50 photos and description of the Turkmenka melon variety, ? its beneficial properties and contraindications

Types and varieties of plants, appearance

Melon is a popular melon crop that belongs to the pumpkin family. Turkmenka is several varieties of melon growing at different times, which are united by a common name. These melons are most often grown in Uzbekistan.

Among the popular Uzbek melons, varieties such as Gulyabi or Gulaba, Lada, Cinderella, Galia, Cantaloupe, and Torpedo are also popular. This plant is heat- and light-loving, and it is also drought-resistant. One bush can grow from 2 to 8 fruits, which most often do not grow too large, but are of medium size. This melon has a rich, almost brown skin that has cracks.

The Turkmen melon is one of the sweetest, however, it is very rarely ripe when sold.

Description of Turkmen melon

Turkmen melon is not a separate variety, but a whole group of pumpkin species. This term is used for melons grown in the region of the same name. The Turkmen female at the stage of full maturation rarely has a large size. However, its characteristics are excellent:

• sweet taste;
• juicy pulp;
• aroma of freshness.

In addition, Turkmen melon is valued for its good resistance to low temperatures. When the variety ripens, the characteristic peel on the net darkens, turns brown and is visually pressed inward.

Where and how does it grow

Turkmen melon (photo below) is popular not only in Uzbekistan, but also in other countries, but in Europe this crop can only be found in an unripe form. Initially, Central and Asia Minor were considered the homeland of melon.

Sweet and ripe melon has a beautiful deep yellow or almost brown skin. Externally, Turkmenka is quite similar to the Uzbek melon called Torpedo. Turkmenka or Torpedo melon (photo of the fruit is presented below) is one of the most popular in many countries.

How to choose Turkmen melon

You need to choose ripe fruit wisely. There are certain signs of a quality melon that must be present in the selected specimen:

1. Smell. Ripe Turkmen melon has a subtle pleasant aroma. If you don't smell it when you buy it, you don't need to buy it. The fruit will be unsweetened and not juicy.
2. Sound. When patted with the palm of the hand, a ripe Turkmen melon makes a dull sound. If the fruit is unripe, the buyer will hear a loud pop.
3. Condition of the peel. It should not be soft and press through. It is best to choose a melon with elastic skin.
4. Color. The peel of a ripe Turkmenka melon is painted in a rich yellow color without dark spots or greenish halos.
5. "Tail" condition. It must be dry.

Additionally, you can ask the seller to choose a good copy, and then test it according to the listed characteristics.

Application

In cooking

It is recommended to consume melon raw as an independent product. Ideally, eat it between meals and not mix it with other foods, otherwise heaviness in the stomach may occur. Melon is also used to make preserves, jams, marmalade, and added to various fruit cocktails.

In medicine

It is recommended to use melon as a medicine in folk medicine for:

• anemia, heart and vascular diseases;
• memory impairment;
• neuroses and depression;
• problems with urination;
• dehydration;
• problems with the intestines.

When losing weight

Since melon is a low-calorie product, it is often recommended to include it in your diet during diets and fasting days. 100 g of melon contains only 38 kcal, which allows you to saturate the body with essential vitamins, but at the same time maintain a beautiful figure.

At home

Even though melon is a food product, it can also be used for cosmetic purposes. Properly prepared melon will help you maintain the beauty and youth of your skin.

In cosmetology

Melon masks in combination with other components can smooth out fine wrinkles, relieve inflammation and acne, and give your face a healthy skin color. Also, melon-based masks can strengthen your hair and make it softer and more manageable.

Growing the variety

Turkmen melon is a heat-loving plant, especially the Vakharman variety. But at the same time, it can normally take root in Siberian soils; very late-ripening varieties are best suited for this. To cultivate the plant, the seedling method is used.

First of all, you should choose a suitable site. It should be a sunny, but completely protected from the winds place. The soil should be of average moisture and neutral acidity. In autumn, humus and superphosphate must be added to the soil.

