Proper pinching of watermelons and melons. How to pinch watermelons and melons - diagram

Heat-loving gourds prefer to grow in southern latitudes, where it is hot and dry. But this does not mean at all that such a culture cannot be grown in our area - the main thing is worthy care and attention to plants. And yet - a timely pinch of watermelons so that the set berries are large. Interesting? Then read on!

Why shape a watermelon

Do I need to pinch watermelons? Definitely yes! For melons, this procedure is almost identical to pinching other crops. Pinching allows future watermelons to grow larger and sweeter. It is noteworthy that the formation of watermelons is not at all a mandatory procedure if you grow watermelons in a greenhouse. It is necessary if the culture grows in open beds, and even more so in the cold northern regions.

How to pinch a culture

Some farmers believe that pinching watermelons is a procedure that only harms the crop. Actually it is not. If you cut the lashes correctly, then the quality of the future harvest can only be improved. For example, it must be remembered that berries form only on the main stem, and all secondary stepchildren can be safely removed. And then, you should not leave more than 4 ovaries on the plant, otherwise all the berries will be small.

As soon as a sufficient number of fruits have formed, cut the lash so that only a few leaves remain above the ovary. But that's not all. Weekly, the main shoot will produce new lateral tendrils, the removal of which is a mandatory procedure in order for the fruits to grow to the proper size.

Features of pinching the stem

In order not to harm the future harvest, it is important to know how to pinch watermelons correctly:

• it is extremely important not to touch the main stem, removing only stepchildren and side mustaches from watermelons - the general condition of the entire bush depends on it;
• do not leave many ovaries on one bush - each plant can form from 4 to 6 fruits, depending on the varietal variety;
• shoots of watermelon in the open field that do not bear fruit must be pinched immediately;
• pinching watermelons is no longer acceptable if the bushes have begun to actively grow fruits.

Pinching watermelon ovaries

If we talk about how to pinch a watermelon, you should consider all the possible methods often used by gardeners:

1. In the first case, it is required to pinch the side shoots of the plant. This method is applicable to all varietal varieties of melons. It is necessary to leave several ovaries on the main shoot, and the lateral ones should be devoid of ovaries. Each of them is pinched so that only a few leaves remain.
2. The next method of forming a bush involves the removal of side shoots. The ovaries should be left every 5 leaves and everything superfluous must be mercilessly cut off.
3. And the third, most common way - in this case, the side lashes are not removed. It is necessary to wait until the fruits form on the lateral lashes, simultaneously removing all the shoots from the main stem, and no more than 6 fruits are left on the whole plant. On each shoot, no more than 2 ovaries should be left, and the top should be pinched at a height of 3 leaves.

The formation of a watermelon should be carried out on a dry sunny day - then the cut point will dry out quickly and no damage will be done to the plant.

If the weather is wet, rot may develop at the cut point, which will necessarily affect the condition of the bush in an unfavorable way.

To know how to pinch a watermelon correctly, you need to familiarize yourself with some of the features of the process:

• the formation of a watermelon bush involves the preservation of the main stem in order to prevent the death of the plant. How many leaves can be left? No more than 7;
• before shaping your watermelons growing in the open field, check the size of the berries - as soon as they reach a diameter of 10 cm, the plants must be pinched;
• as the plant develops, the shoots should be tied up, otherwise they may break off;
• many farmers debate whether to continue watering and shaping the bush after the berries have formed and grown. The answer is unequivocal: as soon as the fruits have formed, it is impossible to pinch or water the ground around the berries, otherwise their commercial qualities will deteriorate.

So, the scheme for pinching watermelons is quite simple, the main thing is to follow the generally accepted rules and prevent arbitrary growth of the bush. We hope that we have fully answered the question “how to pinch watermelons correctly”, and now the process of growing this melon crop will not be difficult for you. Good luck in the difficult business of growing melons and gourds - it is difficult, but very pleasant and profitable! Just a little effort - and now you are already treating your neighbors with your own grown, sweet and crunchy watermelons, accepting well-deserved compliments to your farming talent. Or maybe you prefer salted berries? You choose!

