In our climatic conditions, only the melon is of growing importance.
While the muskmelons can be cultivated in small greenhouses and cold frames with good success, the watermelon very seldom sets fruit in our areas, even under glass. When fully ripe, muskmelons are very aromatic and are among the most delicate fruits. A distinction is made between cantalup melons, Netted melons and smooth or Maltese melons. The fruits of the cantaloupe melons are usually spherical, partly flattened and very heavily ribbed. In terms of taste, they are at the top of the three groups of varieties. A disadvantage is their short shelf life. You need to 3 be used up to 4 days after harvest, because if they are stored for a long time, they lose their taste and become mealy. The cork-like skin surface of the netted melons shows a net-like structure, ribs either absent or only slightly prominent. The fruits, which are also mostly spherical, remain smaller than the cantaloupe melons and are less aromatic. Smooth melons usually develop more or less oblong fruits without rib formation and network structure. The pulp is also less aromatic, but mostly very cute.