What is Cantaloupe Melon

Today, a large number of melons are known, including this variety. It perfectly tolerates the cool and humid summer season in Europe. Cantaloupe's second name is cantaloupe. Outwardly, the plant is distinguished by oval or slightly flattened shapes, the fruits are yellowish or orange, the foliage is dark green. A lot of juice and pulp stand out on the cut.

What is Cantaloupe?

The plant belongs to the pumpkin family. The bushes are powerful, with large creeping foliage. Fruit weight reaches one and a half kilograms. The melon is covered with a striped, somewhat embossed rind.

The variety is widely known in Western Europe and America. Candied fruits of excellent quality are made from its fruits, delicious jam is brewed. In addition, Cantaloupe is enriched with carotene, which increases its value. It is used in the preparation of some dishes, because the berry has a strong aroma and pleasant aftertaste. Hence the second name of the melon - musk.

Cantaloupe belongs to the mid-season, it is not recommended for long-term storage, but it has good transportability.

Cantaloupe came to the territory of Russia from Italy.

Advantages and disadvantages of cantaloupe

To begin with, it is necessary to recall that this berry is considered the ancestor of almost all varieties grown in Europe, and one of the close relatives of Central Asian cultures.

Among the positive qualities are the following:

• the coarseness of the retina on the peel does not allow the fruit to crack due to excess moisture;
• the culture easily tolerates wet and not very warm summers;
• compared to Asian varieties, Cantaloupe ripens two to three times faster;
• the plant perfectly resists powdery mildew - a disease inherent in all melons and gourds in the rainy season;
• has excellent taste.

Among the shortcomings, one can note this - short storage. For this reason, the melon is recommended to be eaten for three weeks after harvest.... With longer storage, the fruits lose their attractiveness.

The chemical composition of the fetus

It is appreciated not only for its taste, but also for its useful properties. According to certain indicators, for Cantaloupe there is no equal among other fruits. Most of all it contains:

• ascorbic acid;
• carotene;
• inosine;
• fiber;
• silicon.

For example, it contains the most carotene, a lot of sucrose. Cantaloupe has a higher sugar level than watermelon.

The presence of iron in cantaloupe is almost twice as high as chicken meat and seventeen times higher than milk. The presence of vitamin C is also highlighted, which is three times ahead of watermelon in its quantity.

Cantaloupe is recommended for those suffering from obesity, cholesterol, hair loss. The presence of Inosine in the product prevents such diseases from progressing.

The potassium present in the berry stabilizes blood pressure, so that the fruit can be eaten by hypertensive patients. The low calorie content of the fetus allows it to be included in the diet.

Melon peel is used in the preparation of nourishing masks for the skin of the face.

The best varieties of Cantaloupe

Breeding work on the development of new varieties continues rather successfully.The most promising are the following:

Iroquois

Another cultivar bred from an Eastern American plant. A powerful plant has long lashes and large leaves of a dark green hue. The ripening period is average. The fruits have a coarse mesh on the skin, oval in shape, their weight reaches 1.7 kg. Keeping quality is normal, the harvest should be removed in a timely manner so that the melons do not overripe. Differs in good disease resistance;

Blondie

One of the new medium-ripening varieties. The plant perfectly gets used to new climate features, soil composition indicators, and moisture level. Fruits are small, flattened or oval. Their weight does not exceed six hundred grams. The variety has good resistance to root rot;

Charente

Known all over the world. The fruits are lightweight - from six hundred grams to one kilogram. Charente is similar in performance to other melons, but the main feature is its strong and persistent aroma and piquant aftertaste. It is grown only in France, in protected ground conditions. More often it is used as an additional ingredient;

Gaul

The result of the work of Israeli breeding specialists. Outwardly, the variety resembles Cantaloupe. It does not make any special requirements for growth conditions, it equally tolerates an increased level of humidity and a dry period, and is resistant to cold weather. Mid-season variety with pistachio-colored pulp. The fruits are not very large. The main value lies in a good immune system and the ability to adapt to different climatic conditions;

Oksana

Another hybrid. It is known for its bright yellow pulp, excellent juiciness with a characteristic sourness. Full ripening period is from two to one and a half months.

Growing features

For planting melons, experts recommend choosing areas that are separate from other crops. They should be well lit and warmed up by sunlight, not exposed to cold winds. It is best to opt for the southern slopes.

Planting seeds and caring for the first shoots

Melons are planted in two ways - in the ground or by the seedling method. The second option is most often used in areas with cold climates. Before planting, the soil should warm up to eighteen degrees Celsius. The soil should be light, water and air permeable. In the autumn season, it is recommended to add organic matter to the garden at the rate of five kilograms per square meter.

After sowing or planting seedlings, it is recommended to cover the beds with plastic wrap to create protection from insects. But before flowering, it must be removed. Watering is essential, especially in hot weather.

Weeds should be carefully removed until the melon forms creeping stems. But you have to be careful. The sprouts strongly resemble clover and can be easily confused. As soon as the bush gets stronger, it itself will begin to survive the weeds.

Pinching, feeding and forming a bush

To make the plant more branched, it must be pinched. This will help the bush to form lateral branches. It is necessary to feed during active growth using nitrogen formulations. At the end of flowering and when the ovary of melons appears, phosphorus and potash fertilizers are applied.

To prevent the stems from curling along the ground, they can be tied up. Experienced gardeners use low trellises, only for the resulting fruits you will have to think about support.

Using Cantaloupe

In addition to the usual fresh consumption of food, excellent candied fruits and jam are made from Cantaloupe. This is due to the short shelf life.They are made from berries and dried fruits, but this process is rather complicated and long.

The culture, although it differs in medium-sized, but very tasty fruits, is still popular not only for industrial cultivation, but also for personal plots. It is considered the only species successfully grown in Russia.