Why do melons have no ovaries? Melons. The complex relationship between stamens and pistils Melon flowers

Melon is a light- and heat-loving plant native to southern Asian countries. However, it is also grown in areas with a temperate climate - in Siberia, the Urals, and central Russia. Although the short summer of these regions is still not enough for the fruits to grow to large sizes. Melons growing in open ground are smaller than Central Asian ones and are slightly inferior in taste. The situation can be changed with the help of greenhouses, and of course – experience and proper agricultural technology. It is worse if the melon blooms, but with male flowers that do not form ovaries. Why are there no ovaries, and what to do in this case?

• To have a lot of ovaries, you need to take high-quality seeds collected 2-3 years ago. Last year's seeds are not mature enough to produce a large number of ovaries, resulting in more male flowers.

You should not water melons at the beginning of flowering; watering should be stopped for several days.

• There will be no ovaries when the temperature drops; it should be no lower than +15 degrees, so this plant is planted in open ground with the arrival of real warmth, so that it is warm even at night.

High soil and air humidity harms the plant. If in a greenhouse these indicators are easy to regulate, then in the open ground you just have to rely on the mercy of the weather.

• Irrigation with cold water is contraindicated for melons; such procedures cause root rot and reduce the number of female flowers. The water temperature should be at least +20 degrees.

Increased use of nitrogenous fertilizers promotes good growth of shoots and leaves, but there will be fewer flowers and ovaries; fertilizing must be done correctly and in a timely manner.

• Melon does not like acidic soils. Acidity is checked with special instruments, and if necessary, slaked lime or dolomite flour is added to the soil.

Drafts, as well as stagnation of moist and cool air in the greenhouse, will cause the ovaries to shrink. It is very easy to combat this with the help of ventilation, additional lighting and heating. Ventilation is carried out on warm and dry days, without creating drafts.

• Lack of pollination is another problem that vegetable growers face when growing melons in greenhouses. To attract insects on sunny days, you need to open the windows and spray the plants with a solution of honey or sugar. In addition, honey-bearing flowers with a similar flowering period can be planted nearby. Sometimes you have to carry out pollination manually, the work is carried out from morning to 12 noon, later the pollen of male flowers will become unsuitable for fertilization. Male flowers differ from female flowers in size - they are smaller, they are torn off, the petals are removed and carefully applied with the stamens to the female flowers.

In melon, female flowers appear several days later than male ones. Male flowers grow on the main shoot, and female flowers on additional shoots, so don’t despair, you just need to wait a little. After 4-6 leaves, the shoots are pinched so that female flowers appear on new shoots.

• In greenhouses or summer cottages with a small number of plantings, the shoots are tied to a trellis; experienced vegetable growers claim that this helps to increase the ovaries. At the same time, excess shoots are removed, leaving only 2 of the largest and strongest shoots.

A large number of ovaries is an unbearable burden for the plant. To ensure that the fruits are large and full-fledged, no more than 6 ovaries are left, the rest are removed.

Everyone loves sweet, juicy and aromatic melon. Therefore, gardeners in almost all regions of the country are mastering the methods of growing southerners. Even if you don’t have a piece of land, it doesn’t matter. A melon can decorate your balcony, and the taste of its fruits will not be inferior to those grown in open ground.

History of melon cultivation

Central and Asia Minor are considered to be the homeland of melon. It is assumed that the domestication of wild plants occurred in Northern India and the surrounding areas of Iran and Central Asia. This happened many centuries before our era. In Russia, this fruit appeared in the 15th-16th centuries.

Melon - a native of sultry Asia

Currently, melon is cultivated in almost all warm countries of the world. But it is believed that the most delicious fruits are grown in Central Asia.

Turkmenistan has celebrated the annual holiday “Turkmen Melon Day” since 1994. In Ukraine, where this culture is also loved, they hold a “Melon Fair”.

“Turkmen Melon Day” is celebrated annually in Turmenistan

Description of the plant

Melon is an annual herbaceous plant. The round-faceted and slightly pubescent creeping stem, equipped with tendrils, grows from 1.5 to 2 m, and sometimes more. The leaves are very large, alternately arranged, and have a rounded-ovate or palmate-lobed shape. Attached to the stem with long petioles. The leaf blade also has pubescence, so it seems a little rough to the touch. Flowers and tendrils are located in the axils of the leaves.

Melon is a climbing plant, reaching a length of 2 m

The root system is powerful, because the plant comes from arid places where water is in great short supply. The branching of the root system can cover a diameter of 1 to 2 m, and the taproot penetrates up to 1.5 m in depth.

The melon fruit is called pumpkin and has a spherical or cylindrical shape. The outer shell of the fruit (exocarp) is leathery and elastic. Its color can be different - white, yellow, green or brownish, with or without stripes. The surface is also different - from absolutely smooth to rough. One plant can form from 2 to 8 fruits, the weight of which ranges from 1.5 to 10 kg.

The pulp is very juicy, aromatic, sweet. Some varieties have sugar levels as high as 20%. Medium density consistency. The color can have various shades from white to greenish (depending on the variety).

The color of melon pulp depends on the variety.

Inside the fruit is a cavity filled with seeds. There are quite a lot of them. Flat, narrow or broadly oval seeds have a white or yellowish tint. The surface of the outer cover can be glossy or matte.

Numerous seeds are hidden inside the melon.

How to distinguish male flowers from female ones

Melon is a monoecious plant. Male and female flowers can develop on it simultaneously. Melon pollen is heavy and sticky, so pollination requires helpers - bees or ants. But sometimes manual dexterity also comes in handy - in greenhouses or in bad weather, insects will not be able to help.

The first flowers to appear on a melon are male. Their number depends on the ripening period of the variety. In early ripening melons, flowers are formed in the axils of the 2nd or 3rd leaf, in late varieties - on the 4th or 5th. Before the first female flower appears, the melon manages to lay from 6 to 30 male flowers.

Melon flowers are divided into male and female

The difference between male and female flowers is in their structure. The male has 5 stamens on which pollen is formed. The female flower has a well-developed pistil, which forms an ovary after pollination.

Video: manual pollination of melons

Application

Melon is often used as a dessert. But the juicy pulp is good not only in its raw form, it is an excellent product for making jam, jam, melon honey, and candied amber fruits. Melon is also dried and canned.

In the Middle Ages, melon was the most popular food in Asia, especially during the long fasting period before Ramadan.

Melon is a wonderful and healthy dessert

Benefit

The healing properties of melon have been well known and widely used in medicine since the time of Avicenna.

Table: content of proteins, water, carbohydrates, fats

Melon is a low-calorie product. 100 g of pulp contains an average of 35 kcal, so the fruit is not contraindicated even for those suffering from obesity.

Melon can be called a real “first aid kit” due to the high content of various useful substances in its pulp. The peel and seeds are also actively used to prepare medicinal drinks and decoctions.

Melon can be safely called a real storehouse of nutrients.

For a long time, melon has been used as a remedy to help recover from a serious illness. The pulp stimulates the intestines and improves its microflora. Melon is useful for:

• anemia;
• atherosclerosis;
• tuberculosis;
• gout;
• scurvy;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• kidney and bladder diseases.

Used as:

• sedative;
• anti-inflammatory;
• laxative;
• diuretic.

Cosmetologists actively use the properties of melon to prepare tonic and nourishing masks. The pulp of the fruit, ground into a paste and applied to the face, will make the skin elastic, eliminate oily shine and give a delicate color. This mask should be applied regularly for a month.

But melon also has contraindications:

• should not be used by nursing mothers. In a baby, this can cause disturbances in the functioning of the stomach and painful digestion;
• It is not recommended to eat melon on an empty stomach;
• After taking melon pulp, you should not eat fermented milk products or drink cold water. This leads to indigestion;
• cannot be combined with alcohol;
• People who suffer from ulcers, diabetes or liver disease should use melon with caution.

Melon varieties

The most popular varieties of melon include:

Torpedo. The elongated pumpkin is covered with a grayish bark, dotted with a pattern in the form of a medium-density grid. Fruit weight is from 2.5 to 6 kg. The greenish-white juicy pulp has an excellent taste and delicate texture. The seeds are creamy-yellow in color, not too wide and slightly elongated. The plant is climbing, with medium-sized dissected green leaves. Refers to mid-season varieties. Productivity - 1.8 kg/m2. Picked pumpkin does not lose its marketable quality within 15–20 days;

The most famous Central Asian variety is Torpedo melon

Honey cake. Elliptical-shaped pumpkin, from 2.5 to 4.2 kg. The crust is light yellow in color and has a slightly wrinkled surface. There is no mesh pattern. The pulp is medium thick and has a pleasant light cream color. The taste is excellent, the juiciness is at an average level. The consistency is soft and melting. The aroma is weak. The narrow oval and sharply pointed seeds are medium in size and ivory-colored. The plant has strong lashes. The leaf is dissected, medium size, green. Productivity - 1.2–2 kg/m2. Retains commercial quality for 10–12 days after collection. Mid-season variety;

Harmful ripening of fruits and excellent taste - that’s why Medovka melon is valued

Oksana. The pumpkin is elliptical in shape and colored yellow. Fruit weight is from 2 to 2.6 kg (some specimens grow up to 4.5 kg). The surface is smooth, covered with a dense mesh pattern. The pulp is light cream color. Crispy, tender and juicy texture combined with excellent taste. The seeds are large, blunt-pointed, yellow-cream. The plant is climbing, leaves are dissected, medium size. Medium early variety. Productivity 141–202 c/ha. For 8–10 days after picking, it perfectly retains its taste;

