in half and the seeds are removed.
2. Rinse under running water to get rid of pieces of pulp.
3. Allow excess moisture to drain and lay out in a thin layer on a clean cloth or paper to dry in natural conditions. To prevent the seeds from becoming moldy, leave them in a well-ventilated place.

Do not dry melon seeds in the oven.

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Collecting melon seeds is not difficult at all.

Planting seeds for seedlings

Planting seeds for seedlings is carried out in mid or late April, depending on the climatic conditions of the region. Small pots, preferably peat ones, are used as containers. Sow 3 seeds in moistened soil. Cover with a bag and place in a bright and warm place. Germination occurs at a temperature of 20–25°C during the day, at night - not lower than 18°C.

In order for melon seeds to germinate, you need to place the pots in a bright and warm place

Seedling care

The seeds germinate quickly, and shoots appear within a week. Examine them carefully and choose the strongest one. Cut the rest at soil level. You cannot pull it out so as not to damage the root system of the remaining sprout.

Procedure:

1. To prevent the seedlings from stretching out, they need to be kept on the lightest windowsill - the southern one. If your windows face other sides, additional lighting will help. For this, fluorescent lamps are used. The main thing is that the seedlings are illuminated for at least 10–12 hours.

   To prevent seedlings from stretching out, use additional lighting

2. Watering is a mandatory stage of care. The first moistening is carried out when the seedling develops one true leaf. You only need to water with warm water, making sure that moisture does not get on the leaves and stems. Excessive moisture can lead to seedling disease. To avoid the common blackleg disease, the surface of the soil is sprinkled with dry fine sand.
3. The room where the seedlings are located must be ventilated, this will help to avoid increased humidity. But make sure that the seedlings are not exposed to a draft.
4. During the growth period, seedlings are fed only 2 times. For this purpose, complex mineral fertilizers are used. The dosage is indicated on the label.
5. After at least 3 true leaves have developed on the seedlings, pinching is carried out to encourage the plant to form side shoots.
6. A week before planting in the ground, seedlings begin to harden. To do this, day and night temperatures are gradually raised to 15–17°C and 12–15°C, respectively. Ventilation during this period lasts longer than usual.

Picking

For melon seedlings, as for all pumpkin seedlings, the picking procedure is not carried out. Seedlings do not tolerate the transplantation process very well, which is why they are grown immediately in separate containers.

Growing instructions

To get a rich and tasty harvest, follow the basic rules of agricultural technology.

Preparing melon seeds for planting

They start with disinfection - the seeds are placed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or soaked in aloe juice for 20 minutes. Disinfection kills pathogenic microflora on the surface of seeds and protects against pests. After the seed is germinated, it is placed in damp gauze and put in a warm place for 2-3 days.

Germination improves seed germination and strengthens the immune system. For healthy development of the root system, add a few drops of Kornevin growth stimulator to the gauze.

Important! Purchase seeds only from trusted manufacturers. When purchasing, pay attention to the expiration date of the material, recommendations for growing, and photos on the packaging.

Proper cultivation of seedlings

Seedlings are grown in any containers - pots, boxes, glasses. The main thing is that the container is washed with soda solution. For seedlings, use purchased or garden soil. It is cleaned of debris, poured with Bordeaux mixture and poured into a container.

The seedling planting pattern is 15x15. Place 1-2 seeds in one hole, sprinkle soil on top and water generously with warm water. Melons are grown in a warm and bright place.

Moisten the soil once every five days, fertilize two weeks after planting. Liquid bird droppings or nettle infusion have a positive effect on the development of seedlings. During the growing period, the plant is fed 2-3 times, with an interval of two weeks.

Selecting a site and preparing the soil for planting seedlings

Seedlings are planted early on a cloudy morning in spacious beds. The land is prepared in two stages.

The first takes place in the fall, at the end of October. The soil is dug up, cleaned of leaves and remains of last year's plants.

