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. The female flowers are slightly larger than the male ones. 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 the emergence of shoots, 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 double, about 50 g ammonium nitrate.
Preferably 30 minutes before sowing. warm the seeds 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, for 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 the upper layers of the 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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Today it has become popular to grow in the country or personal plot enough exotic species plants, even if you live in Central Russia. This opportunity is provided by numerous varieties of watermelons and melons, adapted to the conditions of capricious weather, sharp drops temperature, in a word to all the surprises of the zone risk farming.
Growing watermelons is quite an exciting activity, acquiring in recent times more and more fans. Getting a full-fledged watermelon in the Moscow region or in the Vologda region is not a problem today, you just need to know some rules of agricultural technology and adhere to them strictly. Let's take a step-by-step look at the entire simple scheme for planting watermelons and find out what can prevent you from getting a full-fledged harvest of this melon crop.
The watermelon varieties offered in stores do not always meet the necessary standards for planting them in the conditions of the Middle Strip. Here you need to be guided early ripening berries, and watermelon is considered a berry, you should choose varieties that give small fruits and are resistant to various diseases.
Numerous hybrids meet these criteria. Pay attention to ultra-early varieties, they can ripen long before the onset of the first autumn frosts, and you will get the degree of sugar content of the fruit that you dreamed of. You can also advise the variety "Spark" known among avid gardeners, which is considered early. It gives very small fruits, but they are different high content sugar, can be stored for a while and are very productive.
Preparing seeds for sowing
In order for the seeds to sprout quickly and amicably, it is necessary to spend several preparatory activities: calibrate the seed material, then carry out scarification, warm the seeds and disinfect them in a special biostimulator or weak solution potassium permanganate. Despite the apparent difficulties, the processes are not complicated and even inexperienced gardeners can do it. We will analyze each of their stages separately.
- What is calibration? This is sorting seed material in terms of size, and therefore in terms of germination. Why sort seeds? The secret is that if in one bowl there is a strong and large seed next to a small one, the first will not allow the second to develop normally, taking the lion's share of the nutrition for itself. Therefore, strong watermelon grains are planted separately from weaker or smaller seeds. In this case, the seedlings will be even and friendly.
- Scarification is a procedure that not all gardeners do. It involves damage to the seed shell, sawing it or opening it. These actions are explained by faster germination of seedlings. Scarification can be done in this way: take a seed and rub it with a “nose” on sandpaper, so the hard layer of the peel will be erased and the sprout will be able to “jump out” faster.
- Warming up is for watermelon seeds an obligatory step, it not only accelerates the biochemical reactions inside the grain, but also helps the fastest germination of seedlings. In order for the procedure to be performed correctly, water with a temperature of about + 50 degrees is required. It is desirable that this mode be kept for half an hour. Seeds are immersed in water and kept in it for the allotted time.
- Disinfection is a mandatory item, it is necessary for the disinfection of seeds. They should be placed in a container of water in which a small amount of potassium permanganate is diluted. It takes 20 minutes for the harmful bacteria on the surface of the seeds to die. After this procedure, watermelon seeds are dried on a radiator and can be sown in separate pots or boxes.
Note! You can germinate the seeds before planting by wrapping them in gauze or cloth, moistening it with water. It is desirable that the temperature during germination be quite high, above room temperature. Batteries are used for this, but you definitely need to make sure that the fabric does not dry out. After the appearance of small white sprouts from the peel, you can safely plant the seeds in the soil.
Selection of soil and containers
It is advisable to place each future watermelon in a separate pot, the size of which should not be less than 10-12 cm in volume and height. It is advisable to fill the containers not to the very edge, but leave 3 cm each, this is necessary in order to be able to subsequently add soil.
For watermelons, it is desirable to make soil from humus or peat with humus in equal amounts. Sod land (1 part) with humus (3 parts) is also suitable. One small spoonful of superphosphate or two large spoons should be added to any of the compositions. wood ash. This amount is applied per 1 kilogram of soil mixture.
How to sow watermelon seeds
Planting watermelons on open areas possible only at the end of May, not earlier. By this time, the seedlings are already 30-35 days old from the moment of sowing, and, as a rule, they have 4 leaves. From these dates, and guided by these indicators, it is worth approximately calculating the moment of landing, that is, these days fall in the middle or end of April.
Plant two seeds in each container, planting depth of about 3 cm. After germination, the weakest is removed. Make sure that the place is not blown by a draft; a south window is suitable for this.
