Growing watermelons in open ground in the middle lane: technology of growing from seeds and seedlings. Juicy and sweet watermelon: how to properly care for a plant Watermelons in the garden care

Watermelon is a thermophilic plant. However, they are grown not only in southern countries. In mid-latitudes, in order to get big harvest it is necessary to provide the berry with almost ideal conditions, but this is quite feasible. Growing watermelons in open ground, the subtleties of choosing a variety and planting will be described later in the article.

How to choose a variety?

The variety is selected depending on the climate and local conditions. Very good in different climatic zones hybrids are developing: "Honey Giant", "Skorik", "Gift of the Sun", "Suga Baby", "Prince Albert F1", "Sugar Baby", "Williams F1", "Spark". They ripen quickly and are not afraid of minor frosts.

In southern latitudes, you can use for planting varieties: "Ataman F1", "Spring Bush 334", "Volzhanin", "Astrakhansky", "Gift Kholodov", "Jubilee", "Delight", "Chill", "Black Prince".

Where can you plant watermelons?

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Growing watermelons in open ground is possible only in certain areas of the site.

• The main rule is the sun. Culture needs solar heat, light. Watermelon will not grow in the shade.
• Groundwater should be located at a considerable depth. Excess moisture will harm the roots, they will rot, and the plant will disappear.
• Type of soil - light sandy or sandy loam. But this is ideal. If there is no such one on the site, you can choose a less picky variety in this regard or provide frequent feeding, loosening.
• Soil acidity - 6.7-7.0 pH. In this regard, there will be fewer problems, since the acidity can be "adjusted".
• The best predecessors are wheat or alfalfa. If those have not previously grown on the site, then you can choose any place where melons and nightshade did not grow last year.

How to prepare seeds and seedlings for planting in open ground?

Depending on the area in which the cultivation of watermelons is carried out in open ground, they are planted with seeds or seedlings. The second option is used in the northern and southern lanes. Such a plant will take root much earlier, grow and bear fruit, so already before the first frost it will be possible to harvest and even have time to process it.

If seeds are used for planting, it is necessary to warm them in the sun in a bag for 10 days before planting. Ideally, the temperature inside the bag (if it is dry) should reach +55 degrees Celsius, and if it is humid, then +30 degrees. After 10 days, it is necessary to fill the seeds with water for 30 minutes, the floating ones are thrown away, and the settled ones are poured with warm water (+50 degrees). When the water has cooled, it must be drained, and the seeds soaked until spitting.

2 days before sowing seeds, an ash solution is made at the rate of 1 part of ash and 2 parts of water. While the solution is infused, the seeds are disinfected in a dark solution of potassium permanganate for 15 minutes. After that, they are soaked for one night in the prepared ash solution. The next morning, the water is drained, the seeds are washed and dried.

Seedlings are recommended to grow in peat pots. At the end of April, a mixture of peat, humus and earth is poured into them in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. The seeds are soaked for 10 minutes in water (+50 degrees), then they are deepened by 1 cm per grain into a glass and sprinkled with earth. In a room with seedlings, it should be at least +25 degrees, otherwise the seeds will not hatch. Top dressings are applied to enhance growth as needed.

How to plant watermelons?

Growing watermelons in open ground begins with soil preparation. Land for watermelons has been prepared since autumn, it is fertilized with manure (4 kg per 1 sq. M.). Watermelons do not tolerate fresh manure, and besides, it can lead to the formation of fungal diseases. And if the land is cultivated in November, then during the winter the manure will overheat and will not harm the culture.

Seeds are sown when the soil temperature reaches +16 degrees. They are planted to a depth of 6 cm, density - 10 seeds per 1 running meter. It may seem that it is dense, but not all seeds will sprout, and if all, they can be planted. After planting, they are sprinkled with earth and watered with warm water. The first shoots can be expected in 1 week.

Seedlings are planted in open ground 30 days after their growth in peat pots. By this time, the seedlings should have about 5 leaves. To reduce stress during transplantation, hardening is carried out a week before planting. During the day, temperatures are reduced to +17 degrees, and at night to +15.

Seedlings are planted in separate holes - 8-10 cm deep. Compost is first added to them, watered. When planting, the root neck should peek out of the ground by 1 cm, so that hilling can be carried out later. The hole is filled with dry earth.

How to care for watermelons?

Growing watermelons in open ground involves regular care from the moment of sowing seeds or planting seedlings.

Growing watermelons in open ground seeds and seedlings

You can grow watermelons using seeds and seedlings. Of course, in order for good and tasty fruits to grow in the end, the planting technology should be carried out correctly.

In addition, the subsequent care of the plant largely affects the quality of ripened fruits. Therefore, it is best to familiarize yourself in advance with all the secrets of growing watermelons using seeds and seedlings.

Place to land

For growing watermelon choose sandy or sandy soil. Its acidity should be 6-7 units.

Since watermelons are a thermophilic plant, a place for planting should be chosen warm, sunny, so that it constantly warms up. Planted in warm soil up to +12 +15 degrees.

Watermelons will grow well after the following crops:

• potato;
• cabbage;
• carrot;
• legume crops.

In no case should you plant a plant in places where solanaceous or gourds have grown before, since these plants have common pests.

It's important to know: it is recommended to prepare a site for watermelons in the fall, it needs to be dug and loosened. Then, on the dug up land, the berry will grow well and give an excellent harvest.

Digging the earth should be done in conjunction with rotted manure or humus. For 1 square meter the following amount of fertilizer is applied - 5-6 kg of humus or rotted manure, superphosphate 50 grams, potassium salt 35 grams and ammonium sulfate 40 grams.

Sand is poured into the weighted soil - 2 buckets per 1 m2. It is not advisable to use fresh manure for fertilizer. When digging, all weeds and roots are removed, because watermelon does not like these unpleasant "neighbors".

If further planting will be carried out under the film, then you should also purchase necessary material and cover the ground with them.

Planting a watermelon

There are two ways to plant watermelons:

1. In a seedless way.

For planting watermelons in open ground, you should choose cold-resistant seeds with a ripening period of 90 days. Varieties are perfect - "Spark", "Gift to the North", "Chill".

Seeds should be soaked in water before planting. The water temperature must be at least 50 degrees. It is necessary to soak until the seeds sprout.

Then they are planted in the soil. The soil should be warmed up to +12 +15 degrees. They are usually planted in early May, by the time the seeds germinate it will become warmer, and the soil will warm up with the sun.

After 8-10 days, the first shoots should appear. If the earth is cold, then germination will be delayed for a long period, and as a result, the seeds may die.

It is worth noting: before landing, be sure to pay attention to the weather conditions. If it is cool in early May, then planting should be postponed to the end of the month.

In order to grow good harvest, the following disembarkation technology should be observed:

• each well is filled with a mixture of ash, earth, humus and nitroammophos (1 teaspoon). Pour 1 tablespoon of the mixture into the well. This will help increase productivity in the future;
• then we lay the seeds in the soil to a depth of 6-9 cm;
• sprinkle with humus so that a crust does not form on top. This crust can harm the sprouts when they come to the surface, and they will die.

Below, we suggest you watch a video on how to transplant watermelon seedlings into open ground:

2. Growing seedlings.

Seeds are planted for seedlings in late April - early May. It is desirable that the indoors be supported temperature regime+25 +30 degrees.

