We bought a melon torpedo, why is it bitter. Momordica (bitter melon) is a Vietnamese medicine for cancer and diabetes. Olive, cheese and melon

We love melon for its marvelous aroma, honey sweetness of a ripe fruit. If suddenly bitterness remains in the mouth after it, then this is a sure sign that the fruit is spoiled, it cannot be eaten. But there is a completely different plant, whose fruits are called "bitter melon." It has edible young shoots, leaves, fruit pulp and seeds. All parts of beautiful ornamental fruits have medicinal value are widely used in folk medicine. What is bitter melon?

When we buy a small round local melon or a long Central Asian melon with a breathtaking aroma, we expect a feast of sweet taste in our mouths. If instead we feel bitterness, then something is wrong with this melon.

Most often, the reason is that the fetus could be affected by fungal infections, after which an unpleasant taste appears in the mouth. The increased content of nitrates will also not make the pulp sweeter. To avoid such troubles, you need to carefully consider the fruits when buying and do not take those whose skin is damaged. Remember that cracks are an open road for infections and bacteria, and a bitter taste in the mouth helps us stop in time.

But "bitter melon" is a completely different plant, it is also called Indian cucumber or Chinese melon. This very beautiful liana from the pumpkin family is represented by 20 species known today, among which there are annual and perennial plants. But two of them are most often cultivated: momordica charantia (from the Latin name) and Cochin.

They came to us from the Indian tropics, the Chinese south and the Caribbean islands, where their wild counterparts grow. Despite its southern origin, the "bitter melon" has taken root in our dachas and household plots. Some were captivated by the beauty of the plant, especially bright exotic fruits, others liked the unusual dishes from them, and others are pinning their hopes on amazing medicinal properties.

Thin shoots grow up to 4 meters, they are strong enough to hold large carved bright green leaves. Yellow flowers bloom in turn - first male with a pleasant sweet smell, then female. Almost immediately after pollination, ovaries are formed, large green fruits grow, similar to warty cucumbers, as they ripen, they become yellow-orange in color.

Summer residents appreciate momordica for its decorative effect: any fence can be decorated by running a liana along it with large beautifully outlined leaves of rich green color, with fruits up to 25 cm long, which, when ripe, turn from green to bright orange. Interestingly, until the very ripening of the fruits, the branches are covered with stinging hairs, which for some reason completely disappear after the fruits ripen. Ripe fruits open, the skin with a thin layer of pulp is divided into three parts, which are wrapped up, becoming like huge bright three-lobed flowers. Up to 30 seeds are poured out of each fruit, covered with a dark red dense skin with pulp (like large pomegranate seeds), after biting which bitterness is felt in the mouth.

This plant is very beautiful, it strikes with its tropical brightness in the midst of our reserved nature. In this culture, everything is beautiful and unusual for our eyes, even seeds. Oddly enough, it is very easy to grow. It feels great not only in greenhouses, but also in the open air, you can put it on the balcony and even on the windowsill. True, there is one caveat - in a short summer it is not always possible to get ripened fruits, which is why many grow it through seedlings.

The chemical composition of bitter melon

"Bitter melon" is able to amaze not only with its spectacular appearance, but also with its changing taste. And the chemical composition of the fruits will outdo the most useful and nutritious vegetables in our garden. Momordica contains:

• more proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fiber and sugars than eggplant and bell peppers;
• more beta-carotene than broccoli;
• twice as much calcium as the notorious spinach;
• more potassium than a banana.

In addition, there is still a lot of iron, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus in bitter melon, folic acid, which is so necessary for the bone marrow. Vitamins are selected better than in any multivitamin complex: B groups - for nervous system, E - anti-aging, C and F - for strength and vigor. And all this can be obtained from one plant! Only here it is not always pleasant to eat because of bitterness. Moreover, the more ripe the fruit, the more bitter its pulp in the mouth.

Unripe fruits are crisp and juicy, like a green cucumber or bell pepper. The seeds are removed from them before cooking. pulp unripe fruits eaten raw, canned, boiled and fried. They use recipes from Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Vietnamese cuisines. It is interesting and pleasant to eat momordica with yogurt, meat or potatoes, include in the composition vegetable stew. For us, these are unusual exotic dishes. That's why it's interesting to try them. For example, the Okinawan cuisine of Japan offers dishes that simply melt in your mouth.

Ripe momordica leaves behind a very bitter taste, so it is more often used in traditional medicine than in cooking.

The use of fruits and seeds due to their amazing chemical composition has a healing effect on the entire body. They help cleanse and strengthen blood vessels, stimulate the work of the heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas, strengthen the immune system and the body's resistance to infectious diseases.

Many saw in this plant a panacea for all diseases, which cannot but alert. It is known that it can cause poisoning in children, worsen the condition of patients with ulcers of the digestive system. The long-term use of momordica by Tibetan, Chinese or Japanese folk medicine should not contribute to its uncontrolled use in our reality - everything must be approached rationally and carefully.

Proper watermelon care

Chinese melon is not difficult to grow in temperate climates. It is propagated by seeds and cuttings.