The second occurs in mid-March - the ground is dug up again and fertilized with liquid manure. The beds should be located in a windless place, away from groundwater.

Plant care

How to care for plantings? Care consists of regular watering and fertilizing. Irrigate the beds at the roots using water at room temperature. Moisten as the soil dries, every 5-7 days. On average, 1-2 liters are consumed per bush. If the summer is dry and without rain, then the volume of liquid is increased. Stop watering two weeks before harvest.

Fertilize the beds with mineral and organic fertilizers. They use urea, ammonium nitrate, potassium salt, superphosphate, and wood ash. Fertilizing is applied every 10-15 days before watering. Fertilizers protect against pests and improve the taste of melons.

The third stage of care is weeding and loosening the beds. The procedures protect against weeds and prevent the occurrence of diseases. Regular loosening makes the soil airy and nutritious, retains moisture in the ground.

Growing melon at home

For those who like to experiment, there are no obstacles, and growing a melon on a balcony or windowsill will not be difficult. After all, everything that melons love - warmth and light - can be provided to plants at home. Varieties with small pumpkins are quite suitable for growing on a balcony or loggia:

• Ozhen (from 0.8 to 1 kg),
• Altai (from 0.8 to 1 kg),
• Lyubushka (from 0.7 to 0.8 kg),
• Tender (from 0.9 to 1.1 kg).

You can start sowing melon at home starting in March, but no later than the first days of June. To do this you need:

1. Prepare containers with a volume of at least 5–6 liters. Fill them with universal soil with neutral acidity. If possible, purchase soil “For cucumbers” in the store.
2. Sowing is done with seeds. To do this, bury the seed 3 cm into moist soil, after mixing the soil in the hole with a spoonful of ash. Before sowing, the seeds can be soaked, then they will sprout a little earlier.
3. You can first grow seedlings (sow seeds in April), and then transplant them by transferring them into containers on the balcony.
4. Light- and heat-loving melon should grow in the most illuminated place.

   For home-grown melon, choose the brightest and warmest corners

5. Water the plant only with warm water, being careful not to get it on the leaves and stem. It is best to pour water along the edge of the pot. Water only after the top layer of soil has completely dried. Adjust the frequency depending on weather conditions.
6. Monitor the humidity level. If this indicator is high, the melon may be sick.
7. Try to give nitrogen-containing fertilizers before flowers form. During this period, feed azophoska - 1 tbsp. l. for 3 liters of water. 1 liter of solution is enough for one plant. During the flowering period, balcony melon prefers phosphorus-potassium fertilizing - 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 2 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water. If the plant is slow in growth, pamper it with organic matter (mullein or chicken droppings), adding the prepared solution after watering.
8. Balcony culture needs a garter. But making a trellis is half the battle. A melon, unlike a cucumber, does not have tendrils and will not curl itself. Therefore, the whip needs to be wrapped around the twine and tied with cotton fabric or rope. This must be done as it grows.
9. Melon at home also requires shaping. The first pinching is done above the 5th–6th leaf. Tie the side shoot that replaces the main stem to the trellis. On hybrids, on the contrary, the main stem is not pinched, but is done on the side shoots, above the 2-3rd leaf, to avoid unnecessary thickening.
10. If you have an open balcony, then insects can handle the role of pollinators. But it’s still better to play it safe and pollinate the flowers by hand.
11. You should leave 2 to 3 fruits on the plant. They should be located at some distance from each other. To prevent the fruit from breaking the lash or breaking off, it needs to be tied up. When the fruit reaches the size of a tennis ball, it is wrapped in a net and tied to a trellis.