Seed germination begins at a temperature of + 17 degrees, but in order for them to grow and develop fruitfully, it is recommended to maintain daytime not less than 25 degrees, and at night from +18 degrees. Seedling picking is not necessary.

The soil in which the seedlings grow should be fertilized. This will ensure rapid growth of sprouts. For all the time the soil needs to be fertilized twice, mineral fertilizers are used as top dressing.

Important to remember: when planting, seedlings cannot be completely covered with soil. On the surface, sprouts of 3-4 cm should be left.

The sprouts should not come into contact with each other, otherwise they can be severely damaged when planting. Therefore, you should watch the sprouts, and as they grow, the cups should be moved away. Shoots ready for planting must have at least 3 leaves.

Seedlings are planted in the soil in late May or early June. Be sure to follow the landing technology. Sprouted seedlings are planted in prepared beds to a depth of 9-11 cm.

One or two shoots are planted in the hole. If 2 processes are planted in the hole, then they are bred on opposite sides so that their lashes do not intertwine.

Before planting, up to two kilograms of compost or humus are poured into the hole and poured with water. It should be planted in a gruel of soil and fertilizers, sprinkling with dry soil.

Care

In addition to landing, you must follow the rules of care. The future harvest depends on proper care.

Care consists of the following:

1. Shelter. In order to accelerate the growth of the plant, covering materials can be used. Under the film, an elevated temperature is maintained and due to this, the plant begins to grow faster.

In addition, the fruits will appear 2-3 weeks earlier. Also covering material will provide protection against various pests. To cover with a film, you can make not high racks on the sides and put covering material on them. It should be removed in early June and preferably on a cloudy day, otherwise the plants may burn out under the scorching sun.

2. Irrigation procedures. Since the watermelon has a very powerful root system, which can go to a depth of more than 1 meter, it should not be watered very often. Once a week is enough. He gets the missing moisture from the ground himself.

3. Soil fertilization. The first top dressing is done 7 days after planting seedlings or seeds. The next two are done at intervals of 2-3 weeks. For the first top dressing, the following can be used as fertilizers - a solution of ammonium nitrate, 20 grams per 10 liters of water. For subsequent dressings, it is best to use mineral fertilizers.

4. Work on the formation of bushes. The fruits are formed on the main stem. In order for them to ripen quickly, it is best to leave no more than 6 ovaries on the stem of the plant, it is recommended to remove the rest.

Also, do not forget about loosening the soil. Beds with watermelons should be periodically loosened. It is advisable to do this after rain or watering.

Overgrown lashes can be tied to special racks or lightly sprinkled with earth. This will protect them from the wind and speed up the growth of the fruit.

Harvesting

Fruit picking begins around August. Before cutting a watermelon, check it for maturity. Usually a ripe fruit has a glossy skin and a dry tail.

There are no hairs on the stalks. Usually, when you knock on the fetus, a dull sound is heard. All these signs are conditional, so it is recommended to use them in combination.

Growing watermelons is a rather laborious process, so it should be approached responsibly. Be sure to prepare the landing site well, pre-dig the soil and fertilize with top dressing.

Do not forget about the further care of the plant. It is from all the correct cultivation technology that the future harvest depends.

We offer you to watch a video on how to properly plant watermelon seeds for seedlings:

The best watermelons are brought from the southern regions, but you can get a good harvest of this huge striped berry in the conditions of the Moscow region; watermelons are planted even in the Leningrad region. It turns out that this is not difficult to do, you just need to know the basics of melon growing and make a little work. The basic operations are familiar to every gardener, and only a too cold summer can be an obstacle.

plant description

Watermelon belongs to the gourd family and is an annual plant. Most varieties have a long creeping stem that extends up to two meters. The leaves are dark green in color, large, with a strong dissection. The fruit according to the biological classification is a berry, very large, usually spherical in shape. In some varieties, it is not a ball, but an elongated torpedo-shaped berry. The mass of the fetus is significant: it can range from 500 g to 20 kg. Watermelon bark has different shades Green colour; most often it is covered with dark or light stripes, but it can also be monophonic. The flesh is juicy, in most cases red or dark pink, but there are varieties with an orange or yellow core. There are usually a lot of seeds, they are large, 1–2 cm long, flat, hard, black or brown.

How watermelon grows

The main part of the watermelon crop is obtained in the subtropical zone, much less - in temperate climate. In Russia, watermelon is grown mainly in the Lower Volga region and the North Caucasus, but amateur gardeners are promoting the culture much further north. Watermelon comes from the African continent. This culture tolerates heat and drought, it needs warmth and bright sunlight. However, watermelon normally tolerates short cold snaps, is undemanding to the composition of the soil. The roots are able to suck water from considerable depths, so watermelon is able to grow even in conditions of moisture deficiency. At the same time, it responds well to artificial irrigation, which, in combination with planting on light sandy loamy soils, produces fruits of very high quality. Watermelon should be in the sun, and adult plants get water for themselves

Application

Watermelon is good for people of all ages. Its juice is dominated by simple, easily digestible sugars - glucose and fructose, and in terms of the content of the latter, it is one of the champions among cultivated plants. Watermelon contains various organic acids, including folic acid, which is of great importance for the human body. Watermelon contributes to the regulation of fat metabolism, which determines its use in medicine and nutrition, contains iron salts and other trace elements. There is even the concept of a watermelon diet.

Watermelon is consumed mostly fresh, being a wonderful summer dessert. It can be eaten in an almost unlimited amount, although doctors warn against excesses in the presence of certain diseases. At the same time, during the mass harvest, watermelons are also used for various preparations. You can make juice from them, and when the latter is slowly evaporated, you can get honey-nardek. Very tasty candied watermelon is known. There are many lovers of salted and canned watermelons: small fruits, including those that are not quite ripe, are used for such blanks.

Varieties

All known varieties of watermelon are conditionally divided into early, mid-ripening and late. If we talk about our country, then late varieties (for example, Spring, Icarus, Kholodok) make sense to plant only in the southernmost regions; in Central Russia, only early varieties, such as Victoria, Skorik, Ogonyok, have time to fully ripen. Varieties of medium maturity (Lezheboka, Ataman, etc.) occupy an intermediate position. Among the "classic" varieties of watermelon, the most popular are the following.

• Ogonyok is an extremely popular early ripe variety, known since the times of the USSR. The fruits are small (about 2 kg), the seeds in them are very small, and the pulp has an excellent delicate taste. The bark is thin, its color is black-green with a blurred pattern. The variety is able to fully mature in the Central Black Earth, East Siberian and Far Eastern regions.
• Kholodok is one of the most famous varieties of late-ripening watermelons. The fruits are stored for more than 3 months, the variety is very productive, has an excellent taste. Kholodok appeared in the early 1990s, intended for planting in the North Caucasus and Lower Volga regions. The bush is very powerful, with long (up to 5 meters) lashes, moderately resistant to diseases. The fruit is somewhat elongated, weighing about 4 kg, dark green with almost black stripes. Watermelon cannot be called thin-skinned, but it is well transported and stored. The flesh of the watermelon is bright red, very sweet, tender.
• Shuga baby - a variety included in the State Register not so long ago, is intended for the Central Black Earth region, but can be grown further north, as it easily tolerates cold weather, including in the spring. Variety of ultra-early ripening. The bush and leaves are medium in size, the fruit is round and rather small: the bulk of the specimens reach a mass of 1 kg, and only a few grow up to 4 kg. The fruit is thin-skinned, striped, the outside of the usual dark green color. The pulp is dark red in color, with very small seeds. Taste qualities are characterized as excellent. Since “Suga baby” is translated as “Sugar baby”, you can find a description of the variety under both names on the network, which can cause some confusion. So, describing the "Sugar Baby", they indicate that it is recommended for severe weather conditions, including for cultivation in Siberia, since it is extremely resistant to low temperatures. However, there is no variety under such (Russian) name in the State Register, but at the same time, the main part of the description corresponds to both Russian and English names. Variety of universal purpose: good not only fresh, but also in salting. Easily transfers transportation.
• Crimson Sweet is one of the trendy varieties grown in most European countries, of French origin. Watermelon of ultra-early ripening, but in its segment - one of the most large-fruited. Spherical fruits weigh an average of 10 kg, and can grow even larger. Coloring - classic watermelon, striped (lighter stripes on a dark green background), the flesh is dark red, without veins, very sweet and tasty, crispy. The fruits are transportable, well stored, and the plants themselves are drought and disease resistant.

