Do watermelons have yellow flesh inside, what is the name of the variety and growing characteristics?

With the onset of summer, many can finally eat enough watermelon. Most varieties of watermelons sold in markets are characterized by sugary red pulp. But lately you can see yellow watermelon. For many people, such watermelons are a curiosity, and not everyone is ready to accept the fact that the watermelon is not the classic red hue, but an unusual yellow one. But yellow fruits are no worse than their classic counterparts.

Yellow watermelon: description and characteristics

The peculiarities of yellow watermelon, first of all, lie in the shade of ripe pulp. This hybrid was first obtained in Thailand by crossing an ordinary watermelon with a wild one. The hybrid has a high content of carotenoids, which is why the pulp has such a shade.

The varieties grown in their homeland, Thailand, have a very sweet taste. These fruits have a high amount of sugar in the pulp. Fruits grown in other countries taste less sugary. The peel of the fruit pulp is thin, but hard. In some varieties you can feel the peculiar taste of lemon, pumpkin, mango and other fruits and berries.

How are they different from red ones?

Yellow watermelons differ from red varieties in their pulp. And besides this, another characteristic difference is taste. Yellow watermelons, which are grown in the Russian Federation, have a pumpkin flavor. Also inside, in the pulp, there are fewer seeds than in the red variety. Yellow-fruited berries are smaller in size and rarely grow larger than 10 kilograms. Otherwise, yellow fruits taste no different from red ones.

Popular varieties

Breeders have developed several varieties of yellowish watermelon that can be grown in the southern regions. What varieties of melons with yellow flesh are there:

1. Prince Hamlet is a berry that was bred by breeders from Russia. The peel is green in color with light green stripes. The pulp tastes like pineapple. The growing season is up to 75 days.
2. Golden Grace - the fruit was bred by breeders from Holland. The maximum weight is 8 kilograms. It is resistant to frost.
3. Lunar is the most common variety in Russia. The ripening period of fruits ranges from 70 to 80 days. Some note that the pulp has a mango and lemon flavor.

There are not many varieties of yellow berries in Russia. They can be grown successfully only in the south or, at least, in the central regions.

Growing rules

Growing yellow watermelons is no different from traditional red ones. Particular attention is paid to planting seeds and growing seedlings. In general, berries are low-maintenance crops.

Seed preparation

In order to successfully grow melon seedlings, you need to pay special attention to seed preparation.

Stages of seed preparation:

1. First you need to package the seeds. Healthy and strong seeds are suitable for planting.
2. The second stage is warming up the planting material. Water is poured into a saucer at a temperature of 50 degrees, and the seeds are placed there. After 30 minutes, the water is drained.
3. After warming up, the planting material is disinfected. A small amount of potassium permanganate is diluted in water, then the seeds are placed in the solution and left for 15-20 minutes. After this, rinse with water.
4. After disinfection, the planting material is germinated. To do this, pour water into a saucer, place seeds there and cover with polyethylene. After a few days, sprouts appear.

All these measures help speed up the emergence of seedlings after planting the seeds.

Sowing and growing seedlings

Young seedlings are very capricious and require increased attention. As you know, melons have a weak root system and do not tolerate transplantation well. Therefore, as much attention as possible is paid to sowing seeds. The following containers are used for planting:

• peat cups;
• carton boxes;
• peat tablets;
• wooden boxes;
• plastic glasses.

The soil mixture is made up of humus and peat-humus soil in equal parts. Add a tablespoon of wood ash to the soil mixture.

The seeds are planted in separate cups after the sprouts hatch. Then cover with cling film and put in a warm room where the temperature will be about 30 degrees. For example, on south windows. Periodically, the film is removed, checked for mold, and watered with a watering can.

Planting in open ground

After the seeds sprout, they are planted in the soil. The holes are dug to a depth of 5 centimeters. The diameter of the hole must be at least 50 centimeters. The distance between each hole is left up to 70 centimeters.

Before sowing the seeds, the soil is dug up and mixed with rotted manure. It is not recommended to use fresh manure; it is concentrated and can burn the roots of young seedlings. In addition, complex mineral fertilizers are added to the soil.

Care, watering and fertilizing

In watermelons, the root system grows to a depth of 70 centimeters, so the bushes need abundant watering. If there has been heavy rain recently, watering should be postponed for several days. Bushes do not like waterlogged soil. The beds are watered using a hose. Watering is carried out in the evenings, when the sun has set. Bushes require the most liquid during growth and flowering, as well as the formation of ovaries.

Before watering, once a week you should loosen the soil so that, along with moisture, the root system is saturated with oxygen.

In order to increase productivity, you need to regularly apply organic and mineral fertilizers.

1. In the first 4 weeks after planting seedlings in open ground, potassium is used. Potassium promotes abundant flowering and ovary formation. In addition, potassium increases plant resistance to diseases.
2. From 4 to 7 weeks, magnesium and calcium are added to the bushes. Calcium and magnesium increase the content of ascorbic acid in fruits, as well as sucrose.
3. From 8 to 12 weeks, nitrogen is added to the soil. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers promote active growth of ovaries.

After the fruits begin to form, the bushes stop watering and fertilizing.

In addition to mineral fertilizers, yeast solutions are used for plant growth. To prepare the fertilizer, dilute 2 tablespoons of sugar and 45 grams of yeast in 1 liter of water. Leave for 2-3 days. Before watering, fertilizers are diluted with water and the bushes are watered at the roots.

Harvesting

Yellow watermelons are harvested at the same time as varieties with red flesh. To determine the ripeness of watermelons, just pay attention to a number of signs:

1. You need to knock on the watermelon. If the sound is muffled, then the fruit is ripe and needs to be cut.
2. The stalk dries up.
3. If a yellow spot remains at the point where the peel and soil touch, then the watermelon is ripe.
4. When you press on the skin of a ripe watermelon, there are no dents left.

Harvesting begins in August (in southern latitudes). In the central regions, the period for harvesting berries depends on the variety and climatic conditions. When cutting, a stalk 5 centimeters long is left.

What diseases and pests are dangerous for this species?

The pests and diseases of yellow varieties are the same as those of red watermelons.

1. The first sign of fusarium is the appearance of orange spots, which gradually become covered with a pink coating. As the fungi spread, the stems and leaves begin to rot, and the bush itself stops growing.
2. Another disease is anthracnose. The disease is characterized by the appearance of brown spots on the foliage. The spots will then spread to the fruit.Watermelons stop growing and rot.
3. Root rot is characterized by the appearance of black-brown spots near the base of the root and on the stems. The reason for the development of root rot is high humidity, temperature differences between day and night, as well as an excess of nutrients in the soil.
4. Bacterial spotting is caused by insects. First, wet yellow-green spots appear on the watermelon. Gradually they increase. Growths appear on the fruits. The leaves turn black and the bushes themselves wither.
5. Powdery mildew is characterized by the appearance of a white coating on the leaves. The fruits become deformed and begin to rot. Powdery mildew is caused by a fungus.

Among the insects that are found on watermelons are:

• melon aphid;
• wireworm;
• spider mite;
• thrips.

In order to prevent the appearance of insects and diseases on plants, you need to pay attention to caring for watermelons. Many diseases cannot be cured, so it is necessary to prevent diseases and the appearance of melon pests immediately.