When to plant a melon for seedlings c. Growing melon seedlings: sowing, care and possible problems

Melons and watermelons have long ceased to be exotic guests in the beds in central Russia. Now they are freely grown in the Moscow region and even in the northern regions of the country. It is quite possible to grow melons and gourds in a compact area without using large areas. Agricultural technology provides for the planting of these crops, both in greenhouses and in open ground.

Let's talk about the timing of sowing melons and the features of their cultivation in different regions.

Melon and watermelon are considered thermophilic crops, they have increased requirements for air and soil temperature during planting. Their full growing cycle is much longer than that of other crops grown in the garden. Therefore, in a seedless way, melons are grown only in the southern regions of Russia.

But with skillful agricultural technology, you can get a good harvest in the middle lane. This can be achieved by planting cold-resistant varieties of melons and watermelons, growing them through seedlings, and also sheltering young plants from possible spring frosts.

When to plant watermelons and melons for seedlings in 2020

The timing of planting melons and gourds depends on the region and the selected variety. It also matters where you are going to grow melons and watermelons - in a greenhouse or outdoors.

If your climatic zone allows you to grow melons in the open field, remember that sowing seeds in this case should be done 60 days before planting in a summer cottage. This means that it is necessary to purchase seeds in the first half of March, and start sowing in the middle of the month.

On a note! It must be borne in mind that last year's seeds for planting will not work. The best harvest of watermelons can be obtained only from seeds of five years ago. For sowing melons, 3-year-old seeds are used.

For growing in the middle lane, only early-maturing hybrids are suitable, which reach the stage of technical maturity in 70-85 days. Hybrid varieties are also preferred because they are the most resistant to adverse weather events.

Attention! The timing of growing seedlings for these crops is the same. For watermelon and melon, it will take 30 days to grow seedlings at home, or in a heated greenhouse from the moment the seedlings emerge. But sowing watermelon seeds should be a little earlier, as they hatch longer.

Sowing watermelon seeds is best in mid to late April. Melon seeds are also sown for seedlings in the 2nd half of April.

In the middle lane, even the presence of a greenhouse will not provide your watermelons and melons with the climatic conditions to which these crops are accustomed to in their hot homeland. Therefore, when selecting seeds, it is better to opt for ultra-early ripening and early maturing varieties. Then there is every chance to enjoy juicy, sweet watermelons and melons grown with your own hands.

You should also not chase large-sized fruits, they will be worse in taste than smaller ones. For greenhouse cultivation, watermelon and melon seeds must be sown in mid-April. A month after the emergence of seedlings, the seedlings are planted in a permanent place.

Dates of sowing seeds in the Moscow region

For planting melons and gourds in the Moscow region, zoned varieties should be selected. It is best to buy them from your local nursery or from a friend who grows melons and watermelons. The variety must be early or early maturing.

To get an early harvest of watermelons and melons, sowing should be done in the first half of April for early maturing varieties and in the third decade of April or early May for mid-season varieties. After 25-35 days, the seedlings will be strong enough and ready to be transplanted to a permanent place.

When to plant in the Urals

If you do this earlier, the seedlings greatly outgrow, certain inconveniences arise with them - the antennae intertwine with each other, cling to whatever is around them.

Some sow seeds directly into the greenhouse under the cover of a film, it is advisable to do this in mid-May. But then the timing of fruiting will be delayed.

Planting dates for melons and watermelons in the Leningrad region and Siberia

Ultra-early or early varieties of watermelons and melons are suitable for cultivation in the Leningrad Region. It is also permissible to plant medium early species. Choose varieties for planting in which 60-90 days pass from the moment of emergence to harvest. This information is on the packaging.

Melons are grown in seedlings in order to have time to harvest before the first frosts appear, which may already be in August. For open ground, seeds for seedlings are sown in the last days of April, for growing in a greenhouse - in early April.

It is recommended to grow ultra-early ripening varieties of watermelons and melons in Siberia. The climatic conditions of the region require the shortest growing season. Southern large-fruited watermelons over the Siberian summer will only have time to build up a lush green mass.

Preference should be given to greenhouse cultivation; in the absence of a greenhouse, you can try to grow melons and gourds under a film. Sowing seeds for seedlings should be done in early or mid-May. It will take 5-7 days for seedlings to appear. After 25-30 days, the plants are planted in open ground.

When to sow melons and watermelons according to the lunar calendar in 2020

To obtain high-quality seedlings and a good harvest in the future, gardeners are advised to coordinate the timing of planting melons and watermelons for seedlings with the lunar calendar. It is best to sow and plant seedlings in open ground on favorable days.

Planting on neutral days will not affect the quality of seedlings and subsequent harvest in any way, therefore it is quite acceptable. After all, the decisive factor is still the agricultural technology of the grown crop and proper care for it.

Seeds sown on unfavorable days will have a lower germination rate, seedlings may grow weak and painful.

