Early, late and sweet melon varieties. Early varieties of melon Melon - types and varieties

Existing grown in different countries, amaze with their diversity. Their fruits differ in shape, size, taste, but without exception, these plants prefer a sunny and warm climate.

Short description

Melon is a representative of a false berry, a melon crop. This annual plant, having a long creeping stem. The leaves are entire, palmately lobed, and consist of five lobes. One melon can produce up to eight large aromatic berries. The appearance of the fruit is different for each variety and can have a round, cylindrical or even flattened shape. The pulp is greenish, yellow or orange in color.

A little history

We studied back in Ancient Egypt. The first mentions of it are found in the Bible. It is believed that the birthplace of this melon crop is Northern India. From here it began to spread to the west and east. In Europe, some types of melons began to be grown only in the 15th century. They first appeared in Russia a little later and were first brought only to the Lower Volga region.

Beneficial features

Melon is widely popular due to the fact that it contains a complex of elements important for humans: iron, lemon, apple and succinic acid, vitamins A, P, C. It also contains inosine, which helps cleanse the body of cholesterol and helps strengthen hair roots. The most often aromatic melon is consumed in fresh, but there are a lot of recipes for making delicious jam and marinade. It is often added to meat to create authentic culinary masterpieces.

Any type of melon has a beneficial effect on strengthening the immune system and nervous system, and helps cope with the problem of insomnia. Due to its low calorie content, this false berry can be included in almost any diet. It stimulates the cleansing of the body from toxins and helps the intestines work smoothly.

Melon - types and varieties

Photos of these amazing fruits are amazing in their diversity. A huge number of existing varieties are divided into 3 groups - cantaloupe, reticulated and smooth-skinned.

The first includes ribbed melons with deep narrow grooves on the surface and having a flattened shape. The sweet pulp has a rich orange color. The length of the fruit is 20-25 cm. Not suitable for long-term storage.

Net melons usually have a regular spherical shape. The ribbing is weakly expressed. This species received its name due to the surface of the fruit, covered with a grayish mesh. The pulp can be either orange or greenish or white, depending on the variety.

Smooth-skinned types of melon are usually oblong with a thin skin. There is practically no ribbing.

Variety selection

When planning to plant a melon on your site, you should remember that this plant is very heat-loving, and its fruits ripen at a temperature not lower than 30⁰C. For those where summer is unpredictable, it is important to choose the right variety depending on the growing season. For example, some types of late-ripening melons require up to 120 days to ripen the fruits.

Main varieties

This is the most popular types melons The list of them is quite large, but most often in our climatic conditions you can find the following varieties:

Early ripening varieties

Species and varieties bred in Russia are presented by Natalina. The fruit of such a melon is round, clean, yellow color, the peel is thin, the flesh is white with a slight shade of green, medium thickness, juicy and sweet. Excellent transportability and storage long time. Many gardeners are familiar with the lemon-yellow melon, bred in the Krasnodar region. It is distinguished by a slightly flattened fruit, lemon-colored (hence the name), covered small dots. Weight usually does not exceed 1.5 kg. The pulp is firm and has a characteristic vanilla flavor.

Mid-season varieties

Altai. Ripening period is up to 80 days. The fruit is oval, bright yellow, about 1 kg, with juicy pulp.

Early sweet. The shape of the fruit is close to spherical, slightly elongated, weighing up to 3 kg, bright yellow and smooth. The pulp is yellow-cream in color, sweet, aromatic and surprisingly tasty. The bush and flowers are similar to cucumber. The variety copes excellently with anthracnose and powdery mildew, cold-resistant and unpretentious. To get a great harvest, it is better to grow in a greenhouse, but in warm areas open ground is also suitable.

Assol. The fruits are oval-shaped, rich yellow with grayish stripes. The pulp is juicy, aromatic, delicate yellowish in color. The variety was specially created for cultivation on farms and on personal plots. It has a very high yield.

Golden. The fruit is oval, with stripes. The pulp is very juicy. The variety is characterized by a high content of vitamins. It copes well with diseases, grows well in open ground, but prefers greenhouse conditions.

