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Pineapple melon is very popular due to its unpretentious care and excellent taste. Every gardener will be able to enjoy delicious fruits that taste like overseas fruits. All you need to do is buy seeds and plant them in your backyard.
Description of pineapple melon
Pineapple melon is a high-yielding mid-season variety. Heat-loving culture, very demanding on light. The period from germination to full maturity is 80-100 days.
The main characteristics of pineapple melon:
- fruit color – yellow-golden;
- the peel is dense, but not thick, with a slight mesh pattern;
- the pulp is tender, juicy, slightly oily, light cream in color;
- shape – rounded, slightly oblong;
- fruit weight – 1-3 kg;
- bright pineapple flavor.
Pineapple melon is perfectly transported, even over fairly long distances, and is well stored. The shelf life of the removed fruits is 1,5-2 months, without any chemical treatment. The variety is perfectly adapted to any weather conditions, in particular, it easily tolerates a temporary drop in temperature.
Pineapple melon is consumed both fresh and processed. Prepared from ripe fruit jams, jams, marmalade, candied fruits, marmalade, juices and compotes. Used for a variety of pastries. You can also freeze for future use to enjoy delicious fruits all year round.
A large amount of vitamins in the composition of pineapple melon makes it very beneficial for health. It is recommended to enter it into the menu for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the upper respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract. It is also useful to use this fruit for anemia, anemia, gout, tuberculosis.
Varieties of pineapple melon
Based on the variety Pineapple melon, several hybrids have been developed that have similar characteristics, in particular, a taste and aroma reminiscent of pineapple. But they all differ in terms of ripening, size, shape, color of the peel and pulp.
Melon pineapple F1
Melon Pineapple F1 is a mid-season hybrid of pineapple type. The growing season lasts 90-100 days. It is characterized by a friendly yield of the crop and stable, long-term fruiting. The fruits are very sweet and fragrant, round-oval in shape. The average weight is 1,3-2,3 kg. The flesh is creamy white. The peel is thin, yellow-green, with a pronounced mesh pattern.
Melon Pineapple Americano
Melon-pineapple Americano is an ultra-early hybrid that differs from other varieties in its miniature size and original color, as can be seen from the photo. The average fruit weight is 400 g.
Americano melon has not only a delicious pineapple taste, but also an attractive appearance. Light orange skin with dark brown stripes looks very unusual and decorative. The pulp is white, dense and at the same time very juicy.
Melon American Pineapple
American pineapple is a mid-season hybrid. Suitable for outdoor cultivation. It has a high yield, is not afraid of late spring frosts. The shape of the fruit is round, weight – about 2,5 kg, skin color – light green or beige. The pulp is creamy, juicy, sweet, reminiscent of pineapple in taste.
Melon pineapple Gold
Mid-season hybrid, which is easily recognizable by its greenish skin color, with a slightly rough surface. The color of the fruit pulp varies from bright yellow to orange, sometimes even reddish, with a characteristic green rim at the base of the skin. The palatability of the variety is excellent, with a pronounced pineapple aroma. The Gold melon is very sweet, sometimes too sweet. For those who do not like sweets, the taste of the fruit may seem very cloying.
Growing pineapple melon
In the southern regions, pineapple melon can be grown by direct sowing of seeds into the ground. In areas with a cooler climate, it is better to use the seedling method of cultivating the variety.
Preparation of seedlings
It is recommended to start sowing with the preparation of seeds, which should be soaked in warm water for several days. It needs to be changed daily. As soon as the seeds begin to peck, they can be sown in the ground. The best time for sowing is the first half of April.
Sowing is carried out in specially prepared containers, laying out 1 seed. An important condition is the creation of a greenhouse effect, for which the crops are covered with plastic wrap. Harvest it immediately after the appearance of the first shoots. Place cups with sprouts that have appeared in a well-lit place, for example, on a windowsill on the sunny side. You can prevent pulling seedlings by regularly rearranging and turning the pots.
After 30 days, seedlings can be planted in open ground. It must first be hardened by taking it out into the open air daily. You should start with a few minutes, constantly increasing the time.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
Pineapple melon is unpretentious to growing conditions. It grows on any soil, but the best yield can be obtained by growing a crop on neutral soils. When choosing an area for planting, preference should be given to sunny, well-lit areas, protected from cold winds.