Favorable and unfavorable days for sowing and planting seedlings

Experienced summer residents say that half of the success in growing crops depends on the correct planting dates. Especially for gardeners, a lunar calendar is published annually, the recommendations of which it is advisable to use so as not to be surprised why plants are lagging behind in development or get sick. Depending on the region, the sowing of watermelon and melon takes place in different months. Favorable days for planting in 2020 will be the following dates:

in March - from 7 to 20;

in April - from 6 to 18;
in May - from 6 to 18;
in June - from 4 to 16;
in July - from 3 to 16.

In March and April, seeds of early ripening watermelons are planted. Seedlings are transplanted into the ground when the sprouts become strong and sufficiently hardened. It is necessary to choose zoned varieties for planting in your region.

In the last days of March and early April, seeds are sown in the southern regions. In the last days of April, it is recommended to sow seeds in the middle lane. Seedlings are planted in May and early June in the Urals and Siberia.

Unfavorable days will be those when the full moon and new moon come. In 2020, these are the following numbers:

In February - 5, 19
In March - 6, 21
in April - 5, 19
In May - 5, 19
In June - 3, 17

The rest of the calendar dates will be neutral.

When sowing seedlings according to all the rules, the gardener can count on the appearance of friendly seedlings and high-quality fruits.

Preparation of land and seeds

An ideal potting mix suitable for growing melons and watermelons should include the following ingredients:

3 parts of lowland peat;
1 part sawdust;
0.5 parts of humus.

You can also use a mixture of humus (3 hours) and sod soil (1 hour). Before planting seeds for seedlings, it is recommended to heat the soil in the oven, or spill it with a hot solution of potassium permanganate. This will kill pathogens and grow healthier seedlings.

For each seed, it is advisable to take a separate pot with a diameter of 10 cm. Then there will be less risk of damaging the root system during a dive or planting in the ground. If you use the planting containers a second time, they should be thoroughly washed with soap and a brush, and then disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Plastic pots are best suited for growing seedlings. Peat cups of a suitable size can also be used. Their advantage is that the roots of the seedlings will not need to be freed before planting, which means that the plants are easier to adapt to the soil.

You can use a saline solution to determine if the seeds are suitable for planting. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a glass of water and throw in watermelon or melon seeds. Good quality seed will sink to the bottom. Seeds that float can be thrown away. After that, the planting material must be rinsed in clean water and dried.

Then the seeds are kept at a temperature of 60 ° C for two to three hours - this stimulates the formation of female flowers, from which fruits are later formed. At the final stage of preparation, the seeds must be etched with a solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes. Now the planting material is wrapped in wet gauze and waited for the sprouts to appear.

Containers for planting must be filled with substrate only up to half. As the plants grow, the soil will need to be filled up. Before planting, the soil is moistened from a sprayer and a hole is made in it to a depth of 4-5 cm from the surface using a pencil or pen, where the germinated seed is placed.

After planting, the containers are covered with foil and placed in a warm place at a temperature of 23-25 ° C. When the seedlings appear above the ground, the temperature indicators are reduced by several degrees, organizing the difference between day and night temperatures. This is necessary so that the seedlings do not stretch out.

The film is removed when sprouts appear. Only strong seedlings are left for growth - they are more viable. Since planting usually takes place in mid-spring, there is no need to light up the seedlings. Nevertheless, she should be provided with the most luminous place in the house. Place the pots with plants in such a way that the leaves of individual specimens do not come into contact with each other.

Melon seedlings grow in 20-30 days, watermelons need 30-40 days for this. During the time the seedlings are in the house, they must be fed twice. The first feeding is carried out a week after germination, using for this a complex mineral fertilizer, diluted in a proportion of 20 g per 5 l of water. After another 7 days, organic fertilizers are applied, for example, an infusion of mullein at a concentration of 1:10 with the addition of superphosphate (1 tablespoon per liter of infusion).

For each plant, one tablespoon of the finished fertilizer is consumed. You can plant plants in a permanent place after 3-5 true leaves appear. Before the "resettlement" takes place, the seedlings are hardened by lowering the daytime temperature to 15-17 ° C, and the nighttime temperature to 12-14 ° C. Hardening should last for a week. The room also needs to be ventilated regularly.

Helpful advice! Melon seedlings must be pinched after 3-5 leaves appear. This is due to the fact that female flowers appear on the lateral shoots earlier than on the main one.

If you are going to plant seedlings in open ground and live in the middle lane, you should not rush with this. Melons and gourds need warmth, so planting should be done no earlier than the end of May. It is also worth taking into account the weather forecast given for the near future.

In the first week after planting in open ground, young plants will need a film cover. In a greenhouse, plants are more protected from temperature extremes, wind and other disasters, so seedlings can be planted there 2 weeks earlier.

Seedling holes should be made at a distance of 1 meter from each other. Two plants can be planted in one hole at once, provided that in the process of growth the shoots will be directed in opposite directions. 7-10 days before planting seedlings, compost or humus must be laid in the holes.

