Growing watermelons in the open field begins with the most important and crucial stage - the selection and preparation of material for sowing. Growers should initially pick right sort.
Seed preparation
The right technology for growing watermelons in the open field begins with the selection of seeds suitable for the climate. For example, Skorik watermelon is an early ripe variety that requires a warm climate, so it is preferred to be grown outdoors in Ukraine, namely in the south. In the Kuban, such hybrids are suitable for sowing: Orange King, Volcano, Bomba, Champagne Splashes. Caring for watermelons in the open field of these varieties is not difficult, and the fruits reach large sizes. At right choice watermelon seeds in open ground can be grown even in Bashkiria, where cultivation even without the use of chemicals will give a good harvest. They even grow watermelons for business. Based on this, it is clear that the secrets of growing watermelons lie in the proper preparation of seeds.
Varietal plants must be prepared before planting as follows:
- Initially, hold the seeds in salt water. This way you can identify bad seeds (they will float to the top).
- Then, a couple of hours before planting, warm the seeds - the temperature should be 55 degrees. Or just leave them in the sun a week before sowing.
Prepare in another way:
- Seeds for sowing are placed in a gauze bag and immersed in weak solution potassium permanganate.
- Then all this is left in a plastic bag or under a film (covering material) and placed on a windowsill for 3 days, changing the water every day. After the first sprouts have appeared, the film is no longer needed. Thus, the seeds will germinate quickly.
Planting seeds
The technology of growing watermelons with seeds in open ground is not complicated, it is similar to growing other crops in open ground. Therefore, to the question "how to grow watermelons, the cultivation of which takes place without seedling way' is very easy to answer. How to grow watermelon in this way? It is necessary to start sowing the prepared material in May, when the temperature of the earth at a depth of 10 cm warms up to 12–14 degrees.
Top dressing is added to the wells for better development: ash, peat and humus are mixed in a bucket. How much to take top dressing depends on the area of your site. Level and water the soil. Then place 5 seeds in each hole, so that later one of the strongest seedlings is selected. Firm the soil gently and water the plants generously.
seedling method
Agricultural technology for growing watermelons in the open field includes planting not only seeds, but also seedlings. This method of cultivation is actively used in areas with short and cold summers. How to grow berries in this way? 25–30 days we grow sprouts in peat pots or plastic containers. They are filled in equal proportions with ash, a mixture of peat soil and humus. Among huge selection land in specialized stores can already be selected ready mix for growing watermelons through seedlings.
Plant the seeds in moist soil a few centimeters. Then put all the pots under the film. The temperature there should be at least 20 degrees Celsius. When the first leaves begin to appear, the seedlings should move to a cooler place.
Seedling needs regular watering warm water. Once you can feed everything with nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers. A couple of days before planting watermelons in open ground take the seedlings to Fresh air. Seedlings thus acclimatize and easily take root in open ground.
Soil selection
An important question for this topic is what should be the soil for watermelons in the garden or on suburban area? After all, planting and caring for watermelons will be meaningless if you place them in the wrong place. Watermelons grow well on sandy or sandy soil. But in any case, sowing will be successful if the soil is light. The place should be well lit and warm. Growing watermelons is not possible in areas where there is groundwater nearby. Also acidic and highly moist soil is not suitable.
In the previous year, onions, alfalfa or legumes should grow in the garden.
Watering and feeding
How to care for watermelons after planting them in open ground? Outdoor care primarily includes watering and fertilizing. Grown seedlings need to be watered regularly. In the country, you can even install drip irrigation.
It is also not necessary to overdo it in this matter, because the watermelon crop may lose sugar content. Berries do not like frequent, but plentiful watering. Average level humidity should be 85 percent. When the ovary appears, care intensifies, and when berries are imposed, it is better to reduce the amount of water.
Caring for these berries in the open field necessarily includes top dressing. A week after planting in the ground, the berries need to be fed with a solution of superphosphate, ammonium sulfate and potassium salts in proportions of 40:30:15 g, respectively. The second top dressing occurs at the stage of active growth of the lashes. Here it is worth taking ammonium sulfate, superphosphate, potassium salts, but already in proportions of 20:10:35. If you do not reduce the dose of superphosphate during the second feeding, the fruits grow nitrate. How to make the plant even more resistant? On one plant, no more than 2-3 fruits should be left.
Pest control
Growing and caring for watermelons becomes difficult during the pest control phase. You can grow healthy watermelons if you carry out prevention in time. It consists in weeding the site.
The main harmful insect for melons is melon aphid. What does a watermelon affected by aphids look like? The first sign of her activity is the drying and curling of the leaves. If you don't keep an eye on the plant, the female may lay her eggs on the plant.
