Melon

In short: Melons need a sunny spot and fertilized, nutrient-rich soil. Early watermelon varieties such as Sugar Baby ripen in about 75–80 days and reach 3–5 kg, while Crimson Sweet needs 80–85 days. Honeydew melons have smaller fruit but tolerate cold better and ripen earlier, so they are easier to grow.

Many people consider watermelon to be a fruit, but the opposite is true - it's a vegetable that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. The history of this sweet delicacy goes back 4 thousand years to the past, where according to preserved findings, it was grown by ancient Persians.

Watermelon contains not only sweet flesh but also many healing effects. It helps, for example, with melancholic mood or stress, can improve the quality of nails and hair, and reduces the signs of cellulite. Another positive effect is detoxification, which rids our body of free radicals. Last but not least, this vegetable cleanses our blood, kidneys and bladder.

If we want to be beautiful, watermelon will help us with that, as it keeps our skin soft and fresh :)

Melons are divided into two types:

• watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)

Its botanical name is common watermelon and it originates from Africa. This type is quite well-known and very popular especially for its watery, sweet flesh, its peel is dark green with stripes and black seeds are hidden in the flesh.

Watermelon contains about 90% water.

The fruits can reach a weight of up to about 15 kg, allegedly a "little one" weighing as much as 122 kg was found. However, if you want to enjoy watermelon, choose smaller ones weighing around 12 kg. Nowadays, there is even a specially bred variety available in which you won't find any seeds. The calorie content in watermelon is very low, ranging around 15 to 30 kcal / 100 g.

Most commonly grown varieties:

Janosik - This variety boasts a light green striped peel and flesh interestingly colored yellow.

Lajko II F1 - This is an early hybrid variety that brings a large harvest, plus it's very resistant to diseases and adverse weather. Its dark green peel is hard and the pink flesh is delicate, it grows to a size of about 4.5 kg.

Sugar baby - This is an early variety with a dark peel covered with light stripes, it has dark red, sweet flesh and grows to a size of about 3 to 5 kg. The growing season ranges around 75 to 80 days.

Crimson Sweet - This watermelon has oval fruits that, under favorable conditions, can grow to a size of up to 15 kg. Their flesh is bright red to pink and the skin is dark green complemented by light stripes. The vegetation period is 80 to 85 days, requiring sufficient supply of light and water, and humus-rich soil that needs to be well fertilized.

• Honeydew melon (Cucumis melo)

This melon most commonly has a green cracked skin and bright yellow flesh, although this can vary according to individual varieties. Their fruits are smaller compared to watermelon fruits. However, due to their cold resistance and earlier ripening, they are easier to grow.

Most commonly grown varieties:

Carib Gold - This hybrid variety is typical for its high yield and resistance to weather conditions. It has dark orange flesh and has long shelf life after harvest.

Melba - This is an early variety suitable for growing in warmer areas, in locations protected from wind. It thrives best in loamy-sandy soils rich in nutrients.

Honeydew melon is most commonly served in combination with Parma ham as an excellent appetizer.