Before planting, watering is carried out and the plants are planted in the resulting gruel. It is impossible to deepen the seedlings, after planting it should be slightly above ground level, this will protect the roots from decay. The next watering is done no earlier than a week later.

In the future, experts recommend regularly loosen and weed the area, as well as pinch the tops of the shoots. Scourges without ovaries are removed so that they do not weaken the plant in vain. When the bulk of the ovaries reaches the size of an apple, the weak and poorly growing fruits must also be removed. Do not forget to feed the melons with mineral fertilizers and slurry several times over the summer.

When planting indoors, you should carefully consider the issue of pollination. If for some reason insects do not fly into the greenhouse, pollination is done artificially. Under such conditions, melons and watermelons are grown upright, tying the plants to a trellis, and the fruits are placed in a net.

Seedlings of watermelon and melon: video

Knowing all the features of growing melons and watermelons, you will be able to enjoy them after harvesting and get full satisfaction from the achieved result. And in the coming years, this process will seem to you quite an easy task.

In regions with a cool climate (which is so typical for Russia), the melon can only be grown by the seedling method. This culture has special requirements for light and warmth, but suffers greatly from high humidity. Special wisdom in planting melons through seedlings no. About, how to sow melon for seedlings we learned from the "Encyclopedia of Country Life".

When to sow melon for seedlings?

In the climate of the Middle Belt, it is best to grow early maturing varieties of melons. They will have time to ripen in a short summer, in contrast to mid- and late-ripening ones. The growing season for melons lasts from 60 to 180 days. The melon begins to bloom a month after the formation of shoots, and the first harvest can be expected already 30-60 days after flowering.

Melon seedlings are ready for planting in open ground 25 - 30 days after the emergence of seedlings. The soil where the planting is planned should be warmed up by this time. The beginning of June is the most suitable time. So a month before that, you need to sow seedlings (early May). In the conditions of the Middle Lane, melons ripen better in greenhouses.

According to the lunar sowing calendar for gardeners and gardeners, sowing watermelon and melons for seedlings in 2017 it is better to carry out:

April 22, 26-28,
May 3, 4, 15, 19, 24, 25, 31,
June 1, 2, 11, 16.

Seed preparation

Growing seedlings begins in seed preparation.

Calibration. Prepare a 3-5% salt solution and immerse the seeds there, mix. Seeds that have risen to the surface are discarded - this is not a high-quality planting material. Good seeds are washed with clean running water and proceeded to the next stage.

Disinfection... A 1% solution of potassium permanganate is prepared (10 g per 1 liter of water) and melon seeds are immersed there for 20-25 minutes. Potassium permanganate can be replaced with a baking soda solution (2 g per 1 glass of water). In a soda solution, the seeds are soaked for longer: 10-12 hours.

Fortification with microelements. If the seeds have not been treated in a soda solution, you can soak them in an ash solution (in order to enrich them with trace elements). In 250 ml of water (1 glass), dilute 1 tsp. wood ash. The seeds are folded into a tissue bag and already immersed in the solution. The soaking time is 10-12 hours. At the end, the seeds are washed in clean water and dried on a cotton towel.

Harden melon seeds two ways:

Cold hardening. Seeds that have passed the procedure of disinfection and enrichment with microelements are kept in the snow or on the surface of melting ice for an average of 9 hours. The snow must be clean.
Contrast "Warm-cold". First, the seeds are kept in warm water (30-35 degrees) for 10-12 hours. Then they cover it on top with a cotton cloth and keep it at a temperature of 15-20 degrees for 24 hours. After that, the seeds are placed in the refrigerator, where the temperature is only 0-2 degrees, for 18 hours. We take it out again and put it in heat (15-20 degrees) for 24 hours. Such actions are repeated 3-5 times.

Sowing soil

Soil composition for sowing melons for seedlings could be like this:

Humus, turf and peat, taken in equal proportions. On a 10-liter bucket of such a mixture, put 1 glass of ash, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of superphosphate, 1 teaspoon of urea and 1 teaspoon of potassium sulfate. The listed components are mixed well and proceed to sowing.

Sowing

It is better to sow melon seeds immediately in pots, since the seedlings do not tolerate picking well. The optimal size of the pots: 10 by 10 or 12 by 12 cm. 2-3 seeds are planted in the moistened soil. Embedding depth: 3-4 cm.

From above, the soil is sprinkled with sand to a thickness of 1-2 cm to prevent black leg.

Seedlings are planted indoors at the age of 30-35 days. Outdoor - at the age of 20-25 days.

Seedling care

So, the seedlings hatched. What to do with young plants? After a week, only 1 plant, the strongest and strongest, should be left in 1 pot. As soon as the seedlings acquire 3 real leaves, it is time to pinch the plants (remove the upper growth point).