Preparing seedlings

In order for the seedlings to be strong, when preparing them you need to follow several rules:

• In addition to good soil for growing melons, you need to choose a mixture for pumpkin crops.
• You should take large containers to make the transplanting process easier in the future. Place no more than two seeds in one container and immerse them to a depth of 1.5 centimeters.
• For germination, containers must be covered with film.
• After germination, the sprouts should be placed closer to the light source.
• Water the sprouts no more than every other day. Moisture should not get on the stems and leaves.
• At night the room temperature should not be lower than +18 degrees, and during the day - +25 degrees.

Landing rules

• The Turkmen melon is replanted with a lump of earth in which it began to grow, then it is watered with settled water. Until the sprouts take root completely, watering is carried out only with warm water. Do not bury the root collar, otherwise the Turkmen melon will be damaged.
• Plants can only be replanted during the period when the temperature at night does not drop below +14 degrees. Immediately after transplantation, the seedlings should be kept in shade for 2-3 days.
• To increase the yield, pinch the melon shoot directly above the fourth leaf. When two shoots grow, they are laid out on the ground and pinned.

Care

The culture needs careful care. To do this, you need to pay attention to the rules of watering, loosening and weeding.

• Watering. Excess water will cause root rot and reduce the quality of the fruit. Drip irrigation is an excellent option for a Turkmen woman. Watering is reduced only after tying.
• Feeding. Turkmenka gives a good reaction to fertilizers. For feeding, you can use complex compositions of several leaves. The feeding procedure is repeated every two weeks.

• Loosening. The soil must be constantly loosened to improve soil aeration. To control weeds, the soil should be mulched.

Diseases and pests

Turkmen melon can be subjected to the harmful effects of all viral diseases. The source can be either contaminated soil and insects, or seed material. Prevention includes:

• Compliance with the rules of agricultural technology;
• Strict adherence to schedules of preventive treatments using antifungal drugs.
• Carrying out regular inspection of plants for timely detection of diseases.
• Constantly loosening and weeding the soil to prevent the growth of weeds.

Harm and contraindications

Melon can cause great harm to the body if consumed for infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, ulcers or gastritis. Also, this product should be excluded by mothers during breastfeeding, as it can cause digestive problems in the baby. Due to the relatively high amount of sugar, melons should not be consumed by people with diabetes.

How to understand the variety of varieties

The first feature that made it possible to grow melons was the ripening time:

• ultra-early ripening, hybrid with ripening in less than 60 days;
• early ripening, ripening in 60-70 days and sugar content. from 8 to 15%;
• mid-ripening, they ripen in 75-100 days, they contain 14-15% sugar;
• autumn-winter, ripen in 95-100 days, very sweet, long-lasting, large;
• winter, huge, weighing up to 30 kg, sugar up to 16%, but stored well in a cool room;

The shape of melons is ellipsoidal, spherical and elongated like skittles. The upper part can be smooth, mesh or ribbed. The fruit pulp is crispy, white, yellow or greenish. In some varieties, during storage, the flesh gradually turns from green to yellow.

There are several subspecies of melons. It is generally accepted that fruits grown in Central Asia are the most delicious. But among them, the Uzbek melon is the most popular. This is facilitated by the composition of the soil and the warm period without frost, ranging from 193 to 273 days a year.

European varieties were obtained later; these are mainly early-ripening and ultra-early-ripening hybrids, most obtained using the Cantaloupe variety. Currently, European hybrids reach a sugar content of up to 15% with a ripening period of 55 days from the ovary.

How to grow, care and pests and diseases

Turkmenka can be classified as a late variety of melon, so its cultivation in the northern region is possible only by seedlings. It is better to plant such a melon in mid-March or late April. The seeds must be of very high quality and have lasted for about 2-3 years.

You need to use special soil for pumpkin, which can be purchased at a specialty store or you can prepare the mixture yourself. It is better to plant a melon in a plastic container with a diameter of at least 10 cm. The melon likes regular watering, however, waterlogging of the roots can lead to their rotting.

Mid-season

Some people decide not to plant early-ripening varieties of melons and prefer mid-season varieties that will fully ripen within 80-90 days. In warm and sunny weather, the harvest will ripen 1-2 weeks earlier. The most common mid-season melons include five varieties.