If you notice these pests, immediately treat the grown watermelon with a solution of onion peel. Another unpleasant guest is spider mite. To combat it, you can take an infusion of dope.
Video "Growing watermelons in the open field"
In this video you will hear helpful tips for growing watermelons.
The issue of growing watermelons in the country is becoming more and more relevant. This berry is a storehouse nutrients. It contains vitamins and trace elements that are useful in diabetes, diseases of the cardiovascular system, liver and kidneys, not to mention the fact that this is just a very tasty fruit. Like everything else, a watermelon grown on your own plot will be much more useful than a store-bought one.
Did you know? Watermelon is not exactly a berry, more precisely, it is the fruit-berry of a watermelon vegetable. An example of such a berry is a tomato. This fruit is the berry of the tomato vegetable.
How to grow watermelon seedlings
As you know, if you plant watermelon seeds in open ground too early, then you will not be able to harvest - the seeds will simply rot due to insufficient soil temperature, and if it is too late, they will not have time to ripen before the end of the warm period. The way out for our climate will be the selection of a suitable variety or hybrid, followed by planting seedlings.
Growing in a greenhouse
Since watermelons love light, there should be no trees and bushes near the greenhouse. Seedlings will stay here for about a month before planting watermelons in open ground. During this time, seedlings should not be affected by cold air, so eliminate this possibility in advance. Work should begin in mid-spring. Prepare a suitable substrate. In the first option, take the ground for seedlings and humus (1: 3) and add fertilizers with nitrogen and potassium (one spoon each) and three tablespoons of fertilizers with phosphorus. In the second option, add about a spoonful of potassium sulfate and a glass of wood ash to a bucket of earth.
In order to properly grow watermelon seedlings, first select suitable seeds. To do this, drop them into brine. Sunken seeds are ideal for sprouting. Rinse them with water, then soak for half an hour in a solution of manganese and dip in water again. Now leave the seeds in for 10-30 minutes. hot water(temperature around +50-55°C), and then germinate to the stage of "pecking".
The next step is to plant them in separate, half-filled containers (about 10 cm across) to a depth of 2 to 4 cm. Before germination, maintain the desired temperature:during the day at the level of +23-+25°C, and at night - +18°C. After the sprouts appear, for 4-6 days it is necessary to reduce the temperature to a constant value of + 18 ° C. In the future, keep the temperature at + 20- + 25 ° С during the day and + 16- + 18 ° С at night.
Make sure that there is enough space between the containers and that the plants do not touch the leaves. Provide adequate lighting: use lamps for 12-14 hours daily. Water the seedlings only with warm water, not often, but in in large numbers. Try not to hit the leaves.
When 10-12 days remain before planting, start hardening the seedlings and open the greenhouse for 1.5-2 hours, gradually increasing the number of hours. Before planting, you need to leave the greenhouse open for a day.
Important! When planting in soil, lay the seeds on their side. This will make it easier for the sprout to come out of the shell, but you do not need to cut the seeds. Do not pinch seedlings.
Growing at home
Growing seedlings at home is almost no different from growing in a greenhouse. You need the same substrate and the same seed preparation. Only, after planting in pots, they should be closed with polyethylene film, and after germination, it is better to put the sprouts on the southern windows, where there is more light. There is also no difference in the required thermal and light conditions.
Before planting in open ground (for 7-10 days), seedlings should also be hardened, for this you need to ventilate the plants and lower the temperature to + 15- + 17 ° C during the day and + 12- + 15 ° C at night.
Choosing a place for planting watermelons
It is very important that the place for planting watermelons is well lit. The plant is more suitable for light, sandy or sandy soil, preferably neutral or alkaline. The south, southwest of the plot will do. Due to the peculiarities of the root system, groundwater must run quite deep. Also take care of protection from cold winds.
Important! Well, if in front of watermelons, legumes, winter wheat, cabbage or corn grew on the territory. It is not advisable to plant them after melons, tomatoes or cucumbers.
How to transplant seedlings in open ground
The technology for growing watermelons in open ground provides for fertilizing the soil since autumn, for which humus or other organic fertilizer (well-rotted) is used. In the spring, it remains only to dig the site well (at least 30 cm deep). You can also create beds with a slope to the south, 15 cm high. Place the holes, a meter in diameter, at a distance of about one and a half meters from each other.
When the time comes without night frosts (usually this is the end of spring), and the plants have already formed 3-4 leaves, you can transplant seedlings into open ground. Pre-moisten each hole and only after that place a plant with an earthen clod there, dig in, but the cotyledon leaves should remain on the surface. For some time, before recovery, the seedlings should be shaded.
watermelon care rules
After transplantation, follow simple rules to care for the plant, then it will delight you with a rich harvest.
