Did you know that melons can also grow in Germany? In our overview, we present you with the best types and varieties of melons for your home garden.
Melons come in countless varieties and variations - many of them are well-known in this country and very popular, especially in summer. But which types of melons are there anyway? And how are they divided? The melons, which belong to the cucurbit family (Cucurbitaceae), are divided into two types: watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) with their green to yellow skin and the watery red, orange to yellow flesh and sugar melons (Cucumis melo). The latter includes the ever-popular honeydew melon with its sweet scent, the rusty netted melon, the smooth-skinned pineapple melon and the cantaloupe with its bright orange flesh. But despite the great temptation, not all melon varieties are suitable for cultivation in our latitudes. We will introduce you to suitable melon types and varieties that also grow in Germany.
Types of melons: All types at a glance
Melons can be divided into two types, muskmelons and watermelons. While watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) stand alone, four subspecies can be found under the category of sugar melons (Cucumis melo):
- Honeydew melon (Cucumis melo var. inodorus)
- Melon (Cucumis melo var. reticulatus)
- Smooth Melon or Pineapple Melon (Cucumis melo var. saccharinus)
- Cantaloupe melon (Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis)
By the way: Although watermelons and cantaloupes are both called melons, they are not very closely related botanically. In fact, cantaloupe melon (Cucumis melo) is more closely related to cucumber (Cucumis sativus) than to watermelon.
Can you grow melons in Germany?
Melon types and varieties that are less sensitive to cold are particularly suitable for cultivation in Germanyreact and mature early. There are varieties of watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melon suitable for outdoor cultivation. In addition to the choice of variety, there are other points to consider. Melons should be placed on the windowsill from March so that they can ripen safely here. Planting out in the greenhouse, as with tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), should be done from the beginning of May. Melons are allowed outdoors from mid-May after the ice saints. Melons love warmth and a sheltered location, this also applies to cold-tolerant varieties. They do best with a heat-retaining rock or wall behind them. They should be given enough space to spread their tendrils well.
Melons are climbing and usually have male and female flowers, like the courgettes (Cucurbita pepo var. pepo). They grow as a long tendril, with flowers and later fruit developing on the side shoots. Sugar melons, like cucumbers, can be guided upwards. However, the heavy fruits need to be supported. Melons are nutrient hungry, but they have shallow roots and little access to nutrients in the lower layers of soil. They particularly benefit from a superficially incorporated, primarily organic slow-release fertilizer for vegetables, such as our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer. The plant-based granulate is slowly decomposed by soil organisms and thus releases its nutrients in small amounts. After about two months it should be fertilized and the soil should always be kept slightly moist. Mulching with plant material reduces evaporation and the fruit does not lie directly on the ground. A wooden disc can also be used for this, on which the melons rest until they are harvested.
Melon types and varieties for Germany
In Germany, mainly water, pineapple, honey and cantaloupe melons are grown. You can find the best watermelon varieties in our special article. In the following we will show you the varieties suitable for growing sugar melons in Germany.
Sweet melons for cultivation in Germany
Sweet melons can be broken down into four subspecies, of which only the particularly demanding netted melons are not grown in Germany. For cultivation in our latitudesparticularly early ripening varieties should be chosen. Here we present suitable varieties for cultivation in Germany.
- 'Ananas': This crunchy variety with yellow flesh is one of the cold-tolerant varieties; their fruity-sweet taste is reminiscent of pineapple. It forms its own subspecies of the smooth melon or pineapple melon.
- 'Blenheim Orange': This honeydew melon variety produces oval-shaped fruits that can weigh up to 1 kg. She inspires with strongly fragrant, sweet pulp and reliable yield.
- 'Charentais': This French cantaloupe melon produces small, round fruits with orange flesh. It has a particularly sweet, aromatic taste. Its fruits reach a weight of about 0.5 to 1.5 kg, the skin is greyish with green stripes when ripe.
- 'Oka': A historic 1912 honeydew melon variety from the Canadian town of Oka. It also becomes sweet in cooler summers and bears palm-sized, grey-green fruits with deep orange flesh.
- 'Oliwin': This oval honeydew melon weighing up to 1 kg has a smooth, white skin over a delicate green flesh. The Polish variety was selected for cold tolerance and ripens from the beginning to mid-August. The taste of the honeydew melon is aromatic and fruity.
- 'Rich Sweetness': A small melon variety from the former Soviet Union with dark orange coloring and sunny yellow stripes. The creamy-white flesh of the many palm-sized honeydew melons tastes juicy and sweet and can be eaten with a spoon.
- 'Sweet Granite': A honeydew melon specially bred for climatically unfavorable areas with short summers. This variety is orange-yellow on the outside and inside and has a good sweetness. It is said to be bred by Professor Elwyn Meader of the University of New Hampshire.
- 'Zuccherino': This Italian cantaloupe melon develops oval, yellowish fruits with dark green stripes early on. Its flesh is orange-yellow in color and tastes aromatic and sweet.
In the meantime, there is already a large selection of melon varieties for our latitudes, both for outdoor cultivation and for cultivation in greenhouses. Because of the different ripening times, it is worth growing several varieties. In this way you can harvest a wide variety of sweet melon fruits throughout the summer. Detailed instructions and tipsfor growing melons can be found in our special article.