Collective farmer

The variety belongs to the group of mid-season melons, the ripening of which lasts about 90-100 days when grown in the garden. If you plant a plant in a greenhouse and create optimal growing conditions, the fruits will ripen within two and a half months. Ripe fruits have a round and slightly elongated shape. They are covered with an orange peel, on the surface of which a mesh pattern is visible. The weight of each fruit is not very large and is only one and a half kilograms. Kolkhoznitsa has juicy white flesh with a rich and sweet taste.

The disadvantages of this variety include the fact that ripe melons cannot be stored, as they quickly begin to rot.

Among the advantages are:

• resistance to low temperatures;
• high level of protection against insects.

Amal F1

Among all mid-season types of melons, Amal is distinguished, since it easily tolerates such common diseases as powdery mildew, dry rot and fusarium. However, the advantages of the variety include not only its protective functions, but also the size of the fruit. Ripe specimens reach four kilograms, which allows you to harvest more than 20-25 kg of harvest. Amala fruits are flat in shape, their thick skin is yellow with a creamy tint. Under the skin there is pulp, distinguished by a delicate aromatic smell.

Lada

For cultivation in open ground, breeders developed the Lada variety, which bears fruit well in almost any climatic conditions. Also, such melons are resistant to aphids, powdery mildew and other common diseases.

Lada will be fully sung within a hundred days. The fruits are covered with a smooth yellow skin and have a flat-round shape. When grown in optimal conditions, they grow up to two kilograms. The taste of Lada is distinguished by its juiciness and pleasant aroma.

Galileo F1

The main distinguishing feature of Galileo is its resistance to low temperatures, which allows the variety to be grown even in the northern regions of the country.

Galileo is covered with a dense greenish peel, which reliably protects the fruit from mechanical damage. Ripe specimens store well after harvest, and therefore are excellent for long-term storage and further sale.

Ethiopian

Ethiopian is popular among gardeners in many countries, as this variety is distinguished by its transportability, excellent taste and rich aroma. Ripe fruits grow up to five kilograms and have an oval shape. The pulp is protected by a dense orange peel, the thickness of which is 5-7 mm.

Experienced gardeners advise growing Ethiopian only using seedlings. This will help increase productivity in the future and get tastier and juicier fruits.

Melon varieties popular among summer residents

It is impossible to describe all the variety of thousands of varieties of melons. They are grown everywhere, even in England and the Leningrad region there are their own zoned varieties of melon. Of course, in terms of sweetness and taste, they are far from the Turkmen and Uzbek varieties, which are famous throughout the world and are even exported. However, breeders have forced the heat-loving plant to bear fruit wherever there are greenhouses.

Beneficial features

Turkmen melon is not only tasty, but also extremely healthy. It contains a huge amount of useful substances: vitamins C, B, E, B6, B1, B2, B15, PP, large amounts of phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium, carbohydrates, proteins and a number of acids beneficial to the body, for example, citric and malic.

Since people mastered and cultivated melon, it has been used to treat blood vessels and blood, the digestive system and kidneys, and used as a diuretic. Among other things, the substances contained in pumpkin pulp have a beneficial effect on the condition of hair and skin, strengthen the immune system, support the functioning of the nervous system and cleanse the intestines. Traditional medicine suggests applying melon pulp to bruises, bruises and abscesses, treating coughs and making compresses for bronchitis.

Cleaning and storage

Cleaning time

Harvesting of melons begins when they reach ripeness. It is determined by a change in color (the acquisition of a color characteristic of the cultivated variety) and the pattern of the fruit, the appearance of a specific aroma, and drying out of the stalk. Late-ripening varieties can be harvested unripe - they will “ripen” during storage.

Storage rules

• For storage, select melons without damage or signs of rotting.
• When storing a large number of grown fruits, prevent their contact with each other (for example, line them with sawdust or place them at some distance from each other).
• A great way to preserve melons for a long time is to hang them in nets. Hanging, as well as storage, is carried out in cool, dark rooms.

On a note. Early-ripening melon varieties are stored for a significantly shorter period of time compared to late-ripening varieties.

