How to plant and grow watermelons correctly. Planting watermelon seedlings and caring for them in open ground

And open ground is not associated with great difficulties. Some summer residents refuse to plant melons, considering it inappropriate to occupy a large area of land. Meanwhile, these cultures get along well together and give excellent harvest subject to certain rules. On a compact garden plot no need to retract separate place for melons and watermelons, you can plant them side by side and enjoy the juicy sweet fruits.

Seed treatment before planting

Seed material is planted in peat forms at the end of April. Before sowing, it is advisable to warm the seeds well indoors or near a heating device. It is also recommended to soak them in warm water and disinfect in one of the solutions:

a hydrogen peroxide solution is prepared at the rate of 10 tablets per liter of water;
a weak solution of manganese or boron 0.05% concentration;
“Epin extra”, the stimulant is diluted as follows: 6 drops of dietary supplement per 100 ml of water;
“Zircon” solution is prepared at the rate of 2-4 drops of liquid per liter of water.

Treatment with biostimulants will not only destroy pathogens, but will also allow plants to adapt to temperature disasters, and also increases crop yields. Soaking is done in a cotton bag, which is immersed in heated (about 60°) water, the liquid is allowed to drain and left for a day. During this time, the seeds should swell and crack slightly. If this does not happen, there is no point in planting them in the ground: the crop will be weak. When planting, place 2 seeds in each mold; in the future, this will allow you to remove the weaker branch.

Simultaneous soaking and heating of seeds is better preparation to the seedlings. Water melons only with water room temperature, at the same time you need to make sure that it does not irrigate the leaves. Seedling melons quite capricious and requires good lighting, warmth and careful watering.

Special soil is sold in stores, but you can prepare it yourself. To do this, add Kemira universal mineral fertilizer to suitable soil. For each pot, 1 teaspoon is enough, then mix the soil well. The seeds are buried to a depth of 2-3 cm and watered. At favorable conditions the first shoots appear on the 5th–6th day, and after a week you can see the first leaf.

Planting of melons in covered ground is carried out at the end of May. By this time, the soil will have warmed up enough, and frosts will not damage the root system. It is recommended to harden off young plants first; to do this, they are taken outside at a temperature of 13-15 degrees or the air in the room is cooled to these numbers. The best age of seedlings for planting is approximately 25-30 days.

The soil is tightened before planting plastic film, in which holes are cut for peat containers. This allows not only to protect heat-loving crops from low temperatures, but also increases productivity. Additional fertilizers are added to the holes: humus, ash or mineral additives. The nutritional components are covered with a layer of earth on top.

The greenhouse should maintain optimal temperature and light conditions. The temperature during the day should be 20-25°, and at night – 15-18°. Water moderately and infrequently warm water. To prevent condensation from occurring, the greenhouse must be ventilated periodically. Watermelons and melons are quite sensitive to excess moisture, their seedlings can rot, and the fruits themselves grow watery and tasteless. If it gets cold outside, you should cover the soil and young shoots with film, cotton cloth or paper.

At the time of planting melons in the greenhouse, you can have time to harvest young cabbage, early radishes and greens. This will not only additionally warm the soil, but also save space.

Boarding order

Landing scheme in open ground next. The distance between plants should be 40-50 cm for watermelons and 50-60 cm for melons. When grown together in a greenhouse, watermelons and melons are planted in a checkerboard pattern. Peat containers are buried shallowly in the ground; there should be a gap of about 3 cm between the leaves and the ground. This trick will further protect the plant from disease and rotting.

When planting, the pattern and distance between rows are taken into account. Usually it is recommended to plant in 2 rows, between which a 50 cm wide piece of land is left. Next landing melons are planted in the ground at a distance of 80 cm from the first rows.

Caring for melons in a greenhouse

Caring for watermelons and melons is not particularly difficult and is not too labor-intensive. Young shoots can be covered with trimmed plastic bottles, this protective frame allows you to increase your yield. As the plant grows, the bottle is removed or replaced with a higher shelter. When the stem has grown sufficiently in length, it is attached to a special support - a trellis; you can tie the top with a thread to the ceiling of the greenhouse. Heavy fruits are placed in nets, carton boxes. The main thing is that they do not come into contact with the ground.

7-10 days after planting, you can feed with nitrogen fertilizer - urea or saltpeter; for this, 20 grams of the substance are diluted in 10 liters of water.

Caring for melons consists of loosening the soil, watering and fertilizing. It is necessary to ensure that after planting, no weeds appear between the sprouts. Water young plants once a week, then it is allowed to do this twice a month.

Watermelons and melons are drought-resistant crops; they germinate in southern regions where there is no rain. long time considered normal. When the first fruits appear, watering is stopped. You should irrigate melons carefully, making sure that water does not get on the root part of the stem. Otherwise, the crop may be damaged by rot.

Every 2-3 weeks the soil should be fertilized with mullein infusion and minerals. During feeding, you can add a small handful of ash into each hole.

