Kiwano growing from seed. Kiwano plant or African cucumber

Growing Kiwano at home

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Kiwano - unusual fruit from the pumpkin family. Known as horned melon or African cucumber. Used as a fruit or vegetable, and sometimes kiwano is grown as an ornamental annual vine. Juicy pulp has a jelly-like texture. The taste is similar to banana, cucumber and melon at the same time. Interestingly, "horned melon" can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.

- a heat-loving plant, does not tolerate even a slight cold snap. Growing at home is possible only with very careful care. Kiwano is actively cultivated in Israel, New Zealand. Most endemic varieties do not survive in middle lane, but there are specially adapted species. For nod optimal way to get the fruit is to grow it from seeds on your plot.

Description of the fruit

Kiwano is an annual herbaceous vine, part of the cucumber genus. It grows rapidly, the length of the shoots is 3-6 meters. It is bred for edible fruits and as an ornamental plant. The birthplace of the fruit is Africa. How vegetables are grown South America. In Israel, New Zealand, Italy, it is a fruit.

Kiwano fruit resembles a melon with spikes up to 15 centimeters long, weight - up to 150 grams. Outwardly, it looks like a yellow-orange fruit with a jelly-like pulp of light green color, and inside - white seeds, like a cucumber. The hard skin is inedible, covered with rare spines. ripe fruit elastic to the touch, the spines are flexible, soft: they are not able to scratch the hands. In mature fruits, the peel has a characteristic cucumber aroma with hints of lemon. The taste combines notes of cucumber, banana, kiwi, melon.

Dense foliage can be used as an impromptu backstage for other plants. Liana can be put on a fence or as an unusual landscaping for a veranda, a forged metal gazebo.

How do you eat kiwanos?

"Horned melon" is eaten raw, added to salty salads, desserts, fruit drinks. Prepared from it original jam, jam, canned juice. The ovary, 3-4 days old, can be pickled like cucumbers. The fruit sometimes causes allergies, so the first time you should try it carefully.

IN fresh Kiwano is recommended to be eaten immediately after it has been plucked. This ensures maximum safety of vitamins C and PP. The pulp should be selected with a spoon, and the seeds should be collected and dried. Seed material retains good germination up to 7 years.

reproduction

Growing kiwanos in temperate climates is easy and fun. The variety "Green Dragon" was developed, designed specifically for not the most favorable weather conditions. It is an annual vine resistant to diseases, major pests. Important feature varieties - the plant bears fruit regardless of the length of daylight hours. Unlike cucumbers, there are no special varieties for growing in greenhouses. When bred indoors, kivano has to be pollinated artificially, with a brush.

At home, "African cucumber" has 3 methods of reproduction:

• cuttings;
• seeds;
• seedlings.

It is easiest to grow a kiwano from seeds. You need to buy a ripe fruit, choose planting material with a spoon, and eat the pulp with pleasure. Even easier is to buy ready-made seeds that do not require special preparation. The African Cucumber can be grown outdoors or as a houseplant in a pot.

Landing

In temperate climates, kiwanos are grown in seedlings. When planting immediately in open ground Plants will die in cold weather. The grown shoots can be planted in May, after the end of frosts, on a site specially designated for exotic.

How to grow a kiwano yourself:

1. Preparation. For a day, the seeds are soaked in aqueous solution"Epina Extra" or succinic acid. This will speed up germination. Seeds must pre-swell. If they are collected from ripe fruit, they must be wrapped in cotton cloth, poured with water. The skin of the seeds will become soft, which means they are ready for planting.
2. Germination. Seeds are planted in pots with a diameter of 10 centimeters with a nutritious soil mixture. Planting material is buried 3 centimeters into the ground, moderately watered. The pots are covered with foil or glass. The soil should be moderately moist and loose. Optimum temperature for germination - 25 ° С.
3. Landing in a greenhouse. Hatched seedlings with 2 true leaves are transplanted into a greenhouse. The process of growing seedlings before moving to open ground takes approximately 31 days, of which in a greenhouse - up to 14 days.