Photo gallery: popular varieties of watermelons

Ogonyok is a well-deserved early variety that grows in almost all regions. Kholodok enters the shelves in September and can delight with its taste for several months. Sugar baby ripens very quickly, so it is planted in almost all regions.

In addition to those listed in this list, in recent years, various exotic varieties that do not fit into the familiar image of a striped berry with a red interior filled with numerous seeds have enjoyed some popularity. So, for example, there is a very expensive and scarce black watermelon. The Densuke variety is grown in Japan. Outside, it is completely black, glossy, without stripes, weighs 5–7 kg, and inside contains the usual-looking bright red flesh. True, gourmets who have tried it describe the taste not just as sweet, but as magnificent. At the same time, in Russia there are also domestic, very inexpensive, varieties that look like Densuke. Such, for example, are the Black Prince or the Black Excellent. They may not be as tasty, but they are not so expensive on the market either.
Densuke black watermelon is very expensive, but is it legal - gourmets decide

In recent years, yellow-fleshed watermelons have come into fashion. These are hybrid plants; Outwardly, they are no different from traditional watermelons, but inside - yellow color. There are almost no seeds in them (and sometimes not at all), the taste is very different from the usual. The pulp may contain flavors of mango, lemon, pineapple and other southern fruits. So, for example, about 10 years ago, Lunny watermelon was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation. Like all other yellow watermelons, it is characterized by early ripening. The bush is of medium size, elliptical in shape, the fruit is small: its weight is from 2 to 3 kg. Outside striped, but the flesh is light yellow, tender, excellent taste. Capable of short-term storage (about a month).
Lunar on the outside is an ordinary watermelon, but inside it looks very unusual

Already in the middle of the last century, varieties of watermelons with a complete absence of seeds were bred. As a rule, such watermelons are sweeter, the shape of most varieties is oblong, and the mass is relatively small (about 4 kg).

A reasonable question: how to plant seedless watermelons? To do this, seeds are obtained by special crossing with other varieties, but this procedure leads to the fact that growing a seedless watermelon is somewhat more difficult than a regular one.

Seedless hybrids are, for example, Imbar F1, Regus F1, Boston F1. Thus, watermelon Boston F1 is included in the State Register of the Russian Federation and recommended for cultivation in the North Caucasus region. Refers to early ripe hybrids, forms a long-branched bush. The fruit is spherical, light green, with narrow inconspicuous stripes. The usual weight is up to 4 kg, some representatives grow up to 10 kg, thin-skinned. The pulp is tasty, pink-red color. The fruits are well transported, but are stored for no more than two weeks after harvest.

Reviews of some varieties

Last year I decided to try to grow a watermelon in KALININGRAD for the sake of "pampering"! I chose the early variety "Spark" of the company "Siberian Gardener". Germination was 100%. Left only 2 pieces, the most active. Monthly sprouts landed in a greenhouse. They fit well with the tomatoes in the neighborhood))) Not climbing, I didn’t even have to remove the excess))) Soon 2 Watermelons appeared on each plant. He went on to crawl and bloom, but I pinched the whole thing, they would not have had time to ripen. By the end of August 3 watermelons were ripe. The fourth has not yet matured. Small in size but heavy. The flesh is orange-yellow. Juicy. Few bones! In general, I am completely delighted!!!

"Julia773"

https://otzovik.com/review_5744757.html

I never became friends with Kholodok in two seasons. He waved his hand at it, although, if it worked out, you can save it until the New Year. Even if there is no good cellar-basement, then on the glazed loggia it lies until slight frosts. And what a taste Kholodok has - watermelon for all watermelons.

"German"

http://dacha.wcb.ru/index.php?showtopic=47904&st=1280

And I like Suga Baby or sugar baby, watermelons are not very large, but very sweet and tasty.

Ninyurev

http://forum.prihoz.ru/viewtopic.php?t=1991&start=945

Crimson suite is an early ripening variety, for Siberia it’s the very thing !!!, consistently producing even if not such large watermelons (at the moment the largest is 4 kg), but in past years, it seems to me, there were up to 6–7 kg , - I didn’t weigh it, because I bought the scales only last fall for the daily weighing of my “champion”. It seems that the weight of watermelons could be increased by a small normalization.

Ukolova

http://vinforum.ru/index.php?topic=349.0

Growing watermelon seedlings

In the south and in most areas Lower Volga it is possible to grow watermelons by direct sowing of seeds in open ground, but in regions that are not warm enough for this crop, preliminary preparation of seedlings is necessary. Sometimes seedlings have to be grown in the south, if there is a desire to get the fruits of the latest varieties.

Planting seeds for seedlings

If the seeds are purchased in a specialized store and the manufacturer is not in doubt, pre-treatment of the seeds is not required. But if the seeds are taken from a watermelon bought for food, one must be careful. Firstly, it may turn out to be a hybrid, and then nothing good will come of it. Secondly, seeds can carry hidden signs diseases, so they must be at least decontaminated. There is no need to check the seeds for germination: they are good for at least 6 years in a watermelon, but it is worth choosing the largest ones.

For disinfection, the seeds are soaked for 20–30 minutes in a dark solution of potassium permanganate, and then washed with water. When growing watermelon in the central region and in the north, it is advisable to harden the seeds (hold for about 12 hours in a damp cloth in the refrigerator). This stage will help in the prevention against most diseases. If you do nothing, you can just soak the seeds before planting, but soaking will only give a two-day advantage in seedling speed, can be sown dry.
Watermelon seeds are easy to handle: they are quite large

Based on the possible timing of planting 35-day seedlings in open ground or a greenhouse, it turns out that it is necessary to sow seeds for seedlings in mid or late April (depending on the region). Since watermelons are painful to transplant, it is better to immediately sow the seeds in separate cups with a capacity of at least 250 ml and a depth of about 10 cm (it is best to use peat pots). In extreme cases, it is possible to pre-sow in a common box, followed by careful seating in pots. Soil - a mixture of equal parts garden soil, sand, humus and peat or store-bought mixture.

Before sowing, the soil is slightly moistened and the seeds are buried to a depth of about 3 cm, pouring a layer of clean sand of 0.5–1 cm on top. cm.

seedling care

Seedlings are easy to care for. Immediately after germination, the "garden" should be placed in the bright sun and lower the temperature to about 18 ° C, and after a few days return it to 22 ° C during the day and 18 ° C at night. In the future, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil and lighting: daylight hours should last at least 12 hours, so the seedlings may have to be slightly highlighted. It is necessary to water under the root, but lightly: the soil should be slightly moist.