    Pack the ripening fruit in a net and tie it up

12. For diseases and pests, use the same preparations as when growing in open ground.

Planting and caring for melon

• Planting: sowing seeds for seedlings - in mid-April, planting seedlings in the ground - in early June.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• Soil: rich in organic matter, light, dry, neutral reaction, preferably after black fallow. It can be grown on medium loamy soil. Heavy loams, sandy, acidic and wet soils are not suitable.
• Watering: regular, preferably drip, on average once a week, in the morning. With the appearance of fruits, watering is reduced until it stops completely.
• Top dressing: 2 weeks after planting the seedlings, add a solution of 20 g of ammonium nitrate in 10 liters of water to the soil at the rate of 2 liters per bush. The same fertilizing is applied during the formation of buds, and 2-3 weeks after this the soil is fertilized with a mineral complex.
• Pinching, tying, pinching: as soon as the seedlings take root, the main stem is pinched, but this does not apply to hybrid melon varieties. There should be from 2 to 6 ovaries left on each bush, and when they increase to the size of a tennis ball, they are placed in a string bag and tied to a trellis.
• Reproduction: seed.
• Pests: melon aphids, wireworms, spider mites, gnawing cutworms and melon flies.
• Diseases: powdery mildew, downy mildew, fusarium wilt, anthracnose, root rot.

Read more about growing melons below.

Growing methods

There are many ways to grow a juicy dessert. From traditional ones - spread out or on a trellis, to unusual ones - in a bag or barrel.

Melon in a barrel without a bottom

This method is perfect for central Russia, where summer is not very warm. For melon, a simple barrel is not entirely convenient. There is too little space, because it is advisable not to let the lashes outside, since the temperature difference can negatively affect the harvest. And in case of bad weather, the sissy can easily be covered with film or other covering material. Therefore, sheets of iron connected together or a large container are just right.

Install such a bed in advance:

1. All remnants of vegetation are placed at the bottom of the container: branches, dry parts of plants. They will not only serve as drainage, but heat will be generated during decomposition.
2. Then fresh grass, hay, humus and fertile soil are laid on top.
3. Everything is watered with water or Baikal fertilizer, which will help the plants to rot better.
4. The structure is covered with cellophane on top and left until the beginning of May.
5. You can plant soaked seeds in the second half of April or seedlings in mid-May, but always under cover.

Video: garden melon

In the bag

This method is useful for those who grow melon on the balcony. But, if you take a larger bag, then it is quite possible to get a harvest in a small area. Of course, thin cellophane bags are not suitable as a material. You need large ones, made of durable polyethylene. Fertile universal soil is suitable for balcony culture. Don't forget to install a trellis. In a garden structure, you can fill the volume in the same way as when growing in a barrel.

Video: growing melons in bags

On a warm bed

This design is an exact copy of the barrel growing method described above. The only difference is that the box is constructed not from metal, but from boards.

Raised beds are an excellent opportunity to grow heat-loving crops

On the trellis

The method is used when growing crops on a balcony or in a greenhouse. It allows you to significantly save space and provides plants with high-quality care, which will definitely result in high yields and low disease rates.

1. The method involves the construction of a U-shaped frame - the columns are buried in the ground so that they rise 2 m above ground level, their tops are connected with planks for greater stability.
2. The distance between columns in a row is at least 2 m.
3. Then a soft wire is tied to the crossbar.
4. One end is attached to the crossbar, the lower end is lowered to the growing melon and secured to the plant.
5. Subsequently, the growing lash is carefully wrapped around the wire and tied.

When growing melons using a trellis method, you can stretch a coarse, strong mesh between the supports.

Melon grown on a trellis is easy to care for.

Spread method

This method is considered the most natural and simplest. It is used when growing sweet fruits in open ground. Planting scheme for this method: the distance between plants in a row is at least 60 cm, row spacing is 1 m. The stems of the plant should not be intertwined. To prevent the shoots from being blown away by the wind, pin them to the soil using wire staples.

Growing melons spread out - the easiest and most natural way

Seed preparation

High-quality seedlings can only be obtained from high-quality seeds.

There will be no good harvest from first-year seeds! There will be no harvest at all, except for the harvest of large, profusely flowering male “gramophones”, long vines with bright burdock leaves.