Planting in open ground is carried out only after the end of spring frosts. Temperatures lower than + 10 ° C are detrimental to nods. A full growing cycle takes 75-77 days. The minimum temperature is from + 15°С. The plant does not tolerate temperatures below 0 ° C, the seedlings will die in the soil.

Landing rules:

• the site should be bright, protected from drafts and cold winds (the plant bears fruit well if it is in direct sunlight for at least 6-7 hours every day);
• kiwano does not grow well in shady areas, acidic soils are not suitable;
• it is recommended to plant vines in 2 rows, at a distance of at least 1 meter from each other (you will need a place for the active growth of shoots);
• this is a climbing plant: support is required in advance, on which the shoots are fixed with twine (it is good to plant near the fence as decorative landscaping);
• drainage is needed to prevent stagnant moisture in the soil.

After planting in open ground, it is advisable to immediately tie a young vine to a support. When growing in a pot, you will also need a vertical stand. Kiwano is immune to most diseases that are dangerous for the pumpkin family. Since this is not an endemic plant, pest attacks can not be feared.

For closed ground You will need a container with a volume of up to 20 liters. Liana can be placed on a balcony or insulated veranda.

Care

Exotic Kiwano does not require complex care when grown at home. The only danger for him is sudden changes in temperature. In such a situation, it is better to cultivate the plant as indoor, in pots. The main stages of caring for a liana include watering, regular loosening of the soil, fertilizing, which forms the pinching of shoots.

A growing stem is recommended to be regularly twisted onto a support. Do this only in a clockwise direction. For this purpose, it is good to use a cucumber net. On it, long lashes will curl freely like an ornamental plant. At proper care Kiwano bears fruit abundantly, regardless of the length of daylight hours.

Watering

The plant needs regular watering, the surface of the soil must be constantly wet. In dry weather, it is recommended to do this at least 2-3 times a week. The soil will need regular loosening, weeding.

top dressing

For horned melon to look good and bear fruit abundantly, a lot of nutrients are required. Once a 3 weeks is recommended to make:

• organic fertilizers (mullein, chicken manure as root dressing every 10-12 days, recommended ratio with water: 1:15);
• complex mineral supplements, for example, "Kemira Universal-2" (added to the soil: 50 grams per 10 liters of water).

Foliar mineral supplements have a good effect.

Topping

Periodic pinching of shoots will be needed if the vine grows too densely. Side stems should be removed. The entire barren flower is removed so as not to interfere with the formation of the ovary.

Harvesting

Horned melon begins to bloom 1-2 months after germination. The first 4-5 days, the ovary should be pinched to get a bountiful harvest. Ripe fruits should be removed from the vine after 1-2 days. This should be done as often as possible to stimulate the maturation of new ovaries. Optimally - once every 2-3 days. As soon as the growing season is over, all the fruits must be harvested, the green mass cut off with secateurs and laid in compost.

Increasingly, on the shelves of supermarkets you can see outlandish fruits and vegetables that are imported from various countries peace. Despite the fact that such delicacies are prohibitively expensive, they are sometimes in greater demand than familiar vegetables and fruits. Today we will discuss african fruit, find out what it is, how it is used, how it is grown from seeds, how difficult it is to grow in your garden.

Introduction to exotic fruit

It is for this reason that many people believe that most of the product after cleaning will go into the bin, respectively, only a small part of the pulp will remain, which will not cover the costs.

However, it is worth noting that the African cucumber has good fruiting, so if the fruit is grown for personal use, then you should not think that resources and land will be spent to end up with a kilogram of an edible product.