Basic rules of care

Ogurdina belongs to unpretentious plants, but without minimal care it will not be possible to get a good harvest of fruits. The bushes need to be watered in a timely manner and fertilized to stimulate the growth of green mass and the formation of ovaries.

In addition, you need to care for the soil around the plants, preventing the appearance of weeds and a dense earthen crust, which impairs the access of air and moisture to the roots. Let's look at all the intricacies of plant care in more detail.

Rules for watering and fertilizing

For active growth and the formation of many ovaries, the plant needs a sufficient amount of moisture and nutrients, so it is important to pay attention to proper watering of plants and timely application of fertilizers.

Watering and fertilizing the bush is carried out according to the following rules:

• You can water the bushes only with warm water;
• during the period of active growth of green mass and formation of ovaries, the cucumber is watered often, but not too much, so that the surface root system of the plant has time to absorb moisture and it does not stagnate in the soil;
• the soil around the plants should always be slightly moist;
• at the stage of fruit ripening, watering is reduced to increase the sugar content of vegetables and improve their taste;
• you can use an automatic drip irrigation system;
• in the phase of active growth and formation of ovaries, it is recommended to fertilize every 14 days with an aqueous solution of manure and nitrate;
• It is recommended to combine fertilization with watering so that the fertilizing is better absorbed by the root system of the plant.

Did you know? The famous navigator Christopher Columbus included fresh cucumbers in the diet of his ship's crew to protect sailors from scurvy.

You should not apply too much fertilizer containing nitrogen - this will lead to an increase in the volume of green mass and a decrease in the number and size of fruits.

Weeding and loosening

To prevent the weeds growing around the cucumber from drowning it out, you need to regularly weed the soil around the bush.

This procedure must be performed carefully so as not to injure the roots of the plant located close to the surface of the earth. Removing weeds will help preserve all the moisture and nutrients contained in the soil for the cucumber plant and increase the yield of the crop.

After rains and watering, it is recommended to carefully loosen the soil around the plants to improve its breathability. To keep the soil loose longer, you can lay a layer of compost or hay mulch around the bush.

Bush formation

Cucumber bushes need shaping. To increase the yield, the stems of the bush are pinched and the number of ovaries that form on them is controlled.

The formation of a cucumber bush is carried out according to the following rules:

1. After the main stem of the plant reaches a length of 25 cm, it is pinched above the fifth leaf. This procedure will stop its growth and stimulate the formation of side shoots with fruit ovaries.
2. The side shoots are pinched above the 7–8th leaf, leaving 2–3 ovaries on them. It is not recommended to leave a larger number of ovaries, since the resulting fruits will grow small.
3. After 3–4 fruits form on the shoot, it is pinched at the level of the 2–3rd leaf located above the topmost vegetable to ensure the ripening of the formed fruits and to prevent the formation of new ovaries.
4. To satisfy the growing plant's need for water and nutrients, the side shoots of the bush lying on the ground can be buried in several places with earth to form additional roots.
5. You can install trellises next to the bush and let the shoots climb along them, but in this case you also need to take care to install supports so that heavy fruits do not break off the fragile branches.

Important! Proper formation of the bush will help avoid overloading the plant with fruits and ensure their uniform and high-quality ripening.

Summing up

American melon Pineapple is a hybrid variety that has gained immense popularity among gardeners and amateur gardeners. They are attracted not only by the unique taste qualities, but also by the variety’s yield and unpretentiousness. They grow tasty, aromatic fruits in their garden, following simple rules for caring for the plant. High-quality seed material and compliance with planting rules are already the key to a good harvest.

Pineapple melon (lat. Cucumis melo)

fruit crop

Popular varieties

popular varieties

Sweet pineapple.

This variety of pineapple melon is characterized by unusually friendly fruit set and a fairly long fruiting period. The average weight of the oval fruits, covered with a very thin skin, is about two kilograms. They also boast impressive resistance to cracking. The aromatic and surprisingly juicy melon pulp of this variety is colored white with a slight yellowness.

American pineapple.

The total duration of the growing season for this melon variety does not exceed three months. It is characterized by long lashes, very intensive development and relatively small portioned fruits, covered with a beige-greenish peel with a characteristic dense mesh. The white and very tender pulp of these fruits has a pleasant creamy tint. Moreover, their average weight often reaches two kilograms.

