There's nothing like a good, perfectly ripe melon fresh from the garden .
Round, plump, sun-kissed, refreshing, with melting and sweet flesh... a real delight!
Nothing to do with those bland-tasting melons you buy at the supermarket!
In addition, the melon is easy to grow. There is no secret, all you need is plenty of sun and moist soil.
Here are 10 market gardening tips to grow beautiful melons :
Click here to easily print this guide in PDF.
1. Plant your melons sheltered from the wind and in a very sunny place (at least 10 hours a day of direct exposure).
2. The ideal soil pH should be between 6.0 and 6.5.
3. Before planting, loosen the soil deeply, remove all stones and enrich the soil with 5 cm of compost.
4. The melon requires a lot of space:leave a spacing of 1 m between each plant (or 30 cm if you make them climb on a stake or a trellis).
5. Melon plants require regular but moderate watering to keep the soil moist but especially not flooded . Water more abundantly during hot periods.
6. When the stems begin to grow, cover the soil with mulch. This will avoid the contact of melons and leaves with the soil, a factor that favors diseases.
7. Melon stems are fragile and should be handled with care. To save space in your garden, try growing the plants high, climbing the stems on stakes or training them on a trellis.
8. Aphids are the main pests of melon. In the event of an attack, remove the first aphids by hand or spray the plants with black soap diluted in water.
9. When a melon is ready to pick, its stem snaps effortlessly and its peduncle looks like it's peeling off. Its fragrance is also more pronounced.
10. The secret to making melons sweeter is taking care of the leaves. Protect them from fungi, drying out and mildew by spraying the leaves with Bordeaux mixture, or another copper-based fungicide treatment.
- Invasion of aphids? Ladybugs, earwigs and birds are your best allies in the fight against aphids without using pesticides . Check out the trick here.
- After a period of rain, you risk having tasteless and less sweet melons. Thus, try to harvest the melon after a good period of sunshine , because that's when it will be the sweetest.
- Similarly, harvest the melon in the evening rather than in the morning, to have sweeter melons.
- In case of sunburn, use the peel of the melon to relieve the burning sensation. Check out the trick here.
The scent of melon is a good sign, but rather random!
A perfectly ripe melon is heavy in the hand, neither too tender nor too firm .
Its peduncle is easily removed and its stem breaks effortlessly.
Also watch out for split peels, as this is a sign of damaged fruit.
To discover: 4 Tips For Choosing A Delicious Melon Every Time!
We tend to eat it plain or with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, but be aware that melon also lends itself to many recipes, both sweet and savory.
At aperitif time, prepare small melon and parma ham skewers – a super simple classic, but so effective!
Melon can also be eaten as a dessert, in fruit salads and even in pies.
And why not cool off with a delicious melon smoothie ?
Just pass half a melon in a blender with a few mint leaves. Add half a plain yogurt for a creamier texture. Yummy!
Finally, do not throw away the melon seeds:you can grill them and eat them as an aperitif. Discover the recipe here.
Melon sowing takes place from mid-March to mid-May . For plants purchased in pots, plant them in May, after the frosts.
Here are the 3 best melon varieties:
- Yellow Charentais:the most consumed variety in France, with very sweet, juicy and fragrant orange flesh. Can be eaten alone or accompanied, ideal for all recipes.
- Yellow canary from Spain:variety with oval and yellow fruits, with white flesh, sweet, very fragrant and particularly juicy. Can be eaten fresh with raw ham or as a dessert in a fruit salad. The canary yellow can be kept for several months in the fridge in a cellar.
- Sucrin de Tours:variety with embroidered skin that produces very tasty and sweet fruits, with firm and thick orange-red flesh. Abundant production and excellent quality.
