Having recently appeared on the shelves, Caramel melon has won the hearts of not only consumers, but also gardeners. Juicy, sugary fruits literally melt in your mouth, the strong aroma does not let you pass by. Initially, the variety was planned to be used for the industrial cultivation of early ripening melons, but so far it has taken root in summer cottages and private gardens.
Description of the variety
The fruits of the hybrid variety differ from the rest in their large size, oval shape, yellow or light brown skin, which is covered with a thick network of cracks. The pulp has a characteristic creamy color, strong aroma and a slight caramel flavor.
Melon Caramel is very sweet and tasty, which attracts the attention of consumers.Initially, the variety was planned to be grown on an industrial scale, but summer residents loved it so much that they quickly began to cultivate it on their plots.
Caramel has a dense and thick skin, which ensures a long shelf life without loss of taste and commercial qualities. An area with small seeds; the seeds themselves are unsuitable for further use and growing seedlings from them, since the variety is a hybrid and is marked f1.
Melon Caramel produces fruits weighing up to 3 kg and length up to 24 cm. The first harvest is larger than subsequent ones. The presentation and taste are excellent. The variety is an early variety; the first harvest can be harvested a couple of months after germination. Caramel is grown both in open ground and in greenhouse conditions.
A significant advantage of the variety is considered to be increased resistance to adverse weather conditions. Even when the air temperature rises to +30 °C, the yield is stable and of high quality. Up to 90 tons of fruits are harvested from one hectare.
Caramel shoots long lashes along the ground, on which additional roots are formed. They provide the plant with additional nutrition. The trellis growing method is undesirable for this variety, since in this case the plant is deprived of the opportunity to receive additional nutrients, and this affects the quantity and quality of the harvest. One bush is capable of producing from 2 to 8 full fruits.
You can harvest Caramel melon:
- consume fresh;
- convert;
- make jam;
- prepare jams and candied fruits.
The fruits are stored fresh for 15–25 days, they tolerate transportation well over long distances and do not lose their quality.
Features of cultivation
Caramel is a very heat-loving plant, like its other brothers. Seeds are sown in open ground only when the soil temperature reaches +15 °C, and night air temperatures do not fall below +16 °C. In different regions, this indicator is achieved at different times, so it is important to recall that the variety is early ripening and is able to ripen even in short summer conditions.
If seeds have been purchased that have undergone pre-treatment, then it is fashionable to immediately sow them in open ground. The rest should first be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then in a growth stimulator. The best place for planting will be those beds where the following were previously grown:
- potato;
- cabbage;
- any type of legume.
But you shouldn’t plant Caramel pumpkins or zucchini in the previous place.
The selected variety is light-loving; it prefers sunny and well-lit beds with loose and fertile soil. The acidity level should be neutral. Peat, sand and humus are added to heavy loamy soil before planting Caramel melons. All lumps in the holes are carefully broken to make it easier for the sprouts to break through.
The seeds are planted to a depth of no more than 4 cm. The first shoots hatch after a week. The distances between plants are left at 20 cm, and row spacing - up to half a meter. If planting is done in holes, then no more than 4 seeds are placed in each hole. There is at least 60 cm between the holes. Thickened plantings negatively affect the yield of Caramel.It requires not only a lot of space, but also a large amount of air, nutrients, and moisture.
Features of care
Caramel requires regular watering. This is especially true for the initial period of plant growth and development, as well as flowering and fruit formation. But during the ripening of the crop, the amount of watering is reduced.
This will make the melons sweeter and more flavorful. Watering is done 1-2 times a week depending on weather conditions. Water is poured in large portions under the roots or drip irrigation systems are introduced.
Caramel is fed with complex fertilizers containing phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. It should be remembered that an increased nitrogen content will negatively affect both the quality of the crop and its taste. Melons need constant weed removal. You should weed the area with a hoe, but if the plantings are thickened or the bushes have grown greatly, then the weeds are pulled out by hand. If possible, try to avoid using herbicides on your site. They will not cause any noticeable harm, but will have a negative effect on the chemical composition of the fruit.
