The heyday is long over. The purple striped fruits grow happily. But we are waiting impatiently for a ripe specimen so that we can finally taste its aromatic flesh. But when will the time finally come? How to recognize the signs of maturity.
How do you recognize a ripe melon pear?
To tell when a melon pear (Pepino) is ripe, look for a sweet scent, a change in color, and a slight yield of the fruit when pressed. The level of ripeness is ideal when the pulp tastes like pears and honeydew melon.
Price the perfect time
When harvesting the melon pear, only those fruits that have reached the optimal level of ripeness should be picked. Then they taste particularly aromatic and have the right amount of sweetness.
Once the optimal level of ripeness has been reached, you should pick a melon fruit promptly because it quickly loses quality. Their flesh becomes soft and the plant can even begin to rot.
Warmth as a factor for fruit setting
But when does the melon pear actually bear fruit? It is not enough for a plant to open many flower buds. Fruit must also set. The Pepino, as the melon pear is also called, can pollinate itself. But fruits only develop if the temperature at this time remains consistently above 18 °C for many nights.
Late harvest time is typical for the melon pear
After flowering in spring and successful pollination, it takes many weeks until the first edible fruits hang on the bush. Sometime in late summer the time has come. Depending on the current weather, sometimes a little earlier and sometimes a little later. That's why it's important to look for the signs of maturity.
Tip
We recommend that you pinch out all flowerless side shoots early on so that the energy saved benefits fruit development. You will get larger fruits if you shorten the long flower shoots.
This is how you recognize a ripe Pepino
A “finished” fruit requires around 90 days of growing time. Depending on the variety, it can be up to 20 cm long and weigh 300 grams. But you shouldn't go by these characteristics alone. Here are the reliable ripeness characteristics:
- the Pepino exudes a sweet scent
- the coloring has changed
- the fruit gives slightly under pressure
Trying is more important than studying! If the pulp tastes like pears and honeydew melon, the level of ripeness is ideal.
Let ripen in winter quarters
If the care is right but the weather is not, the ripening of some fruits may be delayed. Since the melon pear is not hardy, it has to overwinter indoors early in the fall. What should be done with the unripe fruits that are still attached?
Leave the fruit on the plant. These can also ripen in a bright winter quarter at 5-10 °C. If this is not possible due to space constraints, you can harvest the unripe fruits and let them ripen within a few days at room temperature. It's quicker if you leave a few apples nearby.
Use and storage of ripe fruits
Even a single melon pear can produce a lot of fruit in good years. They taste delicious on their own, but also in sweet and s alty dishes. Fruits that cannot be consumed soon will last for 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.
