This heat-loving gourd was previously grown only in such hot areas as Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan or the Caucasus. However, thanks to the work of breeders, many varieties of melons have now appeared that can be grown in open ground in central Russia and the Moscow region. In addition, melons have appeared that can be grown on protected beds in Siberia and the Urals.
How do the rules for planting this melon crop in the conditions of the Moscow region and the middle zone of our country differ from those in the Urals and Siberia?
The main difference between the Moscow region and central Russia from the Urals and Siberia is the number of warm days in the summer season. This is the reason for the difference in the cultivation of heat-loving melon in the conditions of the middle belt and colder regions of Siberia and the Urals.
If all the basic rules for melon care are followed, then in these regions they get good harvests, and this melon crop grows almost as sweet and juicy as in Uzbekistan.
But in Siberia and the Urals, where warm days during the season are not enough for the melon to ripen in the open field, it is still possible to get harvests of this melon crop. Only it has to be grown in a greenhouse on.
The basic requirements for planting melons in open ground or in a greenhouse are as follows:
The main condition for obtaining a good harvest of this melon crop in fairly cold regions is the correct selection of varieties for planting.
What should be guided by when choosing melon varieties for growing on a personal plot? The main criteria should be the following:
| Variety name | Main characteristics | ripening period |
| Assol F1 | The fruits are round; yellow, mesh skin, sweet flesh | Average ripening time (approximately 82 days) |
| Cinderella | The fruits are oblong, medium in size, weigh up to 1 kg, the flesh is white, sweet | Average ripening time |
| Galileo | The fruit is round, the shade of the peel is bright yellowish, the flesh is pale greenish, the fruit weighs up to 1.5 kg | Ripening period - medium |
| Yukar F1 | The fruit is oblong, the skin is light yellow, reticulated, the size of the fruit is up to 1.7 kg. The variety is very productive | Early maturity (55 days) |
| Caramel F1 | The fruit is a regular oval, the skin color is pale yellow, mesh, the fruit weighs up to 2.5 kg | Average ripening time |
| Princess Maria F1 | The fruit is oblong, light yellow in color, the skin is even, the flesh smells like nutmeg, the color of the pulp is orange | Early maturity (about 2 months) |
| Variety name | Main characteristics | ripening period |
| Scythian gold | The fruit is similar to an oval of regular shape, its color is bright yellow, resistant to fungal diseases. The fruit weighs up to 1.5 kg | Mid-early variety |
| Collective farmer | The fruits of this melon are like balls, smooth in shape and pale yellow in color, the flesh is white, the melon weighs about 1000 g | Average ripening time |
| Alina | The fruit is similar to an oval, bright yellow, the pulp is yellowish green, the melon is resistant to major diseases, fruits weigh up to 1000 g | Ripening time - early |
| Iroquois | The fruits are spherical, the skin is divided into segments, covered with a mesh, the skin color is yellowish-green, the flesh has an orange tint, the weight of the fruit is up to 2 kg | Medium early fruit ripening |
| A pineapple | Fruits - oblong oval, yellow skin with an orange tint, covered with a fine mesh, weigh about 3 kg | Ripening in the middle |
| Tamanskaya | The fruit is similar to a medium oval, the skin is smooth, bright yellow, the weight of the fruit is about 1.2 kg | Early maturity |
| Name | Main characteristics | ripening period |
| Sybarite dream | The fruit has the shape of a regular oval, its color is pale greenish with dark green stripes, the flesh is white, the yield is good, the fruits weigh up to 400 g | The variety is characterized by early maturity (50 days) |
| Delano F1 | The fruit is an oval, the color is light yellow, almost creamy, mesh peel, weight can be from 2.5 to 5.9 kg. The variety is disease resistant | Early ripeness of fruits (65 days) |
| Nectarine | The fruits are elongated, the peel is orange, the flesh is light beige, the fruits weigh from 1.4 to 2.9 kg | Ripening up to 94 days |
| Melba | Bushes of medium size, the fruits are similar to the correct oval, the skin is beige-yellow, mesh, the fruits weigh about 600 g | Ultra early (up to 30 days) |
| canary honey | The shape of the fruit is a ball, the skin color is lemon, there is no mesh, the pulp is white, the melons weigh about 1.4 kg | Early ripening (about 2 months) |
| bird's milk | The fruits are rounded, the skin color is lemon yellow, with a large mesh pattern. Fruit weight about 600 gr | Early ripening (about 2 months) |
| Variety name | Main characteristics | ripening period |
| Barnaulka | The fruits are elongated, the skin is yellowish without reticulation, the fruits are small (about 1.5 kg). The pulp is orange. | Super early maturing (about 45 days) |
| "Dima" | Round fruits, segmented skin, divided by green stripes, when ripe, the skin turns yellow, fruit weight is about 700 g | Early variety |
| Amber | The fruits are elongated or pear-shaped, the skin is mesh when ripe, on average the fruit can weigh about 1000 g | Mid-season variety |
| Early 133 | Fruits - balls, smooth yellowish skin, fruits weigh up to 2 kg | Early variety (65 days) |
| Titovka | The fruits are regular ovals, the skin is smooth orange, the fruits weigh from 700 g to 3.4 kg, the plants are resistant to bacteriosis | Ultraearly |
| Lyubushka | The fruits are egg-like, the skin is not completely mesh, yellowish-lemon in color, the flesh is greenish, the plant has a good yield, the fruits weigh up to 1.8 kg | Ultra-early variety |
Basically, the varieties zoned for Siberia and the Urals differ in early ripening. At the same time, the mass of fruits is not large (no more than 3 kg). You should not use imported varieties of this gourd for planting in these regions, because they are not highly resistant to fungal diseases, and in cold climates they do not give large yields.