Seeds are often used to grow annual plants through seedlings. The darkest ones are selected from them, they are disinfected with potassium permanganate, after which they are placed on a damp cloth smeared with honey, left near the central heating battery. After 2 weeks, germinated seeds are planted in peat cups. The leaf soil is mixed with humus, heated for disinfection, the seeds are slightly pressed into it with the rib down, covered with heated sand from above. Crops create a greenhouse effect with a temperature not lower than +20 degrees and high humidity. After a couple of weeks, cups with sprouted seedlings can be opened. Then it is watered, fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers, hardened, and at the end of May they are planted outside.

The plant needs to pick up a dry, bright place with light nutrient soil, prepare supports for the vine. As the plant grows, thin out so that the leaves and new shoots do not obscure each other, otherwise this will negatively affect the yield.

When working with a plant, hands must be protected, otherwise its burning hairs leave burns after contact.

This tropical beauty loves moisture, but does not tolerate stagnant water at the roots. In the middle of a hot summer, it is watered daily, preferably in the evening, and in the morning it is worth slightly loosening the soil. It is sprinkled as it is washed out. Feed the vine with complex mineral fertilizers after 3 weeks, you can use a liquid solution of a mixture of cow manure with chicken manure.

Among the diseases you need to be wary of gray rot, bacteriosis, powdery mildew. Can pester aphids. If such troubles happen, colloidal sulfur gives a good effect, the affected plants are sprayed with it, diluting 40 g in 10 liters of water. Plants are also powdered with wood ash.

For food, the fruits are harvested about 10 days after the formation of the ovary - they have already grown, but not yet ripe, the skin has turned yellow, but has not yet become orange. If you wait a couple more days, the fruit will become very bitter, and eating it will be accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the mouth.

Momordica is easy to grow. Caring for her can be a pleasure. She will decorate country cottage area and even healthier. But before using this exotic plant in food it is worth studying the issue very carefully and trying only a small portion. It is undesirable to give it to children.

Video "Growing momordica"

This video features momordica charantia and how it is cultivated in the garden.

When harvesting vegetables, the economical host sometimes becomes extremely illegible. He puts rotten carrots, moldy beets in a basket. Got a sick potato tuber? It doesn't matter - we'll feed the piglet. But scientists have found that the microtoxins of plants with a "tarnished reputation" affect the composition of human blood, reduce immunity, disrupt the nervous system, cause the formation of tumors, anomalies in the development of newborns. What diseases of vegetables and potatoes make them poisonous?

Spots on potatoes - an alarm sign

Lead-gray or brown hard spots of irregular shape on the surface of potatoes and tomatoes during growth, storage and ripening are a sign of late blight. In winter or spring, dry Fusarium rot is added to it on potatoes. Often less affected tubers are cut and eaten, left for livestock feed or used for processing (starch, alcohol). And this can be harmful to health.

Toxins - inside

Small sores (about 1 cm in diameter) on the root crops of carrots and beets with a thin layer of light-colored compacted tissue on the border of diseased and healthy tissue do not look scary outwardly. They can appear on vegetables in the garden, and then during storage. Often we do not pay attention to them or cut off the affected tissue, and put the root crop into action. In the meantime, this is fusarium. And often the toxins have time to penetrate deep into. They also enter the body if you eat such a vegetable, and can cause significant harm.

Eat affected vegetables - the skin deteriorates

All diseases of celery, parsnips, carrots during storage can cause the same severe skin lesions as a chemical poisonous substance - mustard gas with frequent use of affected vegetables. You should also beware of frozen plants of the celery family.

Is the melon bitter? Throw away!

Never eat bitter melon. This is a sign of Fusarium rot. Fetal lesions may be outwardly imperceptible, but penetrate deep into the seminal chamber. The disease, especially in combination with flaws in agricultural technology, leads to severe poisoning.

Microtoxins are dangerous in beets

Beet diseases - gray rot, phomosis, fusarium, penicillosis - appear on root crops grown under adverse weather conditions and on poor soil. The causative agents of these diseases quickly form microtoxins. Therefore, even slightly affected roots should be discarded.

Anxiety symptom - mold

Many vegetables with improper storage (low humidity and high air temperature) become covered with gray moldy rot. So, carrots first turn white, more often from the tip, and then a bluish or bluish-green coating appears on it. The same is observed on beets, root parsley, parsnips, black radish, cabbage, garlic, onions, melons.

Wash your tomatoes thoroughly!

If on tomatoes, more often at the stalk, dark, slightly depressed, rounded spots form, which, with high humidity, are covered with dark velvety spores of the fungus, these are signs of Alternaria. It is found on leaves, stems, fruits of tomatoes both in greenhouses and in open ground. The causative agent of the disease produces dangerous toxins. Therefore, even healthy fruits should not be washed thoroughly before use.

