Content
Serpentine melon, Armenian cucumber, Tarra are the names of one plant. Serpentine melon is a type of melon, of the genus Cucumber, of the Pumpkin family. The melon culture has an unusual appearance, resembles a vegetable in shape, but with a fruit smell and taste. Melon is widespread in the Middle East, Iran. A hybrid form of cucumber and melon was cultivated in Crete, Afghanistan, in the countries of North Africa. In Russia, it is grown on personal plots.
Description of snake melon
Snake melon is a herbaceous climbing plant. The main lash reaches 3 m in length. Forms many side shoots. The stem is rigidly lowered, creeping. The foliage is pale green. The shape is reminiscent of cucumber and melon leaves. The leaf plate is large, rounded, rigid, with small hairs.
Fruits are oblong. The color is light green. There is a slight drop in a silvery shade. The length of the serpentine melon reaches half a meter. Weight 1 kg. However, there are specimens weighing up to 6 kg. Unripe fruits are bright green in color. A sign of ripeness is the appearance of a yellow color. The skin becomes thinner. The surface acquires an uneven, rough texture.
There is no air space inside the serpentine fruit. The pulp is crispy, juicy, and tender. White color. A pronounced melon aroma is felt. The watery content has many small seeds.
Fruits are formed on the main shoot, as well as on the second-order lashes. The flowers of the serpentine melon are mostly heterosexual. Their color is yellow. However, bisexual flowers are also found. They are white in color.
The snake melon can be easily transported over long distances. One plant can grow up to 10 fruits.
Application
Snake melon is a melon culture that combines a variety of tastes and smells. Therefore, it is not surprising that the serpentine fruit is used in cooking. It is used in fresh salads as a snack. They also make preparations for the winter. However, it is worth remembering that the hybrids will be tasty only when ripe.
Besides the nutritional value, the fruit is also a medicinal product. They are used in folk medicine for the treatment of urolithiasis, constipation, atherosclerosis, obesity, arthritis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and the gastrointestinal tract. The vitamins contained in the pulp of snake melon in large quantities improve blood flow, intestinal motility, and stimulate the secretion of gastric juice.
Growing snake melon
There are no particular difficulties in the process of caring for a snake melon. Agrotechnology is similar to the principles of caring for an ordinary cucumber, which imply timely weeding, watering, feeding, tying.
Seedling preparation
Sowing snake melon in the ground is possible when the ground temperature is at least + 15 ° C. The optimal parameters are + 18-25 ° С. The soil on the site is completely warmed up, usually in the second half of May. For simultaneous germination, the planting material is pre-soaked in water with a root formation stimulator. The breeding rules and norms of the stimulating drug are indicated on the seed package. If the amount of moisture in the soil is normal, then after a week the first shoots will appear.
In regions with colder climates, snake melon is bred in seedlings. The dates for planting seeds in boxes fall at the end of April. To avoid the diving procedure, you can sow the melon directly into the cups.
For planting snake melon in the ground, it is advisable to give preference to glazed seeds. They have already been treated with special disinfectants. Each seed has its own shell, which contains the nutrients necessary for growth. Although you can try to prepare the planting material yourself. For this, a fully ripe fruit is selected. Take out the seeds from the middle and rinse them thoroughly under running water. Next, the seeds need to dry. Store them in paper packaging or glass containers. Expiration date 36 months.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
Snake melon is not demanding on the chemical composition of the soil. Easily tolerates light soil salinization. Grows in clay soils. Good yields have been seen when the crop is grown in fertile soils with low moisture levels. However, for full development, the land must be loose and light.
Snake melon grows well in sunny areas. Direct exposure to ultraviolet rays does not bring a negative effect on the plant, but, on the contrary, stimulates active growth.
Before planting, the site must be dug up and leveled. Delete weeds along with the roots. If the soil is severely depleted, it is recommended to carry mineral fertilizers.
Landing rules
The technology for planting snake melon is simple. Before planting seeds in open ground, you need to check their quality. Especially if the planting material was collected with his own hand. For this, the seeds are dipped into a container with potassium permanganate. Unsuitable seeds will float to the surface. They should not be planted, since they will not give a result.
Place 23 seeds in each hole. Planting depth - 5 cm.The distance between the holes is 70-80 cm, and the row spacing is 150 cm.
When planting seedlings, the algorithm of agrotechnical methods should be observed:
- make a shallow hole;
- place a seedling in the center;
- sprinkle the roots with earth;
- it is not necessary to compact the soil tightly;
- water abundantly.
Since the procedure is performed after the end of spring frosts, the plants do not need shelter.
Watering and feeding
Snake melon reacts negatively to excess moisture. Therefore, watering should be plentiful, but not frequent. In dry, hot weather, it will be enough once a week. In the presence of rainy days, the number of procedures should be reduced to two times a month.
It is preferable to choose organic fertilizers as top dressing. In the spring, you can use nitrogen-containing preparations. After planting, the serpentine culture should be fertilized with a weakly concentrated solution of mullein, then alternated with minerals.
Vegetable culture needs frequent weeding and loosening of the soil. Weeds can inhibit the growth of snake melon or shade the sun's rays. Loosening of the soil must be performed at least 2 times a week.
Formation
The snake melon does not need pinching and pinching. To prevent the serpentine fruits from lying on the ground, wooden trellises are installed. Vertical supports are installed on opposite edges of the beds. A string is pulled between them, to which the twine lowered down is attached. The shoots are directed to grow on them. This contributes to better ventilation, illumination and less contact of the plant with the soil.
Harvesting
Snake melon is an early ripening hybrid variety. The ripening period is 70 days from the moment the first shoots appear. 7-10 fruits can grow on one bush. Fruiting lasts until the first cold weather.
When the harvest is ripe, they pluck it from the lashes along with the stalk. Thus, the shelf life of the fruit of the snake melon is increased. The ripe vegetable is placed on the street under a canopy.Straw must be laid under it to minimize the risk of fruit rot. On average, fully ripened snake melon can lay without loss of flavor for 30-45 days.
Diseases and pests
The snake melon is prized by gardeners for its high resistance to powdery mildew. It tolerates temperature changes without consequences. With such immunity, it is possible to grow a natural product that would not be subjected to chemical treatments. The main enemy of the melon culture is aphids. It feeds on the sap of the serpentine hybrid. Sucking out moisture, it affects most of the lashes, leading to the death of the bush. At an early stage, this insect is fought with an onion solution:
- 200 g of onions;
- 50 g of wood ash;
- 10 g of liquid soap;
- 20 g of ground black pepper;
- 10 liters of warm water.
Peel and chop the onion to a gruel state. Combine with the rest of the ingredients. To stir thoroughly. Then strain the mixture. Treat the surface of the shoots with a liquid from all sides. Repeat the procedure several times at weekly intervals.
In rare cases of fungal infections, the bushes of snake melon are sprayed with fungicides of systemic action, at intervals of 7-10 days. Insect pests are destroyed with insecticide preparations.
Conclusion
Snake melon will not only quench your thirst, but also delight you with an exotic taste. They appreciate the melons and gourds for their high yield, resistance to infections and weather conditions, and ease of cultivation. The fruits contain a rich chemical composition and have nutritional value. The plant helps in the treatment of serious diseases.
