Planting a melon pear needs to be well thought out beforehand. After all, the nightshade plant comes from distant South America, where the climate is different from that in this country. Since a specimen can be several years old, the question of location must be answered above all.

The melon pear is not hardy and is therefore usually cultivated in pots

Where to get a young plant?

Let's take it a step further and start sourcing a plant. Because many hobby gardeners, whose interest in the melon pear has just been awakened, may be wondering what the easiest and cheapest way to get young plants is.

  • Buy seeds or take from a ripe fruit
  • sow indoors in spring
  • if necessary, find cuttings for propagation
  • buy a plant that has already been grown

make a location decision

The melon pear or Pepino is not hardy. You therefore have the choice of cultivating it outside in the garden bed as an annual in summer. Or you can plant them in a large tub that stays outside in the summer and is brought inside in the fall.

tips

If you subsequently decide to prolong the life of a garden-rooted Pepino, you will need to carefully dig up and pot the plant in the fall so that it can overwinter indoors.

Planting time after frost

From the end of February you can sow this plant indoors. It will be a few more weeks before small plants develop from the seeds. However, these young plants and purchased specimens may only be planted out in the garden from mid-May.

Find the best spot in the bed

The Pepino likes to be sheltered from the wind in the garden. The proximity to larger plants or a house wall can be helpful in this regard. However, make sure that these do not cast a shadow on the melon pear. Because this plant also needs a lot of light and warmth for its fruits to ripen.

First prepare the soil, then plant

About two weeks before planting you should loosen the soil in the bed. Work in mature compost or settled cow manure. If the soil is too loamy, there can be problems with waterlogging later. In this case, mix the soil with sand.

After the earth has settled again and there is no longer any fear of frost, you can plant the melon pears. Keep a distance of about 80 cm between two plants. The young plants are watered well.

tips

Immediately after planting, the melon pear needs intensive care so that it opens many flowers and delivers a rich harvest.

Melon pear in planter

If you want to cultivate the melon pear in a pot, make sure you use a permeable substrate. For example, you can mix commercial potting soil with coconut fibers. The pot should be stable because the plant will quickly increase in volume. It is also important that it has sufficient drainage holes or a drainage layer at the bottom.

tips

Don't choose a bucket that is too big. This would only stimulate root growth but not fruit formation. It is better to repot the fruit plant into a slightly larger pot every year.

Set up climbing aids if necessary

The tendrils of the melon pear can spread flat on the ground or are tied to a trellis. In the second case, you should already provide the climbing aid when planting, because growth will quickly pick up speed.

Category:

Vegetable garden