Pepino growing at home

The pepino plant is called a melon pear, a pear melon or a melon tree. All due to the fact that its fruits are shaped like a pear, and taste like a melon. They are suitable for eating in pure form, and also they are added to salads, soups, they are dried, preserved, and candied from them. Under suitable conditions, the fruit is stored up to 2.5 months. Today, we learn how to grow pepino directly at home.

Pepino - cultivation and care

Grow this plant in several ways. And although the pepin is a perennial one, in the middle zone it is necessary to plant it every year, like peppers or tomatoes .

Cultivation of pepino from seeds

In order to get good seedlings by May, you need to sow seeds in November or December. Sow them in Petri dishes or in small plastic pots with lids. As an alternative - you can just pull a film on the peas or cover them with glass. The bottom must first be covered with napkins or cottonwoods, moistened and spread out with seeds.

Germination occurs at a temperature of +28 ° C, the first roots of the seeds appear after 1-2 weeks. During this period, they must be regularly moistened and ventilated once a day for a few seconds.

The illumination is gradually reduced from 24 to 14 hours, and closer to March, it is completely stopped. In the phase of the sprout with 2-3 leaves, the pepino is transplanted into separate pots, deepening them to the cotyledons. Soil for them should be light and breathable. Before peking, pour this soil with a fungicide. Planted sprouts of Pepino grow long, but do not stretch, so they are great for growing at home.

Cultivation of pepino cuttings

Cultivation by cuttings is a more common method, as it is given easier and faster. Stephens, obtained even from a month's seedlings, get along well and take root, so you can always have a lot of planting material.

Pepino, grown by cuttings, bloom and bear fruit before those grown from seeds. To prepare new cuttings for the next season, you need to cut an adult plant in autumn to a third of its height, dig it out and transplant it into a large container (7-10 liters). They are stored in a greenhouse or greenhouse for 2 months at a temperature of + 8 ° C, while reducing watering. Plants seem to be in a temporary hibernation.

Already at the end of February, the air temperature is raised to +16 ° C, introducing additional fertilizing and increasing watering. Buds need to be removed, and stepsons carefully separated and planted in a light soil. You can cover the pots with a film to have the necessary humidity level. Over time, the film is removed and the plant is grown according to all the conditions of care for the adult plant.