An important question is what tastes like horned melon. Kiwano has a specific taste that cannot be identified with any familiar fruit in the same way as if you first tried a banana and tried to compare it with what can grow in the garden.
Generally speaking, the fruits are enough moisture and sweet and sour taste which quenches thirst well. When you try it for the first time, you will feel similarities with cucumber, melon, banana and lime, but each person has his own analogy, so in this case it all comes down to subjective opinion.

Did you know? The plant is used not only to produce fruits, but also as an ornamental plant, planting it in personal plots.

Seed preparation before planting

Before sowing, the seeds must be soaked for a day in a pre-prepared solution. To do this, we buy specialized store, which has an identical name (do not confuse with potassium humanate).

You can also use the fertilizer "Epina-extra", which gives the same effect.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

It should be said right away that it is impossible to sow directly into open ground even if you live in southern latitudes. Recall that in the spring there can be serious temperature drops, respectively, there is a risk of losing all the seedlings at once.

Location selection

Kiwano requires a large amount of space, as it has accelerated growth and "spreads" quickly enough. However, like ordinary cucumber, it will not interfere with the support to make it easier to assemble the products.

Important! In no case should you plant under the dense crowns of trees, since you will not get a harvest before frost.

Therefore, it is worth planting on flat surface near a mesh fence or wall. You need to leave a fairly large area for planting. In this case, the priority will be precisely a warm, calm place, and not the presence of a support.

Landing pattern

The optimal landing is considered as such, if per 1 sq. m. there are no more than two bushes. The standard picking pattern is 40x35 cm.

How to care for an African cucumber

Now let's talk about the care of the African cucumber in the open field. Let's discuss the main points on which the productivity of the bushes depends.

Watering, weeding, loosening

Watering. You should not think that if a plant is from Africa, then for it you need to “arrange” the Sahara in the garden. Under such conditions, the nod will quickly die, and you will waste your energy in vain. You need to water at least 2-3 times a week, if it is not very hot outside.

If the sun bakes so that the earth cracks, then we water daily, checking the soil near the bushes for moisture with a stick or special electronic devices.
Please note that watering is carried out before sunrise or after sunset, otherwise the plant will suffer greatly from such irrigation.

Weeding. Be sure to remove all weeds in the area where the crop grows. Do not forget that for the formation of the green mass of kivano, a large amount of mineral and nutrients is required, which are drawn from the soil.

Loosening. Loosening allows you to give the roots access to oxygen. It should be carried out when the earth is covered with a crust. This is best done in the early morning or evening. You can’t do this during the day, otherwise your actions will lead to the evaporation of a huge amount of moisture from the soil.

Did you know? The fruit contains a large amount ascorbic acid, as well as a complex of other vitamins and minerals. Calorie content of 100 g of products - 44 kcal. This determines the usefulness of the fruit for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases and obesity.

Escape pinch

If you are not growing horned melon, then pinching is a must.
Be sure to pinch the side shoots, otherwise the volume of green mass will affect fruiting. We form the bushes so that they look like a circle or, if so intended, stretch into one continuous line.

Hilling

It is not an important part of the care, however, if the soil overheats during the day, or just as strongly supercools during the night, then it does not hurt to hill up to protect the roots from overheating or hypothermia.

Hilling also helps retain moisture in the soil, which is especially important for southern latitudes, where summers are very hot.

top dressing

Top dressing is carried out without fail, while it is necessary to introduce not only organic matter, but also “mineral water” in order to ensure rapid growth and a set of green mass.
From organic matter, you can make an infusion, or chicken manure. From it is better to give preference to complex ones, which include the NPK complex.

Top dressing is carried out every 10 days, alternating organic matter with "mineral water" so that the culture does not experience starvation.

Garter

If you use a support, then you can vertically tie the main stem like a bee pollinated cucumber. So you can put the bulk up, while saving space. You can also use cucumber mesh, which is great for kiwanos.

You can do without a garter, but in this case, the vine will take up a lot of space, and when growing in a greenhouse, you certainly cannot do without a garter.

