Cantaloupe melon is an unpretentious variety with excellent taste, which even an amateur gardener can grow. It is also known by other names, such as Thai, or cantaloupe. The variety gained popularity in the last century, but even today this variety is widely cultivated.

History and characteristics of melon

Taking into account the long-standing natural origin of cantaloupe, special breeding work on its removal was not conducted. Improving the characteristics of a variety is carried out by crossing it with representatives of other varieties and hybrids.

Important! Hybrids marked with the F1 combination are demanding on growing conditions, so give preference to non-hybrid seeds - with a smaller fruit size they give a larger crop with good taste characteristics.

Selection

The birthplace of cantaloupe melon is a vast territory of Central and Central Asia. It is believed that the first seed came to Europe from Asia during the first crusades. For a long time, the fruits of melon were considered an exquisite dessert and were available exclusively to high-ranking officials. Beginning in the mid-18th century, Cantaloupe melons began to be widely cultivated in southern Italy, from where they spread throughout the European continent.Until the middle of the 20th century, Thai melon practically did not improve and was cultivated in its natural form. Today, breeding work is aimed at improving the taste of the variety, giving them a pronounced character. Successfully introduced new hybrids, among which Iroquois (America), Blondi (America), Charente (France), Gaul (Israel) are popular.

Grade description

The fruits of the Cantaloupe variety belong to the pumpkin family, and in appearance they look more like a pumpkin than many melon fruits familiar to many:

1. Shoots are powerful, branched, creeping; the leaves are large and carved, with a hard plate of a dark green hue.
2. The shape of the fruit varies depending on the growing conditions and typology of the hybrid: it can be oval, round, slightly flattened.
3. The skin is smooth and rough mesh; the color is more often expressed yellow or orange, less commonly found light green with light yellow stripes.
4. The pulp of the fruit is richly orange or dark yellow, in green fruits it may be pale cream. The pulp is tender, juicy, with a sweet musky aroma.
5. The average weight of the fruit ranges from 500 g to 1.5 kg, but their size rarely exceeds 30 cm.
6. The variety ripens towards the end of summer, so it is classified as mid-season. Some hybrids of type F1 are early ripe.
7. The unpretentiousness and resistance of the variety to many pests allows it to be grown both in the south and in the climate of the middle zone.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Positive qualities of cantaloupe melon:
• the density of the mesh on the top of the peel prevents excessive moisture loss and, as a result, cracking of the fruit;
• unlike other varieties and hybrids, Cantaloupe easily tolerates high humidity and low temperatures when grown;
• Cantaloupe has a short aging period of about 80 days;
• culture without additional processing resists the pest of melons - powdery mildew, which often occurs with high humidity;
• high taste qualities of the variety attract even those who do not like melons.

• The disadvantages of the variety are much less:
• long-term storage due to the tenderness and juiciness of the pulp is impossible (up to 2 months), but the fruits are well tolerated during transportation;
• in the hot season, plants need additional watering.

Did you know? Historians say that Cantaloupe melon was brought to Europe (more precisely, Italy) during the first crusades from Armenia (now the eastern territory of Turkey). Being an exquisite natural dessert, melon quickly spread throughout Europe, and later came to North America.

Calorie, benefit and harm

Cantaloupe can be attributed to dietary products, since its calorie content is only 34 cal / 100 g. The regular use of these fruits has a beneficial effect on the human body:

• improves the condition of hair and skin;
• slows down age-related changes in the body due to a pronounced antioxidant effect;
• strengthens the retina, relieves vision problems;
• protects the body from the negative effects of ultraviolet rays;
• normalizes blood pressure, strengthens blood vessels;
• prevents loss of muscle mass during weight loss;
• improves intestinal motility, removes toxins and toxins from the body;
• does not allow dehydration;
• beneficial effect on the work of the excretory system.

Despite the obvious benefits of the fetus, there are contraindications to its use:

• diabetes;
• diarrhea;
• large kidney stones;
• chronic pancreatitis;
• infant age.

Important! It is not recommended to use Cantaloupe on an empty stomach, since in this case it provokes increased gas formation. Eating melon with honey temporarily impairs intestinal patency, and mixing melon pulp with milk can cause diarrhea.

How to choose a ripe melon when buying?

Choose melons away from highways and other unfavorable places - like other pumpkin melons, the melon draws in not only odors, but also heavy metals.

1. First of all, check the integrity of the peel and do not buy damaged fruits.
2. Try to hit the melon with your open palm - a ripe fruit gives a soft and dull sound.
3. The heavier the fetus feels for its size, the more ripe it is.
4. Ripe melon has a uniform color. Green or yellow spots on the orange peel indicate that the fetus is not ripe, and gray or brown indicate that it is spoiled.
5. Cantaloupe is of various shapes and colors, its taste is independent of this.
6. If there is a mesh on the peel, it should consist of thick veins and be rough.
7. The ripe fruit has an elastic, slightly leaking peel. If it is too soft, the melon is overripe, and if it is hard, the fetus has not reached biological ripeness.
8. Cut the melon - the seeds should be full, large and easily separated from the pulp.

