When is the best time to plant watermelons outdoors? How to plant watermelons - tips for a good harvest

Originally from Africa, this summer berry was known to the ancient Romans and Egyptians thousands of years ago. Because of its diuretic properties, it has been a popular remedy. Watermelons are grown in the adjacent plots, in the country, in the fields and farm enterprises. It is important to know that planting watermelons, like other plants, has different ways: in open soil or in a greenhouse. The process of planting watermelons is unpretentious, it is not difficult to grow a watermelon at home, but negligence and violation of the main agrotechnological rules can destroy the plant even before the flowering stage. Read below about how to plant watermelons in different ways, what mistakes to avoid when planting and caring for a watermelon in order to get a rich harvest.

Soil preparation

It is clear that soil preparation is the most important step in growing this plant. After all, this is the environment in which the plant will develop until fruiting. But first you need to say a few words about the selection and preparation of seed. Initially, choose the right variety or hybrid that suits your climate. Hybrids are usually already treated with fungicides, so they do not need the seed preparation method described below.

Before sowing, place watermelon seeds in cheesecloth and dip in a warm solution of potassium permanganate. Place this container in a plastic bag and place it in a room at room temperature. Change the solution every day. Seed preparation does not take much time. In a couple of days you will see how the seeds hatch - this is a signal that you can plant them in the ground.

Plant this plant in a warm, well-lit place. Watermelon needs sandy or sandy soil. It’s good if before the watermelon in this area, onions, cabbage, and legumes were previously planted.

As for the soil, its preparation involves the following steps:

in autumn it is better to enrich the soil with compost so that it is fruitful next year;
before planting in the ground for watermelons, it is worth adding potash, phosphate top dressings and ammonium sulfate in a proportion of 1 m² 20:40:30 g;
the earth needs to be loosened and the beds prepared in advance.

seedling method

The method is excellent for growing this plant in areas with short and not very hot summers. For planting watermelons using the seedling method, it is necessary to select high-quality seeds of early hybrids. Keep in mind that after germination, seedlings cannot be planted for another 25 days. Bones should be sown in April. How to plant seeds for watermelon seedlings? For seedlings of watermelons, special peat or plastic cups are used, in which one seed is planted.

Soil for watermelons can be purchased at the store or made by yourself. To do this, mix humus, peat, sand, earth in equal proportions and add wood ash. By the way, this mixture is suitable for all members of the Pumpkin family. Deepen the seed a couple of centimeters into the moistened earthen mixture. Place the cups under the foil. After the emergence of shoots, the film is no longer needed.

Leave the cups on the windowsill in a room with an air temperature of no more than 22 degrees. Seedlings must be constantly monitored. After 5-7 days, remove weak shoots. One and a half weeks after germination, you can feed the seedlings. Dilute mullein, superphosphate, ammonium nitrate in water and carefully water the plant. Do not get the solution on the sheets.

Before planting watermelons outdoors, stop watering for 3 days and lower the temperature in the room so that the plant is ready for a stressful situation.

Growing from seed

In the southern regions, the plant is planted in open ground with seeds. How to plant watermelons in this way and when is it usually sown? Pre-prepared good seeds are planted in the ground 10 cm deep. When landing, the temperature of the earth should be at least 14 degrees. When planting watermelons in the ground, pay attention to its structure. If it is sandy soil, then seeds can be buried by 8–10 cm, and if it is solid, then by 4–6 cm.

To grow watermelon, prepare the soil: mix the top layer of earth with humus and ash and pour it into the hole. Align it all and fill with water. It is recommended to place at least 5 seeds in one hole. This does not mean that 5 individuals will grow from one hole. Just over time, you will need to leave the strongest seedling there.

Landing in open ground

When you see that the seedlings have grown stronger, grown young plants can be transplanted into open ground. The first thing when planting watermelons in open ground is the selection of a place. It is better to choose a well-lit, calm area. If, nevertheless, the place is windy, you can plant watermelons behind a "fence" of corn. Then prepare the ground for the new plant by using organic fertilizers.

People often ask at what distance to plant watermelons? It is recommended to adhere to the following parameters: between plants there should be a distance of at least a meter. They are usually planted in a checkerboard pattern - the standard scheme for planting watermelons. Place the seedlings in the holes and tamp down with soil, leaving shoots with leaves on the surface. When all individuals are planted, water each one generously.