Watering seedlings is necessary without fanaticism, rarely and in moderation. Melon does not tolerate moisture well. Top dressing is carried out 1 time 7 days before planting plants in the ground. A solution for feeding in the country literature is given as follows:

5 g of superphosphate, 5 g of potassium salt and 15-16 g of ammonium sulfate - all dissolve in 10 liters of water.

About 7 days before disembarking the seedlings to a permanent place, they begin to harden it: more often and longer they ventilate and take them out onto the veranda or balcony for several hours.

In the first days of June, seedlings can already be transferred to a greenhouse or greenhouse (in the Middle Lane).

The transplant must be very careful not to damage the root system.

The plant, together with the lump, is pulled out of the pot and lowered into the hole. Then they cover it with earth and make a ravine for watering around the plant at a distance of 5 cm from the stem. In the first 2-3 days, planted young plants are shaded with dry grass.

What other natural dessert is famous for its exquisitely delicate taste, unearthly honey aroma, and besides, a whole range of medicinal properties? Without a doubt, this is a melon. Its benefits are so multifaceted that it is difficult not to get excited with the desire to grow a wonderful berry in your area. In order for the "melon" happiness to come to a novice summer resident, you just need to learn and understand the secrets of growing, and first plant the melon for seedlings correctly.

After reading this material, you will learn how to properly plant seeds on melons for seedlings and grow at home until planting in the ground.

The key to success in growing melons is the correct choice of a variety suitable for the climatic zone of your place of residence (in other words, the variety must be zoned). Let's say in regions with cool summers ideally stay at early varieties and hybrids melons with a ripening period of about 65-85 days. In this case, the most recommended varieties are Titovka, Roksolana, Ambrosia, Ignacio, Assol, Altai, Scythian gold, Delano, other.

For greenhouses you can use super early ripening melons such as Altai, Titovka(ripening period is just over 55-65 days).

If you are satisfied with medium-sized sizes, then you can plant early-maturing varieties: Collective farmer, Fairy tale, Blondie, Cappuccino, and etc.

If you decide to grow melon with medium ripening then know that you will have to wait within 2.5 months (85-95 days).

Mid-season the most popular varieties among enthusiastic summer residents are recognized Don Quixote, Primal, Anzer, North Star, Anna Max, Jumbo, Chogare (Bukhara), Assate, Sunny delicacy, Moon, Torpedo.

However, one should not underestimate and late varieties... Among them, the most popular are Princess Mary, Powdered Sugar, Emerald, Walking.

And also (taking into account geography) the following cultural (table) varieties of melons are excellent for growing: Kassaba, Walking, Pineapple, Torpedo(all representatives of Central Asian varieties), Collective farmer, Cantaloupe, Ethiopian, Banana, Armenian cucumber(all European varieties), Vietnamese, Melotria rough or mouse, Horned(all exotic varieties).

When to plant melons for seedlings

When choosing the timing of planting melons for seedlings, you need to pay attention to the following important points:

regional climatic features of cultivation (when return frosts take place, the earth warms up enough to be planted in the ground);
the required age of seedlings for planting in the ground (the duration of growing seedlings at home after germination);

The optimum age for melon seedlings for planting in the ground is 25-35 days.

the place or conditions for further cultivation (you can plant it in a greenhouse, film tunnels or greenhouses earlier, and in open ground later).

In addition, experienced melon growers focus on the favorable timing of sowing melon seeds according to the lunar calendar.

Note! Thus, you should not rush to plant the melon, otherwise the seedlings will outgrow and nothing good will come of such plants.

Depending on the cultivation method, region and its climate

If you are interested in the question of when it is better to plant a melon for seedlings, at what time, then this is directly related to the peculiarities of the climate in your region.

For example, in the middle lane (Moscow region) sowing melons for seedlings, as a rule, is carried out in late April - early May, while planting seedlings - in the 3rd decade of May-early June.

In Siberia and the Urals it is necessary to plant a melon for seedlings in early May, in order to plant it in the ground in June.

Provided melon is grown through seedlings in the south of Russia, you can sow seedlings already in late March or early April, to plant in the last days of April.

Usually, in warm regions sow directly with seeds in open ground or under temporary shelters(film greenhouses), doing it in the second half of April.

According to the lunar calendar, in 2019

The favorable terms for planting melons for seedlings, according to the lunar calendar 2019, are the following days:

in March - 15-19, 23-25, 27-30;
in April - 6-9, 11-13, 20, 21, 24-26, 29-30;
in May - 3, 4, 8-10, 17-18, 21-23, 26-28, 31;
in June - 5, 6, 13-15, 18-20.

Of course, it is not necessary to sow melon on the above dates, but according to the 2019 lunar calendar, it is still not recommended to plant seeds on the following dates:

in March - 6, 7, 21;
in April - 5, 19;
in May - 5, 19;
in June - 3, 4, 17.

Thus, you should prepare in advance for sowing melon seeds for seedlings, choosing the optimal time.

According to the lunar calendar, from the magazine "1000 Tips for Summer Residents".

Preparing and processing melon seeds before planting seedlings

In order not to ruin the planting from the very beginning, it is required to initially properly prepare the melon seeds.