How to grow yourself in the garden?

The variety does not need special principles of cultivation, therefore it can be cultivated even on its own site in the middle lane.

The timing

The period of planting seeds in the soil depends on the region in which it is planned to grow melon. Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in early April, then the seedlings will be ready for transfer to open soil within a month and a half after hatching. Planting seeds in open ground should be done at the end of May, provided that the site was covered with film during April-May, and the ground under it warmed up sufficiently.

The optimum soil temperature should be at least + 18 ° C at the time of sowing and at least + 23 ° C during the period of active growth. The air temperature should be approximately + 20 ° C during the day and at least + 15 ° C at night.

Seat selection and crop rotation

Such a thermophilic culture must be placed in well-lit and sun-warmed areas of the garden, which are as much as possible protected from drafts and wind. Planting bushes, barrage fences, as well as the so-called rocker crops - sunflower, peas, corn are able to protect young shoots from the wind. The best predecessors for Cantaloupe are cucumbers, white cabbage, cereals, legumes, garlic and onions. It is not recommended to plant melons after tomatoes, all types of pumpkin crops and carrots - they deplete the soil and do not leave melon nutrients for growth.As for neighboring crops, you can plant Cantalupa next to radish and radish, leafy vegetables, turnips. Potatoes and beets are unfavorable neighbors for gourds. You can not plant Cantalupa on the same site for two years or more - in order to maintain productivity, you can return Cantaloupe to its original place no earlier than five years after the previous landing. It is necessary to prepare the soil for sowing melon in advance so that it can freeze well during the winter period. 3 kg of humus or 7 kg of manure are applied per 1 m² of soil, and then the soil is dug up to a depth of at least 35 cm.

Did you know? Cantaloupe melon got its name in honor of the region of Italy under the name Cantalupo in Sabina. It is here by order of the Pope, who melon really liked it, it began to be cultivated in the early XV century.

Sowing pattern and depth

Prepared seeds must be sown in holes at a distance of 70–90 cm from each other with a row spacing of 130–140 cm. 3-4 seeds should go into one hole so that thinning can be performed and the strongest shoots can be selected. The average depth of the hole for sowing is 4-5 cm.

How to care in the open ground?

Despite the unpretentiousness of Cantaloupe melons, they regularly take care of it so that the plant gives a good harvest.

Temporary shelter

It is necessary to cover melons from the moment the material is sown in the ground until they begin to bloom. Beginning in the second decade of May, seeds are planted in the soil, and wire arc-shaped frames 60–70 cm high are installed on top of which the plastic film and non-woven garden material (spanbel) are pulled. Another option is to install 5-6 liter plastic tanks with a cut bottom over each well.

Sowing seeds under temporary shelters allows you to maintain a constantly high soil temperature and accelerate the ripening of the crop for 2-3 weeks. As soon as blooming buds appear on the sprouts, the shelter will have to be removed.

Watering

Cantaloupe melons are demanding for watering - they are not allowed to dry them or allow excess moisture in the soil. Watering plants is necessary in a radical way, avoiding moisture on leaves, buds and fruits. When determining the intensity and frequency of watering, it is necessary to be guided by weather conditions and the phase of plant growth. In hot weather, melons require morning and evening watering - at least 4 liters of water for each plant at a time. If the weather is damp, then you can limit yourself to 3 liters of water once a day, and in rainy weather you need to stop watering.In the phase of active growth and flowering, melons require weekly watering in the indicated volumes. As soon as the fruits reach the stage of technical maturity (full-size, green), watering must be halved, and one and a half to two weeks before harvesting to stop. Deprived of excess moisture, green melons will acquire a fragrant juicy flesh, and their shelf life after harvest will increase.

Important! Cantaloupe melons are not suitable for irrigation by irrigation, because they do not tolerate high air humidity - water plants in holes or grooves near the ground at a distance of 5-7 cm from the root neck.

Please note that watering must be done with warm water (at least + 22 ° C) - this way the moisture will evaporate more slowly and its losses will decrease, moreover, the soil will remain moist longer, even in hot weather. Do not allow moisture to enter the root neck of the plant, as this can provoke the appearance of rot on the stems.

Top dressing

Fertilizers for melons are divided into such categories by:

• origin - mineral and organic;
• method of application - root and general;
• consistency - liquid, soluble and solid.