Harvesting

The fruits begin to be harvested in August, when they turn yellow. At this stage, they are perfectly stored, however taste qualities leave much to be desired, because they taste like an overripe cucumber.
To get the most delicious fruits, you need to cut them off at the moment when they turn bright orange. There is no need to wait to collect a large number of fruits at once, as this will slow down the formation of new ones.

After harvesting, "horned cucumbers" are stored for no more than six months without freezing or refrigeration.

How to eat kiwano fruits

Having talked about how to grow kiwano, it is worth mentioning how to eat this fruit.

As you might guess, the peel is not used for food, so it must be removed. However, the edible part is so tender that it will not work to separate it from the skin like orange slices. Therefore, the fruit is cut into two parts, and the jelly-like "filling" is selected with a spoon.
Then it can be salted or sweetened, added to various dishes. If you like the taste of fruit, then you can use it without mixing with anything.

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The kiwano plant is also called horned melon or African cucumber. This is a herbaceous liana from the gourd family, subspecies - cucumber. This fruit has horns in the form of spikes on the surface - hence the name, horned melon. Ripe kiwano fruit necessarily has yellow-orange skin and yellow-green, jelly-like flesh with tart taste and a texture very, very similar to cucumber. Its length can reach 15 centimeters. It has numerous seeds that reach a length of one centimeter. Look at the kiwano in the photo illustrating appearance fruit:

Territory and natural habitat this fruit- Africa, or to be more precise, the territory south of the Sahara: mainly Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Nigeria. Currently, it also actively grows in California, Mississippi, Chile, Australia (it was brought here at least 70 years ago) and New Zealand.

Growing kiwanos from seeds at home

Seedlings of the plant appear at a temperature of 25 to 35 degrees Celsius. Germination may be delayed if the room temperature is kept at 12 degrees, and inhibited if the temperature is below 12 or above 25 degrees.

After the appearance of the first shoots, it is necessary to transplant them into open trays or beds. The best time for planting seedlings is spring, when the soil and air temperature rise to 15 degrees Celsius. Growing kivano at home from seeds can be both a stage in growing seedlings and a full-fledged plant development cycle.

Compared to cucumber, it is not as demanding on soil, but prefers good drainage and nutrients in the mail. The main advantage of the plant is that it is resistant to many diseases characteristic of the pumpkin family. Like most plants, the kiwano is propagated in three ways: cuttings, seeds, and seedlings. We propose to pay attention to the most fruitful - with the help of seeds. The vegetative period of the plant (from the first shoots to full maturity) is an average of 75-77 days. As a result of growth and development, the creeping stem can reach a length of 3 cm.

It is recommended to prepare seeds for seedlings a month or two before the planned landing in an open place - April-May is quite suitable. The day before, it is necessary to soak the seeds in a container in a pre-prepared solution of sodium humate or epin-extra. The seeds should swell, after which they are immediately placed in pots or other containers with a diameter of at least 8-10 centimeters, which are filled with a very nutritious soil mixture. Before planting in open ground, it is recommended to keep them in the greenhouse for at least a couple of weeks (this is approximately mid-May). We strongly recommend transplanting to the beds only after the frosts have completely passed.

The fruit is planted in two or three rows (the distance between them should be at least 40 centimeters) at a distance of 35-40 centimeters between them.

When landing on open ground, it is necessary to choose a place that will reliably protect the seedlings from the wind, and tie it with twine to vertical racks. As it grows, it is necessary to twist the stem on its surface.

To get beautiful fruits and not destroy seedlings, you should know a few important rules for care: loosen the soil around the plant, regularly weed weeds and water 2-3 times a week during dry and hot summers.

How are kiwano fruits eaten?