Advice! If you harvested the seeds yourself, then 2-3 years old seeds are optimal for sowing.

Important! If you purchased pelleted (processed) seeds, then they do not need any pre-sowing preparation, they should be sown dry.

Recognize the suitability of seeds in a few minutes it is possible by immersing them in a 3-5% solution of table salt (at the rate of 3-5 g of salt per 100 ml of water). Weak and weightless (in other words, empty and unviable) will quickly float to the surface, they need to be selected, and sank to the bottom - process further.

Then it would be nice to immerse them for 20-30 minutes in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection, or even better in solution. At the end of the time, rinse them under clean water and dry until the required flowability appears.

And the most effective pre-planting procedure is considered soaking and germinating seeds.

By the way! Summer residents from cold regions will primarily benefit from spending hardening planting material of thermophilic melon. To do this, you need to wrap the seeds in damp gauze and put them in the refrigerator for 10-12 hours, then take them out and put them in the heat for 10-12 hours. This should be done within 3-4 days, in other words, it is necessary to expose the seeds to temperature changes (stress), and then germinate.

Soak seeds can be in one of growth promoters- Epine or Zirkone. Also, as an option, you can prepare a solution-infusion of wood ash (5 grams per 250 ml of water) and leave in it overnight (10-12 hours).

Better not just soak, but germinate the seeds in one of the above growth stimulants.

To germinate seeds, they need to be wrapped in wet gauze (or cotton pads), put on a plastic bag or put in a container with a lid. Then they should be removed to the warmest place in the apartment, where the temperature is + 22-28 degrees. After 3-7 days, they should hatch (the higher the temperature, the faster this will happen).

Video: soaking and germinating melon seeds in two ways

By the way! The method of germinating melon seeds also shows positive results. in wet sand or wet sawdust. Alternatively, for a change, you can use hydrogel... Naturally, the temperature should be appropriate (+22 .. + 28 degrees).

Planting melon seeds for seedlings: where and how to sow correctly

So, in order to make the correct sowing of melons for seedlings, first of all, you need to choose a suitable container for growing, prepare and fill the containers with a nutritious substrate and actually plant the seeds at the required depth. Let's take a look at each aspect next.

Choosing a container for growing seedlings

It is important for a novice summer resident to note the fact that a distinctive feature of the melon root system is its excessive weakness and fragility, because of this, the seedlings may simply not tolerate transplantation. That is why it is recommended to plant melon seedlings immediately separately in individual containers, optimally - with a diameter of 8-10 cm and a depth of 10-12 cm.

In other words, as a planting container for growing melon seedlings, you can use plastic cups with a volume not less than 0.5 l, that is, the container should be individual, but necessarily large, like for watermelons.

The landing containers must contain drainage or drainage holes.

Planting containers for melons can be made from improvised means:

cut plastic bottles (1 liter);
cardboard boxes of yogurt, kefir or milk.

Soil for growing seedlings

Concerning soil for melon seedlings, it will grow best in one of the following soil mixtures.

Melons (like watermelons) love sandy soil, so sand should be added to the soil.

Recipe number 1:

1 part of humus;
1 part sand;
2 pieces of garden land.

Another option for the substrate may be the following (recipe number 2):

1 part of sod land;
2 pieces of sand;
3 parts of humus.

Add a couple tablespoons to any of these potting mixes.

In general, you can buy a special ready-made soil for pumpkin (melon) crops(cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini, watermelons, melons).

Advice! It will be very good if you still spend soil disinfection.

Direct landing

Step-by-step instructions for sowing melon seeds for seedlings:

Fill the seedling containers 3/5 or 2/3 with soil (it is more convenient to water and add soil as the seedlings grow).
Make planting holes 2-3 cm deep (some sources recommend up to 4 cm).
Moisten slightly.
Place seeds in the holes.

Advice! If you have a lot of seeds, and you do not process them in any way, i.e. sow dry, it is better to put at least 2 things in each container, and only then remove the weaker sprouts.

Sprinkle with soil on top.
Water again.
Cover with plastic wrap (lid if it is a container) and place in a warm place, where the temperature is +22 .. + 28 degrees.

Care for melon seedlings after planting: the necessary conditions for keeping

In the future, caring for melon seedlings is no more difficult than for cucumbers: you need to create comfortable temperature and light conditions for the plants, as well as water and feed as needed.

It will be interesting! Be sure to watch the next video, the author of which first showed the planting, and then captured the growth of melon seedlings over 6 weeks.

Temperature and lighting

As soon as shoots appear (after about 5-10 days - the warmer, the faster), remove the film (cover) and move the seedlings to a cooler place (+ 16-20 degrees) for 5-7 days.

After this period, place the seedling containers in a warmer place, where the temperature during the day is about + 22-26 degrees, and at night it does not drop below + 15-16 degrees (optimally - + 16-20 degrees).