Artificial pollination is carried out in a greenhouse male flower, it is defined by its impressive size. The flower is picked and applied to the female flowers. Before pollination, you should not water the crop so that excess moisture does not affect the quality of the pollen. Many gardeners attract bees to pollinate: they open the doors of the greenhouse and place saucers with sugar syrup.

Plant Formation

As they grow, the stems are spread in different directions. Later they are tied to wooden or metal trellises.

To get a good harvest, you need to follow the rules.

On melons, the apical part of the stem is docked. This procedure will be sufficient for early ripening varieties. Late-ripening melon varieties are cropped differently. In addition to removing the top, the side parts are also inspected, their thickness and thickness are assessed. Young lashes are removed, leaving 3-4 strong branches.
You'll have to tinker with watermelons. This crop is grown in one stem; it is selected based on the presence of shoots in the leaf axils. The stems on which the ovary is missing are removed, the rest are pinched. When the crop grows beyond the size of the trellis, the apical vine is pinched again at the level of the 4th–5th leaf.

Features of growing in open ground

Before planting plants in open ground, you should decide on the location. Watermelons and melons prefer to grow on slightly elevated, flat areas that are well warmed up and illuminated by sunlight. Here they grow better, bear fruit abundantly and ripen early.

Care is carried out by loosening the soil, removing weeds and extra lashes. During the growth process, several inter-row soil treatments are carried out. The first - when young leaves appear, to a depth of 6-8 cm, the second - when 5-6 true leaves appear; loosening can be combined with fertilizing.

Watermelons and melons are harvested as they ripen. The ripeness of watermelons is determined by the drying of the tendrils in the axils of the leaves, the disappearance of dullness and the appearance of shine, and the lightening of the skin of the fruit. When you tap a watermelon, it makes a dull sound, but to distinguish it you need to have practical skills.

The ripeness of a melon is determined by the dried stalk.

Are melons compatible?

Is it possible to plant watermelons and melons side by side? These crops consume similar chemical substances and require approximately the same processing methods. If you plant them side by side, this will greatly simplify the care procedures: watering, gartering, feeding. However, melons greatly deplete the soil, and they can only be planted in the same place after several years. To prevent this, watermelons and melons should be regularly fed with mineral fertilizers.

Collect seeds from watermelons and melons when they are joint landing not recommended because cross-pollination occurs. The result of such a hybrid may not be entirely pleasant to the taste.

If you own a large plot of land, it is better to plant these crops in open ground in different places in the garden. If the plot is small, then they can be planted side by side, nothing bad will happen. The proximity of melons to each other will not affect the yield.

A cucumber the size of a donkey. This is how the Persian word xarbuza is translated. It was this that became the basis for the Russian name for watermelon. The Russians borrowed not only the word, but also the wisdom of growing berries.

The first domestic samples were obtained in the 17th century. The Astrakhan region became the springboard for selection. They developed their own variety. The criteria for selecting berries for it are their size, sweetness and resistance to drought.

Astrakhan watermelons are famous to this day. But others also appeared. Now dozens of varieties are grown in central Russia. Among them: Ogonyok, Leader, Chill, Yarilo, Sweet Krinson. So, there is a reason to find out...

How to plant watermelons correctly

Planting watermelons begins with seeds. Taking into account the Russian climate, it is better to use seedlings. In a short season, the plant must not only grow, but also bear fruit.

So that they have time to ripen, with the onset of warm weather, not seeds, but already grown bushes are placed in the ground. They are creeping, like those of cucumbers and pumpkins. By the way, the family to which the watermelon belongs is called Pumpkin.

To a question, how to plant watermelon seedlings, it’s worth approaching with gauze and cotton wool. They are needed for seed germination. First, they are placed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Its color should be more yellowish than pink.

Manganese will act as disinfectant in case of infection seed material. 20-30 minutes and you can lay the seeds on a “cushion” of damp cotton wool covered with a bandage.

The same “blanket” is located on top. After abundant watering of the workpiece, it is left for 3-4 days. During this time, the gauze should not dry out. The result will be the appearance of roots. The seeds are ready to be planted in the ground.

Small containers are filled with soil. It is convenient to use plastic glasses. It is important to make holes in their bottom for water drainage. As for the substrate, it is made up of 50% purchased land, 50% garden land. Both need to be disinfected. A couple of minutes is enough microwave oven. Wood ash is added to the mixture as a top dressing.

The soil substrate is laid almost to the edges of the cups. The soil will be compacted after abundant watering. Excess will flow out through the drainage holes.

One common tray for all cups is enough. A 2-centimeter depression is made in the middle of each. The seed is lowered into the hole with the root down, sprinkled with substrate, and watered. All that remains is to put the glasses in a warm place, sunny place and wait for shoots.

Seedlings with 4-6 leaves are considered suitable for planting in the ground. The greenery of neighboring plants should not touch. As the watermelons grow, the cups are moved apart.