Growing melons in different regions of our country, you should be careful about the choice of varieties. This heat-loving plant needs special growing conditions. In the middle lane and in the Moscow region, seedlings are pre-grown, which are then planted in open ground. In the Moscow region, you can also grow this gourd in greenhouse conditions, but you can not do warm beds.
But in the conditions of Siberia and the Urals, in order to get good yields of this melon crop, melon seeds should be planted only in a greenhouse, where warm beds are prepared in advance. You can also plant melon in greenhouses and seedlings. In this case, the harvest can be obtained earlier.
The harsh continental climate of the Urals is different in that not every plant can survive in such a climate, and what can I say, not every plant grows! As for the melon, they also learned how to grow it in the Urals thanks to the ingenuity of experienced summer residents and the availability of modern greenhouses! The climate of the Urals is completely unsuitable for growing melons, and therefore if you still want to grow melons, then you should create more favorable conditions, which, in fact, allows you to do a greenhouse.
Despite the fact that melons will be grown in greenhouse conditions, it is better to select cold-resistant varieties. It could be "Collective Farm Girl", "Honey" or maybe "Nectarine". In addition, pay attention to the ripening time and it is best to use melon seeds that have a different ripening period, but in any case it does not exceed 75 days. In this case, melons simply do not have time to ripen even in a greenhouse.
Once purchased or removed from the fruit, seeds must be stored properly until planting. The storage temperature should only be room temperature and the seeds should never be placed in a damp, cold room.
Intending to grow melons, you need to think about building a greenhouse since autumn. The structure not only needs to be erected, it is necessary to build proper ventilation in it, create good lighting, both natural and artificial, and the melons must be well blown without any drafts, and the right temperature must be maintained in the greenhouse.
You will immediately need to plan where you are, what you will plant, since melons can be grown in parallel with other vegetables and organic fertilizers must be applied in the place where melons will grow. It can be humus or manure. In the fall, dig up the bed and build a support near it, to which the melons will attach, on their own they will not be able to trail up and hold heavy fruits.
In the spring (somewhere in April), several holes are made in the area of \u200b\u200bthe beds (at a distance of 30 cm) and they are shed two days before planting the seeds with boiling water or a weak solution of manganese. Three seeds are placed in each hole and sprinkled with a centimeter layer of soil. It is recommended that melon seeds be dipped into water before planting so that they are already sprouted when planted. In a warm room, sprouts appear about a week after soaking.
After planting, each well is watered with warm water (room water) and a glass or a light bag is immediately placed on top. This is necessary to create the greenhouse effect. Glass must be lifted and put down daily to warm up and ventilate the soil, otherwise the seeds may dry out. As soon as the sprouts begin to appear, they will need to be additionally covered so that they do not freeze. It can be old buckets, rags.
After the melon sprouts "hatch" wait until the fifth healthy leaf grows, pinch the lash immediately above it so that lateral shoots form. Then, in the same way, it will be necessary to pinch each next lash also over the fifth sheet.
As soon as warm weather returns outside, the melons will need to be fed. It would be good to use complex mineral supplements and partially organic. It is desirable to water the melons as the soil surface dries out; too abundant watering is not needed.
Each lash should be gradually tied up, and during flowering, open the greenhouse so that insects can penetrate it. Harvesting should be done as it ripens, avoiding festering. Weeds from the garden should be immediately thrown away far beyond the greenhouse.
