Pepino is also known as melonpear. It's a very light green, oblong shaped fruit with light purple stripes. The flavour is a mix of melon, pear and cucumber. The peel is like the peel of an apple very hard and that's why the pepino can be kept for a longer time. It contains a lot of vitamin C. Use as fruit, or in combination with ice like a dessert. Or make a delicious exotic fruitsalad with ananas and other exotic fruits.
Indoor sowing: february - march
Outdoor sowing: april - may
Germination: 7- 16 days
Germination temp.: 20 - 26°C
Sowing depth: ½ - 1 cm
Plant distance: 60 - 75 cm
Plant position: sunny and sheltered
Days till harvest: 120 - 130
Sow indoors from february in seperate pots filled with moist potting soil. Sow 1 seed per pot and cover the seed with a thin layer of soil. Keep the pots warm and light and keep the temperature as even as possible in a heated propagator. Cover the pots with some clingfilm to retain the moisture. Remove the clingfilm when the seedlings emerge. Harden the seedlings of, in the beginning of may, when there's no longer any danger of nightsfrosts during the day for about 10-14 days. After this period You can plant the seedlings on a very sunny plot with some shelter and free draining soil.
Sow outdoors from the middle of april, when there's no longer any danger of nightsfrosts. Sow on a very sunny plot with some shelter and free draining soil. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. Keep moist and weedfree. Water during germination and with drought. Harvest the fruits by cutting them of the plants with sisscors.