When the sheets come into contact, the development of seedlings slows down. Watering with cool water also has a negative effect. Use only warm. If the conditions are met, the seedlings will have 4-6 leaves a month after planting.

When to plant watermelons

Based on the monthly development cycle of watermelon seedlings, you can calculate the time of planting and moving the plants into open ground. Focus on the climate of the region.

If the possibility of frosts and low temperatures is excluded only by June, the seeds are planted in early May. If positive indicators are stable already in April, the process begins in March.

When to plant watermelon seedlings prompts and moon calendar. It is compiled taking into account the dependence of plants, their development, on the phases of the night star. In 2016, melons from the Pumpkin family are recommended to be sown between May 16 and May 20. Conditionally favorable days named 5th, 6th. 8th, 9th and 10th. In March, the “segment” from the 24th to the 29th is suitable.

Question, when to plant watermelons in the ground, refusing seedlings, depends only on weather conditions. Suitable, for example, are the same days from the 16th to the 20th of May. In the southern regions there is no longer a risk of low temperatures by this time.

Taking into account the warm autumn, melons have time to grow and produce crops even under open air. Sometimes even in Siberia they refuse seedlings. But there the seeds are grown in greenhouses, selecting early ripening varieties of watermelons.

How to choose a watermelon variety for planting

In question, like a greenhouse, there is important nuance– only one variety of berry should be used. This eliminates cross-pollination of plants. If this happens, the harvest will be of poor quality.

In cold regions, early ripening varieties with small fruits are chosen. Large berries do not have time to ripen. “Suga baby” is considered the fastest ripening. From the name it is clear that the plant produces small fruits. Their weight is no more than 4.5 kilograms. The skin of the berries is dark green and the stripes are almost black.

Early ripening varieties include “Ogonyok”, “Skorik” and “Leader”. From the first shoots to harvest, 70-80 days pass. “Gift of the Sun” matures even faster. But this watermelon has a yellow rind. The flesh remains red. It is soft-grained and sweet. The size of the berries is 3-4 kilograms.

How long does it take for watermelons to ripen? mid-season group? From 90 to 110 days. Late-ripening varieties are not suitable for any of the regions of Russia. The mid-season includes, for example, “Sugar Baby”. The harvest is harvested 13 weeks after planting.

Berries are good for pickling. This is another nuance of choosing a variety. Some watermelons are intended to be eaten fresh, others are used for marinades. By the way, historically Russians prefer the latter option. Watermelons were brought into the country in salted form.

In the 17th century, transportation took many months. Fresh berries were not ready for the royal table and spoiled. So the merchants brought pickles. Having learned to grow watermelons themselves, our ancestors did not perceive them in fresh form for a long time.

How to care for watermelon plantings

Deciding how to plant watermelons in open ground, or a greenhouse, it is important to consider the area of the site. Plants are creeping. The berries should lie on the ground, so no garter is done. For free development, one bush needs a large area.

Leave at least half a meter between the rows of watermelons. 70 centimeters are ideal. Between the bushes you need a meter-long reserve. But, there are varieties with compact, not too long stems. When planting them, 50 centimeters is enough.

At what distance should watermelons be planted from each other? found out. Now, let's study the issue of bush formation. Seedlings have several creeping shoots.

You only need to leave one, the most powerful one, with side branches. Stopping the remaining shoots will allow the plant not to waste energy on them. All the energy will be spent on the development of the main trunk and the berries on it.

Watermelons are demanding on soil. We need fertile lands. Fertilizers will help make them so. Melons need both mineral mixtures and organic matter. The latter is suitable for mullein and chicken droppings.

Superphosphate is first taken from mineral mixtures. It is applied immediately after transplanting the sprouts into open ground. By the time the ovaries form, watermelons are already given phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

They work with melons carefully. It is not recommended, for example, to walk between the rows too much. Watermelons are vulnerable root system. Her weakness– branching. The roots are underfoot, damaged, and the plantings suffer.

They also suffer from lack of moisture. In hot weather, abundant watering is required 3-4 times a week. Berries are 95% water. Even the bodies of jellyfish are only 92% aquatic. If there is not enough moisture, there will be no tasty, sweet fruits.

First you need to clearly understand that in order to grow a high-quality watermelon in open ground, you need the same high-quality planting material, so buy seeds from places you have trusted. If your personal plot is closer to the south of Russia, then watermelons can be grown in open ground, otherwise, most likely, you cannot do without a greenhouse.

Place and soil

This should be a very sunny place with deep water, since watermelon does not tolerate excess moisture. The soil is preferably sandy loam or sandy, light, since the berries gain juiciness from the root system, which penetrates deep into the ground. In heavy soil, the root system of a watermelon is not able to develop fully, but deep loosening of it will improve the situation slightly. pH 6.5-7.0. Pay attention to the presence, watermelon really doesn’t like them.

