Growing Melons- Benefits and Instructions
Benefits of Growing Melons
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Health Benefits- Melons can help with brain function, keep eyes strong, support the immune system, fight inflammation and help control blood pressure. Melon seeds are also full of vitamins, protein and minerals.
- Nutritional Profile - Vitamins A, B6, calcium and potassium.
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Use in: Soups, salads, cocktails, frozen desserts, smoothies, salsas.
Growing Instructions
Culture:
Harvesting:
Ripe melon will separate from the vine with light pressure. You can also cut melons from the vine with a sharp knife. Leave an inch of stem attached to the fruit to keep it from rotting if you don’t plan to use a harvested melon immediately.
Muskmelons: Are ripe when the skin turns cream coloured.
Net skinned: Are ripe when the net turns from green to cream colour and the background skin turns golden.
Watermelons: When the ground spot (the area of the melon that rests on the ground) turns yellow and the stem turns brown and begins to curl.
Storage/Preparation:
Unripened melons can be stored at room temperature to ripen fully. Melons should be stored in a refrigerator as they can spoil quickly. Peeled melon can be stored in the freezer to be used in cocktails or frozen desserts.
Companions:
Beans, peas, spinach, lettuce, brassicas, onions, garlic, mint, chamomile, oregano, lavender, carrots.