The melon pear comes from areas of the world that are warm all year round. What happens when she comes into contact with the local frost? Unfortunately, it can be assumed that this encounter cannot end well for them. Can you still spend the winter outside under certain conditions?
Can the melon pear overwinter outside?
The melon pear, also called pepino or pear melon, is not hardy and cannot tolerate frost. It should therefore only be cultivated outdoors as an annual plant. For multi-year growth, we recommend overwintering indoors, ideally in a bright room with a temperature of 5-10 °C.
This is what winter hardiness looks like
Melon pear, also called pear melon or pepino, is not considered hardy. When it was created, nature did not plan for this plant to eventually go on a global conquest.
- Melon pear does not tolerate frost
- Melon pear cannot tolerate temperatures below 10 °C
Note:The popular melon pear “Sugar Gold” also has to overwinter because all varieties of this South American nightshade plant are not hardy.
Your cultivation in the open field
In our latitudes, the melon pear can certainly be planted in the garden bed, where it opens many flowers in a sunny location and gives us a good harvest in late summer. But since our winters are notoriously frosty, a year-long existence awaits them.
This plant is so sensitive to cold that the usual protective measures can never be sufficient to ensure that it survives the winter outside. The melon pear can only grow for several years if it is allowed to overwinter indoors.
Plant the melon pear in a pot straight away
If the melon pear is still in the bed in autumn, it must be carefully dug up and planted in a pot for overwintering. The only thing that matters is the outside temperature and not the end of the harvest. Fruits that are not ripe can ripen on the plant in the winter quarters.
Against this background, it is better if you plant the melon pear in a container straight away. It can be left outside in a warm, sunny and protected place from around April to October. In autumn, the mobile pot can be easily moved to winter quarters.
Winter quarters and winter care
A bright room that is around 5-10 °C cool is optimal for overwintering the melon pear. For example, a cellar with a window or the unheated stairwell. If the available space is limited, you can cut back the melon pear heavily.
During the winter rest phase, care is reduced to a minimum. The soil must not dry out completely and the plant should be checked regularly for pests. Fertilization is usually not carried out or only in very small amounts.
