In summer, with a bit of luck with the weather, we can expect fruit from the pear melon. But anyone who hasn't had a harvest yet is wondering: When are the purple striped fruits even ripe? This plant is still so foreign that enlightenment is welcome.
The color of the pear melon indicates when it is ready to harvest
When can fruit be expected?
The flowers of the pear melon, also known by the name pepino, are pollinated by wind, insects or self-pollination. The harvest will not fail because of this.
The weather, on the other hand, tips the scales. The temperatures decide whether the plant, which comes from South America, will bear fruit at all in our latitudes. There will be summers when the harvest will be modest, or there will be nothing to harvest at all.
- may only leave the winter quarters at temperatures above 10 degrees Celsius
- it needs summers with 10 to 30 °C to live
- but only warm nights allow them to bear fruit
- it must be at least 18 degrees Celsius for several nights in a row
maturation period
The fruits need three months until they are fully ripe for consumption. That's how long you should stay on the bush. In order for maturation to proceed according to schedule, the conditions provided should be as ideal as possible. Above all, a sunny location and well-drained soil are essential if you want to harvest richly.
harvest time
The long ripening period of the pear melon means that the harvest time is late. The period extends from late summer to early autumn. Overwintering pear melons have to move to a winter quarters at single-digit temperatures.
In bad years, the move may have to take place as early as September. It is possible that not all the fruits have been harvested or are not yet ripe. You can stay tuned and move along with the plant. Part of the harvest will have to take place in the winter quarters.
tips
Pear melons that are not quite ripe can continue to ripen at room temperature. In the vicinity of apples, the ripening process is accelerated.
The signs of maturity
Each fruit can grow up to 20 cm long and weigh 300 grams. Only pick a pear melon if it also has the following characteristics:
- it smells sweet and aromatic
- yields to slight pressure
- the coloring has changed
- Depending on the variety, it is yellow or light green with purple stripes
tips
A taste test can also provide clarification. As the name suggests, a ripe melon tastes like pear and honeydew melon.