The first outdoor melons in the UK have been produced by Kentish leafy salads grower Intercrop.
A trial crop has been carried out in conjunction with breeder Rijk Zwaan using varieties Naciol RZ and Grappelli RZ. Tom Bulpitt of Intercrop commented, “Rijk Zwaan keeps us informed of the latest innovations and regularly asks us to trial varieties. In this way we are able to be the first to offer something new to customers. Such a trial is a good promotional tool for us. In the past there has been no outdoor cultivation of melons in the UK. Rijk Zwaan helped, among other things, to determine the best planting and harvesting date.”
It is hoped that the trial, which showed that tasty, quality melons could be produced outdoors, could lead to a cheaper alternative to greenhouse grown crops.
Photo Caption: Tom Bulpitt with the outdoor melon crop
Photo Credit: Rijk Zwaan
