Astrakhan watermelons how to distinguish. Expert advice: how to choose the ripest watermelon

In Russia, Astrakhan watermelon is very popular. What is good about this product and why exactly are its customers looking for it on store shelves? These questions must be answered step by step.

Astrakhan watermelon is a product that has been grown in Russia for several centuries. It all happened quite by accident, when merchants from distant Persia brought their goods for sale back in the 12th century. Their path ran through the endless Astrakhan steppes. That's when the locals got acquainted with the new product. It turned out that the local fertile land perfect for growing unusual crops. The case began to gradually gain momentum. And already in the 16th century, for the first time, the Astrakhan watermelon became a culture own production. Then this juicy outlandish berry was eaten with pleasure. It was specially brought to the table of the great monarch. Perhaps, since then, rounded striped fruits have firmly entered our lives. Thanks to the efforts of local field growers, over time they have become more accessible. And for Astrakhan itself, watermelon is no longer just a product or an ordinary gourd, but a real symbol of the city.

Product benefits

Few people know that Astrakhan watermelon, like any other representative of this species, can have a healing effect on the human body. Doctors recommend using it for people suffering from quite serious diseases. Oddly enough, but this product helps to restore the functioning of the kidneys, liver and gallbladder. It is used for gout, nosebleeds, anemia and even heart disease. The tender pulp of watermelon is able to cleanse the kidneys and remove harmful sand from them. Sometimes she even copes with small stones. Nutritionists advise to deal with excess weight and obesity to arrange fasting days once a week. At this time, it is recommended to eat up to three kilograms of pulp. True, this method of prevention should not be abused. For women who want to prolong their youth, experts advise drinking tea from watermelon peels. Two teaspoons of raw materials in a glass of boiling water will help maintain complexion and give the skin the desired elasticity.

Growing conditions

Astrakhan watermelons, when ripe, turn into a fruit that has a round, and sometimes slightly oblong shape. Usually, from the moment of emergence, this should take from 70 to 81 days. The product resembles a ball with a smooth surface, which has a pattern of dark green stripes in the form of bizarre spikes. It has a fiery red flesh with a pronounced sweet taste. Over the years, breeders have managed to create several hybrids of the famous variety. Among them there are both early maturing individuals (Lolita, Zoryanka, Photon), and products of early ripening (Lunny, Rapid, Skorik, Melon Alice). In the first, maturity occurs as early as 55 days. The second after 60 days become completely ready for use. Both of them are highly transportable and retain their original freshness for a whole month. This quality is considered especially valuable, because with its help it becomes possible to transport Astrakhan watermelons, when they ripen, for sale to the most remote corners of the country.

Should know

Watermelons have become a real brand for her. Even the name of the region is already associated mainly with this melon culture. Experts say that watermelons grown here are superior in all respects to representatives of other domestic regions and even some European countries. Here in the small Volga town of Kamyzyak there is even a real museum, the main exhibit of which is the notorious watermelon. Visitors can get acquainted with the history of this culture, find out how and where an unusual berry appeared in our country. The museum is visited by a huge number of tourists. A whole exposition with old documents, unique photographs and living specimens has been developed for them. Local guides are real fans of their business. In a short time, they will provide the audience with all the known information about watermelons. Such an informative lecture will be of interest even to casual visitors.

Distinctive features

Many buyers in the markets or store shelves choose Astrakhan watermelons. How to distinguish them from other varieties? This question interests many. Any product must be able to choose. There are a number of indicators by which you can accurately determine a qualitative representative of this family. If everything is clear regarding the shape and color, then the pulp should be said separately. Everyone is used to the fact that a good watermelon must be red. This belief was recently refuted by Russian experts. They brought out a variety of berries with orange and even yellow pulp by experimental selection. In terms of taste, these representatives are no worse. They are just as sweet and flavorful. The change in shade in them depends only on the increased content of carotene. In addition, do not forget about the famous "piglet". This is a small yellow spot on the peel, which indicates that the fruit was in contact with the ground. And this means that he matured on his own. A dry tail and black seeds, in turn, indicate the stage of ripeness. Additionally, this can be checked by sound. In a mature fruit, it is sonorous, and when cut, a characteristic crack is emitted.

A bit of history

Astrakhan watermelons appeared in Moscow quite a long time ago. When at the beginning of the 18th century Peter the Great first tried this berry, he was simply amazed. The unusual appearance and wonderful taste interested the emperor so much that he demanded that this product be grown in the fields near Moscow. True, the local climate turned out to be completely unsuitable for a heat-loving culture. The fruits ripened slowly and slowly. After that, at the behest of the tsar, they continued to grow them in and were brought to Moscow every year. Since then, little has changed. Juicy watermelons are still brought to the capital. True, some argue that the quality of the product is noticeably deteriorating. There are cases when berries were “pumped up” with saltpeter for early ripening. These kinds of stimulants are officially banned. But there are individual farms that, in order to increase incomes by increasing productivity, do not disdain anything. There is a special laboratory in the capital, the work of which is aimed at restricting the import of dangerous products into the city's markets and stopping all attempts of this kind.

Astrakhan watermelon - a variety grown throughout Russia, the main advantages of which are unpretentious care and high yields. You can also note the long shelf life of the fruit and its good resistance to transportation even over long distances.

All this makes the southern delicacy one of the most beloved among the population of our country. At proper cultivation and care, Astrakhan watermelon will not only be an excellent decoration for any table, but will also quench your thirst and saturate the body with useful substances.

Most farmers and gardeners prefer to grow this variety. This is due to the fact that Astrakhan watermelon is resistant to the development of pathologies inherent in gourds, its fruits have an excellent taste and are stored for more than 2 months, without losing their merits.

The ripe fruit has a round or slightly oblong shape, its peel is smooth and even. The color of the surface is dark green with light stripes that have spike-like edges. According to experts, the more obvious the difference between dark and light stripes, the brighter the taste of the fruit will be.

The flesh of a ripe watermelon is bright red. It is very sweet, juicy and aromatic. Seeds are usually dark brown or black in color. The main difference of the Astrakhan variety is the presence of a thick crust.

Astrakhan watermelon is considered medium-early in terms of ripening - the time from seed germination to full maturity is about 80 days. The size of a ripe berry ranges from 8 to 10 kg.

He is very thermophilic, he needs a sufficient amount of sunlight.

Favorable conditions during cultivation will provide the fruits with juiciness, sweet taste, pleasant color and aroma.

During the period of drought, voids may appear inside the watermelon, which in no way affect the quality of this melon crop. In this case, when squeezing, a slight crackle will be heard, indicating the maturity of the watermelon.

Growing Astrakhan watermelon

Thanks to the adaptation of varieties to different climatic conditions, as well as the breeding of hybrids, it became possible to grow Astrakhan watermelon in any region of Russia.

Growing a striped berry is carried out in two main ways:

The first landing option is typical for the southern regions, the second is practiced by farmers in the middle zone and the Moscow region.

With the seedless method, seeds are sown in open ground, pre-soaking them in potassium permanganate. Dry seeds immediately begin to sow in the soil.

Sprouted ones must be placed in a pocket made of cloth or gauze and poured with warm water. Every day the water should be changed until small sprouts appear.

Then you can start sowing.

The seedling method consists in pre-germination seeds. To do this, spread the seeds treated with potassium permanganate on a damp cloth or toilet paper and place them in a tray. In this state, the seeds are kept at a temperature of 25 to 30 ° C.