To get both male and female flowers, you need to let the melon seeds “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 with the external dimensions “by eye”, then the density of the seed 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 add seeds selected by size. Let it sit for an hour or two.

Those that have sunk to the bottom are suitable for planting, the rest are thrown out with the water as unnecessary. We wash the “fat ones” and dry them on newspaper without heating.

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

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

• awakening;
• inclusion of biological development;
• change in shell permeability;
• quick emergence of seedlings.

Seed processing and soaking

In the Pumpkin family, in order to increase the number of “lady” flowers and the friendly “pipping” of sprouts, the warming process is very important. This can be done “dry” or using a thermos.

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

For convenience, the seeds can be scattered into linen bags, laid out in flat pads (up to 2 cm) on a mesh and shaken, turning the bags over every 20-30 minutes. Dry heating time is 3-4 hours.

This is the first “dry” method.

The second method is to apply an even thin layer on the windowsill. 10 days, if the sun is already warming up the window sills well through the glass.

The third method is in a thermos. Mix boiling water with “well water” in a ratio of 50x50 and pour this water into the melon seeds in a thermos flask for the same 3-4 hours.

Warming up by any method 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 will also work. We will need a loose fabric bag immersed in this water, which will remain there until the seeds are completely swollen.

You can also soak it with the addition of various microfertilizers and microelements. Soaking with trace elements is a good start for any crop.

You can buy the nutrient mixture in the store and, after dissolving it in warm (but not hot!) water, soak the seeds.

You can prepare 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 left for 2 days (20g per 1l) is perfect.

Soaking should not last more than 24 hours!

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

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

The next step to a good harvest is disinfection, which is often called “dressing” or “disinfection” of seeds. This will minimize the risk of melon being affected by fungal and bacterial diseases.

The simplest thing 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 the seeds in it for 20-30 minutes.

Bathing in a 2% solution of hydrogen peroxide for 10-15 minutes is also good.

An aloe leaf soaked in water in a dark place for 5 days will also come in handy. Dilute the resulting infusion one to one and immerse a bag of seeds in it for a day.

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

Wash the treated, disinfected seeds (lightly) and dry again. Slightly.

Pelleting

If desired, the seed can be panned. This is not a mandatory item, but desirable, because this will give the seed additional nutrition when growing the sprout.

Mixture for obtaining seed pills:

• peat – 600g;
• humus – 300g;
• mullein – 100g;
• superphosphate, ground into powder – 15g.

Sprinkle the slightly damp seeds with the resulting mixture and shake until the mixture coats them like breadcrumbs on a cutlet. Dry it. Spray it. We repeat the process until the crust of the mixture reaches 2-4 mm. This is how you get a “seed pellet”.

Hardening and vernalization

For a heat-loving crop like melon, seed hardening is the right choice! This will contribute to better adaptability of the young shoot 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 to a beginner in growing melons these methods may seem a little different.

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

Hardening is applicable only for heat-loving plants, increasing their resistance to changes in outdoor temperatures.

The hardening method is used for swollen, “ready” seeds of melon, pumpkin, zucchini, etc. from the cucumber genus, but they have not yet “hatched” to avoid rotting of the seed.

After swelling at room temperature, pre-prepared seeds (warming and soaking) are subjected to sharp cooling to 0*C - placed in the refrigerator for 5-10 days.

The second option is to transfer swollen seeds from +20* to cold 0* for 12 hours. They take it out, 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. When the seeds first try 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 maturity has been increased significantly!

Dry seeds can also be frozen and hardened. Dry material is hardened from 0* to -10*, or even to -20*. It all depends on the variety.

After stress therapy with hardening, some seeds may refuse to sprout. This is fine. But the rest will produce magnificent plants that are stable and strong, with earlier flowering and a friendly yield.

Another advantage will be the possibility of earlier planting of seedlings in open ground.