Seedling Care
For the germination of watermelons, a temperature of 25-30 degrees is required, if it is observed, then you can wait for the appearance of "loops" in six days. After the seedlings appear, you can limit temperature regime+18 degrees, this is necessary for the adaptation of young seedlings. Further, it is desirable to put each container in a place where again the heat of the air will be at least +22 degrees. This regime is necessary for three weeks, until the seedlings are planted in a permanent place in open beds.
Highly important points in the care of seedlings is lighting. Young growth is very susceptible to light, and if it is not enough, then the shoots will stretch and become long and weak. Additional lighting with special lamps will help to avoid this. watermelons extremely light-loving plants so make sure there is enough light.
After about two weeks, seedlings can be fed with fertilizer, which is prepared from mullein and water in proportions of 1:10. Manure should be fermented, you should not take fresh, you can burn young plants. Second portion nutrients due in a couple of weeks. This time, the nutrient mixture is prepared from mullein, to which 50 g of superphosphate, 30 g of potassium sulfate, 15 g of ammonium sulfate are added. These components are added to 1 liter of the finished solution of water with manure.
This is all that watermelons need as additional nutrition before planting in open ground.
Landing in open ground
It is impossible to do without hardening the plants, until the moment of planting, the seedlings are taken out to a cool room, starting for an hour, then for a longer period. What you need to know about the rules for growing melons and gourds on a personal plot for each gardener:
- Landing is done in the morning, along with pea soil, watermelons are planted in a permanent place with a distance of about 80 cm from each other. Plants are deepened to the level of cotyledon leaves. Then you need to water them and cover with a film.
- The film can be removed only at the end of June, when the difference between night and day temperatures will noticeably decrease.
- Watering watermelons should be plentiful and often, when the plants appear female flowers, watering is reduced, and when ovaries appear, it practically stops.
- Pollination is an important link for the usefulness of the crop. It is possible, without waiting for the appearance of bees and other pollinating insects, to independently produce pollination. To do this, you need to touch the rest with one flower. The period of fruit ripening after pollination will come in 40-45 days.
- Whip formation - necessary measure. If you are growing watermelons on special supports or trellises, you should leave one stem to form 4-5 fruits. After it is formed required amount ovaries, pinch the stem, limiting its growth.
- Watermelons need protection from diseases, especially if the weather is not pampered in the summer. Preparations: Hom, Ordan, Abiga-Peak will help prevent the development of peronosporosis, powdery mildew, aschotitosis, anthracnose. But from harmful insects it is worth stocking up with such means as: Fufanol, Fitoverm, Decis, Tantrek. They will reliably protect plants from the attack of aphids, scoops, wireworms, meadow moths.
Sowing watermelons with seeds in open ground is carried out exclusively under a film or a greenhouse, in ridges prepared in advance. In this case, the harvest can be expected much later, and the film cover is removed depending on weather conditions.
Growing watermelon is exciting activity, because not everyone succeeds in achieving the desired result, especially when it comes to the zone of risky farming. But, to satisfy their own ambitions, sometimes gardeners take on the most daring project. Just imagine that on your table at the end of the season suddenly appears grown with my own hands ripe, juicy watermelon, which, with its aroma, gathers a whole crowd of curious people around it. And, of course, it turns out to be ripe, red, sweet!
I think that many gardeners want to know about growing watermelons on their own. land plots as much as possible. Because many try to grow watermelons, in the hope that they will grow a huge, juicy sweet watermelon, but in practice the fruits are small and not sweet.
After such bad experience someone abandons this case, but others do not give up and begin to look for information about how in their area, for example, in the Moscow region, in Siberia, in the Urals, in middle lane grow watermelons.
They are also looking on the Internet about growing watermelons in a greenhouse, in open ground, seedlings and much more are entered into the search engine, looking for the necessary information. Therefore, I have collected in this article all the basic recommendations about growing watermelons from start to finish and I hope that this information will be very useful to you.
Well, the introduction is over, let's get down to business.
What is the first thing you need to know in the agricultural technology of growing watermelon?
Watermelons are very fond of heat and dry summers. If it rains constantly in the summer, then good watermelon you won't succeed. There's nothing you can do about it, it's such a sunny berry. Of course, you can plant special hybrids that feel good even during the rains, but their taste will still be far from real steppe watermelons.
Why do watermelons soak up so much juicy moisture in their fruit?
The fact is that watermelons form powerful roots that feed the plant itself. So, in order for these roots to develop well and penetrate deep into the depths, lungs are needed, sandy soils. In dense soils, the roots are not able to develop well and the plant does not grow well.