Planting and care in the open field include not complicated, but basic actions:

periodic weeding and loosening of the earth around the base;
regular watering;
pinching shoots;
weed removal;
fertilizer with organic matter added to superphosphate and calcium chloride;
treatment for diseases and pests.

It is also necessary to store and transport the harvested crop with the right approach, no matter what the volume. First, you need to understand how resistant your variety is to transportation and storage. Secondly, you must prepare a special place for the watermelon. The room should have a temperature of up to 5 degrees with a humidity of 70-80% and a good ventilation system. Cover the bottom with dry moss or sawdust. Constantly monitor watermelons, their condition.

Planting in a greenhouse

How to plant a watermelon at home if the climate is cold? It can be easily grown in a greenhouse. But then the question is: how to plant a watermelon in a greenhouse?

According to this algorithm, you can properly plant watermelons and care for them:

Seeds are planted in containers until the sprout appears. Land for watermelons can be taken specialized.
The soil for transplantation is prepared in a known way - by adding organic fertilizers to the soil.
Seedlings are placed in pits at a distance of 70–80 cm.
Get a couple of bees in the greenhouse for better pollination.
Cut off excess shoots.
Fertilize with mullein or liquid manure.
July-August is harvest time.

Video "How to grow watermelons"

From this video you will learn how to grow watermelons the right way.

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 are advised to purchase hybrid varieties, since they are the ones that are more adapted to changeable weather conditions and the climate in which we live, and are also the most resistant to possible diseases. Among the 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, such as Spark, Sugar Baby, etc.

It is necessary to start work already at the end of March-mid-April, then the 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 purchase ready-made soil 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 slightly softened by heating them in warm water (50-55 0 C) for 10 minutes, and then left in a wet cotton fabric until they “peck”, keeping the 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 the 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 in a 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 solution is mullein in a ratio of 1 to 10.

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, greenhouse conditions are better suited for growing watermelon. However, those gardeners who do not have the opportunity to plant a plant in a greenhouse get an excellent harvest in the open field.

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 has passed, the earth is carefully loosened and covered with a black non-woven 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 collar.

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 strongly dislikes 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. On hot summer days, at temperatures above 30 0, be sure to open the windows or the door in the greenhouse.

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 various shades of green; 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 harvest is obtained in the subtropical zone, much less in the 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 they are yellow. 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, since 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 regions of the Lower Volga region, watermelons can be grown by direct sowing of seeds in open ground, but in regions that are not warm enough for this crop, preliminary seedling preparation 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, the seeds can carry hidden signs of diseases, so they must at least be disinfected. 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 a 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 with a good clod of earth 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:

In selected places, holes are made with a scoop somewhat larger than pots with seedlings.
Half a cup of ash is added to the dug holes, mixed well with the soil and lightly watered.
Carefully taking out well-watered seedlings (in no case damaging the roots), they plant it, slightly deepening it.
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 form 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.

It is convenient to carry out fertilizing with 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 the rationing of the crop should be carried out when the berries grow from a chicken 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 take up less space during storage or transportation of the crop. 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.

The future square watermelon spends almost all its life 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 the usual care is continued, watching how it 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. With 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 a delicious watermelon right 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 (not forgetting to make drainage holes in 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 how the female flowers differ from the male ones, and pollen from the male flower (on a thin stalk) must independently pollinate the female one (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 to grow vegetables. 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 summer residents, instead of non-woven material, cover the planted seedlings with plastic wrap. 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 crops in order to create a greenhouse effect for the emergence of rapid shoots. 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. In industrial production, watermelons are sown immediately in open ground, starting from 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 (preferably in peat pots) are planted in the garden at the end of spring, but greenhouse cultivation is also 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 the 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.

Juicy sweet watermelons are always associated with summer and sunshine. The crackle of the striped peel under the knife edge, the characteristic aroma and the melting, refreshing flesh. What could be better than, forgetting about business for a while, enjoy a slice of ripe berries. Today, you can treat yourself to a watermelon at almost any time of the year. Supermarkets always have these giant berries, however, grown on the other side of the world or in a greenhouse.