Kiwano fruits are traditionally used in Africa as one of the main food ingredients, and it has great potential to address nutrition and food security, promote rural development and support land use along with Acanthosicyos naudinianus and Tsamma. This is one of the few opportunities to get moisture during a drought in the Kalahari Desert. In Northern Zimbabwe, kiwano is used as an appetizer or salad, and very rarely for decoration. It can be eaten at any stage of ripening, but it is worth knowing that when fully ripe, the fruit bursts with great strength to release the seeds. Let's look at the question of how Kiwano fruits are eaten and what this exotic fruit can be combined with.

Many compare the taste of kiwano to the combination of cucumber and zucchini, or the combination of banana, cucumber and lemon. There are those who believe that the taste of the fruit is similar to an unripe, diluted banana. If you want to increase the flavor of this ingredient, we recommend adding sugar or salt. Some also prefer to eat the peel, which is high in vitamin B and fiber. Modern Cooking also uses fruits in the preparation of some dishes, but if you decide to choose raw product, it is best to suck out the pulp and discard the seeds.

In salads, it is best to combine kiwano with pepper and salt, in lemon sauce. To add zest to the drink, they are often used in the production of fruit and milkshakes. Due to its low calorie content, it is often recommended by nutritionists in special diets and for weight loss.

Also, at present, kiwano is being promoted as a delicacy fruit for export to the markets of Western Europe and the United States, since its fruits have long term storage and external attractiveness, which persists for long months subject to content room temperature. Currently, commercial varieties of the fruit have a rather bland taste, which severely limits its potential as a delicacy fruit and its use in food. If it nutritional qualities improved by increasing sugar, acidity, and flavor, then it may be marketed as a new fruit.

The material was prepared by Sysoeva Irina

It is not necessary to wait for the seeds to spit, but the procedure increases the likelihood of germination.

For germination, take pots with a diameter of 8-9 cm, the soil is suitable for purchased, universal for seedlings or indoor plants. Each seed is planted separately, deepening it by no more than 3.5 cm.

seedling care

Pots with sown seeds are kept in a warm, well-lit place. The required temperature is 25°C, drops of more than 5 degrees are not allowed. Therefore, when airing the room, the crops are covered.

Seedlings should not be exposed to direct Sun rays. Usually, to protect them from burns, window glass is sealed with plastic wrap.

The duration of daylight hours is 12-14 hours, at first additional illumination will be required.

The soil in pots is regularly loosened and moistened, drying out is not welcome.




Rules for planting seedlings in open ground

Timing. With strict observance of the agricultural technology of growing seedlings, by the end of the 3rd week, the seedlings are ready for transplantation. In cool climates, they are given another week or 10 days until the weather is consistently warm.

On a note!

If the seedlings are already outgrowing, and the weather is not good, the seedlings are planted under the film.

Place for landing. Although the horned melon is thermophilic, it does not tolerate the direct rays of the hot sun: burns appear on the leaves, flowers and ovaries crumble. Therefore, the place is selected in such a way that at noon the exotic liana is shaded.

Do not plant a nod in full shade, there will be neither flowers nor fruits.

Anguria does not like drafts and wind. Therefore, the site for its landing must be protected from them.

The soil you need loose, light, moisture and breathable, well-drained - stagnant water destroys the root system of the African cucumber.

The horned melon grows quickly and is capable of a short time spread throughout the area. They usually plant it near the fence, arbors, or immediately install supports.

Landing scheme. It is optimal to place two vines on one square meter.




Outdoor care

Water the horned melon 2-3 times a week in moderation. hot weather. If the air temperature exceeds 30 ° C, watering is required daily.

Water only in the early morning hours or after sunset.

Weeding is required not only for young, but also for adult plants.

Loosen the ground as needed, preventing the formation of a crust on the surface. As for watering best time- early in the morning or at dusk, when the rate of evaporation of moisture decreases.

Pinching is carried out with excessive growth of green mass: side shoots with barren flowers are completely removed, the rest - on the ovary. If kiwano is grown as an ornamental plant, it is not necessary to pinch the shoots.

