Pineapple melon: variety description, cultivation and care with photo

Pineapple Melon is perhaps the most common variety of gourds. She pleases with juicy, fragrant and sweet fruits with standard care. The variety is suitable for cultivation both on an industrial scale and in private home plots. To get a good and timely ripened harvest, you need to familiarize yourself with some of the features of this melon.

Variety description

The characteristic of the variety allows us to say that Pineapple belongs to the mid-early hybrid varieties of melons. Suitable for growing in open ground and in greenhouse conditions.From the moment of emergence of seedlings to the first ripening of fruits, it takes from 2 to 2.5 months. Melons grow weighing up to 2 kg, oval shape. The flesh is white-pink in color. The taste is excellent, the aroma is strong. Pineapple melon perfectly tolerates transportation over long distances without loss of marketability and taste.

Description of the variety promises increased resistance to powdery mildew and anthracnose. Each plant produces up to 5 high quality fruits. The skin is thin, in maturity it has a golden or yellow-brown color. Pineapple has a pronounced mesh pattern.

Melons of this variety have a high content of vitamins A, C, B and P. The fruits are useful for people suffering from the following diseases:

anemia;
anemia;
diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
gout;
rheumatism;
tuberculosis;
disorders in the cardiovascular system;
disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Due to the high fiber content, melons are effectively used in dietary nutrition. Pineapple can be stored in a commercial form for 1.5-2 months after harvest without the use of chemicals that help extend the shelf life.

Features of cultivation

Melons are thermophilic, they need a lot of sun to ripen. Melon Pineapple-Americano - the fruit of many years of work of breeders who sought to adapt the plant to various climatic conditions. The variety turned out to be not only well adapted for different regions, but also resistant to fungal diseases.

To get a good harvest, you need to choose high-quality seed. Seeds should be purchased only in specialized stores that provide a quality guarantee. With self-harvesting of planting material, it can be used only after three years.

In southern climates, melons can be planted directly into the ground. But in other areas, seedlings should be pre-grown. To do this, Pineapple seeds are placed in a well-moistened cloth and left for several days, periodically moistening the cloth. As soon as the sprouts begin to hatch, you can sow.

Seeds are laid out in cups with soil mixture 1 each and covered with a transparent film. As soon as the seedlings begin to hatch, the shelter is removed, and the containers are moved to a well-lit window sill. To prevent the pineapple melon sprouts from stretching, the cups are rotated from time to time.A hybrid is planted in open ground after a month. Young plants require mandatory pre-hardening.

When planting seeds immediately in open ground, you need to focus on the temperature of the soil. It should warm up to at least +15 ° C. Otherwise, Pineapple simply will not rise. As a rule, the timing of such sowing falls on the end of May. Seeds are sown to a depth of no more than 2 cm. To make them germinate faster, you can cover the plantings with plastic wrap. As soon as shoots begin to hatch, the shelter is removed.

Features of care

Reviews of gardeners indicate that as soon as the sixth leaf appears on young plants, it is necessary to pinch. This will allow the lateral lashes to develop and will contribute to the formation of female-type flower stalks.

Pineapple melon needs moderate watering during growth.The plant does not like excessive moisture. It is enough to irrigate it once a week, for example, on weekends. Regularly it is necessary to deal with weeds and carry out mandatory loosening of the soil. Do not allow stagnant water in the area, this leads to a weakening of the plants.

Pineapple hybrid melon prefers well fertilized and nutritious soil. If it is depleted on the site, then before planting the plants, it is necessary to introduce mullein or humus. After the appearance of the fourth leaf, the plantings are fed for the first time, and with the beginning of flowering - the second. The site for growing Pineapple melons is selected well-ventilated, sunny.

For the entire period of growth, the beds are weeded at least 5 times. Most often this is done at the very beginning. When the melons get stronger and spread out, they themselves will prevent the growth of weeds in their garden. Loosening the soil is carried out at first once a week, and then less often. During the period of formation of powerful side shoots, it is recommended to spud plantings.

To get larger fruits of Pineapple melon, pinch growth points on 4 and 6 leaves. When 5-7 fruits are formed on the bush, all subsequent growth points are removed. Young plants need more frequent watering. As the growth increases, the frequency of irrigation is reduced, and a week before the expected harvest is stopped altogether.

Disease and pest prevention

Pineapple melon is a hybrid, therefore it shows increased resistance to the negative effects of viral infections and pests. But even she needs prevention and protection from defeat:

melon aphids;
spider mites;
wire wire;
scoops;
melon fly;
powdery mildew;
downy mildew;
fusarium;
verdigris.

To protect the Pineapple melon from these pests, before planting in the garden, it is necessary to pour eggshells or onion peels into each well. Regularly spray plantings with a solution of soap. A good prophylactic is a decoction of garlic or onions. Marigold seedlings are being planted nearby.

Summer residents who grew a variety of Pineapple melon on their plot claim that it really has a pleasant taste and aroma of pineapple. The fruits grow very sweet and juicy. They can be consumed not only fresh, but also canned, processed. The variety is unpretentious, does not require much attention, so even beginners can grow it.