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Bitter melon or momordica Other names for momordica are balsamic pear. In Russian, bitter melon is called both bitter melon and bitter gourd and bitter cucumber. There are also the names momordica (from the Latin Momordica charantia) and Karel. This type of melon, which grows in Asia and Africa, contains a huge amount of momordicin, a substance that gives the fruit astringency and a very bitter taste. On the plus side, bitter melon is a unique combination of vitamins and minerals. It is extremely useful for lowering blood sugar levels in diabetics. There is a hypothesis that it even helps in the treatment of HIV. Well, in order to get rid of the taste unusual for a melon, local craftsmen use various cooking technologies - from salting to blanching. Useful properties of Bitter melon Special fans of the vegetable say that its main value in the prevention and fight against malaria. Everything is used - seeds, leaves, pulp and skin. Also Bitter melon contains 32 active chemicals, a lot of iron. And in the relay race for usefulness, Bitter melon wins in the nomination: for the content of beta-carotene (bypasses broccoli) for the content of calcium (wins over spinach) for the content of potassium leaves bananas behind. Bitter melon, nostrils flaring with importance, polishes its victory with the content of vitamins A, C, B1, B3, phosphorus and dietary fiber. Momordica or Chinese bitter melon is widely used in folk medicine. The leaves of the plant are used to treat coughs, hypertension, headaches and other types of pain. Momordica contributes to the regulation of blood sugar levels, so it effectively helps with diabetes. Red berries inside the fruit are sweetish in taste. They contain fatty oil rich in carotene. Thanks to him, when eating berries, the level of hemoglobin in the blood increases and immunity is strengthened. Momordica berries are used in the treatment of peptic ulcer and gastritis. Half an hour before meals, you need to chew three seeds and eat them with a spoonful of honey. Treatment lasts 9 days. For colds, you can prepare a tincture of fruits (seeds must be removed). The fruits are cut into small pieces and pour 100 ml. vodka. After insisting for two weeks in a dark, cool place, take the tincture 1 teaspoon three times a day. Treatment lasts 3 days. Momordica is a good appetite stimulant and effective remedy with gastrointestinal infections, viral infections and even some types of cancerous tumors. Its fruits and seeds lower blood cholesterol levels, counteract the formation of cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels, cleanse blood vessels, and reduce the likelihood of strokes and heart attacks. Also, fruits and seeds are able to neutralize cancer cells, bacteria and viruses. Crushed fresh leaves, applied to the site of an insect bite, help relieve itching, and prevent the appearance of wounds and bite marks. Also, a cut fresh fruit or a tincture of them can be applied to the bite site. Decoctions of leaves and fruits are used for prostatitis, urolithiasis, sclerosis, alcoholism and smoking (to quit). How to eat? In fact, Bitter melon is no more difficult to deal with than eggplant. The method is the same - cut into small pieces, sprinkle with salt and arrange a therapeutic rest for her in the fresh air, for 10-20 minutes. After - wash and cook. You can just throw in salt water, bring to a boil, torment it for a minute, and then throw it into ice water. Cruel, but effective. Bitter melon can be cooked as a side dish, paired with seasonings, curries, and even coconut milk. Unripe fruits are cut into half rings and fried or stewed. Serve as a side dish for rice and meat dishes. The shoots and fresh leaves are used as spices to season various dishes. They give the dishes a slightly bitter, but pleasant aftertaste. You can eat fruits soaked in salted water - they are rich in protein. They can be eaten on their own or in salads.

The birthplace of melon is considered to be Central and Central Asia. However, the vegetable is grown almost all over the world, and Russia is no exception. Based on the species classification, melon belongs to the genus of pumpkins. Its relationship with the pumpkin is confirmed by the root system, which has many similarities with representatives of this family.

Thanks to the efforts of breeders, this melon culture can be grown not only in open ground, but also in a greenhouse or even on a balcony. Melon, of course, is more capricious and demanding in content than its pumpkin relatives, but if you properly care for and fertilize it, then you can grow a culture on your own. garden plot, most importantly, make every effort and this delicious honey vegetable can be tasted already in late summer - early autumn.

Types and varieties of melon

Cantaloupe melon (cantaloupe) - This variety has a greenish-orange skin and an elongated shape. This vegetable is a frequent guest on the table of the Pope. The melon is practically seedless. It has sweet flesh, rich orange hue.

- the birthplace of the vegetable is Asia, but it is also cultivated in many other countries. The gourd culture of this variety is an annual herbaceous plant with well developed roots and long creeping stems. Melon fruits can be both cylindrical and spherical in shape. The peel is white, green, brown or yellow color with clear green stripes. Melon pulp is sweet, juicy light yellow.

- is a medium-sized plant, with a thin weaving stem, on which are kidney-shaped, slightly notched small leaf plates. The fruits are not large, having a spherical shape. The bark is coarsely cellular, bright yellow. The flesh is white, crunchy and has a sweet taste and pleasant aroma.

- this variety differs from other varieties of melon by a bright red-brown skin with clear yellow stripes. In terms of taste, the vegetable is comparable to pineapple. It has yellow, juicy and tender flesh.

- the ripening time of this variety is 110 days. Fruits have a long shelf life and tolerate transportation well. The shape of the melon is elongated, the peel has a yellow tint with a fine mesh. The pulp has White color, and also has a light pleasant aroma, softness and juiciness.

The ripening time of this variety is 80 days. The shape of the melon is round, the peel is rough, hard, ribbed, with a yellow-green tint, divided into convex sections like slices. In appearance, this melon is very similar to a pumpkin. The pulp has a white tint, and is also distinguished by sweetness, juiciness and density. From ten squares of the site, you can get a crop of up to 20 kilograms.

- melon is grown in Japan in the city of Yubari. This variety was bred in 1961 in America. The vegetable has an oblong shape, brown-orange cellular peel and orange flesh with a taste uncharacteristic of melons. Such taste qualities were obtained by adding volcanic ash to the soil on which the melon grows.

