Retato Degli Ortolani Melon
A Tuscan melon with character: corky rind in a grey-green tone, deep ribs, and flesh that glows in an intense orange.
About the variety. Round fruits of 1–2 kg, highly productive with a pronounced sweet and aromatic flavour. Medium-sized plant with an indeterminate habit, bearing edible, bee-friendly flowers. Staggered harvesting extends the production season.
Itinerário técnico
Um guia de cultivo passo a passo, da sementeira à colheita.
Usually done in trays, with subsequent transplanting when the plant is 6 to 7 weeks old and has at least the first true leaf developed. Water supply should be reduced in the week prior to transplanting. Care must be taken during transplanting to minimize root disturbance and reduce transplant shock.
The 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. During the early stages and at pollination, when the 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 fruit. Drip irrigation also has the added benefit of keeping foliage dry, reducing the risk of disease development.
Mulching with organic materials or plastic is a good option to prevent competition from weeds and protect the crop, as well as keeping the fruits off the ground to avoid rot.
Mites, aphids, leaf miners, whitefly, root-knot nematodes and thrips are the main pests of this crop. Mites can be managed through biological control using predatory mites; if necessary, azadirachtin or dusting sulfur may be applied (if T < 28°C). Aphids are controlled by moderate fertilization avoiding excess nitrogen, natural limitation through border hedgerows to support beneficial insects, biological control with parasitoid or predatory Hymenoptera, and, if necessary, the application of potassium soap or azadirachtin. Leaf miners can be managed through biological control with parasitoid Hymenoptera, natural limitation using hedgerows and other nectar-bearing plants that feed parasitoid adults, with azadirachtin as an alternative. Whitefly should be controlled through moderate fertilization avoiding excess nitrogen, not transplanting already infested plants, placing yellow sticky traps for monitoring, biological control with parasitoid Hymenoptera and predatory mites, and, if necessary, the application of azadirachtin. Root-knot nematodes are controlled through crop rotation, biofumigation and soil solarization. Finally, thrips can be controlled by planting anthocorid-friendly border plants (such as marigolds and other composites) and through biological control with predatory mites and anthocorids.
Fusarium wilt, downy mildew, powdery mildew and grey rot are diseases affecting this crop. For fusarium wilt, appropriate crop rotations, biofumigation and soil solarization should be carried out. To control downy mildew, appropriate crop rotations should be followed, avoiding excess soil moisture, using wide plant spacing and, if necessary, applying copper-based fungicides. Powdery mildew is controlled through wide plant spacing, moderate fertilization without excess nitrogen and, if necessary, by applying dustable sulphur or in combination with lithothamne (1:1), which is less phytotoxic than pure sulphur. As for grey rot, diseased plant debris 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%.