It’s good if the predecessor of watermelons was alfalfa or winter wheat. It is impossible to grow watermelons after any melons or nightshades.

In autumn, the ground is fertilized with rotted manure (4-5 kg per 1 sq.m.). Fresh manure makes the plant vulnerable to fungal diseases.

Preparation of watermelon seeds and sowing in open ground (seedless method of growing watermelons in open ground)

Before sowing in open ground, watermelon seeds need to be heated in the sun (directly in a bag) for 10 days, so that their temperature reaches 55°C, if the seeds are wet, then up to 30°C. Then fill them with water and leave for 30 minutes. Those watermelon seeds that float will have to be thrown away; they are not suitable for sowing. Next, fill in hot water(50-60°C), when the water has cooled, drain it and soak until biting. If it is not possible to ignite the seeds in the sun, then from February the seed is stored near the radiator. 3 days before the intended sowing in the morning, prepare an ash solution (1 part ash to 2 parts water), stir for 12 hours. On the same day in the evening, dip the seeds for 15-20 minutes in a dark solution of potassium permanganate, rinse and dip them in the prepared ash solution overnight. The next morning, take it out and dry it.

Watermelon seeds can be sown from the end of April until mid-June, it all depends on weather conditions and by what time you want to get the harvest. Focus on soil temperature (16°C).

Sow watermelon seeds to a depth of 6-8 cm at the rate of 10 seeds per linear meter, let them be planted more densely, because it is not a fact that all the seeds will sprout. To obtain large watermelons, fresh seeds are usually used for sowing, since old seeds will produce small watermelons with a large number of flower ovaries on one plant. After sowing, water the soil with warm water. The first shoots should appear a week after sowing. When the 5th leaf appears, hill up the plants, carefully loosening the soil. Remember that warmth and lack of rain are important for watermelons, so shelter should always be at hand. Sometimes, when the fruit reaches 10 cm in diameter, the main vine is pinched and all side shoots are removed, then the plant spends all its energy on developing the main ovary.

Growing watermelon seedlings for open ground

It is not difficult to grow watermelons in open ground using the seedling method. To grow watermelon seedlings, use peat-humus pots; this is very convenient because when transplanting, the seedlings are not removed from them, they are planted directly into the holes, which means they do not damage the vulnerable root system. If you use plastic cups, then the seedlings are removed with a clod of earth, doing this with extreme caution, without damaging the roots. At the end of April, pour 2/3 of the soil mixture of peat, humus and turf soil into peat-humus pots (each seed has its own pot) in a ratio of 2:1:1. Soak the seeds in warm water (up to 50°C) for 10 minutes. Now deepen one watermelon seed by 1 cm. As the seedling grows, add soil mixture and monitor the room temperature (25-30°). When the first true leaf appears, complex mineral fertilizer is applied, and after 2 weeks the feeding is repeated. When you notice that the leaves of the watermelon seedlings have begun to touch each other, move the pots apart. Watermelon seedlings will be ready for planting in open ground at the age of 30 days, at which point the plant should have about 5 true leaves. A week before transplanting watermelon seedlings into open ground, harden the plants (lower the temperature to 17°C during the day and 12-15°C at night.

Immediately before planting the seedlings, the soil is fertilized; about 2 kg of compost is added to each hole with abundant watering. Watermelon seedlings are planted in open ground in holes on the ridges according to the 140x70 or 140x140 pattern, deepening 8-10 cm in the resulting slurry, but so that the root collar is 1-2 cm above the surface of the ridge. If you plant 2 plants in one hole, so that they do not touch each other, straighten the lashes in different directions. Fill the holes with dry soil, then a crust will not form.

In central Russia, choose varieties of watermelons for growing in open ground with the earliest ripening period and medium-sized sizes.

Caring for watermelons in the open ground

Watering is very moderate, especially during the ripening period, reduce it to a minimum. 14 days after planting watermelons in a permanent place, apply the solution ammonium nitrate(per bucket of water 20 g of the drug based on 1 bush 2 liters of solution). During the budding period, fertilizing is repeated.

Only 2-6 ovaries are left on the bush. Each time after moistening the soil, loosening is carried out until the foliage closes. In windy weather, watermelon lashes are sprinkled with damp soil, and during periods of possible frost, the plants are covered with non-woven material.

Place foil or any other non-rotting material under the plants so that moisture, which can cause the fruits to spoil, cannot spoil the harvest.

Turn watermelons regularly to ensure even ripening.

Pay attention to the fruits; if one berry begins to grow rapidly, while others lag behind in development and turn yellow, it means that additional feeding is required.

Picking watermelons

In August, watermelons ripen intensively, so their readiness for harvest can be determined by a set of signs:

glossy surface;
drying of the bract;
there are no hairs on the stalk;
When you tap the berries, you hear a dull sound.