Hilling is advisable to carry out with a large difference between day and night temperatures. The measure will protect the roots from overheating or hypothermia, in hot areas it helps to retain moisture.

Feeding is done every 10 days. Organics alternate with mineral complexes. Mullein, bird droppings, herbal infusions are recommended as organic top dressing. Mineral fertilizers must contain an NPK complex.

To diseases characteristic of pumpkin, the vine is resistant. Pests rarely attack.




Harvesting and storage

The first fruits begin to ripen in August. The pale green color gradually changes to yellow, then to a rich orange.
Cut "cucumbers" as they ripen, without waiting for mass ripening, otherwise the formation and ripening of new ones will be slowed down, the harvest will be less than expected.

On a note!

Horned melon juice helps to eliminate toxins from the body, especially useful in chemotherapy.

Store fruits without additional processing in a cool room. Shelf life does not exceed 6 months.

Good afternoon friends!

Before talking about kiwano cultivation and about its application, I will tell you briefly about this exotic plant.

Kiwano is a member of the pumpkin family. Subspecies - cucumber. Originally grown in Africa. Today it is actively grown on plantations in New Zealand, Israel, and Italy.

Often, kiwano is popularly called the African cucumber, most likely due to the similarity of the pulp and seeds in it. And they are also compared with horned melon - they both have a yellow peel with soft pimples on it. The skin of the fruit has light fragrance cucumber, and the pulp has collected the tastes of kiwi, melon, banana and lemon.

Kiwano grows into a climbing vine, reaching three to five meters in length. The length of the fetus can reach fifteen centimeters.

How to grow Kiwano?

Seedlings of seeds should germinate within a month at home. 24 hours before planting the seeds in pots, they must be soaked in a solution of Sodium Humate or Epina-Extra. As soon as the seeds swell, they are immediately planted in a pot with a diameter of approximately 10 centimeters. Planting depth is approximately 3 cm. The pot should contain fertilized soil. The most favorable temperature for germination is 25 degrees.

Around the end of spring, a pot of sprouts can already be placed in a greenhouse. And already directly into the garden only when the frosts end. Kiwano does not tolerate cold weather. It is advisable to plant them at a sufficient distance - about 1 plant per 1 square meter, because. it is characterized by active growth of leaves and branches.

Because kiwano is a climbing plant, then it needs some kind of support for plant growth. The best option is to land next to the fence.

Kiwano is quite resistant to many diseases that are characteristic of the pumpkin family and is not particularly susceptible to attack by pests.

This plant begins to bloom very late, sometimes just before the frost, so a special variety was bred for our strip - “ green Dragon"- which bears fruit regardless of the length of daylight hours.

If the weather is rather dry outside, the plant should be watered about 2-3 times a week. It is necessary to regularly fertilize the soil with various fertilizers.

To stimulate the growth of new fruits, you need to regularly harvest fruits that are already ripe.

Kiwano application

Kiwano contains a huge amount of vitamins needed by the human body.

For people who care about their skin, the pulp will be a useful ingredient to add to the formulations of natural homemade masks. Due to the wateriness of the fruit and a large number vitamins, such a mask will perfectly moisturize and nourish the skin.

No side or negative effects from this fruit have been identified, but, of course, like any other fruit, especially exotic, you first need to try a small amount of to avoid unexpected allergic reactions.

Kiwano can be eaten raw or cooked from it. various jams, jam and juices. Marinades are also made from kiwano. This fruit has huge amount useful substances that enhance immunity.

Since ancient times, the peoples of Africa have used the astringent property of the Kiwano pulp as a healing agent.

Exists interesting option use of the nodule peel. Because it is quite solid, it is perfect as a decorative vessel for decorating various dishes.

Conduct kiwano cultivation not difficult at all. In this case, you will get a plant whose fruits have pleasant taste and aroma, as well as many pleasant and useful properties. Kiwano will fit perfectly into any garden. See you, friends!