Melon Torpedo: how to choose and how to grow

Melon Torpedo is one of the most popular representatives of sweet melons on domestic shelves. In the homeland of the variety, in Uzbekistan, it is called Mirzachulskaya, where melon is cultivated in personal farmsteads and in large areas for commercial purposes. The aroma and sweetness received by the fruit from the generous southern sun are combined with the high nutritional value and health benefits of melon. Yellow, fragrant fruits can be grown in temperate climates, but for this Torpedo will have to create some conditions.

Description of the Uzbek melon Torpedo

The annual melon crop, originating from Asia, appeared in Russia more than 300 years ago. Excellent transportability allowed the Torpedo melon fruits to withstand long-term transportation, right up to the territory of modern Europe. Today, the variety is not only imported for sale, but also grown in regions with warm and temperate climates.

Due to its characteristic oblong shape and large size, the sweet vegetable received its modern name Torpedo. The official name of the variety is “Rainbow melon.” The weight of imported Torpedo fruits reaches 15 kg. The temperate climate of the middle zone allows you to grow individual samples of about 5 kg.

The maximum length of Torpedo melon shoots reaches 2 m. The young stems of the plant are strong and powerful. This allows the variety to be grown on supports to prevent contact of vines and fruits with the soil. This technique ensures plant ventilation, disease prevention, and accelerates ripening.

Melon Torpedo has the following varietal characteristics:

• oval fruits of regular shape grow from 0.3 to 0.5 m in length;
• the yellow peel is covered with a network of silvery veins;
• milky pulp, about 6 cm thick;
• consistency juicy, oily;
• a large number of seeds.

The taste of melon of the Torpedo variety with sufficient sun and hot summer is rated as excellent. In the middle zone, the sugar content of fruits can decrease significantly. Under favorable conditions, melon acquires a bright smell, rich taste with notes of pineapple, vanilla and duchess.

Torpedo belongs to the late varieties of melons. The period for achieving technical maturity in Central Asia is at least 60 days. Therefore, you should not expect high-quality ripe product of this variety on the shelves before August.

Pros and cons of the variety

The Torpedo melon, judging by the photos and reviews of domestic gardeners, is capable of producing excellent fruits in a temperate climate. Their weight is smaller, the smell and taste are somewhat inferior to the product from Asia, which is considered a relative disadvantage of the variety. Sometimes the melon does not have enough warm days, and it does not have time to fully ripen.

Comparable in popularity to the European variety “Kolkhoznitsa”, Torpeda has the following advantages:

• excellent product and taste qualities;
• transportability and keeping quality of fruits;
• health benefits of pulp and seeds.

Torpedo is one of the few melons that can be stored for a long time under certain conditions. In a cellar or cool room, melons remain fresh until spring. To do this, select fruits at the stage of technical maturity and store them hanging on supports.

What are the benefits of Torpedo melon for the body?

The rich chemical composition of the fruit, the abundance of vitamins, microelements, and biologically active compounds make it possible to classify melon as a health-improving product. The most useful substances in Torpedo pulp:

• vitamins E, C, A, PP, representatives of the entire group B;
• potassium, chlorine, sodium are contained in increased concentrations;
• less, but therapeutically significant, is the presence of potassium, magnesium, iron, fluorine, iodine;
• organic acids: pantothenic, malic, citric;
• vegetable fiber.

The sweet taste and unique balance of substances produce the following effects on the body:

• production of the hormone of happiness, reduction of anxiety;
• increase in general tone, decrease in apathy;
• improvement of blood count;
• strengthening the immune system.

How to choose a ripe Torpedo melon

Among the wide variety of melons offered at the end of summer and autumn, you want to choose the ripest product. Torpedo melon reveals its full varietal qualities only when fully ripe, harvested at a natural time for the variety, without ripening with the help of chemical fertilizers.

Signs of a ripe, high-quality melon:

1. The surface of the fruit is dry and clean, without stains, cuts or breaks.
2. The color is uniform, yellow, without green streaks or brown areas.
3. The melon is dense, but not hard. The peel is springy and does not press when pressed with a finger.
4. The smell is honey, rich, without sour notes.
5. The tail is dry but strong.

Self-ripened melons of the Torpedo variety appear on sale no earlier than the end of August. Fruits that are too early may contain substances that accelerate ripening and will not benefit the body.