After the appearance of sprouts, you need to take suitable containers (for example, disposable cups), fill them with humus, sand and turf, or ready-made peat soil.

The sowing depth should not exceed 4 cm. Then the seeds are covered with a film and placed in a well-lit and warm place.

After the first leaves appear, you can plant seedlings in the ground.

The soil for planting the Astrakhan variety of watermelons should be light and loose. It must be prepared in the fall. This will require humus and other fertilizers suitable for feeding the crop (potassium-phosphorus mixtures, nitrogen, etc.).

If a pumpkin, melon, cabbage or cucumber has previously grown on the site, there is a risk that the harvest will not be as rich as expected, and the fruits may change their taste. It is advisable to plant watermelons in the soil on which peas, potatoes, corn and beans were grown.

The depth of the hole for planting seedlings should be no more than 6-8 cm. Watermelons are planted at a distance of 1 meter from each other. In order for the fruits to be large and to be fully formed, these rules must be observed.

Astrakhan watermelon seeds

You can buy Astrakhan watermelon seeds at any store in your city, as well as order via the Internet. Due to the great demand for the Astrakhan variety among the inhabitants of our country, seeds are available to anyone who wants to plant this large, sweet berry on their site.

You can buy seeds in advance - in winter or early spring. Under appropriate conditions, they are stored long time. It is important to prevent moisture from getting on the bags with seeds, and also to avoid their strong overheating.

Before planting dry seeds, they must be soaked in a solution of manganese. To do this, pour warm water and add potassium permanganate to it so that a fairly bright color is obtained. Seeds can be wrapped in cheesecloth and placed in ready solution for 30-40 minutes. Then they are planted in the ground.

Seed germination does not require special efforts. We place them in a cloth or gauze moistened with water and put them in a specially prepared container.

We change the water once a day or as the fabric dries. At this stage, it is important to observe the thermal regime: 30 ° C during the day and not lower than 20 ° C at night.

As soon as the first shoots appear, you can start planting.

Today you can buy seedlings of the Astrakhan variety of watermelons on the market or in specialized stores.

The ideal time for planting is the end of May, when the earth has warmed up enough with the sun's rays and there are no frosts at night. Harvesting takes place in August and September.

Reviews about Astrakhan watermelon

Due to the resistance to the development of diseases inherent in gourds, Astrakhan watermelon has become one of the most beloved varieties in all regions of Russia.

Farmers and gardeners note its unpretentiousness in cultivation, long shelf life and good transportability. This variety does not require special care and additional funds for top dressing and expensive fertilizers. Seeds are inexpensive and sold in any city.

Properly grown ripe fruits are in good demand in the market, so many summer residents plant watermelons for sale.

Reviews of the Astrakhan watermelon indicate that most consumers prefer this particular variety. The main advantage is its juicy, fragrant, sweet and tender flesh.

In the hot season, watermelon juice perfectly quenches thirst and is a dietary product. It is consumed fresh and pickled.

There are many recipes using this product.

In addition to excellent taste, buyers also note beneficial properties for the body.

In their opinion, Astrakhan watermelon helps to lower blood pressure, and also helps to get rid of edema.

Some claim that watermelons can boost your mood and improve your overall health.

Planting, care and collection are not particularly difficult. This is within the power of even a novice summer resident.

Do-it-yourself Astrakhan watermelon will not only wonderful decoration table, but also a source of vitamins and useful trace elements.

This surprisingly large striped berry will appeal to all family members.

Source: http://pro-arbuz.ru/sorta-arbuzov/astrahanskij-arbuz/

How to grow watermelons in the country in the open field, when to collect, video

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, quite a lot is allocated for planting. large area, 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 lane, 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.

Best for sowing peat pots about 10 cm in diameter, which are filled with a mixture of an equal amount:

humus;
sod land;
peat.

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 of superphosphate;
15–25 grams potash fertilizers.

In pre-moistened holes, located at intervals of 1–1.5 meters, 1–2 plants are planted or immersed one at a time. peat glass 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.

On suburban area for watermelons it is convenient to use systems drip irrigation, with which you can 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 on chernozem and clay soils- less often.

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 the plants and, at the beginning of the growth of the lashes, the shoots are transferred from the ground to strong vertical supports.

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?

Ripening tomatoes are easy to recognize by their 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 ripe berry from the 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. As long as it lasts warm season, 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 any useful properties, no taste or aroma.

But only watermelons collected in a fully ripe state are suitable for obtaining seeds.

Growing watermelons in the middle lane - video

Source: http://www.glav-dacha.ru/kak-vyrashhivat-arbuzy/

Watermelon Astrakhan - how is the old variety so different from many new ones ?!

Practically every summer resident cultivating melons on the site has heard about the Astrakhan watermelon, and many grow the variety annually.

Why are berries so good, how to distinguish them from others, are there any features of cultivation in the Moscow region, Siberia and the Urals? The article is just for those who want to get acquainted and get delicious delicious fruits of this variety on their own plot, but do not know how to do it right ...

watermelon Astrakhan - on the photo

Watermelon Astrakhan - variety description

Every gardener dreams of a rich harvest of watermelon, but in order to achieve a good result, first of all, you need to understand the main characteristics of the variety and the requirements for caring for Astrakhan watermelon.

On this occasion, the following information about the Astrakhan variety of watermelon is offered.

This variety of watermelon belongs to the category of mid-season and can bestow delicious fruits as early as 70-81 days from the moment of seed germination.

Astrakhan watermelon is highly valued in Russia and is often found in all its glory on market stalls, by the way, it is quickly snapped up by buyers. The reason for the popularity is the rich taste of the pulp and its attractive red color.

The shape of the fruit itself is roundish-oval, the peel is strong, in a dark green stripe. It is thanks to the mentioned peel that the variety has become so fond of among entrepreneurs who build a business on watermelons.

Excellent strength allows you to store and transport watermelons in large quantities with minimal risk of loss. The weight of one fruit often reaches 8-10 kg.

watermelon variety Astrakhan - on the photo
Ideal conditions for growing this variety are a temperature of at least 18 ° C, warm sunny weather and fertilized soil. It is recommended to fertilize the land not only before planting, but also in the autumn.

The humidity of the environment should be slightly above average, the Astrakhan watermelon needs a lot of water in the early stages of growth, this will give it strength to give birth to a full-fledged and tasty berry.

You should separately dwell on the taste of watermelon.

A bush of this kind gives the gardener juicy and sugar-sweet fruits with granular pulp that simply dissolves in the mouth.

But in order for the variety to show its taste in at its best, it is necessary to make a lot of painstaking efforts and physical labor.

How to distinguish Astrakhan watermelon from others?

How to distinguish an Astrakhan watermelon is a rather topical question that requires a detailed answer. First of all, seeds should be distinguished, because a mistake in choosing can play a fatal role.

The seeds of the Astrakhan fruit are most often sold in packaged sealed packages with a pattern of the watermelon itself, in which case there is no reason to worry, but when the situation resembles the purchase of a "pig in a poke", you should rely only on your knowledge.

The dry seed of this variety is black in color with a tip tapering from the base, shaped like a drop of water, while being hard and rough.

When removed from the watermelon, on the contrary, it is smooth, dark brown in color, and in the fresh state it is relatively hard, tasteless when biting and large in any form.

Currently, there is not a single variety of watermelon identical to Astrakhan, each species has its own characteristics and differences.