The most delicious watermelon is the one that was saturated with the power of the sun and grew not under the film, but in the garden.

Many gardeners are wondering how to grow watermelons in the country? Today, there are all conditions for this. Thanks to the appearance of early varieties and hybrids, even residents of the Non-Black Earth Region can break their own melons and get a crop of watermelons. How to grow watermelons outdoors? What kind of care does the culture require, and when can the first fruits be harvested?

Preparing watermelon seeds for sowing

Of all the gourds, watermelons have the most difficult seeds to germinate. In order for the seedlings to be friendly and strong, the seeds are first immersed in salt water. This will make it possible to identify and remove not viable, light specimens, but those that are heavier and sink to the bottom, to be used for sowing.

However, this is not enough. Shortly before planting, the seeds are heated for 3-4 hours at temperatures up to 55 ° C or left in the sun for a week in order to disinfect the seed in this way. Then the seeds are soaked in warm water for a day, which will speed up germination and give the sprouts additional strength.

Planting watermelons with seeds

In the Chernozem region and the southern regions, where watermelons are grown in summer cottages and industrial melons, the crop can be planted in open ground with seeds.

The best time for this comes when the soil at a depth of 10 cm warms up to 12-15 ° C. For sandy and other types of light, loose soils, the depth of planting watermelon seeds is 4–8 centimeters, but if the soil is heavy, dense, it is more correct to deepen the seeds by no more than 4–6 cm. And the smaller the seeds, the smaller the grooves for planting them are made .

Melons, especially during the ripening period, require good nutrition, which is provided by the main root system and small roots formed on individual lashes. Therefore, when growing watermelons in open ground, a rather large area is allocated for planting, the size of which depends both on the type of soil and on the variety, as well as on the expected load on the plant.

If watermelons are sown in rows, gaps from 0.7 to 1.5 meters are left between the bushes. Row spacing in this case should be at least one and a half meters.
When using a square planting scheme, a distance of 0.7 to 2.1 meters is laid between plants.

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.

Seedling method of growing watermelon

In the conditions of the middle zone, for example, in non-chernozem regions, as well as during a cold long spring in the southern regions, it is possible to grow watermelons in open ground through seedlings. From the moment of sowing to the transplantation of young plants into the ground, it usually takes from 25 to 35 days. It is most convenient for sowing to use peat pots with a diameter of about 10 cm, which are filled with a mixture of an equal amount:

humus;
sod land;

The seeds are buried in moist soil by 3–4 centimeters, after which the pots are left under the film until germination at a temperature of at least 20–25 ° C, only at night the temperature background can drop to 18 ° C.

When sprouts appear above the ground level, the seedlings are transferred to a cooler room. At a temperature of about 17–18 ° C, watermelon seedlings will have to stay from 3 to 4 days, which will allow you to get strong sprouts and prevent them from stretching. In the future, the temperature of about 22-25 ° C is returned to the daytime hours.

Regular watering is carried out with warm water, trying not to get on the leaf plates. A week after the sprouts have hatched, the seedlings under the roots are fed with fertilizer containing nitrogen and phosphorus.

Since gourds are heat- and light-loving crops, well-lit warm rooms or greenhouses are chosen for young watermelon plants, but a week before the seedlings enter the open ground, it must be hardened. To do this, the seedling boxes are exposed to the open air, first for 2-4 hours, then the time is gradually increased. In the first days of June or at the end of May, watermelon seedlings are planted in the beds.

Choosing a site and soil for growing watermelon in the country

To get a good harvest from a watermelon grown in the country, it is important that the area intended for planting:

was well lit;
closed from cold winds;
provide plants with adequate nutrition.

The best soil for gourds is light, fertile and loose. It is optimal if the country beds have sandy and sandy loamy soil, enriched with humus or other well-rotted organic matter since autumn.

The best predecessors for watermelons are legumes, cruciferous, including cabbage and radish, as well as potatoes and tomatoes.

Before growing watermelons in open ground, care should be taken to prepare the ridges and fertilize the soil. On a meter of beds in the spring they bring:

24-35 grams of ammonium sulfate;
40–45 grams;
15-25 grams of potash fertilizers.

