Melon Cantaloupe is recognized for its subtle musky scent. The variety is unpretentious in care - even a novice gardener can cope with the cultivation. Why it is worth growing Cantaloupe melons and what work should be done before and during the growth of bushes in order to get a good harvest - further in the article.
Origin history
Italy is considered the country of origin of Cantaloupe, but the birthplace of the melon is Central and Central Asia, from where it was brought in the 15th century as a gift to the Pope. And since then they began to grow in the province of Cantaluppia, from where it borrowed its current name.
Today, this melon variety is grown throughout Europe and America. In Russia, it was somewhat forgotten, although in pre-revolutionary times there was a separately bred litter - Moscow Cantaloupe.
Cantaloupe is the ancestor of nearly all melon varieties currently grown in Europe.
Plant description
Melon Cantaloupe or Musk or Thai belongs to the pumpkin genus, the cucumber family.
Table of the main characteristics of the variety:
Selection | Growing season, days | Fetal weight, kg | Fruit diameter, cm | Productivity, kg / sq. m | Keeping quality, class |
14th century, Armenia | 80 | 0,5-1,5 | 20-30 | 3-3,3 | 3 |
Cantaloupe has the following distinctive external features:
- Stems spread on the ground, branched, powerful.
- The leaf is dark green, large, with a carved, rigid plate.
- Fruits can be round, oval, slightly flattened, depending on the variety and growing conditions.
- The skin of the fetus is often rough, covered with a net-like relief pattern, in some species it may be smooth. Color from orange, yellow to green.
- A distinctive feature of the pulp is a pronounced musky aroma. The color can be yellow or dark orange. Fruits with a green skin are creamy.
- The size of one fruit in a circle does not exceed 30 cm. Weight varies from half a kilo to one and a half.
- The ripening dates of the fruits are referred to as mid-season, they are harvested at the end of summer. Some hybrid varieties may be early ripening.
- The variety is not picky about growing conditions and care, therefore it grows well both in the southern regions and in the middle lane.
Chemical composition and beneficial properties
The fruits of Cantaloupe melon are classified as dietary products due to their low calorie content - only 34 calories per 100 g of product.
In the composition you can find many useful substances and vitamins:
- carotene - good for the skin and organs of vision;
- inosine - recommend to use for obesity, hair loss, to lower cholesterol;
- choline - improves memory, is useful during pregnancy;
- zeaxanthin - increases the protective properties of the body from ultraviolet radiation, prevents cardiovascular diseases;
- cellulose - positively affects the digestive tract;
- sucrose (2 times more than in a watermelon) - contributes to the normal functioning of the liver, brain, muscles, nervous system;
- vitamin C (3 times more than in a watermelon) - improves the immune system;
- silicon - takes part in the formation and growth of bone and connective tissue;
- iron (2 times more than in a chicken egg) - prevents the development of anemia;
- potassium - stabilizes blood pressure.
Using
Most often, cantaloupe melon is eaten raw.
In cooking, it is used for cooking:
- desserts;
- fruit and vegetable salads;
- candied fruits;
- baking;
- jam;
- dried.
Melon peel is used in cosmetology for the preparation of facial care products.
Advantages and disadvantages
Positive qualities of the variety:
- dense peel does not allow fruits to crack in conditions of high humidity;
- grows well in areas with wet summers at moderate temperatures;
- resistance to diseases of melons such as powdery mildew;
- ripens faster than Asian varieties;
- high taste.
Among the disadvantages are:
- relatively short shelf life (maximum up to 2.5 months), it is recommended to use it raw within 3-4 weeks after collection;
- watering is necessary in a hot period;
- small fruit size.
Hybrid varieties
For a long time, Cantaloupe has been grown naturally. But from the middle of the 20th century, new hybrids began to be successfully bred. The goal is to improve and enrich the taste of the variety.
We will describe the most successful varieties below.
Iroquois
Derived from East American cantaloupe, the plant is distinguished by the power of the stems. The leaves are large, dark green. The fruits are oval. The peel is covered with a coarse mesh. Ripening weight reaches 1.7 kg. The sugar content is not less than 12%.
The variety belongs to mid-season. Harvesting should be done on time and the fruits should not be ripened.
It is resistant to many diseases.
Charente
A variety from France.
The fruits are the smallest among all varieties of Cantaloupe, but they are distinguished by their bright taste and aroma. The shape resembles slightly flattened balls. On the peel there are longitudinal grooves, smooth texture.
A variety of early ripening. Grown in protected ground conditions.
Blondie
A relatively new variety is bred based on Charente.
