Contents
Being the second most popular gourd crop after watermelon, in the minds and taste preferences of many people, melon even occupies the first place. Because it has a delicate honey taste and a unique aroma. Varieties of melon are very numerous, only in Our Country about 100 names are zoned. Even for the harsh conditions of the Urals and Siberia, breeders have by now bred many varieties that are able to successfully bear fruit, including in open ground.
Varieties of melons
With all the varietal diversity of melons, there are only two main subgroups into which all plants of this species are divided:
- classical or cultural;
- exotic.
For gastronomic purposes, representatives of only the first subgroup are of value. Since melons of the most diverse shapes and colors belong to the second subgroup, their taste can at best be called neutral. And sometimes they are frankly sour or bitter. Most often they are used either for medicinal purposes or as a basis for breeding work in order to bring out cultural representatives with resistance to certain environmental properties.
The cultural group is also very numerous in its composition. Its fruits can be very diverse. They vary in color – they are yellow, orange, green, almost white, green-brown.
The pattern of the peel can also be very diverse. Many varieties of melon have a smooth surface, others have a grid pattern, and some have a wrinkled or warty skin.
The shape can be round, oval, pear-shaped or very elongated in length. The size varies from a few hundred grams to several tens of kilograms. Melon fruits are known, reaching 100 or more kilograms in weight.
According to their origin, they are:
- Central Asian (Gulyabi, Ich-kzyl, Bukhara);
- Western European (Cantaloupe);
- Eastern European (Collective farmer, Altai, Early);
- Asia Minor varieties of melons (cassaba).
Further, the article presents various varieties of melon with a photo and a description of the features of their cultivation in different regions of Our Country.
What kind of melon is better
If you want to grow a melon in a particular region, choosing the right variety can be decisive for this crop. It is impossible to say unequivocally whether one variety of melon will be better or worse than another. Much depends on the climatic and weather conditions of the environment.
So many representatives of Asian melons, despite their unique sweetness and aroma, simply will not be able to bear fruit in other regions. Even if they carry out full and competent care, protecting them from diseases, pests and adverse environmental conditions, then the wrong choice of variety will certainly affect fruiting. Plants can even grow and bear some fruit, but it will be almost impossible to wait for the unique taste characteristic of them in their homeland. And the yield, most likely, will not correspond to the varietal characteristics.
On the other hand, the fruits of zoned melons, although they will be smaller in size, may not be inferior to many southern varieties in terms of sweetness and aroma.
What varieties of melons are best grown in the suburbs
It is quite a real task to grow quite decent-tasting melon fruits in the conditions of the Middle Strip in general, in the Moscow region in particular. It is only necessary to remember two main conditions, the fulfillment of which will inevitably lead to the goal:
- compliance with proper agricultural practices;
- selection of the most suitable variety.
It is the second task that will be discussed in detail in this chapter.
So, the melon grows well with an abundance of sunlight, a sufficient amount of heat, and low humidity. Unfortunately, all these conditions are not always easy to meet in the conditions of the Moscow region. Even if you grow fruits in greenhouses or greenhouses, the humidity in them sometimes reaches 90-100%. And for a melon, the upper mark of humidity, at which it still feels good, is a figure of 60-65%. And high humidity produces, first of all, practically uncontrolled outbreaks of various fungal diseases.
Fortunately, breeders have bred many varieties and hybrids of melons, which have a special adaptability for the open ground of the Moscow region. When choosing a suitable variety on your own, special attention should be paid to the following characteristics:
- increased shade tolerance;
- resistance to lack of heat and temperature changes;
- a short growing season, preferably up to 90 days;
- increased resistance to fungal diseases.
With a strong desire to grow late-ripening varieties with a growing season of more than 90 days, they must be grown using the seedling method.
Currently, many seed companies are breeding new melon varieties and hybrids adapted to growing conditions in the Middle lane. When choosing varieties, one should also look at those varieties that have variety testing stations located in the region. Of the most famous companies that test their gourds in the conditions of the Moscow region, one can name SeDeK and Gavrish. The best varieties of melons that are most suitable for growing in central Our Country are described below.