The substances necessary for intensive fruit growth are nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, sulfur, potassium. It is recommended to feed plants with micro-, macrocells and organics throughout the entire growth period:

1. As soon as three or four true leaves appear on seedlings or seedlings, carry out the first feeding. Use a complex mineral fertilizer, diluted according to the instructions (suitable microfertilizer type "Master").
2. After a week and a half, apply a solution of rotted compost to the soil (3 kg of fertilizer per 10 liters of warm water, 2 liters per plant).
3. After another 10 days, feed with nitrogen fertilizer. To do this, dilute 20 g of ammonium nitrate in 10 liters of warm water and pour the plants at the rate of 2 liters for each shoot.
4. Depending on the fertility of the soil, plan the next top dressing after a 10- or 15-day period. Prepare a solution of ash at the rate of 1 part ash to 3 parts water and pour 1.5–2 liters of fertilizer under each plant.
5. Add organics to the next one - it can be a solution of humus, droppings or humus, which is prepared from 3-4 kg of fertilizer and 10 liters of warm water.

A mixture of 25 g of superphosphate, 5 g of nitrate and 10 g of potassium chloride for every 5 liters of water can be included in the root dressing. You can water the plants with such a solution during the formation of the ovaries.

Bushes

Melon plantings grow in long shoots. The tops of such lashes must be nipped so that the stems do not grow and become tangled - then the nutrients obtained from the soil will go exclusively to the formation of the fruit. Melons on the formed bushes grow large with excellent taste.

There are two ways to grow melon bushes:

1. In the spread - The easiest way to form bushes. There is no need to mount frames or hotbeds, it is enough to establish a film shelter when planting plants and remove it as soon as they begin to bloom. At this stage, you need to pinch the main stem at the level of the fourth leaf, and then select the two strongest side shoots and pin them to the soil. The remaining shoots must be shortened to the fifth leaf and left to form.
2. In trellis - Requires the installation of an additional frame structure. Immediately after planting the plants in the soil above the bed at an altitude of 180-200 cm, a base of thick wire is pulled, and then ropes are tied to it, vertically descending to the seats. As soon as the plant forms 3-4 true leaves, it is necessary to pinch its top, and then tie the main stem with a free loop of rope along the lower edge. As it grows, the stem will cover the rope and rise along it to the trellis. To form such a bush, it is necessary to remove all lateral shoots from it except the two strongest, and after the formation of the ovaries, pinch the remaining shoots at a distance of 2-3 leaves from the fruit.

Soil care

The complex of measures for soil care includes loosening, weeding and hilling of bushes. Combine weeding with loosening so as not to damage the root system of plants. At first, loosen the soil once every 5–7 days to a depth of 5 cm, as it coalesces from watering. Carefully remove weeds from the fluffy earth with rhizome so that they do not vegetate in the soil vegetatively.

Did you know? The most expensive melons in the world - fruits of the Yubari King variety. They are grown in Japan, and sold exclusively from public auctions. A pair of such fruits can drag out over 20 thousand dollars in the auction.

When the plants begin to bloom, increase the depth of cultivation to 10 cm, spend it less often, once every one and a half weeks. Hilling will benefit melon bushes after the formation of the first lateral shoots on the main stem. Slide the soil under the root neck carefully, try not to catch the stems and leaves of the melon.

Harvesting

Melons should be collected selectively, as the fruit ripens. Typically, harvesting from one bush is carried out 4-6 times, depending on the number of melons on the stem. The ripeness of the fruit is simple to determine - it should exude a pleasant delicate aroma, can easily be separated from the stem, around which ring cracks appeared. When you press on the edge of the melon, the peel should slightly slip under the fingers.The best preservation is observed in fruits, the network of cracks on which covers no more than half of the peel. If the melon is completely covered with a net, then it can be stored without loss of palatability no longer than a month and a half. It is recommended that the fruit be harvested in the early morning or late evening hours, while the ripped melons must be left in the aisles for another 1.5–2 weeks and turned over every four days. This procedure will increase the shelf life of the fruit.

Regarding keeping quality, cantaloupe melon belongs to the third group - it can be transported over considerable distances and stored for 2–2.5 months, depending on conditions. If there is a small number of fruits, hang them in cotton nets so that they do not touch anything except the net. The melon storage room should be shaded, the humidity in it should be kept within 75%, and the temperature should be no more than + 13 ° C in the summer and + 6 ° C in the winter.

Important! If the stalk has fallen from the melon, fill the place where it was attached with paraffin - this will increase the safety of the fetus, and will not let it deteriorate in conditions of high humidity.

If the crop begins to deteriorate, or it is so plentiful that it will not be possible to preserve it entirely, get busy with tasty and healthy preparations. From melon you can make jam, marmalade, jam, jam, preserve it in syrup and your own juice. There are many recipes for pickled melons, melon compotes, candied fruits, methods of drying and drying - everyone can choose a treat to taste.Cantaloupe melon is a relatively unpretentious crop in cultivation, which gives a plentiful harvest in suitable conditions. Melon bushes can be grown in seedlings and sowing methods. To ensure that the harvest is plentiful, adhere to the principles of cultivation and carefully store the collected fruits - they will delight you even in the cold season.