And one more important condition for growing watermelons, regardless of whether you grow them in the Moscow region, in the Urals or in Siberia, watermelons suffer terribly from weeds. Especially when they are just starting to grow. You can lose your crop several times due to these weeds, so you need to weed your garden in the country on time and with high quality.
If you follow these three rules, then you will definitely have a harvest. Maybe it will not be watermelons of 20-25 kg, but they will still be big, juicy and sweet.
What else do you need to know about the technology of growing watermelons in open ground? 
Good watermelons cannot be obtained from bad seeds, so you should purchase watermelon seeds from trusted suppliers. If the soil is not light enough, then you need to loosen it deeply.
When to sow watermelon seeds? It depends on the weather. Perhaps it will be the last week of April or the beginning of May. In general, you can sow some varieties until June 20, then you will get a late harvest, but also of good quality.
Watermelons are not grown after watermelons, but rather after alfalfa or winter crops.
So that the crops sprout together, sow them at the same depth - 7-8 cm. Seed consumption is 6-10 pieces per running meter. It is better to sow thickly at first, but then you will not have to sow the seeds in those places where they did not sprout. Many believe that it is necessary to sow old seeds, not fresh ones. But the fact is that old seeds simply give more female flowers, which means that more fruits will be tied on them, but these will not be watermelons, but watermelons. And why do we need this? We want big watermelons!
How to prepare seeds for sowing?
First, we warm the dry seeds in the bag in the sun, so that it reaches 55 degrees. If the seeds are wet, then no more than 30 degrees should be. Then for half an hour they fill it with water and throw everything that comes up. Then pour hot water 50-60 degrees. Cool, drain the water. Then soaked until pecking for manual planting. If it is not possible to warm the seeds in the sun, then store the seeds from February near the battery. Seeds can be treated with a dark solution of potassium permanganate (15-10 minutes and rinsed), and then treated with an ash solution (for the night).
Growing watermelons in a greenhouse
Some are growing watermelons in a greenhouse. Experiments on grafting seedlings of watermelon to pumpkin are interesting, thus, ultra-early watermelons are obtained. Also, the yield increases by 4 times. True, it is problematic to grow such seedlings, but in a greenhouse from a smaller area you can harvest a decent crop.
What varieties to choose for growing watermelons?
If you want to get a harvest already in early July, then sow early hybrids Helen, Trophy, Dolby under the tape. Such varieties as Producer, Crimson give a harvest by mid-July, but this is if sown under a film. Outdoor cultivation of watermelons of these varieties will give you a harvest by the first decade of August. By mid-August, Nice and Extraordinary varieties will ripen. And the variety of watermelon Kholodok will ripen by the end of August. More good varieties for outdoor cultivation, these are Lada, Lesya, Slavia.
The scheme of sowing watermelon seeds
Row spacing 2 meters. In a row, 5-10 seeds per meter are sown. In the future, the strongest seedlings are left 1 meter between plants. So, I repeat, we make a hole 8 cm deep. We pour 1-2 liters of water there. We wait until the water is completely absorbed, put the seeds flat and fill the hole with earth and trample the hole a little. In no case do not water the hole after this, because a crust will form and all moisture will evaporate.
How to water watermelons?
Yes, actually, no way. Watering is needed only at the very beginning for friendly seedlings, and in the future, if you water, then root system will not develop and go deep, which means that in extreme heat it will not sufficiently nourish the bush. On the other hand, you can pour three buckets per square meter every two weeks. Then the yield will be much greater, but the taste of watermelon is worse, and they can crack due to watering.
When the fruits are imposed, they should be protected from crows. They gape, the crows will ruin the harvest in an instant.
How to check watermelon for ripeness?
Usually in the garden, the ripeness of a watermelon is indicated by the drying of the tendril of the offspring and the leaf opposite it, the so-called spatulas. For some varieties, drying out and the next mustache is necessary. But it happens that such an indication of the ripeness of a watermelon is not good. It may be that the mustache is still green, and the watermelon is already ripe. Therefore, for some varieties of watermelon, ripeness is determined by a bright spot on the belly. When buying a watermelon, it is believed that a ripe watermelon is one that has a dry tail, but in fact, watermelons are harvested even with a green stalk, and dry means that the watermelon has been lying and drying for some time. A watermelon will also be sweeter if it is slightly crooked, depressed or square.