Melon seedlings for normal growth require full 12 hour daylight hours.

Remember! If the plants do not have enough sun, they will stretch out.

Therefore, the seedlings are optimally placed on the southern (or southeastern, southwestern) windowsill where there will be enough light.

Advice! Seedling pots should be placed so that the plants in them do not shade each other and do not grow with one single side to the sun all the time. Thus, you can get away from the elongation and "one-sidedness" of your seedlings.

However, if you have no light windows, then seedlings ideally it would be nice to supplement special phyto lamps or more budget LED lamps.

Idea! If the days are cloudy (little light), then so that the seedlings do not stretch out, the plants should be rearranged to lighter, but cooler places or the window should be slightly opened. In other words, regulate the temperature and light balance.

Watering

Watering melon seedlings is not difficult: just moisten well as the soil dries up (allowing all the earthy coma to soak in), trying not to overflow or overdry the soil.

In this case, it is necessary to water with settled (or filtered) water, slightly above room temperature (+ 22-24 degrees).

Top dressing

As a rule, if you initially used a sufficiently fertile soil, then no additional feeding of melon seedlings will be required, but you can carry out a couple to stimulate growth.

When the seedlings form 1 true leaf each, it can be fed with yeast (10 grams of yeast per 1 liter of water, as well as 4-5 tablespoons of sugar, wait 4-5 hours for the fermentation process to begin) or herbal infusion (for example, nettle ), in other words, use nitrogen fertilizer.

After 7-14 days, when the plants already have 2 true leaves (i.e. 7-10 before planting in the ground), you can carry out the second feeding of melon seedlings with potash fertilizer, for example, with an infusion solution (10-20 grams per 1 liter, insist for a day) or potassium sulfate (3-4 grams per 1 liter of water).

Important! If the seedlings suddenly started the lower (cotyledonous) leaves turn yellow, then it must be fed with nitrogen fertilizers (mullein, bird droppings, urea or ammonium nitrate).

If the leaves start turn yellow and die off at the edges then this is the first sign of potassium starvation.

Video: the intricacies of growing melons - how to grow a melon

Pinching

In order for the plant to start up side shoots as quickly as possible (it is on them that the melon bears fruit), it should pinch... Some advise to do this when melon seedlings 3 real leaf will appear (remove the growth point above it). But it is still more correct to do the pinching after planting the seedlings in the ground, when the plants will have 5 powerful real leaves.

Video: growing melon through seedlings

When and how to plant melon seedlings outdoors or in a greenhouse

By the end of May-beginning of June, in most regions and climatic zones, suitable weather conditions are established for planting melon seedlings in open or closed ground (as well as for direct sowing):

The soil warmed up to +12 .. + 15 degrees.
The air temperature is stable at least + 15-16 degrees at night.

As for the appearance of plants, 25-35-day-old seedlings of melons should have a short, but strong stem and 3 true leaves (and the 4th is just emerging).

Advice! It will be advisable if 5-7 days before disembarkation seedlings you will lead her to the garden hardening, ait is you who will begin to take out the melon seedlings to the balcony (glazed loggia) or to the greenhouse, gradually increasing the time spent outdoors from 1-2 hours to a whole day.

The very planting of melon seedlings in the ground is no different from any other. To do this, you prepare planting holes 1.5-2 times larger than seedling containers, fill them with humus and sand (if your soil is not very sandy). Then carefully take out the seedlings along with an earthen lump, put them in the middle, cover them with fertile soil and spill them abundantly with warm water.

Important! If the weather is changeable, and at night it drops below + 15-16 degrees, then it is better to cover the melons with foil, namely to make a foil greenhouse (on arches) or cover with cut 5-lira bottles.

Video: planting melon seedlings in the ground

Thus, any novice summer resident can grow melon seedlings at home, because the main thing is desire. And how to properly plant melon seeds and further care for the seedlings on the windowsill - everything is detailed in this article. You just have to act according to the instructions. Strong seedlings!

Video: how to grow a melon in the Moscow region - sowing dates, rules for planting and caring for seedlings at home and after planting in the ground (greenhouse)

In contact with

In the middle lane, melon cultivation begins with sowing seeds for seedlings. It is necessary to choose only zoned varieties. In a pot on a windowsill or balcony, the plant can live only 25-30 days from germination. During this period, you need: good lighting, airing, fertilizing, moderate watering and a certain temperature regime.

Sowing melon seed for seedlings

When to sow

Melon can be grown in any region of Russia. The main thing is to choose zoned varieties. In the conditions of the middle zone, Siberia, the Far East, early ripening is better suited for planting in open ground, and melons of medium early ripening are better suited for greenhouses. Approximate sowing dates: late March - early April, but you can calculate the exact date.

Melon seedlings are planted in the ground or greenhouse at the age of 25-30 days, add here another week for germination and emergence of seedlings. Now we are determined with the sowing date. For example, if you plan to grow melon outdoors, and the morning frosts in your region stop after June 7, then you need to start working with seeds (soak, germinate, sow) between April 25 and May 1. There is no point in sowing before: the seedlings will outgrow, they will take root for a long time, the yield will decrease.