Features of growing melons in different regions

Gardeners not only from warm regions want to grow this southerner who loves the warmth of the sun. Therefore, melon is moving even to the north - to the Urals and Siberia. But each climatic region has its own characteristics that must be taken into account when growing melons.

• The most suitable conditions for cultivating a heat-loving crop can be safely called Ukraine, the southern regions of Russia (Lower Volga, North Caucasus, Krasnodar) and Crimea. Here you can safely plant seeds in open ground or seedlings. A sufficient amount of sunlight, and it needs at least 12 hours, allows you to grow various varieties, from early ripening to late: Augustine,
• Aikido,
• Alice,
• Babor,
• Victoria,
• Golden,
• Idyll,
• Miron,
• Autumn,
• Prima,
• Raymond,
• Tamanskaya,
• Southerner;

When growing melons in cool areas, try to place planks under the fruit to prevent the melon from rotting from moisture. Also, the fruits need to be turned to the other side from time to time.

Video: growing melon

Features of melon

Melon is an annual plant that has a creeping shoot reaching 150–300 cm in length. The whole large palmate-lobed heart-shaped leaf plates contain 5 lobes. Unisexual flowers are yellowish in color. One bush can produce 2–8 fruits (pumpkins), which smell very pleasant. The shape of the fruit can be flattened, cylindrical or round, and they are colored brownish, white, green or yellow, with green stripes most often located on the surface. The color of the pulp is light green, yellow, white or orange. The duration of the melon growing season is 2.5–6 months.

GROWING MELONS IN THE OPEN GROUND!

Melon in a greenhouse

The greenhouse will help out gardeners living in cold climates. This option is also suitable for those who want to get an earlier harvest of fragrant fruits. The main task is to provide the melon with a sufficient food area, take care of a stable temperature, normal humidification and air exchange.

Small secrets of successful fruiting:

• successful cultivation will be ensured by varieties resistant to fungal diseases;
• plant the best prepared seedlings;
• do not forget that pollination is your concern, because bees do not fly in a greenhouse;
• Grow melon indoors only on a trellis.

A greenhouse is the key to a successful melon harvest in cold climates

Melon varieties

We successfully grow:

"Assol F1"

Mid-season hybrid variety. Yellow, round, mesh-skinned fruits become honey-sweet after 80-85 days.

"Cinderella F1"

Another mid-season hybrid with oblong, medium-sized melon fruits weighing up to 1.3 kg. The white pulp contains more than 9% sugars!

"Galileo"

Again, a mid-season variety with a bright yellow skin and unusual soft green flesh. Weight – 1.5-1.7 kg.

"Caramel F1"

A mid-ripening beauty with fruits of a perfectly regular oval. Under the delicate, thin, mesh skin there is a delicious aroma of white pulp. Weight – up to 2.5 kg! Mid-season pumpkin.

"Iroquois"

This is where the “pumpkin relatives” are clearly visible - the spherical fruits (2-2.5 kg) are divided into convex segments, and the flesh has a pale orange color with a greenish tint. Mid-season and thick-skinned!

"Collective farmer"

Perhaps the most popular melon grown on private farms! It has earned its fame due to its fairly unpretentious cultivation, the sweet taste of small (up to 1 kg) round fruits with smooth skin and delicate creamy pulp with a wonderful melon aroma.

"A pineapple"

Truly a giant among mid-season varieties! The weight of a pumpkin is from 3 kg, but for the oval orange “Pineapple” this is not the limit. Some people manage to grow up to 5 kg of pulp under this mesh skin!

"Yukar F1"

Good for everyone! And early ripening (50-55 days), and beautiful elliptical fruits (up to 1.7 kg), covered with gray-yellow mesh skin and dense sweet pulp. However, alas, the aroma of melon is weakly expressed.

