Cinderella melon is a high-yielding plant that is capable of producing berries even with minimal care and unfavorable conditions. What other benefits does the berry have?
Description
An early ripening variety, fruiting occurs 70–75 days after germination. The bushes are medium-sized, medium-climbing. The leaf blades are large, slightly dissected.
The Cinderella variety has high immunity to melon diseases and tolerates drought and moderate frosts. The main disadvantages of this type are its short shelf life and poor tolerance to transportation over long distances.
The oval fruits are covered with a thin pale yellow skin.The surface of the berries is covered with a white mesh. With proper care, melons weigh 1.2–1.4 kg. In some cases, the fruits grow up to 2–2.5 kg. The flesh has a rich melon flavor, moderately sweet and very juicy. The smell is rich. The core is painted white, which changes to light green closer to the peel.
Melons are suitable for fresh consumption, making desserts and jam.
Features of cultivation
Cinderella melons are sown at the end of April - the first half of May, when the soil warms up to +16 ⁰C. Planting is done in a sunny bed where potatoes, cabbage, and legumes grew last year. It is not recommended to plant in the same place or where the pumpkin grew. Planting pattern - 140x60 cm.
Seed preparation
Large seeds are selected from purchased or collected material, placed in a container and filled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The processing process takes place in the following order:
- After an hour, the seeds are washed and placed on a cloth.
- The bag is immersed in warm water and soaked for 12 hours. Every 5 hours, the seeds are removed from the container for ventilation.
- After processing is completed, the seeds are laid out on a slightly damp cloth and left in a warm place until sprouts appear.
- To prevent the material from drying out, the filling is regularly sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle.
Soil preparation
The site for planting the Cinderella melon variety begins to be prepared in the fall. To do this, spread a thin layer of humus on the garden bed, and then carry out deep digging by turning the earthen clod over. Consumption of organic substances 3–4 kg per 1 sq. m beds.
How to grow seedlings?
Melon seeds are sown in the second half of April.Small peat pots or cups filled with a mixture of soil, rotted manure, and ash are used as growing containers. The containers are covered with film and placed on a sunny windowsill.
Plants are planted in a permanent place after the formation of 3–5 leaves or 30–35 days after planting. In the central and northern regions of the country, where weather conditions are very different from room conditions, melon seedlings are hardened off. A week before planting, the boxes are taken outside daily, gradually increasing the time spent outdoors.
Landing
Melons are planted in shallow furrows, the bottom of which is spilled with water and sprinkled with humus. The seedlings are removed from the containers, placed in a vertical position in a recess and covered with soil. Young plants are watered again and, if necessary, covered with film at night.
Care
There is an opinion that caring for melons is quite difficult. This statement does not apply to the Cinderella variety. In order for a cultivated plant to grow normally, it needs a minimum of care. Thus, caring for berries should include such simple garden manipulations as watering, fertilizing, pinching, and loosening. Agricultural technology:
- Melons like to grow in slightly moist soil. Depending on the climate of the growing region, water is applied under the bushes 1 or 2 times a week. It is not recommended to increase the frequency of watering at your own discretion, since due to increased humidity, melons suffer from rot and fungal diseases.
- Cinderella melons are fed every 10 days. Solutions of complex mineral fertilizers or organic substances are used as nutrient mixtures. During the period of active growth, fertilizers with a high nitrogen content are applied, and during the period of setting and filling of fruits, potassium and phosphorus are applied.
- To stimulate the plant to form shoots, pinch off the top of the central conductor. Excess ovaries are also removed, leaving only 5–7 pieces.
- The soil is loosened after adding water and heavy rainfall. The depth of loosening during the growth of green mass is 15 cm, the formation of fruits is 10 cm. Weeds are pulled out immediately after their appearance.
Reviews
Angelina, 47 years old: “I grew the Cinderella variety last year. Both me and my family really liked the taste of these berries. I will plant it next year too. I recommend".
Marina, 41 years old: “The variety didn’t impress me at all. The taste is ordinary, sweet, and the yield is average. There are better varieties."
Alexander, 52 years old: “After I tried this variety of melon from a neighbor, I decided to plant the plant on my own plot. The bushes pleased me with their unpretentiousness and high yield. I’ll definitely plant more.”
Lilia, 39 years old: “I started gardening 2 years ago. The first variety of melons that was planted on the site was the Cinderella variety. The bushes pleased me with their compact appearance, unpretentiousness and fragrant, sweet berries.”
Have you grown the Cinderella melon variety? Was the description included with the plant confirmed? Please leave reviews so that gardeners do not regret their choice.