How many calories are in Torpedo melon?

The calorie content of Torpedo melon is one of the highest among melon crops, but its nutritional value does not exceed the scope of a dietary product. The sweet vegetable is allowed to be eaten even if you are overweight. Melon contains 90% water, in which beneficial substances and sugars are dissolved. Therefore, ripe pulp easily quenches thirst.

The Torpedo variety is the sweetest of melons. The calorie content of 100 g of its pulp exceeds 35 kcal. Carbohydrates occupy the largest share in the composition - up to 7.5 g. Fats and proteins are present minimally, in total not exceeding 1 g.

Glycemic index of Torpedo melon

The high carbohydrate content in Torpedo is compensated by their rapid absorption. “Fast sugar” is easily converted into energy, which means it is completely consumed by the body. Based on this feature, Torpedo melon can be called a natural energy drink.

Easily digestible carbohydrates have the ability to abruptly increase blood sugar levels, which later decrease on their own. People suffering from diabetes should be aware of this effect.The glycemic index of Torpedo melon is quite high and amounts to 65 units, which is 10 points less than that of ripe watermelons.

Rules for using Torpedo melon for diabetics:

1. For type 1 diabetes, it is allowed to include sweet vegetables in the diet on general principles.
2. In type 2 diabetes with concomitant obesity, fruit consumption is beneficial for weight loss. When using melon, you should carefully monitor your blood sugar levels.
3. The main rule is full compensation of consumed carbohydrates with drug insulin and regular physical activity.

Torpedo melon contains few calories and can be used for dietary purposes. Due to its energy and vitamin composition, the Torpedo variety is indicated for recovery from serious illnesses, as a useful product for athletes or for rapid physical fatigue.

How to grow Torpedo melons

The heat-loving melon Torpeda is a southern plant; growing it in the middle zone is fraught with difficulties. Due to lack of light and heat, the ripening time of melons is extended, and the fruits do not have time to ripen. Therefore, in temperate climates, the Torpedo variety is recommended to be grown in greenhouses or greenhouses.

Planting the Torpedo variety with seeds directly into open ground is permissible in areas with warm summers.

Basic landing rules:

1. The soil temperature during work should not be lower than + 14 °C, otherwise seedlings will be rare and weak.
2. Before planting, melon seeds are soaked to swell and reject non-germinating specimens.
3. The hatched seeds are buried 5-6 cm into the soil, placing 4-5 seeds in each hole.
4. The sowing pattern for Torpedo melon is chosen arbitrarily, maintaining a distance between holes of 60 to 100 cm.

In most of Russia, the climate does not allow for a full harvest of Torpedo melon without shelter. To ensure a full growing season, the variety is grown through seedlings.

Preparing seedlings

Before planting seeds for seedlings, they are sorted, pickled in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate, and wait until sprouts appear. The sprouted seeds are ready to be planted in the ground.

The choice of containers for planting is dictated by certain conditions:

1. The fragile root system of sprouts is easily damaged during transplantation, so peat tablets or glasses are used for melon.
2. The size of the planting containers is chosen based on the expected planting time: in peat tablets, plants can develop up to 14 days; in cups, seedlings can wait a month for planting.
3. It is permissible to plant several seeds in pots more than 10 cm deep. Grown plants are assessed by strength and growth and left alone, cutting off excess stems.
4. In the middle zone, Torpedo seeds are sown from the end of April, and brought to the beds by June.

You can prepare the soil mixture for melons yourself by mixing equal parts of garden soil, peat, sand and humus.

The process of growing Torpedo melon seedlings:

• moisten the soil by adding complex fertilizers suitable for pumpkin crops to the water;
• the seeds are buried 1-2 cm into the substrate;
• sprinkle the soil surface with sand to prevent rot and blackleg;
• keep the pots at a temperature not lower than + 20 °C (night fluctuations up to + 15 °C are acceptable);
• Watering is carried out moderately, focusing on the drying out of the top layer of soil.

After waiting for favorable weather conditions, they take the Torpedo seedlings outside and harden them for several days.

Selection and preparation of a landing site

Gray forest, sandy loam soils and black soil are the best soils for Torpedo melon. Any other types of substrates will have to be brought to the needs of melons. In any case, the acidity of the soil in the beds should be neutral.

