Fruit set needs warmth
When does the melon pear even bear fruit? A good question! Because the amazement can be great when the hoped for harvest falls into the water. When the flowers show up in spring, pollination is easy. The plant is self-pollinating and the insects also participate.
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In order for the pollinated flowers to actually develop into fruits, the outside temperature at the time of flowering must be right. We ask for several nights in a row with at least 18 ° C.
Harvest in about 90 days
The fruits of the melon pear need about 90 days to be edible and therefore ready for harvest. That will mostly be the case in late summer. However, a weather-wise unfavorable summer can lead to harvest delays, just as a warm summer regularly accelerates ripening.
Only harvest when the fruits are ripe
Do not go by the calendar, but by the ripeness of the fruit. Only when they have reached the optimal degree of ripeness will you delight in their flesh with a wonderful taste. Don't wait too long before picking it, or the melon pear will give way. That a fruit
ripe you can recognize it by:- it smells sweet and aromatic
- she gives in a little under pressure
- the color of the shell has changed as is typical of the variety
- the taste has the aromas of pear and melon
Tips
Increase the harvest volume by removing the flowerless side shoots in a timely manner maxed out. Because afterwards there will be even more of the other instincts blossoms form.
Store large amounts of harvest
If you have harvested more fruits than you can consume in a timely manner, you should store them in the refrigerator. They can still be used for 2-3 weeks.
Harvest unripe fruits
When winter approaches and a specimen is still hung with unripe fruits, it has to move into winter quarters. The melon pear is not hardy and can do not overwinter outside.
Leave the fruits on the plant in their winter quarters to ripen. If you do not have a suitable wintering room and only cultivate the plant as an annual, you should harvest the unripe fruits before the first frost. At room temperature, these fruits ripen within a few days.