Melon Oksana - a wonderful mid-season variety

Caramel. Pumpkin is oval in shape, its weight is from 1.2 to 1.9 kg. The crust is dark yellow in color with a smooth surface on which a continuous mesh pattern appears. The thick pulp has a tender and melting consistency. Tastes great, juicy. The aroma is pronounced. The seeds are medium-sized, blunt-pointed, oval-shaped, creamy-yellow in color. Belongs to mid-early varieties. The plant is distinguished by good growth of vines, the leaves are not too carved, and are of medium size. Fruiting is good, with an average of 94–156 c/ha. Valued for resistance to fusarium and high transportability;

Resistance to fusarium is a valuable quality of Caramel melon

Bizan. The elliptical pumpkin weighing from 2 to 2.8 kg is covered with yellow smooth bark. The mesh pattern is dense and of medium thickness. The pulp is light cream, good taste, tender and juicy. Crispy consistency. Taste qualities are assessed as good. Has a pronounced melon aroma. The seeds are medium-sized, blunt-pointed, creamy-yellow in color. The plant is long-climbing, with small dissected leaves. Mid-early variety. Average yield is 126–256 c/ha. Commercial qualities are perfectly preserved for 8–10 days;

Bizan melon has crispy and juicy flesh

Ethiopian. The pumpkin is wide-rounded, with yellow-orange skin, the surface is slightly segmented, smooth. The mesh pattern is medium in density and thickness. The pulp is juicy, melting, and has a delicate consistency and is orange in color. The taste is good and excellent, the aroma is very pronounced. The fruits are quite large - 2.3–2.8 kg. Refers to mid-season varieties with a yield of 89–145 c/ha. The creeping plant has a medium-sized, slightly dissected green leaf. Pumpkin is capable of maintaining commercial quality for 2 weeks. Valued for heat resistance;

Ethiopian melon tolerates heat well

Collective farmer. The variety is proven and very popular, despite the small weight of the fruit - 0.7–1.3 kg. The pumpkin is spherical in shape, the skin is yellow-orange, and the surface is smooth. Sometimes the surface is decorated with a coarse mesh pattern. The pulp is juicy and sweet. The consistency is dense, slightly crispy and fibrous. The taste is rated as good to excellent. Refers to mid-season varieties. The plant is climbing, medium in size and thin stems. The leaf blade is round, with a blunt notch at the base, and is of medium size. The yield is 14.6–22.7 t/ha. Valued for its excellent transportability. Has resistance to bacteriosis.

Melon variety Kolkhoznitsa is time-tested and very popular

Growing melon in seedlings

By growing melon in seedlings, you can get fragrant pumpkins a little earlier than usual. In addition, it will help gardeners in cooler regions cultivate tender crops.

How to collect seeds

The quality of seeds from unripe melons is very low; in this case, there is no hope for a good harvest. Seeds are collected only from ripe fruits:

1. The melon is cut in half and the seeds are removed.
2. Rinse under running water to get rid of pieces of pulp.
3. Allow excess moisture to drain and lay out in a thin layer on a clean cloth or paper to dry in natural conditions. To prevent the seeds from becoming moldy, leave them in a well-ventilated place.

Do not dry melon seeds in the oven.

Collecting melon seeds is not difficult at all.

Planting seeds for seedlings

Planting seeds for seedlings is carried out in mid or late April, depending on the climatic conditions of the region. Small pots, preferably peat ones, are used as containers. Sow 3 seeds in moistened soil. Cover with a bag and place in a bright and warm place. Germination occurs at a temperature of 20–25 o C during the day, at night - not lower than 18 o C.

In order for melon seeds to germinate, you need to place the pots in a bright and warm place

Seedling care

The seeds germinate quickly, and shoots appear within a week. Examine them carefully and choose the strongest one. Cut the rest at soil level. You cannot pull it out so as not to damage the root system of the remaining sprout.

Procedure:

Picking

For melon seedlings, as for all pumpkin seedlings, the picking procedure is not carried out. Seedlings do not tolerate the transplantation process very well, which is why they are grown immediately in separate containers.

Caring for melons in open ground

Planting melons in open ground is done with seeds or seedlings. The first method is usually practiced in the southern regions. Seeds are planted at the beginning or end of May, provided that the prepared bed has been covered with covering material. When planting, it is not removed; the seeds are buried by making cross-shaped cuts in the fabric.

Melon can be planted in open ground with seeds and seedlings

Hardened seedlings are planted under film cover when they are at least 25 days old. In terms of timing, this should coincide with the end of May or the beginning of June. Further care for planted melon seeds or seedlings is practically the same.

Watering

Melon is a demanding crop; it loves watering. But they need to be carried out by following certain rules:

• Watering is carried out on average once a week;
• the water temperature must be at least 22 o C;
• The procedure should be carried out early in the morning or in the evening. Strictly ensure that droplets do not fall on leaves, flowers or fruits. The root collar of the plant should also not suffer from waterlogging. Usually, melons are watered in grooves dug around the plant, but the best method is drip moistening;
• The next watering is carried out only after the top layer of soil has completely dried.

When the fruits form on the melon, watering gradually begins to be reduced and is completely stopped during the period of ripeness. This helps to reach the maximum level of sugar content. If you continue to moisten during this period, the fruits will turn out watery and tasteless.

A drip system is most suitable for watering melons.

Top dressing

The nutrient requirements of melons must be maintained by regular application of fertilizers. The plant especially needs nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizing.

Table: timing and rates of fertilizer application

To prevent fertilizers from harming the root system, they are combined with watering.

Proper feeding increases the chances of a good harvest

Pinching a melon

Pinching must be carried out to limit the development of green mass and obtain a full harvest. In open ground, melon is grown horizontally, spread out. With this method, the following procedure is carried out.

1. After the first pinching above the 4th–5th leaf, a plant of 3 shoots is formed, from which the 2 most powerful ones are selected. They are pinched above the 4th–6th leaf.
2. The third pinching is carried out at the stage of ovary formation. Remove weak and non-fruiting shoots. The lashes with ovaries are pinched at the 3rd or 4th leaf.
3. The pinched areas must be powdered with a dry mixture of crushed coal, sulfur and lime, taken in equal proportions.
4. The lashes are directed so that they do not intertwine and cover the row spacing.

Different types of melons are pinched differently.

Crop rotation

In order for the crop to grow healthy and productive, experienced gardeners always take into account their predecessors. For melon, the most successful will be:

• winter wheat;
• corn;
• spices;
• onion and garlic;
• tomatoes;
• eggplant;
• Bell pepper;
• cabbage;
• peas and beans.

After pumpkin and carrots, planting a melon will not be the best option. It is also not worth growing a crop in the same place for several years in a row.

Rootstock for melon and step-by-step grafting instructions

This operation is rarely resorted to only because few people know about it. Meanwhile, this procedure helps to increase the yield by almost 2 times.

But for melon you need to choose the perfect rootstock. This determines how well the plant will bear fruit in the future. Pumpkins and lagenaria are considered the most suitable for this.

How the procedure goes:

1. Grafting begins when 1–2 true leaves appear on the melon.
2. The stems of the rootstock and scion are cut at an angle of 30 degrees. This should be done as close as possible to the cotyledons. The operation is performed with a sharp thin blade in a mirror image.

   Plant stems are cut in a mirror order

3. Then the tongues are inserted into each other and the junction is wrapped with a thin piece of foil. Ideally, the procedure requires special clips.

   The stems are inserted into each other

4. Two stems are planted in one container, preferably plastic.

   After grafting, place the plant in a dark place until the morning.

5. It is recommended to carry out grafting in the evening and place the plant in a dark place. In the morning, expose to light.
6. Around the eighth day, you can cut the melon stem. Starting from the 3rd day after grafting, the growth point of the rootstock must be removed, and this must be done until growth stops.
7. The grafted plant is planted in a permanent place on the 25th–35th day.

Growing melon at home

For those who like to experiment, there are no obstacles, and growing a melon on a balcony or windowsill will not be difficult. After all, everything that melons love - warmth and light - can be provided to plants at home. Varieties with small pumpkins are quite suitable for growing on a balcony or loggia:

• Ozhen (from 0.8 to 1 kg),
• Altai (from 0.8 to 1 kg),
• Lyubushka (from 0.7 to 0.8 kg),
• Tender (from 0.9 to 1.1 kg).

You can start sowing melon at home starting in March, but no later than the first days of June. To do this you need:

1. Prepare containers with a volume of at least 5–6 liters. Fill them with universal soil with neutral acidity. If possible, purchase soil “For cucumbers” in the store.
2. Sowing is done with seeds. To do this, bury the seed 3 cm into moist soil, after mixing the soil in the hole with a spoonful of ash. Before sowing, the seeds can be soaked, then they will sprout a little earlier.
3. You can first grow seedlings (sow seeds in April), and then transplant them by transferring them into containers on the balcony.
4. Light- and heat-loving melon should grow in the most illuminated place.

   For home-grown melon, choose the brightest and warmest corners

5. Water the plant only with warm water, being careful not to get it on the leaves and stem. It is best to pour water along the edge of the pot. Water only after the top layer of soil has completely dried. Adjust the frequency depending on weather conditions.
6. Monitor the humidity level. If this indicator is high, the melon may be sick.
7. Try to give nitrogen-containing fertilizers before flowers form. During this period they feed azophoska - 1 tbsp. l. for 3 liters of water. 1 liter of solution is enough for one plant. During the flowering period, balcony melon prefers phosphorus-potassium fertilizing - 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 2 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water. If the plant is slow in growth, pamper it with organic matter (mullein or chicken droppings), adding the prepared solution after watering.
8. Balcony culture needs a garter. But making a trellis is half the battle. A melon, unlike a cucumber, does not have tendrils and will not curl itself. Therefore, the whip needs to be wrapped around the twine and tied with cotton fabric or rope. This must be done as it grows.
9. Melon at home also requires shaping. The first pinching is done above the 5th–6th leaf. Tie the side shoot that replaces the main stem to the trellis. On hybrids, on the contrary, the main stem is not pinched, but is done on the side shoots, above the 2-3rd leaf, to avoid unnecessary thickening.
10. If you have an open balcony, then insects can handle the role of pollinators. But it’s still better to play it safe and pollinate the flowers by hand.
11. You should leave 2 to 3 fruits on the plant. They should be located at some distance from each other. To prevent the fruit from breaking the lash or breaking off, it needs to be tied up. When the fruit reaches the size of a tennis ball, it is wrapped in a net and tied to a trellis.

