Honey melon: what are the most popular varieties for growing?

Description of honey melon

This plant belongs to the Pumpkin class. In nature, honey melon can be found in Central and Asia Minor. Cultivated varieties of Honey Melon: “Kanareichnaya”, “Ulan”, “Fairy Tale” are grown in the southern zone of Russia, the Black Sea region, the Azov region, and in the Mediterranean countries.

The fruits of this plant are round, sometimes oblong, small in size with a bright yellow smooth skin. The weight of each fruit does not exceed 2 kg. The middle of the melon contains small, oblong, light yellow seeds.

The pulp is light beige in the center of the fruit and greenish near the peel, elastic, juicy. Its aroma is bright, characteristic of these plants. The taste of the fruit is sweet and rich.

Altai

Altai has a medium-sized stem. A few lashes form on it. The main stem can reach a length of 2 m. This is an early variety. Fruit ripening occurs approximately 2–2.5 months after sowing the seeds.

The fruits of this variety have the following description:

• oval shape;
• the structure is weakly segmented and elastic;
• the peel is light orange or lemon in color. There is no pattern;
• the flesh is white, sometimes slightly orange. She's not fat;

One berry weighs 0.8–2 kg. Altai has a sugary taste, as well as a strong aroma. With proper care, the bush produces up to 15 kg of harvest.

Pros and cons of the variety

No deficiencies were identified in the Honeydew melon variety. Even a novice gardener can grow it. The fruits of this variety have high taste qualities.

The advantages include:

• high productivity;
• frost resistance;
• mid-early maturation;
• low maintenance requirements;
• sweet aromatic pulp;
• preservation of taste for several months after harvest;
• good transportability and keeping quality.

This variety is suitable for growing in greenhouses and open ground. Taste qualities do not depend on the method of cultivation.

Golden

Golden is a mid-early variety. The growing season lasts 72–87 days. The plant produces stems with a small amount of wattle. They produce green leaves that are kidney-shaped and have solid edges.

Ripe melons have a round shape. They have a flexible structure. The first berries have a net. The peel is orange or yellow. There is no drawing on it. The pulp is white. It is characterized by a delicate, dense and not thin structure. The fruits weigh about 2 kg. Up to 25 tons of crop can be harvested from one hectare.

The advantages of Golden include a stable harvest, as well as high transportability of berries.

Growing Honey Melon

This plant is heat-loving and light-loving. Seeds begin to germinate at temperatures not lower than + 20 °C. Basically, honey melon is rooted as seedlings in early spring in greenhouses and in early summer in open ground.

Important! Honey melon seeds begin to germinate in early April.

Preparing seedlings

For sowing seeds, use a container no more than 10 cm in diameter. In one such glass you can germinate 2 plants. To make the crops grow faster, they are soaked in advance in a small amount of liquid, laid out on gauze or cotton wool and sent to a warm place for several days. As soon as the seed cracks in the upper narrow part, it can be lowered into the ground.

The soil for honey melon seeds should be fertile and light. Before sowing, it is thoroughly crushed. Having slightly moistened the soil, sprouted seeds are lowered into it, and a small layer of fluffy soil is poured on top. Pots with seedlings are placed in a warm, well-lit place. During the day, the air temperature should not be lower than + 20 °C, at night + 17 °C. High temperatures from + 27 °C will ensure high germination.

Plants cannot be close to each other, leaves should not touch. As soon as the sprouts have 3 to 5 true leaves, they are prepared for planting in the garden plot. Before transferring to a new place, the seedlings are hardened off. They are taken to a cool room, where the air temperature during the day should be + 16 °C, and at night drop to + 13 °C.

Important! During the day it is necessary to ventilate the room.

Selection and preparation of a landing site

Honey melon is transferred to open ground at the end of May, when night frosts pass. Choose a site for planting that is well lit by the sun and protected from strong winds. Between each hole, make an indent of at least 0.5 m. You can fertilize the soil with humus, then water it with warm water.

Landing rules

The hole for planting is made small; honey melon seedlings cannot be deeply rooted. Approximately 1 kg of humus is added to the prepared hole, then watered with 1 liter of warm water. The grown plants are lowered into the resulting slurry, 2 pieces per hole. The seedlings are turned in different directions so that they do not interfere with each other’s growth. Afterwards, the roots are sprinkled with dry fluffy soil. If there is a possibility of night frosts, the seedlings are covered with film until the onset of consistently warm nights.

