Melons are a very popular summertime treat, but there are far more varieties than many people realize. Most people with a sweet tooth immediately think of the watermelon, which when ripe has a full-bodied taste of summer and just plain melon. As a hobby gardener, however, you have many more opportunities to grow and enjoy the summer and autumn fruits in your garden.
melon types
Numerous varieties are determined by their appearance
Growing melons in your own garden is a little witchcraft and definitely time-consuming. However, the joy is great when the impressive fruit is ripe. In order for everything to succeed here, however, the right variety must be selected. With more than 500 species, it is not always easy to find the right one for your own garden. However, with a little basic knowledge, you can identify and choose your favorite melon variety.
Watermelons and their subspecies
The watermelon is popular with both adults and children. It can reach a weight of up to 100 kilos, but rather small specimens are cultivated in this country. They serve as a thirst quencher when ripe and contain few calories. The most popular varieties are:
- Crimson Sweet
- Golden Midget
- Janosik
- Moon and Stars Red
- Prima Orange F1
- sugar baby
Watermelons from A - Z
Crimson Sweet
- easily recognizable by its appearance
- aromatic taste, sweet aroma
- Total weight is between 2 and 3 kilograms
Golden Midget
- smallest type of melon, well suited for tubs or small gardens
- early maturity already in July
- Skin color is bright sun yellow, but flesh is juicy pink
- Total weight is between 1 and 1.5 kilograms
Janosik
- conspicuous sun-yellow flesh
- tastes very sweet and just as fresh
- can be easily combined with the Sugar Baby
- Total weight is between 4 and 5 kilograms
Moon and Stars Red
- Total weight is between 4 - 5 kilograms
- the name comes from the shell, which has numerous small speckles
- pink-red pulp is inside the melon
- the taste is juicy, sweet and aromatic
Prima Orange F1
- Uniqueness due to very low core count
- high sugar content up to 12 percent
- very sweet, aromatic taste
- Total weight is between 2 and 3 kilograms
sugar baby
- Total weight is between 3 and 4 kilograms
- dark green skin, mostly unicoloured, slightly inconspicuous
- rich red flesh
- strong melon-like fragrance, sweet aroma
Sugar melons and their subspecies
The sugar melon is slightly smaller than the watermelon and still contains significantly more fructose. It is therefore somewhat higher in calories and not necessarily suitable for diabetics. There are different types that are ideal for growing in the home garden:
- cantaloupe
- Charentais
- Galia
- honeydew melon
- Jenny Lind
- Minnesota Midget
Sugar melons from A - Z
Cantaloupe melon
- one of the smallest cantaloupe melon species
- Maximum diameter is 12 cm.
- Total weight is between 1 and 3 kilograms
- bright orange flesh, beige, plain skin
- rarely available for purchase because the variety spoils quickly
Charentais melon
- easy to identify because of their light green skin with dark longitudinal ribs
- very aromatic scent when cut
- orange colored flesh
- Total weight is between 1 and 2 kilograms
- well suited for cultivation in tubs
Galia melon
- is one of the smallest sugar melons ever
- Diameter is 9 - 12 cm, total weight 0.5 - 1 kg
- is called a netted melon
- firm, apple-like flesh with a white-green colour
honeydew melon
- classic melon variety, is one of the most popular varieties
- Shape is round-oval, color is bright yellow
- Flesh tastes slightly like honey
- Total weight is between 1 and 3 kilograms
Jenny Lind
- has existed since 1840 and is one of the oldest types of melon
- turban-like shape is unique
- the skin is net-like, the flesh is aromatic and strikingly green in colour
- mild, sweet aroma
- the total weight is between 0.8 and 1 kilogram
Minnesota Midget
- early melon, harvest time is already in July
- very suitable for beginners because it is a robust variety
- Total weight is 0.1 - 0.2 kilograms
- therefore well suited for pot cultivation
- aromatically tasty, resembles honeydew melon