    Pack the ripening fruit in a net and tie it up

12. For diseases and pests, use the same preparations as when growing in open ground.

Growing methods

There are many ways to grow a juicy dessert. From traditional ones - spread out or on a trellis, to unusual ones - in a bag or barrel.

Melon in a barrel without a bottom

This method is perfect for central Russia, where summer is not very warm. For melon, a simple barrel is not entirely convenient. There is too little space, because it is advisable not to let the lashes outside, since the temperature difference can negatively affect the harvest. And in case of bad weather, the sissy can easily be covered with film or other covering material. Therefore, sheets of iron connected together or a large container are just right.

Install such a bed in advance:

1. All remnants of vegetation are placed at the bottom of the container: branches, dry parts of plants. They will not only serve as drainage, but heat will be generated during decomposition.
2. Then fresh grass, hay, humus and fertile soil are laid on top.
3. Everything is watered with water or Baikal fertilizer, which will help the plants to rot better.
4. The structure is covered with cellophane on top and left until the beginning of May.
5. You can plant soaked seeds in the second half of April or seedlings in mid-May, but always under cover.

Video: garden melon

In the bag

This method is useful for those who grow melon on the balcony. But, if you take a larger bag, then it is quite possible to get a harvest in a small area. Of course, thin cellophane bags are not suitable as a material. You need large ones, made of durable polyethylene. Fertile universal soil is suitable for balcony culture. Don't forget to install a trellis. In a garden structure, you can fill the volume in the same way as when growing in a barrel.

Video: growing melons in bags

On a warm bed

This design is an exact copy of the barrel growing method described above. The only difference is that the box is constructed not from metal, but from boards.

Raised beds are an excellent opportunity to grow heat-loving crops

On the trellis

The method is used when growing crops on a balcony or in a greenhouse. It allows you to significantly save space and provides plants with high-quality care, which will definitely result in high yields and low disease rates.

1. The method involves the construction of a U-shaped frame - the columns are buried in the ground so that they rise 2 m above ground level, their tops are connected with planks for greater stability.
2. The distance between columns in a row is at least 2 m.
3. Then a soft wire is tied to the crossbar.
4. One end is attached to the crossbar, the lower end is lowered to the growing melon and secured to the plant.
5. Subsequently, the growing lash is carefully wrapped around the wire and tied.

When growing melons using a trellis method, you can stretch a coarse, strong mesh between the supports.

Melon grown on a trellis is easy to care for.

Spread method

This method is considered the most natural and simplest. It is used when growing sweet fruits in open ground. Planting scheme for this method: the distance between plants in a row is at least 60 cm, row spacing is 1 m. The stems of the plant should not be intertwined. To prevent the shoots from being blown away by the wind, pin them to the soil using wire staples.

Growing melons spread out - the easiest and most natural way

Features of growing melons in different regions

Gardeners not only from warm regions want to grow this southerner who loves the warmth of the sun. Therefore, melon is moving even to the north - to the Urals and Siberia. But each climatic region has its own characteristics that must be taken into account when growing melons.

• The most suitable conditions for cultivating a heat-loving crop can be safely called Ukraine, the southern regions of Russia (Lower Volga, North Caucasus, Krasnodar) and Crimea. Here you can safely plant seeds in open ground or seedlings. A sufficient amount of sunlight, and it needs at least 12 hours, allows you to grow different varieties, from early ripening to late:
  • Augustine,
  • Aikido,
  • Alice,
  • Babor,
  • Victoria,
  • Golden,
  • Idyll,
  • Miron,
  • Autumn,
  • Prima,
  • Raymond,
  • Tamanskaya,
  • Southerner;
• Regions located in central Russia have similar climatic conditions, but the weather there is still more capricious. Varieties suitable for growing under these conditions include:
  • Collective farmer,
  • Turkish Delight,
  • Roksolana,
  • Solar;
• In the conditions of the Central region, Moscow and Leningrad regions, Belarus, melon is most often cultivated as a greenhouse or greenhouse crop. But it is also possible to grow fruits in open ground under such conditions. The key to success is a correctly selected variety, with a growing season of up to 90 days, with good resistance to cold weather, shade tolerance and resistance to fungal diseases. You need to plant already grown and hardened seedlings in the ground. The ideal variety for this climate is Princess Svetlana;
• In the Urals and Siberia, it is best to grow melon in greenhouses using the seedling method. But you can take a risk and try growing it outdoors. To do this, you will have to build a warm bed in the sunniest area. To prevent the delicate plant from freezing, use a covering material, water the plant only with warm water and monitor the humidity level, preventing it from increasing. Early ripening varieties are recommended:
  • Altai,
  • Collective farmer,
  • Lolita,
  • Tender,
  • Dewdrop.

When growing melons in cool areas, try to place planks under the fruit to prevent the melon from rotting from moisture. Also, the fruits need to be turned to the other side from time to time.

Video: growing melon

Melon in a greenhouse

The greenhouse will help out gardeners living in cold climates. This option is also suitable for those who want to get an earlier harvest of fragrant fruits. The main task is to provide the melon with a sufficient food area, take care of a stable temperature, normal humidification and air exchange.

Small secrets of successful fruiting:

• successful cultivation will be ensured by varieties resistant to fungal diseases;
• plant the best prepared seedlings;
• do not forget that pollination is your concern, because bees do not fly in a greenhouse;
• Grow melon indoors only on a trellis.

A greenhouse is the key to a successful melon harvest in cold climates

Diseases and pests

Regardless of whether a melon is grown outdoors or indoors, it can be susceptible to various diseases if it does not receive proper care. Southern culture is not immune to the invasion of harmful insects.

Table: diseases and pests, treatment and prevention

Photo gallery: how to recognize diseases and pests

Problems encountered when growing melons

Sometimes inexperienced gardeners fail when growing melons. But there is nothing irreparable.

Table: problems and their solutions

When the melon begins to ripen, stop watering and fertilizing, otherwise the fruit may crack.

Harvest and storage

Before you start picking melon fruits, make sure they are ripe. This is easy to do based on the following criteria:

• the fruit has acquired a mesh pattern characteristic of the variety;
• a subtle aroma spreads around the melon;
• ripe fruit is easily separated from the vine.

A picked unripe fruit will not reach the required ripeness and will not be stored for long. Overripe also will not last long, it is better to eat it right away. The best preserved fruit is the one picked in the first stage of ripeness.

Melons are removed from the stem. They should be stored on racks in one layer. You can hang fruits in cotton nets. The storage location must have ventilation, an optimal temperature of 1–3 o C, and humidity from 70 to 80%. Mid-season and late varieties show the best keeping quality. They are able to retain their taste and commercial quality until the end of winter.

Melons should not be stored in the same room with other vegetables. Fruits easily absorb foreign odors, which can cause the taste to deteriorate.

Melons are best stored in a suspended state.

At first glance, it seems that melon is a very capricious crop. But, if you follow all the rules of growing, then the prize for you will be fragrant, sweet and healthy fruits. And it doesn’t matter whether you live in the south or the north, everyone can grow a tender fruit. Moreover, breeders have developed many varieties that can easily tolerate difficult climates and are resistant to diseases.

Asia is considered to be the homeland of the melon, which belongs to the pumpkin family. Here, in hot summer conditions, from Central Asia to the tropical regions of India, the largest number of cultivated and wild species of this plant existing in the world ripen. The real center of the origin of melon as an agricultural melon crop is the Central Asian region, Afghanistan, Iran, China and India.

But it is unlikely that it will be possible to see anywhere the ancestor of the melon varieties and varieties obtained to date. Over thousands of years of selection, cultivated forms have become strikingly different from wild species growing to this day. And the growing larger and sweeter melon fruits arrived in northern Africa with trade caravans and armies of the Romans and other conquerors.

There is evidence that in European countries they learned about the existence of melon and its unforgettable taste only in the Middle Ages, and in the territory of Rus', for example in the Volga region, melons, imported from Persia and Central Asia, were grown already in the 15th century.

Central Asian varieties of melons: names, photos and descriptions

Although many people are not familiar with the Central Asian names of melon varieties, their photos invariably amaze both melon growing experts and ordinary consumers. Such a variety of forms and types of melons as in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and other countries in the region cannot be found anywhere in the world. Here, melon growers managed to obtain not only the largest-fruited melons, weighing up to 25 kg, but also the most delicious melons.

In this case, the shape of the fruit can be completely different from flattened and spherical to elongated ellipsoidal. The palette of colors on the smooth or dotted with small cracks peel is also surprising.

The illustration shows varieties of melons that have a variety of shapes, skin colors and consumer characteristics:

Among the Central Asian varieties, there are summer-ripening melons that are ready for consumption immediately after being picked from the vines, and there are varieties that are stored fresh for at least 5-6 months and show their best qualities only in the spring of next year.

Melons of the Kassaba variety, in the photo the names of the varieties of these melons can be seen under numbers 1 and 4, are also called winter ones, since their ripening begins extremely late.

After harvesting, the fruits are braided with reeds and hung in dry rooms or under sheds for aging and storage. Only by March the hard greenish pulp becomes juicy and sweet.