Watering and fertilizing

The first feeding of Honey melon must be done half a month after planting. Manure, saltpeter, and chicken droppings are used as fertilizer. These substances are diluted with water 1:10 and watered at the roots of the plants. Afterwards, every 2 weeks until fruiting begins, the procedure is repeated.

One of the main advantages of honey melon is its drought resistance. In regions with a lack of water, this crop is not irrigated at all. In central Russia and the south, agronomists advise watering the melon at the root once every 7 days. This will make its fruits more juicy.

Formation

As soon as the seedling produces its 6th leaf, it is pricked so that the plant sends out lateral shoots. Subsequently, they are also thinned out, leaving only the strongest. This promotes the flow of nutrients to the fruit rather than to the leaves.

Important! Shoots without flowers and with numerous ovaries should be pinched. They interfere with the correct formation of the plant.

Grown plants can be directed to grow up the trellis, or they can be released to curl along the ground. For vertical growth, a wire is pulled next to the bushes about 1.5 m from the ground. Afterwards, honeydew melon shoots are tied to it with a soft rope, directing their growth upward.

Cinderella

This is an early ripening species. The plant forms the first harvest 2–2.5 months after planting. Elongated lashes form on the stem. The leaves are medium in size. Their shape is slightly dissected.

Melons of the Cinderella variety are oval-shaped. They are characterized by elasticity and a yellowish peel. There is no pattern on the surface of the peel. However, there is a continuous mesh. Characterized by light cream flesh. It is distinguished by its juiciness and sweetness. It contains up to 9.5% of total sugar, as well as 11.5% of dry matter. The seeds have a narrow oval shape. They are ivory in color. The fruits weigh between 1–2.5 kg. One bush produces up to 10–15 melons.

Harvesting

As soon as the Honeydew melon fruits are full, become uniformly yellow, and acquire a sweet melon aroma, they are removed from the beds. They pick the fruits carefully, trying not to damage or hit them. They last much longer whole.

If cold weather is expected, and there are a lot of unripe fruits left on the site, they are picked and sent indoors to ripen. For these purposes, special well-ventilated wooden boxes are prepared. Their bottom is lined with sawdust or straw. Place the fruits carefully in the prepared container so as not to damage them. They are left in a dry, bright place to ripen.

As soon as the fruits become uniformly yellow, they can be put away together with the container in a dark, cool place. Honey melon can be stored there for about 2-3 months.

Melon varieties for Siberia

Early varieties grow well in risky farming areas. Their disadvantage is their small fruit, since large fruits do not have time to grow and ripen in a short period. However, the taste of early ripening fruits is often superior to their southern relatives. In a small berry, it is easier for the bush to accumulate a lot of sugars, vitamins and useful elements.

Melon contains natural sugars, vitamins A, P, C, folic acid, iron salts, potassium, sodium, and fiber. The juicy pulp quenches thirst well.

For Siberia you need to choose varieties:

• with a short growing season - 2–3 months;
• resistant to fungal diseases;
• well adaptable to different weather conditions.

Never limit yourself to one variety and do not draw conclusions about the yield and taste of a melon based on one summer. Every year, grow two or three varieties of melons, each with 3-4 bushes. Find your favorites that grow fruit in any weather and add new items.

Video: what kind of melons do Siberians grow?

Collective farmer

The most popular variety of melon, known in all Russian regions. Brought out in the 30s of the last century. To this day it remains reliable and beloved by many melon growers. It is also a commercial variety. The collective farmer is raised by farmers and supplied to stores and markets.

The Kolkhoznitsa melon has round, bright yellow fruits, the skin is usually smooth, but sometimes a mesh-like pattern appears

Melons grow in portion sizes, spherical, 20 cm in diameter, weighing about 1 kg. The pulp is very sweet and aromatic. The bark is bright yellow, smooth, sometimes with a mesh pattern. Melons are well transported and stored. The growing season is 70–95 days. In damp weather it is significantly affected by powdery mildew.

Cossack woman

The variety appeared almost 30 years after Kolkhoznitsa. It is also widespread in amateur gardens throughout Russia, although it is zoned only for two regions: the North Caucasus and the Lower Volga. It is there that the Cossack girl shows her best qualities:

• berries are oval, weighing up to 1.8 kg;
• taste sweet;
• ripening period - 70–95 days;
• average resistance to fungal diseases.

The Kazachka melon is very popular in Siberia; it has been sold here for decades, although it is zoned for other regions

If the taste of the Kolkhoz Women is rated as “good” and “excellent”, then the Cossacks’ taste is rated as “Good”. But melons grow larger, get sick less, and the main value of the variety is also called good transportability.