After 5-7 days after the seedlings have hatched, they must be thinned out: if the sowing was in pots, leave one at a time, if in a box, remove obviously superfluous ones. The next day after thinning, you can give top dressing: a weak solution of complex mineral fertilizer (according to instructions) or infusion of ash.
Watermelon seedlings manage to grow into a rather big bush in a month

A week before planting in the ground, watermelon seedlings are accustomed to fresh air, periodically taking them out to the balcony. By the time of planting in the garden, it should be strong bushes with 4-5 true leaves.

Is it possible to pick watermelon seedlings

In the classical sense, picking a watermelon is unacceptable: the slightest damage to the central root leads to the fact that further work will be meaningless: even if the seedlings do not die, there is no need to wait for a normal harvest. But if the sowing was done in a common box, when the first true leaf appears, you can plant watermelons in pots, taking out each seedling from good ball land and without disturbing the root system. This can be done only if you have a lot of experience in gardening and in case of emergency: so that the seedlings do not even feel that they were being manipulated.

Care of watermelons in the open field

Watermelon is a heat- and light-loving plant, therefore it is planted when real heat sets in and on a sunny bed. Despite the fact that an adult bush does not seem very large, a watermelon needs a lot of space, plantings should not be thickened: this culture loves space.

Planting watermelons in open ground

Watermelon is placed in a place protected from the north winds; if possible - on a small hill, so that water does not stagnate, from which the roots can rot. The best soils are light loams or sandy loams with an environment close to neutral. It is better to plant them in the place where garlic, onions, peas or cabbage grew last year. Do not plant watermelon after nightshade vegetables. As for any garden inhabitants, the garden bed must be prepared in the fall, digging up the soil with any fertilizer, except for fresh manure. Shortly before planting seedlings, the soil must be loosened by adding a liter jar of ash per square meter. He loves watermelon and magnesium, so it is advisable to apply magnesium-containing fertilizers in a small dose (about 5 g per 1 m 2).

Watermelons are planted when daytime temperatures reach about 15–20 ° C, and at night - not lower than 8 ° C. The distance between plants in a large field is maintained from 1.5 to 3 meters, but in the country, of course, there is not so much space. However, the holes cannot be closer than half a meter from each other, but it is better to use a 100 x 70 cm pattern.

Watermelon seedlings are moved to the garden in the usual way:

1. In selected places, holes are made with a scoop somewhat larger than pots with seedlings.
2. Half a cup of ash is added to the dug holes, mixed well with the soil and lightly watered.
3. Carefully taking out well-watered seedlings (in no case damaging the roots), they plant it, slightly deepening it.
4. Water each bush with warm water under the root, then pour clean sand into the bed with a layer of about 1 cm, placing it at least around each plant.

Watering

Watermelon tolerates drought well and does not require heavy watering. It is watered only before the formation of fruits, moisture is especially needed during the period of rapid growth of the leaf apparatus. Until the end of flowering, the soil should be constantly slightly moist, but not waterlogged. It is necessary to water under the root, preferably in the evening, by this time the water is warming in the sun. After watering, shallow loosening is necessary. It is accompanied by weeding, but as the bush grows, the watermelon itself suppresses weeds, and weeding will soon be forgotten.

During the pouring and ripening of watermelon berries, the soil, on the contrary, is dried a little: by this time, powerful roots have formed at the watermelon, penetrating to a meter depth and extracting a sufficient amount of moisture from there. Intense rains that occur in the second half of summer, rather, harm the quality of the crop, making the fruits less sweet.

top dressing

Watermelons are fed moderately; special care must be taken in the use of nitrogen fertilizers, it is better not to use them unless absolutely necessary: ​​the nitrogen contained in the complex fertilizer will be enough. The first time top dressing is applied a week and a half after transplanting watermelons into the garden, the second time - a month later. It is better to take mullein infusions, adding wood ash to them, and if they are not available, ammophoska or azofoska (according to the instructions for the preparation). As soon as the fruits are tied, feeding should be stopped: the watermelon will find its own food.
Feeding is convenient and special formulations for gourds

Formation of a bush (pinching shoots, trimming extra lashes and breaking out stepchildren)

In the process of growing a bush, watermelon lashes must be periodically shifted so that they do not intertwine with each other. But this is far from the most difficult: it is important to form a bush correctly, removing extra shoots from time to time. When forming a watermelon plant, the main task is that it does not waste its strength on the growth of unnecessary green mass, but directs the maximum of nutrients to the formation and ripening of the crop. In addition, some of the fruits have to be removed, since all those that are tied up, the bush will not be able to provide food even on the most fertile lands. All pruning operations should be carried out on a fine sunny day so that the cut or pinching places dry quickly.

The formation procedure depends on the area in which the watermelon is grown. This work is most important in the northern regions, where the summer is short, and every warm day is important in the issue of crop maturation. In addition, the course of the procedure also depends on the variety of watermelon: the formation of a bush is most important for large-fruited varieties. All work on crop rationing should be carried out when the berries grow from egg. There are several approaches to creating a properly fruiting watermelon plant.

• According to the first option, three to six fruits are left on the main stem (depending on their estimated size), and all ovaries are removed from the side shoots. At the same time, the side shoots are not allowed to grow and are pinched over the fourth leaf. The point of leaving short shoots is that they provide nutrition to the main stem. But as the fruit grows, side shoots are gradually removed, starting from those closest to the roots.
• In the opposite variant, on the contrary, fruits are grown on lateral shoots, leaving one berry on each (for powerful bushes - a maximum of two), and in total - from 4 to 6 copies per bush. Three leaves are left above the fruits, the rest of the side shoots are pinched. The fruits formed on the main stem are removed.
• The toughest option is not to leave side shoots at all. Up to five fruits are left on the main stem, but so that there are 4–5 leaves between them. It is believed that the nutrition from these leaves should be enough for the formation of fruits, especially if the variety does not imply the possibility of obtaining very large berries.

How to figure out which option to choose? It seems that there is no point in thinking about this for an ordinary summer resident, but you just need to remember a few rules:

• do not leave more than six fruits on the bush;
• on each shoot, leave only one berry in the case of large-fruited varieties and a maximum of two in the case of small-fruited ones;
• after the watermelon grows to the size of a fist, leave a maximum of 4–5 leaves above it.

Even when the formation of the bush seems complete and the active growth of the fruits and the increase in their mass begin, stepchildren will periodically appear from the axils of the left leaves - additional side shoots. It is worth making it a rule to inspect the lashes weekly and break out stepchildren, preventing them from increasing in size. True, at this time it is already undesirable to turn the whips over, so this should be done very carefully. As the fruits grow, plywood or boards should be placed under them so that in a rainy summer they do not rot, lying on damp ground.
All available schemes for the formation of watermelon plants provide for pinching most of the stems and leaving only a few fruits on the bush

How to grow a square watermelon ("Japanese" technology)

A square (more precisely, cubic) watermelon is good only because it will occupy less space. This “miracle” has no other advantages, and there is not much point in trying to grow it on purpose. But lovers of such exotic can get square striped berries from any variety they like. To do this, you need to somehow make cubic containers of transparent plastic of the appropriate size.