Blondie. The time of fruit appearance is 80-90 days from planting. The fruits are very large, slightly flattened round shape, small in size. Very juicy aromatic pulp of amazing taste. When the fruits are ready for harvest, they signal this by the appearance of a specific aroma and a change in color to beige.

All of the above types of melon with good care They give a good harvest not only in southern, but also in middle latitudes.

Late varieties

One of these melons has the appropriate name - Zimovka. The variety is very difficult to grow in the middle latitudes, but grows well in the south. The owner of light yellowish-green fruits covered with a net. The pulp is tender, greenish in color. Melon can be stored for a long time and is ideal for transportation.

Pineapple is a variety that requires at least 95 days to ripen. It is distinguished by oval mesh fruits with aromatic pulp that tastes like pineapple.

Torpedo - these melons have a peculiar elongated shape. The yellow peel is covered with a fine mesh. It is highly resistant to disease and drought.

Foreign varieties

Some gardeners also grow foreign types of melons (a photo of one of them can be found below).

Charente comes from France, this amazing variety is distinguished by small round fruits with wonderful taste qualities. Color - soft yellow, close to white.

Ozhen - a guest from Israel: the shape is round or slightly oval, with smooth surface, with a large number of veins, greenish-yellow tone. It is distinguished by its aromatic, fleshy pulp of a pale green color.

Khandalyak is an Uzbek melon that tastes very similar to a pear. Small in size, with thin skin and greenish flesh.

Honey. The homeland of the variety is Morocco, its features: elongated shape of the fruit, lack of veins, orange-green color of the peel, honey-like flesh, juicy, pale yellow or with a reddish tint.

Kassaba. It came from Turkey and has an almost regular round shape. The fruits appear quite late, closer to winter. The pulp is juicy, but almost completely devoid of flavor.

Almost all varieties and types of melons, photos and descriptions of which can be found in this article, have their own advantages for growing in middle lane Russia. But more suitable are early-ripening hybrids, resistant to both the vagaries of the weather and most diseases.

It is difficult to find a person in the world who, when hearing the word “melon,” would not have pleasant memories of the taste and aroma of this wonderful product. The sunny yellow juicy aromatic berry attracts you, especially on hot summer days. But melon is not only a delicious dessert, but also very healthy berry thanks to its content large quantity vitamins, micro-, macroelements and some biologically active substances. Here's about them beneficial properties of melon, as well as contraindications, pesticides, nitrogen fertilizers, etc. we will tell you.

Useful properties of melon

The list of beneficial properties of melon is almost endless. This is primarily organic water, starch and sugars, proteins and carbohydrates, dietary fiber, as well as vitamins, potassium, magnesium, folic acid, phosphorus, calcium, silicon, free organic acids and more.

Melon contains a large amount of folic acid (vitamin B9). It is necessary for the female body during pregnancy, and it also improves memory and protects us from depression.

Folic acid is destroyed during heat treatment, and melon is usually eaten fresh, so the vitamin is not destroyed and is well absorbed by the body.

Another vitamin that is valuable (or, more simply, priceless) for human health is vitamin C. Thanks to the high content of this vitamin, melon helps our body resist colds and feel great throughout the fall.

What else beneficial features at the melon? Thanks to the presence of silicon in it, it improves the condition of hair and skin. Iron (and there is significantly more of it in melon than, for example, in fish and milk) will increase hemoglobin. Thanks to beta-carotene, we will provide ourselves with beautiful, smooth skin with a noble peach hue.

By the way, despite the color, there is more beta-carotene in melon than in carrots.

Magnesium is extremely useful and, in general, indispensable for the heart muscle.

And the most precious thing in a melon is gold! After all, we need gold not only as jewelry. This is the same element as many others - necessary for the body. So, having had your fill of melon during the season, you will provide yourself with gold(!) for the whole year.

And this is not all, but only the most obvious beneficial properties of melon!