How to germinate seeds

If the package does not say that the seeds are treated with any preparations, then before germination it will be useful to keep them in a growth stimulator. Suitable: Epin (4 drops per 100 ml), Energen (1 ml per 50 ml of water) and others. You can use melt water, a pink solution of potassium permanganate, aloe juice, etc. Then the seeds are laid out on a damp cotton pad, covered with others, placed in a plastic container, covered with a lid and left for 4-7 days at a temperature of + 25 ... + 30 ⁰C ...

Photo: preparing seeds for sowing

Melon seeds are pre-soaked in a growth stimulator Seeds are germinated between two wet cotton pads placed in a disposable container After 4-7 days, sprouts will appear, you can start sowing

The minimum germination temperature for melons is +18 ⁰C, at +15 ⁰C and below the seeds will not hatch.

The choice of capacity and soil

Melon painfully tolerates transplantation, so each seed is planted in an individual cup with a diameter of 10–12 cm and a depth of 10–12 cm. One-time opaque cups or special cells for seedlings can be used. Peat pots are ideal. Seedlings are planted in a permanent place directly in them, the pots are completely decomposed in the ground in 25-30 days and serve as additional fertilizer. Whichever seedling containers you choose, each should have a drainage hole.

The pots are filled with ready-made soil: "Universal", "Garden earth", "For seedlings", etc.

Recipes for soil mixtures for seedlings of our own production:

1 part peat, 1 part sod land, 2 parts humus, 1 part grated sphagnum moss or river sand, 1 glass of ash in a bucket of soil mixture:
3 parts of peat, 5 parts of compost, 1 part of rotted sawdust or sand, 1 glass of ash in a bucket of soil mixture;
2 parts of humus, 2 parts of sod land, 1 part of river sand, 1 glass of ash for a bucket of soil mixture;
1 part of sod land, 1 part of leafy land, 1 part of humus, 1 glass of ash in a bucket of soil mixture.

Video: how to prepare the soil for seedlings yourself

Sowing seeds: step by step instructions

Fill the glass with soil, without adding 3-4 cm to the edges.
Spill the soil in each glass with boiling water, let the water soak in, and leave the excess through the drainage hole.
Place the sprouted seeds on top of the still warm (but not hot!) Soil: one in each glass.
Cover the seeds with 1.5 cm of soil and pour over water at room temperature.
Cover the cups with foil or glass and place in a warm place until germination (+ 25… +30 ⁰C).

Video: how to soak and sow melon seeds

How to grow melon seedlings at home

Lighting and temperature control

Seedlings from germinated seeds appear very quickly, after 2-3 days. The pots are freed from the film and placed on a sunny windowsill or glazed balcony. The temperature should be within + 20… +25 ⁰C. So that the seedlings do not stretch out, every day they turn it to the sun on a different side.

Watering

Melons do not like dampness, you need to water only when the topsoil dries slightly. If after watering the soil has turned into a lump, be sure to carefully loosen it. From above, you can add coarse-grained river sand. Three hours before disembarking at a permanent place, the seedlings are well shed.

Top dressing

Melon grows on the windowsill for only 3-4 weeks. For this period, the nutrients available in the soil mixture are enough for small plants. Top dressing is carried out only one - three days before disembarking to a permanent place. Complex fertilizers are used: BioMaster "Universal" (25 g per 10 l of water), Fertika Lux (20 g per 10 l), etc. As a result of this technique, the seedlings will get stronger, stock up on the necessary elements and will more easily bear the stress from the transplant.

Video: fertilizers and seedlings protection

Hardening

A week before planting in open ground, hardening begins: they put seedlings on an open window, balcony, take out into the garden, etc. The time spent in the open air is increased every day, starting from 15 minutes, then by an hour, two, etc., until the whole day ... You cannot abruptly expose young plants under the scorching sun from the first days, hardening begins in a shaded place. At this time, the soil is monitored: blown by the wind, it dries quickly.

Possible problems when growing melon seedlings

Seedlings are pulled

If the seedlings reach for the window, then they have little light. Other reasons: the room is too warm, the melons shade each other, the weather has been cloudy outside the window for too long.

Ways to solve the problem:

supplement lighting with phytolamps (12-17 hours a day);
pour earth into the pots;
reduce the temperature to +18 ⁰C;
expose plants to the sun every day on the other side.

Blackleg

The disease develops if the plantings are thickened, poorly ventilated, experiencing sudden changes in temperature and humidity.

What to do?

remove dead plants;
pour the rest with a solution of potassium permanganate (3 g per 10 liters of water);
if the melons do not grow in separate pots, but all in one box, urgently cut them into a different soil, add to the water for irrigation: "Baktofit" 0.5-1%, "Maxim", "Fitosporin" or another fungicide according to the instructions;
air the plant regularly, observe temperature and irrigation regimes.