Temperature and lighting
Watermelon is a thermophilic plant. For active life, fertilization of ovaries, the temperature should not be lower than + 25 ° C. Already at + 15 ° C, development slows down, and with a sharp cold snap, the plant can get sick and even die. In such cases, the previously mentioned melon protection film is also used. Not less than an important factor is lighting - don't shade the plants. Cloudy weather can make pollination more difficult. In this case, just touch some flowers to the stamens of others.
Humidity and watering
To properly care for watermelons, you should not water them often, but watering should be plentiful. During flowering, the application of liquid should occur approximately once every 3-4 days, and with the beginning of the ripening of berries, in order to obtain juicy fruits, soil moisture should be reduced to 70-75% and watering should be stopped (except for the absence of precipitation More than a month). Watering is carried out along the grooves, the water should be warm.
soil fertilization
After planting, wait two weeks, and then feed the plants with ammonium nitrate, liquid mullein or chicken droppings. The next time fertilizers are applied during the formation of buds. Take calcium chloride ammonium nitrate, superphosphate in a ratio of 1:1:1.5.
When to Harvest
Usually, watermelon ripens 30 days after the formation of the ovaries. The drying of the bract, the fall of the hairs of the peduncle, the glossiness of the bark will tell you about its maturity. Also pay attention to the color of the pulp and seeds. It is characteristic for each variety and will help determine the state of the first maturity.
Watermelons are harvested selectively, as they ripen, but they complete the harvest before the onset of frost.
Thanks to the work of breeders, every year in central Russia it is possible to grow more and more vegetables and fruit crops. For example, not only residents of the southern regions, but also the northern ones can boast of a harvest of watermelons. Perhaps the fruits grown in a temperate warm climate will not be so large, but sweet and juicy. How to grow watermelon in a summer cottage? Experienced gardeners recommend starting with the choice of a suitable variety, as well as carefully studying the agricultural technology of the crop.
The choice of variety and location on the site for growing watermelons
The homeland of the plant is the southern part of Africa, thanks to which it has adapted well to hot and dry air. For successful cultivation sweet fruits, the summer resident needs to organize similar conditions on the site. If the summer is expected to be rainy, then it would be wiser to plant the crop in a greenhouse in order to regulate the temperature and humidity of the air.
Currently, there are up to 50 varieties of watermelons that can be grown in a temperate warm climate. The main requirements - the variety must be early ripe and cold-resistant. In central and northern regions countries, the following varieties suitable for outdoor cultivation are most popular:
- Crimson Sweet,
- Skorik,
- spark,
- sugar baby,
- Crimstar F1,
- Pink champagne F1,
- Gift to the North F1.
For growing watermelons, it is necessary to choose a sunny and warm place on the site, preferably on the south side of the building. When preparing the ridge, it is desirable to make a slight slope in a southerly direction, so the soil will warm up better. Melon crops prefer loose and light soil, therefore, when digging, they add river sand. The composition of the earth should be closer to a neutral reaction.
When choosing a place to prepare the beds, you need to look at which plants grew earlier. Planting watermelons after other melons (pumpkin, cucumbers or melon) is strongly discouraged. Pest larvae and fungal spores can remain in the soil, affecting this particular type of plant. The best predecessors are: sunflower, corn, beans, peas, lupins.
Level ground water on the site should not be high, the roots of watermelon develop both horizontally and vertically, going to a depth of up to 100 cm.
Preparing the ridge for growing watermelon
How to grow watermelon and properly prepare the soil? The bed needs to be dug up since autumn, at the same time introducing required amount fertilizers. You will need both organic and mineral-containing compounds. For 1 m² of ridge you will need:
- humus or compost - 2-3 buckets,
- superphosphate - 30 g,
- potassium sulfate - 20 g.
It is better not to apply nitrogen in autumn, or use an extremely small amount, as it contributes to the accumulation of nitrates in fruits. To get a rich harvest, it is better to take complex fertilizers, which, in addition to the main substances, also contain magnesium, iron, molybdenum.
Planting watermelon seeds
How to grow watermelon in the Russian climate? There are 2 ways to germinate seeds - planting immediately in the ground and pre-growing seedlings at home. When growing seedlings, you can not be afraid that spring will be late and the fruits will not have time to ripen, because already formed seedlings are planted in the ground. On the other hand, seedlings hatched in a greenhouse or in open ground are more viable and resistant to diseases.