- the ripening time for melons of this variety is 95 days. The fruits have the shape of an elongated ellipse. The peel has a light orange tint. The flesh has a white-pink color and is fragrant, juicy and oily, reminiscent of pineapple in taste.

- the variety is distinguished by precocity, has an oval shape and a smooth, slightly segmented peel of a yellowish-orange color. The flesh may be white or light orange. It is grainy, aromatic and sweet.

- the ripening time of the variety is 90 days. The fruits have an elongated spherical shape with a delicate, tasty beige pulp that melts in your mouth. This variety is disease resistant and keeps well. From a plot of 10 squares, you can harvest up to 30 kilograms of crops.

Mid-season variety, the ripening time of which is 80 days. The fruits are presentable appearance, oval shape with a golden, finely meshed peel. They have tender flesh with a yellowish-pink hue. Melon is used to make candied fruit and marmalade.

- refers to early ripe varieties that ripen in 50 days. Melons have an elongated shape and a striped green skin. The pulp has a sweet honey taste, and is also juicy and whitish in color.

- this variety ripens in 60-65 days. The fruits are large, having an ideal oblong shape with a yellow, mesh, ribbed, dense skin. The pulp is juicy with a slight honey flavor and a light yellow tint.

- the variety is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and excellent taste. The fruits have an oval shape, yellow skin with a fine mesh. The pulp has a creamy or white hue with a honey flavor and a tender, juicy and crumbly texture.

- A variety bred in Israel. The fruits have a round or oval shape with a yellow, smooth, mesh skin. The pulp has a greenish-white tint, juiciness, sweetness and a pleasant aroma.

The second name of this variety is avocado melon . Her homeland is Thailand. The shape of the fruit is elliptical, the peel has a bright yellow or brown tint. The pulp of the vegetable is similar to the pulp of an avocado, which it also resembles in taste.

- the variety belongs to the mid-season. Its maturation time is 60 days. melon has round shape with dark yellow, reticulated skin. The vegetable has white flesh, characterized by sweetness, juiciness and aroma.

– differs in frost resistance and long storage. The fruit has an elongated, oval shape with an orange, mesh skin. The pulp has a white tint and is distinguished by juiciness, aroma and sweetness.

- Central Asia is the birthplace of melon culture. It is distinguished by ovoid fruits with a dark orange mesh skin. The flesh is light yellow with a sweet taste and pleasant aroma.

– early ripe variety, bred in Altai. The fruits are elongated-oval in shape with a yellow-orange mesh peel. The pulp has a pleasant aroma, orange hue and honey taste.

Melon planting and care in the open field

Melon is a heat-loving and light-loving plant. Therefore, it tolerates heat and drought very well. The maximum humidity characteristics for this melon crop are from 60 to 70 percent.

The melon has a massive root system that can receive moisture from the ground even at a depth of more than a meter. For the normal growth of the plant, it needs a lot of space. Since the culture does not tolerate shade, it must be planted in a sunny area, protected from the cold wind.

Melon can be planted in a bed that used to grow legumes, cereals, as well as cabbage, onions and garlic. To protect the plant from pest invasion and improve the taste of fruits, it is necessary to plant radishes, turnips and basil next to it.

Potatoes and cucumbers are undesirable neighbors for melons. Their proximity leads to the withering of the plant and the bitterness of ripe fruits. A crop can be planted in one place for no more than two years without compromising its yield.

Melon is a capricious plant, so the soil for it should be selected carefully. A light, organically fertilized super-loamy soil mixture with neutral acidity is suitable for her. Before you start planting melons, the beds must be prepared in advance.

Preparing a site for planting melons

In autumn, the area under the melons needs to be dug up, adding humus and river sand to the soil. In the spring, when the snow melts, the bed should be sprinkled with peat and covered with foil so that the soil warms up faster.

When the top layer of the earth warms up to +13 degrees, the earth must be loosened by adding potash and phosphate fertilizer to it, according to the instructions indicated on the package. Before planting, the site should be dug up and a nitrogen-containing top dressing applied.

Seed planting is permissible only in the southern region of the country. In all others, only mature young plants should be planted. It is necessary to plant a melon in early April.

Landing is carried out as follows. First, holes are dug, the depth of which is 6 centimeters. The distance between them should be 0.7 meters, and between rows one meter. Humus is placed in each hole and the earth is watered with warm water. Then 4 seeds are placed in the prepared soil or a young seedling is planted. The seed material is covered with dry soil, the holes with seedlings are covered with moist soil and lightly compacted.

It is best to plant plants after rain, when the soil is moist. During cold snaps, future melons should be protected by covering the beds with a film for the night. During the day it must be removed.

Watermelon is also a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. It is grown during planting and care in the open field without much hassle, if you follow agricultural practices. You can find all the necessary recommendations in this article.

watering melons

Since the melon is native to the arid east, it does not like excessive waterlogging. If the summer is very dry, it is necessary to water the plant only twice a week with warm water, which should be applied under the root.

When used for irrigation cold water and it gets on the leaves, the plant gets sick and dies. If the summer is very wet and rainy, it is recommended to cover the melon with a film to avoid waterlogging the soil, to which the plant reacts very painfully.

Soil for melon

Melon is very demanding on the soil, for this reason, its composition should be taken care of in advance before planting. The earth mixture should be light and have a neutral acidity.