The hybrid adapts well to different growing conditions: climate, soil, humidity.
The plant develops powerful stems, but the fruits are not large, up to 600 g. A distinctive feature is the absence of a mesh pattern on the skin. Fruits are oval or oblate in shape.
Maturing term is average, 80-90 days.
Melon of this variety resists various diseases well and is not affected by root rot.
Gaul
Bred by Israeli scientists.
The variety is outwardly similar to Cantaloupe. A distinctive feature is the pistachio-colored flesh. The fruits are medium sized.
The main value of the variety is its good tolerance to various climatic conditions - it feels great in high humidity and during periods of drought. Also, the variety is resistant to low temperatures and underlying diseases.
Refers to medium-ripening crops.
Oksana
A hybrid with large fruits (up to 4-5 kg), oval, yellow. The skin is covered with a thick mesh, the flesh is white, cream, juicy with acidity. The stem is medium-sized.
This kind of melon can be grown in open ground or under agrofibre. Has good resistance to common diseases.
The ripening period is early (1.5-2 months).
Fruits can be stored for a long time without losing their presentation.
How to grow in the garden?
Cantaloupe melon can be grown in the backyard garden. Next, consider what to look for, so that the fruits have time to ripen and delight the crop.
Timing
First of all, you should choose a variety that is suitable for cultivation in the region of residence.
To do this, consider:
- Warm season. Most varieties need 2-3 hot summer months for the fruits to ripen. But, today there are varieties for growing in cool summer conditions.
- Ripening dates. For regions with short and cool summers, choose early varieties, for the south, medium ripeness and late ones are suitable.
- Sowing time. Seeds can be planted for seedlings in April. Seedlings are transferred to the soil after a month and a half.
And you can sow directly into open ground at the end of May.
Site selection and crop rotation
Next, you should consider a place for sowing seeds. Consider the following factors:
- The soil. Melon will grow well on loamy and sandy soils, the acidity (pH) of which is about 6.
- Drainage. It is necessary when growing melons of most varieties. Water should not stagnate between rows.
- A place for growth. Melons have spreading, creeping branches, so a fairly large bed should be selected.
- Location. Melons love sunny places with shelter from the wind. The best option would be the southern part of the site, if possible - on a slope. Hedges or curtain crops (sunflowers, corn, peas) are good wind protection.
- Supports. Are needed if melons are planned to be tied up (when growing varieties with small fruits). You don’t have to worry about this and let the melons ripen on the ground.
- Garden neighbors... Melon can be planted with cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins. Many gardeners are intimidated by such a neighborhood, since there is an opinion that melon is pollinated with pollen from other plants. But, this is not true.
Good neighbors are: leafy crops, radish, radish, turnip.
Adverse neighbors are potatoes and beets. - Precursor cultures. It is good if cereals, legumes, white cabbage, garlic, onions, cucumbers will grow in the area in front of the melons.
Strongly weaken the soil and are not recommended, as all types of pumpkin seeds, tomatoes, carrots for melons.
In the garden where Cantaloupe grew, re-cultivation of melons for 5 years is not recommended.
Sowing pattern and depth
Before landing in the ground, carry out preparatory work:
- Digging is primary. Dig the soil to a depth of 30-35 cm. Remove stones, branches and other foreign objects from it (can be done in the fall).
- Warming up the soil. To do this, cover the selected area with film in April and leave until the next processing step. So that the seeds grow well and develop, the soil must warm up to +18 ° C.
- Fertilizer. Apply fertilizer to the site at the rate of 3 kg of humus or 7 kg of manure per 1 sq. m.
- Re-digging, loosening... Dig the soil again and loosen it thoroughly.
Now you should act in accordance with what material will be planted.
Sowing seeds
Sequence of work:
- Well preparation. Divide the plot into rows every 130-140 cm. In each row, make holes 4-5 cm deep, at a distance of 70-90 cm from each other.
- Sowing. Put 3-4 seeds in each well.
- Covering holes. Cover the holes with earth, creating small mounds above the surface.
Planting seedlings
The best time to plant seedlings at home is 10 days before the last night frost. Check the weather forecast and choose the right time.
The method of planting seedlings is used in cold climates.
Next you will need:
- Biodegradable pots. It is recommended to use special peat or other bio-pots so as not to damage the delicate root system during planting. Take care of purchasing the required amount.
- Priming. Pots fill with nutritious soil. It is best to take specially designed for seedlings.
- Sowing. Put 3-4 seeds in each pot.
- Watering. Pour generously with water at room temperature. Be careful not to overmoisten the soil or create standing puddles.