In pre-moistened holes, located at intervals of 1–1.5 meters, 1–2 plants are planted or immersed in one peat cup in such a way that cotyledon leaves remain above the soil level. After planting, the bed is mulched with sand, and the plants are sheltered from the sun. They do the same when sprouts appear, if watermelons in the open field are grown from seeds.

In the first week, while the acclimatization process is underway, watermelons are poured with warm water.

Features of watering and feeding watermelons

It is impossible to grow a watermelon in the country without providing the plant with proper watering and feeding. Without water, it is difficult to talk about the juiciness of sweet berries, but you don’t need to overdo it here, otherwise you won’t achieve such a beloved sugar pulp. Before the appearance of flowers, watermelons are watered moderately, and when the ovary appears on the lashes, more generously.

At the summer cottage for watermelons, it is convenient to use systems with which you can also carry out regular feeding of plants.

Growing watermelons in the country, you need to remember that the culture loves rare, but plentiful watering, which is extremely necessary in the hot season, in conditions of a deficit of natural moisture. A comfortable soil moisture level for watermelons is 85%. On sandy soil that does not retain moisture well, the beds are watered more often, and less frequently on black soil and clay soils. When the berries are poured, and their ripening begins, watering is carried out less often, and then completely stopped.

The feeding schedule for watermelons grown in the country includes three procedures, during each of which approximately 2 liters of liquid fertilizer should fall on the plant. A week after planting in the ground, watermelons are watered with a solution of 10 liters of water:

40-50 grams of superphosphate;
30-35 grams of ammonium sulfate;
15-20 grams of potassium salts.

When active growth of lashes begins on plants, watermelons should receive a second dressing with half the concentration of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. With the beginning of the formation of ovaries, one more top dressing is carried out, introducing a solution based on watermelons growing in the country house:

20-25 grams of ammonium sulfate;
10 grams of superphosphate;
35 grams of potassium salts.

The introduction of the nutrient mixture is carried out in furrows arranged in advance at a distance of 15–20 cm from the bushes.

The decrease in the proportion of nitrogen fertilizers is associated with the possibility of accumulation of nitrates in the pulp of berries. Also, this measure will push the plants not to gain green mass, but to ripen.

Care for watermelons grown in the country

Care for watermelons growing in open ground consists of:

in regular loosening of soil under plants;
in watering and feeding gourds;
in the removal of weeds;
in the fight against pests and plant diseases;
in the protection of lashes and ovaries from freezing.

The soil under the plants is loosened to a depth of 7 cm, not only after planting, but also after watering and rain, until the lashes and foliage close the spaces between individual bushes.

To protect the ovaries and shoots from the wind, it is useful to fix the lashes on the ground with wire pins or by sprinkling sections of the stem with moist soil.

If there is a risk of moisture stagnation or insufficient light in the area where watermelons grow, trellises are built for plants and, at the beginning of lash growth, shoots are transferred from the ground to strong vertical supports. The same technique is useful if there is not enough space in the country for growing watermelons in the traditional melon method. As they grow, the shoots are distributed along the trellis or laid out on the ground so that one lash does not obscure the other.

If a watermelon is grown on a trellis in the country, it is recommended to leave only one main lash, on which, after flowering, depending on the variety and climate, from 3 to 6 fruits should be tied. The remaining shoots are pinched in the early stages of growth, and then, when the ovaries reach the size of a five-ruble coin, the top of the fruiting stem is removed.

When growing watermelons on open ground using the gourd method, pinch all the shoots after 3-6 ovaries, remove the stems that appear from the leaf axils and female flowers.

It is interesting that the trimmed side lashes can be rooted and also obtained from them, albeit a late and small, but high-quality crop.

If there is a threat of frost in the area where watermelons grow, the plants are protected with cardboard or special covering material.

When to harvest watermelons?

The ripening ones are easy to recognize by the changed color. With cucumbers and zucchini - the main thing is not to linger with the collection so that the vegetables do not lose their juiciness and useful properties. And when to collect watermelons, how to distinguish a ripe berry from one that should still warm the sides in the sun?

