Both children and adults love sweet melons. Growing a crop on a site where there is a greenhouse is not difficult. Melon Lada is rapidly gaining popularity among modern summer residents. The reasons for this are that the variety is resistant to some diseases and does not crack.
Variety criteria
Whatever the characteristics of the species from the manufacturer, the summer resident is still looking for a more detailed description. This information helps to avoid mistakes when growing and to find the right place to grow the crop.
Criteria:
- The fruits are round.
- Taste: excellent.
- Flesh: juicy and crispy.
- The aroma is weak but persistent.
- The color of the ripe fruit is yellow with mesh.
- Weight: 1.5-2 kg.
- Ripens within 72-96 days.
- The optimal temperature for ripening is +17 ⁰С, but the best is +28-31 ⁰С.
- Humidity should be 70%.
The characteristics of the varieties are different; each summer resident selects them according to the needs and desires of the family.
Landing
Melon is grown in 2 ways, by direct sowing in the ground or by seedlings. In the first case, the crop will ripen later. Seeds are sown in heated soil, its temperature should be +15 ⁰C.
Optimally heated soil at the moment when dandelions bloom.
The planting depth is 10 cm, the planting material is soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Afterwards, be sure to rinse with clean water.
The distance between the holes is 1.5 m. If the melon is grown in a greenhouse, then it should be left 70 cm and tied to trellises.
The seedling method of growing produces a harvest several weeks earlier than the non-seedling method. The roots of the crop are very fragile, so it should be grown in peat pots or dishes that break easily. This is necessary so that the lump of earth in which the plant grew is not damaged.
The summer resident needs to calculate the transplant time individually, taking into account the climatic characteristics of the growing region. The earth must be warmed up. The threat of return frosts is completely eliminated. The seedlings are ready for transplanting to a permanent place on the 25th day.
Cultivation care
Growing melon of the Lada variety is not difficult. You don't have to do anything special. The peculiarity of caring for it is that it is necessary to pinch the tops and remove excess ovaries. There are 4 of them left in total. They try to select those that are closest to the main stem.
Thus, it turns out that the melon ovaries remaining on the plant receive a maximum of nutrients. They grow big, tasty and juicy.
Like other crops, melon does not tolerate proximity to weeds; they must be removed in a timely manner.
Watering should be done with caution, without flooding the plants. The plant requires the most moisture at the time of formation of ovaries and the active formation of green mass. The rest of the time it is enough to water once every 7 days.
Drops of moisture should not remain on the leaves, as this will cause sunburn.
Humus is used as fertilizing. It is added to holes before planting or to pots for seedlings.
To control pests and treat diseases, use a 0.5% solution of urea or superphosphate.
Immunity of Lada melon and use in home cooking
According to the description of the variety, the plant is not susceptible to powdery mildew or downy mildew. Lada melons are not susceptible to aphid attacks. It is recommended to carry out timely preventive treatment against other diseases. Summer residents argue that it is easier to prevent the occurrence of a disease than to treat plants.
Melon is used to make candied fruits, compotes and jam.
Advantages of the variety
Possessing positive properties allows the species to reach the top positions in the ranking of varieties that must be grown.
Pros:
- The versatility of fruit use.
- Unpretentiousness of the plant.
- Disease resistance.
- Great taste and long shelf life.
- Melons do not crack.
Minuses:
- Mandatory bush formation.
The presence of negative characteristics in a variety affects the choice of a summer resident.
Productivity
By observing all the requirements of agricultural technology, when growing and properly forming the bush, you get 4 fruits with a total weight of 6 to 8 kg. There is a way to increase productivity; for this, a melon is grafted onto a pumpkin.
How to vaccinate correctly?
By practicing grafting, the plant's resistance to cold increases, and the melon begins to bear fruit 30 days earlier. To do this, pumpkin and melon seedlings are grown at the same time. When the first true leaf of a pumpkin seedling is formed, the entire shoot is removed, leaving only a small part of the stem with roots. Melon seedlings are peeled on both sides, the skin is removed, and inserted into the cut pumpkin stem.
There is another way to carry out this procedure. The pumpkin should form 3 true leaves, then its growth point is removed 2 cm above the 3rd leaf. A melon stalk cut from the root is inserted inside. Wrap it with woolen thread or a piece of foil. In order for everything to go well, it is necessary to create optimal conditions for survival. The air temperature should be +25-30 ⁰С, and the humidity percentage should be 95-98. No care is subsequently required; the plant receives everything it needs from the soil, forming ovaries.
The opinion of summer residents regarding the Lada melon variety
The presence of positive comments regarding the variety works better than any advertising. Feedback from gardeners about culture helps beginners in this matter. Vegetable growers give advice and recommendations on growing.
Deirdre: “I grew Lada in open ground, weight 3.5 kg, sweet and aromatic. I left 1 ovary on the bush. Next year I’ll definitely plant more, but I’ll just limit the watering before harvesting.”
Lyudmila: “I tried to grow the Lada variety in open ground, planted it directly in the beds, but the fruits did not have time to ripen.Next year I’ll plant seedlings and see what the result will be.”
Anatoly: “All the children love melons, we have a big family. We decided to grow it in a greenhouse. The choice fell on the Lada variety, since other varieties of the crop were not suitable due to the labor-intensive maintenance process. No regrets. The melons are excellent, the taste is excellent. A favorite for the site.”
Summer residents like melons of the Lada variety due to their taste and high commercial qualities. They are stored for a long time without losing their flavor.