- Germination of seeds. After sprouting and the appearance of real leaves, thin out the seedlings, leaving the strongest stems.
When the threat of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up well, seedlings can be transferred to the garden. To do this, use the same pattern as for sowing seeds. Plant seedlings in the wells, along with a bio-pot.
How to care?
Melon belongs to unpretentious plants, but nevertheless, it must be regularly looked after.
Temporary shelter
Immediately after planting in the ground, make shelter for the plant. It will be needed until the flowering melon. When the first flowers appear, it will need to be removed so as not to interfere with pollination by insects.
Temporary shelter promotes faster plant growth and allows you to harvest 2-3 weeks earlier.
When constructing a shelter, pay attention to:
- The choice of material. Gardeners use a plastic film or spanbel (non-woven garden material) for frame shelter, or cover each well with a cut-off PET bottle, with a volume of at least 5 liters. The choice of shelter is yours.
- The construction of the frame. An arched wire frame is suitable. Install it at a height of 50-60 cm above the rows.
- Access to plants. When building a shelter, you need to remember that in the first 3 weeks of growth, until the stems get stronger, they will have to be weeded constantly. Take care of the removable part of the structure for access to the sprouts.
- Thinning of seedlings. If the melon was planted from seeds to soil, thin out the seedlings, choosing the most healthy plants after the appearance of these leaves.
Watering
Melon Cantaloupe is demanding on the frequency and volume of watering, which largely depends on the weather conditions and the growth phase.
Drying or waterlogging of the soil should not be allowed.
Hot watering rates:
- watering time - morning and evening;
- water volume - 4 liters for each bush.
Watering rates in wet weather:
- watering time - 1 time in the morning or in the evening;
- volume of water - up to 3 liters per plant.
In rainy weather - watering is stopped.
After the fruits reach technical maturity (unripe, green fruits that have reached full size) - watering is reduced in two.
7-10 days before harvest watering the melon completely.
Melon Cantaloupe is not suitable for sprinkling.
When watering, watch out for:
- The temperature of the water. It should be from +22 ° C. This contributes to a slower evaporation of moisture.
- The distance to the root neck. You need to pour water into pre-made holes or grooves at a distance of 5-7 cm from the root collar. This will save it from decay.
Top dressing
Ingredients that are necessary for good growth and development of fruit melons:
- nitrogen;
- phosphorus;
- potassium;
- calcium;
- sulfur.
Apply fertilizers throughout the entire growth period and adhere to the following recommendations:
- 1st feeding... Add a complex mineral fertilizer (for example, “Master” microfertilizer, according to the instructions) when 3-4 real leaves appear on the sprouts.
- 2nd feeding... A solution of rotted compost in a proportion of 3 kg per 10 liters of irrigation water, add 2 liters under each plant one and a half weeks after the first feeding.
- 3rd feeding. Apply nitrogen fertilizer (20 g of ammonium nitrate per 10 liters of water) at the rate of 2 liters of solution for each sprout. Carrying out time - 10 days after the second feeding.
- 4th feeding... Prepare a solution of 3 parts of water and 1 part of ash, pour them over the plants at the rate of 1.5-2 liters of fertilizer for each bush. It should be applied one and a half or 2 weeks after the third feeding.
- 5th feeding... Organic dressing, for which a solution of humus, humus or litter is suitable. Dilute 3-4 kg of organic matter in 10 liters of water.
You can add one more top dressing during the period of ovary formation. To prepare it, take 25 g of superphosphate, 5 g of nitrate and 10 g of potassium chloride, dilute the mixture in 5 liters of warm water.
Bushes
The formation of bushes is a necessary procedure to save the strength of the plant on the growth of stems and its direction in the formation of fruits.
There are 2 methods of formation.
In raised
It refers to simple methods, since it does not involve mounting additional structures.
Sequence of carrying out:
- Immediately after removing the protective cover, pinch the main stem at the level of the 4th leaf.
- Pick 2 strong side shoots and pin them to the ground.
- The remaining shoots are nipped at the level of the 5th leaf.
In trellis
The method involves the installation of a frame structure.
Order of conduct:
- After planting the plants in the ground, install the pins on both sides of each row.
- Between them, pull a thick cord at a height of 1.8-2 m.
- Tie this cord and lower it down to each hole in the rope.
- After 3-4 true leaves form in the plant, pinch its top.
- With a free loop of rope, tie the main stem along the bottom edge.
- Leave 2 of the strongest shoots on the bush, remove the rest.