Chogara melon, number 2, or, as it is more often called in Russian-speaking regions, Bukharka, has thick white, very sweet pulp and produces oval fruits with a slightly pointed end, weighing up to 6 kg. Due to their high juiciness, these melons can rarely be found far from Central Asia, but here the variety is in demand and widespread.

But the Gulyabi melon, pictured at number 5, is well known in the territory of the former USSR. It's rare that a plant manages to play a role in a feature film. This variety of Central Asian melon was lucky enough to star in the film “Station for Two,” although under a pseudonym. Everyone who watched this film remembers the alien melons sold by the main characters. In fact, there is no such variety, but the large, egg-shaped fruits of Charju melons, weighing up to 3–5 kg, were well known in the Soviet Union.

This variety, bred in the Chardzhui region of Turkmenistan, is distinguished by dense white pulp, sweetness, good keeping quality and transportability, so it is not surprising that fruits were brought by rail from the Uzbek or Turkmen SSR to the European part of the country even in late autumn.

The third number in the photo is pineapple melon or Ich-kzyl, which produces medium-sized oval fruits. The weight of such a melon ranges from 1.5 to 4 kg. And although this summer variety was not familiar to a wide range of melon growers and gourmets in central Russia, the pink, high-sugar pulp of this delicious melon is valued in its homeland, in Uzbekistan.

Today, under the name Pineapple Melon, in our country, breeders offer an early ripening variety, reminiscent of Ich-Kizil in shape, exotic notes in taste and a network of cracks in the peel. True, in just 60–75 days from the moment of planting, a modern variety can, even in the conditions of the Non-Black Earth Region, please the melon grower with fruits weighing up to 2 kg, which Central Asian melons are not capable of.

The Torpedo melon, in the photo, is a late-ripening variety; its large oblong fruits, due to the shape of which the plant got its name, tolerate transportation well. In Uzbekistan, where this old variety, which has a history of at least three centuries, comes from, the fruits are called Mirzachul melon.

In ripe fruits, the color of the peel, covered with a fine network of cracks, becomes soft yellow with a pink tint, the pulp acquires an exquisite aroma, is distinguished by sweetness and juiciness.

European melons: varieties, names and photos of popular types

Particularly popular in the East are early-ripening Khandalyaki melons, with their round shape and small size very reminiscent of the most famous melon variety in our country, Kolkhoznitsa.

As you can see in the photo, melons of the Kolkhoznitsa variety are small, weighing up to 2 kg, fruits with white or yellowish pulp, which even in the difficult climatic conditions of Russia pick up a good amount of sugar. Despite the emergence of new hybrids, thanks to its unpretentiousness and early ripening, the Kolkhoznitsa variety, pictured in the photo at the time of harvesting melons, is the most widespread melon crop of this genus.

The photo with the names and varieties of melons at number 6 shows another ancient variety of plant with an enviable and difficult history. This is a musk melon originally from Afghanistan or Iran, which, by the will of fate, came to Europe through Armenia and Turkey, or rather to the table of the Head of the Catholic Church.

The taste of the Cantaloupe melon hidden under the thick skin of the bright pulp, as in the photo, was so liked by the Pope that the fruits of this variety have since been named after the papal estate in Cantalupo in Sabina, where an entire melon plantation was established.

Today, Cantaloupe melon is the most famous and sought-after variety in Europe and the USA, which has served breeders a lot to create new productive and unpretentious varieties.

As you can see in the photo, the Cantaloupe melon has an oval or slightly flattened shape and is covered with a dense network of whitish cracks.

This makes Cantaloupe similar to the Ethiopian melon. This melon has oval-rounded fruits, like a cantaloupe, with a rough lobed surface and reach a weight of 3 to 7 kg. But if the “Papal melon” has a rich orange flesh, then according to the description, the Ethiopian melon has white, very juicy and sweet flesh.

Banana melon or the elongated variety of cantaloupe, which is gaining popularity in the West, growing up to 80 cm in length, has a delicious taste and aroma. Moreover, the fruit not only resembles a banana in shape and color of the pulp, but also the taste of melon is just as soft, buttery and delicate. Try growing this unusual variety of melon on your plot next to carrots and other vegetables.

The closest relative of this unusual variety is the Silver melon or Armenian cucumber, which has common roots with cantaloupe, but is so different from the usual melon fruits.

From the cultivated melon, the ripe fruit, up to 70 cm long and weighing up to 8 kg, has only a melon aroma left, and the Armenian cucumber is eaten while still green. Moreover, the plant is extremely unpretentious to growing conditions and bears fruit until frost.

Exotic melons: photos and names of varieties

From a number of relatives, the Vietnamese melon stands out with a bright pattern of alternating light yellow and brown stripes. However, this is not the only advantage of the variety.

It’s not for nothing that the variety from Vietnam is called pineapple melon. It has a very good taste, a strong characteristic aroma and soft, pleasant flesh. Many compare this variety with the famous southern and Central Asian melons, but the weight of Vietnamese melons barely reaches 250 grams.

Melothria rough or mouse melon from the Maldives claims to be the smallest representative of the genus. In their homeland, wild plants are.

In Europe and the USA, recently the crop is often called dwarf watermelon and under this name the melon variety, in the photo, is grown indoors and in closed ground. The fruits are edible, but not sweet, but have a sour, refreshing taste and are suitable for preservation and fresh consumption.

Kiwano, another exotic crop related to melons, came to Europe from Africa. The herbaceous vine, which produces yellow or orange fruits up to 12–15 cm long, is not for nothing called the horned melon, since the bright pumpkins are decorated with conical soft thorns.

Unlike the usual varieties of melon, where the edible part is the pulp, kiwanos eat the greenish core, where there are numerous white or light green seeds. The sweetish juicy pulp of horned melon, similar to a refreshing jelly, can be consumed both fresh and used for making jams, marinades and pickles.

Video about Torpedo melon

Central and Central Asia is considered to be the homeland of melon. However, the vegetable is grown almost all over the world and Russia is no exception. Based on the species classification, melon belongs to the genus of pumpkins. Its relationship with pumpkin is confirmed by the root system, which has many similarities with representatives of this family.

Thanks to the efforts of breeders, this melon crop can be grown not only in open ground, but also in a greenhouse or even on a balcony. Melon, of course, is more capricious and demanding to maintain than its relatives, pumpkins, but if you properly care for and fertilize it, then you can grow the crop in your own garden plot, the main thing is to make every effort and this delicious honey vegetable can be tasted at the end summer - early autumn.

Types and varieties of melon

Cantaloupe melon (cantaloupe) – this variety has a greenish-orange skin and an elongated shape. This vegetable is a frequent guest on the Pope's table. Melon is practically seedless. It has sweet flesh and a rich orange hue.

– The vegetable’s homeland is Asia, but it is also cultivated in many other countries. The melon crop of this variety is an annual herbaceous plant with well-developed roots and long creeping stems. Melon fruits can be either cylindrical or spherical. The peel is white, green, brown or yellow with clear green stripes. The melon pulp is sweet, juicy and light yellow in color.

- is a medium-sized plant, with a thin weaving stem, on which are kidney-shaped, slightly notched small leaf plates. The fruits are not large, having a spherical shape. The bark is coarsely cellular, bright yellow. The pulp is white, crunchy and has a sweet taste and pleasant aroma.

– this variety differs from other varieties of melon in its bright red-brown skin with clear yellow stripes. In terms of its taste, the vegetable is comparable to pineapple. It has yellow, juicy and tender flesh.

– the ripening time of this variety is 110 days. The fruits have a long shelf life and tolerate transportation well. The shape of the melon is elongated, the peel has a yellow tint with a fine mesh. The pulp is white in color, and also has a light pleasant aroma, softness and juiciness.

The ripening time of this variety is 80 days. The shape of the melon is round, the peel is rough, hard, ribbed, yellow-green in color, divided into convex sections like segments. In appearance, this melon is very similar to a pumpkin. The pulp has a white tint and is also distinguished by its sweetness, juiciness and density. From ten squares of land, you can get a harvest of up to 20 kilograms.

– melon is grown in Japan in the city of Yubari. This variety was bred in 1961 in America. The vegetable has an oblong shape, a brown-orange cellular peel and orange pulp with a taste uncharacteristic of melons. Such taste qualities were achieved by adding volcanic ash to the soil on which the melon grows.

– the ripening time for melons of this variety is 95 days. The fruits have the shape of an elongated ellipse. The peel has a light orange tint. The pulp is white-pink in color and is fragrant, juicy and oily, reminiscent of pineapple in taste.

– the variety is characterized by early ripening, has an oval shape and a smooth, slightly segmented peel of a yellowish-orange color. The flesh may be white or light orange. It is grainy, aromatic and sweet.

– the ripening time of the variety is 90 days. The fruits have an elongated spherical shape with delicate, tasty beige pulp that melts in the mouth. This variety is disease resistant and stores well. From a plot of 10 square meters you can harvest up to 30 kilograms of crop.

Mid-season variety, the ripening time of which is 80 days. The fruits have a presentable appearance, oval shape with a golden, finely mesh skin. They have tender flesh with a yellowish-pink tint. Melon is used to make candied fruits and marmalade.

– refers to early ripening varieties that ripen in 50 days. Melons have an elongated shape and striped green skin. The pulp has a sweet honey taste, and is also juicy and whitish in color.

– this variety ripens in 60-65 days. The fruits are large, having an ideal oblong shape with a yellow, mesh, ribbed, dense peel. The pulp is juicy with a slight honey flavor and a light yellow tint.

– the variety is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and excellent taste. The fruits are oval in shape, yellow skin with a fine mesh. The pulp has a creamy or white color with a honey flavor and a delicate, juicy and crumbly structure.

– the variety was bred in Israel. The fruits are round or oval in shape with a yellow, smooth, mesh skin. The pulp has a greenish-white tint, juiciness, sweetness and a pleasant aroma.