What does appropriate mean? The diagonal of the face of the cube should be slightly larger than the diameter of the proposed watermelon, which will grow in this container. In a too cramped dwelling, a watermelon will not really ripen, and in a too spacious one it will not be completely “square”: only 6 flattened sides will turn out. In order for the cube to be reusable, it must, of course, be collapsible, and in one of the faces you need to make a hole with a diameter of 3-4 cm to escape with the fetus. In addition, numerous smaller holes are needed for ventilation, otherwise the berry in this cube will simply rot.
Almost all my life future square watermelon conducts inside a transparent cube

Further, everything is very simple. As soon as the watermelon grows to the size of an apple, it is placed in a mold and continue routine care watching how he feels. You may have to water a little more, turn the cube over, push the fruit in it while it is small. But as soon as he grows up and starts to rest against the edges, he will begin to take the form of a cube. Obviously, in a similar way, you can grow not only cubic watermelons, but also, for example, pyramidal ones.

Treatment for diseases and pests

Watermelon is a heat-loving plant, but otherwise it is completely unpretentious. At proper care it rarely gets sick or is attacked by pests. Most often, in amateur melon growing, even no spraying is required; in large farms, of course, preventive treatments are carried out. To prevent possible diseases (rot, spotting, powdery mildew, anthracnose), for example, such well-known drugs as Fundazol or Decis, as well as traditional Bordeaux liquid, are used. Each of them is capable of destroying certain pathogens, and if necessary, you should carefully study the instructions.

Watermelon has few pests. The most common are melon aphids, wireworms, and various mites. To scare away most of them, it is enough to spray watermelons with products based on garden plants or simple household preparations. So, against aphids, infusions of tobacco dust or wood ash (with small additions of laundry soap) help well. Wireworms and leaf-eating caterpillars are collected by attracting them to sweet baits placed in small holes: sweetened infusions of garlic, mustard, wormwood, hot pepper, tomato tops.

Harvest and storage

When the crop approaches the ripening stage, the question arises: when should the watermelons be cut? After all, the fact is that fully ripe berries are very poorly stored, and if you want to eat delicious watermelon straight from the garden, you have to wait until it becomes as tasty as the variety allows. Those watermelons that have not yet reached the so-called first stage of maturity are also poorly stored.

Of course, until you cut a watermelon, you will not know exactly what it is inside: it happens that even the most experienced melon growers make mistakes. On the cut, everything is simple: if the color of the pulp and seeds corresponds to the varietal characteristics, the watermelon is ready. A slightly unripe specimen (the flesh is lighter than normal) could reach full ripeness and gain sugar during storage. But you will not cut berries in the garden!

There are several signs of ripeness:

• when the watermelon ripens, the matte surface of the peel turns into a shiny one;
• the crust should be firm and not pierced by light pressure with a fingernail;
• in a fully ripened watermelon, the stalk becomes dry;
• a good sign is a yellow spot where the watermelon was in contact with the ground or bedding;
• if you knock on a watermelon, then the ripening specimens make a ringing sound. Muted tones - in fully ripe and, conversely, green (well, it's not so difficult to distinguish them from each other).

The lightest are late-ripening watermelons, but they must also be removed correctly. The berry is cut with a pruner or a sharp knife along with a stalk about 5 cm long. When transporting to the storage, watermelons should lie on a soft bedding, and in the storage itself - also on a bedding, preferably straw, and only in one layer. During storage, they must be periodically inspected, discarding specimens that begin to deteriorate. The best temperature in storage is from 6 to 8 °C, air humidity is not higher than 85%. But even the lightest varieties can rarely last more than three months.

Growing watermelon at home (in a bucket)

If the house has a sunny window sill or balcony, you can grow watermelon on them. True, it requires a lot of free space, and it is almost impossible to get a berry weighing more than 1 kg. The whole process consists of the same stages as usual, only from small seedling pots, plants with a clod of earth are transferred to a large pot, with a volume of at least a bucket, and preferably from 15 liters. Of course, you can immediately sow the seeds in a bucket (do not forget to do drainage holes at the bottom).

On one plant at home, you can leave no more than two fruits, but after they successfully tie. And they will tie only under the condition of artificial pollination.

The owner must know the difference female flowers from male, and pollen from male flower(on a thin stalk) you must independently pollinate the female (with a thick stalk).

Otherwise, you need to monitor the temperature, soil moisture and give the watermelon more light.

Greenhouse watermelons, the use of nets

In the cold climate zone, watermelons can only be grown in a greenhouse. There, beds are prepared in advance, introducing humus and mineral fertilizers into them. Watermelon seedlings are planted when night temperatures in the greenhouse do not fall below 6 ° C, which happens in the center of Russia around the end of April. Although, of course, in the greenhouse you can sow watermelons and seeds, immediately in the garden.

Since space in the greenhouse has to be saved, watermelons are planted somewhat thicker, and trellises are arranged to guide the lashes. Plants are usually planted according to the scheme of 50 x 70 cm, and early varieties are planted at all, two plants per hole, directing the shoots in different directions. If windows and doors are almost always kept closed in the greenhouse, at the right time there may not be flying insects in it, there is no wind there, so artificial pollination has to be carried out.

If a watermelon is grown on a trellis, the fruits do not lie on the ground, but are at a certain height, so they may fall as they grow. In this regard, when a berry grows to the size of an apple, it is often placed in spacious nets of any material that are firmly tied to the trellis. At the same time, the fruits do not lie on the ground and, therefore, do not rot. In addition, when in a grid, they are evenly lit from all sides, which leads to earlier ripening.
Nets fixed on the trellis allow watermelons not to fall and ripen better

Barrel growing, film application

Our summer residents are well-known experimenters, and in the pursuit of saving space, they have invented many unique ways of growing vegetable crops. So, many vegetables, flowers and even strawberries are often grown in old unusable barrels with a volume of about 200 liters. You can do the same with watermelons. Various garbage is placed at the bottom of the barrel, which acts as drainage, and as it rots, fertilizer. Grass is poured on top, good humus, and then fertile soil. Since the metal barrel warms up well in the sun, this substrate always remains warm.

You can immediately sow seeds in the barrel or plant seedlings (depending on the climate), but in any case, at first the watermelon must be covered with non-woven material. There is enough space in the barrel for two plants. A trellis is not needed here, and the growing lashes will hang down, where flowers will appear near the surface of the earth, and then fruits. Watermelon care is normal, only more abundant watering may be required.

Some gardeners instead nonwoven fabric cover planted seedlings polyethylene film. As a temporary measure, this approach can be used, but prolonged exposure of watermelons under the film can lead to root rot. The film can be used both in an ordinary garden bed and in a greenhouse, but only for a short time. Its only true use is to cover the crops in order to create greenhouse effect for fast growth. In the future, you can make holes for seedlings and hold the film for some more time so that the earth does not cool down. But long-term maintenance under polyethylene for watermelons is detrimental.

Features of growing watermelons in different regions

Trouble-free cultivation of watermelons is possible only in the south, in other regions there are rules, but all of them are mainly aimed only at creating warm conditions for this berry.

Watermelons in the south of Russia

In the southern regions (starting from Volgograd), only amateurs who want to get very early harvests are engaged in seedlings. AT industrial production watermelons are sown immediately in open ground, starting in mid-spring. They are watered only at first, before flowering, and then the melon, in fact, grows by itself.

Already starting from the Central Black Earth region, options are possible. Here, cultivation is used both through seedlings and without it, and sowing in a garden bed is possible already in early May. Greenhouses are usually not needed.

