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Autumn is a wonderful time of the year: all the most delicious fruits ripen, the sweltering heat gives way to coolness, and nature turns into a multi-colored kaleidoscope. During this period, it is important not to miss the moment when a ripe melon becomes usable in the garden. In this article, you can learn how to tell if a juicy, sweet-fleshed pumpkin is ripe, when it’s ripe in different regions, and how to properly harvest and store your crop.
When the melon ripens
It is impossible to accurately name the time when the fruits ripen, even within the same variety. The fact is that many factors influence the rate of ripening: the weather, the amount of fertilizers, irrigation, the quality and structural composition of the soil. Thus, when a melon ripens in the southern regions, in the Moscow region or in the Urals, it has barely formed.
Speaking of proper care and compliance with all the rules of cultivation, we mean a standard set of care products for plants in the garden:
- pasynkovanie and pinching;
- timely watering;
- moderate feeding;
- proper loosening of the aisle;
- tying up the main shoot;
- protection from insects and diseases.
So, if these points are observed and planted no later than mid-June, most early-ripening varieties give a harvest in mid-August. Mid-season and late-ripening varieties ripen by mid-September.
Growing a melon in a greenhouse (which is ideal in the Urals and Siberia), you can significantly speed up the ripening of the crop and get the first fruits as early as the end of July.
Methods for determining ripeness
How to determine a ripe melon or not? Pretty easy, all it takes is a little attention. First of all, ripeness can be determined by smell. Smell the pumpkin. If a distinct sweet aroma is heard, then you can pluck it. Depending on the variety, it can be honey, spicy or floral. If the smell is heavy, with notes of rottenness, then the fruit has already overripe. But the lack of smell indicates that it is too early to harvest the fruits.
Pay attention to the condition of the pumpkin peel, it is quite easy to determine the ripeness of it. Depending on the variety, the color of the peel varies from rich green to bright yellow, but this does not interfere with the test. The color should be even, although it may be a little lighter on the side facing the sun (in greenhouses in the Urals, this amendment does not really help to decide). If you tie up melons in the garden, then the fruits should be without damage (cracks, dents, foci of rot).
Ripe pumpkin is easily separated from the stalk, from the side of the flower it is soft. Such fruits can and should be collected from the garden so that the melon does not overripe.
Determination of melon ripeness and storage selection
A good way to determine ripeness is to scratch the skin with your fingernail. If the pumpkin is ripe, the top layer can be easily removed, if dents remain, the melon is overripe. You can find out if it’s time to harvest a plant by patting the pumpkin with an open palm. The more muffled the sound after the impact, the higher the ripeness of the fruit.
Storage
So, we have decided on the terms in which you can collect melons in the Urals. Now you need to figure out how to save the fruits. After all, it’s nice to taste the still sweet and fresh pulp in the middle of winter! First of all, it is worth understanding which pumpkins can be stored, and which ones will only ruin all the preparations.
Collect only those fruits that do not show signs of decay, cracks, or damage.
Keep in mind that early-ripening varieties are worse stored than late-ripening ones. Therefore, it is better to collect melons in September and store them.
Make sure you have a dark, cool room with low humidity. It’s good if you can fix poles on which you hang melons, or there is enough space for drawers or shelves. Remember that when storing a large number of pumpkins, they should not be allowed to come into contact with each other. To avoid the formation of rot, pumpkins are stored on cloth, in sand or sawdust. It is also important to regularly check their condition and pick up rotten ones so that they do not spoil the rest of the fruit. Avoid storing melons near apples and potatoes, as they lose their smell.
Already cut melon is stored exclusively in the refrigerator for a maximum of 7 days. Usually, it retains its taste and suitability for consumption for 2-3 days. If frozen, the period can be extended to several weeks, but at the same time retain the taste. In any case, it is recommended to put the melon pieces in airtight containers so that the pulp does not pick up foreign odors.
Yet one of the surest ways to store a melon is to hang it up. To do this, in a cool room with low air humidity, poles are fixed at a distance of 30-40 centimeters from each other. The fruits are cleaned of earth, dirt, dried well. Each gourd is placed in a net or in a well-ventilated fabric bag, and then hung from poles. The better the ventilation in the room and the lower the humidity, the longer the melons can be kept fresh. However, with this method of storage, each fruit should be checked every 2-3 weeks and those on which signs of decay appear should be taken and either eaten (after removing the damaged area) or thrown away.
Video “Melons in the greenhouse are ripe”
This video demonstrates what a ripe melon grown in a greenhouse looks like, as well as how to determine the ripeness of pumpkins.
