A melon pear, which also goes by the name Pepino, certainly doesn't have to see any scissors in its warm native South America. But under local living conditions, we have to direct their energy in a targeted manner so that delicious fruits ripen by autumn. How to cut Pepino correctly.
Why should you cut back the melon pear?
Pruning a melon pear (Pepino) promotes its he alth, increases the harvest quantity, enlarges the fruit and makes overwintering easier. Cut flowerless shoots, shorten long shoots and use sharp, disinfected scissors.
Four good reasons for cutting back
The following reasons speak for the targeted cutting of the melon pear:
- this will preserve your he alth
- the harvest quantity can be increased
- the fruits are getting bigger
- the plant loses volume, can be overwintered better
Promoting he alth
One or two tendrils of the melon pear can break off in wind and weather. Then it should be cut off promptly. Wilted leaves should also be removed. This prevents fungal pathogens from spreading on rotting plant parts and spreading to the he althy parts of the plant.
Increase harvest quantity
In an optimal location and with good care, the melon pear sprouts many tendrils. Not all of them will be adorned with flowers in spring. If you cut off flowerless shoots, this will lead to even more flowers on other shoots and therefore a more lush harvest. In gardening practice this is known as pinching out.
Cutting for larger fruits
Short very long shoots, even if this means losing a few flowers. The fruits that form from the remaining flowers become larger because more energy then flows into them.
Pruning before overwintering
All melon pears are not hardy. The popular “Sugar Gold” variety also needs to overwinter safely. Since a melon pear does not like temperatures below 10 °C and even freezes to death in frost, it is not allowed to overwinter outside.
A 5-10 °C cool room with lots of light is the ideal winter home for a Pepino. However, it is often the case that such rooms are already filled with other plants. It's not ideal if the melon pear struggles to squeeze in there. Last but not least, possible pests then have an easy time conquering them. In such cases, shorten the plant in the fall as needed and without concerns.
A few tips on cutting
As useful as cutting is, it's easy to make a mistake. In the worst case scenario, the plant becomes sick and dies. Please note the following points every time you use scissors:
- always use sharp and disinfected scissors
- cut on a dry day
- after major cutting work, sprinkle cut surfaces with charcoal