Rules of landing
Planting pineapple melon should be started, focusing on the ambient temperature. The approximate date of sowing seeds is the end of spring, the last decade of May. One of the main parameters is the degree of soil heating. The temperature of the soil must be at least + 15 ° C, otherwise the seedlings can simply not wait.
Do not plant seeds too deep. The optimum embedment depth is 15-20 mm. You can speed up the germination of seeds by covering the wells with crops with a film. Immediately after the emergence of shoots, it is removed.
Planting pineapple melons is recommended at a distance of 80-100 cm from each other, as the variety has a tendency to intensive growth.
Watering and top dressing
Pineapple melon needs regular watering. The recommended water consumption rate is 500 ml for each bush. As the plant grows, this volume gradually increases to 3 liters.
The frequency of watering is reduced during flowering. During this period, the melon is watered no more than once every 1-3 days. Even less often, bushes are watered during fruit ripening. Stop watering pineapple melons 5-7 days before the start of fruit picking.
It is convenient to combine watering with top dressing. Pineapple melons are fertilized in several stages:
- 2 weeks after planting seedlings in the ground. Under each bush pour 2 liters of nutrient solution (20 g of ammonium nitrate per 10 liters of water).
- During the budding process. Fertilize with ammonia solution or mullein (1:10).
- 2-3 weeks after the second feeding, the bushes are poured with a complex of mineral fertilizers. The solution is prepared in this way – 10 g of superphosphate, 50 g of ammonium sulfate, 30-20 g of potassium salt are dissolved in 25 liters of water.
Formation
Pinching lashes is the main agrotechnical technique that affects the yield of pineapple melons. Their fruits are tied on lashes of the third order. After the first 4-5 true leaves appear on the shoot, pinch the top of it over the third leaf. Over time, second-order shoots will begin to grow from the axils of the remaining leaves.
After 4-5 leaves appear on them again, the lower shoot should be removed, and the tops of the top two should be pinched. Third-order shoots will grow on them, on which flower stalks will appear (pictured), and then the fruits of pineapple melons will be tied.
When the size of the ovaries reaches 4-5 cm, the weakest branches should be removed, leaving only 5-6 on which the largest ovaries are located.
Harvesting
Harvesting should begin after making sure that the pineapple melons are fully ripe. First of all, attention should be paid to the color of the fruit and the mesh on the surface of the peel. Ripe pineapple melons are easily separated from the lashes, have a characteristic color, a network of cracks is evenly distributed over the entire skin. But, such fruits should not be left for storage, since they will not lie longer than 1-1,5 months.
For long-term storage, it is recommended to select melons with a moderate network of cracks covering no more than half of the fruit. Such fruits are harvested selectively, as they show signs of technical ripeness. Collection is made in the morning, before the onset of heat or in the evening. Plucked pineapple melons are left in the garden for 4-5 days, turning from side to side every 5-6 hours. Then they are cleaned in a dry, cool room.
Diseases and pests
Pineapple melon is resistant to powdery mildew, late blight and other fungal diseases. But sometimes it is subject to the occurrence of diseases characteristic of other melons.
Diseases and pests | Symptoms of the disease |
melon aphid | It is located on the back of the leaves, sucking the juice from the plant |
Wireworm | Drills holes in fruits, laying eggs inside |
Copperhead | Pink spots on the surface of the leaves |
spider mite | A thin cobweb on the underside of the leaves, which subsequently spreads throughout the bush |
Scoop | It feeds on fruits, leaving deep holes in their surface. |
melon fly | Lays eggs inside fruits, causing them to rot rapidly |
Fuzarioz | First of all, it affects young sprouts, the leaves and stems of which lose their natural color. |
Mučnistaâ rosa | Leaves and stems are covered with white bloom |
Downy Mildew | All parts of the plant are covered with a yellow coating. |
Preventive actions:
- During planting, onion peel or eggshells must be placed in each hole.
- Carry out periodic spraying of bushes with a solution of laundry soap or ash, whey, onion and garlic broth.
- Plant plants that exude a strong aroma, such as marigolds, around the area with pineapple melons.
Pineapple melon reviews
Conclusion
Pineapple melon will appeal to both adults and children due to its original taste and aroma. The variety is unpretentious, it can be grown both in greenhouse conditions and in garden beds. Suitable for cultivation in any latitude, fruit setting occurs even in stressful climatic conditions.
