How to choose the most delicious and sweet melon

Melon is a frequent guest on the dinner table in summer and autumn. Juicy and sweet, it is pleasantly cooling; healthy and tasty fruit salads, summer cocktails and ice cream are made from melon. To select a ripe melon at the market, it is recommended to follow a few tips.

Let's figure out which varieties are the sweetest and juiciest, what they look like and what properties they have.

How to choose the most delicious melon

It is recommended to buy melon in stores or at the market. Fruits should not lie on the ground - they can get sick or get an infection. Pay attention to the storage conditions of the crop. Unsanitary conditions are unacceptable and it is not recommended to buy such a product.

The ripeness of a melon is determined by the following characteristics:

• dull sound when tapped;
• rich sweet aroma;
• springy and elastic crust;
• dry stalk;
• absence of cracks and stains;
• uniform color.

The sweetest varieties

Which melon is the most delicious? Let's look at the sweetest and juiciest varieties, find out their characteristics and features.

Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe melons powerful and spreading, the lashes are thick and long. They are planted in fields or specialized farms. The shape of the fruit is round-oval or flattened. The weight of one is from 1 to 3 kg, the color is pale orange or green depending on the region of cultivation.

The flesh is rich orange, soft and juicy. Cantaloupe is suitable for fresh consumption.

Interesting. The homeland of the Cantaloupe variety is Armenia. It was from this country that the spread of beautiful and sweet fruits throughout the world began.

Kassaba

Asian Kassaba melons are popular because they acquire their sweetness during storage. There are several varieties of the Kassaba variety. They differ from each other in color, peel thickness, and taste. Some fruits are smooth and yellow, others are wrinkled and dark orange.

Popular varieties Kassaba Zhukovsky, Cassaba spotted, Cassaba Honey Dew. Melon weighs about 2 kg, the aroma is neutral. The pulp is honey and sweet, and is universal in use.

Crenshaw

This variety came to Russia from America, where it appeared in 1929. The fruits are small, round, with an elongated tip. The weight of one varies from 1 to 2 kg.

The color is yellow-green, the peel is rough and dense. The aroma is rich, the taste is sweet, the flesh is fibrous with a soft orange color. Crenshaw is used for fresh consumption. Small fruits are convenient to take with you on a picnic or barbecue.

Torpedo

The variety got its name due to its elongated oblong shape. Grow Torpedo started in Uzbekistan. The plant is small, the vines are of medium length, dark green. The weight of the fruit is 3-7 kg, the peel is yellow-orange, smooth with a mesh, thick, so the crop is suitable for long-term storage and long-distance transportation. The flesh is ivory-colored, tender and juicy. The taste and aroma are pronounced. Torpedo is famous for its high and stable yield - up to 10 kg is harvested from 1 m².

Interesting. The pulp of the Torpedo variety is suitable for making pie or manna with melon. You can use a slow cooker for this. The filling is made from melon pulp, cottage cheese, apples and mint. Lemon juice is added for piquancy.

Galia

The Galia variety is famous for its original appearance. The fruits are round, with a rough mesh skin of green-yellow color. Melon weight is about 4 kg.The pulp is sweet, light beige in color. The Galia variety is easy to care for, suitable for long-distance transportation, and can be stored for a long time. The fruiting period is extended, ripe fruits are harvested from August to September. The harvest can be stored for up to three weeks.

Collective farmer

Grow melon Collective farmer countrywide. The variety is cold-resistant, has immunity to diseases and pests. The fruits are spherical, the tips are slightly flattened.

Weight varies from 1 to 2.5 kg, the peel is dense, yellow-green in color, and netted. The flesh is soft creamy, crispy and sweet. Kolkhoznitsa has a high sugar content.

Aikido

Aikido is a hybrid and is highly resistant to adverse climatic conditions. It tolerates frost, rain and fog without consequences.

The fruits are round and spherical, weighing about 2 kg per one. The peel is bright yellow, rich in color, the flesh is dense and juicy, the color is light.

The crop has attractive commercial qualities, which is why Aikido is grown on an industrial scale for sale.

Cinderella

Cinderella melon is grown for fresh consumption. Due to the thin peel, the fruits are not suitable for long-term storage. The melon is compact, weighing up to 2 kg. The peel is yellow-green, rough in places.

The pulp is moderately sweet and juicy, light in color. The harvest is also used for processing: it produces delicious compotes, jams, and preserves.

Golden

This variety appeared thanks to the work of breeders from Krasnodar. Among the advantages of the variety, they note its attractive presentation, transportability, and versatility in use.

The shape is rounded-oblong, the peel is dense, orange in color. Weight is about 2 kg, the flesh is tender, the color is white. The aroma is pleasant, refreshing.Golden is planted in regions with temperate climates.

Ethiopian

The plants are large, with long shoots and a developed root system. Externally melon Ethiopian looks like a pumpkin. The fruits are round, strongly segmented.

The peel is pumpkin-orange and thick, so the harvest can be stored for up to one month. Weight - from 4 to 8 kg, yield - 8 kg per 1 m². The flesh is creamy, sweet and juicy.

How to grow sweet melon varieties

Fertile and loose soils are chosen for cultivation. The soil is dug up, cleaned of debris and weeds, and liquid manure or droppings are added. Melon prefers a mixture of loamy and sandy loam soils; it is planted in spacious hilly beds. The planting pattern depends on the variety - usually 1x1 m. It is not recommended to plant melons close to each other: the roots will not have enough space for proper development and growth.

Important! Melon is a heat-loving crop, so it is planted as seedlings. To do this, the seeds are disinfected with aloe juice or a weak solution of boric acid and germinated in damp gauze for 3-5 days. As soon as the first shoots appear, they are placed in prepared containers with soil.

Caring for sweet melon consists of regular watering and fertilizing. Water in the morning or evening once every 5 days. About 1.5 liters of warm, clean water is used per plant. Before watering, the beds are loosened and weeds are removed - this makes the soil lighter and more nutritious. For proper development, gardeners apply mineral and organic fertilizers.

Melon is fed once every two weeks. For fertilizers use:

• liquid manure or droppings;
• solution based on dry wood ash;
• yeast and iodine;
• Bordeaux mixture;
• urea;
• superphosphate;
• ammonium nitrate.

Conclusion

When buying melon, pay attention to the aroma of the fruit.When ripe it is sweet and honey-like. The peel of ripe melons is dense, the sound when tapped is dull, and the stalk is dry.

To grow sweet and juicy fruit in the garden, it is recommended to follow the rules of care: water, fertilize and loosen the beds on time. The sweetest varieties include Torpedo, Ethiopian, and Cinderella melons. They are universal in use and are distinguished by tasty and juicy pulp.