Video "Formation of watermelons"

In this video you will hear useful tips for shaping watermelons.

Growing watermelons is a fascinating activity, it is pleasant to collect the fruits of a southern plant from your own garden, especially since they will be without nitrates and growth hormones. Growing watermelons is interesting and exciting, just like any other overseas fruit or vegetable.

Watermelon farming has its own nuances, because it is a southern plant, accustomed to heat and hot sun.

In the south, watermelons are grown without growth restriction, and no wonder, in hot conditions, most of the fruits have time to ripen, so there is no need to limit their number.

In the northern regions, pinching watermelons is one of the main conditions for growing crops. Watermelons are prone to unlimited formation of lashes and rapid growth, their length sometimes reaches 6 - 7 meters. To nourish such a mass, you need a huge amount of nutrition, moisture and strength, and most importantly - heat. But even if there is a warm summer, the plant, carried away by the formation of lashes, will forget about the formation of berries, for which it was planted.

Pruning or pinching watermelons is needed to redistribute the forces of the plant and direct them to the ripening of the fruit, and not to the formation of the jungle.

Shortening the lashes, we send all the food to watermelons, then they will grow large, juicy and sweet.

If watermelon lashes are not cut in time in the northern regions, we will get numerous walnut-sized fruits, or even their absence and a lot of tops, as a crop.

The fact is that the watermelon comes from the south, where it has more time to ripen and it gladly forms a lot of shoots to thank with the harvest. In northern places, watermelon does not have such an amount of time, therefore, by cutting the lashes, we let the plant know that the season is coming to an end and it is time to start shaping the crop.

How to pinch watermelons

To clarify, when I talk about pinching, I mean pruning the shoots with a sharp secateurs. Breaking off or pinching off the shoots with your hands is inappropriate, you can harm the plant and even bring the infection into the cut.

For trimming, I choose a sunny day, a sharp tool and potassium permanganate or alcohol to disinfect the tool.

In cloudy weather, the sections dry out for a long time and during rain they can rot.

When pinching watermelons, several rules apply:

• I remove the shoots without ovaries completely, stepping back a centimeter from the main stem;
• If the weather is hot and the season is warm, I leave 1-2 fruits per shoot, cut off the upper part of the shoot in front of the second top sheet from the last fruit.

If you cut off part of the shoot immediately after the watermelon, then the fruit will rot, a couple of leaves should remain after it.

• The plant should have no more than 4 - 5 watermelons in the warm season and 1 - 2 in the cool season, otherwise there will not be enough strength for them to ripen.

When I start pinching watermelons, I evaluate the condition of the plants as a whole. I look at how saturated the color of the foliage is, if there are any suspicious spots on the leaves or other signs of disease. I am also interested in the weather forecast for the next three weeks, if it promises to be warm, and the condition of the plants is excellent, you can leave a little more fruit for ripening.

When pinching watermelons

As for pinching watermelons, the rule of the golden mean applies here, you can’t remove the shoots too early or, conversely, too late. I start pinching watermelons when the first ovaries the size of a walnut are visible in the garden. Some publications have advice on shaping the watermelon and pruning the center shoot at some point, but I don't. The fact is that it is impossible to guess how many leaves and at what length of the shoot the fruits will set. It may turn out that by pinching the main stem before the formation of watermelons, you can be completely left without them, so I am in no hurry with pinching, I spend it when it becomes clear that there are ovaries.

In hot seasons, I start pinching in early July, and in cool seasons, in early August. It also happens that in an exceptionally rainy and cold summer, watermelons form only one fruit per plant, and then in mid-August, then I cut off all the extra shoots.

After cutting the shoots, I wait a couple of days for the cuts to dry, and then I cover the plants with a film so that the fruits ripen faster, I leave the ends open.