"Gold of the Scythians"

Honored mid-early variety. It has earned respect not only for its sweet fruits, covered with a bright yellow thin skin, but also for their friendly ripening on the vine and resistance to fungal diseases. Weight – average. From 1 kg to 1.5.

"Alina"

A worthy pair for “Scythian Gold” - resistant to diseases, early ripe, dense flesh is sweet and aromatic. The skin of the oval fruit is bright yellow, almost orange, and the inside is yellow-green with a white-orange center. Weight – from 0.7 kg.

"Tamanskaya"

Melon from the picture! – Classic ellipse with smooth bright skin, weighing 1-2 kg. Hardy and early ripening. The only problem is that it contains less than 6% sugar and not enough aroma.

But not a single melon will grow by itself! You need to properly prepare the seeds and get healthy, strong, resilient seedlings from them!

Diseases and pests

Regardless of whether a melon is grown outdoors or indoors, it can be susceptible to various diseases if it does not receive proper care. Southern culture is not immune to 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

Melon pests

Pests of melons can be very different. In this article you will learn ways to deal with them.

Gnawing cutworms

The armyworm is an omnivorous butterfly whose diet includes more than 120 plant species, including melon. The most damaging plants are the cutworm caterpillars that live in the upper part of the post. They eat away the inside of the stems, which inevitably leads to drying out of the plants and their further death. The gray caterpillar is about 4 cm long.

Methods of pest control:

1. Perform regular loosening of the soil, destroying caterpillars and other pests if they get in, get rid of pupae and larvae.
2. Lure out cutworm caterpillars using a plastic bottle with jam, hanging them at a distance of 1 m from the ground.
3. Use the following drugs to combat the cutworm strictly according to the instructions: Volaton, Decis.

Wireworms

The wireworm is the larva of the click beetle. Its body is light yellow. The larvae of this beetle live in the soil for 3 to 5 years and have three pairs of hard legs in the thoracic region.

With warming, they move to the upper layers of the soil, from where they easily attack plants, from seeds to seedlings. The root system of the plant is most damaged, which in turn reduces the plant’s ability to feed and causes the melon to wither literally before our eyes. Due to this, the beds thin out over time.

Methods of pest control:

1. The drug of low toxicity "Provotox" does not require frequent use, since after its use the effects continue for a long time. It is completely harmless to people and animals. Place the drug granule in the hole along with the seeds, which have been pre-treated, for example, with the “Prestige” drug.
2. Additionally, fight wireworms by removing weeds, liming the soil, and sprinkling the soil with ash.

Spider mites

Small arthropods, less than 1 cm long, from the class of arachnids. They wrap melon leaves in a thin web and feed on their juice, leaving small spots on the stems and leaves.

After a spider mite bite, the leaves begin to turn yellow and soon fall off. They reproduce at a high speed and may need two to five days to do this.

Methods of pest control:

1. Initially, to treat the leaves of the plant, use a soapy solution made from laundry soap or dishwashing detergent.
2. Treat melon seeds with bleach, and only then sow.
3. Use the preparation "Bi-58" to spray the plant at the stage of leaf appearance.
4. To destroy small populations of ticks, buy the preparations “Fitoverm” and “Aktofit”. These are high quality preparations, they need to be used several times a season.
5. Place a jar of turpentine near infected plants to avoid unnecessary spraying.
6. As a preventive measure, use harmless spraying with garlic water. To prepare it, take 400 g of crushed garlic, pour 2 liters of water over it, let it brew for 24 hours. The highly concentrated solution is diluted with water: 6 g of concentrate per 1 liter of water.

melon aphid

It has an oval-shaped body, the length of which is less than 2 cm. There are species of aphids of yellow and green colors, with and without wings. The greatest damage to melon is caused by representatives of wingless aphids.

The danger of aphids lies in the parallel course with other diseases. Active carriers of melon aphids are ants, carried by the wind or from purchased plants. Aphids reproduce on the lower part of the leaf.