In order not to confuse the Astrakhan watermelon, for example, with Crimson Suite (which is not uncommon), you should first of all concentrate on the visual features of the two watermelons and find differences between them.

At first glance, the remaining couple of watermelons on the counter are identical to each other and clearly belong to the same subspecies.

how to distinguish Astrakhan watermelon
It is important to pay attention to the weight of the watermelon, because the Crimson Suite is likely to be heavier and more rounded, and the color of the peel between the dark green stripes is closer to dull green. Such minor differences do not always lead to the desired result, therefore it is recommended to cut the watermelon, and, based on taste differences, determine the variety.

You can try to buy a real Astrakhan watermelon with minimal risks, perhaps, only on the territory of Astrakhan and its neighboring regions. In Astrakhan, where the climate is so suitable for growing melons, the sweetest and healthiest fruits of this variety grow.

It is worth noting that from the very first moment of the cultivation of the Astrakhan watermelon, the rules and standards of plant care were tirelessly observed.

To date, there are a number of clearly regulated technologies and care recommendations that successfully contribute to the cultivation of a rich watermelon crop, not only in Astrakhan, but also in the Kuban, in the Krasnodar Territory, in the Moscow Region, central Russia, the Leningrad Region, and in some cases - even in the Urals and Siberia. Growing Astrakhan watermelon in the Moscow region is no exception and is carried out in accordance with generally accepted rules, which are discussed above.

Throughout the centuries of practice, the methodology of growing and feeding watermelon has reached its pinnacle today. The most important rule for caring for the Astrakhan variety is to maintain the optimum temperature at each stage of growth of the berry bush individually.

At the stage of growing seeds from the ground, the temperature should be maintained in the range of +18 ° ... + 23 ° С.

It is advisable to first plant the seed in a pot and gradually prepare it for garden conditions, exposing it to the heat of the day and taking it in the evening. The main rule is not to betray the fragile sprout to frost.

melon in the country - on the photo
When the bush begins to stretch its branches over the pot (end of May), it should be moved to open ground or a greenhouse, depending on climatic conditions and the preferences of the farmer. Of course, it is better to grow this variety in a greenhouse, especially in the northern regions of our country.

The golden rule when growing melons is to water and fertilize, but the question arises, when and how to properly feed the Astrakhan watermelon? Ideally, you should alternate between the use of humus, herbal tinctures and mineral fertilizers (optional). After fertilizing, it is necessary to water abundantly.

Manure and peat-dung compost should be applied under the previous crop a year before planting melons, in the autumn (4-6 kg / m²).

Experienced gardeners successfully use humic fertilizers, the familiar Baikal EM-1 for feeding watermelons.

It is worth noting that if the bed is well seasoned, the land is fertilized, you can often not feed, three top dressings will be enough for the entire period.

Secret large watermelons- when the fruits begin to be tied, stop all feeding. In addition, to get a good harvest, gardeners with experience pinch, so you need to know how to grow a watermelon in order to reap a guaranteed harvest.

When it comes to watering, you should be careful here, and despite the fact that watermelon loves moisture under the scorching sun, this should not be abused.

Since the formation of the fruit of the Astrakhan watermelon, it is necessary to significantly reduce the frequency and intensity of watering.

The fetus at this stage of development listens to everything useful material from black soil and if they are diluted with a lot of water, the watermelon will grow "cotton".

In most vegetable gardens, you can find watermelon and pumpkin growing on the same cramped plot of land.

In practice, the pumpkin plays the role of an object on which watermelon sprouts will be grafted.

This helps the weak root system to resist external factors(wind, rain, etc.) firmly rooted in the soil.

The lack of timely weeding is fraught with the absolute futility of fertilizing work. Wild vegetation is also very fond of good soil and will gladly weaken watermelon bushes, taking a good portion of useful elements.

When the plant has more than 7-9 leaves, antibacterial spraying can be carried out (before the fruit appears). Most pests pose their threat not on the surface of the soil, but underground, tending to the base of the bush.

This danger can only be prevented by surface spraying, because otherwise the poisonous agent can also act on the root itself.

a threat to watermelons - pictured
There is also an external threat in the form of crows, always striving to taste the best fruits of watermelon. Experienced summer residents offer a variety of options for scaring off. The most humane way is to entangle the posts in the garden with a cluster flight.

In the process of entanglement, the tape should be carried from one post to another. The rumble created in the wind should scare away crows and other pests in the radius of sound propagation.

Pinching is a procedure that requires the gardener to carefully and correctly intervene in the vegetation of the bush.

The peculiarity of the Astrakhan watermelon is that the first female flower appears on the 18th leaf, so it is advisable to keep it, since the next female will appear after 8 leaves.

Cloudy weather, rains - can cause poor pollination, hence the many questions that the fruits do not set, etc.

As you can see, Astrakhan watermelon can be grown, and in the presence of the previously stated information, nothing will hurt to betray last days warm summer more bright and joyful colors. Nothing brings more joy to a gardener than a bountiful harvest and the result is undoubtedly worth the effort!

Source: http://ogorodko.ru/arbuz-astraxanskij.html

How to grow watermelons outdoors

Watermelon is delicious and useful berry, which pleases children and adults with its juicy pulp. You can grow watermelon in central Russia.

This melon culture is very thermophilic, however, in order to grow large and sweet fruits, you need to observe a lot of nuances.

So, let's talk about everything in order.

Where to grow watermelons

A place for growing watermelons must be selected very carefully. It should be a sunny area without trees or shade.

Watermelons grow best in sandy and sandy loamy soils because watermelon roots penetrate deep into the soil to absorb moisture and fill with sweetness. That is why the soil for growing watermelons should not be clayey and dense.

To make the soil more porous, it is first dug (since autumn). The acidity of the soil of the selected area should not exceed 6.5-7 units.

It is best to choose the soil for planting in which crops such as onions, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, beans, wheat grew. You should not grow gourds two years in a row in the same area. The soil is pre-cleaned of weeds, watermelon does not like extraneous vegetation.

When to grow watermelons

If the summer turns out to be cold, no tricks will help to grow a juicy and sweet fruit. But if there are many sunny and hot days in a year, be prepared for a good harvest.

It is best to start planting watermelons at the end of May, when the soil is already sufficiently warmed up by the sun. If you decide to plant seedlings, then the seeds can be planted in cups in early May. However, the last word, anyway, the weather.

If in the first decade of May the heat did not come, you should not rush into landing.

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How to prepare seeds for planting watermelons

Consider two main ways of planting watermelons - seedling and seedless.

Seedling method of planting watermelons
Watermelon has very dense and hard seeds that must be soaked beforehand. To do this, pour the seeds with warm water and leave for half an hour.

Those seeds that have surfaced after the specified time are not suitable for planting - we immediately remove them. After that, you need to cover the container with a plastic bag and leave it in a warm place (in direct sunlight). It turns out an imitation of a greenhouse.

It is best if the temperature in the mini-greenhouse does not fall below 25-30 degrees during the day, and below 20 degrees at night.

When the seeds hatch, they can be planted in a cup. This is usually done in late April or early May. Cups need to be chosen large enough so that the root system is spacious. Watermelon does not tolerate root damage.

The soil for planting must be mixed with humus and mineral fertilizers. In the process of growing seedlings, you need to feed the sprouts with fertilizers several more times. Two seeds are usually planted in one cup, with the expectation that suddenly some will not germinate.

If both sprouts grow, they are then separated.

