Melon Petit Gris de Rennes
A melon of French origin with centuries of tradition, small, fragrant, and with an irresistible orange flesh.
About the variety. Round fruits with ridges and a dark green and grey corky rind, weighing 800–1100 g. The flesh is orange, sweet, and highly aromatic — a summer dessert in its own right. Pay attention to the harvest stage: fruits with a fully yellow rind are overripe (acidic and fermented); the ideal moment is when the green rind shows yellow patches. The flowers are edible and attract pollinators.
Itinerário técnico
Um guia de cultivo passo a passo, da sementeira à colheita.
Usually started in trays, with transplanting once the plant is 6 to 7 weeks old and has at least the first true leaf developed. Watering should be reduced in the week before transplanting. Care must be taken during transplanting to minimize root disturbance and reduce transplant shock.
This crop prefers light, fertile, well-drained and well-worked soils to allow proper root development. The pH should be between 6.5 and 7.5.
It thrives in warm climates, without cold nights that can lead to poor pollen tube formation resulting in fewer fertile flowers. A south-facing exposure is ideal.
Compost should be incorporated into the base fertilization.
Due to varying water requirements throughout the growing cycle, drip irrigation is recommended. In the early stages and during pollination, when fruits are forming, water needs are high; after this point, irrigate only when the soil is dry, as excess water will result in poor-quality fruits. Drip irrigation also has the added benefit of preventing excess moisture on the leaves, which can trigger the onset of disease.
Mulching with organic materials or plastic is a good option, preventing competition between weeds and the crop, as well as keeping the fruits off the soil and reducing the risk of rot.
Mites, aphids, leafminers, whitefly, root-knot nematodes and thrips are the main pests of this crop. Mites can be managed through biological control with predatory mites and, if necessary, by applying azadirachtin or sulphur dust (if T < 28°C). Aphids are controlled through moderate fertilisation avoiding excess nitrogen, natural limitation using boundary hedgerows to support beneficial insects, biological control with parasitoid or predatory Hymenoptera and, if necessary, application of potassium soap or azadirachtin. Leafminers can be managed through biological control with parasitoid Hymenoptera, natural limitation using hedgerows and other nectar-rich plants to feed parasite adults, with azadirachtin as an alternative. Whitefly should be controlled through moderate fertilisation without excess nitrogen, avoiding transplanting already-infested plants, placing yellow sticky traps for monitoring, biological control with parasitoid Hymenoptera and predatory mites and, if necessary, application of azadirachtin. Root-knot nematodes are controlled through crop rotation, biofumigation and soil solarisation. Finally, thrips can be managed by planting border strips of plants that support anthocorid beneficial insects (such as marigolds and other composites) and through biological control with predatory mites and anthocorids.
Fusarium wilt, downy mildew, powdery mildew and grey mould are diseases affecting this crop. For fusarium wilt, appropriate crop rotations, biofumigation and soil solarisation should be carried out. To control downy mildew, appropriate crop rotations should be performed, avoiding excess soil moisture, using wide plant spacing and, if necessary, applying copper-based fungicides. Powdery mildew is controlled through wide plant spacing, moderate fertilisation without excess nitrogen and, if necessary, by applying dustable sulphur powder or in combination with lithothamne (1:1), which is less phytotoxic than pure sulphur. Regarding grey mould, diseased plant material should be removed, excess vigour and water on the plants avoided, lateral shoots pruned early to keep pruning wounds as small as possible, and bentonite clay applied regularly.
They can be stored at a temperature between 7 and 10°C and a relative humidity between 85 and 95%.