Contraindications

In addition to the beneficial properties of melon, it also has certain not very pleasant, and sometimes even dangerous to health, qualities. The main one can be called its rather difficult digestibility by the gastrointestinal tract. It's no secret that melon in combination, for example, with milk gives the same result as a cucumber. For many people, melon can cause intestinal upset. In this regard, melon is contraindicated for people suffering from gastrointestinal diseases. Such as gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers and chronic colitis.

Due to the “heaviness” for the gastrointestinal tract, it is recommended to consume melon as a separate meal, without combining it with anything.

It is noteworthy that in the south, on the contrary, melon is considered a natural digestive enhancer and is consumed at the end of a large meal. Therefore, look at your own well-being. Perhaps this option is yours;)

What else can a melon contain...

Another unpleasant aspect is the possible presence of residual amounts of pesticides and large amounts of nitrates in the melon. As a rule, melon, especially those sold earlier than the usual ripening season (late August - early September), is “filled” with both in abundance.

As is known, pesticides in agriculture are used to combat harmful insects. And since melon is a sweet fruit, there are plenty of various insects that love to profit from sweets. Consequently, pesticides are used abundantly and widely to protect melons. Unfortunately, this does not add beneficial properties to the melon...

When testing 49 of the most popular fruits and vegetables for pesticide residues, the common melon "kolkhoznitsa" was in fifteenth place, and its exotic sweet sister, the cantaloupe, in eleventh place.

In addition to pesticides, nitrogen fertilizers are widely used when growing melons. The plant needs nitrogen for active growth and fruiting. Therefore, often, wanting to get a higher and early harvest, an excessive amount of nitrogen fertilizer is applied to the soil, which, with an excess of nitrogen, is deposited in the leaves and fruits of the plant in the form of sodium nitrate. In small quantities it is not dangerous to the body, but large quantities can lead to poisoning.

From all of the above, we can conclude that you need to choose this product wisely so that the beneficial properties of melon do not turn into harm. Here are some tips:

• You should not buy melon before its natural ripening period begins - July-September. Only during this period cantaloupe is most useful.
• You need to choose a melon, especially “Kolkhoznitsa”, by smell. If the berry smells right through the skin, it is a ripe, sweet fruit.
• The largest amount of nitrates and pesticides accumulates in the peel and in the area of ​​its “tail”, so it is safer to cut out this place, and eat or cut the pulp without saving and retreating from the edge at least a centimeter.

The Japanese cantaloupe variety appears to be the most expensive melon variety in the world. The fact is that at the next food auction a pair of Japanese cantaloupes sold for $15,730.

That's almost $8 thousand a piece. In general, for the above amount you can buy a good used car, and if you take into account the price of a couple of melons, you can buy a new family car.

Previously, at the same Japanese luxury food market, a bunch of grapes was sold for $6,400, as well as a special watermelon for $4,000.

Full name of the Japanese melon variety: Cantaloupe Yubari. It is so expensive because the Japanese treat these melons like rare wine or expensive whiskey. In addition to taste and smell, these melons are valued for their neat appearance. Some specimens are used for decoration festive table for dear guests.

That's because Cantaloupe Yubari has an almost perfect sphere shape, with a soft "ornament" on the sides. Probably, even this record for the cost of a pair of melons will soon be broken, since now is the season for vegetables and fruits.

Melon is incredible useful product, which has juicy pulp and pleasant aroma. It contains sugar, water and starch. If you eat melon regularly, the body will be enriched with carbohydrates, proteins, potassium and organic acids. In melons great content iron, which has a beneficial effect on circulatory system, and silicon makes the skin healthier and more attractive, so the benefits of melon are enormous.

White muskmelon

One of the earliest varieties is the white muskmelon, since its development period is only 60-70 days. It is round, smooth, with a creamy white tint, and the weight of the melon is small - only 1.5-2 kg. The pulp is dense, juicy, aromatic and very sweet with a green tint. This cantaloupe has excellent taste, is resistant to many diseases and is suitable for transportation over long distances. Growing this variety will be more successful in greenhouses. In this case, the stems are pinched, leaving only 3-5 fruits. Melon is eaten fresh, and it is also tasty dried and dried.