Seedlings for planting are ready when the sprout gains at least three healthy leaves. Planting seedlings takes place in loosened soil, fertilized with compost. Watermelon seedlings should be planted at a distance of at least 20 cm from each other.

If two sprouts are planted in one hole, you need to turn them so that they grow in different sides. Seedlings should not be planted too deep into the ground - the recesses should not exceed 10 cm. The leaves of the sprouts must remain on the surface.

After planting, the sprouts should be poured with plenty of warm water so that they start better.

A seedless way to plant watermelons
If the days are already warm enough, you can plant watermelons in a seedless way. To do this, they, just like in the previous planting method, must be soaked in warm water and leave the seeds to hatch.

When small sprouting sprouts appear, you can bypass the stage of planting sprouts in cups and sow the seeds directly into the soil.

I would like to note once again that a reckless method of planting watermelons is feasible only if the long-term weather forecast does not portend cold weather.

Seeds should be planted in holes at a distance of 20-25 cm, 2 seeds per hole. To get a good harvest, you can prepare the following mixture.

Mix soil, ash and humus in a ratio of one to one. Add a few tablespoons to the mixture mineral fertilizer nitroamophoska.

In each well, before planting the sprouts, lay out one tablespoon of the prepared mixture. Place watermelon seeds on top of the mixture, and then sprinkle with humus.

This is done in order to upper layer soil was not crusted. As it was said, watermelon loves loose soil, and the sprout simply cannot break through a thick crust.

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How to care for a watermelon

Although watermelon is considered a fairly unpretentious crop, in order to get a good harvest, you need to follow some aspects in caring for watermelon.

Imitation of a greenhouse. Until the sprouts have grown stronger, you need to cover them with a covering material. This will allow them to gain strength and bear fruit a few weeks ahead of schedule. To create such a small greenhouse, stick small sticks on the sides of the beds and cover with a thick plastic wrap. Keep the greenhouse until the end of June. It is better to shoot film on a gloomy day when there is no sun. This will allow the plants to adapt better. If you remove the film on a sunny day, the sprouts can simply burn out.
Watering. Watermelon does not like over watering as it feeds on inland waters. It has a powerful root system that takes water from the lower layers of the soil when needed. But the plant should not be overdried, otherwise the fruits will not differ in juiciness. The optimal frequency of watering is once or twice a week.
Fertilizers. A week after planting the seeds, they need to be fed with ammonium nitrate. To prepare the solution, you need to dilute 20 grams of the substance in ten liters of water. After the first feeding, watermelons should be fertilized every three weeks, using the usual mineral complex. Along with fertilizers, you need to constantly hill the soil. Watermelon vitally needs loose soil. In general, gardeners advise walking less near the holes and not compacting the ground. Especially, in the intervals between planted sprouts. The root system of a watermelon is quite sprawling, but also quite fragile. Stepping on loose soil near the hole, you can damage the root of the plant.
Molding. This is an important part of caring for a watermelon planting. If the whips are very long, they can be tied to posts or nailed with earth so that they are not damaged by the wind. In a month, ovaries will begin to form. When they become the size of a large plum, you need to leave only the largest - a few pieces. This is called pinching. This procedure is carried out for the following purpose. When a plant has many fruits, it expends its energy on each fruit. Thus, we will get a lot of unripe and small fruits. To get good and tasty fruits, you need to remove a few ovaries at the very beginning of their growth. Usually no more than 5-6 watermelon fruits are left from one bush. Moreover, on one lash there should not be more than two ovaries.

In the second half of summer, when watermelons begin to ripen, they can be carefully turned from one side to the other every 10 days.

This will allow them to quickly gain flavor and juice.

If the soil under the watermelons rots, you need to put small boards under the fruits to reduce the area of \u200b\u200bcontact between the watermelon and the ground.

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When to Harvest

Harvested in August. To understand that a watermelon is ripe, you need to carefully examine it. Ripe fruits are distinguished by a shiny skin, as well as a dry tail.

The stalk of a ripe watermelon is not hairy.

If you knock on a watermelon, a ripe fruit gives out a characteristic dull sound, by which experienced gardeners understand - it's time to harvest!

In watermelon-rich years, about 10 plants can be grown from six holes. About 40 fruits of various sizes and weights grow and ripen from them. At proper care and a sufficient amount of light and moisture, 90% of them ripen completely.

What could be tastier and more enjoyable than enjoying a watermelon grown by yourself? Follow all the rules of planting, care and feeding in order to grow a rich crop of watermelons in your summer cottage!

One and a half thousand melon shops will open on August 1 in the capital. Valentina Varfolomeeva, First Deputy Head of the Consumer Market and Services Department, announced this at a press conference.

According to her, this is two times less than it was three or four years ago. "The street form of trade in gourds - watermelons, melons - in Moscow began to gradually become obsolete," she explained. year".

At the same time, Varfolomeeva stressed that the love of Muscovites for juicy and ripe striped berries has not disappeared, watermelons are still the most popular summer fruit. In second place are melons. Only now the townspeople prefer to buy them in stores. And not just in small shops around the corner from home, but in large supermarkets. There, the prices are lower, and there is more confidence in the quality. At the breakups, there is a risk of running into "illegal" watermelons, in which there is no longer taste, but nitrates.

Meanwhile, while the city still does not intend to completely abandon the collapse. To date, their deployment has already been approved. Each district will have at least four outlets watermelons and melons. Requirements for the sale of melons remained the same. Watermelons and melons will be traded from mesh chests with floor racks. Price tags must be pasted on each collapse indicating the name of the product and the price per kilogram. The seller must have a trade permit, a medical book, as well as documents confirming the quality of the products.

It is forbidden to arrange collapses on lawns, in the arches of buildings, at bus stops, as well as in a 25-meter zone around technical structures and metro lobbies. Under the ban will be watermelons and melons lying on the ground. It will be impossible to weigh melons on steelyards, household and postal scales. Sellers should not cut watermelons and melons to confirm their ripeness. Buyers themselves should not ask for this, as cut gourds can become hazardous to health. For the same reason, trade in parts of watermelons and melons is prohibited.

On the same watermelons that will go to large retail chains in Moscow from the Astrakhan region, there will be an emblem indicating the manufacturer. This should serve as a kind of quality mark. In total, Astrakhan residents plan to send more than 100,000 tons of watermelons throughout the country this year. To Moscow - 4 thousand tons.

Meanwhile, already now watermelons and melons are being sold with might and main both in chain stores and at the collapses in the Moscow region. But it doesn't make sense to buy them. In stores, these are imported products that are harmless, but also tasteless. In the Moscow region, melons are sold near the highways. Buying it is dangerous to health. According to sanitary doctors, the watermelon peel actively absorbs all the toxic elements that quickly penetrate into the pulp. "Pure" berries appear on the shelves just in August.

Helpful advice

How to choose a watermelon?

From watermelons of the same variety and one batch, choose large (it is riper), but not giant.

A ripe watermelon always has a dry tail.

The light spot on the side, which the watermelon lay, should be as yellow as possible, preferably orange.

A ripe watermelon is necessarily covered with a hard, shiny peel (the stripes on it should be contrasting), which is difficult to pierce with a fingernail.

A ripe watermelon always springs under impact, if you knock on it, a clear ringing sound is heard.

Rub the peel and smell: if it smells like freshly cut grass, the watermelon is immature.

Squeeze the berry firmly with your hands - the ripe peel will bend a little.