The most early-ripening varieties of watermelons in the central part of Russia can only produce a crop by mid-August. At the same time, mass harvesting at the summer cottage is not carried out, except when the berries on the melon are threatened with frost. While the warm season lasts, the ripest watermelons are cut from the lashes:

with glossy dense bark;
with a deaf, audible sound when tapping;
with a smooth peduncle without the inherent green ovary hairs;
with dry bract and mustache at the base of the leaf.

All these signs of ripeness must be considered together and only then should watermelons be collected, otherwise it is possible that the cut berry will turn out to be immature.

However, when watermelons are used for storage or transportation, it is best to take the berries a few days before they are fully ripe. Such watermelons, being in a dry, warm room, can ripen without losing either their beneficial properties, or their taste and aroma. But only watermelons collected in a fully ripe state are suitable for obtaining seeds.

Growing watermelons in the middle lane - video

If we talk about the middle lane, then watermelons here (as well as some other crops - for example, melon) are preferable to grow through seedlings. In fact, there is nothing complicated in this process, the main thing is to know when to plant watermelons for seedlings and how to do it correctly. Today we will consider two methods at once, and also give detailed step-by-step instructions. But let's start with the preparations.

In most cases, watermelons are planted in open soil at the age of 30 days. And in view of the fact that the seeds of this crop germinate for quite a long time, sowing must be carried out in the middle or end of April.

What will be required at work?

For proper sowing of watermelon seeds and growing high-quality seedlings, be sure to prepare:

seed material;
food film;
soil mixture;
plastic containers with a diameter of 10 cm (peat pots will be used in the second method);
gauze;
salt;
potassium permanganate;
a glass of water.

Note! The sowing technologies described below are great not only for watermelon, but also for melon.

Prices for potassium permanganate

potassium permanganate

How to choose the right seeds

Due to the fact that watermelon is an atypical crop for the middle lane, it is necessary to choose seeds with extreme caution.

Remember that only early-ripening varieties are suitable for such conditions, the growing season of which ranges from 70-90 days.

And given that the seeds are sown for seedlings quite late (in the middle or end of April, as we have already found out), it is quite obvious that watermelons should ripen even before the cold sets in. In addition, you can purchase seeds of hybrids that are more adapted to adverse climatic conditions.

Prices for watermelon seeds

watermelon seeds

When choosing seeds, give preference to those that were harvested 2 or 3 years ago. The fact is that crops with male flowers will grow from fresher seeds, while the fruits are formed from female ones.

First you need to determine which of the seeds are suitable for sowing seedlings. To do this, prepare a solution of table salt (4-5 g for every 100 ml of water) and immerse the seed in it for a few minutes.

Seeds that have settled to the bottom as a result of the procedure, rinse thoroughly with water and dry. For washing it is convenient to use a small gauze bag and a glass of clean water.

To stimulate the appearance of exactly female flowers, it is recommended to warm the seed at a temperature of about + 60 ° C for 2-3 hours. After that, pickle the seeds in a 1% potassium permanganate solution for about half an hour.

Now you can proceed to the last stage of preparation - soak the seed until spitting in order to sprout faster. To do this, wrap the seeds in a wet cloth and place in a warm place (air temperature should be between + 25-30 ° C). As a rule, germination takes no more than 5-6 days.

Note! Throughout this time, regularly rinse the seeds with running water, otherwise they may turn sour. And when pecking begins, you can also harden.

How to harden off germinated seeds? Place them in the refrigerator for 12 hours, then - for the same time - in a warm place. The cycle must be repeated 2 or 3 times. After the length of the root reaches 1-1.5 cm, you can proceed directly to sowing in one of the two ways described below.

Marigolds, Chernobrivtsy, lights - this is what the people call Tagetes. The culture is characterized by rapid growth and unpretentious care, and therefore enjoys considerable popularity. Read about when to sow marigolds for seedlings and how to do it right.

Method one. Traditional cultivation of watermelon seedlings

The process consists of several simple steps, we will consider the features of each of them in more detail.

First, prepare the soil mixture for sowing. It is important that it is prepared correctly! For gourds, which include watermelon, the following recipe is preferable: 1 part of soddy soil and 3 parts of humus (the components must be mixed well). Although there is another option for preparing the substrate - 0.5 parts of humus, 1 part of sawdust and 3 parts of lowland peat.