To plant a plant, mix the soil from the site, vegetable humus and river sand. In the resulting mixture, you can plant seedlings or seed material.

melon transplant

The melon does not need to be transplanted, as it is an annual melon crop.

After landing in open ground grows for several months before fruiting. And after harvesting, the plant dries up and dies off completely.

Melon top dressing

For feeding plants use both mineral and organic fertilizers. Minerals include calcium and potassium supplements, which are applied after watering, followed by loosening the soil and removing weeds, without which normal crop growth is impossible.

Organic fertilizers are rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compounds, as well as vitamins and trace elements necessary for melon health. As an organic matter, a mixture of vegetable and animal humus should be used, which should be applied under a bush in the form of a solution with a concentration of 1:5.

After top dressing, watering should be carried out to avoid the accumulation of harmful components. You need to feed the plant 5 times during the growing season. The first time at planting, twice during flowering and twice when the fruit ripens.

melon blossom

The male melon flowers begin to bloom first, which can be from 6 to 30 pieces. Their number depends on how early the variety is. A little later, female inflorescences appear, but they are mostly sterile.

The flowers are pollinated by thrips, ants and bees. Some time after pollination, the flowers dry up, and fruits are tied in their place. Inflorescences have a bright yellow hue and a light aroma that attract insects. Flowering time depends on the variety. It usually starts in early June and ends a few weeks later.

Melon processing

The plant is treated to protect it from diseases and pests. It is performed by spraying melon bushes, sprinkling its leaf plates with dry powders or watering with special preparations.

Processing is carried out in the evening, only in dry calm weather. Insecticides should not get on the fruit, as this can lead to their accumulation in ripening melons, and eventually poisoning, after eating an already ripe fruit.

Fungicides and insecticides are selected according to the disease or pest from which the crop is to be protected.

Pinch melon

For the correct formation of the bush, pinching is used, which also has a positive effect on the rate of fruit ripening. On the main lash, pinching is carried out after the fifth leaf plate, and on additional lashes, immediately after three sheets that are under the ovary.

Thanks to this procedure, it is possible to preserve the substances necessary for plant growth, directing them not to the growth of lashes, but to the formation of fruits. In addition, this procedure will prevent those ailments that can affect weakened melon bushes.

Melon growing from seeds

Melons are propagated by seed and seedling method.

Before planting seeds in open ground, they should be prepared. For sowing, only three- or four-year-old seeds are used. If you sow fresh seed material, then only male plants will germinate.

Before planting, the seeds must be disinfected by soaking them in a weak solution of manganese for an hour, after which they should be washed in warm water. Sowing in the ground should be carried out at the end of April. If you sow the seeds in April, then they should be dry, and if you postpone the planting to May, then the seed material should be germinated.

The distance between the holes should be at least 80 centimeters, and between the rows no more than 1.5 meters, depending on how climbing the variety will be. The depth of the hole should be made from 4 to 6 centimeters. Before laying the seeds in the ground, the ground must be moistened and planted from 3 to 5 seeds, covering them with a layer of dry earth.

Planting melon seeds for seedlings

IN middle lane countries, warm periods are much shorter than in the south, so it is necessary to propagate melon with the help of grown seedlings. For its cultivation, it is necessary to take the seed material and sow it in separate pots with earth mixture.

Before planting, the ground should be moistened and 3 melon seeds should be added to it. After that, the pots are placed on a pallet and maintained at a temperature of + 22 degrees. When the seedlings germinate, it is necessary to leave one strong sprout in each pot, and carefully remove the rest.

The first watering is carried out when the first leaf blades appear. Used for irrigation warm water, which is carefully poured under the bush. Watering should be systematic. It is necessary to ensure that the top layer of the earth does not dry out.

After the seedlings throw out the third leaflet, the melons need to be pinched in order to form side lashes. In addition to watering, every two weeks, seedlings need to be fertilized with complex top dressing. Before planting the young in the garden, it should be hardened for a week.

Seedlings are transferred to open ground in early June. Monthly planting material already has 3 to 5 leaf blades. The beds should be arranged according to the ridge type, planting seedlings on the ridges.

Grafting a melon on a pumpkin

How resistant the plant will be to adverse environments and diseases depends on the root system. To improve the above indicators in a melon, it is grafted onto a stronger pumpkin.

After grafting on a pumpkin, the melon becomes stronger and more enduring, but the pumpkin weakens and slows down its growth.

Vaccination should be carried out at the same time when seedlings are planted in open ground. The grafted plant is transferred to open ground only after a month and after the soil warms up to + 16 degrees.

Seeds for scion and rootstock should be sown in early May. If the stems of two plants have a large difference in size, then the graft will most likely not take root. Since the pumpkin grows faster than the melon, the melon should be sown 3 days earlier so that it is slightly ahead of the pumpkin in growth. The grafting procedure is carried out when several leaf plates appear on the seedlings.

Methods for grafting a melon onto a pumpkin

To perform the procedure, you need to take a sharp blade, several plastic bands for tying, as well as grafting clips. Before carrying out the procedure, the blade must be disinfected with alcohol, and one side should be wrapped with tape so as not to get hurt.

In addition to the standard split grafting, three more are used effective ways, which give up to 80% guarantee that the plant will take root.