For the first time, many summer residents cover crops with a film. Some sow watermelons immediately after planting potatoes, in a free place. Since the second half of June, they have not been watered at all; precipitation is usually sufficient.

Central regions of Russia, Ural region

In the central regions of the country, and even more so in the Urals, it is possible to get a crop in the open field only by seedlings. Seedlings (better - in peat pots) are planted in the garden at the end of spring, but greenhouse cultivation is often used, planting seedlings immediately after the May holidays. Only early varieties are used: Ogonyok, Skorik, Sibiryak, and in the event of an unsuccessful summer in the open field, even they may not ripen and be used only for salting.

When planting in greenhouses, many alternate watermelons with cucumbers, although this can hardly be considered reasonable: watermelon is a resident of arid regions, and cucumbers need moist air. But with timely ventilation and proper temperature control, both crops can bring good yields.

Video: growing watermelons in greenhouse conditions

Northwestern region, Leningrad region

Until recently, it was believed that it was unrealistic to grow watermelons in the open field in the north-west of the country, but in recent years there have been more and more reports that enthusiasts manage to do this even in Karelia and the Murmansk region. True, luck is variable and depends on how the summer turned out, and the fruits are not very tasty. But in greenhouses, watermelons in the Leningrad region have been grown for a long time and quite successfully. But even greenhouse cultivation involves the use of only early varieties and requires considerable effort. Among agronomists, it is believed that the unspoken border of growing watermelons, even in greenhouses, runs along the line St. Petersburg - Kirov: in the more northern regions, "the game is not worth the candle."

Watermelons in the Far East

The heat in the Far East region is quite enough for growing watermelons in open ground, there are even zoned varieties, for example, Ogonyok, Early Kuban, Skorik, although it is possible to ripen any other varieties, except for very late ones. Sowing seeds directly into the garden is, of course, risky, so they practice the seedling method.

The only difference between the Far Eastern technology and the traditional one is that in the second half of summer there are often long and heavy rains, as a result of which watermelons can rot. They cope with this simply: they are planted on high ridges from which excess water drains. The size of the ridges is any, convenient for use. In suburban areas, they are made about a meter wide, raising them above the furrows to a height of 20–25 cm.

Ukraine

Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe, so the climate is very dependent on the region. And if in the north of the country it is similar to the one near Moscow, then in the south it is ideal for cultivating gourds. In the south of Ukraine, they do not know the concept of "seedlings", they sow watermelons right in the field or garden in late April - early May, and care for them is minimal. In the north, it is also possible to sow seeds in a garden bed (at the end of spring), and to pre-cultivate seedlings.

Growing watermelons is not always a lottery: with some experience and luck, normal fruits can also be obtained in central Russia. And already at latitudes south of Kursk or Saratov, this striped berry is a traditional resident in the beds of garden enthusiasts. You can enjoy delicious sweet fruits directly from the garden with some effort, but they are not great: the technology for growing gourds is available to every summer resident.

Watermelon is native to areas of South Africa with high temperatures and low humidity. The culture is thermophilic and drought-resistant, it needs light in large quantities. Shade and cloudy weather will not allow the watermelon to develop normally and give a good harvest. But still, these berries are grown not only in the south, but also in more northern regions.

Features of planting watermelons in open ground

Before planting watermelons in the garden, you need to prepare the land, seeds and familiarize yourself with the rules of cultivation.

Site preparation

The soil for watermelons should be light and fertile, virgin sandy loamy chernozem is preferred. On the clay soils they grow worse.

It is undesirable to plant watermelons after legumes, cabbage. It is good if earlier there were tomatoes, onions, rye or winter wheat on the site.

It is also necessary to apply mineral fertilizers per 1 sq. m:

• 30 g of urea or ammonium nitrate;
• 30 g of superphosphate;
• 20 g of potash fertilizers.

Excess fertilizing is harmful: greens grow better than fruits, and nitrates accumulate in watermelons.

Seed selection

First you need to choose a variety that matches the climate of the region. In the middle lane, it can be Light, Sugar Baby, Crimson Sweet.

Watermelon seeds are various shapes, sizes and colors

1. Warm the seeds in the sun for a week or dip them in a gauze bag in hot (50–60 ° C) water for 5–10 minutes.
2. For disinfection, hold them in a pink solution of potassium permanganate (with a concentration of 0.5-1%) for about 20 minutes, rinse and dry natural way. To get a good harvest, you can soak in a solution of trace elements - manganese, boron, molybdenum - with a concentration of 0.05% for 16 hours.
3. With a seedless sowing method, after warming up in hot water, the seeds are dipped in a solution of Zircon or Cytovit (1 ampoule per 2 liters of water). When they swell, you can sow.
4. To speed up germination, the seeds are germinated. To do this, they need to be wrapped in a wet cloth, put in a warm place with a temperature of + 20–25 ° C and constantly moistened, preventing drying out. Shoot several times a day upper layer for ventilation. When sprouts appear, seeds can be sown immediately in the ground or on seedlings.

Sowing seeds in open ground

Watermelons should be sown in the ground, warmed up to + 12–14ºC, 10 cm deep. In cold soil, they may not sprout or suffer from pests. Usually sowing is done in late April-early May, but in each region you need to focus on climatic conditions.

Watermelon seeds in the open field germinate within 5-7 days with good quality and warm soil. If the earth is not warm enough, seedlings may be delayed for 2 weeks.

The main thing is that, as the plantings grow, they do not turn out to be overly thickened and that all the berries that have started have enough light, moisture and nutrition.

The distance between the rows is made at least 1 m, since the plants have long lashes and they can stretch up to 1.5–2 meters. The depth of the hole is 5–8 centimeters.

5-6 seeds are placed in one hole to ensure germination. If everyone breaks through, choose one, the strongest plant.

Planting watermelon seedlings

In regions with a short summer, watermelon seedlings are grown. Seeds are sown a month before planting, that is, if heat is established in the region at the end of May, then seedlings are planted at the end of April.

Sprouted seeds are placed in cups with soil, watered warm water and covered with glass or polyethylene to create greenhouse conditions. Shoots appear on the 3-5th day.

Seedlings need to be provided with a favorable regime: a temperature of + 20–25ºC and lighting, natural or artificial, for 10 hours a day, no less.

After two weeks, the plants are fed with a water-soluble complex fertilizer, organics do not need to be applied. Watering should be plentiful, but not frequent, twice a week is enough. Be sure to loosen the soil.

Soil for seedlings of watermelons - a mixture consisting of humus, soddy soil and river sand

Within 7 days before planting, it is necessary to harden the plants: take them out into fresh air, first for 2-3 hours, then gradually increase the time. On the eve, you need to water the seedlings well and spray them with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. Seedlings should have at least 4 leaves. Plants are transplanted into the garden very carefully, along with an earthen clod.

Growing watermelons in open ground

In order to grow high-quality fruits, it is necessary to observe the agricultural technology of their cultivation, performing the main activities:

1. Periodic weeding and loosening the earth around the bushes.
2. Regular watering.
3. Top dressing.
4. Pinching shoots.
5. Treatment for diseases and pests.

Bush formation

When the bushes grow and several apple-sized fruits are formed, they begin to form. The side lashes are cut off, leaving 2 watermelons on each, the main one is pinched so as to save 2 leaves after the fruit.