Altai

Developed at the West Siberian Experimental Station in Barnaul. Gardeners say that these melons are very sweet. In appearance, the growing, still green, berries cannot be distinguished from Kolkhoznitsa, but they ripen earlier - 65–75 days after seed germination. The weight of the fruit is the same - about 1 kg, maximum - 1.8 kg, and the shape varies from spherical to short oval.

Altai melon of Siberian selection created for amateur melon growing

The bark of a ripe lemon-colored melon is partially, but usually entirely, covered with a net. The pulp is granular, aromatic, and can be white or yellow. Experts call the taste of Altai satisfactory, however, Siberians love this melon and consider it reliable. Almost every melon grower in the region has grown this variety at least once. The melon was bred specifically for personal, not commercial, melon growing. It does not tolerate transportation and storage well, and is designed to be eaten fresh, just picked from the garden.

Lada

The variety is highly praised by residents of the south. Lada is the most popular variety in the Astrakhan region. It is grown on an industrial scale and transported to all Russian regions for sale. It is listed in the State Register as zoned for the Lower Volga region, but this does not stop the Siberians. After all, the characteristics of the variety are also suitable for their climate, especially if grown through seedlings.

Lada fruits are round, completely covered with mesh, grow up to 2 kg

The ripening period for Lada is 74–96 days. Fruit weight is up to 2 kg. It is resistant to cracking and is not affected by fungi, which is very important for Siberia with its prolonged rains. The variety is tolerant to aphids. The pulp is creamy, tender, juicy. In terms of sugar content, it is close to Kolkhoznitsa. The taste is excellent, but the aroma is weak. Farmers in the Astrakhan region have been growing this variety for many years and do not plan to part with it. Why shouldn’t Siberians, contrary to recommendations from the State Register, try to grow the Astrakhan miracle in their garden beds? Lada seeds are already sold in local stores.

Video: Lada melon - a favorite of Astrakhan farmers

A pineapple

Also a frequent guest in the gardens of Siberia. The fruit is elongated, covered with yellow-brown bark with a mesh. The variety cannot be called early; it ripens on the 80th day. Berries weight up to 2 kg. On the seed packages you can find information about good adaptability to different weather conditions. However, in cool summer, like any melon, the taste will be bland, but in the sun it becomes refined, honey-like.

The Pineapple fruit is elongated, weighing up to 2 kg, the rind is covered with a fine mesh

Reviews about Pineapple are different. Picky Southerners don't like him. And Siberians say that only the first fruit grows large, the subsequent ones are inferior to it in size and taste. In damp weather, it is more susceptible to powdery mildew than others. But if the summer was successful, then the Pineapple harvest will be rich and very tasty. The variety is called recumbent.

Fairy tale

This melon is grown by those who cannot manage Kolkhoznitsa and consider it a good alternative to the popular variety. And it is no coincidence, because the Fairy Tale is in many ways even superior to its famous relative. The growing season is shorter - only 60–62 days, while the minimum weight of the fruit is 1.6 kg, the maximum is 3 kg. The berries are elliptical in shape, covered with yellow bark with a sparse mesh.

Melon Skazka - an early ripening alternative to Kolkhoznitsa

The pulp is sweet, crispy, and contains no less sugar than Kolkhoznitsa (9–10%). Unlike Pineapple, the fruits ripen together. In addition, the variety is resistant to powdery mildew. But Skazka was created not for storage and trade, but for on-site consumption. The fruits remain fresh no longer than 5–10 days after picking. The variety has received permission for cultivation in all regions of Russia.

Zlato Skifov

Many Siberians praise this hybrid. Its pulp is juicy, melts in the mouth, very sweet and aromatic. The taste is rated only “excellent”. Scythian gold is grown by both amateurs and farmers. The ripening period is 70–80 days, which means you need to use shelter and grow seedlings. Among the advantages: disease resistance, high yield, excellent taste, portion size. Berries usually do not grow more than 1.5 kg, but on one bush in Siberian conditions you can grow 4–5 pieces. The hybrid is zoned for all regions.

Video: Zlato Skifov melon (ripened in Latvia)

Extraordinary

The hybrid lives up to its name 100%. Southerners find the view extraordinary, and Siberians also find the size extraordinary. After all, the melons that grow here are small, and this early ripening plant grows fruits weighing up to 3.5 kg in 60–65 days. Only they look like both a pumpkin and a giant peeled orange at the same time.