Sweet pineapple F1.

The weight of the fruits of these melons almost never exceeds one and a half kilograms, and growing them is not difficult in most Russian regions. The round, yellow fruits have a mesh surface and greenish flesh with a subtle yellowish tint. In addition, they are characterized by a sweet pineapple aroma. This variety is very resistant to adverse weather conditions and anthracnose.

Mini Melon Pineapple Americano.

This is an extremely early ripening hybrid, whose weight ranges from two hundred to four hundred grams. And its bright yellow skin is covered with clearly visible dark stripes. As for the pulp, it is incredibly juicy and pure white.

Growing and care

Pineapple melon is very unpretentious to soil acidity, but the best harvests are usually harvested on neutral soils. This culture is very partial to well-lit areas, which are characterized by the absence of gusts of cold air. She also loves moisture.

When planting, you should not plant the seeds too deeply - the most optimal depth in this case is considered to be five millimeters.

Under favorable conditions, it will be quite possible to harvest the harvest after sixty-five or seventy days after pipping the entrances, which is why this variety of melons is considered early ripening.

Pineapple melon boasts amazing resistance to powdery mildew, anthracnose and late blight, which often affect other varieties of melons.

Melon “Pineapple” is an artificially bred, hybrid variety of pumpkin crop, characterized by a bright pineapple taste, small size and high frost resistance. Let's look at the main differences between the crops and tips for growing the plant.

Turkmen melon is a miracle of exquisite taste, centuries-old cultivation traditions

Every year on the second Sunday of August, Turkmen Melon Day is celebrated in Turkmenistan. This is a national holiday in honor of hardworking melon growers who, through centuries of selection, managed to develop varieties that are distinguished by their unique taste and aroma. The “Queen of Melons” has always been a source of special pride and part of the culture of the Turkmen people.

Slices of sugar melon are an invariable dessert of national cuisine not only in summer, when it is soaked in the hot rays of the Turkmen sun, but also in winter, when, after lying in a dark, cool room, it acquires a special taste. Melon has become an integral part of the traditional cuisine of Turkmenistan. Numerous historical sources of the Middle Ages and notes from travelers of the 18th-19th centuries. indicate that Turkmen melon has long been an important product of local markets and was exported in large quantities to the countries of the East.

The Arab traveler Ibn Battuta, who visited Kunyaurgench in the Middle Ages, was delighted with the local melons. In his notes you can read that “...neither in the eastern nor in the western parts of the Muslim world are there such melons. Its skin is green, the flesh is red, very sweet and at the same time hard. It is cut into pieces, dried in the sun, placed in baskets and taken to distant cities in India and China. Among all the dried fruits, there is no better one.” While staying in the Indian city of Delhi, Ibn Battuta, upon receiving news of the arrival of merchants from Kunyaurgench, sent someone to them to buy dried melon. The ruler of India himself, knowing about the traveler’s passion for these fruits, did not miss the opportunity to send him melons brought here by traders.

Ibn Battuta was also partial to the taste of local watermelons. He recalled: “It’s February, and on the street they are selling watermelons with might and main. Miracles! And as soon as you sink your teeth, you will feel an unusual taste: watermelons are salted, dried in the sun and sent in whole batches to India and China, where they are considered a gourmet dish.”

The Briton O'Donovan, who visited Merv in 1881, wrote: “Melon and watermelon make up a significant part of the mervli’s diet. Merv melons, distinguished by their excellent aroma and taste, were also sold and exchanged for other products.” M.D. Enchevich, who studied the life, customs and morals of the Turkmens of the 19th century, wrote that some owners managed to put special signs of belonging on their melons - tamgas.

The population of Merv cultivated various varieties of melons: fragrant, early-ripening (zamcha, chal-mesek), extremely sweet, mid-ripening (vaharman, ak-khytay, geok-torly), fleshy, late-ripening (payandaki, garry-gyz). Through centuries of selection, farmers grew resistant varieties of melons with special qualities. These are, for example, the Sakara variety of melon (red gulabi), rain-fed varieties of melons.