Watermelons from Astrakhan are a legendary product. This brand has a long history dating back to the 7th-8th centuries. The taste of these watermelons was always so good that in 1660 Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich even issued an imperial decree to deliver striped beauties to the royal table in Moscow. However, the Astrakhan variety and the watermelon grown in the Astrakhan region are not identical concepts. Even striping does not serve as its defining feature, since it is also characteristic of other varieties: the seedless "red king", famous for its large carolina cross size, etc.

Variety Description

The famous Astrakhan watermelon as a separate variety was bred in 1977 through the efforts of the leading breeder of the All-Russian Research Institute of Irrigated Vegetable and Melon Growing K.E. Dyutin. This is a classic spherical or slightly oblong watermelon. The pulp of ripe fruits is bright red, juicy, fragrant, coarse-grained with a characteristic rather sweet taste. During dry periods, voids may appear in the fruits, which do not have any effect on taste.

The peel is smooth with a pattern in the form of alternating dark and light green spiked stripes. Watermelon of this variety must be thick-skinned. The average fruit weight is about 8-10 kg. According to the ripening period, it belongs to the middle-early - from the moment of seed germination, it ripens for 70 - 85 days. Differs in resistance to the majority of diseases, characteristic for gourds, it is convenient and unpretentious in cultivation. It is characterized by high yield, excellent transportability and keeping fruits - they can be stored for up to two and a half months.

What is the harm and benefit

Ripe watermelon is a unique dietary product that has virtually no contraindications for regular use. In fact, 80% of its fruits are water, and the rest contains vegetable fiber, fructose, a small amount of glucose and sucrose, as well as trace elements. Watermelon is characterized by a pronounced diuretic effect, so its pulp is very useful for those suffering from diseases of the joints, heart and blood vessels. Fructose is absorbed in the human body without the cost of insulin, which means that even patients with an insulin-dependent form of diabetes can consume a sweet-tasting fruit.

striped juicy fruits are simply a storehouse of such a trace element as magnesium. With its chronic deficiency, blood pressure rises. It also promotes the binding of oxalates, which prevents the formation of kidney stones, and plays an important role in the processes of bile secretion and deactivation of cholesterol. In addition, magnesium is involved in the normalization of intestinal motility, helps relieve muscle spasms and reduces nervous excitability.

In 100 grams of watermelon pulp, the content of this trace element, which is extremely important for human health, is as much as 224 milligrams. Only almonds can boast of its greater concentration. To satisfy the body's daily need for magnesium, it is enough to eat only 150 grams of a ripe and tasty fruit.

This representative of gourds and potassium is rich. True, its content is lower than in dried apricots, persimmons and bananas, beloved by adherents of many diets. Although if we also consider calorie content, then when eating watermelon, the body will receive three times fewer calories compared to a banana.

However, it should be noted that watermelon is not useful for everyone and not always. It should not be eaten by those suffering from diarrhea and indigestion. It is also contraindicated for those who are prone to edema. Diabetics should also be careful with this delicacy, given its high glycemic index.

In addition, the harm from watermelon may be due to the use in the cultivation of certain chemical substances. Most often they are nitrates. Their use contributes rapid growth and large fruit weight. But at the same time, such substances are stored in the pulp and enter the human body with it, causing either acute poisoning or chronic intoxication due to gradual accumulation.

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Growing features

If, until recently, the combination of the words “growing” and “watermelon” suggested a hot southern climate, today, work on the adaptation and acclimatization of its varieties and the emergence of new hybrids make it possible to grow striped fruits even in Western Siberia, however, only in greenhouses.

In the southern regions of Russia, the Astrakhan variety is grown by planting seeds in open ground. But in the regions of the middle lane and in the Moscow region, the seedling method is used. At the same time, 4-5 weeks before planting on the site, the seeds are kept for a day in a solution of manganese and zinc to protect future sprouts from diseases. Then they are wrapped in cotton cloth or thin paper and placed in water, where they are set aside at a temperature of about +28 ° C until sprouts appear.

After that, they are planted in separate containers filled with peat. When the plants acquire 3 - 4 leaves, you can start planting seedlings. At the same time, a week before planting, the frequency of watering and temperature are gradually reduced. The main requirements for their cultivation in the regions of the middle lane are air warmed up to +21 - 29 ° C, a sunny place and the absence of weeds.

It should be noted that watermelons are quite sensitive to predecessors and do not like to grow after pumpkin, melon, cucumber or cabbage. But for planting after peas, potatoes, beans or corn, they are pretty good. Seedlings are planted in light-textured soil in holes up to 8 cm deep at a distance of about a meter. As representatives of melons, watermelons do not tolerate acidic soils.

Since they require a large amount of heat, the soil between plants should be covered with a 4-5 cm layer of mulch, which increases the temperature of the soil by almost 10 ° C and does not allow it to dry out. Also, during the period of active growth, plants should be fed with potassium-phosphorus mixtures and nitrogen.

The technology for growing watermelons involves weeding, loosening the soil and moderate watering. The remains of vegetation after weeding is immediately removed from the site. Being drought-resistant plants, watermelons are at the same time quite responsive to irrigation. During the period of growth of the main stem and leaves, they need enhanced watering. After the start of fruiting, it is cut back to speed up the ripening of the fruit.

The main pests that can harm watermelon plantings are spider mite, aphids and wireworms. For the prevention and control of them, the most common means is spraying with an infusion of garlic or ash. Such processing should stop one month before the start of harvest. Plants heavily infested with pests must be removed from the site and burned.

What you need to know

Astrakhan watermelon begins to ripen no earlier than August and its collection reaches a peak closer to September. Everything that appears on the shelves before this time, although grown in the Astrakhan region, can be early-ripening Dutch watermelons, and often with the use of chemistry. Therefore, before buying the fruit should be carefully examined. If a small, slightly rotten area with a dot in the center is found, this is a sure sign that saltpeter was injected with a syringe to accelerate growth.

In order to distinguish a ripe good watermelon from a bad one, you should focus on a number of characteristic features. The surface of the fruit should not have a matte coating and, when sunlight is reflected, a glare should be clearly visible on it. A yellow spot on a watermelon or the so-called "piglet" is the place where the fruit touches the ground during growth. If it is small, then he independently ripened in comfortable conditions. A large patch is a sign of a lack of sunlight and heat, such a fruit will be watery and not sweet enough to taste.

The stalk or "tail" of a good watermelon is dried and yellowish. If it is completely dried up, then the fruit has been stored plucked for quite a long period. If the tail is completely removed, then the seller is hiding something and it is better not to take this copy. Also, a ripe watermelon buzzes when patted, and crackles when squeezed with hands.

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There are a huge variety of watermelon varieties, and being able to properly grow a particular variety is not an easy task. This video will help you understand all the nuances.

Astrakhan watermelon- a variety grown throughout Russia, the main advantages of which are unpretentious care and high yields. You can also note the long shelf life of the fruit and its good resistance to transportation even over long distances.

All this makes the southern delicacy one of the most beloved among the population of our country. With proper cultivation and care, Astrakhan watermelon will not only be an excellent decoration for any table, but will also quench your thirst and saturate the body with useful substances.

Astrakhan watermelon is considered medium-early in terms of ripening - the time from seed germination to full maturity is about 80 days. The size of a ripe berry ranges from 8 to 10 kg. He is very thermophilic, he needs a sufficient amount of sunlight. Favorable conditions during cultivation will provide the fruits with juiciness, sweet taste, pleasant color and aroma.