Grafting into the center of a pumpkin seedling

This procedure is very complicated, so it is not suitable for beginners. Vaccination consists of the following steps:

• A stock is taken and the top is cut perpendicularly from it above the first leaf plate and seed lobes;
• Then, between the seed lobes, just in the center of the stem, a puncture is made with a thick needle to a depth of 1.5 centimeters;
• Further, the graft melon is carefully cut at ground level and the peel is peeled from the bottom of the plant to a height of 1.5 centimeters;
• After that, the scion stem is inserted into the puncture of the rootstock for its entire length.

The trunks of the stock and scion should be in close contact, so the grafting site should be tied with plastic tape and fixed with a clamp.

Grafting by bringing plants together

This procedure is much simpler than the previous one, so it is ideal for beginners. It consists of the following steps:

• Seed material of melon and pumpkin is sown side by side;
• When the plants germinate, remove the thin peel on both plants under the seed lobes for a length of 15 to 20 millimeters;
• Then, with the bare parts of the stems, the plants are pressed tightly against each other, wrapped with a strip of polyethylene and secured with a clamp.

There is also a second version of this type of vaccination. A rootstock and a graft plant is taken and cuts of the same size of 1.5 centimeters are made on the stem of each in opposite directions from each other. After that, the resulting tongues should be inserted into each other with a lock and fixed with a clip.

After 5 days, the melon stalk just below the graft should be crushed with your fingers. This procedure is carried out daily until it dries. After 8 days, the gourd stem above the grafting site must be removed. The root system of melons when planting in open ground must be cut off.

Grafting on the side of the stem

It is necessary to remove the growth bud from the pumpkin seedling so that the first leaf plate and cotyledon leaves remain. Then, on its own stem, a straight incision up to 2 centimeters long is made from top to bottom. In depth, the incision should reach the middle of the stem of the seedling.

The melon seedling is cut near the ground. On both sides of the stem, from the side of the cotyledon leaf plates, the peel is removed with the same length as on the pumpkin. Then the pumpkin stalk is slightly bent in order to open the cut and the melon seedling is inserted so that the trunks are in close contact, after which the grafting site is wrapped with polyethylene and secured with a clamp.

Caring for grafted melons

After grafting, the soil around the plants is mulched with wet sawdust, then put on top of each melon plastic bottle cutting off the bottom. During the week, humidity should be maintained at a level of up to 95% and a temperature of +25 degrees.

To create such a microclimate, containers with plants are placed on a windowsill shaded from direct sun rays. The inner walls of the bottle must be sprayed with warm water. Plants should be aired daily by opening the pots for a few minutes. Watering should be daily. Water must be used warm and poured under the bush.

If the vaccine has taken root, then after 5 days you can notice how the growth point begins to develop in the melon. When this happens, it will take longer to ventilate the plants, and after a few days the makeshift caps should be removed altogether.

Further, it will be necessary to maintain the temperature during the day + 25, and at night + 18. Watering should be carried out only when the earth ball dries up. 2-3 days before planting, plants are fed mineral fertilizer for seedlings and carry out hardening in the fresh air. After planting the grafted young, take care of the melon as you would a pumpkin.

It should be noted that grafted plants, unlike ordinary melons, are hard to take root and give a much smaller yield, so you should not graft all plants at once. You must first learn how to make high-quality vaccinations, and only after that switch to melon-pumpkin.

Diseases and pests

The most common ailments that affect melon have a fungal etiology and are represented powdery mildew and downy mildew.

If the gardener replaced that white spots appeared on the leaf plates of the melon , then this indicates the defeat of the plant by powdery mildew. Over time, the whitish spots will turn brown, causing the leaves and stems to dry out. To get rid of this disease, you should use 80% sulfur powder. You need to process the beds every twenty days. A month before harvesting, the treatment is stopped.

Peronosporosis manifests itself in the form of yellowish spots on leaf plates . If the soil is waterlogged, then a gray coating also appears on the back of the leaves. To combat the disease, a urea solution is used in a 1: 1 ratio, which should be sprayed on the beds. Soaking seeds in potassium permanganate before planting helps prevent the development of the disease.

Of the insects attacking the melon, one can distinguish spider mite , melon aphid , scoop And wireworms . If signs of damage by these insects appear, the plant can be sprayed soda solution. However experienced gardeners it is recommended to treat the melon with the Aktellik insecticide. To prevent the appearance of these pests, it is enough to remove weeds and dead lashes in time. And in the fall, when preparing the beds, deep digging should be carried out.

Why is melon bitter

Melon pulp can be bitter for various reasons. Often they are:

• Improper care for gourds during the growth and ripening of fruits;
• Harvesting before maturity - melons that do not ripen on the bushes often acquire an unpleasant, bitter taste.
• An excess of nitrates in melon pulp - an increased content of these substances in a vegetable when consumed can cause severe poisoning;
• Fungal diseases diseases of gourds fungal etiology also significantly affect the change in the taste of melon, and not for the better.
• Dents and cracks on the fruit when buying a melon , the fruit should be chosen only with a whole peel and without dark spots and other defects. It is through them that harmful microorganisms get under the skin of the melon, which provoke the appearance of bitterness.

