Description of the honeydew melon variety, recommendations for cultivation and care

Description of the variety

The Honey melon variety first appeared in Asia. The wild fruits of this plant are found on this continent. Cultivated cultivation is carried out in the Mediterranean. There are several varieties of such melons, which do not differ much from each other in characteristics.

Honey fruits are round-oval in shape, with no depressions or grooves. The skin is smooth and rich yellow when ripe. A distinctive feature is the color of the pulp at the stage of technical ripeness. Closer to the skin it is greenish, and in the center it is yellow. The taste of the fruit is sweet, the aroma is classic and strong.

How to eat melon?

This is a typically southern fruit that is served not only as a dessert , but also as a snack. Remove the hard outer skin from the melon and, after cutting, remove the seeds. Otherwise, all the pulp is edible, with a very delicate sweet taste and aroma of cucumber. , melon boats are a very popular appetizer : the salty, smoked ham pairs perfectly with the sweet melon and whets the appetite for the main course. Of course, you can make excellent fruit salads , smoothies, cocktails from melon, and they are also perfect as an addition to salads. Often it is eaten simply raw - not baked, cooked or grilled, so as not to lose its characteristic juiciness and consistency, as well as its refreshing taste.

Growing

In the conditions of the middle zone, Honey melon is grown in seedlings to obtain an early harvest. Sowing of seeds is carried out in the first half of April. They are pre-soaked and germinated. For seedlings, choose soil with neutral acidity, not too greasy.

Honey seedlings are planted in open ground in the last ten days of May. The best place for planting is where legumes, potatoes or cabbage grew last season. The bed is located in a windless and sunny area. The distance between the holes is left at least half a meter. Humus is added to each. You cannot bury Honey seedlings.

Is it possible to grow melon yourself?

Although melon is associated more with a southern fruit, in fact, under the right conditions, it can be grown in our native conditions. The best place for this is a heated greenhouse, in which the temperature can be maintained above 22 ° C all year round, as well as sufficiently long exposure to the sun - up to 16 hours a day. By maintaining proper greenhouse conditions, you can enjoy your own melons approximately 4 months after planting.

Is it possible to grow melon yourself?

Features of care

Caring for Honeydew melon consists of timely application of fertilizing, pinching, watering and loosening the soil. The first feeding is carried out 2 weeks after planting in open ground.

They use saltpeter, mullein or chicken droppings for this. Subsequent feedings are done at intervals of 2 weeks, but complex mineral fertilizers are used for them.

See also

Why can a melon have orange pulp inside, what are these varieties? Read

After the sixth leaf appears, pinch the top of the melon. This will encourage the growth of side shoots. Of these, you should leave only a couple of the strongest ones, and remove the rest. Honey plants form up to 5 ovaries on one plant; if their number is greater, then the weak and late formed ones must be removed.

Honey melons are able to grow without artificial irrigation at all. But in the garden they are watered once a week at the root, trying to prevent water from getting on the foliage. Excess moisture leads to cracking of the fruit. For this reason, after the formation of ovaries, the amount of irrigation is reduced to a minimum.

Why should you eat melon?

Because it's delicious! But this is not the only reason why, in addition to our well-known seasonal fruits, it is worth buying from time to time these juicy exotic fruits, which can be bought in stores almost all year round:

1) lower blood pressure: This fruit is good for people who want to prevent heart disease and fight hypertension because the low sodium content with high potassium content has a positive effect on the circulatory system and maintains blood pressure at the proper level; 2) Strengthen Bones: While we mostly associate dairy products with strong bones, it's worth knowing that fruit can also help keep them in tip-top shape. This is due to the high content of magnesium and vitamin K , as well as folic acid. The latter promotes the breakdown of homocysteine , a protein largely associated with a decrease in bone mineral density. Vitamin K helps synthesize a structural protein called osteocalcin. Honeydew melon also contains certain amounts of calcium, phosphorus and zinc, which help maintain a healthy skeleton; 3) Maintain Normal Blood Sugar Levels: Although honeydew melon is very sweet, it also contains a lot of fiber and nutrients that slow down the absorption of the carbohydrates it contains. Studies conducted on people with diabetes have shown that consuming melon reduces the risk of diabetic complications by up to 28%; 4) Ideal hydration: High water content in relation to fiber content, especially for those losing weight, is a great way to maintain a slim figure. Water, which is about 90% in melon, allows you to hydrate the body, which is important on hot days. Water-soluble and water-insoluble fiber work best in the digestive tract when combined with plenty of water;

Why should you eat melon?