Growing Astrakhan watermelon

Thanks to the adaptation of varieties to different climatic conditions, as well as the breeding of hybrids, it became possible to grow Astrakhan watermelon in any region of Russia.

Growing a striped berry is carried out in two main ways:

reckless;
seedlings.

The first landing option is typical for the southern regions, the second is practiced by farmers in the middle zone and the Moscow region.

With the seedless method, the seeds are sown in open ground, after soaking them in potassium permanganate. Dry seeds immediately begin to sow in the soil. Sprouted ones must be placed in a pocket made of cloth or gauze and poured with warm water. Every day the water should be changed until small sprouts appear. Then you can start sowing.

The seedling method consists in the preliminary germination of seeds. To do this, spread the seeds treated with potassium permanganate on a damp cloth or toilet paper and place them in a tray. In this state, the seeds are kept at a temperature of 25 to 30 ° C.

After the appearance of sprouts, you need to take suitable containers (for example, disposable cups), fill them with humus, sand and turf, or ready-made peat soil. The sowing depth should not exceed 4 cm. Then the seeds are covered with a film and placed in a well-lit and warm place. After the first leaves appear, you can plant seedlings in the ground.

Astrakhan watermelon seeds

You can buy seeds in advance - in winter or early spring. Under appropriate conditions, they are stored for a long time. It is important to prevent moisture from getting on the bags with seeds, and also to avoid their strong overheating.

Before planting dry seeds, they must be soaked in a solution of manganese. To do this, pour warm water and add potassium permanganate to it so that a fairly bright color is obtained. Seeds can be wrapped in gauze and placed in a ready-made solution for 30-40 minutes. Then they are planted in the ground.

Germination of seeds does not require much effort. We place them in a cloth or gauze moistened with water and put them in a specially prepared container. We change the water once a day or as the fabric dries. At this stage, it is important to observe the thermal regime: 30 ° C during the day and not lower than 20 ° C at night. As soon as the first shoots appear, you can start planting.

Today you can buy seedlings of the Astrakhan variety of watermelons on the market or in specialized stores. The main thing is to correctly calculate the timing of seed germination and the time of planting seedlings in open ground. The ideal time for planting is the end of May, when the earth has warmed up enough with the sun's rays and there are no frosts at night. Harvesting takes place in August and September.

Reviews about Astrakhan watermelon

Due to the resistance to the development of diseases inherent in gourds, Astrakhan watermelon has become one of the most beloved varieties in all regions of Russia. Farmers and gardeners note its unpretentiousness in cultivation, long shelf life and good transportability. This variety does not require special care and additional fertilizers and expensive fertilizers. Seeds are inexpensive and sold in any city. Properly grown ripe fruits are in good demand in the market, so many summer residents plant watermelons for sale.

Reviews of the Astrakhan watermelon indicate that most consumers prefer this particular variety. The main advantage is its juicy, fragrant, sweet and tender flesh. In the hot season, watermelon juice perfectly quenches thirst and is a dietary product. It is consumed fresh and pickled. There are many recipes using this product.

In addition to excellent taste, buyers also note beneficial properties for the body. In their opinion, Astrakhan watermelon helps to lower blood pressure, and also helps to get rid of edema. Some claim that watermelons can boost your mood and improve your overall health.

Planting, care and collection are not particularly difficult. This is within the power of even a novice summer resident. Do-it-yourself Astrakhan watermelon will not only be a wonderful table decoration, but also a source of vitamins and useful trace elements. This surprisingly large striped berry will appeal to all family members.

The famous Astrakhan watermelon was bred as a separate variety in 1977. It has a classic spherical or slightly oblong shape, bright red fragrant, very juicy and sweet, coarse-grained flesh. Smooth thick skin striped. The average fruit weight is 8-10 kilograms. In the article we will talk about the watermelon of the Astrakhan variety, when it ripens, we will give feedback and recommendations on planting, care, and cultivation.

Astrakhan watermelon is one of the largest varieties of this plant, which has a special taste, color and size.

Description of the Astrakhan variety watermelon

The main characteristics of the variety are presented in the table:

Parameters	Description
Ripening period	mid-late
Time from germination to technical maturity	70-85 days
Taste	a great
Marketable condition	excellent
Disease resistance	Immunity to anthracnose, fusarium, most diseases characteristic of melons
Month of sowing	May
Seeding scheme	90x50
Density	1 m between rows, 50 cm between plants
Seeding depth	4 cm
Cleaning	Aug. Sept
Advantages	Excellent keeping quality, good transportability, unpretentiousness in cultivation and care
yield	The variety is high yielding. Total yield 120 t/ha

Features of growing watermelon variety Astrakhan

In the southern regions of Russia, this variety is grown with seeds in open ground. In the regions of the middle zone and the Moscow region, the seedling method is used mainly. 4-5 weeks before planting, the seeds are kept in a solution of manganese and zinc for a day to protect future sprouts from diseases. Then they need to be wrapped in thin paper or cotton cloth and placed in water. There, at a temperature of +28 degrees, they will be left until the sprouts hatch.

Then they are planted in separate containers filled with peat. When the plants have 3-4 leaves, seedlings can be planted in open ground. At the same time, a week before planting, the temperature and frequency of watering are gradually reduced. The main requirements for growing watermelons in the Moscow region and the middle lane are air warmed up to + 21-29 degrees, no weeds and a sunny place. Read also the article: → "Features of growing watermelons in the Moscow region."

Astrakhan watermelon became famous precisely because of its dimensions, unlike most varieties, its fruits are very large.

Watermelons are very sensitive to predecessors. They do not grow well in the place where they used to grow pumpkin, melon, cucumbers, cabbage. And it's good - where potatoes, beans, peas, corn grew. The soil for seedlings should be light in texture. Seedlings are placed in holes at a distance of a meter, to a depth of 8 cm. Watermelons, like all other gourds, do not like acidic soils.

Since watermelons need a lot of heat, the soil between the plants is covered with a 4-5 cm layer of mulch - this increases the temperature of the earth by almost 10 degrees and prevents it from drying out. During active growth, plants are fed with nitrogen and potassium-phosphorus mixtures. Read also the article: → “Mineral and organic fertilizers for watermelons: feeding scheme.

The technology of growing the Astrakhan variety of watermelon provides for weeding, loosening, and moderate watering. Plant residues after weeding should be immediately removed from the site. Watermelons are drought tolerant but very well irrigated. When the main stem and leaves grow, the plants need to be watered heavily.

Tip #1 When fruiting begins, watering is reduced - so the fruits will ripen faster.

According to the type of Astrakhan watermelon, breeders bred the Rapid variety, which ripens in 58-60 days, and the Photon F1 hybrid, which ripens in 65 days. Both of these types of watermelons are high-yielding, very tasty. They have a keeping quality of 2-3 weeks, but are well transported. Fusarium resistant.

How to care for Astrakhan watermelon

Watermelon seedlings are planted in late May - early June. The plot for watermelons should be well warmed up, protected from the wind, illuminated by the sun. It is advisable to arrange beds for watermelons in the south or southeast side. Good predecessors of watermelons are alfalfa, sweet clover, sainfoin, winter wheat, onions, annual legumes. Artificial pollination is very effective. It should be done in the morning, at a temperature not higher than + 18-20 degrees.