The second name of this variety is avocado melon . Its homeland is Thailand. The shape of the fruit is elliptical, the peel has a bright yellow or brown tint. The pulp of the vegetable is similar to the pulp of an avocado, which it also resembles in taste.

– the variety is classified as mid-season. Its ripening time is 60 days. The melon has a round shape with a dark yellow, mesh-like skin. The vegetable has white flesh, characterized by sweetness, juiciness and aroma.

– characterized by frost resistance and long-term storage. The fruit has an elongated, oval shape with an orange, mesh skin. The pulp is white in color and is juicy, aromatic and sweet.

– the birthplace of melon culture is Central Asia. It is distinguished by ovoid fruits with a dark orange mesh skin. The pulp is light yellow with a sweet taste and pleasant aroma.

- an early ripening variety bred in Altai. The fruits are distinguished by their elongated oval shape with a mesh skin of yellow-orange color. The pulp has a pleasant aroma, orange tint and honey taste.

Melon planting and care in open ground

Melon is a heat-loving and light-loving plant. Therefore, it tolerates heat and drought well. The maximum moisture content for this melon crop is 60 to 70 percent.

Melon has a massive root system that can receive moisture from the ground even at a depth of more than a meter. For normal plant growth, it needs a lot of space. Since the crop does not tolerate shade, it must be planted in a sunny area, protected from cold winds.

Melon can be planted in a bed where legumes, grains, as well as cabbage, onions and garlic previously grew. To protect the plant from pest invasion and improve the taste of the fruit, it is necessary to plant radishes, turnips and basil next to it.

Undesirable neighbors for melon are potatoes and cucumbers. Their proximity leads to withering of the plant and bitterness of ripened fruits. A crop can be planted in one place for no more than two years without compromising its yield.

Melon is a capricious plant, so the soil for it should be selected carefully. A light, organically fertilized super-loamy soil mixture with neutral acidity is suitable for it. Before you start planting melons, the beds must be prepared in advance.

Preparing a site for planting melons

In the fall, the area for melons needs to be dug up, adding humus and river sand to the soil. In the spring, when the snow melts, the bed must be sprinkled with peat and covered with film so that the soil warms up faster.

When the top layer of the earth warms up to +13 degrees, the earth needs to be loosened by adding potassium and phosphate fertilizer to it, according to the instructions indicated on the package. Before planting begins, the area should be dug up and nitrogen-containing fertilizer applied.

Seed planting is permissible only in the southern region of the country. In all other cases, only mature young plants need to be planted. Melon should be planted in early April.

Landing is carried out as follows. First, holes are dug, the depth of which is 6 centimeters. The distance between them should be 0.7 meters, and between the rows one meter. Humus is placed in each hole and the soil is watered with warm water. Then 4 seeds are placed in the prepared soil or a young seedling is planted. The seed material is filled with dry soil, the holes with seedlings are filled with damp soil and lightly compacted.

It is best to plant plants after rain, when the soil is moist. During cold weather, future melons should be protected by covering the beds with film at night. It must be removed during the day.

Watermelon is also a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. It is grown when planted and cared for in open ground without much hassle, if you follow agricultural practices. You can find all the necessary recommendations in this article.

Watering melons

Since the homeland of melon is the arid east, it does not like excessive waterlogging. If the summer is very dry, the plant needs to be watered only twice a week with warm water, which should be applied at the root.

When cold water is used for irrigation and it gets on the leaves, the plant gets sick and dies. If the summer is very humid and rainy, it is recommended to cover the melon with film to avoid waterlogging of the soil, to which the plant reacts very painfully.

Soil for melon

Melon is very demanding on the soil, for this reason its composition should be taken care of in advance before planting. The earth mixture should be light and have neutral acidity.

To plant the plant, you should mix soil from the site, vegetable humus and river sand. The resulting mixture can be used to plant seedlings or seeds.

Melon transplant

Melon does not need to be replanted, since it is an annual melon crop.

After planting in open ground, it grows for several months until fruiting. And after harvesting, the plant dries out and dies completely.

Melon feeding

To feed plants, both mineral and organic fertilizers are used. Mineral fertilizers include calcium and potassium fertilizers, which are applied after watering, followed by loosening the soil and removing weeds, without which normal crop growth is impossible.

Organic fertilizers are rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compounds, as well as vitamins and microelements necessary for melon health. As organic matter, you should use a mixture of plant and animal humus, which should be applied under the bush in the form of a solution with a concentration of 1:5.

After feeding, you need to water to avoid the accumulation of harmful components. The plant needs to be fed 5 times during the growing season. The first time when planting, twice during flowering and twice when the fruits ripen.

Melon blossom

The male melon flowers begin to bloom first, of which there can be from 6 to 30 pieces. Their number depends on how early the variety is. A little later, female inflorescences appear, but they are mostly sterile.

Flowers are pollinated by thrips, ants and bees. Some time after pollination, the flowers dry up and fruits set in their place. The inflorescences have a bright yellow hue and a light aroma that attracts insects. Flowering time depends on the variety. It usually starts in early June and ends a few weeks later.

Melon processing

The plant is treated to protect it from diseases and pests. It is performed by spraying melon bushes, sprinkling its leaf blades with dry powders or watering with special preparations.

Treatment is carried out in the evening, only in dry, windless weather. Insecticides should not get on the fruits, as this can lead to their accumulation in ripening melons, and ultimately poisoning after eating the already ripe fruit.

Fungicides and insecticides are selected according to the disease or pest from which the crop must be protected.

Pinching a melon

To properly form the bush, pinching is used, which also has a positive effect on the speed of fruit ripening. On the main lash, pinching is carried out after the fifth leaf plate, and on additional lashes, immediately after the three leaves that are located under the ovary.

Thanks to this procedure, it is possible to preserve the substances necessary for plant growth, directing them not to the growth of vines, but to the formation of fruits. In addition, this procedure will prevent those ailments that can affect weakened melon bushes.

Melon growing from seeds

Melons are propagated by seed and seedling methods.

Before planting seeds in open ground, they should be prepared. Only three-year or four-year-old seeds are used for sowing. If you sow fresh seed, only male plants will germinate.

Before planting, the seeds must be disinfected by soaking them in a weak solution of manganese for an hour, after which they should be washed in warm water. Sowing in the ground should be done at the end of April. If you sow seeds in April, they should be dry, and if you postpone planting to May, then the seed material should be germinated.

The distance between holes should be at least 80 centimeters, and between rows no more than 1.5 meters, depending on how climbing the variety is. The depth of the hole should be made from 4 to 6 centimeters. Before planting seeds in the ground, the ground must be moistened and 3 to 5 seeds must be planted, covering them with a layer of dry soil.

Planting melon seeds for seedlings

In the central zone of the country, warm periods are much shorter than in the south, so melon must be propagated using grown seedlings. To grow it, you need to take seed material and sow it in separate pots with soil mixture.

Before planting, the soil should be moistened and 3 melon seeds added to it. After which the pots are placed on a tray and the temperature is maintained at + 22 degrees. When the seedlings sprout, you need to leave one strong sprout in each pot and carefully remove the rest.

The first watering is carried out when the first leaf blades appear. For irrigation, use warm water, which is carefully poured under the bush. Watering should be systematic. It is necessary to ensure that the top layer of soil does not dry out.

After the seedlings throw out the third leaf, the melons need to be pinched in order to form side lashes. In addition to watering, seedlings need to be fertilized with complex fertilizer every two weeks. Before planting young animals in the garden, they should be hardened for a week.

The seedlings are transferred to open ground in early June. Month-old planting material already has from 3 to 5 leaf blades. The beds should be designed according to the ridge type, planting seedlings on the ridges.

Grafting melon onto pumpkin

How resistant a plant will be to unfavorable environments and diseases depends on the root system. To improve the above indicators in melon, it is grafted onto a stronger pumpkin.

After grafting onto a pumpkin, the melon becomes stronger and more resilient, but the pumpkin weakens and slows down its growth.

Grafting should be done at the same time when seedlings are planted in open ground. The grafted plant is transferred to open ground only after a month and after the soil has warmed up to + 16 degrees.

Seeds for scion and rootstock should be sown in early May. If the stems of two plants have a large difference in size, then the graft most likely will not take root. Since pumpkin grows faster than melon, the melon should be sown 3 days earlier so that it grows slightly faster than the pumpkin. The grafting procedure is carried out when several leaf blades appear on the seedlings.

Methods for grafting melon onto pumpkin

To perform the procedure, you need to take a sharp blade, some plastic tape for tying, and grafting clamps. Before carrying out the procedure, the blade must be disinfected with alcohol, and one side must be wrapped with tape to avoid injury.

In addition to standard grafting into the cleft, three more effective methods are used, which provide up to 80% guarantee that the plant will take root.

Grafting into the center of a pumpkin seedling

This procedure is very complicated, so it is not suitable for beginners. Vaccination consists of the following stages:

• A rootstock is taken and the top above the first leaf blade and seed lobes is cut off perpendicularly;
• Then between the seed lobes, just in the center of the stem, a puncture is made with a thick needle to a depth of 1.5 centimeters;
• Next, the scion melon is carefully cut at ground level and the peel is peeled from the bottom of the plant to a height of 1.5 centimeters;
• After this, the scion stem is inserted into the puncture of the rootstock along its entire length.

The trunks of the rootstock and scion should be in close contact, so the grafting site should be tied with plastic tape and secured with a clamp.

Grafting by bringing plants together

This procedure is much simpler than the previous one, so it is ideal for beginners. It consists of the following steps:

• Melon and pumpkin seeds are sown side by side;
• When the plants sprout, remove the thin skin on both plants under the seed lobes to a length of 15 to 20 millimeters;
• Then, with the bare parts of the stems, the plants are pressed tightly against each other, wrapped in a strip of polyethylene and secured with a clamp.