We invite you to watch a video about how watermelons of the Charleston Gray and Orange King varieties are grown, from soaking the seeds to harvesting.

Gardeners often plant watermelons in their summer cottages to enjoy their juicy fruits in the summer. However, not everyone manages to get a high-quality harvest, since growing melons requires specialized knowledge. Therefore, you need to familiarize yourself in advance with how watermelons are grown.

Watermelons are considered heat-loving plants that have a long growing season. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the technology of growing this crop in areas that differ in climatic conditions. Residents southern regions with a warm climate they can plant melons directly in open ground. Thanks to the high temperature, the bushes and fruits will grow quickly. When growing a plant in warm regions, it is much easier to get a good harvest.

In the northern regions, the air temperature is much lower, so watermelons ripen less well. Due to the harsh climate, many gardeners are unable to achieve high yields.

When growing melons in such regions, certain rules are followed:

For planting, only varieties with early ripening periods are used;
to create optimal conditions for the germination of seedlings, the seed must be planted in greenhouses or under film covers;
planting is carried out using the seedling method;
to improve the growth of the root system, all seedlings are watered between the rows;
to obtain medium-sized fruits, no more than six ripe berries are left on each bush, and to harvest the largest harvest, two fruits are left.

Selection and preparation of watermelon seeds for sowing

Before you start sowing watermelons at home, you need to select and pre-prepare seed material.

Choice

It is recommended to select in advance the seeds that will be planted in the future. When selecting, carefully inspect each seed to identify any signs of damage. Damaged seeds are immediately thrown away as they are unsuitable for planting.

Also, when choosing the highest quality seed, pay attention to its variety. Experienced gardeners It is recommended to plant hybrid varieties, as they are resistant to weather changes and common diseases.

Preparation

To obtain strong and healthy seedlings, you will have to do the preliminary preparation of seeds in advance, which consists of several activities:

Disinfection. Before sowing, all seeds will have to be disinfected so that they are not susceptible to disease in the future. When carrying out disinfection, all seeds are soaked in manganese liquid for 25-30 minutes. Then they are laid out on a towel and dried thoroughly.
Warm up Gardeners strongly recommend heating watermelon seeds, as this promotes their germination. The procedure is performed very carefully so as not to accidentally overheat the seeds. To warm up, all planting material is immersed in a container of water heated to 45 degrees for half an hour.
Scarification. When carrying out this procedure, the shell of the watermelon seed is carefully pierced. This speeds up the process of seed germination several times. Scarification should be done 2-3 weeks before planting.

Choosing a landing site

To grow a high-quality crop in the open ground, you need to select the most suitable watermelons in advance. suitable site. When choosing a place in the garden, pay attention to the characteristics of the soil. Sandy and sandy loam soils, which are rich in nutritional components, are ideal for melon crops. The level of illumination of the area is also taken into account, since due to a lack of light, the yield may deteriorate. Therefore, experts do not recommend planting seeds or seedlings in shaded areas, under trees or fences.

When choosing a place to plant watermelons on summer cottage The compatibility of this crop with other plants should be taken into account.

Watermelon seedlings grow well in vegetable gardens, where previously for a long time black radish was grown. This vegetable saturates the soil with phytoncides, which protect crops from spider mites and other pests. Gardeners also recommend planting melons and melons near tomatoes and parsley, as they repel moths and sawflies.

However, there are several plants with which watermelons are incompatible. You should not plant them after peppers, potatoes, strawberries and eggplants, as these vegetables suck out many of the nutritional components from the soil that watermelon plants need.

We prepare and fertilize the soil

Having chosen a site for planting, proceed to preliminary preparation and fertilizing the soil in which watermelon seedlings will be grown. The black soil soil should be loose and contain nutritional components that will accelerate the growth of seedlings. Soil preparation technology consists of several successive stages.

Determination of the level of soil looseness and acidity. If the soil on the site has a high level of acidity, you will have to water it with chalk or lime mortar. Heavy soils fed with vermicompost in advance to increase looseness.
Addition mineral supplements to increase productivity. In the first few weeks after planting watermelons, mineral fertilizers, which are dominated by nitrogen, are added to the soil. This component activates the growth of seedlings, due to which the bushes begin to bear fruit earlier. The area is also fed with phosphorus-containing fertilizers, which increase the resistance of seedlings to temperature changes.
Adding organic matter. To saturate the soil with useful microelements, it is necessary to fertilize it with organic fertilizers. It is recommended to evenly distribute bird droppings and humus over the area, then loosen the soil and water it with warm water. To improve the yield of watermelons, you can moisten the soil with a herbal infusion mixed with wood ash.

Growing seedlings

When using the seedling method of planting, gardeners have to grow seedlings, which in the future will be transplanted into the garden. It is recommended to familiarize yourself in advance with the peculiarities of planting seeds and replanting grown seedlings to a permanent place.