Green melon

This variety is often called avocado melon. She happens to be exotic fruit, brought from Thailand, and differs in peel color, which ranges from rich yellow to brown. The flesh of the melon is light green in color, reminiscent of an avocado. Plus, green melon has a taste similar to avocado. In order to determine the ripeness of a melon, press on it with your fingers.

Green melon

Brazilian Cantaloupe Melon

The Cantaloupe melon variety is distinguished by its delicate pulp with a cream color. This cantaloupe has a rich honey flavor and is very sweet. On average, the weight of the fruit is only 1-1.5 kg, so these melons are small-fruited. By appearance The Brazilian melon has a flattened, oval shape. The color of the fruit is orange or with a yellow tint, the leaves of the plant are dark green. Melon inside orange color with juicy pulp. This yellow melon grows in many countries of the world and belongs to the musk group. The Brazilian Cantaloupe melon came to our country from Italy and is in great demand due to its exquisite taste.

Uzbek melon

Uzbek varieties include the Turkmenka melon, which is distinguished by its medium size and yellow skin with cracks. This Uzbek melon is one of the most late varieties, so it is very difficult to find ripe fruits on sale. But if the melon is soft, then it has a very pleasant, sweet taste, which is significantly different from other varieties; it is honey-like. The fruits are medium in size, covered with a mesh on top; as they ripen, this mesh becomes more distinct and grows into the melon. When the fruit is ripe, the mesh on the surface turns brown.

Melon Yubari

Many Japanese believe that Yubari melon is the most unusual and even magical variety, which is distinguished by a unique aromatic taste, exquisite appearance and characteristic peel.

This variety of melon is very difficult to grow, so it has not spread much on the planet. Japanese citizens believe that the fruits of this melon are ideal; they have clear, rounded shapes and thin, smooth skin. The roundest fruits cost a lot of money in Japan; they are given as a substantial, expensive gift. The surface of the melon is covered with unusual patterns that are similar to ancient porcelain vases, which is why this Japanese melon is so prized in the east. Often, young couples in Japan give each other melons, which is considered a sign of respect.

Melon Galia

The Galia melon produces the largest fruits, and this distinguishes it from other varieties. The flesh of the melon is dark green in color and has an aromatic flavor that is reminiscent of cantaloupe. She is enough unpretentious variety, who is originally from Israel. Today, Galia melon is grown in Chile, the USA, Panama and other countries South America, however, it is unpretentious and can grow anywhere. Melon fruits are added to salads, desserts, jams and preserves are made from it. This variety of melon is used in cooking, as it is included in many recipes. Due to its maximum sweetness, this melon is used to make candied fruits, which are added to many sweet dishes.

Melon Gulyabi

There are many varieties of Gulyabi melon, and each of them has its own characteristic differences and is grown in a certain area. For example, Gulyabi 803 melon is grown in Turkmenistan. Its fruits are ovoid in shape with a strong, thick skin. The pulp of the fruit is very sweet, white and crunchy. The next variety is Gulyabi-chok, its fruits are orange in color, and the pulp is viscous and thick. Next is the Chardzhou melon, which is grown in Uzbekistan. The melon has a smooth surface and no patterns; the flesh of the fruit is quite fibrous, but juicy. This melon variety has a long shelf life, so it can last until spring.

Korean Early Cold Hardy Mini Melon Chamoe

Compared to other varieties, this striped Korean melon has a classic melon taste and aroma. In terms of weight, it is quite small and amounts to 0.5-1 kg. The fruits are distinguished by high sugar content, juicy pulp and exquisite taste. The plant shows high yield, which is 7-15 fruits per bush. This Korean early cold-resistant Chamoe mini-melon belongs to the mid-season group, since it takes about 70 days before the first harvest. The skin of the melon is thin with a bright yellow tint and white stripes. In order for this melon to bear fruit, it is necessary to provide more low temperature, since the heat is not suitable. The plant is resistant to various bacterial infections and stores well.