There is also a second option for this type of vaccination. A rootstock and scion plant are taken and equal-sized cuts of 1.5 centimeters are made on the stem of each in directions opposite to each other. After this, the resulting tongues should be inserted into each other with a lock and secured with a clamp.

After 5 days, the melon stem slightly below the graft should be crushed with your fingers. This procedure is carried out daily until it dries. After 8 days, the pumpkin stem above the grafting site must be removed. When planting in open ground, the melon root system must be cut off.

Grafting into the side of the stem

From a pumpkin seedling, it is necessary to remove the growth bud so that the first leaf blade and cotyledon leaves remain. Then a straight cut up to 2 centimeters long from top to bottom is made on its stem. In depth, the cut should reach the middle of the stem of the seedling.

The melon seedling is cut off near the ground. On both sides of the stem, from the side of the cotyledon leaf plates, remove the peel with the same length as on a pumpkin. Then the pumpkin stem is bent slightly in order to open the cut and a melon seedling is inserted so that the trunks are in close contact, after which the grafting site is wrapped in polyethylene and secured with a clamp.

Caring for grafted melons

After grafting is completed, the soil around the plants is mulched with wet sawdust, then a plastic bottle is placed on top of each melon after cutting off the bottom. During the week, humidity should be maintained at up to 95% and temperature +25 degrees.

To create such a microclimate, containers with plants are placed on a windowsill, shaded from direct sunlight. The inner walls of the bottle must be sprayed with warm water. Plants should be ventilated daily by opening the pots for a few minutes. Watering should be daily. The water must be used warm and poured under the bush.

If the grafting has taken root, then after 5 days you will notice how the melon begins to develop a growing point. When this happens, the plants will need to be ventilated longer, and after a few days the improvised caps should be removed altogether.

Then it will be necessary to maintain the temperature during the day + 25, and at night + 18. Watering should be carried out only when the earthen ball dries out. 2-3 days before planting, the plants are fed with mineral fertilizer for seedlings and hardened in the fresh air. After planting grafted young plants, care for the melon as you would a pumpkin.

It should be noted that grafted plants, unlike ordinary melons, take root with difficulty and produce a much smaller harvest, so you should not graft all the plants at once. You must first learn how to make high-quality vaccinations, and only after that switch to melon-pumpkin.

Diseases and pests

The most common diseases affecting melons are of fungal etiology and are represented by powdery mildew and peronosporosis.

If the gardener replaced what White spots appeared on the melon leaves , then this indicates that the plant is affected by powdery mildew. Over time, the whitish spots will turn brown, causing the leaves and stems to dry out. To get rid of this disease, you should use 80% sulfur powder. The beds need to be processed every twenty days. A month before harvest, treatment is stopped.

Downy mildew manifests itself in the form of yellowish spots on leaf blades . If the soil is waterlogged, then a gray coating also appears on the back of the leaves. To combat the disease, use a urea solution in a 1:1 ratio, which should be used to spray the beds. Soaking seeds in potassium permanganate before planting helps prevent the development of the disease.

Among the insects that attack melon can be distinguished spider mite , melon aphid , scoop And wireworms . If signs of damage by these insects appear, the plant can be sprayed with soda solution. However, experienced gardeners recommend treating melon with the Actellik insecticide. To prevent the appearance of these pests, it is enough to remove weeds and dead lashes in a timely manner. And in the fall, when preparing the beds, deep digging should be done.

Why is melon bitter?

Melon pulp can be bitter for various reasons. They are often presented:

• Improper care for melons and melons during fruit growth and ripening;
• Harvesting before it ripens - melons that do not ripen on the bushes often acquire an unpleasant, bitter taste.
• Excess of nitrates in melon pulp - an increased content of these substances in a vegetable when consumed can cause severe poisoning;
• Fungal diseases and ailments of melons Fungal etiology also significantly affects the change in the taste of melon, and not for the better.
• Dents and cracks on the fruit when buying a melon , the fruit should be selected only with intact peel and without dark spots or other defects. It is through them that harmful microorganisms enter under the skin of the melon, which provoke the appearance of bitterness.

Melon beneficial properties and contraindications

The benefits of this vegetable lie in its composition. It is rich in fiber, vitamins C, PP, B, carotene, phosphorus, copper, carbohydrates, silicon, organic acids, magnesium and calcium. Eating melon will have a beneficial effect on the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, immunity, vision, hair and skin condition.

Melon pulp improves mood and helps fight the negative manifestations of PMS. 100 grams of vegetables contain only 33 kilocalories, so you can safely include it in your diet.

People who have problems with blood vessels, liver, cystitis or kidney stones should include melon in their menu. Since melon pulp is well absorbed and stimulates the gastrointestinal tract, it is recommended to use it for digestive problems. During long-term antibiotic therapy, doctors recommend their patients to eat melon in order to reduce the harmful effects of drugs.

The benefits of melon for women

Melon is useful for expectant mothers. It is an excellent prevention of constipation, anemia and hemorrhoids. Melon juice in folk medicine is used for helminthic infestations, urolithiasis and runny nose.

It is also necessary to give melon juice to children, as it does not cause allergies and is rich in a whole range of useful substances.

A melon compress placed on the back and chest helps with bronchopulmonary diseases and asthma attacks. Melon peel resolves bruises and abscesses, thanks to the increased content of chlorophyll in it.

Since melon has virtually no calories, nutritionists recommend including it in the menu for those people who want to lose weight. By following a melon diet in a month, you can lose up to 10 kilograms without harm to your health, and also cleanse your intestines of toxins.

An allergy attack can be relieved by a warm bath with the addition of melon juice. Melon is useful not only for its pulp, but also for its seeds, which are taken for sexual impotence and as a diuretic.

Melon is also useful for female beauty. In cosmetology, toning and moisturizing masks for the face and décolleté are made from its pulp. They improve the condition of the skin, making it more elastic.

Melon contraindication

Despite the fact that melon is low in calories, it is not recommended for diabetics, as it leads to an increase in blood sugar levels. Those who have a history of gastritis and ulcers should not eat melon.

In general, the vegetable is very healthy and therefore must be present in everyone’s summer diet.

Simple melon recipes

Melon is not only beneficial for the body, but also has excellent taste, which is why it is used in many cuisines around the world.

Below are several recipes that fully reveal the rich taste of melon and allow you to try it in different dishes.

This unusual appetizer based on pork ham and melon is very popular in Spain, but what’s stopping you from preparing it in Russia?

Ingredients:

• Jamon (pork ham) – 200 grams;
• Melon – 20 pieces;
• Balsamic vinegar - to taste;
• Pepper and salt - to taste;
• Olive oil - to taste;
• Lemon juice - to taste.

Preparing jamon with melon:

Cut the melon in half, take half, peel, remove the seeds and cut into large cubes. Sprinkle it with lemon juice, season and pour olive oil.

Then we take the jamon, cut it into thin slices and wrap each one around a melon slice so that we get a rose. We put each delicious rose on a toothpick, put it on a dish and serve.

Candied fruits are as healthy as melons, and they are also an excellent treat that is lower in calories than sweets. Therefore, we highly recommend that those with a sweet tooth try making them.

Ingredients:

• Melon - 1 kilogram;
• Sugar - 1 kilogram;
• Lemon juice – 3 tbsp. spoons.

Preparation of candied melon:

To prepare candied fruits, it is best to choose an unripe melon, so as not to end up with puree instead of elastic pieces. Wash the selected melon, remove the peel, remove the seeds and cut the pulp into small pieces.

Then sprinkle the melon with sugar and leave for two hours so that it releases the juice. After the required amount of time has passed, pour in lemon juice and place the candied fruits on the stove. After they boil, boil them for 2 minutes and turn off. Leave for 10 hours. Repeat the above steps 4 times. Ready candied fruits should be translucent.

When they reach the desired condition, put them on a sieve, drain the syrup, take a baking sheet, cover it with foil and place the candied fruits on it. Place them in the oven and dry them for 5 hours with the door open at a temperature of 80 degrees.

Take out the finished candied fruits, remove from the baking sheet, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve as a treat for tea or coffee.

You won’t need much time to prepare a refreshing summer melon compote, and the result will exceed even your wildest expectations.

Ingredients:

• Melon – 600 grams;
• Citric acid - to taste;
• Sugar – 100 grams;
• Water – 1.5 liters.

Preparation of melon compote:

Take a melon, peel it and remove seeds, cut into pieces. Pour water into a saucepan and add melon slices, citric acid and sugar.

Place the compote on the stove and wait until it boils. After boiling, boil it for a minute and remove from heat.

We wait until it cools, strain and serve with ice and mint leaves.

An appetizing and airy melon pie will be an ideal option for morning tea with the whole family. Be sure to try this delicious pastry and delight your family.

Ingredients:

• Melon pulp – 300 grams;
• Salt - a pinch;
• Butter – 100 grams;
• Baking powder – 1 teaspoon;
• Eggs – 3 pieces;
• Kefir – 1 glass.

Preparing melon pie:

Take a medium pie pan. Beat eggs with sugar and salt. Then add kefir and melted butter to them. Next, add the semolina and mix thoroughly.

Add baking powder and flour to the resulting mixture. Stir thoroughly until there are no lumps.

Cut the peeled melon into small pieces.

Grease the mold with oil, pour the dough into it and place the melon on top. Bake the pie at 190 degrees for 40 minutes until caramel crust.

Cool the finished cake, remove from the mold, sprinkle with almond petals and serve. Bon appetit.

This exotic spicy salad goes well with meat dishes, so if you are going to enjoy kebabs, chops, pork roll, or ribs baked on the grill, it will come in handy.