Alina
This early ripe variety was bred by the specialists of the Sedek company. Small bright yellow oval-shaped fruits reach a weight of 1 kg. They ripen on average in 65-70 days and have tender yellow-green flesh. The variety well resists a variety of weather misfortunes inherent in the weather conditions of the Middle Strip. The main advantage of Alina melon is its high complex resistance to most diseases characteristic of gourds.
Assol
This hybrid has quite long and powerful shoots. The fruits are medium-sized, round in shape. The peel is divided into pronounced yellowish-green segments, which are separated by creamy-gray stripes. There is also a pattern in the form of a fractured mesh. The peel is thin, juicy pulp has an average thickness. The variety is mid-season, the taste is sweet, it has a strong melon aroma. Disease resistance is good. Productivity – up to 10 kg / sq. m. Fruits can be stored up to 8-10 days.
Collective farmer
One of the oldest and most popular varieties of melons throughout Our Country. It is more likely to be mid-season, since it takes about 90 days to fully ripen. It forms medium-sized round fruits, sometimes up to 1,5 kg in weight. The pulp of melons is very juicy, oily with a pronounced aroma and full taste. The fruits are suitable for transportation and can be stored for up to 3 weeks. But plants are susceptible to some diseases, in particular, powdery mildew and anthracnose.
Princess Elizabeth
A relatively new hybrid from the Sedek company is a plant that has a high adaptability to the difficult weather conditions of the Moscow region. Melons ripen in 60-70 days. Resistant to anthracnose and powdery mildew. They have a round shape with a smooth bright yellow skin and tender juicy flesh. By weight they reach 1,5-1,6 kg. On one bush, up to 5-6 full-fledged fruits of high quality can ripen.
Princess Svetlana
Another representative of the “princess” family. Refers to mid-early hybrids, fruits can ripen from 70 to 90 days. Highly resistant to various adverse growth conditions, including various diseases. The variety is listed in the State Register and recommended for cultivation even in the Northern and North-Western regions of Our Country. The fruits have an attractive whitish-cream color. The pulp is juicy, but has a dense, crisp texture. The weight of one melon can reach 2 kg. The average yield is 6,5 kg/sq. m.
Tiger
This unique melon hybrid was created by Gavrish specialists in 2012. It is zoned throughout Our Country and, despite its exotic appearance, can be successfully grown in the Moscow region.
In terms of maturation, it can be attributed to early ripening. Brindle forms very small fruits, weighing 100-200 g. They are round in shape, with a smooth and thin skin without a grid. The pattern on the peel looks very attractive – brownish spots of various shapes and sizes are scattered on a pale yellow background. The aroma of the fruit is not very intense. But the taste of white juicy pulp deserves the most positive characteristics. The yield under film shelters is about 4 kg / sq. m.
Golden
This variety is classified as mid-season, it needs almost 90 days to ripen. But in terms of taste and aroma, it may well compete with Asian varieties of melon. The fruits may be round or slightly oval with an orange smooth skin without a pattern. The mass of one melon reaches 1 kg. It is well transported and stored up to 3 weeks in a cool place. Shows excellent disease resistance.
The best varieties of melons for the Urals
The Ural region, especially its southern part, is characterized by more stable weather conditions than the Moscow region. Although summer there comes a little later, it can be hotter and drier. Therefore, for the Urals, there are several zoned melon varieties that do not ripen at the earliest possible date. But when using the seedling method and film shelters, they can please with abundant fruiting and excellent taste and aromas of fruits.
Cinderella
This variety, created more than 10 years ago, thanks to its early ripeness, conquered the expanses of almost all of Our Country. The fruits are able to ripen in 60-70 days from the moment of germination. A melon variety with a classic yellow hue. Oval-shaped fruits grow up to 1,2 to 2,2 kg. The sugar content can reach 9,3%, which is very good for such an early variety. Cinderella is resistant to both low and high air temperatures. Not transportable, but can be stored for up to 15 days under suitable conditions.
Orange
Another completely new early ripe melon variety, which is recommended for cultivation in all regions of Our Country. The fruits, although small (up to 600 g), have excellent taste characteristics. Melons are rounded, light yellow with a fine mesh on the surface of the peel. The pulp is yellowish-whitish, crumbly. The yield is small – up to 1,5 kg / sq. m. The variety is resistant to all adverse conditions.