White mold

White mold spores can be found in any living space. They live in any, even sterile, soil. Mature, hardened seedlings, ready for planting in the ground, do an excellent job with white mold. But young seedlings that are deficient in ultraviolet radiation must be protected.

Ways to protect against white mold:

mulch the seedlings with a mixture of crushed charcoal and ash (1: 2), after 3 weeks add another layer;
mulch with a mixture of "sorbent Ermak", repeat after 3 weeks;
sprinkle the soil with crushed activated carbon and spray with a solution of greenery (pale green);
regularly ventilate the sprouts.

When can be planted in the ground or greenhouse

If the greenhouse is unheated, then the seedlings are planted in it at the same time as in the open ground. During frosts at night and in the early morning in the greenhouse, only a few degrees above zero, and this temperature will destroy the heat-loving plants. Melon grows well in hot and dry climates, and can be created in a greenhouse, but only when the weather is warm. Film, glass, polycarbonate will protect from rain and create a higher temperature on sunny days. In the middle lane, melon sprouts are planted both in open and closed ground in early June.

The transplant is carried out in the evening, preferably in cloudy weather. The first days of the melon shade, monitor the moisture content of the soil. It is better to mulch the holes. In such conditions, the seedlings will take root and grow faster.

Growing melon seedlings is not difficult. If you sow with germinated seeds, then the seedlings appear together. The sprouts are large, developing very actively on sunny and warm balconies or windows. One of the main tasks is to constantly monitor the condition of the soil, to keep it moist, loose and healthy.

Melon culture is famous for its excellent taste and abundance of nutrients contained in its composition. As you know, the quality and quantity of the obtained crop is determined by the presence of many factors that directly affect the achievement of the result. Many of the hobby gardeners are guided by the lunar calendar to find out when to plant melons for seedlings in 2019.

What determines the timing

The choice of time for planting has many nuances, because this plant has many agrotechnical features, including:

love of warmth (the optimal temperature range is from fifteen to thirty degrees);
poor tolerance of a decrease in temperature (when it falls below ten degrees Celsius, maturation and growth noticeably slow down);
photophilousness (sunbeams, illuminated spaces with open areas);
unsatisfactory tolerance to drought (during the ripening and flowering of the melon culture, moisture should be increased);
the soil should contain nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, soil with the correct air-gas characteristics (loose, warm earth).

There is an opinion that the seedlings are prepared for planting in the ground or greenhouse after twenty five to thirty days. During this period, return frosts should end and a period of absolutely warm weather will begin. Exclusively such conditions give the seedlings normal conditions for development, which will bring a good harvest.

When is the best time to plant

Planting crops growing in abundant warmth takes place during the day, in late May and early June. That is, they sow the melon on the twentieth of April.

The lunar calendar will tell you when to plant a plant. He points to suitable methods for planting a melon culture, paying attention to the phases of the moon and its passage through all the zodiacal signs. We sow melons for seedlings in 2019 guided by favorable days for planting.

The days when sowing, replanting and planting the melon is most favorable:

In March - 3, 7, 9 12, 17;
April - 17-19;
In May - 13, 18, 25;
In June - 14, 28.

Days prohibited for transplanting and sowing a melon crop:

In March - 2, 15, 16;
In April - 30;
In May - 1, 4–8;
In June - 15, 16, 18, 27.

Gardeners who have been growing melons for several years recommend carrying out the seed planting procedure, exclusively guided by the growing moon. Also, you do not need to use the days of the new moon and full moon, so as not to lose the harvest. It has been noticed that the stem does not extend to its full length if the plants are planted during the approaching new moon. It is also important that young seedlings successfully root in the ground with an open area, if you briefly use plastic transparent film to create a greenhouse effect in the garden bed.

The seeds must develop resistance to unforeseen weather changes. This requires:

Temper the seeds. The seeds are laid out on ice or snow for a period of about ten hours. For this purpose, you can use your home refrigerator.
Develop exposure to extreme temperatures. The seeds are placed in water with a temperature of thirty to thirty-five degrees, and left for a day in a dampened cloth. After that, the process alternates with cold about three times.
Prepare the soil well. It is recommended to plant in a mixture of turf, peat and humus. One teaspoon of potassium and carbamide and the same amount of ash are added to them.

The plant must be protected from pests, so the adoption of preventive measures is inevitable. The greenhouse or area with open land must be clean. Bleach, formalin and table salt are the best reagents to moisten the sawdust mat when entering the greenhouse. The film taken to form the greenhouse effect is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate (five percent). It is necessary to eliminate the affected shoots and leaves, as they will entail infection of the entire plant. You need to collect and burn them.

Melon can be grown almost anywhere in the world, including in the North, the Urals and other cold regions. It will be enough to have a greenhouse that does not require special conditions for maintenance. You need to try and try, guided by all the above tips.

Melon Seedling Video

In this video, you will learn how to properly plant and care for melon seedlings.