Ingredients:

• Melon – 150 grams;
• Salt and pepper - a pinch;
• Grapes – 100 grams;
• Lemon juice – 1 tbsp. spoon;
• Cheese – 100 grams;
• Olive oil – 2 tbsp. spoons;
• Nuts – 50 grams;
• Lettuce – 5 pieces.

Preparing melon salad:

Take the cheese and cut it into thin strips. Cut the grapes in half and remove the seeds. Peel and seed the melon and cut into small cubes. We chop the nuts.

To prepare the dressing, mix lemon juice, pepper, olive oil and salt. Mix all the salad ingredients, pour over the dressing and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

After the time has passed, take out, tear the lettuce leaves, add them to the already brewed dish, mix and serve.

Canned melon

Ingredients:

• Melon of medium ripeness - 1 kilogram;
• Citric acid – 1 tbsp. spoon;
• Granulated sugar – 2 cups;
• Water – 1.5 liters.

Preparation of canned melon:

Take the melon, wash it, remove the peel and seeds. Cut it into small cubes.

Take water, mix it with sugar and citric acid, mix, pour into a saucepan and boil. The amount of syrup is enough for a volume of 3 liters.

Place the chopped melon in jars, fill with syrup and cover with lids.

Pour water into a large saucepan, place a jar of melon on the bottom and sterilize for 10 minutes. We roll up the jars and cover them with a warm blanket until they cool, then transfer them to the pantry.

Preparing jam:

Take a melon, peel it and remove seeds. Cut into thin slices, add sugar and leave for 4 hours.

After the time has passed, put the jam on the fire and boil for 7 minutes, then remove from the stove and cool. After three hours we repeat the procedure. After the jam has cooled, boil it again for about 20 minutes.

Pour the finished jam into jars and close the lids.

Why do you dream of a melon in a dream?

If a melon in reality brings only benefits, then seeing it in a dream is not always good. Usually a melon in a dream is an omen of the onset of some illness or major material loss.

• If a woman dreams of a melon, then this is interpreted as the occurrence of ailments or the beginning of a dark streak in life.
• If you dream that you are eating melon in a dream, this means that you may soon get sick.
• A ripe melon dreams of success and fulfillment of desires.
• Dreaming of buying a melon at the market means wasting your talents.

It’s up to you to believe in such dreams or not, but if you are still afraid that they will come true, then simply take into account the warning from above and do everything to avoid future problems.

And most importantly, remember that we ourselves are the builders of our own destiny and can adjust it the way we want, especially if the universe gives competent advice in this direction.

Of the genus Cucumis, the species melo is the most polymorphic. Within a species it is possible to establish a continuous series of transitional forms from the hermaphroditic flower to the pistillate one. Back in 1855 Ch. Naudin wrote that female flowers are essentially hermaphroditic, since they always contain an abortive androecium, which can develop into normal stamens with fertile pollen.

The biology of flowering and pollination in melon has not yet been sufficiently studied, although these processes are of great importance. The success of selection and seed production, and in particular the issues of spatial isolation, depends on the knowledge of these phenomena.

Cultivated and wild forms of melon are monoecious plants with dioecious and bisexual flowers. They belong to insect-pollinated plants. Melon pollen is heavy, sticky, and cannot be carried by wind.

A study of the world melon collection showed that there is a wide variety of gender expression in plants. Her entire variety of sexual types is based on three flower forms: male, female and hermaphroditic. In combination with each other they constitute different sexual types. Most varieties have male and hermaphroditic flowers (andromonoecy). A small (about 10%) part of the varieties, which includes serpentine melons, as well as some early-ripening varieties of predominantly northern origin, are characterized by a clear dioeciousness (monotia). The third group includes samples that have only hermaphroditic flowers: Donoclinus (k-2005) of Chinese origin and sample k-6018 from Poland.

Male melon flowers begin to bloom from the main stem. Staminate flowers are collected in cymose inflorescences; female flowers are arranged singly, usually appearing on shoots of the first and second orders. Hermaphroditic and pistillate flowers have an inferior ovary, and only Monoclinus (k-2005) and the Bamrudi variety (k-1359) have a semi-inferior ovary.

The male flower has five stamens, four of which early grow together in pairs, and one remains free. Male flowers have well-developed stamens with fertile pollen; at the base of the flower there are rudimentary remains of tubercles and carpels. Female flowers are characterized by the presence of a well-developed pistil; rudiments of embryonic stamens are sometimes preserved in flowers that have completed their formation. A hermaphroditic flower has a normally developed pistil, capable of fertilization, and anthers with fertile pollen. The stigma is three-lobed, with a style of varying lengths depending on the variety. The anthers in hermaphroditic flowers are sometimes reduced, which is the basis for calling them female. The degree of reduction of stamens in varieties is very different, from a slight reduction in size to rudiments in the form of small tubercles. Hermaphroditic flowers with a semi-inferior ovary (monoclinus) are considered by some researchers to be a primitive form.

Varying degrees of underdevelopment of the stamens and pistil increase the variety of flower shapes.

In terms of their structure, staminate, pistillate and hermaphroditic flowers in the early stages of development do not differ much. In each flower, tubercles of stamens and carpels are formed simultaneously, as a result of which in the early stages of their development the flowers have bisexual features. The numerical ratio of flowers is determined by varietal characteristics and the influence of external conditions.

The first to appear on the plant are male flowers, which in early-ripening specimens are borne in the axils of the second and third leaves, in late-ripening ones - in the axils of the fourth or fifth leaves of the central shoot. Before the first female flower blooms, 6-30 male flowers are usually formed on the plant; for example, in the Kherson region, depending on the early maturity of the variety, 14-30 male flowers are formed. On average, in the south of the European part of Russia, up to 200 male flowers are formed on a plant; on individual plants there are up to 460; Much fewer female flowers are formed - 4-40. Late-ripening samples produce significantly fewer female flowers than early-ripening ones. The ratio of male to female flowers varies from year to year depending on weather conditions. High temperatures and long days affect the formation of male flowers. In greenhouses in the Leningrad region (1957), sample k-4947 had 1041 male and 59 female flowers on one plant.

It has been noted that elevated temperatures and short days promote the formation of female flowers.

A long-term study of the collection, carried out by us in various conditions, showed that the ratio of flowers varies depending on early ripening, origin, weather conditions, point of study and varietal characteristics.

As the ratio of male to hermaphroditic or female flowers increases, the degree of expression of the male sex increases. There is a direct correlative connection between the node of initiation of the first female or hermaphroditic flower and the ratio of male to female flowers. In early-ripening varieties, hermaphroditic flowers are formed on shoots of the first and second orders and are located closer to the base of the shoot, in late-ripening varieties - on shoots of the second order at a considerable distance from the base. A direct correlative relationship has been established in andromonoecious varieties between the number of the first node and the early maturity of the variety. No such connection was found in monoecious varieties (Tekhanovich, 1970).

The presence of bisexual flowers in C. melo, along with male and female, suggests their ability to self-pollinate; depending on the structure of the flower, melon varieties have different attitudes towards self-pollination. Numerous contradictory data indicate that three types of pollination are observed in melon: within a flower - autogamous, within a plant - gatenogamous, by plants - xenogamous (Vavilov, 1925; Blinn, 1908; Lutokhin, 192/; Rosa, 1928; Pangalo, 1932; Saforyan, Manukyan, 1967).

For a long time, the melon was considered a typical crossbreed due to the dioecious flowers and heavy sticky pollen. Hermaphroditic flowers, discovered much later, inclined scientists to recognize autogamy. The possibility of self-pollination in melon was first pointed out by F. Rane (1901); subsequently, other researchers came to the same conclusion (Rosa, 1928; Blinn, 1908; Lutokhin, 1927). Testing the pollen of hermaphroditic flowers showed that it is quite fertile and capable of pollination. The fertility of pollen in hermaphroditic flowers and its high activity during the pollination process were pointed out by A. I. Filov (1935) and I. M. Saforyan (1967), although some researchers question the significance of this method of pollination (Houtori and Pollard, 1957). According to A.I. Filov (1939), hermaphroditism is a useful trait for the practice of selection and seed production, since it brings pollen closer to the stigma and ensures weak hybridization of plants during free pollination. However, isolation of hermaphroditic flowers for the purpose of self-pollination gave negative results (Vavilov, 1925).

The ability of melon to cross-pollinate and self-pollinate is of great importance in breeding and seed-growing practice for maintaining varietal purity in small-plot crops. As long-term observations show, under conditions of free pollination, some varieties produce heterogeneous offspring, while others retain their varietal typicality for many years. Many researchers believed that when determining the norms of spatial isolation to preserve varieties in purity, it is necessary to approach them individually, since some varieties, when sown next to each other, do not cross-pollinate, others are partially pollinated, and in others the percentage of hybridity is 100 (Filov, 1936 , 1968; Kholodov, 1965; Shchukina, 1968).

Our observations have shown that in melon in hermaphroditic flowers the position of the style in relation to the stamens can be different: the stigma of the pistil is located above the upper edge of the stamens - long-columnar flowers, the stamens are at the level of the stigma - heterocolumnar, the stigma and pistil are located below the upper edge of the stamens and the stamens are dense cover the stigma - short-columnar flowers. Many varieties are distinguished by similar heterostyly. Within a variety, deviations from the general type of flower structure characteristic of the variety are rarely observed, only on single plants. These differences, apparently, determine self-pollination in some varieties and cross-pollination in others (Malinina, 1971). According to Elliott (1961), short-columnar plants always have functioning anthers and viable pollen, while long-columnar forms have reduced stamens that do not contain pollen. In varieties with hermaphroditic flowers, one can find all sorts of transitions from full-fledged bisexual flowers (a typical representative of which is the microcarp variety) to hermaphroditic, but functionally female flowers with underdeveloped anthers.