Lesya
The variety is mid-season, zoned in the Ural region. Oval fruits have a yellow-green color. The rind is covered with a mesh of medium thickness. The mass of a melon can reach 2,6 kg. The pulp is sweet, has a rather thick layer, tender and oily with a pronounced melon aroma. Well transported. The variety is resistant to fusarium and powdery mildew.
Temryuchanka
This mid-season variety is particularly hardy and resistant to stressful conditions. This is probably why it is zoned in the Ural region, despite the fact that it was bred in the Krasnodar Territory. Fruits are standard oval-round shape. On the peel there is a continuous thick mesh. Juicy and sweet pulp occupies most of the fruit space, the seed nest is small. Fruits can weigh up to 2,2 kg. In terms of yield, Temryuchanka surpasses such varieties as Zolotistaya and Kazachka. Not bad stored (up to 30 days) and transported.
Babor
This melon hybrid, despite its French origin, is zoned in several regions, including the Urals. In terms of ripening, it occupies an intermediate position between mid-ripening and mid-late melons. Melons ripen between 68 and 100 days from emergence.
The yellow fruits have an oval shape with a slightly wrinkled peel and can reach a weight of 4 kg. The pulp has a creamy tint, the sugar content in the fruit is average, about 5-6%. The variety is characterized by resistance to Fusarium and can be stored up to 60 days after harvest.
The best varieties of melons for Siberia
The Siberian region is characterized, first of all, by a short summer period. Although the average temperature level may even exceed that in the Middle lane. Therefore, it is extremely important for Siberia to use early-ripening varieties of melons and those that were specially bred for this region.
Altai
One of the oldest varieties of melon, bred back in 1937 specifically for Siberian conditions and officially zoned in the Urals, Western and Eastern Siberia in 1955. Altai is characterized by early ripeness – the fruits ripen after 65-75 days of vegetation. The variety has beautiful elongated oval fruits of a yellowish hue, which weigh from 0,8 to 1,5 kg. At the same time, the pulp is very fragrant, it is distinguished by a pale orange color, but not very sweet.
The variety can be consumed mainly fresh, as it is poorly stored and transported. The yield is quite decent – up to 25 t / ha.
Rosinka
The variety is also bred specifically for Siberia. Differs in early ripeness (58-65 days of vegetation) and good yield (up to 27 t/ha). Plants form short lashes. The light yellow smooth fruits of this melon variety are round in shape. The size of the fruit is small (600-800 g). The pulp is not very juicy and tender, but the taste is quite good, and the aroma is strong, melon.
Lolita
This variety was bred in the Astrakhan region, but zoned for the East Siberian region. Rounded beige-yellow fruits with a mesh pattern on the peel ripen 66-75 days after germination. They have a moderate aroma, but the taste is already close to the reference. This is due to the high sugar content (up to 7,8%) and tender, melt-in-your-mouth pulp. By weight, the fruits reach 1,5-2 kg. In terms of yield, Lolita is slightly superior to the Collective Farm Woman, which can also be grown in this region.
Lyubushka
The variety is classified as ultra-early. When sowing dry seeds into the ground in the last days of May, the first ripe fruits can be harvested from the second half of August. Moreover, the yield of Lyubushka can be up to 7-8 fruits per plant. When grown without watering, on average, the fruits grow up to 800 g. Melons have an intense yellow skin color, practically without mesh, greenish flesh and excellent taste.
Amber
This variety was also bred specifically for Siberia. Despite the fact that it has an average ripening time (about 75-80 days), the taste of the fruit deserves to tinker with seedlings.
Woman resident
This relatively new melon hybrid was bred by Gavrish specialists and recommended for cultivation throughout Our Country. It is classified as early ripe – it ripens in 60-75 days of vegetation. The fruits are oval in shape with some barely noticeable pattern on the yellowish peel. By weight, they grow up to 1,5 kg. With a greenish tinge, the pulp is tender, crumbly and has a good taste. Productivity under a film can reach 5 kg/sq.m. m.