Now let's separately highlight how it is necessary to grow watermelons if you are in the Moscow region, in Siberia, in the Urals or in the middle lane, i.e. in the area where there may be a lack of light, heat, it rains and not quite suitable soil:
We select special watermelon hybrids suitable for your area.
We grow watermelon seedlings, preferably grafting it onto a pumpkin.
We loosen the soil very deeply.
We plant under the film, protecting from cold snap.
We destroy all weeds.
We are waiting for the harvest.
That's actually the whole technology of growing watermelons. Great harvests and sweet watermelons to you!
Probably every gardener thought about how to grow a watermelon in the country. With the desire and a little patience, it is easy to achieve good results in this matter. A fairly simple agricultural technique will allow you to get a crop, including a novice gardener, and even a child.
Choosing seed material
It is also possible to grow watermelon seedlings from the seed of a watermelon purchased in a store, but in this case it is definitely impossible to guarantee a good result, since the fruits of the daughter plant are unlikely to be similar to the mother ones. That is, if you purchased an unusually tasty, sweet, juicy watermelon, then the fruits grown from its seeds will certainly differ in taste. Therefore, in this case it is better to purchase high-quality seed at specialized points of sale.
As for the choice of variety, experienced gardeners it is advised to purchase hybrid varieties, since they are the most adapted to changeable weather conditions and the climate in which we live, and are also the most resistant to possible diseases. Among hybrid varieties the most famous are the following:
- Astrakhan;
- Madeira;
- Sympathy F1;
Video about growing watermelons
However, if you are going to grow a watermelon for the first time, then you can experiment by choosing for planting, but preferably still early ripening, such as Spark, Sugar Baby, etc.
It is necessary to start work already at the end of March-mid-April, then young plant will have time to gain strength and will well transfer the transplant to a permanent place of growth. As a soil mixture, the composition of the following components is ideal:
- sod land;
- humus or peat;
- sawdust.
It is necessary to start work already at the end of March-mid-April
All components are taken in equal parts and mixed well. It also makes sense to buy ready ground and use it. As containers for growing seedlings, it is better to take individual cups or pots with a depth of at least 10-12 cm.
When planting seeds, it should be borne in mind that they are covered with a thick shell, which is why germination takes a long time. To speed up the process, the seeds should be softened a little by heating them in warm water(50-55 0 C) for 10 minutes, and then leave in a wet cotton fabric until “pecking”, keeping moisture. Instead of fabric, you can use hydrogel, which has recently been gaining popularity among gardeners.
After the seed has "opened" and the length of the sprout has reached 1-2 mm, it is important to harden planting material. In this case, it is recommended to use one of two options:
- Collect snow in a deep container or put ice in it, and germinated seeds on top. Leave them like this for 5-6 hours.
- Take a small piece of cotton fabric, moisten it with water and wring it out thoroughly. Place the hatched seeds in a damp cloth and put them in this form in the refrigerator for 5-7 hours.
When planting seeds, it should be borne in mind that they are covered with a thick shell, which is why germination takes a long time.
Do not worry that the sprouts will freeze and become unviable, on the contrary, such hardening is the best prevention against many diseases. These measures will allow the plant to strengthen, become less susceptible to weather conditions.
After the hardening has been carried out, the germinated material can be planted. The seed is dipped into the prepared soil to a depth of 3-4 cm, and gently sprinkled with earth on top. Plantings are watered thoroughly, without overflow, but the soil should be well moistened.
Further, before germination, it will be necessary to close the containers with plantings with a film, forming a semblance of a greenhouse. In general, it is advised to use simple plastic bags and rubber bands for this. Before the sprouts appear, the containers are left alone, making sure that the earth in them does not dry out. After the sprouts have appeared, the film is removed and the seedlings are placed on permanent place. The following measures are recommended for seedling care:
- timely watering. Watermelon loves moisture, so it is necessary to ensure that the soil is moist all the time, to prevent drying out. However, since the culture is prone to root rot, transfusion should not be allowed, as this leads to the loss of seedlings;
- additional illumination. So that the seedlings do not stretch, it is important to extend the daylight hours to 10-12 hours with a simple table lamp;
Watermelon loves moisture, so you need to make sure that the soil is moist all the time.
- Top dressing. It is allowed to feed seedlings a week after germination. The best way a solution of mullein in a ratio of 1 to 10 is suitable.
Seedlings are considered ready for planting if the plant already has 3-4 leaves, it is rather stocky and has a developed root system.