Growing seedlings
The roots of the seedlings are very delicate and fragile, so there is no need to sow in a common box. It is better to purchase peat tablets and plant a crop on them. By placing the substrate in small plastic containers, in the spring when landing in the ground, it will be possible to easily cut them and remove peat tablet without disturbing the seedling.
Planting seeds begins in early May. They need to be sprouted first. First, the seed is placed in a "bath" with hot water(+50 °C) for 30 minutes, and then placed in slightly moistened river sand. Germination should be carried out at an air temperature of about +24–26 °C. When the seeds have small light roots, they can be planted in prepared containers with a nutrient substrate, sprinkled with sand on top. During the day, watermelon cultivation is carried out at a temperature of + 24–26 ° C, at night it is 5 degrees lower. Under these conditions, the first shoots will appear on the 8th day.
For good growth seedlings must be provided with intense lighting. It is important to set the duration daylight hours at least 12 hours using artificial lighting, otherwise the seedlings will stretch and stop growing.
With the advent of the 3rd leaf, seedlings are fertilized using organic or mineral fertilizers. The plant is planted in open ground only in summer, the most favorable time is from July 8 to 16.
Planting watermelon seeds in open ground
Growing watermelons immediately in the open field is quite within the power of Russian summer residents, the main thing is to choose suitable grade. You can sow seeds when the soil warms up to a depth of 10 cm, and the air temperature is stable and not lower than +15 ° C. After planting, the soil is moistened and a temporary greenhouse made of plastic film is built over the ridge. This will accelerate the growth of shoots and protect against a sharp drop in temperature. As soon as the senets ascend, they must be thinned out, removing the weakest ones. After the appearance of the 4th leaf, the final rejection is carried out and only the tallest and strongest shoots are left, maintaining a distance between them of about 90–100 cm.
Features of watermelon care
How to grow a watermelon with fragrant and sweet pulp? Only by providing plants quality care can expect to receive good harvest.
Temperature conditions and the formation of lashes
The fertilization of the ovaries and the ripening of the fruits should occur at an air temperature of +25 °C to +28 °C. With a sharp cold snap, plants can get sick and die, already at a temperature of +15 ° C, their development stops. Experienced farmers in the northern regions prefer to grow crops exclusively in a greenhouse or in a greenhouse. You can install arcs above the bed and, if necessary, cover or remove the film. It should be noted that watermelons do not like high humidity air, and condensation forms under the film. To solve this problem, a piece of gauze or non-woven material is pulled under the polyethylene.
To stimulate flowering, the lash is pinched after the appearance of the 6th leaf. Further, in order for the fruits to pour faster, they pinch the shoots 3-4 leaves above the ovary.
Watering watermelon and fertilizing
The plant has a long central root, which in arid southern regions helps it extract moisture from the depths of the soil. Watermelons should be watered infrequently, but plentifully, spending about 3 buckets of water per bush. After the procedure, it is recommended to loosen the ground around the base of the bush to provide good aeration to the roots. Weeds are removed as needed.
Growing watermelons involves fertilizing. The first feeding should be carried out at the time of the formation of lashes, using mullein in a ratio of 1:8 or a solution of bird droppings (1:20). Additionally, superphosphate is added to increase green mass. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are used at the time of formation of ovaries.
When placing the lashes vertically, it would be wise to install strong supports in the garden. As soon as the fruit reaches the size of an orange, it is placed in an elastic net and tied to a support. From this point on, watering must be reduced, otherwise the fruit may crack. The crop is harvested as it ripens, as soon as the leg of the watermelon dries out, it can be cut off.
Video how to grow watermelon
You can grow somewhere else, except for the south of our country. However, at the end of March 2017, the State Register of the Russian Federation registered 211 varieties and hybrids adapted for various climatic conditions; including those that can be grown in all regions.
Today we will talk about table watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) - it is this species that pleases us so much with its delicious fruits. Watermelon belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. The fruit (pumpkin) is a multi-seeded berry.
Watermelon flowers are divided into female, male and bisexual. The bulk of the varieties are bisexual, but there are those in which the flowers on the plant are strictly unisexual. female flowers slightly larger than men. Like many plants of this family, watermelon is cross-pollinated.
Watermelon flowers are located on the main shoot in the axils of the leaves according to the ripening period: in early ripening - from 4 to 11 leaves, with an average period - from 15 to 18 leaves, late varieties flowers are arranged in axils from 20 to 25 leaves.
Growing watermelon after related crops is not recommended. But legumes and cabbage are good predecessors.
Sowing watermelon directly into the ground
You can sow watermelons immediately into the ground, but you need to choose the right variety or hybrid for your region, otherwise you can’t count on a good harvest. Sow watermelon when the soil is warmed up to a depth of about 10 cm and the optimum temperature for seedlings is +15...+16°C.