Few people know that delicious fragrant melon is the source of many healing qualities. As part of a useful berry - vitamins C, A, PP, vitamins of group B. The iron content is 17 times higher than in milk, and carotene is higher than in carrots. Healing properties combined with high palatability have made this crop popular with gardeners in the middle lane, Siberia and the Urals.
Successful cultivation of melons in unfamiliar regions requires the selection of a suitable variety.
What varieties are the most productive and proven?
When choosing a variety, the climatic conditions of the given region, the ripening time, where the crop will be grown (film shelters or open ground) are taken into account.
The most common varieties are:
| Variety name | Ripening time, days | Fruit weight, kg |
| Collective farmer | 75 – 95 | 1,5 |
| pineapple | 70 – 80 | 1,8 – 2 |
| Altai | 62 – 70 | 1,5 |
| Golden | 75 – 80 | 1,5 |
| Titovka | 55 – 70 | 2 |
| Early 133 | 65 – 70 | 1,5 |
| Sweet Pineapple F I | 65 – 70 | 1,5 |
For cultivation in the middle lane, early ripe varieties are used: Kharkovskaya, Gribovskaya soil, Lemon, Golden, Early 133, Krinichanka, Dessertnaya, Tobolinka.
If you decide to treat yourself to melons in a later period, then select varieties with late ripening dates: Torpedo, Ethiopian, Turkmen giant, Sharente. The latest varieties ripen to cold weather and are stored until December: White Muscat, Zabavka, Polidor, Sweet Green, Pulu, Stefanovskaya. Melons of these varieties are distinguished by fragrant pulp and become tastier and sweeter during storage.
Melon seeds for better fruiting must be taken 3-4 years ago, otherwise you risk growing strong plants with only male flowers. To check the germination, the seeds are dipped in a two percent solution of edible salt. Only seeds that have sunk to the bottom are selected. Then they are washed with clean water.
Pre-sowing seed treatment is carried out with one of the drugs that stimulate growth:
After treatment for 6-12 hours with periodic airing, the seeds are dried and hardened. During the week, the seeds are periodically (for 18-20 hours) maintained at temperatures of +35°C and 0°C, gradually changing the regime. This technique allows you to increase the resistance of the culture to a sharp change in temperature.
Since melon is a southern and thermophilic culture, it is problematic to grow it with a short cold summer. Therefore, growing it through seedlings becomes appropriate. 
Experienced gardeners for the successful cultivation of seedlings use the following techniques:
To prevent infection with a black leg, a layer of dry river sand is poured around the stem.
A site with good lighting and on the south side is selected. If this is a greenhouse, then the southern part of the greenhouse. The soil for planting is prepared in advance:
To create the culture of optimal conditions for growth and maturation, the method of warm ridges is used:
The term for planting melons in the soil is determined by the temperature of the soil: the thermometer is placed at a depth of 10 cm, and when it is +18 in the morning, the soil is ready for planting. For the middle lane, this is approximately the end of May - the beginning of June. 
Seedlings are placed at a distance of 50 cm with row spacing of 70 cm. The holes are watered abundantly and mulched.
Watering is done as the soil dries up, but we should not forget that this is a southern culture, and the sun is more important for it than moisture. Therefore, planks or pieces of polystyrene are placed under the fruits that have begun to grow. The larger the melons become, the less often watering is done. In this case, it is undesirable to get moisture on plants and fruits.
Top dressing with nitrogen fertilizers is applied at least twice with an interval of 2-3 weeks. They are successfully replaced with infusions of chicken manure or mullein.
When growing, one should not forget about such an important point as pinching, with the help of which the formation of a larger number of fruit-bearing lashes on the bush is achieved:
In the process of growth, excess shoots and ovaries are removed, leaving 5-6 largest fruits evenly distributed along the stem. Growing lashes are directed from row spacing to the ridge to avoid excessive moisture. At the end of the ripening period, the plants are not watered, especially if there is heavy dew in the morning.
Seedlings are planted in heated greenhouses at the end of March, in unheated greenhouses - a month later. Seedlings should reach the age of 35-40 days. If it is cool in the greenhouse in the first days, the plants are covered with a film or spunbond for the night. 
As the plant grows, it forms into one or 2-3 stems, depending on the distance between the seedlings. With a single-line planting, distances of 80 by 60 cm are observed, with a two-line planting - 40 by 30-50 cm, with a row spacing of 1 m.