Melons need an abundance of light and warmth, so places open to the sun are reserved for them. The night temperature should not fall below + 15 °C. It is advisable to protect the area from winds and drafts with tall plants or a small fence. In beds with melons of the southern Torpedo variety, stagnation of moisture, which provokes rot and fungal infections, is unacceptable.

Additional lighting in the greenhouse is carried out with an intensity of 5000-6000 lux. For Torpedo melon in protected ground, it is enough to create a layer of fertile soil up to 15 cm thick. The substrate is mixed based on the ratio: 1 part peat and sand to 2 parts humus.

It is advisable to prepare open beds for melons in the fall:

1. Dig up the soil to a depth of a spade.
2. Add organic matter: 5 kg of mature manure or humus per 1 square meter. m.
3. Sand is added to loamy soils, ensuring the looseness of the substrate.

In the spring, the melon plot is fertilized with potassium-phosphorus complex compounds. Future holes are marked on the prepared beds and wait until the soil warms up.

Landing rules

Adult Torpedo melon seedlings are ready for transplanting 35 days after the first shoots appear. By this time, the best specimens grow 6-7 true leaves.

The standard arrangement of holes suggests leaving 60 cm between plants, 80 cm between rows, and about 1 m in aisles.

The soil in the beds is moistened abundantly, young plants are placed in the holes, and the root ball is sprinkled with soil. At the same time, the neck of the melon should not be buried deeper than that of the seedlings before planting. It is useful to mulch the soil surface with river sand. If the weather is unstable, film shelters are arranged for the beds.

Watering and fertilizing

After planting Torpedo seedlings, until they take root, moistening is carried out with heated water. When the plants begin to grow, the amount of watering is reduced until it stops completely. Before the ovaries form, Torpedo melons are watered rarely, only when the soil is very dry, preventing excess tops from growing.

Irrigation is increased after fruit formation, when melons gain weight. Approximately 4 weeks before the expected harvest, watering is reduced again. This technique provides the Torpedo variety with a set of sugars and the appearance of a typical melon aroma.

Even in well-prepared beds, melons need plenty of fertilizer. A minimum of 3 feedings will be required per season:

1. 15 days after planting, add 2 liters of ammonium nitrate solution per bush (20 g of the drug per 10 liters of water).
2. The same technique is repeated when the melon is flowering.
3. The last feeding is done 20 days after budding: 25 g of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are diluted with 10 liters of water and 2 liters of liquid are added per bush.

After the tops close, fertilizing is stopped.It is unacceptable to apply fertilizers if there are less than 20 days left before harvesting the fruits.

Formation

There are two popular methods for forming Torpedo bushes: trellis and spreading method. In the open air, most often, the plant is allowed to spread freely along the ground. For this method, the central shoot of the Torpedo should be pinched over another 4 leaves and the lateral shoots should be allowed to develop, of which no more than 3 are left.

Long shoots are pinned to the soil to form additional roots. This technique provides increased nutrition to Torpedo fruits.

In greenhouse conditions or to save space on the site, melons are formed vertically:

• arrange two horizontal trellises at a height of 2 m above the beds;
• a week after planting the seedlings, tie one shoot to each trellis;
• as the central stem and side branches grow, their length is adjusted by pinching, shoots without ovaries are removed;
• after the first Torpedo fruits reach a diameter of 5 cm, remove excess ovaries throughout the bush;
• 6-7 melons can grow and ripen on one bush at the same time, the remaining ovaries will weaken the bush, which will affect the quality of the harvest.

In the spreading method, roofing material, slate, and garden non-woven material are laid under the fruits and some of the canes. This will keep the melons and stems from getting too hot.

Harvesting

For transportation and subsequent sale, Torpedo fruits are collected at the stage of technical ripeness.When growing for personal consumption, it is important to select a ripe melon from the garden and leave the remaining fruits to ripen naturally.

The level of ripeness of melon of the Torpedo variety is determined by the following characteristics:

1. The fruit is separated from the stem easily, without twisting movements.
2. The color of the peel is bright, uniform on all sides.
3. The rings are clearly visible around the stalk.
4. Melon exudes a bright, honeyed aroma.

Diseases and pests

The main cause of melon and melon diseases in temperate climates is high air and soil humidity, which is unusual for southern crops. Fungal, bacterial, and viral types of infection of leaves and fruits are common due to excessive watering or excess rainfall. Against the background of waterlogging, the Torpedo variety quickly develops root rot.