Of course, it is better suited for growing watermelon greenhouse conditions. However, those gardeners who do not have the opportunity to plant a plant in a greenhouse receive beautiful harvest, in open ground.
For growing melons in open ground, choose the brightest and warmest place, preferably with sandy or sandy soil (ideal acidity 6-7). Solanaceous or melon plants should not be allowed to be the predecessors of watermelons, due to common pests.
For growing melons in the open field, choose the brightest and warmest place.
A bed for watermelons has been prepared since autumn. The earth is carefully dug up with half-rotted manure or humus. When digging, it is necessary to carefully consider the removal of weed roots, since watermelon strongly dislikes such “neighbors”.
In the spring, as soon as the snow melts and the threat of day and night frosts passes, the ground is carefully loosened and covered with black nonwoven fabric or transparent film. Both options are possible, but many gardeners choose a transparent film, as it has several advantages:
- reduces evaporation from the soil in hot weather;
- prevents waterlogging of the earth during the rainy period;
- keeps the fruits dry and clean during their growth;
- the ground under the film is warm and moist.
After letting the earth warm up, small cross-shaped holes are made in the covering material for planting seedlings at an interval of approximately 140x70 cm.
A small hole is made under each hole, into which fertilizers (humus, ash) are applied and watered thoroughly. Seedlings, after soaking the ground with abundant watering, are very carefully removed from the cups and planted, deepening the plant to the level of the root neck.
It is necessary to ensure that the soil is important, but not waterlogged
When deciding how to grow a watermelon in the country, do not forget that a plant growing in open ground needs appropriate care:
- Timely watering. It is necessary to ensure that the soil is important, but not waterlogged. Watering is best done in the evening. Be careful, water should not fall on the leaves of the plant.
- Weeding. Watermelon doesn't like much unwanted neighbors so weed removal should be regular.
- Tracking the growth of lashes. They must be directed in one direction, making sure that they do not intertwine with each other during growth.
- Top dressing. The first top dressing is carried out a week after planting the seedlings in the ground. Follow the instructions for the fertilizer used. However, top dressing should be stopped after fruit set in order to minimize the accumulation of nitrates in watermelon fruits.
- Regular inspection of plants for pests and diseases.
- Pollination. If you do not rely on insects, then you need to pollinate manually with a special brush, which can be purchased at the store.
Growing watermelons in a greenhouse
Before planting seedlings, the land in the greenhouse must be prepared by carefully digging it with humus. It is worth planting plants in a greenhouse only when the threat of frost has passed, it is optimal if the daytime air temperature reaches 20-25 0 С, and at night it does not fall below 5 0 С.
Video about growing watermelons in a greenhouse
Planting seedlings is carried out in the same way as in the case of open ground, considering only that the distance between plants should be 70 cm, and the row spacing should be 50 cm. Otherwise, you can not change anything.
Growing watermelons in a greenhouse implies appropriate plant care. In addition to everything described above, it is necessary to pay more careful attention to pollination, since it can be difficult for insects to get inside. In addition, when growing watermelons in a greenhouse, in addition to the main list, it is necessary to carry out ventilation. In hot summer days, at temperatures above 30 0, be sure to open the windows or the door in the greenhouse.
Watermelon- heat-loving berry of the gourd family. At proper care you will get delicious, sweet and juicy fruits. Watermelons from the markets can be dangerous for the body, they often contain a lot of nitrates, unsweetened and of poor quality. Most The best way getting healthy and sweet watermelons is to grow them yourself in the garden.
In the article we will analyze in detail right place for cultivation, site preparation, plant care technology from planting seeds to harvesting.
Site selection and preparation
The landing site must be sunny, away from trees and bushes, located on the warm, south side, preferably closed from strong winds.
The soil should not be dense and clay, neutral or alkaline. The best option is sandy soil.
Cabbage, legumes are the best predecessor in the garden. Change the planting sites of watermelons every year - this is good for the soil.
Where the weather allows, watermelons are planted in open ground with seeds, preheated in hot (50 degrees) water for about 10 minutes, then germinated in a humid environment (napkins moistened with water between seeds, etc.) until they hatch. The soil should be 12-14 degrees (mid or late May) at the time of sowing.
In regions with short summers, watermelons are grown from seedlings.
To do this, they buy or select from their own, high-quality seeds suitable for this region. Choose from early hybrids.
It should be noted that the seedlings will be transplanted into open ground 25 days after germination. Germination of seeds will take up to 10 days (usually 3-7). Considering these indicators, plan the sowing of seeds.
