Fragrant and tasty melon “Hasanka”: how to choose and grow on your own plot

Khasanka is a unique melon variety, about which there is not much information. Few people know about it and rarely cultivate it. But those who have already tried and grown it did not remain indifferent. Find out what its features are, what advantages it has and how to grow it correctly in our article.

Description of the melon variety Hasanka

The shape of the fruits of this variety is oblong. When ripening, Khasanka does not turn yellow and does not reach large sizes. Let's talk in more detail about its features, composition and characteristics.

In the photo - Hasanka melon.

Distinctive features

For variety characteristic greenish color of the peel with intermittent “watermelon” stripes.

This color often scares away buyers - it gives the impression that the fruit is not ripe. But you just need to open the melon - inside it is yellow and juicy.

Composition, benefits, calorie content

100 g of melon contains:

• proteins – 0.6 g;
• fat – 0.3 g;
• carbohydrates – 7.4 g;
• dietary fiber – 0.9 g;
• water – 90 g.

Calorie content – 33 kcal.

Vitamins and minerals in Hasanka melon:

• vitamin A;
• B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9);
• vitamin C;
• vitamin E;
• iron;
• iodine;
• zinc;
• copper;
• manganese;
• fluorine;
• cobalt;
• phosphorus;
• sodium.

Melon juice is used to whiten skin, it copes well with pigmentation problems and eliminates pimples.

In folk medicine, melon is indicated for tuberculosis, rheumatism and anemia.

Reference. The main benefit of melon is its ability to alkalize the body. Its pH is 6.0-6.7.

Characteristics

Melon Hasanka belongs to melons, the pumpkin family. Picky about care. Grows in dry, hot climates.

The bushes of this culture resemble a vine with a characteristic fluff on the stems. The leaves are a rich dark green color, reminiscent of pumpkin. The fruits are oblong, striped, and from afar they are sometimes confused with watermelons. They do not turn yellow when ripe.

The ripeness of Khasanka is checked by pressing on the peel: It should be moderately soft. That is, bend under your fingers, but not flatten or burst, but return to its original position.

Melon pulp is light, dense and juicy. It is not inferior in sweetness to the popular Kolkhoznitsa. Khasanka is one of those varieties that are called honey.

In its homeland, Turkmenistan, it grows to 4-5 kg. In Russia – up to 1.5-2 kg. Cultivation is possible both in the southern regions and in the middle zone.

Resistant to transportation and storage. It tolerates them better than other Central Asian varieties.

How to choose fruits when purchasing

Most of us rely on smell when buying fruit.. But with Hasanka everything is different. The melon will not reveal its flavor until it is whole. The amazing smell of this variety can be felt only by cutting the fruit.

But It is not recommended to buy Hasanka cut or in portions: unscrupulous sellers can cut off the rotten areas (and the residual effect of rotting on the pulp will remain after this), and sell you a low-quality product.

When choosing a melon, pay attention to the following:

1. Skin surface: it should be smooth, without dents or scratches.
2. The buyer should be alerted by the presence of even one small gray or black spot on the melon peel. This means that the fruit has begun to rot and the affected area of ​​the melon will definitely taste bitter.
3. Pressing on the melon is not carried out over the entire surface, but selectively - you need to press on the “spout” of the melon. There should be no dents left after pressing - they mean that the fruit is overripe.

If it’s a little hard around the melon “spout”, still buy Hasanka and leave it to rest for 2-3 days at a temperature of +18... +20°C. In such conditions it will definitely ripen.

Experts say that at the height of the season, truly tasty Hasanka is difficult to find also because from the places where it grows (the countries of Central Asia), the fruits begin to be transported while still green. Not every carrier adheres to storage standards, so the melons do not ripen on the way, but wither.

What to do in this case? Wait until September - during this period, ripe and tasty winter varieties of Khasanki are delivered from Central Asia, and buy melons only from trusted outlets. A little patience and you are guaranteed to taste an amazing aromatic melon with honey sweetness.

Other melon varieties:

Uzbek autumn melon “Granny”

Sweet and aromatic Uzbek melon “Gulyabi”

The most popular melon “Torpedo”

How to grow a variety yourself

Khasanka is a variety that requires careful care and compliance with agrotechnical rules.

In Russia, cultivation of this variety is possible. The culture does best in hot regions, since the plant is heat-loving and demanding of light and humidity levels. Khasanka is grown by seed and seedling methods.