Planting watermelon seeds

Sowing of seeds is carried out when they have sprouted a little and white sprouts have appeared on their surface. When conducting planting work All seed is planted in pots with soil mixture. About 2-4 seeds are sown in each container, so that in the future you can get rid of weak seedlings and leave only the healthiest seedlings. The seeds are sown to a depth of 3-5 centimeters.

When all the watermelon seeds have been planted in pots, they are covered with plastic wrap and transferred to a well-lit room.

In the first 5-7 days, pots with planted watermelons should be kept in a room with a temperature of at least 23 degrees. After the first shoots appear, the film is removed from the pots, and the containers with seedlings are transferred to a room with a temperature of 15-17 degrees.

Transplanting seedlings

Watermelon seedlings should be grown in pots until the first three leaves appear on the seedlings. After this, the seedlings must be transplanted to a permanent place. To do this, rows are marked along the entire area on which holes are made for further planting plants. The depth of each hole should be about 8-10 centimeters so that the roots can be completely located underground.

Each hole is watered with warm water, after which the seedlings are carefully planted in the ground. Then the holes are filled with soil and re-moistened with water.

Shaping and pinching

Experienced gardeners recommend regularly planting melons and melons. This procedure is carried out to improve productivity and accelerate the development of watermelon berries. Most often, pruning of lashes is carried out when growing plants in open ground, since in greenhouse conditions It is not necessary to engage in the formation of bushes. In order to properly form seedlings, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of removing excess stepsons.

There are three main methods of pinching that gardeners most often use:

Pinching side shoots. This method is considered universal, as it is suitable for any variety of melons. During the procedure, 1-2 shoots are left on the main stem. In this case, the ovaries on all lateral stems are completely removed.
Trimming side stems. Using this method of pinching plants, you will have to completely remove the shoots. Only a few lashes are left on the main stem, and everything else is cut off.
Formation into several stems. This is the most common method and does not require cutting off the shoots completely. 2-4 side lashes are left on the bushes. Moreover, each of them should have 2-3 ovaries. If there are more of them, then all the excess fruits set are removed.

Rules for feeding and caring for the plant

It is recommended to properly care for melons, since without care it will not be possible to obtain a high-quality harvest. The quality of the fruit directly depends on the application of fertilizers to the soil at all stages of growing watermelons.

When sowing

Before planting seed, be sure to fertilize the soil. To do this, the earth is mixed with a liquid prepared from humus. Then the area is treated with wood ash and bone meal, which increases the permeability of oxygen in the soil.

When planting in open ground

Some people prefer to grow watermelon bushes in open ground, so they immediately plant the seeds in the garden. Before this, the soil on the site is mixed with green manure plants, which are considered the best feeding to strengthen the roots.

When flowering

When pollination and flowering of the bushes begin, it is recommended to add more fertilizers with potassium to the soil. This substance promotes the appearance of new flowers on seedlings, due to which the yield increases significantly. Gardeners advise spraying watermelons with Kelik and Nutrivant once a month.

At the beginning of fruiting

At the initial stage of fruiting, you need to take feeding of each bush seriously, since due to a lack of nutrients in the soil, the yield deteriorates. Often the bushes produce few berries due to a lack of boron.

Therefore, to improve the formation of ovaries and ripening of fruits, it is necessary to periodically spray the area with Megafol and Boroplus.

Fetal nutrition

The correct fertilization scheme for watermelon seedlings promotes the ripening of the berries. To make the fruits more watery and tasty, the plants are regularly sprayed with Uniflor and Terraflex.

How often should you water?

Before you start growing melons, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of their watering. In the first weeks after emergence, the plant needs increased watering, as its root system is weakened. With a lack of moisture, seedlings grow poorly and gradually wither. You will also have to moisten the soil more often during the formation of flowers and the setting of the first fruits. During such periods, seedlings are watered at least four times a week.

Experts advise moistening the soil in the afternoon, when the sun begins to set. In the daytime, you should not moisten the soil, as due to the high temperature and sun rays moisture will evaporate faster. For irrigation, use settled water at room temperature. Watering the bushes with too cold a liquid is contraindicated, as this can lead to rotting of the root system and further death of the watermelons.

Watering of melons and melons is stopped after the fruits have fully ripened.

Harvest and storage

If the agricultural technology for growing watermelons has been fully followed, the ripe crop can be harvested 35-50 days after planting. However, sometimes watermelon berries ripen ahead of schedule. To make sure that the fruits are ripe, examine the color of their pulp and seeds. Seeds should be dark Brown color, and the flesh is pink, with a reddish tint. The peel of ripe watermelons should be hard and rough.

It is better to store the harvested crop on high racks with shelves that are located at a distance of 55-65 centimeters from each other. Each shelf must be covered thin layer peat or straw. This coating will increase the shelf life of the crop. During storage, watermelons are carefully inspected every month. All rotten fruits are thrown away so that the rot does not spread to neighboring berries. Monthly treatment of the fruit with lime mortar will help protect the crop from rotting.