Melon useful properties and contraindications

The benefits of this vegetable lie in its composition. It is rich in fiber, vitamins C, PP, B, carotene, phosphorus, copper, carbohydrates, silicon, organic acids, magnesium and calcium. The use of melon will favorably affect the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, immunity, vision, hair and skin condition.

Melon pulp improves mood and helps fight the negative manifestations of PMS. 100 grams of vegetable contains only 33 kilocalories, so you can safely include it in your diet.

Include melon in your menu should be for those people who have problems with blood vessels, liver, suffer from cystitis or kidney stones. Since melon pulp is well absorbed and stimulates the digestive tract, it is recommended to use it for digestive problems. With prolonged antibiotic therapy, doctors recommend that their patients consume melon in order to reduce the harmful effects of drugs.

The benefits of melon for women

Useful melon for expectant mothers. It is an excellent prevention of constipation, anemia and hemorrhoids. Melon juice in folk medicine is used for helminthic invasions, urolithiasis and runny nose.

Giving melon juice is also necessary for babies, as it does not cause allergies and is rich in a whole range of useful substances.

A melon compress placed on the back and chest helps with bronchopulmonary diseases and asthma attacks. Melon peel dissolves bruises and abscesses, due to the increased content of chlorophyll in it.

Since there are practically no calories in the melon, nutritionists recommend including it in the menu for those people who want to lose weight. Sitting on a melon diet for a month, you can lose up to 10 kilograms without harm to health, as well as clean the intestines from toxins and toxins.

An allergy attack will help relieve a warm bath with the addition of melon juice. Melon is useful not only for its pulp, but also for its seeds, which are taken for sexual impotence and as a diuretic.

Useful melon for female beauty. In cosmetology, based on its pulp, tonic and moisturizing masks for the face and décolleté are made. They improve the condition of the skin, making it more elastic.

Melon contraindication

Despite the fact that melon is low in calories, it is not recommended for diabetics, as it leads to an increase in blood sugar levels. You should not eat melon and those who have a history of gastritis and ulcers.

In general, the vegetable is very useful and therefore must be present in the summer diet of everyone.

Easy Melon Recipes

Melon is not only good for the body, but also has excellent taste, so it is used in many cuisines of the world.

Below are a few recipes that fully reveal the rich taste of melon and allow you to try it as part of different dishes.

This unusual appetizer based on pork ham and melon is very popular in Spain, but what prevents you from cooking it in Russia?

Ingredients:

• Jamon (pork ham) - 200 grams;
• Melon - 20 pieces;
• Balsamic vinegar - to taste;
• Pepper and salt - to taste;
• Olive oil - to taste;
• Lemon juice - to taste.

Preparation of jamon with melon:

Cut the melon in half, take a half, peel, remove the seeds and cut into large cubes. Sprinkle with lemon juice, season and drizzle with olive oil.

Then we take the jamon, cut it into thin plates and wrap each one around the melon slice so that we get a rose. We put each appetizing rose on a toothpick, put it on a dish and serve it to the table.

Candied fruits are not inferior to melons in terms of usefulness, and they are also an excellent delicacy that is less caloric than sweets. Therefore, we highly recommend that those with a sweet tooth try to cook them.

Ingredients:

• Melon - 1 kilogram;
• Sugar - 1 kilogram;
• Lemon juice - 3 tbsp. spoons.

Preparation of candied melons:

For the preparation of candied fruits, it is best to choose an unripe melon so that you do not get mashed potatoes instead of elastic pieces. Wash the selected melon, remove the peel, remove the seeds and cut the flesh into small pieces.

Then we cover the melon with sugar and leave it for two hours so that it starts up the juice. After the required amount of time, pour lemon juice and put candied fruit on the stove. After they boil, boil them for 2 minutes and turn them off. We leave for 10 hours. We repeat the above steps 4 times. Ready candied fruits should be translucent.

When they reach the desired condition, we throw them on a sieve, drain the syrup, take a baking sheet, cover it with foil and lay candied fruits on it. We put them in the oven and dry for 5 hours with the door open at a temperature of 80 degrees.

We take out the finished candied fruit, remove it from the baking sheet, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve as a treat for tea or coffee.

To prepare a summer refreshing melon compote, you will not need much time, and the result will exceed even the wildest expectations.

Ingredients:

• Melon - 600 grams;
• Citric acid - to taste;
• Sugar - 100 grams;
• Water - 1.5 liters.

Preparation of melon compote:

We take a melon, peel it from the peel and seeds, cut into pieces. Pour water into a saucepan and put melon slices, citric acid and sugar in it.

We put the compote on the stove and wait until it boils. After boiling, boil it for a minute and remove from heat.

We wait until it cools, filter and serve to the table with ice and mint leaves.

Appetizing and airy melon pie will become ideal option for morning tea with the whole family. Be sure to try this delicious pastry, delighting your family.

Ingredients:

• Melon pulp - 300 grams;
• Salt - a pinch;
• Butter - 100 grams;
• Baking powder - 1 teaspoon;
• Eggs - 3 pieces;
• Kefir - 1 glass.

Preparing the melon pie:

Take a medium cake tin. Whisk eggs with sugar and salt. Then add kefir and melted butter to them. Next, add semolina and mix thoroughly.

Add the baking powder and flour to the resulting mixture. Stir thoroughly until there are no lumps.