Typical diseases of melons:

• anthracnose;
• peronosporosis;
• powdery mildew;
• fusarium wilt.

To prevent these diseases, it is necessary to disinfect seeds and soil, and observe crop rotation. Weeds in the beds contribute to the infection of melons, so the soil in the melon patch should be kept clean until the leaves close.

With early detection of infections, spraying Torpedo melon plantings with a 1% solution of copper sulfate helps. If ineffective, treatment with specialized drugs will be required.

In the middle zone, Torpedo plantings are threatened by the following insects:

• melon fly, which spoils ripe fruits;
• spider mite – affects leaves;
• gnawing owls – suck out the juice of the stems.

In weed-free beds without excess moisture and with proper soil preparation in the fall, the risk of insect attacks on Torpedo plantings is noticeably reduced. If infection cannot be avoided, a special insecticide is selected for a specific type of pest.

Using Melon Torpedo

The benefits and harms of Torpedo melon are determined by its rich composition, which ensures widespread use of juicy pulp, seeds and even peel. The fruits are eaten, used for skin, hair and included in the treatment of certain diseases.

In cooking

Torpedo melon is eaten fresh, jam and compotes are prepared from it, the juice is squeezed out, and aromatic substances are extracted to enrich many dishes and drinks. Candied fruits are prepared from the peel of the vegetable.

Nutritionists recommend including seasonal vegetables in healthy eating plans along with fruits. There are special “melon” diets that make it easy to lose weight. Fasting days using only Torpedo pulp are allowed twice a week.

In cosmetology

Torpedo melon seeds contain significant concentrations of zinc. This substance has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and strengthens the hair. In addition to this effect, internal intake of Torpedo seeds with honey helps to improve the health of the entire body, strengthens the immune system, and increases libido.

As part of professional cosmetic products, the Torpedo melon variety exhibits the following properties:

• prevents early skin aging;
• whitens, evens out complexion;
• Provides nutrition and hydration to cells.

At home, it is easy to use all these properties of melon by simply applying the pulp from Torpedo pulp to problem areas of the skin, nail plates, and hair. Mashed fruits are also used to whiten age spots and remove freckles.

A mixture of melon and olive oil perfectly nourishes and permanently moisturizes tired skin of the face and hands. Take 1 tbsp. l. butter for 4 tbsp. l. pulp, mix and apply as a mask. After the procedure, the skin becomes velvety, smooth, and toned.

To restore damaged hair, you can use this home recipe:

• ground Torpedo melon pulp – 100 g;
• burdock oil – 1 tbsp. l.;
• yolk of one egg.

Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth. Apply to the scalp and distribute throughout the strands. Leave to act for at least 15 minutes. Wash off with warm water and gentle shampoo. 4 procedures once a week are enough to restore brittle, dry or color-damaged hair.

In folk medicine

Beneficial properties of Torpedo fruits are used as an additional remedy for the following conditions:

• anemia;
• excess cholesterol levels in the blood;
• hypertension;
• toxicosis and poisoning;
• kidney stones and sand.

The presence of a large amount of plant fiber in combination with other beneficial substances helps to gently cleanse the intestines, binds and removes toxins, and improves peristalsis.

In case of disturbances in the functioning of the heart, Torpedo melon is a source of valuable compounds that nourish the myocardium.In the absence of contraindications, the vegetable can be used in dietary nutrition for angina pectoris, endocarditis, ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis and other pathological conditions.

Contraindications

The use of Torpedo melon is contraindicated for the following diseases:

• severe form of diabetes mellitus;
• the presence of ulcerations in the gastrointestinal tract;
• intestinal dysbiosis;
• dysentery.

Use melon with caution when preparing the diet for nursing mothers. Substances in breast milk can cause flatulence and colic in the baby.

Torpedo melon does not go well with dairy products, alcohol, and chilled drinks. In case of any abnormalities in the functioning of the stomach, it is not recommended to eat the fruits on an empty stomach.

Conclusion

Melon Torpedo is a southern, sweet vegetable that has long ceased to be exotic even for residents of the northern regions. The geography of cultivation of the variety shifts further north with each season. Special agricultural practices, the use of fertilizers, modern greenhouses and greenhouses make it possible to obtain sunny melons in an atypical climate.

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