Published at 07.30
Melons have been grown in Sweden for centuries, but cheap imported melons have taken over the market. Now twelve Nordic melon varieties are getting a new chance in Scania’s Alnarp.
And according to the cultivation expert, they are both tastier and sweeter when they are grown precisely in Sweden.
Pawel Chrominski, plant expert at the Nordic Gene Resource Center, sees great potential for the old varieties that are adapted to our climate, both in commercial cultivation and recreational cultivation.
– The advantage of growing melons in Sweden is that you can harvest them when they are ripe. Then they are tastier and sweeter, he says.
It is documented in written sources that melons were grown in Sweden as early as the beginning of the 17th century. From the beginning it had to be done in hot benches or orangeries, but then breeding began to find varieties that also work outdoors in the warmer parts of Sweden (zone 1 and zone 2).
Practical guidance
In 1975, there were approximately 100 Swedish melon growers who produced 377 tonnes. During the 1980s, domestic production shrank sharply and in 2023 there were only 14 Swedish growers left, with an annual production of 4 tonnes.
The experiment with twelve melon varieties preserved in gene banks is ongoing during the summer, both in open fields and in greenhouses. This is followed by evaluation of yield, quality, aroma and texture. Everything should result in a practical guide for those who want to test it themselves.
Benefits in Sweden
There are several advantages to growing melons in Sweden, emphasizes Pawel Chrominski.
– There is better access to water here and the disease pressure is not so high, because not so many cucumber plants are grown in Sweden.
Just like other domestic food production, melon cultivation can also be seen as a matter of preparedness, he believes.
– Vegetables are a sector where hobby growers can play a major role in food safety in Sweden. Melons are very suitable for leisure cultivation, so you can get a little gold edge in your life in times of crisis, says Pawel Chrominski.