5) Beauty Maintenance: High in antioxidants, especially vitamin C, which synthesizes collagen, helps maintain beautiful skin. Therefore, eating melon as a refreshing and sweet snack while sunbathing is a great idea - it will reduce the negative effects of sunbathing; 6) maintaining eye health: Melon dyes include beta-carotene, which is provitamin A, essential for vision, and antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, yellow pigments that support eye health throughout life, which is especially valuable today when smartphones and computers accompany us every day.

Advantages and disadvantages

Honey melon has significant advantages over its competitors, including:

• mid-early fruit ripening;
• good yield;
• low maintenance requirements;
• high content of vitamins and beneficial microelements in fruits;
• excellent taste;
• Possibility of growing in a greenhouse and in open ground.

No significant deficiencies were identified in the variety. You just need to know that people with individual intolerance or those suffering from diabetes should avoid eating any kind of melon, including Honey melon.

Harm of honey melon and contraindications

The benefits of melons are enormous and proven, but little is known about the harm. Probably because there is practically no harm from the fruit. However, there are exceptions and recommendations for admission:

• It is not recommended to eat melon on an empty stomach;
• It is not recommended to eat melons if you have intestinal or stomach disorders;
• Use with caution for nursing mothers and infants - watch for an allergic reaction;
• It is strictly not recommended to eat melons affected by insects or diseases;
• store-bought melons can be pumped up with nitrates beyond any limits;
• It is not recommended to drink fruit with milk or alcohol to avoid stomach upsets;
• Allergic reactions may also occur in adults.

Pests and diseases

Breeders work year after year to develop melon varieties that are resistant to the most common diseases and pests.

The desired result is not always obtained. Honey melons may be susceptible to the following types of diseases:

• powdery mildew;
• downy mildew;
• fusarium wilt;
• anthracnose

Pests also cause trouble for gardeners, among which the following are in first place:

• melon aphid;
• spider mite;
• wireworm;
• melon flies.

The main preventive measures are not only timely preventive treatments, but also timely removal of plant remains from the beds and removal of diseased plantings. They are the primary sources of disease.

What nutrients do melons contain?

Melons are worth eating not only because they taste great, but also because they are full of nutrients that will help you meet your daily dose of health. Here are the benefits that these exotic fruits give

• cellulose;
• vitamin C;
• vitamin B6;
• folic acid;
• vitamin K;
• minerals (magnesium and potassium);
• beta-carotene;
• phytoene;
• quercetin;
• caffeic acid.

What nutrients do melons contain?

Harvest and storage

Honey melons are harvested as the fruits ripen. If the first frost is expected and they do not have time to ripen on the site, then ripening can take place at home. To do this, melons are placed in wooden boxes lined with straw or sawdust. In a dark and cool place, the shelf life of the crop increases significantly.

Honeydew melon is suitable not only for fresh consumption, but also for all types of processing. If you get a lot of fruits, you can prepare delicious preserves from them.

Review of the best honey varieties

There are more than a dozen of the most common varieties of honey melons that are cultivated in Russia.

Honey Tale

A mid-early variety with round fruits, creamy, appetizing pulp and an average weight of 2 to 4 kg. The culture is quite resistant to pests and long-term transportation.

Due to its high sugar content, honey fairy melon is widely used in the production of desserts and candied fruits.

Nectar

An early ripening plant that forms round yellow fruits weighing 2-4 kg with juicy pulp and high sugar content.

Melon Medok is an excellent solution for those who want to get a high-quality harvest in a short time.

Siberian

A mid-early variety with small spherical fruits with smooth skin, creamy pulp and a weight not exceeding 2 kg.

Siberian honey melon is valued for its high frost resistance, which is the reason for its name.

Gigantic

A crop with a long growing season, it produces large oval vegetables weighing 3-4 kg with creamy pulp.

The giant honey melon does not have time to ripen before the onset of cold weather, but during storage it acquires ripeness, sweetness, and brightness.