When attacking plants, aphids eat literally all parts of the plant - stems, leaves, buds, flowers, which has serious consequences for the melon.

Methods of pest control:

1. Do a general cleaning of your garden or field before wintering.
2. Use 0.1% superphosphate fertilizer or 0.5% potassium chloride solution.
3. Plant varieties that are resistant to the pest.
4. Weed weeds promptly.

Melon fly

An insect with two wings of the variegated fly family, the length of the yellow body is up to 6.5 cm. The melon fly is one of the main enemies of the melon, capable of destroying half of the entire crop.

The insect makes a hole in the skin of the fruit and lays eggs directly into the flesh of the fruit. Then the resulting larvae harm the fruit of the plant, which begins to rot and emit a foul odor. The melon becomes unfit for consumption.

The first evidence that melon fruits are affected by this insect is the appearance of tubercles on the skin of the fruit.

Methods of control: treat the land with melons with a solution of “Rapier” or “Zenith”.

Broomrape

The plant is a parasite that grows together with the plant with its roots and feeds on its sap. This weed produces a large number of seeds, thanks to which it reproduces.

Broomrape specializes in certain plant species. So melon broomrape infects, in addition to melons, tomatoes, white cabbage, eggplants and many other vegetables. This fact should be taken into account when crop rotation.

Methods of pest control:

1. Perform proper crop rotation.
2. Till the soil deeply.
3. Clear the area of ​​weeds in a timely manner, preventing them from growing.
4. Keep the area neat and clean.
5. Introduce the phytomiza fly into the area during the broomrape bloom. The fly will lay eggs in the weed flowers, which will lead to the inevitable death of the plant seeds.

Watch a video about what the parasitic plant “Broomrape” looks like:

Problems encountered when growing melons

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

Table: problems and their solutions

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

Planting methods

Gardeners use two methods of growing melons - seedlings or direct sowing in open ground. Each method has its own rules and features, and therefore requires separate consideration.

Dry sowing in open ground

Prepared seeds are planted in open ground in compliance with the following parameters:

• planting pattern – 140x70 cm;
• sowing depth – 4-5 cm;
• the number of seeds for one hole is 3-4 pieces.

You can additionally add fertilizer to each hole - a handful of humus or 1 tsp. nitrophoska. After sowing, the soil should be sprinkled with earth and lightly pressed down with your foot. Seeds will actively germinate at temperatures above +15°C. During the growth period, the temperature should be above +25°C with relatively low air humidity.

As a rule, seedlings appear 10-12 days after sowing the seeds.

Through seedlings

This method allows you to accelerate the ripening of fruits by 15-20 days.

Sowing seeds

Seeds are sown for seedlings in the last days of April, following the following instructions:

• Select containers for growing seedlings . To get a good melon harvest, it is extremely important when transplanting seedlings into open ground not to damage its root system. To do this, the seeds need to be sown in peat pots with a diameter of about 10 cm.
• Prepare the soil . The soil from the garden should be mixed with loose humus. A 0.5 liter jar of ash should be added to a bucket of this mixture. For heavy soil, it is also worth adding peat. The prepared substrate must be steamed, and then add fertilizer to it - 1 tsp. potassium sulfate and 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate. You can also use another composition - a mixture of peat and sand in a ratio of 9:1. For 10 liters of such soil you need to add a glass of woody zone. Some gardeners also prefer to use store-bought garden soil.
• Sow the seeds . Fill plastic or cardboard pots with the resulting substrate, and then plant 2 seeds in each of them. The optimal planting depth is 1.5 cm.

Seedling care

After sowing, the pots with seedlings should be covered with polyethylene and kept at a temperature of +20...+25°C during the day and +18...+20°C at night. It is best to grow seedlings in a greenhouse or hotbed, but in the absence of such conditions, the pots can be placed on a windowsill or any other place where illumination can be provided with a fluorescent lamp. It should be located at a height of 15 cm above the seedlings. It should be turned on in cloudy weather and in the evening to provide additional lighting to the plants.