Thai melon

Among all the summer fruits, Thai melon is considered the healthiest, most delicious and nutritious. It is a dietary product and is distinguished by a huge range of useful vitamins. The main ones include: carotene, folic acid, organic acids, sugar, sodium, iron salts, vitamins C, B1, A, P and C, as well as proteins and pectins. The properties of melon are as follows: it perfectly quenches thirst, normalizes the balance of salts, removes excess water from the body, improves intestinal function, has a beneficial effect on nervous system. That is why it is often used to treat kidney diseases. Thai melon also removes toxins from the body, improves its functioning and cleanses the intestines. Many doctors prescribe this product during the treatment of heart disease, rheumatism and gout. In addition, the fruit contains a lot of silicon, which improves the condition of nails and hair, and makes tissues more elastic and durable.

Chinese Danyang melon

This melon came from China, where it is successfully cultivated every year. The stem of the plant is small and is only 1.5-2 meters, the leaves are dark green. The fruits are spherical and slightly elongated, the peel is very thin and smooth. There are many varieties, but the Chinese Danyang melon differs from others in its high yield, is unpretentious to the soil and has excellent taste. Melon fruits are oval and slightly ribbed, their weight is small - up to 1.5 kg, and they ripen almost simultaneously.

Mini melon varieties

There are many varieties of melon, the weight of which can vary greatly. However, exotic mini melons are very popular and are used in many dishes.

Bitter melon Momordica

This melon variety has several names: Momordica, Kudret Nary or Indian cucumber. In appearance, it is a tropical liana that grows in the subtropical or tropical regions of many countries in Asia, Australia, and Africa. The vine can reach up to 5 m in length, its fruits small size and look like vegetables. When ripe, a melon becomes yellow in color and has an elongated shape; the surface of the fruit is covered with warts. The inside of the fruit has thin layer pulp with a fairly large central cavity, where large, flat seeds and a jelly-like mass are present. When ripe, bitter melon turns orange in color and then splits into three parts.

Tea is made from Momordica to rejuvenate the body, and bitter melon extract can stop the division and growth of cancer cells in the mammary glands.

Melon Pepino

The fruits of this variety have a taste that combines pear and melon. Among the people, Pepino melon has received many names: Aymara, melon pear, sweet cucumber, Quechua, melon tree. The fruits of this variety are small in size and slightly larger than a goose egg. The color of the melon is beige with lilac stripes, but the color may vary depending on the variety. The pulp of the fruit is cream or yellow, juicy. Pepino melon is eaten fresh, made into salads, desserts, sauces or served with seafood. The fruits of this variety are also frozen, dried, and made into jams and preserves. The fruit contains great amount vitamin C, A, PP, B1, carotene, iron and other beneficial substances.

Melon Lazy Man's Dream

This melon variety belongs to the group of ultra-early ripening ones, since the ripening period is only 50-55 days. The plant is medium in size and has a thin stem. Its fruits oval shape and with a characteristic pattern, where there are green stripes on a white background. The weight of the fruit is only 300-400 grams, so it belongs to mini melons. The peel is very smooth and thin, and the flesh is juicy, sweet, white, and has a specific delicate aroma. In terms of yield, the Lazy's Dream melon is quite profitable, as it produces about 20 fruits per bush. This winter melon bears fruit until frost and is resistant to various diseases and pests.

Such berry crop, like a watermelon, is known to most inhabitants of the planet. It causes active debate among scientists and every year it gains more and more fans of its taste. Between June and September it is the largest berry in the world. Science knows many of its varieties, and there is an unspoken competition among farmers to see who can grow the largest watermelon in the world.

Ancient tales

As history shows, watermelon was well known both in Ancient Egypt and Rome. About this delicious and juicy berry There are many legends and tales. For example, the ancient inhabitants of the country of the pharaohs were sure that large watermelons were fruits that grew from a seed that the ruler of the underworld, god Seth, could not contain at the sight of the goddess Isis.

The Vietnamese have a legend that the first watermelons appeared on the island of An Thiem, where the adopted son of King Hung Vuong the Ninth, Mai Yen, was serving his sentence. The legend says that May became incredibly rich because he constantly worked tirelessly, and when his adoptive father saw this, he did not believe in the honesty of what the young man had earned.