Also, do not forget about suitable containers. It is advisable to use separate pots for this - this way the roots of plants will not be damaged during a dive or transplant into the ground. The optimal diameter of the pots is approximately 10 cm. 1-2 plants will be grown in each.

Now you can start sowing pre-prepared seeds. Half fill suitable pots with potting mix, then place seeds (1-2 in each) to a depth of about 4-5 cm. In the future, as you grow, you will add fresh substrate.

Note! Do not forget to pre-moisten the soil before sowing (it is convenient to do this with a spray bottle). Also, for sowing seeds in a moistened substrate, you need to make holes using a pencil or stick.

Full seedlings of watermelon will appear in about 30-40 days. To help the seeds germinate, cover the containers with the crops with cling film and place in a warm place (the air temperature should be approximately + 23-25 ° C).

Video - How to sow watermelons for seedlings

Method two. Using peat pots

This method is good because such pots, as well as, already contain the nutrients necessary for plants. As for the timing of sowing and preparation of seed, in this case they are the same as in the previous method.

For the convenience of users, instructions for sowing watermelon seeds are given in the form of a table.

Table. Sowing watermelon seeds for seedlings in peat pots.

Steps, photo	Description of actions
	First, prepare the soil mixture according to one of the recipes described above. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
	Perform the preparation and germination of watermelon seeds (everything is unchanged here too). When the root is long enough, that is, it grows to 1-1.5 cm, proceed directly to sowing.
	Take peat pots of the diameter indicated above, fill them with pre-prepared substrate about 3⁄4. Then place the germinated seeds in the pots.
	Sprinkle the crops with a layer of soil mixture about 2-3 cm thick. Compact slightly, otherwise the seeds may become bare during watering.
	Water the crops carefully. We advise you to place the peat pots in plastic containers of suitable dimensions - this way the walls will not dry out too quickly, remaining permanently wet.

Prices for peat pots

peat pots

Seedling aftercare

Due to the fact that sowing is carried out in the middle of spring, additional illumination of plants in this case is not required. But crops still need to be placed in the brightest place in your home. The ideal option is the south window sill. It will be even better if you transfer the seedlings to a glazed loggia (but in this case, you need to carefully monitor the temperature regime).

What should be the temperature when growing seedlings? At first - even before the formation of the first shoots - the temperature should be in the range of + 25-27 ° С. Later, when shoots have already appeared, it should be somewhere around + 18-20 ° С (at night) and + 20-25 ° С (during the day). As for watering crops, it is recommended to use exclusively warm water for this.

10 days after the first shoots appear, top dressing should be applied in the form of a solution of mineral seedling fertilizer (such as Weaving, Mortar, others). After the same time, feeding is repeated.

Note! Watering and fertilizing should be done exclusively at the root! If moisture does get on the leaves, immediately wipe everything off using a paper towel. When at least 4 true leaves appear, seedlings - if weather conditions allow - can be transplanted to the site.

It should also be noted that when growing seedlings of this crop, the pots should be placed in such a way that the leaves of neighboring plants do not touch each other.

Mortar prices

Mortar

Features of transplanting into open soil

First you need to decide on the timing of planting seedlings in the ground. For watermelons, this is the second decade of June, that is, the time when the threat of frost has already passed completely. By the way, if you want to plant seedlings earlier, about 3 weeks after germination, you can use shelters.

First of all, check if the earth has warmed up enough. For transplanting watermelon seedlings, the optimum temperature is considered to be between + 15-18 ° C. If you need to heat the bed faster, you can cover it with black plastic wrap.

Note! Watermelon is characterized by a fairly deep root system, and therefore the area selected for planting seedlings must be dug up with a shovel bayonet. Also apply compost or humus (10 l), wood ash (200 g) and complex mineral fertilizer (about 40-50 g) per square meter of area. Then re-dig.

Transplanting seedlings in peat pots

Prepare holes - about 2 for each square meter. Carefully remove the top of the peat pot, then place the plant in the hole.

Fill the hole with water, then backfill with soil.

Try not to deepen the root neck. Ideally, the earthen ball with which the seedlings are transplanted should be somewhere 1 cm above the soil surface. Until real heat and flowering of watermelons sets in, it is advisable to cover the plantings with some kind of covering material (for example, spunbond).