After germination, they are thinned out for the first time, and in the phase of 3-4 true leaves - again, leaving the strongest seedlings at a distance of about 1 m from each other. In the greenhouse, you can take a smaller distance, somewhere around 70 cm.
Planting watermelon seedlings
The use of seedlings will help solve the problems of a short warm period required for fruit ripening, poor set and excess moisture in early summer. In my climatic conditions the period when the watermelon fruit grows (summer) is shorter than the growing season even for varieties and hybrids with early term maturation.sow in the beginning of May, immediately into separate pots with a capacity of at least 0.3 liters, because watermelon does not tolerate transplanting.
The soil mixture is made up of sod land, sand and peat, taken in equal proportions. Add about 50 g per 5 liters of mixture dolomite flour and potassium sulfate, about 100 g of double, about 50 g of ammonium nitrate.
Preferably 30 minutes before sowing. warm the seeds in hot water (+50...+55°С). Then germinate them in wet sand at a temperature of about + 25 ° C. When the seeds have the beginnings of a root, plant them in pots, sprinkle with sand, cover with a film and put in a warm place. During the day, the temperature should be around +25°C, and at night it should be reduced to +20°C. Seedlings will appear in about a week.
Light day must be at least 12 hours, otherwise the development of seedlings may stop. With a lack of light, seedlings can stretch out, so on cloudy days or in a poorly lit room, seedlings need to be illuminated.
When the seedlings already have 3 true leaves, they need to be fed with mullein and liquid.
AT mid June you can plant seedlings in the ground, in a permanent sunny place. If you had to move it to the garden earlier, when the threat is still relevant, experienced gardeners will help protect the plants.
watermelon care
Watermelons love to drink and eat)top dressing
When the seedlings begin to form whips, feed the plants with a solution of mullein (1:8) or chicken manure (1:20). At the same time, you need to give the plant and mineral food - it will do just fine.
Next top dressing - potash fertilizers must be given at the time of formation of the ovary.
Watering
The root system of a watermelon is rod, goes to a depth of more than 1 m, lateral adventitious roots can occupy a sufficient area in upper layers soil. After planting, you can water not often, but abundantly: 3 buckets per 1 m², and at the time of flowering, watering is carried out at least 2 times a week. During the period of fruit ripening, watering is stopped.
The subtlety of growing watermelons lies in the fact that with a sharp cold snap, it can get sick and die, for normal development and full fertilization of the ovaries, it needs a temperature of +25 ... +30 ° С.
Already at + 15 ° C, plant growth slows down, therefore, in unpredictable weather conditions of the middle lane, many cover the melon with a film. FROM inside copious condensation may form on it; to remove it, gauze is pulled under the film or.
Another subtlety of growing watermelons is pollination: if the weather is cloudy, it is more difficult for bees to do their job, so you need to touch two or more pistils on other flowers with stamens from one flower.
In the southern regions of our country, the tops of the shoots are removed: their growth stops, they begin to branch more strongly, the fruits are larger.
Varieties and hybrids of watermelons
In order to somehow streamline the varieties of watermelons related to one common variety, they were divided into 10 conditional groups distributed geographically:- Russian
- Western European
- Transcaucasian
- Asia Minor
- Indian
- Afghan
- Central Asian
- Far East
- East Asian
- American
When choosing a variety or hybrid for your region, pay attention to the growing season. Suitable for cool non-chernozem regions early varieties, and for warmer regions, varieties and hybrids with medium and late deadline maturation. You also need to look at drought and frost resistance. Surely you will be useful to many personal experience our readers who successfully grow watermelons in various regions:, and regions, regions,!
"Spark"
This variety belongs to the early ripe ones, it can be grown in the Non-Black Earth Region: 71-87 days pass from germination to ripening.
Watermelon variety "Spark". Photo from pixabay.com
The shape of the fruit is spherical, weighing an average of about 2.5 kg. The pulp is bright red, sweet; the peel is thin, black-green. Seeds are small. Sow in the ground from April 20 to May 10. Seedlings - from May 25 to June 10. Landing pattern - 1 m x 0.6 m.
"Crimson Sweet"
It can be grown under the condition of a short hot summer. From shoots to harvest from 60 to 70 days.
Watermelon variety "Crimson Sweet"
Anthracnose resistance is good, powdery mildew is also almost not affected. It will weigh about 3 kg, the taste is rich, very sweet.