Super early melon varieties
In general, early melon varieties include those that are able to bear ripe fruits after 60-65 days of vegetation. But selection does not stand still, and in recent decades, the so-called ultra-early melons have appeared, the ripening of which is possible even in an even shorter period. It is these that will be discussed in this chapter.
Barnaulka
Barnaulka or Barnaulskaya is a rather old variety of melon, which was bred in the last century. Its main advantage is its amazing precocity. The fruits ripen within 45 days after the first shoots. They have an elongated shape with a skin without a grid of a yellowish tint. Fruit weight reaches 1,5 kg.
Melba
Another super-annual variety, the producers of which claim that ripe melons can be obtained in 30-40 days of vegetation. True, the fruits are small in size, weighing about 600 g. The shape is oval, the skin is light beige with a mesh. Taste qualities are good.
Dream of Sybarite
An interesting, rather new melon variety of Japanese selection. Seeds may also be sold under the name Lazyman’s Dream. The fruits ripen in 50-55 days. In Western countries, this variety is often called apple melon because of the juicy, sweet and crisp white flesh. The aroma of the fruit is delicate, honey.
The skin is very thin and smooth so that the fruit can be eaten with it. They have a somewhat non-standard pear shape and an unusual color: light with dark green spots.
The fruit weight is small: from 200 to 400 g. On one plant, from 15 to 20 melons ripen per season. The variety is resistant to diseases and pests.
Fiona
Quite a new melon hybrid of Lithuanian selection. But at the same time, already in 2017, it was included in the State Register of Our Country and recommended for cultivation throughout Our Country. The fruits ripen from 50 to 60 days from the start of the growing season. They have an oval shape and a delicate, rather sweet taste. The weight of a melon reaches 1,7 kg, they are well stored (up to 60 days) and well transported. Productivity – up to 2,5 kg / sq. m.
Early varieties of melon
Perhaps one of the most common groups of melons, sometimes called precocious. Their growing season is from 60 to 80 days. They usually have a low yield, medium-sized fruits and are practically not stored or transported. These are melons for local immediate consumption. But they begin to ripen, when growing seedlings, already from the end of July or from the beginning of August.
Dune
A good reliable variety with very tasty and fragrant fruits, despite their early ripening (58-75 days). By weight, the fruits reach 1,7 kg. This variety of melon has a slightly oval shape of orange-colored fruits with a pronounced continuous mesh. The pulp is dense, but at the same time juicy and tender. For its ripening time, the variety has a good yield and is quite transportable.
honey gourmet
It has fairly average performance in all respects. A typical representative of the group of early ripe melons. Bred by breeders of the company “Aelita” in 2015.
Miron
Early ripe hybrid of the Israeli selection. Among all the early varieties of melon, it impresses with the size of its ovoid fruits. They can reach 2,5-2,9 kg. And at the same time, fruits of this size ripen in just 55-70 days. And the taste qualities of Miron are also on top. They contain up to 6,8% sugars. The fruits are stored for about 10 days. The hybrid shows good resistance to weather troubles, including heat and flooding.
Pineapple
This variety is practically a twin of one of the Asian melons with the same name. The difference between them is only in size and maturity. Pineapple (European) does not gain more than 2 kg in weight, but it manages to ripen in just 65-70 days. And in the taste of its fruits, you can really feel some exotic notes reminiscent of pineapple.
The variety is also resistant to powdery mildew and anthracnose.
Sweet Toothpiece
This variety is a typical representative of green melon. The fruits have an oval-elliptical shape and a green skin color with a grayish tinge. The peel is also dotted with a dense and thick mesh pattern. The fruits grow small, up to 1,2 kg. The flesh is very beautiful, orange. The density and juiciness of the fruits are medium. Taste qualities are good. The yield is very small – about 1 kg / sq. m. But melons are well preserved (up to 25 days) and transported.
Sherante
An early ripe variety of French selection is very similar in appearance to cantaloupe. Round fruits of gray color in color have pronounced lobes, the boundaries of which are outlined in a dark green tint. Orange rather dense pulp has a good sweet taste and not very pronounced aroma.