What diseases and pests are melons susceptible to: methods of control

Often melons grow poorly due to pest attacks or the development of diseases:

Anthracnose. The presence of such a pathology can be determined by the brown spots that appear on the leaves of watermelons. To get rid of the symptoms of anthracnose, all infected bushes are treated with Bordeaux mixture and cuprosan solution.
Bacteriosis. The disease damages the leaves, on the surface of which oval white spots appear. Bacteriosis cannot be cured, so infected watermelons are dug up and burned.
Mite. Due to dry weather, young watermelon seedlings are often attacked by spider mites. Insects feed on the sap from the leaves and stems, which causes the bushes to dry out. A mixture made from onions and garlic will help cope with the pest.

Conclusion

Many summer residents plant their plots with watermelon bushes. In order to grow them correctly, you need to become familiar with the features of planting melons and caring for them.

For gardeners it has become commonplace grow watermelon. The process is simple, but it has certain difficulties that need to be taken into account when growing (the plant may die before flowering begins, the fruits do not always grow tasty, and so on). More information about how to grow a watermelon with your own hands will be discussed in this article.

The issue of choosing a variety should be approached with special responsibility. For middle zone RF it is advisable to choose only early ripening varieties, and there is no need to chase huge fruits in this matter - such watermelons realize their potential 100% only when grown in the south of the country. Be sure to read the description of the variety on the packaging - information about the duration of ripening is indicated there (plant ovaries should ripen as quickly as possible).

On a note! You can neglect some qualities when choosing a variety. First of all, it is large-fruited and transportable. Also, do not pay attention to the color and shape of the fruit - this is only necessary in cases where you grow watermelons not for yourself, but for sale.

The most common varieties of watermelon:

"Kai"
"Sugar Baby";
"Ataman F1";
"Ultra-early";
"Stokes";
"Spark";
"Moscow Charleston F1";
"Yarilo";
"Crimstar F1";
"Leader";
"Pink champagne F1";
"Gift to the North F1".

This is only a small part of the varieties that can be grown not only in the south of the country, but most often people choose them. Having decided on the variety of watermelon, you can start growing it.

How to grow watermelon in open ground

Not everyone knows, but watermelons can be grown without seedlings, but with seeds, already at permanent place. Often, seedlings are used only for further replanting in greenhouses so that the watermelon can ripen. But if you are growing watermelon in your garden plot, then you can safely skip the stage with seedlings and sow the seeds.

The planting process is divided into several preparatory stages for getting good harvest. Let's consider each of them separately.

Preparation of seed material

By selecting suitable variety, wrap the seeds in a cloth bandage and place on a shallow plate, pouring a pre-prepared solution of potassium permanganate. The solution should be light pink and warm. After this, the saucer with the seeds must be placed in plastic bag and tie it, taking in some air. Transfer the plate with the seed to a warm room (at least +20°C). Change the solution daily and ventilate the bag. After 2-3 days, the seeds should hatch, after which they will be ready for planting in the ground.

Soil preparation

It is very important to prepare land plot before planting a watermelon. This is an integral part of growing, without which you are unlikely to be able to get a good harvest. The prepared soil should provide plants nutrients throughout the entire growth period, it must be protected from strong winds, and also well lit.

Watermelon, as well as other melons, requires loose, fertile and light soil. Great if on yours suburban area sandy loam or sandy soil, which you enriched with rotted humus back in autumn period. If we talk about suitable predecessors of watermelons, then these are, of course, cruciferous vegetables, as well as legumes.

For best result It is advisable to prepare the beds in advance and fertilize the soil. To do this, for 1 sq. m of plot you need to add 20 g of potassium fertilizers, 40 g and 30 g of ammonium sulfate. This combination mineral fertilizers will significantly accelerate the growth of watermelon, as a result of which you will be able to enjoy juicy and sweet fruits a little earlier.

Sowing watermelon seeds

The process of planting watermelon seeds is simple and practically no different from planting any other crop.

Table. Step-by-step instruction for sowing watermelon seeds.

Steps, photo	Description of actions
	Start sowing watermelon seeds in early May as it is a very heat-loving plant. Otherwise, if you do this earlier, the plant will greatly slow down in development. Take out pre-prepared seed material that has already sprouted.
	You should also have a planting mixture ready, consisting of rotted humus, ash, mineral fertilizers and peat (the composition may vary, since there are many different recipes for preparing the mixture).
	Dig a large hole for the watermelon and fill it with a small amount of water.
	Pour the prepared mixture of fertilizers and humus into the hole. Gently level with a hoe and water.
	Place at least 5 seeds in the hole (5 cm deep) and cover it all with soil. The layer of soil should be approximately 4 cm thick. Carefully compact the soil so that the seeds are not blown away by the wind or are injured. Repeat the procedure for each well.

Important! At first, you need to sow 5-6 seeds in each hole, but over time, when they begin to develop, leave one plant in the hole.