The Extraordinary melon does not look very appetizing both outside and inside, but it tastes juicy and aromatic

Segments are clearly visible on the surface, the color of the bark, like the pulp, is orange, the shape is flattened, square. The taste is surprisingly excellent. The pulp is tender and juicy with a melon aroma. Despite the short growing season, it is better to grow Unusual in a greenhouse or through seedlings, because such a fruit will require many warm days to ripen. The harvest will have to be rationed, leaving only two or three unusual berries on the bush.

Diseases and pests

Honey melon rarely gets sick and is almost not susceptible to pests. But the main types of diseases and harmful insects that feed on melons can attack the plant during the growth period.

Numerous fungal diseases can damage the aboveground part of the plant:

• powdery mildew;
• late blight;
• peronosporosis;
• copperhead;
• root rot.

To prevent fungal infections, honey melon seeds must be treated with a weak solution of manganese before planting.

All types of pests that prefer to feed on melons can also attack honey melon.

Main crop pests:

• aphid;
• spider mite;
• wireworm;
• scoop;
• melon fly.

To prevent the appearance of harmful insects on areas, it is necessary to promptly remove plant debris, rotten leaves, and pruned tree branches from the area. In summer, it is important to regularly plow the soil between seed rows. This will partially remove the eggs and larvae of pests.

A sybarite's dream

Another name for this variety is Summer Dream. The variety is characterized by early ripening. Therefore, it is classified as an ultra-early ripening species. It takes 50–55 days for the harvest to form. Almost all early ripening varieties have this characteristic. Medium sized bush. The structure of the stem is not rough, and it itself is thin.

Dream sybarite produces oval fruits that have a relatively flexible structure with interrupted green stripes. The peel itself is yellow. She's not fat. The pulp is white. It tastes crispy and juicy. Has a delicate aroma.

Melons are small and weigh from 0.3 kg. The variety is characterized by high productivity. With proper care for the season from 1 sq. m. you can remove up to 20 kg of fruit. It is worth noting that fruiting continues until frost. The Sybarite's Dream has good resistance to parasites.

Main characteristics

The Skazka variety is ideal for temperate climates, and using the seedling method, these melons can be grown even in northern latitudes. Plants are practically not damaged by insects, in particular melon aphids - the most insidious enemy of melons. The high resistance of the crop to night cold snaps, as well as downy mildew and powdery mildew, which usually appear in the second half of summer, allows the fruits to fully ripen and acquire a harmonious taste.

Depending on the time of planting, the fruit ripening period occurs at the end of July - beginning of August. The average yield of melons is about 3 kg/1 m², but with proper care this figure can be significantly increased. The ability of fruits to be transported and stored can be described as average. A distinctive feature of the variety is the simultaneous ripening of the fruits.

Features of agricultural technology

Growing melons is possible through seedlings and seeds. In temperate climates, the seed method is more often used, since the variety is sufficiently cold-resistant for this. The best yield can be achieved when planting 3-4 year old seeds. It is believed that annual material produces rapid germination and strong shoots, but does not have a large number of ovaries, since it produces mostly unisexual flowers. Before planting in the ground, the seeds should be soaked for a couple of days in a stimulating solution. This can be aloe juice, boric acid, ash or any ready-made preparation, for example “Heteroauxin”. Of course, the largest and heaviest seeds are selected for planting - the light ones that float to the surface of the solution are simply removed.

Like any melon, Skazka loves the sun and warmth, so a sunny and windless area should be allocated for its planting - in this case, its yellow fruits will be sweeter. The crop is no less demanding when it comes to soil. The best option for it is light loamy soil of neutral acidity with a good organic layer of humus or leaf compost. Seeds are planted in warm soil around mid-May. To avoid fruit spoilage, melon beds are formed according to a 70x150 cm pattern.

In greenhouses and greenhouses, where plants are formed into one stem and tied to trellises, planting is carried out according to a compacted pattern (70x70 cm). In unprotected soil, it is advisable to mulch the bed with straw.

Caring for a melon consists of a number of standard measures: weeding combined with loosening the soil, watering as needed, several hillings, fertilizing and pinching the stems. You can use organic matter (liquid humus, droppings) as fertilizer - no more than 2 times during the entire season. Complex mineral mixtures, as well as ash solution, can be added at intervals of 10 days. As the fruit begins to ripen, fertilizing and watering should be stopped.