Growing in stages and care

Stages in the seed method of growing melon:

1. Selection and preparation of seed material. The seeds must be full, not wrinkled or empty. Before planting in the ground, they are soaked in warm water for 3-8 hours.
2. Preparing the beds.The melon will need a well-lit, low-wind location with loose, light soil rich in organic matter.
3. Sowing. The optimal period is April 20-May 10, when the soil warms up to +14... +16°C. Sowing is completed on June 10. The first shoots appear after 7-10 days.
4. On days 4-6 after emergence, you can notice that the sprouts are developing slowly and “lazy”. Don’t let this bother you - during this period the melon’s root system is actively developing, all the plant’s forces are thrown there. The growth of the bush is activated after the appearance of 6-8 leaves - this is the beginning of melon branching.
5. Flowering begins with male flowers. They are laid in the axil of 2-3 or 4-5 leaves of the shoot. The appearance of female flowers occurs after the formation of 6-30 male ones.
6. Formation of fruits. 1-5 fruits are formed on one bush. If there are a lot of ovaries, the bush gets rid of the extra ones.
7. Completion of growth and maturation. The fruits complete growth approximately 30 days after setting - during this period they intensively accumulate sugars. The phase of full ripening of the melon lasts several more days, from 8 to 20.

Stages of seedling cultivation:

1. Sowing. It is better to immediately plant the prepared seeds in separate cups, preferably peat ones, since the melon is painful to transplant and this way it will be more comfortable for it to take root in a permanent place. Deadline: beginning of May.
2. Shoots. Khasanka hatches 5-7 days after sowing, provided the plant is kept at a stable temperature of +20°C.
3. Water for the first time with warm, settled water after the formation of the first leaf.
4. Pinching is carried out after the appearance of the third pair of leaves. The procedure is necessary to form a bush.
5. Plants are transplanted into open ground in early June.

The further development of the plant is the same as that of one grown from seeds.

Important! Basic rules for caring for melons: regular watering (at the root when the soil dries out), loosening the rows and fertilizing (2-3 times before the leaves close).

Used for feeding:

• ammonium nitrate (immediately after mass germination);
• organic solution in a ratio of 1:10 (budding phase);
• a solution of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers in a proportion of 20 and 50 g per bucket of water (three weeks after the previous feeding).

If a site has been fertilized only with minerals for a long period of time, the soil becomes highly acidic. Before planting melons, they are limed.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

To obtain a full Khasanka harvest, it is important limit the development of the vegetative mass of the bush, that is, pinching the shoots.

The procedure is simple: pinch the main lash and leave two side ones. It is important not to forget to do this so that the luxurious bushes do not turn out to be barren.

Despite the thickness of the peel, melon does not always withstand high humidity and is susceptible to mechanical damage. A guarantee of protection from damage is caution during collection and transportation, and from high humidity levels – moderate watering and the presence of bedding. While still small, the melons are laid out on pieces of roofing felt or other similar material so that they do not touch the ground.

Another way to avoid fruit rot is to pull the melons out of the bush. By planting Khasanka on the crest of the bed, the gardener already at the sowing stage makes life easier for both himself and the plant. In the future, if you need to roll out the melons to ripen in the sun, it will be easier to do this - a sloping bed will help.

Diseases and pests characteristic of the variety

Like other melons, Hasanka melon is susceptible to fungal diseases that develop with high soil moisture.

Common diseases:

• powdery mildew;
• fusarium;
• anthracnose;
• peronosporosis.

How to treat:

• "Fitosporin";
• "Alirinom-B";
• "Gamair";
• "Bactofit";
• "Planrizom."

Pestswho love to eat melon:

• aphid;
• scoop;
• spider mite;
• wireworm

Used for pest control bioinsecticides (against gnawing - “Bitoxibacillin”, “Basamil”, “Fitoverm”, “Aktofit”, against sucking - “Mikoafidin” and “Verticillin”).

Harvesting and application

Melons of this variety are collected as they ripen.. Semi-ripe fruits are stored and ripened in a room with a comfortable temperature. It is best to store them hanging in nets or laid out on shelves.

Important! If the room is hot (temperature above +22°C), the fruits will become soft and lose their taste.

The harvest time in Russia depends on the growing region, the quality and completeness of plant care. On average, melon ripening time is 45-75 days. Typically, the mass harvest begins in August.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Despite the similar vitamin and mineral composition, each melon variety has its own characteristics.

Among the benefits of Hasanka melon it is worth noting:

• sweet taste, similar to the taste of pineapple;
• juiciness;
• high productivity;
• good transport tolerance.

Read also:

What is good about Kassaba melon, how to choose and grow it

Exotic cantaloupe cantaloupe

Disadvantages of the variety:

• the fruits do not exhibit aroma when uncut, which makes choosing a ripe melon difficult;
• The variety is demanding on growing conditions.

Conclusion

Khasanka is an amazing melon, the taste and aroma of which are hidden behind a strong peel. It is demanding to care for, but the patient gardener will certainly be pleased with a rich harvest. If you are in no hurry to grow it on your plot, but want to taste it, remember the rules for choosing the fruit so as not to be disappointed in your purchase.