- When the ovaries are formed, pinch the shoots at a distance of 3 leaves from them.
- Growing bush will stretch along the rope up to the trellis.
Soil care
Soil care includes 3 activities:
- Loosening. After planting, loosen the soil once a week to a depth of 5 cm.When the melon begins to bloom, reduce the amount of loosening to 1 time in 1.5 weeks and increase the depth to 10 cm.
- Weeding. Weed regularly as needed, carefully removing the weeds from the soil along with the root.
We recommend weeding together with loosening to reduce the risk of root damage.
- Hilling. Swipe after the appearance of lateral shoots on the main stem. Gently rake the soil under the root collar.
Possible problems
There are usually no problems with Cantaloupe. But sometimes it can be affected by diseases, pests and poorly bear fruit.
Melons grown in cultivation are more susceptible to pests and diseases.
Diseases
Diseases, their signs and methods of treatment:
- Downy mildew. It is manifested by the appearance of yellow spots on the leaves. A fungicide such as chlorothalonil will help fix the problem. Tie up the melons to prevent the spread of disease.
- Mycospheresis rot. The stems break, a yellow-orange liquid flows from the fractures. The harvest, most likely, will not be able to be harvested. After harvesting, treat the field with a fungicide. The next year, at this place, plant another culture.
- Sclerotic south rot. Melons rot after rain. Often the reason is heavy soil. Reduce the amount of watering and add mulch between the rows. Read more about soil mulching here.
Pests
Melons can be affected by the following pests:
- Nematodes. Nodes appear at the roots, the stems look swollen. Next year, plant rye in the garden where melons grew.
- Aphid. Leaves become sticky and wither. Use insecticides like Theodan. You can treat the plants with a mixture of essential oils or laundry soap.
- Moth miner. Gnawed holes appear on leaf plates. This insect will not affect the quality of the crop, so there is no need to fight it.
- Spider mite. The leaves turn yellow and become covered with cobwebs. No action is required if the disease is weak. If the defeat is severe, the only way to fight is to get rid of the melons.
Poor fruiting
Melons bear poor fruit for several reasons:
- Cold soil. If the soil is poorly warmed up at the time of planting, only male flowers will form on the melon. Monitor the temperature of the soil before landing.
- There are no pollinating insects. If there are few pollinating insects in the region, or if you are growing melons in a greenhouse, manually pollinate them.
If all the care measures are carried out correctly, and the melons still do not bear fruit, try 30 days before planting the melons, sow rye on the garden.
Harvesting
Harvesting does not take place simultaneously from the entire garden. From one bush, you can collect fruits from 4 to 6 times.
Melons are harvested as they ripen.
To determine the ripened melon, pay attention to such characteristics:
- Aroma. In ripe melons it is distinct, gentle and pleasant.
- Peduncle. Cracks appear around it. Ripe melon separates easily.
- Peel. If you press on a ripe fruit, the peel will slightly crinkle under your finger.
Harvest early in the morning or late in the evening. Do not remove the plucked fruits immediately from the garden, but leave them for 10-14 days in the aisles. Turn them over every 4 days. This method increases the shelf life.
Storage
Cantaloupe melons have average keeping rates. They tolerate transportation well and do not lose their commercial properties when observing storage rules.
With a not very large number of fruits, melons are stored suspended in cotton bags so that they do not come into contact with anything, in a shaded room at 75% humidity and a temperature of +13, +6 in summer and winter, respectively.
If melons began to deteriorate, it is better to put them to processing.
Gardeners reviews
Elena, 45 years old. I didn’t believe that southern melons would grow in our climatic conditions. But, despite my skepticism, I was pleased with the Cantaloupe variety. I planted seedlings in peat cups. Germination rate was approximately 90%.
By the time of planting in the ground, about 20 days, there were already 4-5 leaves on the shoots. Care during the summer consisted of forming bushes, loosening and watering on very hot days. The first melon ripened in mid-August and delighted with its sweet taste and aroma.
Ivan, 55 years old. Every year we plant something special in the garden. In the past, they decided to plant melons. The choice fell on the Cantaloupe variety. Planted immediately in the open ground under a film cover. The sprouts were well formed, but here we made one mistake - it became a pity to pinch them. As a result, there was a lot of ovary, but the fruits did not have time to ripen.
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Melon Cantaloupe has a delicate musky aroma and delicate flesh. The variety, although it is southern, grows well and bears fruit in a cool climate. Care for the growth period consists in loosening the soil, forming bushes and ovaries, weeding, timely fertilizing and watering. Ripe melons can be stored for up to 2.5 months.