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Russian Garden
Watermelon is a favorite melon crop of many gardeners, which gives the taste of summer. It is quite capable of growing even a novice gardener. However, for this it is not enough to prepare the site and provide appropriate care for the plants after planting: it is also necessary to correctly select and prepare the seeds for sowing.
Selection and preparation of the site and soil for planting watermelon
To grow watermelon in open ground and get a good harvest, you need to take care of choosing a place that must meet the following requirements:
- be well lit;
- protect from the effects of winds;
- provide plants with the necessary nutrition.
Based on these factors, it must be taken into account that the area under the watermelon should receive a sufficient amount of light during the day, warm up and ventilate well. It is best if you start preparing the soil in advance: sow the future bed with green manure, apply the necessary fertilizers.
The plot for the future watermelon bed should be well lit, ventilated, and well fertilized.
Green manure - plants that are grown for the purpose of their subsequent incorporation into the soil, which improves its structure, enriches it with nitrogen and prevents the growth of weeds.
An important point is the previous crops, that is, which were grown on the site before the watermelon. Most preferred are onions, garlic, carrots and early cabbage as well as potatoes and tomatoes. Gourds (watermelon, zucchini, pumpkin, melon) should not be constantly planted in the same place, as pathogens accumulate in the soil.
It should be noted that watermelons and other melons require light, loose and fertile soil. Most suitable option if the plot of land will consist of sandy or sandy soil, and the necessary organic fertilizers (humus, compost) will be applied for digging in the fall. Organics are applied at the rate of 2.5 buckets per 1 m² of land. In addition, attention should be paid to the acidity of the soil: for watermelons, it should be in the range of pH 6-7.
The humus is excellent organic fertilizer to prepare a site for planting watermelon
In the spring, a watermelon bed should also be fertilized with mineral fertilizers for digging. For 1 m² you will need:
- 24–35 g ammonium sulfate;
- 40–45 g of superphosphate;
- 15–25 g of potash fertilizers.
The combination of mineral and organic matter allows you to increase the productivity of watermelon.
Preparing watermelon seeds for sowing
For experienced gardeners, it is no secret that an important role in obtaining good and friendly seedlings is played by high-quality seed preparation for sowing. This process is quite important and consists of several stages that must be performed in a certain sequence.
Variety selection
Variety of watermelon for growing on your own garden plot must be chosen very carefully. If you do not have sufficient experience in the cultivation of this type of melon, then it is best to give preference hybrid varieties. This is due to the fact that they are characterized by more quality characteristics compared to varietal watermelons. Hybrids are characterized by faster maturation, resistance to a number of diseases and adverse conditions environment.
When planning to grow watermelon on your site, you need to carefully approach the choice of variety.
Seed calibration
At first glance, seed calibration may not seem like such a significant procedure. If you look in more detail, then the germination of seeds and the subsequent development of young plants will directly depend on it. Everything is really simple: stronger and healthier seedlings develop better, thereby oppressing weaker seedlings. When separating (calibrating) seeds by size, seedlings will be more friendly and plentiful.
Seed sizing involves dividing them by size, which allows you to get more friendly and abundant seedlings.
Warming up the seeds
Such a procedure as heating the seeds before planting allows you to activate biochemical processes in the planting material. To do this, the seeds are placed in a container of suitable size and filled with water with a temperature of about + 50 ° C. After half an hour, the water can be drained.
Pre-sowing treatment
Preparation of watermelon seeds involves their disinfection, i.e. disinfection. In most cases, gardeners and gardeners use manganese for these purposes, from which potassium permanganate is prepared (a solution of low concentration). In order to prepare the substance, a small amount of manganese is added to a small container filled with water. After stirring the solution, the seeds are soaked for 15–20 minutes, and then washed with water.
Disinfection minimizes the likelihood of infection of young plants with diseases or damage by pests.
Processing watermelon seeds in potassium permanganate allows you to perform disinfection, thereby protecting planting material from the adverse effects of microorganisms
After all the previous procedures are completed, you can start sprouting seed material. To begin with, it is recommended to keep watermelon seeds for 12 hours in a nutrient solution: this is done to saturate the seeds with microelements, which will provide active growth and speed up germination. Today, many drugs of this kind are offered, for example, Kornevin, Zircon, Heteroauxin.
After the seeds are soaked in a growth stimulator, you should not wash them with water in any case: just dry them in the sun.
Germination of watermelon seeds accelerates the emergence of seedlings, and treatment in growth stimulants saturates the seed with microelements
Before soaking watermelon seeds to soften the dense peel, they are poured with hot water for 10 minutes. Then you need to make a gauze bag by folding the material in several layers, and place the seeds in it at some distance from each other. A bag with planting material is placed in a saucer or a shallow plate, having previously moistened the gauze, while it is not necessary to fill the seeds with water - they must "breathe". After that, the container is placed in a warm place (about +25˚С) and the humidity of the gauze is periodically controlled: it is moistened as needed.