Cut the peeled melon into small pieces.

We grease the form with oil, pour the dough into it and put the melon on top. Bake the cake at 190 degrees for 40 minutes until caramelized.

Cool the finished cake, remove from the mold, sprinkle with almond petals and serve. Bon appetit.

This exotic spicy salad goes great with meat dishes, therefore, if you are going to enjoy kebabs, chops, pork roll, grilled ribs, it will come in handy.

Ingredients:

• Melon - 150 grams;
• Salt and pepper - a pinch;
• Grapes - 100 grams;
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp. spoon;
• Cheese - 100 grams;
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• Nuts - 50 grams;
• Leaf lettuce - 5 pieces.

Preparation of melon salad:

Take the cheese, cut it into thin strips. Cut the grapes in half and remove the seeds. We clean the melon from the peel and seeds and cut into small cubes. We chop nuts.

To prepare the dressing, mix lemon juice, pepper, olive oil and salt. We mix all the ingredients of the salad, pour over the dressing and remove it for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

After the time has passed, we take it out, tear the lettuce leaves, add them to the already present dish, mix and serve.

Canned melon

Ingredients:

• Melon of medium ripeness - 1 kilogram;
• Citric acid - 1 tbsp. spoon;
• Sugar - 2 cups;
• Water - 1.5 liters.

Preparation of canned melon:

We take a melon, wash, peel and pit. Cut it into small cubes.

We take water, mix it with sugar and citric acid, mix, pour into a saucepan and boil. The amount of syrup is enough for a volume of 3 liters.

Arrange the sliced ​​melon in jars, fill with syrup and cover with lids.

Pour water into a large saucepan, put jars of melon on the bottom and sterilize for 10 minutes. We roll up the jars and cover them with a warm blanket until they cool, then we transfer them to the pantry.

Preparing jam:

We take a melon, peel it from the peel and seeds. Cut into thin slices, sprinkle with sugar and leave for 4 hours.

After the time has elapsed, put the jam on the fire and boil for 7 minutes, then remove from the stove and cool. After three hours, repeat the procedure. After the jam has cooled, boil it again for about 20 minutes.

Pour the finished jam into jars and close the lids.

Why dream melon in a dream

If a melon in reality brings only benefits, then seeing it in a dream is not always good. Usually a melon in a dream is an omen of the onset of a disease or a major material loss.

• If a woman dreams of a melon, then this is interpreted as the occurrence of ailments or the beginning of a black streak in life.
• If you dream that you eat melon in a dream, then this means that you may get sick soon.
• Ripe melon dreams of success and fulfillment of desires.
• Buying a melon in the market is a dream of wasting your talents.

It is up to you to believe in such dreams or not, but if you are still afraid that they will come true, then just take into account the warning from above and do everything in order to avoid future problems.

And most importantly, remember that we ourselves are the builders of our own destiny and can correct it as we want, especially if the universe gives competent advice in this direction.

Were today in a large Chinese grocery store. How many times I looked at various unfamiliar vegetables - but everything passed by ... but today I decided to buy Ind bittermelon - (Bitter melon or mamordica) - if more officially - Momordica charantia. I decided to figure it out at home ... So thanks to the Internet ... - I found a lot useful information how to cook and for everything - it turned out that this is also a very healthy vegetable.

Useful properties of Bitter melon (Bitter melon)

Special fans of the vegetable say that its main value is in the prevention and fight against malaria. Everything is used - seeds, leaves, pulp and skin.
Bitter melon also contains 32 active chemicals, a lot of iron. And in the relay race for usefulness, Bitter melon wins in the nomination:

• for beta-carotene content (bypasses broccoli)
• for calcium content (wins over spinach)
• for the content of potassium leaves behind bananas.

Bitter melon, nostrils flaring with importance, polishes its victory with the content of vitamins A, C, B1, B3, phosphorus and dietary fiber.

The adherents of Bitter melon have created a whole club where, on the sly, they are pushing it to unintelligent Europeans. The club is called the "National Council of Bitter Melon". They also recommend drinking bitter melon juice (necessarily diluted, melon juice can harm ulcers and gastritis), 50 ml per day, or in small portions, 5 ml each, and add it to food (down with malaria!).
About the rest useful qualities we will not write, but the list includes the prevention of HIV, cancer and other unpleasant diseases. Better we will tell you how to cook it.

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Bitter melon can be cooked as a side dish, paired with seasonings, curries, and even coconut milk. Recipe borrowed from a Filipino girl.

- 200 grams of pork ribs
- 1 medium bitter melon
- a bunch of green beans
- 1 eggplant
- 1 shallot and garlic clove
- 2 red tomatoes
- small corn (5-6 pieces)
We also add parsley, fish sauce, oil and salted soy sauce taste.

Easy to prepare:

• Cook the ribs, at this time we cut the vegetables into cubes.
• Remove the meat from the bone and throw it into the pan, add the garlic.
• After frying, take out the meat, and leave a third of the oil in the pan.
• Add tomatoes and onions, a little later - bitter melon. Simmer for 10 minutes and invite the rest of the vegetables to the party. Add corn last (after 15 minutes). We flavor them with herbs and sauces.
• When the vegetables are soft, throw in the pork again. We extinguish for another 5-7 minutes, and rejoice in our victory! It turns out not very bad.