If the seeds are planted in mid-April, watermelon seedlings can be transplanted in mid-May.
Watermelon seedlings do not take root well, so each plant is planted separately. Watermelon seeds are sown in individual cups measuring 10 x 10 or 12 x 12 cm. These can be either peat or plastic cups.
You can make your own soil or buy ready mix in a specialized store.
The soil is made independently like this: humus, soil, peat and river sand in the same proportion mix with each other. Also, 0.5 kg of wood ash must be added to them for every 20 kg of soil mixture.
Soak watermelon seeds for 12 hours warm water with the addition of potassium permanganate. 2 seeds are planted in each pot, deepening by 2 cm. The soil must be moist.
Cover the pots together with a film, after the emergence of shoots, remove.
Pots with sprouts are placed on the windowsill on the south side. Optimum temperature in the room 24 °C. A week after germination, remove weak sprouts.
For normal growth, add lighting in the morning and evening hours. Watering is carried out with warm water (25 ° C) every other day.
10 days after germination, plants are fed: dilute 1 part of mullein in 10 parts of water, add 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 2 tsp. ammonium nitrate. 10 days after transplanting plants into open ground, a second top dressing is done.
Important: when watering plants with water with fertilizers, it should not get on the leaves, this can cause a burn.
Before planting seedlings in open ground, it is hardened: intensive watering decreases, the temperature gradually decreases, airing is carried out. Three days before transplanting, watering should be stopped.
When 5 main leaves appear on the plants, the seedlings can be transplanted. Remember that the soil should be warmed up to 12-14 degrees, no less.
Seedlings are planted in holes prepared in the ground. The planting scheme is as follows: between the dimples 50-70 cm, between the rows 2-2.5 m. Carefully with the ground, we remove the seedlings from the pot and plant them in the dimples, fill them in a circle with soil and water abundantly. For better rooting, you can cover with spunbond at night.
Planting watermelon seedlings - video
If you are going to grow watermelon under a film, then the seeds can be sown in March. When planting seedlings from pots under the film, the temperature of the soil under the film should be at least 12 degrees. Best time transplantation under the film mid and end of April.
The film should be two-layer, it is first stretched along the pits. The first layer of the film is laid on the ground, holes are made 8-10 cm long for plants. For the second layer, an arc is installed, a film is laid down and fixed on top.
The first layer warms the soil, retains moisture, and prevents the growth of weeds. For growing seedlings under the film, uniform drip irrigation is needed.
During the growth of seedlings, the second layer of the film must be lifted, allowing free growth. With the establishment of warm, sunny days, the film is removed.
7-10 days after planting the seedlings, fertilize it with a solution of 30 g of ammonium sulfate, 20 g of potassium salt, 50 g of superphosphate diluted in 10 liters of water, fertilize no more than 2 liters per plant.
Plants are watered with settled water once a week (depending on weather conditions).
2 weeks before the ripening of the first fruits, feeding is stopped.
When the 5th leaf is formed on the plants, the growth point is removed (pinching is performed). After the appearance of the first ovaries, the largest berry is left, the rest are cut off.
One plant should not have more than 6 fruits. After the place of formation of the berry, 4 leaves are counted, the rest is plucked off.
A high yield of watermelons depends on high-quality and timely pollination of plants, therefore, when grown indoors, at the time of flowering, the film must be opened. Otherwise, you will have to pollinate yourself, applying male flowers to female ones.
Be careful when watering, do not touch the plants, otherwise diseases and pests will appear. Gourds are heavily exposed to pests and diseases.
Powdery mildew, fusarium, olive blotch, bacteriosis, anthracnose processed with colloidal sulfur, Bordeaux liquid.
Pests such as wireworm, melon aphid, spider mite damage and cause death of the plant. Use Karbofos, Keltan, Phosphamide to fight them.
The best prevention for the occurrence of diseases and pests is the removal of weeds from the beds with watermelons.
By mid-August, a massive harvest of watermelons begins. How to identify and choose the right ripe berries?
Main features:
the tendril of the watermelon should dry completely;
watermelon stops growing upper layer becomes shiny;
a yellow earthen spot is located on the side on which the watermelon lay;
makes a dull sound when tapped;
when squeezed, a slight crackling of the pulp is heard;
A ripe watermelon does not sink in water.
Growing watermelons - video
In conclusion, I will say that every gardener can grow a watermelon, as a result you will get large, delicious berries even growing in open ground, the main thing is to use simple advice that you found on the page.