Angry, he exiled Maya Yen and his wife to an uninhabited rocky island with sparse vegetation. After some time, an overseas bird flew to a deserted island and left behind strange seeds, which, having fallen into the ground, sprouted and produced strange large green fruits. The exile tried the berry and was very happy that now he and his wife would not die of hunger.

Proper care remontant raspberries

May collected all the seeds from the watermelons he had eaten and planted them around the island. As a result, there were so many fruits that they could be traded, and an enterprising man decided to attract people to the island by writing his name on one of the fruits and where it could be found. After some time, a ship moored to a deserted island, and Mai Yen exchanged the berries for rice and spices. This is how his active trading began.

Every time everything came to the island more ships, and the business of the king’s adopted son began to flourish. The man improved his condition and again became one of richest people kingdoms. Having learned about what had happened, King Hung Vuong believed that the young man had not deceived him and, forgiving him, invited him back to the palace. Since then, the Vietnamese have believed that the island where Mai Yen lived is the island of watermelons or, as they are called in those parts, Western cucumbers.

The origin of the name of the berry also has many variations. Some scientists believe that the word “watermelon” is of Kipchak origin. IN modern world this language is dead, and in the 18th century it was spoken in the Golden Horde. Other experts are confident that the name of the world’s largest berry is of Persian origin and literally means “donkey cucumber.”

South Africa is considered the birthplace of watermelons, and it is actively grown in countries such as:

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Scientists never tire of arguing about what a watermelon actually is. Some believe that it is a pumpkin with the characteristics of a berry, while others consider the green fruit to be a fruit. Currently, more than 1,300 types of watermelons are known. The most common ones include:

• Carolina Cross;
• "Russian size";
• Astrakhan;
• Kamyshinsky;
• Kherson

This unusual striped pumpkin prefers dry areas and can grow to enormous sizes. There are even competitions in the world between gardeners who try to grow a watermelon as large and heavy as possible. Currently, the palm and a mark in the Guinness Book of Records with the honorary “title” of the owner of the largest watermelon is held by an American farmer, a big fan of this berry from Tennessee, Chris Kent.

The man managed to grow a 158-kilogram melon representative in his field. It is noteworthy that this is not the first time that the farmer has come under the scrutiny of record lovers.

Silver among the leaders for the largest watermelon in the world, which weighed 122 kilograms, went to the owners of the Hope Farm Store, the Bright family. They managed to get into the book of records in 2009. It is noteworthy that these residents of the States also amazed the world not for the first time with their ability to grow very large vegetables and fruits.

Third place and a well-deserved bronze belongs to a US resident who, in 1990 of the last century, raised a giant in his field, also in Tennessee, that weighed 118 kg. The variety that produced the record-breaking watermelon was called “Carolina Cross.”

The giant from Louisiana is in fourth place in the Guinness Book of Records. The striped guest of American fields managed to reach a mass of almost 115 kg in its mature form. Farmers from the Sistrenkov dynasty set a kind of record.

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In fifth place among the record holders is the Japanese Akinori Takomitsu. The man grew this melon crop all his life and even came up with a way to grow especially large specimens from an ordinary berry weighing 15-20 kg. His idea was a success, and he even put the production of giants on stream. Giant watermelons from the fields of Tacomitsu are in great demand in their homeland and are quickly snapped up by restaurants and other exotic lovers.

European records for growing green striped giants, compared to the Americans, are very modest. For a long time, the heaviest representative of watermelons from Europe was a 64-kilogram berry. In Russia, this summer, juicy and appetizing berry does not exceed a weight of 60 kilograms, and amateur melon growers have still not exceeded the 15 kilogram mark.

However, experts say that it is not always big size watermelon speaks of its sweetness and rich, pleasant taste. Quite often, especially large representatives of the pumpkin family are not always pleasant to the taste.

It is not surprising that this melon crop is very popular in more than 97 countries around the world. Watermelon is very good for health and has some unique properties. The pulp of the berry contains up to 13% glucose, fructose and sucrose.