A typical representative of the monocia type with a clearly defined dioeciousness is serpentine melons. Cultivated forms of melon with dioecious flowers are probably the result of selection associated with precocity. Perhaps the long- and equicolumnar forms are only a step in the transition to dioeciousness and cross-pollination. In plants with short columnar flowers, the pollen is fertile, and when pollinated, a high percentage of set is obtained.

The phenomenon of heterostyly is observed in many genera and species, including cultivated plants, for example, buckwheat, tomato, etc. For the first time, L. E. Krevchenko drew attention to heterostyly in melon. He noted that heterostyly in melon is more pronounced than in watermelon, and that the stamens of melon flowers sometimes completely cover the stigma (Krevchenko, 1938; Yakimovich, 1938).

Our studies have shown that hermaphroditic flowers have two types of flowering: with a closed stigma in short-columnar flowers, when the stamens cover the pistil, and an open stigma in long- and equicolumnar flowers, when the stamens are below the stigma or at the same level with the stigma and do not cover it. Varieties with short-columnar flowers are represented mainly by specimens from the USA, Japan, Spain and some other countries. The percentage of samples was 60-97. Their stamens fit tightly to the stigma and reliably cover it. When insects visit such a flower, the stigma first gets its pollen, since it is located on the outside of the stamens. Probably, the purity and uniformity of these samples depend on the structure of the flower elements.

Specimens from Turkey, Bulgaria, Afghanistan, and Russia were distinguished by a predominantly long-columnar structure of flowers. In long- and equicolumnar flowers, as well as in pistillate flowers, insects have free access to the stigma and can transfer both their own and foreign pollen. First of all, the variety var should be included in this group. cassaba, most early ripening varieties and some European varieties.

From the data obtained it follows that samples with an open stigma, which includes all samples with pistillate and hermaphroditic flowers, having an equal- and long-columnar flower structure, belong to cross-pollinating plants. They require mandatory artificial pollination or their growth in isolated areas. As for specimens with hermaphroditic flowers, in which the stigma is tightly covered by the stamens, they can be classified as facultative self-pollinators, where cross-pollination is difficult, since even bees, when touching the flower, first of all transfer the pollen of the flower, which is found in abundance on the surface of the stamens.

Our observations have shown that a wide variety of varieties can be divided into three groups according to the type of flowering:

1. varieties prone primarily to self-pollination with short-columnar flowers;
2. varieties prone to both self-pollination and cross-pollination with equicolumnar flowers;
3. varieties with pistillate and long-columnar flowers, prone to cross-pollination (Malinina, 1971).

Melon flowers can be pollinated by bees, wasps, bumblebees, ants and thrips. When isolating full-fledged hermaphroditic melon flowers, fruit set is observed very rarely, but it is enough to transfer pollen from the stamens to the stigma of the same flower with any object for fruit set to occur. There is no consensus on the issue of insect pollinators of melon. Some researchers (Bohn, Davis, 1964; Nevkryta, 1953; Importata economica e biologica Dell'Ape) consider bees to be the most effective pollinators. A bee visits eight to nine flowers per minute, each visit lasts about 7 seconds, collecting nectar on average from a flower is 14 mg, and pollen is 2.5 mg. Bisexual flowers produce more nectar, but the nectar of stamen-bearing flowers has a higher concentration of sugar, so they are more likely to be visited by bees.

S.K. Tsygankov (1947) considers flies, bugs, bees, and thrips to be the main pollinators of melon crops. According to T.K. Langeld (1935) and A.G. Galka (1970), the main pollinators in the Dnepropetrovsk and Volgograd regions are ants and thrips. Obviously, the method of pollination of melon depends on the composition of insects in the area, as well as weather conditions. In many cases, the same crop will be a self-pollinator in some conditions and a cross-pollinator in others. When unfavorable conditions interfere with the flight of insects (bees), flowers can be pollinated with the help of crawling insects - ants and thrips.

In the conditions of the Genichesk Experimental Station of the All-Russian Research Institute of Maize, when there were no hives nearby, melon crops were pollinated mainly by ants and thrips. With this method, xenogamous pollination is almost eliminated even in pistillate flowers and autogamous or gatenogamous pollination occurs. According to K.I. Pangalo, pollinating insects visit flower after flower in a row, so the isolating distances should be small. In many cases, it is enough to alternate plots of watermelon, melon and pumpkin. According to D.G. Kholodov (1965), under the conditions of the Bykovo experimental station, cross-pollination was not observed even at a distance of 50 m. The experience of A. S. Shchukina (1968) in Uzbekistan showed that in the presence of pollinating insects, the percentage of cross-pollination can be significantly reduced by using an appropriate sowing method. She noted that Central Asian melons have different abilities for self-pollination and cross-pollination. Some varieties (Gulabi orange) are subject to cross-pollination to a greater extent, others (Zaami 610) - to a lesser extent. They explain this ability by the different activity of pollinating varieties. Whether this is a factor of self-incompatibility or the result of other phenomena affecting pollination is not yet clear. Apparently, the determination of standards for spatial isolation of various varieties should be approached individually. The method of flight of bees on melon plantations has not yet been sufficiently studied, therefore it is impossible to alternate plots when propagating melon seeds, where bees are pollinators (Mikhkelman, 1939).

Research has proven that to obtain full-fledged fruits, at least 400 pollen grains must land on the stigma of the pistil. According to Eijiro Suzuki (1969), when one flower was pollinated with 900-1500 pollen grains of seeds, 385-510 seeds were obtained from one fruit, depending on the variety; when flowers were castrated, the number of seeds increased to 560. Artificial pollination does not give a high percentage of fruit set, and the fruits obtained by this method are usually deformed, small, with fewer seeds than from free pollination. This is explained by one-time artificial pollination, while bees visit the same flower up to 53 times. Free pollination occurs, as a rule, multiple times. The first fruits set on the plant inhibit the opening of female flowers and the setting of new fruits and often retard the growth of lateral shoots, since plastic substances are spent on the growing fruit, ensuring its ripening. Therefore, it is necessary to regulate the number of fruits on the plant, especially in protected soil conditions where the growing season is short.

Normal pollination also depends on the maturity and viability of the pollen and stigma. Staminate flowers have approximately 9,600-13,000 pollen grains. In clear weather, buds open early in the morning, and pollen usually spills out of the anthers earlier. By midday, most anthers no longer have pollen. Pollinating insects intensively visit flowers in the morning. Under unfavorable weather conditions (low air temperature, high humidity, cloudiness, etc.), the anthers do not burst, pollination is transferred to later hours, when the anthers dry out and pollen appears. The male flowers close and dry out by the end of the day. Female flowers, if pollination does not occur on the first day, usually open on the second (Pangalo, 1958).

Studies have shown that pollen is released from the anthers approximately 1 hour before the flowers open. Pollen grains in both staminate and hermaphroditic flowers have the same viability, differing neither in the length of the pollen tubes nor in pollen germination, which reaches 95% (Fujishita, 1959). According to L.E. Krevchenko (1938), at low (below 12 C) night temperatures, pollen maturation in male flowers lags somewhat behind. The pollen in the stigma of a melon usually matures 12 hours or more before the flowers open. Under the influence of low temperatures, the anthers in the buds do not burst and pollination does not occur. On hot, windy days, flowers are also poorly pollinated, and a low percentage of fruit set is observed. In the bud phase, the female flower is rarely capable of fertilization. Germination of pollen grains on the stigma is observed only 3-4 hours after the opening of the corolla (Tropinina, 1964).

In opened flowers during artificial pollination, 42-92% of pollen grains sprouted after 20-60 minutes. Pollen tubes reached a length of 728 µm in 30 minutes, and 2240 µm in 2 hours. In 4 hours, the pollen tube reached about 4 mm in length and reached the base of the style. 24 hours after pollination of the ovules, pollination was complete (Eijiro Suzuki, 1969; Li Suxiang, Wu Mingzhu, 1987). T. Whitaker and G. Davis (1962) indicated that more frequent self-pollination was observed in earlier flowers than in flowers appearing late in the season. Autogamous pollination requires artificial intervention, since pollen cannot be transferred to the stigma on its own. Pollination should be carried out in clear, warm weather in the morning. Flowers must be insulated in the evening with parchment insulators, cotton wool or clothespins. In the morning, when the insulator is removed, the correctly selected female flower opens on its own. Pollinate with pollen from three or more male flowers. In cool and humid weather, if the anthers do not produce dust, pollination should be postponed to later hours, when the anthers burst. However, manual pollination of melon flowers is ineffective as it produces a low percentage of fruit set. The factors that make fruit set difficult are not yet clear. Based on the data of the above researchers, as well as our observations, we can conclude that autogamous and gatenogamous pollination in melon is quite possible, since melons withstand inbreeding well over many generations and do not experience depression. Autogamous plants can also be pollinated by foreign pollen, but xenogamous plants in most cases are poorly fertilized with their own pollen and do not always produce seeds. In many cases, the same crop will be a self-pollinator in some conditions and a cross-pollinator in others (Makushenko, 1933).

To find out the best method of pollination in melon varieties with bisexual flowers, flowers with various modifications within the plant were artificially pollinated. The open pollination option was used as a control. The results showed that the highest percentage of fruit set was obtained with free and artificial pollination of flowers in which the stamens were deflected with a needle to allow free access of pollen to the stigma (Malinina, 1971). In the variant with castration of the stamens, the flower was obviously injured and it often dried out.

Natural cross-pollination in melon can be increased by using forms with partial male sterility. The maintenance of lines with partial male sterility is carried out through gatenogamous pollination with pollen of forcedly dehiscent stamens, in which the offspring are obtained with male sterility (Lozanov, 1971; Tehanovich, 1971).

Various chemicals have a stimulating effect on the manifestation of sex in melons: benziadenine, α-naphthiacetic acid, etrel, etc., which contribute to the production of plants with male sterility.