Aftercare

Without providing proper care, including fertilizing and watering, it is impossible to grow a watermelon in the garden. The juiciness of the fruit directly depends on the level of humidity, but you shouldn’t overdo it, because you won’t be able to enjoy the sugar pulp of sweet berries, which everyone loves so much. Conventionally, subsequent care can be divided into 4 stages: watering, fertilizing, pruning vines and exterminating pests. Let's consider each of them separately.

Watering

When growing watermelons in a summer cottage, it is advisable to use. This will allow for regular fertilizing of crops.

The best option is drip irrigation

Watermelons need abundant but infrequent watering, especially during hot periods when there is a lack of natural moisture - remember this! For comfortable growth of watermelons, the soil moisture level should be at least 80%. If the site is located on sandy soil, then the beds will need to be watered more often due to poor moisture retention. Clay soil and water the black soil less often. Once the berries begin to ripen and become plump, reduce the amount of watering, and after a few weeks, stop them altogether.

Top dressing

Feeding watermelons grown in a summer cottage consists of three procedures, each of which must be performed subject to certain conditions: at least 2 liters liquid fertilizers should be per plant. After 7 days from the moment of planting the seeds, it is necessary to regularly water the plants with a special solution prepared with your own hands (all ingredients and their proportions were described above).

After the vines on the plants actively begin to grow, you need to fertilize the watermelons a second time, but this time the amount of potassium and phosphate fertilizers should be twice as large. When the formation of the ovaries begins, you need to carry out another feeding, only with a different composition. Mix 10 liters of water, 35 g of potassium salts, 10 g of superphosphate and 20 g of ammonium sulfate.

Apply the prepared nutrient mixture into previously prepared furrows, which should be at a distance of 15 cm from the plant bushes. The amount of nitrogen fertilizers should be reduced due to the likelihood of their accumulation in the pulp of watermelons. In addition, such measures can provoke the ripening of the plant, and not the accumulation of green mass.

Trimming lashes

During the short and insufficiently warm summer, some watermelon fruits do not have time to ripen, although the bush still spends energy on them, which could be distributed to other berries that actually ripen. Therefore, there should be no more than 5 watermelons on each plant. Remove everything unnecessary.

Important! When growing watermelons, you need to remember that main lash The plants produce female flowers - you cannot touch them, but remove the side shoots. Compliance with all recommendations will allow you to get a harvest in the second half of August.

Pest Control

The melon aphid, which appears in June, can cause many problems for watermelons. Inhabited on bottom side leaves, it sucks all the vital juices from the plant, causing the leaves to wrinkle and dry. During the summer, aphids can produce 2-3 generations. At first, the pests live only on weeds, but with the onset of June, the females move to watermelons, remaining there until the beginning of autumn. The melon aphid lays its eggs on weeds, which overwinter there.

To protect watermelons from aphids, it is advisable to regularly weed the beds from various weeds, as well as mow the areas located next to the watermelons being grown. If you notice pests, immediately treat the plants with a special decoction or infusion prepared from celandine, garlic or onion peel. If these remedies do not help and deciduous system plants are severely damaged, then you can apply strong chemicals- for example, INTA-VIR, Karbofos, Iskra.

In addition to aphids, watermelons can be susceptible to various diseases, such as sclerotinia, bacteriosis, copperhead, different kinds rot and so on. For treatment you need to prepare a decoction horsetail. To do this, pour 1 liter of water into 1 tbsp. l. plants and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. As an alternative, you can use another remedy - milk mixed with iodine. If the plants have been severely affected, use Kuprosat or Oxychloride. The development of Fusarium wilt can cause the plant to die within a few days. The spread of infection occurs through plant debris, seeds or soil.

To prevent watermelon from developing diseases, it is advisable to treat the seeds with Baktofit solution for 3 hours before planting. If some plants are nevertheless damaged by the disease, then they need to be destroyed in order to protect healthy ones from infection, which, in turn, need to be fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

Harvesting

Fruit harvesting is the final stage in the process of growing watermelons. It is not recommended to rush with this matter, because many fruits that have reached large sizes are still unripe. Ripe tomatoes can be determined by the change in color of the fruit; when growing zucchini and cucumbers, it is important not to be late in harvesting, otherwise the vegetables may lose their beneficial features. But when should you pick watermelons? When planting early ripening varieties, you may not get a harvest. before the middle August. Mass harvesting is not carried out during this period; the ripeness of the berries must be determined by external signs. First of all, look at the bract and tendrils - if they are dry, then the watermelon can be harvested. Also, when you lightly tap the berry with your fingers, dull sounds should be heard. The combination of these signs indicates the ripeness of the fruit.

If you are growing watermelons for further transportation and storage, it is better to pick the berries a couple of days before ripening. They will then ripen by being kept in a warm and dry environment. At the same time, watermelons will not lose their qualities.