Story
An early variety of melon is quite suitable for cultivation, both in open ground and under film shelters. The fruits ripen quite amicably in 62-65 days. In melons, there is a barely noticeable segmentation. The pulp is very juicy and crispy, contains up to 10% sugar. The aroma is weak. Productivity – up to 2,3 kg / sq. m. The fruits are not storable and not transportable. But resistant to powdery mildew and peronosporosis.
Mid-season varieties of melons
Varieties of melon of medium ripening are sometimes also called summer melons. Although their ripening period most often occurs at the very end of summer and September. Often they are distinguished by higher yields, denser and more sugary pulp compared to early varieties. In addition, they have a harder skin and are therefore better suited for storage and transportation.
Lada
A fairly common melon variety for industrial cultivation, especially in the southern regions. Ripens in 78 to 92 days. The mass of fruits is not very large, on average up to 2 kg. But when rationing the fruit, it can be more than 3 kg. Yellow rounded fruits have a light juicy and sweet pulp with a sugar content of more than 8%. Lada is resistant to many diseases and practically does not crack during a wet summer. The yield is average, up to 2-3 kg / sq. m.
Ethiopian
Another very popular melon variety among gardeners from different regions. The color is yellow-orange with pronounced segments separated by light gray stripes. Melons reach a mass of 2,8 kg. Juicy and tender flesh has a bright orange hue and honey taste. The fruits have a strong melon aroma. Ethiopian is well suited to hot growing conditions.
Augustine
Melon hybrid of English selection, which ripens approximately 70-85 days after germination. Melons have a regular elliptical shape and a pronounced dense grid on the surface. Resistant to sunburn and cracking. Good taste qualities are combined with good yield and transportability.
Karamelynaya
A completely new hybrid from the company “Sedek”, which has collected the best qualities of its predecessors. Melons ripen in about 80 days, although they are quite large – up to 3 kg and are well stored (up to 18-20 days). The flesh is juicy, crispy, sweet and quite large in size. Productivity reaches 5 kg/sq.m. m.
Cossack 244
Despite the relative antiquity of the variety (it was bred and recorded in the State Register of Our Country back in 1964), the melon is still quite popular among gardeners. After all, it combines a fairly high yield (up to 28 t / ha) with good taste, excellent keeping quality and transportability. In addition, the variety is well able to resist a variety of diseases.
Late varieties of melons
These varieties of melons keep remarkably well and have, as a rule, the highest sugar content. But their long growing season practically does not allow them to be grown anywhere except in the southern regions. However, some varieties can be plucked unripe, and they ripen well in room conditions, on windowsills.
Wintering
A melon variety with a name that indicates that its fruits are perfectly preserved in the winter. Wintering is not in vain zoned in the Ural region. Its not too long growing season (85-92 days) makes it possible to grow it through seedlings even in the Urals.
Bushes grow quite powerful, climbing. Oval fruits reach a weight of 2,5 kg. The pulp is light green in color with a sugar content of 8-9%. On the peel there is a coarse coarse mesh. The fruits retain high taste properties for 3,5 months after their collection. Wintering is characterized by a stable yield of leveled fruits.
Slavia
A late-ripening melon variety (82-111 days) characterized by high palatability, good yield (30 t/ha) and resistance to growing conditions. It is stored not too long for late grades (about 30 days), but it is well transported.
honey giant
This unique variety, although it has a long growing season (more than 100 days), is well dosed at home and is characterized by an excellent melon aroma. The latter is not very typical for late varieties. Therefore, giant honey melon is often grown even in the Moscow region.
Torpedo
Plants will be able to produce tasty and large fruits only in suitable conditions, with an abundance of light and heat. In addition, they need a minimum of 112-115 days to mature. But they are perfectly preserved for more than 3 months after collection. The weight of one melon can vary from 4 to 8 kg.
Gulyabi or Chardzhuyskaya
This melon variety is from Central Asia, which is distinguished by its excellent taste and long shelf life. Large oblong-shaped fruits (weighing up to 7-8 kg) can be easily stored in a cool room until March inclusive. Moreover, their taste fully manifests itself only a month after the harvest. These melons ripen only on the 130-135th day of vegetation and their cultivation is possible only in the southernmost regions of Our Country.
The sweetest varieties of melons
The sugar content in sweet varieties of melons can significantly exceed 10%. No wonder the taste of these melons is often compared with the sweetness of honey.