To create more seeds comfortable conditions, the container can be covered with a cut plastic bottle, film or glass, thus, it will be possible to retain moisture for a longer time. It should be noted that watermelon seeds do not germinate very quickly. Therefore, the first sprouts can be seen at least in a week (depending on the seeds of a particular variety, their quality and the conditions created). By providing an optimal microclimate, it will be possible to accelerate the germination of seed material and bring it closer to the moment of planting it in the soil. If the seeds are not soaked before planting, then you can not count on the rapid emergence of seedlings. For Middle lane and northern regions, the soaking and germination procedure is necessary.
Video: sprouting watermelon seeds
Terms of sowing watermelon seeds in open ground
Planting watermelon is quite common in the seed way. The timing of sowing crops depends on the weather and the time when it is planned to get a crop. If spring comes early and is worth warm weather, you can start sowing seeds from the end of April to mid-June. If the approach of heat is delayed, then the sowing dates are shifted to the end of May.
When landing in the southern regions, you can start work from mid-April, while taking into account the weather conditions. For middle latitudes, sowing watermelon with seeds in open ground is carried out only after stable warm weather has been established. To determine the time of planting seeds, attention should be paid to the air temperature. Minimum temperature indicator+ 15˚С is considered for emergence of shoots. In regions with an unpredictable climate, gardeners prefer growing watermelons in seedlings. Seeds in this case are sown in the second half of April, and grown seedlings are planted in open ground in May-early June.
Seed germination - timing and verification
High-quality planting material is the key to a good harvest. An indicator of the quality of watermelon seeds is their germination. In most cases, in preparation for the next season, gardeners revise the seed different cultures while discovering that some of them are more than one year old. What to do in this case, throw it away and buy new ones, or can it still be used for planting? It is enough to know that the germination of watermelon seeds lasts for 6–8 years.
In addition, there is a way to test watermelon seeds for germination, which is also suitable for other melon crops. For this you will need sawdust, which are preliminarily doused several times with boiling water (with a frequency of half an hour). You will need to prepare a container, for example, a tray or a box small size, which is filled with raw sawdust. The seeds are laid out in rows with a distance of 2–3 cm. A gap of 1–1.5 cm is made between the seeds. Then the seed is sprinkled with sawdust and tamped, and the container is placed in a warm place with a temperature of + 23–27 ° C and wait for the appearance of sprouts. To determine the percentage of germination, a simple calculation is performed: if out of 10 seeds sprout 6, then the germination is 60%.
Proper planting of watermelon seeds
When favorable weather has set in, and the watermelon seeds have undergone preparatory procedures, you can start sowing them in open ground.
How far to plant
Since watermelon is a very spreading plant, a sufficient amount of space is needed to grow it. Thus, the bush will feel comfortable and develop normally. Watermelons are planted in open ground in a certain way, namely according to the scheme. AT standard scheme, which is called ordinary, the distance between rows is 2 m, and in a row 1 m sown 5–10 seeds per hole. After germination, only the strongest sprouts are left, 1 seedling per meter.
An ordinary watermelon planting scheme involves planting seeds at a distance of 1 m in a row and 2 m between rows
In addition to the ordinary scheme, there is also a square-nested one. In this case, the distance between the holes with planted seeds should be 70–280 cm. The difference in distance depends on the variety of watermelon grown. When planting compact varieties, the gap between the holes is made smaller.
With a square-nested planting of watermelon, a distance of 70–280 cm is made between the holes, depending on the variety
Long distances between plantings of watermelon are necessary to obtain a sufficient amount sunlight. With a close location, the culture will not receive the required amount of nutrients.
Seeding depth
When planting watermelon seeds in open ground, it is important to observe the planting depth. The optimal planting depth for small-seeded varieties is 4-6 cm, for large-seeded varieties - 6-8 cm. If the planting material is deeper, it will be more difficult for it to hatch, which will affect the timing of germination. In addition to the variety, the soil also has an effect on the sowing depth. On sandy soils, the seeds are buried by 7-8 cm, on sandy soils - 5-7 cm, on loamy soils - 4-5 cm. AT northern regions with heavy soils, the seed should not be planted deeper than 4 cm.
The planting depth of watermelon seeds depends on the type of soil and the specific variety.
