An unusual plant, known not to everyone: Tarra, snake-like melon or Armenian cucumber. Melon culture, as you might guess from the names, is a hybrid of cucumber and melon. The result was interesting, combining the properties of both species. You can grow a hybrid in your garden, if you follow the rules of care.
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Grade characteristics
The plant has long lashes reaching 4 meters. A lot of large shoots are formed, so it is important to control the growth of the hybrid, pinch the shoots in time, preventing them from growing. The fruits themselves are cylindrical in shape, light in color, very large: up to half a meter in length. You need to collect them on time, otherwise they will turn yellow and lose their taste. Inside - light crispy flesh tastes like a cucumber, and smells like a melon. The skin is smooth with a light silver fluff. Under the name “Armenian cucumber”, two varieties are often considered: White Athlete and Silver Melon, they are slightly different in appearance.
You may be interested in:Fruiting is long, the crop can be harvested before frost. Fruits ripen in 70-80 days from the appearance of seedlings. The hybrid is resistant to temperature extremes, common diseases, especially false and powdery mildew. The formation of cucumbers occurs on the central shoot and on smaller ones. The yield is high, with each bush, with proper care, you can collect up to 10 kilograms of the crop. The main differences from ordinary varieties of cucumber:
- fruit size: in mature form they reach half a meter in length;
- ribbed peel with longitudinal stripes;
- the fruits of the serpentine melon twist, growing to a certain length;
- leaves are more like melon.
You can eat fruits with food: it is soft and not bitter. The yield is high, long, during the season you will remove 8-9 pieces from each lash until the colds. This should be done until the peel is roughened, and the length of the serpentine melon has not reached 20-25 centimeters. Armenian cucumber is good for a healthy diet. It does not contain a lot of calories, therefore it is suitable for a diet. Armenian cucumbers contain up to 15% sugar, the same amount of dry matter and about 8% starch. The beneficial effect on the human body is achieved due to vitamins and minerals, which improve metabolism, have a good effect on the work of most organs. Useful micronutrients in the composition tone up, increase efficiency, normalize blood pressure, and reduce stress levels. Eat fruits immediately or store them in a cool place, so they retain their taste longer.
How to grow an Armenian cucumber
Despite its unusualness and novelty, culture has no special requirements. The basic rules for planting and care are similar to any other plants. They grow a serpentine melon in an open space or in a greenhouse, the result will be approximately the same. The greenhouse has one advantage: a more uniform climate, the ability to regulate it. Since the plant came to us from warm countries, the temperature for growing should be comfortable.
You can grow a serpentine melon indoors or outdoors.Unlike ordinary varieties, too high humidity is not needed: it is more likely to harm plants than to benefit. From the bushes, the fruits are removed along with the tail, otherwise they will be stored worse, deteriorate faster.
Seeds
Snake melon seeds have no fruit shells, so fermentation occurs. When removing seeds from the fruit, rinse with clean water and dry. You can store them before planting in a cool place in paper packaging, tightly closed. It is not necessary to disinfect, otherwise the solution may damage the structure without a shell. Germinate seeds need the same way as ordinary cucumber. It is best to plant not in the ground, but in seedlings: this way you will avoid risks with frost and ensure steady growth of seedlings.
The optimal time for planting seeds for seedlings is the second half of April. Seeds need to be buried deeper, at a distance of about 5 centimeters. Water as needed; make sure that the plants receive enough light. The first shoots will appear in a week.
Landing
It is possible to transfer seedlings to the big earth after the fourth pair of leaves appears. In the covered ground or under the film, you can land in the second half of May, and with the open ground you need to focus on the weather. The air temperature should be about 25 ° C, and the soil warmed up to 15 ° C. On each square, it is better to place up to 4 bushes so that the plants feel spacious.
The soil must first be prepared. Clear from plant debris, fertilize with minerals so that cucumbers have something to eat. Superphosphate and organics will do. If you grow a plant in a greenhouse, be sure to treat all surfaces, walls and crossbars with a disinfectant: fungus can accumulate on them. Light and fertile soil is suitable for cultivation. Before planting a serpentine melon, it is recommended to fertilize it with humus and mix it with sand, adding half a kilogram to each square.
Care for Armenian cucumbers
Plants are unpretentious: the same care is suitable for them as for cucumbers or melons. The only major difference: humidity. Snake melon is accustomed to a dry climate, therefore it is better to control this indicator, it should not exceed 50%. This variety grows best in a dry, warm climate.
