Now a lot of exotic plants have appeared that summer residents and gardeners are trying to grow in their plots. This experience is not always positive, although cultivation is usually not a problem. These plants include pepino. Growing this fruit at home is not difficult. This fruit tree has existed for a long time, and it is worth noting that this is not a hybrid that was bred by breeders. True, pepino cultivation in our regions began relatively recently, therefore, few agricultural details are known to a few.
What is pepino
It is a medium-sized fruit that has a sweet taste and aroma of melon. But for this, the fruits must ripen very well, which is quite problematic in some areas of our country. However, this does not stop some gardeners from enjoying delicious pepinos year after year. The smell of ripe fruit is also very expressive. So you can determine its maturity. If there is no aroma, then the fruit has not yet ripened. The color of pepino depends on its degree of maturity. In a ripe fruit, it is bright, rich, yellow-orange. This pepino is eaten fresh as a dessert. If the fruit did not have time to ripen due to weather conditions, then it is used as an ingredient in salads. Melon pear - pepino - has different sizes and weight up to 0.5 kilograms.
What is useful pepino
Pepino fruit has a lot of useful substances in its composition. So that they are well absorbed by the body, it is better to eat it during the day, until 18 pm. This fruit contains virtually no protein. Their mass is only 0.3-0.4 percent. There are no fats in pepino at all. Carbohydrates occupy 6 percent of the total mass, and they can also not be called the main components. The value of pepino lies in the content of vitamins of groups B, A and K. The composition of this fruit includes a very large amount of vitamin C, as well as iron, potassium, copper and magnesium. Therefore, pepino, the cultivation of which is quite possible at home, is not only a tasty, but also a healthy product.
Growing
Melon pear (pepino) is small. This plant can be grown both in greenhouses or open ground, and on the windowsill. Fruits are harvested throughout the season, as their ripening time is not the same. Pepino peel is very thin, but few seeds. The pulp is very tasty and juicy. This made the fruit unusually popular among gardeners and gardeners.
This is a tropical plant that does not like a strong drop in temperature. Therefore, it is better to breed pepino in greenhouses, on glazed balconies or terraces. The temperature should not be lower than 14 degrees. Also, the plant requires high humidity of both soil and air. The temperature fluctuation should not be strong, especially during the growing season.
Outdoor cultivation
Many experienced gardeners grow pepino in the open field, while achieving good results. Some manage to collect up to 7 kilograms of fruit from one bush. Despite the fact that it is a tropical plant, it does not tolerate extreme heat. Regardless of watering, in the hot months pepino blooms, but the fruits are not tied, and the flowers fall. More active fruit ripening begins in early autumn, in September and October. Pepino is very poorly tolerated by strong gusts of wind, because the root system of the plant is shallow and forms in the upper soil layer.
Suitable soil
What kind of soil does pepino love? Cultivation at home should be organized in light and fertile areas, with good drainage. Waterlogged soils with low oxygen content due to their high density are not suitable for this fruit. Excess moisture leads to rotting of the root system. Therefore, watering should be carried out as necessary. You can spray the plant, since air humidity is vital for it, especially in the drier months.
Variety Ramses
Are there varieties of pepino? Cultivation at home is possible, and two varieties of culture are used for this. One of them is Ramses. It is a very productive variety with high productivity. It is resistant to adverse factors. The fruits are medium in size and yellowish-orange in color. Pepino Ramses is distinguished by a tasty, juicy pulp with a light pepper shade. This variety is ideal for growing at home.
Variety Consuelo
The second polarity cultivating pepino variety is Consuelo. It is also successfully grown in our regions, achieving good yields and sufficient ripeness of fruits. Consuelo has bright yellow fruits with light lilac stripes. The conditions for growing this variety should be very favorable, otherwise fruiting will not work. But, nevertheless, this is one of the most commonly used types of pepino in home breeding. Subject to all agrotechnical requirements, it can regularly bear fruit. It is better to use Consuelo for indoor cultivation.
Propagation by cuttings
Pepino is propagated by both seeds and cuttings. Sometimes the second method is more preferable. Seeds in our regions are unripe. In autumn, cuttings are planted in pots with fertile and light soil. They are located on the windowsill on the south side. Do not forget that pepino is a tropical plant that loves warmth. After two or three weeks, the cuttings will take root. Better the first time to cover them with a film. So they better adapt to new conditions. Rooting time depends on many conditions: temperature, watering and soil quality. Cuttings are planted in open ground in mid-May or a little earlier. It all depends on the weather. It is better to place them under a tree with a rare crown. This will provide the plant with enough heat and light, but it will not let it suffer from heat in the hottest months. That's how pepino is propagated. Growing at home in this way is quite simple and affordable.
Propagation by seeds (germination)
The second method of reproduction is a bit more complicated. Growing pepino from seeds is a laborious affair, and their germination is low. Even if you specially germinate the seeds, productivity will still not be too high. Seeds in our climatic conditions do not receive sufficient maturity, which leads to such results. But if you have patience, then you can grow a wonderful pepino in this way.
Seeds germinate for a very long time. The appearance of the first signs takes up to one month. It is important to prepare the seeds for planting. True, only a few sprout in the soil when sowing. As containers, you can use plastic cups or jars. The bottom of the tank is lined with filter paper, which is wetted with water. The seeds are laid in it and put away in a warm place where the temperature does not exceed 28 degrees. When shoots appear, the containers are moved under a fluorescent lamp. There, the seeds should lie until a good sprout appears, and the seed does not split. If necessary, you can help the plant free itself from the peel of the seed, but this must be done carefully.
Planting seeds
When the plant is completely freed from the peel, it is planted in the ground in order to obtain seedlings. It must be pre-treated with hot manganese solution. Plant development is slow, and it needs artificial lighting up to 16 hours a day. After a month and a half, seedling growth accelerates. During this time, you need to carry out several fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. If stepsons appear during the growth period, then they are removed. Pepino should not have more than three stems. The fewer twigs there are, the faster flowering will begin and fruiting will occur. Pepino is planted at the same time as tomato seedlings. This is a heat-loving culture, therefore, spring frosts should not be allowed on it. The pepino care requirements are the same as for tomatoes. This plant also requires garter and pinching. The whole period is important: preparing seeds for planting, germination, obtaining seedlings and planting in the ground.
Fruiting
Fruit setting usually occurs in late spring and early fall. In the summer, pepino does not form due to extreme heat. Fruits that appeared in spring ripen in early June. Therefore, it is very important to plant pepino as early as possible. Autumn fruits usually do not have time to ripen, especially in the open ground. Therefore, it is necessary to make every effort to obtain a crop from the spring ovary or to grow pepino in closed ground.
Use
What is made from pepino? How to eat this fruit? If you harvest correctly, the fruits are very tasty and raw. The peel must be removed before use, also do not forget to remove the seeds. Unripe fruits are used for making jam or salads. Residents of New Zealand prepare soups, sauces from fruits and serve them with seafood and meat. In addition, pepinos are salted, frozen and dried. And from this fruit, delicious jams and compotes are obtained.