Landing under the film
It is also possible to grow watermelons under a film. This method allows you to sow as early as March and thus get an earlier harvest. Film shelter makes it possible to maintain high humidity, which eliminates the lack of moisture and contributes to the rapid development of plants. When using film, it creates Greenhouse effect which ensures rapid seed germination.
On the site prepared in the fall, ridges are cut with a distance of 70 cm from each other, for which a hiller is used. The covering film must cover 2 ridges at once, i.e. standard width 1.5 m should be enough. Between the rows recede by 2.5 m, which is necessary for the normal development of plants. Holes are prepared in the formed ridges at a distance of 1 m from each other and seeds are sown.
When growing watermelons under a film, it is recommended to make holes in a checkerboard pattern.
Growing watermelons under a film allows you to plant seeds in March and get an earlier harvest
The number of seeds sown in one hole can be different and depend on the varieties used. Seeds of inexpensive varieties can be laid out 2-3 grains per hole. When shoots appear, pinch out weaker plants, leaving one of the most developed seedlings. If expensive varieties are used, then one seed is placed in each well.
After sowing, the soil is moistened and covered with a film. To do this, the material is deployed along the length of the beds, pressing it with the ground so that it is not blown away by the wind. If the weather is cloudy, then seedlings should appear a week after planting. Since the seedlings will soon begin to rest against the film, it will be necessary to make cross-shaped slots for free growth plants.
A week after germination, the watermelon will adapt to environment. During this period, the holes in the film are covered with earth to prevent the emergence of weeds. To avoid damage to young seedlings, the sprout is carefully pulled out of the film, put on a piece plastic pipe(can be a jar), sprinkled with earth, lightly tamping it, after which they remove the protection. After such a procedure, watermelons are considered ready for further development.
Video: growing watermelons under a film
What to do if watermelon seeds do not germinate
Sometimes gardeners are faced with such an unpleasant situation when watermelon seeds did not germinate. What could be the reason and how to fix the situation? Seeds can be one of the main problems Low quality. If the seed is purchased in a store, be sure to check the expiration date on the package. In addition, you can focus on the price, but it is not always an indicator of quality: both cheap and expensive seeds can have good germination.
When buying watermelon seeds, attention should be paid to the date of manufacture, and when storing your planting material for a long time, check it for germination
If you still have watermelon seeds from previous years without packaging or you yourself collected planting material, you need to identify seeds that are unsuitable for sowing. To do this, seeds are poured into a container with water, and those that are on the surface - it makes no sense to plant.
Seed germination is influenced by many factors:
- degree of maturation;
- collection and drying conditions;
- storage conditions;
- packaging date.
These factors depend, as a rule, on the seed producer. However, the success of the entire event directly depends on the conditions that will be created for their germination. This suggests that if the seeds are known to good quality, and the humidity or temperature does not meet the required indicators, then the material may simply not germinate. In addition, when planting germinated seeds in open ground with cold soil, they can slow down in growth or even die.
Further care for watermelon seedlings
When growing watermelon in open ground, periodic loosening of the soil and watering are important conditions. It is recommended to mark the holes when planting seeds, for example, with pegs, so that rows can be seen when loosening. During the period of growth of leaf mass and lashes, top dressing is performed. To do this, you can use urea (150 g) and the same amount of superphosphate, as well as potassium salt (50 g) per 10 m². Fertilization should be accompanied by irrigation or rainfall.
For the normal development of young watermelon seedlings, timely watering and loosening of the soil is necessary.
Irrigation Special attention should be given when building leaves and stems, flowering and the appearance of ovaries. During fruit ripening, on the contrary, watering is highly undesirable, since excessive moisture leads to the appearance of cracks in the fruit and a deterioration in taste. Irrigate watermelon beds warm water Once a week, but at the same time plentifully. Caring for watermelons also involves the formation of a bush, as a result of which it is possible to get larger and sweeter berries. In this case, no more than four fruits are left on one plant. In addition, they pinch the shoots and remove the whiskers.
Video: the formation of a watermelon in the open field
Important is the prevention and control of diseases and pests of watermelon. Common pests include sprout fly, melon aphid, wireworm. If an insect is detected before it damages the plant, they are treated with biological preparations, for example, Fitoverm. When pests invade, they resort to using chemicals, such as Decis, Aktara, Fufanon. Of the most common diseases of melons, anthracnose is distinguished, powdery mildew, downy mildew. As a preventive measure, colloidal sulfur, Ordan, Khom are used.
One of the common pests of watermelons is the sprout fly, the larvae of which damage the roots, seeds and stem of the plant.
High-quality planting material in combination with proper preparation to sowing is the key to a good harvest. It is in this case that it will be possible to avoid wasting time, increase the germination of seeds and ensure the active growth and development of plants.