The temperature regime when growing in a greenhouse is observed within:
Humidity is maintained no higher than 70-80%, with the beginning of flowering and fruiting, it drops to 60%. As the plant grows, it is tied to the trellis, and the grown fruits are placed in special nets that are attached to the frame of the greenhouse.
A prerequisite for successful cultivation in a greenhouse is the observance of preventive and protective measures. To do this, the greenhouse is disinfected, diseased and dead parts of plants and weeds are periodically removed, and a sawdust mat is laid at the entrance, which is constantly treated with solutions of formalin, salt or bleach. For work in the greenhouse, overalls and equipment are provided, which are also periodically disinfected.
For cultivation in the regions of the Urals, cold-resistant varieties Kolkhoznitsa, Melba, Medovaya, Nectarine are suitable. Selected varieties with early ripening, no more than 70-75 days. 
Due to the short summer, cultivation is only possible in greenhouses using seedlings. At the same time, for better formation of ovaries, artificial pollination is carried out. After pollination, the flower is closed with a cotton swab to avoid cross-pollination.
The main mistake when growing melons in greenhouses is waterlogging. To avoid this, rare (not more than 2 times a week) watering, loosening the soil and airing are carried out. There should be no condensation on the walls, otherwise it will not be possible to avoid diseases.
For cultivation in Siberian regions, a site is selected not only with good lighting, but also protected from cold Siberian winds. Varieties with a ripening period of less than 100 days are selected: "Cappuccino", "Kolkhoz Woman", "Honey Tale", "Eclair", "Cinderella", "Tidbit", "Nectarine", "Turkmenka". 
If you do not have a warm bed and a greenhouse, then for Siberia you can use the following method:
Covering materials are removed when the likelihood of a drop in temperature has passed.
For the successful cultivation of melons under different climatic conditions, three parameters must be observed:
If these conditions are met, the plant will delight you with a plentiful and fragrant harvest.
Growing melons in a greenhouse in the Urals is an easy task. Of course, you will need warmth, bright lighting, but creating the necessary atmosphere in a greenhouse is not difficult. The main conditions for obtaining a rich harvest are proper soil preparation, stable temperature and regular watering.
When planting gourds in a greenhouse, special attention will have to be paid to the soil. It should be warm, with a sufficient level of acidity.
Note! Acidity is tested with litmus paper. The litmus strip should turn blue.
Before you start growing, the soil must be thoroughly moistened and fertilized. You can use superphosphate, compost, fresh manure. They need to be evenly distributed over the surface of the soil, after digging the soil with a shovel. It needs to be watered at the rate of 5-10 liters per 1 m².
The greenhouse must be heated. Fruit ripening is adversely affected by stale air, so the greenhouse should be ventilated frequently, but carefully. Watering the growing melon is recommended by the drip method, only after the topsoil has completely dried.
Even before planting the melon, you need to prepare supports (ordinary sticks 0.5-1m long are suitable) that will support the fruits. The necessary lighting must be installed in the room. The minimum level of illumination for normal melon growth should be 6-7 kilolux. This level is measured by a special device - a luxmeter.
Note! Seedlings must be handled very carefully so as not to damage the delicate sprouts.
To plant a plant, you need a high greenhouse, preferably made of polycarbonate. It is better suited for growing this crop. Its height must be at least 2 meters.
First you need to prepare the soil for planting.
Seeds need to be checked for germination using a salt solution. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to a glass of water, dip the planting material into the solution. Seeds that settle to the bottom can be used for planting. Those that pop up will not grow, they should be thrown away. Before planting, it is recommended to put them in a container with boric acid for about 11-12 hours or put them in hot water (+60 ° C) for 5-6 minutes, then take them out and soak on gauze for three days.
melon seeds
When planting a plant in open ground, preparation should begin in the fall. In early September, the soil needs to be dug up to an average depth (on a shovel bayonet). After that, you will need to add fertilizers to the ground, for example, humus. For 1m2 it will require 4kg. If the soil is clayey, you need to add river sand at the rate of half a bucket per square meter. Further, the process is almost no different from growing in a greenhouse.
When choosing a variety for planting, you should consider the ripening time. This is important, because in the Urals the frost-free time is only 80-90 days. It is worth giving preference to varieties with a fruit weight of no more than 2-3 kg, large melons simply do not have time to ripen.
The best greenhouse varieties for planting:
With proper cultivation and following all the recommendations, you can get a tasty and juicy melon even in a greenhouse. By wisely choosing a variety, cultivating, processing seeds, you can count on an excellent harvest!