Tip #2 To accelerate the growth of lashes, they are pinched in such a way that there are no more than 3-5 leaves above the watermelons. Deformed and weak shoots are completely removed.

There should be no more than five ovaries on one plant. The first top dressing is applied to watering grooves located at a distance of 0.25 meters from the plants after the length of the lashes reaches 35-40 cm. During this period of plant development, liquid chicken manure diluted in a ratio of 1:20 or a solution based on mullein (1:10). The second dressing is applied before the stage of active budding. The third - after the formation of the ovaries. Each top dressing is supplemented with abundant watering. Read also the article: → "Rules for the care of watermelons in the open field and in the greenhouse."

In the photo you can roughly imagine what Astrakhan watermelon is in size.

How to grow a watermelon in the suburbs

To extend the life of watermelons, in the Moscow region it is better to grow them through seedlings. The best results are obtained when planting watermelon seedlings at the age of 25-30 days. If you plan to plant seedlings under temporary shelters, then this should be done in the second half of May. If you want to immediately plant seedlings in open ground, which is very risky in the Moscow region, especially if the spring is cold, then this should be done in early June.

Shoots of watermelons hatch 5-6 days after sowing, and it takes the same amount of time for a sprout to appear from a seed, we conclude: in order to observe the optimal timing, a run in time of 35 days is necessary. This means that seed preparation should begin in early April, if temporary shelters are provided for seedlings. If you plan to grow a crop only in open ground, then postpone the processing and sowing of seeds until April 25. At the same time, one should not forget that the Moscow region cannot boast of a warm climate.

But the problem is not hopeless. If you follow some recommendations, you can achieve good results.

In the spring, you need to warm up the bed. In order for the snow to melt faster and the earth begin to thaw, scatter the ashes over the area in March. And in April, pour the beds with very warm water and cover with a film. By May, the soil should warm up so that the plants can develop normally in it.
The seedless method may even be preferable, since experienced gardeners noticed: watermelon seedlings are much more sensitive to a lack of light than to a lack of heat. At home, it quickly stretches, and the seeds sown in open ground on May 2 germinate together and rapidly, and the plants from them then develop better and faster than from seedlings.
Cover the bed with foil. This will quickly warm up the soil. The roots of watermelons require a temperature of about +30 degrees. And by the time the really hot days come, the bed will already be completely covered with leaves that will absorb excess solar energy, so overheating will not happen. In addition, covering the bed with a film is a method of weed control. And, in the end, it will keep the soil moist.
Remove cover from bushes as soon as possible. For plants, not only heat, nutrition, water are important, but also the direct rays of the sun and air. Most likely, only in May and the first week of June will need shelter with a film. The foliage of watermelons is tough and strong, so it is unlikely to be damaged by a short-term cold snap. The main thing is to keep the roots warm.

What you need to know when choosing Astrakhan watermelon

Astrakhan watermelon begins to ripen in August, and the harvest reaches its peak closer to September. Those watermelons that appear on the shelves earlier are most likely early Dutch hybrids, often grown using chemistry. When examining such watermelons, you can find a slightly rotten area with a dot - this is a symptom of the fact that saltpeter was injected with a syringe to accelerate growth.

On the surface of a real Astrakhan watermelon there should not be a matte coating, and a glare should be visible on it when sunlight is reflected. The yellow spot on the fruit is the place where the watermelon touches the ground. If it is small, then the watermelon ripened in good conditions on its own. A large spot indicates a lack of sunlight and heat.

A similar watermelon is watery and not sweet enough. The “tail” of a good watermelon is yellowish and dried. If it has completely dried out, it means that the watermelon has been kept plucked for a long time. If there is no "tail" at all, then it is better not to buy such a watermelon. When patted, a ripe watermelon buzzes and crackles when squeezed with hands.

This is how the first ovaries of the Astrakhan watermelon look in close-up.

Diseases and pests of the Astrakhan watermelon

Among the diseases that affect watermelons, most often it is bacteriosis and powdery mildew. With the latter disease, stems and leaves suffer: they turn yellow and die. If the disease progresses, the fetuses suffer. With bacteriosis, the leaves protrude brown spots, which eventually extend to watermelons. In the fight against these diseases, mullein infusion diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 3 or fungicides will help: Bordeaux mixture, Skor, Fundazol, Decis.

Mistakes when growing watermelons

Growing watermelons is a complex process. Even if all conditions are met, there is no guarantee that watermelons will grow large and tasty. It would seem that gardeners choose the most sunny areas for planting watermelons, water them very carefully, weed them. And as a result, small and sour fruits are obtained. Why?

Watermelons grow small if they are grown on black earth soil. It is rich in nitrogen, which nourishes mainly the leaves. And there are not enough minerals for the growth of fruits.
Experienced gardeners recommend planting watermelons not with seeds, but with seedlings. In this case, the likelihood of getting larger fruits increases. Care must be taken to ensure that the watermelons are located freely and do not interfere with each other's growth.
As the fruits ripen, they must be turned over. Otherwise, moisture from the rains will accumulate under them, and they will begin to rot. In addition, ants will eat them. Anthills that appear near watermelons must be destroyed immediately.
Make sure that the garden is well fenced - birds may appear on the site that can peck watermelons.

Unfortunately, not every climate is ideal for growing and propagating this plant.

Answers to questions about growing watermelons

Question number 1. Is it possible different varieties plant watermelons together?

Question number 2. How to properly plant watermelon seedlings in the Moscow region?

In this region, it is better to plant seedlings in a greenhouse. Not earlier than mid-April. Care for seedlings in the same way as for cucumber or pumpkin. If your seedlings will continue to grow in the greenhouse, then it is better to tie up the lashes vertically. The ovaries, in the process of how they will gain weight, will also need to be tied up, having previously packed them into a supporting mesh.

Question number 3. How to plant a watermelon on a pumpkin?

Cucumbers and melons are usually grafted onto pumpkins. It makes no sense to graft a watermelon that already has a good, disease-resistant root system. However, I would like to talk about one method of vaccination - rapprochement. It is necessary to cut the stem of the watermelon and pumpkin in half and tie them tightly, wrapping them with polyethylene. When they grow together, you should cut the stem of the watermelon from below, and the stem of the pumpkin from above.

Question number 4. Why did I only have one watermelon from a bush?

In watermelons, female flowers appear en masse on lateral shoots. Therefore, as soon as three to five true leaves appear, the central shoot must be pinched. In the middle lane and in the Moscow region, it is generally desirable to leave no more than three fruits on the whip so that they have time to ripen. To this end, after setting the fruit, it is necessary to pinch the side shoots, and cut the rest so that they do not waste food. Watering watermelons is necessary only before fruit set. Then reduce watering to a minimum or eliminate it altogether if it is very hot.

Astrakhan watermelons are a legendary variety that is grown throughout Russia. It is valued for its unpretentiousness, high yield and excellent taste characteristics. In addition, the berries of the variety are very long-lived and can be transported over long distances, which was appreciated by many farmers.

Variety Description

The variety of Astrakhan watermelons was bred in 1977 by K.E. Dyutin. These watermelons have an even spherical shape. When ripe, their flesh is bright red, it has excellent taste characteristics. In dry years, watermelons of this variety are prone to the formation of voids, which in no way affect their taste.

The peel of the Astrakhan watermelon is smooth, with a characteristic pattern of alternating dark and light green stripes with uneven edges. Distinctive feature of this variety is obligatory thick-bore.