Honey dew

The mid-season variety is characterized by rounded white fruits weighing 1.2-1.8 kg with smooth skin and green crispy pulp.

Honeydew melon is popular due to its compact fruit, high taste and intense aroma.

Honey saved

The early variety has increased yield, uniform fruit formation, excellent taste, transportability, keeping quality, and resistance to sunburn. Honey melon is suitable for making candied fruits, preserves, and jam.

Honey cake

An early ripening plant with elongated light yellow fruits weighing 2.5-4.2 kg, which do not crack during growth.

Honeydew melon is a record holder for the level of sweetness of vegetables and the content of healthy sugars.

Canary Honey

An early-ripening, medium-climbing variety with oval smooth fruits without a mesh, light green juicy, appetizing pulp. It is stored for a long time and transported without loss of commercial qualities.

Canary melon is consumed fresh, used for drying, drying, and preparing candied fruits.

Honey gourmet

A mid-season variety, characterized by yellow smooth fruits, tender, crispy pulp with excellent taste.

Honey melon is popular due to its high sugar content (8-9%) even in unfavorable climates.

Mead

An early-ripening hybrid with small round, slightly flattened fruits weighing from 400-500 g. 3-5 vegetables are formed on one compact plant.

Honeydew melon is valuable to gardeners due to its high resistance to pathogens, heat and drought.

Melon varieties for open ground

In Russia, several agricultural firms are engaged in melon breeding. The most famous are “SeDeK” and “Search”. The melon breeding station is located on the territory of the Volgograd region. But the SeDeCa melon plant is right in the Moscow region. It is logical to assume that the seed material from this particular manufacturer will be better adapted to the required conditions.

SeDeCa's assortment includes a good selection of early varieties. Comparative characteristics of the most interesting ones are presented in the table:

Melons of the “Princess” series demonstrate high adaptability to the Moscow region climate. Already in early August, the bushes have up to five full-fledged ripening pumpkins weighing 600 grams each. By this time, the leaf apparatus of plants retains “combat readiness”.

But there are also disadvantages. Monitoring reviews of these varieties showed that, for all their attractiveness, melons from the “Princess” series are inferior in taste and aroma to Canary Honey. This variety requires a lot of effort, but the quality of its pulp is much higher. You need to be especially careful when choosing varieties for outdoor cultivation. Even adapted plants will require shelter if the temperature drops below +15⁰C.

The ripening crop must be protected from birds and rodents. You can use ultrasonic repellers or simply wrap each pumpkin in agrospan.

Means for increasing melon yields in the Moscow region

A strong plant that receives enough nutrition can, in turn, “feed” a larger number of fruits. To increase the yield of melon, it makes sense to master a technique such as fertigation.

Fertigation is a method of fertilizing through a drip irrigation system.
Fertilizers are dissolved in water and dosed to the roots of plants.
It is estimated that this method increases the efficiency of fertilizers by 90%. To feed melon and other pumpkin crops using fertigation, a complex fertilizer “Cucumber Crystal” has been developed. There are many positive reviews about this drug.

• Good results are achieved by using Agricola, which is familiar to many vegetable growers. The drug is balanced in chemical composition, can be used for foliar feeding and increases the yield by 30%. For melon you need to take Agricola-5.
• Supporters of organic farming can recommend an innovation from NPP Bio-Technology - the liquid stimulant "Bio Fish". It is produced from fish waste using microbiological technologies. All trace elements in it are in the form of chelates, so they are easily absorbed by plants and do not contaminate the soil. An additional bonus in the composition is beneficial soil microflora.
• Speaking about beneficial flora and its effect on melon productivity, we cannot ignore another biological product - “Aidar”. It contains a whole biocenosis, plus humates and stimulants. According to the manufacturers, this drug can reduce the ripening time by 10 days. Feedback on the application is also good.
• Vermicompost “TUT Good Harvest” performs well when used on melon fields.

The working solution for root and foliar feeding is prepared in different ways:

• for watering at the root – 50 ml per 10 liters of water;
• for leaf spraying – 200 ml per 10 l.

Tip #2. After three treatments, the melon shows a good increase in vegetative mass and intensively sets fruit.

Melon is capable of intensively accumulating nitrates.