Since melons produce fruits only on the side shoots, the plants require pinching. The first pinching of the shoot is carried out over the 4th–5th leaf, the second – over the 7th leaf. The same should be done with the side lashes. A full-fledged bush should consist of 2-3 strong shoots and 4-5 fruits - the remaining ovaries should be removed. If desired, you can form bushes using trellises. Following these recommendations will allow you to grow a good harvest of high-quality and sweet melons on your plot.

Review: Seeds Ural summer resident “Melon. Siberian honey F1" - delicious. fragrant melon

Hello dear readers! I would like to present to your attention melon seeds from. I really like to plant new varieties of something new, so this time I bought a variety that wasn’t too large. It’s a shame, of course, that I can’t provide a photo, but the seedlings were gorgeous, but now everything is yellow and doesn’t grow at all. Both melons and watermelons mostly like warmth. This year it is very cold and it rains almost every day, so there is no point in waiting for the harvest. I can recommend this variety, the seedlings are excellent, you understand the weather was a let down, this is probably the most unsuccessful year, always at least 1 - 2 fruits grew. Planting material is available in most retail stores, both grocery and hardware stores, or specialized ones. Release form in a glossy bag with a film coating inside. There were about 10 seeds.

About the variety: - from germination to fruiting 100 days - sugary hybrid - adapted to any climate conditions - the fruit is similar to a coconut - weight reaches up to 2 kilograms - The pulp is juicy, tasty and aromatic Agricultural technology: Sowing for seedlings in late April - early March, sowing in soil in late May - early June. Before sowing, the seeds are treated in a solution of potassium permanganate and then rinsed under running clean water. Picking seedlings when 3 - 4 true leaves appear. Transplant into the ground when the threat of frost has passed. The planting diagram is on the back of the bag. Care: Consists of moderate watering, loosening the soil and feeding the plant. It also requires formation - removal of side shoots. Use: Fresh, making jams Thank you for watching! Until next time...

Strawberry variety Honey

The Honey strawberry variety fully lives up to its name; its berries are really tasty and very sweet, with a pronounced strawberry aroma. At the same time, the plant has such valuable qualities as resistance to disease and frost, rapid establishment in a new place, and low maintenance requirements.

In Russia, Honey is the name given to strawberries of the Honey variety, and the name really suits it. However, it was given not because of the sweet product, but in honor of the American city of Honeone, in which it was bred on the basis of two varieties - Holiday and Vibrant. The history of the variety in its homeland began back in 1979, but it has been in the State Register of Russia since 2013, where it is listed as suitable for cultivation in the North Caucasus and the Central region.

The variety is very early, the first berries are harvested in late May - early June, however, this indicator depends on climatic conditions and can vary greatly in different regions.

The variety is not remontant, however, fruiting lasts quite a long time - up to three weeks. The first berries are larger - up to 30 grams in weight, the last ones weigh 15-17 grams, but they are tastier than the first harvest and more aromatic. The weight of the berries depends on the climate and the number of sunny days, so in the southern regions it can reach 40-50 grams; closer to the north, the berries are no longer so massive. Here, to achieve a similar result, more labor and fertilizer will be required.

The berries have a typical conical shape, with a neck, smooth, shiny red skin. The pulp is also red, but slightly lighter than the skin, juicy, dense, aromatic, sweet with a slight pleasant sourness.

The bushes are tall and strong, the stems are straight, with a lot of leaves. Each one produces 10-15 flowers, which eventually turn into berries; as a result, up to 500-700 grams of fruit are harvested from one bush per season.

The advantages of Honey Strawberries include high yield, good presentation and pleasant taste of the fruit, rapid adaptation of seedlings, winter hardiness, drought resistance and heat resistance. The variety resists major diseases well, but needs protection from pests.

The list of disadvantages consists of such features as intolerance to excess moisture, poor resistance to verticillium, loss of presentation within 3-4 days after harvest.

What are the benefits of torpedo melon?

Regular use of Torpedo has a beneficial effect on the entire body, helps to cope with certain pathologies, diseases, and lose excess weight.

• stimulates metabolic processes;
• improves the functioning of the digestive tract;
• eliminates constipation;
• has antibacterial properties;
• removes toxins and waste;
• increases hemoglobin, improves blood condition;
• strengthens the immune system, increases the body's protective functions;
• has a pronounced diuretic effect, removes excess fluid;
• lowers cholesterol;
• use of antibiotics during treatment helps to avoid negative consequences;
• with regular, long-term use, removes salts from joints and neutralizes deposits;
• Because of its folic acid, it is recommended that melon be consumed by pregnant women.

Only ripe melon has beneficial properties without the presence of nitrates, chemicals that are used to accelerate fetal growth and ripening.