The average weight of these berries can be about 8 kg. According to the ripening period, Astrakhan watermelon belongs to the group of medium-early, from the moment the sprouts appear to the onset of maturity, it takes from 70 to 85 days.

This variety also has increased resistance to most diseases characteristic of gourds, and its fruits after harvest can be stored for up to 2 months without losing their qualities.

Seeding technology

Until recently, it was believed that a good harvest of watermelons can only be obtained in the southern regions of our country, but this belief is fundamentally wrong. With the advent of new varieties and hybrids, the geography of cultivation of watermelons has expanded significantly.

There are two main ways to grow watermelons: seedling and seedless. The first is used in the middle lane with late spring and return frosts, and the second in the south.

Astrakhan watermelon: cultivation (video)

seedless way

With this method, watermelon seeds are sown directly into the ground. Before sowing, they must be disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate in a rich pink color. They are kept in it for about half an hour, and then washed.

You can sow in the ground with dry or germinated seeds. In the first case, sowing begins immediately after seed treatment. In the second, the treated seeds are placed in a bag of thin fabric and poured with warm water. Water must be changed daily until sprouts appear. After that, you can start sowing.

seedling method

With the seedling method of growing, the seeds are also pre-etched in a solution of potassium permanganate. To improve germination, germination stimulants, for example, Epin, can also be added to it. Next, the seeds must be germinated. To do this, they are laid out on a tray, on the bottom of which several layers are placed. toilet paper or cloth and moistened with warm water. A container with soaked seeds is placed in a place with a temperature of about 28-30°C. In this case, be sure to ensure that they do not dry out.

If all conditions are met, after 5-6 days the seeds will hatch, and it will be possible to start sowing. For sowing, you can use any plastic cups or cassettes. They are filled with a mixture consisting of equal parts of humus, sand and soddy soil, or they use ready-made peat soil intended for growing seedlings.

Seeds are planted to a depth of no more than 3-4 cm. They can be sown one at a time in a cup or cell, or 3. Further, to maintain moisture, it is recommended to cover the crops with a film, which must be removed immediately as soon as shoots begin to appear.

After sowing, the planting containers are placed in the warmest and brightest place, where they contain until 3-4 true leaves appear. Care for them at this stage is timely watering.

The most important thing when growing seedlings of watermelons is to maintain the correct temperature regime. It is not more than 25° in the daytime and not lower than 16° at night. If you do not adhere to the required temperatures, the seedlings will stretch very quickly.

At the time of planting seedlings in the ground, its age should be about a month. Knowing this, it is not difficult to calculate the approximate sowing dates, in the middle lane it will be the first half of April, since the earth will warm up sufficiently only by mid-May. Also, a week before planting, seedlings must be hardened off. To do this, they take it out to the balcony or veranda for a day.

Landing in the ground

Light and loose soils are best suited for planting watermelons. Also, this culture does not like to grow after cucumbers or pumpkins, but it treats peas and beans well. It is advisable to prepare areas for planting watermelons in the fall. To do this, humus is introduced under digging in the fall.

Further, holes are made in the ground at a distance of 1 meter from each other. Watermelons love space and, if planted too tightly, grow large fruits will not work. Each hole contains 2 or 3 plants. disembarkation watermelon seedlings carried out together with a clod of earth from a container, the roots of young plants are very sensitive, so you need to be very careful. Bushes of watermelons are buried in the soil to the level of cotyledon leaves.

Care rules

Caring for watermelons consists in regular watering, loosening, weeding. This culture is very responsive to watering and top dressing. But at the same time, it is necessary to take into account the fact that all top dressing is carried out at the beginning of the growing season. The first time they are carried out after the young plants began to produce whips. To do this, you can use mullein infusion and superphosphate. The second - during the formation of ovaries, while using a group of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

Watering watermelons should not be frequent, but plentiful. These plants have a very long tap root, which extracts moisture very well even from great depths. By the time the fruits ripen, watering is stopped to speed up their filling.

Pests and diseases

Of the diseases, the culture of watermelon is most often affected by powdery mildew and bacteriosis. With powdery mildew, leaves and stems suffer, which first turn yellow and then die. With a strong progression of the disease, even the fruits themselves suffer. To fight powdery mildew use an infusion of mullein, which is diluted in a ratio of 1: 3 or special fungicidal preparations.

With bacteriosis, brown spots appear on the leaves of watermelons, which, with the further development of the disease, spread to the fruits. To combat this disease, Bordeaux liquid or copper-based fungicidal preparations are used.

Harvesting

The peak of Astrakhan watermelon ripening falls on August and September. They are harvested as they mature. The fruit from each bush will have to be removed at several times. For collection, it is best to use a pruner or knife, which carefully cuts off the stem of the plant. If it is simply torn off, then there is a very high probability of damage to the fruits, after which they will quickly rot.

A sign of the ripeness of watermelons is the dried stalk and antennae. The crust of such berries looks even and shiny, and the side on which the watermelon lay on the ground acquires yellow. It is best to harvest fruits in dry and clear weather.

How to plant a watermelon (video)

Growing watermelons of the Astrakhan variety is not particularly difficult, even a novice gardener can handle it. And grown with your own hands, these striped berries will become a real delicacy for all family members.

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Surprisingly, it is with watermelons that many fears and speculations are associated with buyers. "Komsomolskaya Pravda" tried to dispel most of the myths.

Myth one: Astrakhan and Volgograd watermelons are very different

If earlier selection was done a lot and productively, now this area is going through difficult times. So farmers in the Volgograd and Astrakhan regions plant the same early varieties- hybrids purchased in Europe. They can differ only in the conditions in which they grew. This year, the weather for neighbors in Astrakhan, which we have, was very unfavorable for watermelons. First cold, then hot over 50, now it's raining. So the harvest of melons (as well as vegetables) is poor and an order of magnitude lower than last year. Less sun also affected the quality of the product - the taste is not so rich and bright.

Myth two: early varieties are dangerous to health

This is not true.

Early varieties are all hybrids. They are grown under drip irrigation. Their maturation rate is faster than that of pure varieties. But this does not affect the safety of products. Moreover, the majority of melon growers receive certificates of conformity for their products. Samples are handed over to the laboratory for research on several parameters, including nitrates, - told KP-Volgograd melon grower Yevgeny Morozov from the Bykovsky district. - So the certificate gives a guarantee. Also, with a check, they can come from Rospotrebnadzor and Rosselkhoznadzor.

Myth three: watermelons are easy to get poisoned

No more than other products. The danger is not even the pulp. The fact is that many do not wash the watermelon before cutting it. And this is a must. Watermelons are treated with pesticides every week. Therefore, a dangerous composition may be in your plate. So wash the "minke whale" thoroughly before serving.

Myth four: Bykovsky watermelons are the sweetest

Unfortunately, Bykovsky watermelons have not been in nature for a long time, farmer Evgeny Morozov upsets us. - There are, of course, watermelons grown on Bykovo land. But even the famous "Chill" is no longer "Chill". After all, in order to maintain the purity of the variety, you need breeding work. And it hasn't been given much attention in the last couple of decades.

Myth five: the price depends on the crop

The price depends on the resellers. When the harvest is poor, it is they who raise the price.

In mid-July, I gave watermelons for 4 rubles per kilogram, now I rent for six, - says farmer Stanislav Khan. In stores and markets, they are three to five times more expensive. So this year we will not beat off even the cost price. Although the demand for products is good, I have a queue of customers. But they still won't raise the price.