Water plants need warm water so as not to stiffen the roots and not damage them. It is best to water in the evening, right under the root. In the sun, moisture evaporates faster and watering is ineffective. Abundant watering harms, as does lack of moisture. Keep the soil moist, but not wet. When the first signs of wilting, yellowness of leaves or brown spots appear, indicating a lack of nutrients, add complementary foods to watering. Moisture is needed regularly, therefore, if it is not possible to take care of plants several times a week, organize automatic watering or mulch the soil. Mulching will help to increase the nutritional value of the soil, so this method becomes especially relevant on mineral-poor land.
If you planted an Armenian cucumber in the ground, and immediately after that frost hit, cover the crops with foil. This will help keep you warm. An alternative is to mulch with organic or inorganic material. Watch for soil moisture: if there is no access to air, then the process of decay and the development of harmful microorganisms can begin. Regularly clean the beds of weeds and debris so that plants can grow quietly.
You may be interested in:Loosening is a mandatory part of the care program. It improves aeration, giving the roots access to air, and at the same time makes the soil more uniform, moisturizing the layers evenly and distributing micronutrients. Feeding requires a sufficient amount of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. The first mineral is responsible for the rapid growth of the green part, potassium and phosphorus help the fruits to form and saturate them, improving the taste and making them more juicy. Feeding should be carried out every 10-14 days. Before applying fertilizer, moisten the soil well.
Diseases and pests
Snake melon is a resistant hybrid that is not susceptible to common diseases of cucumbers. The development of fungal infections is possible only in case of violation of the rules of care, excessive watering or prolonged frost, which led to a decrease in immunity. Ventilate the room regularly, observe the humidity level, watering norms - then you can not worry about diseases.
Of the pests, an Armenian cucumber can infect a spider mite, aphid, slug and bear. Most pests can be controlled with insecticides. You can apply them at the first stages of growth, until the fruits have formed, otherwise you will find an accumulation of toxic substances that harm the body. After the appearance of the first cucumbers, switch to biological products and folk remedies, they are also effective. For example, onion or garlic solution, ammonia, ash and soap. A solution of lime will help against aphids, and you can get rid of slugs with the help of hot red pepper diluted in water. All preparations must be sprayed from the atomizer so that the active substance covers the largest area of the plant.
Application
Cucumber is most often eaten fresh, especially young fruits. When cucumbers reach maturity, they are often cooked: canned, fried, stewed. The peel is not removed, since the plant is quite watery. For pickling and preservation, the cucumber is divided into parts, because the large dimensions do not allow to pack it whole in any jar.
Despite the obvious aroma of melon, the pickle for such cucumbers is usually salty. This is normal practice for hot countries: there, even watermelons are eaten in canned salt form. Young fruits are consumed fresh as a snack or make a salad with tomatoes and herbs, sour cream, added as a filling to cakes, used as a side dish for meat dishes.
Reviews
Alexander, 39
For the first time I saw these unusual cucumbers from a neighbor and immediately decided to try. Bright aroma of melon, but the taste of cucumber. Very interesting. He asked for seeds and planted it in his garden the next season. First made a mistake and landed in too cold soil. I did not calculate that this heat-loving variety usually grows in warm countries. Fortunately, then the crop was saved, although it was not so impressive. I recommend growing in a greenhouse: there is a more suitable climate.
Edward 56
I advise you to grow these cucumbers only to those who have free space under them in the garden. Unlike ordinary cucumbers, humidity is contraindicated, they grow better in dry climates. But they can be grown next to eggplants, they are also thermophilic and quietly get along on one bed in a covered ground. I grow a serpentine melon occasionally when I want something exotic.I prepare the seeds myself, collecting from the fruits and peeling.
Marina, 48
These cucumbers are a godsend for dieters. By the smell like a melon, you can even imagine that you eat something sweet, while the calories in ordinary cucumbers are about 10 per 100 grams. Delicious salads are made from this variety, a good way to add variety to your usual diet. Be sure to fertilize with superphosphate during growth, so the cucumbers turn out to be more sweet and juicy. And it is better to collect them without letting grow more than 20 centimeters: then the taste is lost.
An Armenian cucumber or serpentine melon is an atypical vegetable for Russia, which, however, is easy to grow in your garden. The plant is unpretentious in care, ripens within two months and actively bears fruit until the frosts. The fruits are juicy, large, the weight of each can reach a kilogram. But it is better to collect them young, until they began to grow rude and lose their taste. The rules of care are the same as for other varieties of cucumbers. But this vegetable does not like high humidity, therefore it is better to plant them separately or together with eggplants, which also like a warm, dry climate.
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