- The first year is already fruitful
- Annual harvest when overwintering
- Late harvest time
- Fruit blessing also in the winter quarters
- Temperature as a crop killer
- In this way it can bear greater fruit
The melon pear, which comes from South America, is now being cultivated more and more in private gardens in Germany because of its delicious fruit. It can also stand in a pot on the balcony. But when does the perennial plant actually bear fruit?
With good care, the melon pear bears numerous fruits every year
The first year is already fruitful
The melon pear is a nightshade plant, like the well-known and cultivated potato or tomato. After sowing or planting, it grows just as quickly as these. Give it the warmest and sunniest place in the garden and you will have a bountiful harvest in the first year.
Due to its sensitivity to cold, the melon pear, also known as pepino, is usually grown in a container with which it spends the summer outside. If the bucket is also sunny and protected and the Pepino gets sufficient care, ripe fruits can also be expected with this type of cultivation.
Annual harvest when overwintering
The Pepino is not hardy, so it can only be cultivated outdoors as an annual. However, if you have a bright and about 5 to 10 °C cool room for the winter, the plant grows perennial and gives you fruit every year.
Late harvest time
After flowering, it takes an average of around 90 days for the fruit to mature and be ready for harvest. Then it's already late summer. A possible cultivation in the greenhouse may contribute to a slightly earlier start of harvest.
Fruit blessing also in the winter quarters
Depending on the weather, the melon pear may have to move into its winter quarters early. There may still be some unripe fruit hanging from it. She can continue to wear these because they can also mature indoors.
Temperature as a crop killer
The melon pear is self-pollinating, but warm days and nights are also necessary for fruit set. min. This plant needs 18 °C to bear fruit. At pollination time, it cannot always get this value in this country.
In this way it can bear greater fruit
The Pepino can also bear many fruits in this country. You can get larger specimens not only in a good location, but also with suitable pruning measures:
- all flowerless side shoots are exhausted
- shorten long flowering stems
Depending on the variety, the fruits can reach a length of up to 20 cm and a weight of up to 300 grams.
tips
Harvest only ripe fruits that give off a sweet scent and whose flesh yields slightly when pressed with a finger, because they have the best aroma. Unripe fruits can continue to ripen at room temperature.