Pineapple
Sometimes this variety is also called Sweet Pineapple. Its growing season is about 95 days. Melons grow up to 3 kg and have very sweet, buttery flesh with some pineapple flavor. It tolerates diseases well. Storage and transportation are possible within 2-3 weeks.
Amal
This hybrid of French selection does not take much time to mature, only 78-80 days. Melons have a very regular and beautiful round-oval shape and weight up to 3 kg. The flesh is very fragrant and sweet, with an orange-pinkish tinge. The hybrid is resistant to many diseases. Harvest – average, is about 2,5 kg / sq. m. Well stored and transported.
canary honey
This creation of Sedek breeders is distinguished by relatively whimsical cultivation techniques, but its really honey taste and aroma leave all other varieties of melons of this company far behind. Melons are distinguished by their small size (up to 1,4 kg) and early ripening (60-65 days).
Princess anna
Among all the “princesses” this variety is the sweetest. The sugar content in it reaches 10%. In addition, it is characterized by early ripeness, resistance to diseases and difficult weather conditions.
Caramel
A relatively early ripe (62-66 days) variety of French selection, the name of which already speaks of the sweetness of its fruits. The sugar content in them reaches 9,8%. Fruits of medium size (1,4-2,4 kg) have a strong melon flavor. Resistant to Fusarium and waterlogging of the soil. The yield is quite decent, up to 2,8 kg / sq. m.
Cappuccino
This melon, under favorable growing conditions, can show record levels of sugar content in fruits – up to 17%. Melons are small in size (up to 1 kg), have a pleasant creamy skin tone and almost snow-white juicy pulp of unsurpassed taste and enchanting aroma. The fruits ripen 70-75 days after germination.
The best varieties of melons for greenhouses
When choosing suitable melon varieties for growing in greenhouses, it is necessary to pay attention to the yield and compactness of the plants, as well as their resistance to fungal diseases.
Iroquois
This popular variety, bred by the breeders of the Gavrish company, can be classified as medium early (70-80 days of vegetation). Plants have a fairly strong growth, but they can be allowed to curl along the trellis. The fruits are small in size (1,2-1,6 kg) with good taste characteristics. The yield can average 6-8 kg / sq. m.
Gold of the Scythians
A hybrid from the same breeders, which, in addition to high yields, has an excellent sweet fruit taste. It also ripens quite early, 70-80 days after germination. It is also resistant to powdery mildew.
extraordinary
Already in the very name of this melon there are unusual features that characterize the appearance of the fruit. This is a variety of melon not only with a well-defined lobed structure, but also with a warty surface of its peel. Outwardly, the fruits are a bit like pumpkins. Weight can reach 3,5 kg. The flesh is an attractive dark orange color. The aroma is medium, the taste is sweet. Moreover, the plants begin to bear fruit quite early – on the 60-65th day of the growing season. Productivity is also good – up to 5,2 kg / sq. m.
Ozhen
Ozhen melon was born as a result of the efforts of Israeli breeders, but managed to take root in open spaces due to the compactness of the lashes, good yield (4-5 kg / sq. M) and relatively fast ripening time (82-85 days). This variety of melon is a variety of “musk” melon with well-defined segments of yellow-orange color and dark green edges. Characterized by a strong melon flavor and sweet flesh, even when unripe. In open ground, it is still susceptible to rot at the base of the stems in cold and damp weather, but it feels great in greenhouses. Fruit weight – up to 1 kg.
Blondy
This hybrid is another representative of the variety of cantaloupe melons that have recently appeared in the vastness of Our Country. The melons themselves are not large, about 300-500 g. They practically lack the usual melon aroma, but the taste of bright orange pulp is honey. From 1 sq. m in the greenhouse you can get up to 5-6 kg. In addition, the hybrid is resistant to the most common diseases of this species. It is better to harvest immediately after the peel is painted beige, so that the fruits do not have time to overripe and acquire an unpleasant odor.
Conclusion
In conditions, it is not possible to grow any varieties of melon known in nature. But even those that are available are quite enough to enjoy the variety of colors, sizes and taste sensations from the fruits of this plant.