The formation of a watermelon should be carried out on a dry sunny day - then the cut point will dry out faster

The cut parts are not pulled out so as not to damage the plant and ovaries. They dry quickly and do not interfere with the development of watermelon.

How to form a watermelon lash - video

Growing watermelons on trellises

In the southern regions, watermelons do not require a garter, they are grown on the ground. Here they receive enough light and heat, are not susceptible to diseases.

In more northern areas with a humid climate, tapestries are sometimes used. This is done if there is a risk of moisture stagnation on the site or there is not enough space and light. In the north, small-fruited varieties are usually grown. They can be tied to a trellis, like cucumbers.

Fruits that reach the size of an apple or more are hung in nets that hang from the trellis.

What is done for the trellis device:

1. On both sides of the beds, stakes with a height of at least one and a half meters are installed, a rope is pulled between them. If necessary, increase the number of stakes.
2. Others are tied to this rope, descending to the bushes. They serve as a support for the vine and determine its direction.
3. The lowered rope must be attached to the stem of the plant or to the ground.
4. The grown berries are placed in nets and tied separately to the trellis so that they do not fall under the influence of their weight.

Watermelons from the moment of sowing need constant care. They need to be loosened, watered, fertilized, protected from pests and diseases.

Weeding

Row spacing begins to be loosened even before germination. To know the location of the holes, lighthouse crops are sown in them, which will germinate earlier: radish, lettuce and others. When watermelon shoots appear, they are removed along with weeds.

Weeding should be carried out several times during the growing season.

Watering

It is necessary to regularly water the plants during the period of growth of leaves and stems, setting and formation of fruits. This is done as the soil dries up, no more than 1 time per week. During fruit ripening, watering is undesirable, as it can lead to cracking and deterioration of taste.

There will be no severe harm from the lack of watering, the plant is drought-resistant, and its roots penetrate to a depth of more than 1 meter.

Watering should be stopped when the fruits become glossy. During the growth period they are matte.

Melon growers are advised to remove the fruit only 15–20 days after it has ceased to increase in size.

fertilizers

Top dressing is carried out at the beginning of the formation of lashes of plants, before rain or watering. For 10 sq. m must be entered:

• 150 g of ammonium nitrate or urea;
• 150 g of powder or 60 g of double granular superphosphate;
• 50 g of potassium salt.

Subsequent top dressing is carried out during the period of flowering and mass fruit set. With a weak development of plants, you can feed them with slurry. For its manufacture, the container is filled with manure by a third, topped up with water until it is full and mixed. One part of the slurry is diluted in 10 liters of water. Consumption of solution for 1 plant - 1 liter.

Treatment of watermelons from diseases and pests

The preservation of watermelon during the growth period involves the use of both agrotechnical protection measures and chemicals.

Agrotechnical protection measures

They consist in strict compliance with the requirements for sowing and growing plants:

1. Compliance with crop rotation: the return of melons to their original place no earlier than after 5 years.
2. Seed treatment and dressing 1–2 months before sowing.
3. The location of plantings on well-lit and warmed up light sandy loamy soils. Do not use heavy clay soils for watermelons.
4. Deep plowing and sowing seeds at optimal times.
5. Application of mineral fertilizers and trace elements.
6. Constant fight against weeds, prevention of thickening of plants.
7. Refrain from excessive soil moisture, frequent watering.

Chemical methods of protection

For the treatment of plants, the following preparations are used:

• Karatan FN 57, 18.25% s. item to combat powdery mildew. Consumption rate for a concentration of 0.1%: 0.8–1 kg/ha. Spraying is carried out three times a season, the last time 20 days before harvesting;
• Fentiuram for processing before sowing at the rate of 3 g of powder per 1 kg of seeds mixed with flour paste. This will get rid of the sprout fly;
• Bazudin is applied to the soil during sowing to destroy wireworms;
• BI-58 is used for spraying sprouts against mites;
• Fitoverm is used against aphids and thrips;
• Sherpa, 25% a.e. effective for combating winter and field scoops. Consumption - 0.24–0.32 l / ha, process 20 days before harvesting;
• Decis, 2.5% a.e. (the consumption rate of the drug is 0.25–0.5 l / ha) is taken for spraying plants in the germination phase against cutworms. If necessary, during the flowering period, another processing is performed.

Prevention of diseases of watermelons - video

Cultivation in the regions

Each corner of the country has its own climatic features. The timing of planting, the need to use only local varieties, the method of arranging the beds depend on this.

Ukraine

The south of Ukraine is a fertile place for growing watermelons in the open field. They take root in any soil, if they are not loose and not acidic. Fertilizers are applied to increase fertility.

The cultivation of watermelons in Ukraine begins in late April-early May, the most late deadline- middle of June.

Strong winds in southern Ukraine can damage whips. To avoid this, grooves are made, the stem is laid in them and sprinkled with earth, leaving the ends of the lashes free.

Variety Krasen - Ukrainian early ripening watermelon with a smooth black-green surface and tender juicy pulp

Varieties and hybrids of local selection are grown here:

• early ripe:
  • Charivnyk,
  • Orpheus,
  • Kakhovskiy,
  • Krasen,
  • F1 debut,
  • Wound F1.
• mid-season:
  • Alliance,
  • Knyazhich,
  • Kherson.
• late ripening:
  • Sunrise,
  • Snowball.

Transbaikalia

Summer residents have been growing watermelons in Transbaikalia for more than 20 years. Seeds of early ripening watermelons are used:

• Light;
• Sugar baby;
• Watermelon is ultra-early.

These varieties are medium-sized - 1.5–2 kg.

In mid-April, watermelon seedlings begin to grow in peat cups. They are planted in a permanent place when 3-4 leaves appear, when the soil warms up well. Usually it is the end of May.

How to make watermelons take root in open ground:

1. A week before planting, seedlings are hardened, leaving for a few minutes, then for several hours a day on the street at a temperature of + 15–17 ° C.
2. Under the watermelons make a high bed.
3. Holes are dug in it, where they put dry grass for insulation, then compost, sand, fertilizer or ash.
4. Watered with warm water with potassium permanganate and planted seedlings with a clod of earth.
5. Arcs are made above the bed and covering material is laid.

To protect against pests and diseases, plantings are sprayed with an infusion of garlic or nettle, which can be alternated.

From below, the bed is heated from decaying residues, and from above, heat is retained thanks to the covering material.

Kuban

The warm climate of the Kuban allows you to sow seeds directly into the ground. Planting dates are from late April to late May, depending on the variety. The crop is harvested after the 20th of June.

In dry years, local watermelons can suffer from spider mite. If lesions are found, they are treated with acaricides 2-3 times with a weekly interval.

They try to harvest watermelons in the Kuban before the first night frosts come

Bashkiria

In Bashkiria, there is also experience in growing watermelons, although the region is located north of the Moscow region and the climate is colder here. Morning frosts can last until June, but watermelons are planted in May, protecting with covering material. Experienced gardeners sprinkle sand under the whip so that the fruits do not rot. In Bashkiria, it is recommended to plant only early varieties so that the crop does not die from the early onset of cold weather:

• Sorento F1;
• Earthling;
• Crimson Sweet;
• Top Gun F1;
• Kai F1.

First, seedlings are grown in cups, and then they are planted in warm soil. You can sow immediately with seeds in the ground, but then it is necessary to mulch the ground and cover the plantings with a film, which is cut when 2–3 leaves appear at the seedling sites.