Water the seedlings moderately, otherwise excess moisture will lead to rotting of the root collar. In this case, do not allow water to get on the stems. To do this, the soil around them should be formed using a cone-shaped method.

During the development of the plant, two fertilizers should be applied:

1. With the appearance of the first true leaf of the seedlings . Feed with mullein solution (1:10) or bird droppings (1:15) with the addition of 1 tbsp. With. superphosphate.
2. 2 weeks after the first feeding . Apply mineral fertilizers, for example, Mortar or Kemira Universal. Use the drug according to the instructions on the package.

With the formation of three pairs of true leaves, the tops should be carefully pinched to stimulate the growth of side shoots. In addition, when 2-3 true leaves appear, the seedlings must be thinned out, leaving only one, the most developed one.

If seedlings are grown on a windowsill, it is additionally worth hardening off the plant. To do this, you will need to gradually accustom the seedlings to natural weather conditions 10-15 days before planting in the ground. Initially, you need to regularly ventilate the room, and then temporarily remove the seedlings to the balcony or garden, and each time you need to increase the duration of the procedure. Seedlings should be placed in light partial shade so that they are not damaged by sunlight.

Obtaining a full-fledged seedling takes 30-35 days. The readiness of the seedlings for planting is indicated by the appearance of 4-5 true leaves.

Transplantation into the ground

It cannot be carried out during frosts. They can be observed until the beginning of summer, so seedlings should be transplanted in early June, following the following instructions:

1. Cultivate high beds (10-15 cm) in a previously prepared area. To plant a plant in 1 row, the width between the beds should be 0.3-0.4 m, and if in 2 rows - 0.9 m.
2. Moisten the soil in each hole and feed with humus or 10-15 g of nitrophoska.
3. Water the pots with melon seedlings so that you can easily remove the plant without damaging the root system.
4. Move the bush to the center of the hole and cover it with soil up to the root collar, which should remain at soil level. Lightly moisten the soil again.

For 2-3 days, the seedlings need to be protected from sunlight, creating shade so that they can take root better. If there are strong temperature changes between day and night, the planted plants should be covered with film. It is best to cover it on arcs, about 0.7 m high and wide. If the temperature drops unexpectedly, you can additionally cover the film with old polyethylene or any other material that will prevent air hypothermia.

In sunny weather, it is worth opening the film to ventilate the plants. As a rule, this should be done on the 20th of June. It is during this period that flowering occurs, so for pollination you will need to give insects access to the flowers.

Reviews about the variety

Reviews on forums about this variety can be found contradictory. Some summer residents admire the possibility of obtaining fruits in far from ideal natural conditions and the high productivity of the plant.

Others write that melon is less sweet compared to other varieties and has an original flavor reminiscent of pumpkin.

Whether you choose this variety for planting or not is up to you; most likely it will suit gardeners living in areas with a cool climate.

Let's watch another interesting video about the product of crossing Minnesota and Altai melons:

Altai melon: variety description, photo

Altai melon deserves special attention due to its high taste. The variety is an early ripening variety; it takes only 70 days from seed germination to full ripening of the fruit.

The plant is compact, medium-vigorous, the average conductor can reach a length of 2 m. The variety is distinguished by large bright leaves and flowers.

The fruits of the Altai melon are oval-shaped, the skin is thin, golden in color with a white mesh pattern.

The fruits weigh from one and a half to two kilograms, the flesh is white or cream in color. Melon tastes sweet and has a pleasant aroma. The structure of the fruit is quite dense, the melon is well transported and can retain its attractive appearance for a long time.

The fruits are consumed fresh, they can also be dried, dried, and are suitable for making jam and preserves.

A distinctive quality of the Altai melon variety is its undemanding temperature. The plant develops normally and bears fruit in the conditions of Siberia and Altai. It is also resistant to high humidity.