Cucumis melo

Cucumis melo is the melon that we all know and most often encounter. It usually weighs between 800g and 1.5kg. Its smooth green skin encloses fragrant and juicy yellow to bright orange flesh. It is a type of cantaloupe melon. This name comes from Cantalupo, an Italian village on the outskirts of Rome where these melons were cultivated. This delicacy has become one of the most popular fruits of summer. It is best to grow it in your own garden to guarantee perfectly sweet and ripe fruit. The fruit is wonderful in jams and compotes, or with savoury foods. Sow the seeds between March and June for a harvest between July and October.

The melon is very likely native to Asia. However, its first tangible traces are found in Egypt, 5 centuries BC. It can then be found in ancient Greece and Rome, where the unripe fruit was eaten with salt and pepper to enhance the taste. It was a delicacy for popes and aristocrats. Several species and numerous varieties have emerged over time, while the methods of preparation and cultivation of melon diversified.

The melon is a compact fruit that is round or oblong with a smooth, ribbed or reticulated skin. The juicy flesh can be green, white, yellow, or orange, and surrounds a central cavity filled with seeds. It is commonly consumed raw as an appetiser or sweet dessert, as well as in sorbets, jams, compotes, or syrup. The small melons removed during thinning and pruning can be pickled in vinegar with herbs. Melons are hydrating, refreshing, and diuretic. They are reputed to be rich in trace elements and vitamins B and C in particular. Orange-fleshed varieties also contain vitamin A (the famous carotene).

They are annual creeping herbaceous plants, with female flowers distinguished from male flowers by their inferior ovary (under the flower), resembling an embryo of a fruit. They are located on the secondary or tertiary branches of each plant and will develop into the fruit. As for the male flowers, they always appear in the axils of the leaves on the main stem.

Harvesting: wait four weeks between fruit formation and picking. The fruit will emit a sweet smell and the stalk will start to detach, indicating that the melon is ready to be harvested.

Storage: an unopened melon can be stored for up to 5 days in a dry and airy place. Rest it on racks, for example. If it has been cut open or has been damaged, you can freeze it. Remove the skin and central seeds, then cut it into pieces and moisten it with the juice of a lemon before placing in the freezer. 

Gardener's tip: place a slate tile under the fruit to block direct contact with the ground. This avoids rotting from excess moisture. Mulch around the plants, especially during the height of summer, as melon plants like moist soil.

Melons are highly susceptible to powdery mildew (a fungal disease that leaves a white powdery coating on the surface of the leaves). Be careful not to water the leaves or flowers.

Melons are nutrient-demanding fruits. They belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, like cucumbers, watermelons, and squash, etc. This family are notorious for depleting the nutrients in the soil. Therefore, it is advisable not to grow this type of fruit in the same location, or consecutively, in order to avoid excessively depleting the soil.

Plant them with oregano, as they are good companions both in the garden and on the plate.