For insulation, arcs are installed above the bed, a thermal sleeve is laid in the middle (a sleeve based on fiberglass coated with heat-resistant silicone), filled with water, and covered with agrotex on top.

Lovers of sweet and juicy berries are trying to plant it in various parts of the country. And not without success! So, do not be afraid, but you should at least try to grow a watermelon in your area. We hope that the experiment will be successful!

Many are wondering about growing watermelons at home, but do not know how to do it. In our step by step instructions with photos we will tell you how to grow a watermelon in central Russia.

Many believe that watermelons require very painstaking care and special conditions for growing. This is not entirely correct. Let us consider in detail how to grow a watermelon in your summer cottage.

How to plant watermelons: choose a place and prepare the soil

The place for planting watermelon should be on the south side, away from shrubs, trees and fences - this crop will not bear fruit growing in the shade.

Sandy soil is the most suitable option. It is very good if in the previous year tomatoes, cereals, corn or potatoes grew in this place.

As for the soil, it should be remembered here that the root system of a watermelon goes quite deep into the ground, so you need to make a large number of fertilizers of organic origin into the soil before planting watermelon, namely:

• Humus (about 2-3 kg per plant),
• Neutral peat (about 7 kg per 1 sq.m).

Mineral fertilizers can also be used, the most commonly used are the following:

• Urea (30-40 gr per 1m2);
• Superphosphate (30 g per 1 m2);
• Potash fertilizers (20 gr per 1m2).

Exceeding the dosage of these substances will provoke an abundant growth of greenery to the detriment of the growth of the fetus, so the recommended amount should be strictly adhered to.

Choosing watermelon seeds

Watermelons are sorted into three types depending on the time of their ripening.

• Early ripe varieties like Atlant, Au - Producer, Borchansky, Borisfen, Gloria F1, Darunok, Crimson, Knyazhich, Spark, Sugar Baby, Royal, Tulip, Orbiy f1 (usually in the form of seedlings).
• Mid-season varieties: Astrakhan, Melitopol 60, New Year, Ryasny, Snezhok, Sichelav, Tavriysky, Whole-leaved.
• Mid-late variety - Chill.

Before planting, the seeds are strongly recommended to warm up well. You can do this in artificial conditions: watermelon seeds are poured onto dry gauze and placed on a warm heating battery, in 4 hours the temperature should gradually increase from plus 15 to 50 degrees. Celsius. It is very important to constantly stir the seeds so that they warm up evenly.

Under natural conditions, you can warm up the seeds by laying them out in the open sun for 7-10 days.

Next, soak the watermelon seeds in a slightly warm solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes and rinse 3-4 times with running water. Then the seeds are placed in gauze and left in a warm place where the temperature reaches plus 20-30 degrees. Celsius. We are waiting for the first seeds to hatch.

How to plant a watermelon

Growing watermelon in open ground.

It is worth sowing watermelon seeds in open ground when 10% of the total number of seeds hatch.

Do not rush too much, it is very important that the soil on the site also warms up to plus 12-14 degrees. Celsius at a depth of 10 cm (usually, this is mid-April - May).

If the seeds still fall into the soil, which has not yet been warmed up properly, they easily lose their germination.

Growing, watermelons form whip-stems from one to 2 meters long, so they should be planted at an appropriate distance from each other. And in the rows, indent 60-80 cm, respectively.

If the soil is very dry, before planting, pour 2 liters of water into each hole (10-12 cm), then lightly sprinkle the hole with earth so that its depth reaches only 4 cm.

So we planted watermelons. It is very important to put "beacons" in the form of sticks that mark the rows, so that long before the first shoots appear, you can cultivate the land and engage in weeding.

During the period of abundant foliage growth, it is necessary to feed the watermelons. For 10 sq m you will need the following solution:

• 10 liters of water
• Ammonium nitrate or carbamide - 150 gr,
• Superphosphate granulated - 60 gr,
• Potassium salt - 50 gr.

Top dressing should be done immediately after the rains.

• Refuse fertilizers during the ripening period of fruits to protect them from cracking and deterioration in transportability.
• If you want to speed up the ripening process and increase the yield, try covering the planted watermelons with agrofibre, and then making holes for the germinated seeds. The agrofibre is left on the surface of the earth until the end of the growing season of the plant, then it is carefully removed.
• Watermelons should be watered strictly 1 time in 7 days, so as not to provoke the formation of rot.
• Yellowed parts of the plant should be removed in a timely manner.

An alternative way to grow watermelons

It also happens that the climatic conditions and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bdacha beds do not give us the opportunity to grow watermelon without prior preparation.

When to plant watermelon seedlings?

You can plant watermelons for seedlings, and after 20 days plant them in a greenhouse or open ground.

It is worth remembering that all pumpkin plants do not tolerate transplanting, so they should be planted in fairly large containers so that they can be transplanted along with a lot of land.

So, pots of 8 * 8 * 8 cm in size and other containers at hand are quite suitable for seedlings.

We are preparing a universal mixture for planting. We mix humus, peat and soddy soil in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. Next, add 300 g of superphosphate and 100 g of wood ash to the resulting mixture based on 10 kg of the mixture. We divide the mixture into pots and water it 3 days before planting the seeds.

Watermelons should be planted for seedlings at the end of April, in which case after 20-25 days they will be ready for transplanting into a greenhouse or open ground.

We try to keep the soil temperature in pots at least 15 degrees, it also requires good lighting, about 15 hours a day.

Watering is done at the request of the plant - when the soil is almost dry, otherwise there is a possibility that the seedlings will deteriorate due to high humidity and development of the blackleg.

Feeding seedlings in pots

For 10 liters of water you will need:

• Ammonium nitrate - 20 gr,
• Superphosphate - 35 gr,
• Sulfate or potassium chloride - 30 gr.

Top dressing is done 3-4 days before planting watermelons in the ground, we spend 1 glass of fertilizer (250 ml) for each pot.

When the average daily air temperature has reached 11-12 degrees, we transplant watermelons into a greenhouse or open ground.

• Carefully loosen the soil before planting.
• Distance between seedlings in rows - 30-40cm, between rows - 60-70cm.
• It is advisable to plant watermelons in the evening so that they do not dry out.
• The wells are pre-watered.
• After planting, it is recommended to tightly close the greenhouse, thereby increasing the chance of a good survival of seedlings.
• If you planted watermelons in open ground, you can create a greenhouse effect using improvised means - cut in half plastic bottle and cover each of the parts with 1 seedling.
• During the first week, you have to water the seedlings every other day, pouring 0.5 liters of water under each plant. If it is very hot outside, try to water the watermelons daily.
• After 7-10 days, watermelons begin to grow rapidly, it's time to feed and reduce the amount of watering - 1-2 times a week is enough.
• Try to get rid of the yellowed parts of the plant in a timely manner.

Care of the ripe crop

Harvest begins to ripen in August. It is very important once a week to turn the watermelons upside down to the sun - this way they will ripen evenly.

If the weather is wet, try to put small boards under the watermelons so that the crop does not start to rot.

Stop watering the plants only 3-4 days before the expected harvest. The opinion that watermelons will be tasteless from excess moisture is a fiction. For a watermelon to be truly tasty and ripe, it needs a lot of sun and water!

Outcome

Perhaps we have considered all the main points that you should be aware of when growing watermelons in your country house. Your labors will certainly be rewarded, and you will certainly get a good harvest of watermelons!