Read about how to choose the most ripe and juicy watermelon and not be deceived when buying.

Video: How to pinch watermelons

I recommend watching a video on whether to pinch watermelons and how to do it:

Many summer residents are trying to find an answer to the question of the advisability of pinching watermelons, because this is not the main agrotechnical measure for caring for the crop in question. As you know, during the growing period, watermelons need watering, adding nutrients to the soil, as well as loosening the topsoil and removing weeds.

It should be noted that the primary task of any gardener is to obtain large yields with high-quality fruits. When growing watermelons, the ultimate goal will be to get large sweet and juicy berries, and pinching bushes will help in this hard work.

The process under consideration is somewhat reminiscent of the removal of lateral shoots from tomatoes or the pinching of other plants. Pinching involves removing the tops of new shoots to stop them from growing, resulting in shading of crops when grown in a greenhouse.

It should be noted that pinching watermelons should be carried out only in northern latitudes (central Russia, Siberia, the Urals). After such an operation, two or three ovaries are left, and due to the fact that a limited number of shoots remain on the plant, they develop much faster than under standard conditions. When growing watermelons in film greenhouses, only side shoots are removed, because in most varieties, fruits develop only on the main stem, and the ovary on the remaining processes is not able to form a full-fledged crop.

Conclusion: pinching should be done, but this is true in the middle lane and beyond the Urals. In the southern regions, this is not always appropriate - most varieties of watermelon give abundant harvests of ripe fruits without this procedure.

After pinching the culture, three to six fruits should remain on each watermelon bush, but this depends on the growing region, the rest of the ovary is removed. The procedure should be carried out according to the following scheme: after the formation of 6 leaves on the main shoot, its upper part is removed along the 2nd leaf, as a result, two main shoots will appear in us.

At the next stage of work, the upper part of each of the lashes is pinched, and after the last ovaries, two leaves are left. After the formation of fruits the size of an apple, the weakest of them are removed. The same is done with plants that form an empty flower, they simply need to be removed from the site so as not to interfere with the development of the rest.

When to perform this procedure

During the development of watermelons in a greenhouse, you need to monitor the growth of crops. In the case when the plants interfere with each other, it is necessary to remove unnecessary shoots. It should be noted that in most regions of the Russian Federation, melon growers try to put 3-5 fruits on watermelons. Thus, the plant is freed from the load of the crop, and the fruits left grow quickly, becoming large and sweet.

During the period of intensive fruit growth, pinching of plants is stopped in order to accelerate the development of the crop. You do not need to cut all the leaves, because for normal growth, watermelons need photosynthesis, which is carried out through the leafy surface. Try to leave two or three leaves after each fruit, so cut off the unnecessary shoot higher.

The homeland of gourds is the southern latitudes, where the weather is warm and dry. However, thanks to the efforts of breeders, many varieties have appeared that are adapted to our climatic conditions. The main thing is proper care and observance of agricultural technology. An important place is occupied by pinching watermelons. Thanks to this manipulation, strong stems are formed and large berries are tied. But, pinching should be carried out correctly, knowing all the subtleties, so as not to harm the plant.

And so, consider the basic rules for the formation of melons.

Why you need to pinch watermelons

Pinching gourds is an important point in the cultivation of watermelons. You can compare it with pinching, for example, the same tomatoes. Due to the shortening of the lashes, larger and sweeter fruits of gourds are formed.

Note that when growing watermelons in open ground conditions, the pinching procedure is extremely necessary; in greenhouse conditions, it may not be carried out.

Basic rules for the procedure for pinching watermelons

You can often find information that shortening the lashes of watermelons harms the future harvest and is not recommended. In fact, this is not at all the case, the main task in growing melons is the correct staging. Then the result will pleasantly surprise you. It is important to remember that the berries are tied only on the main stem, so the secondary ones can be freely removed without fear for the future harvest. On the contrary, by removing extra stems, you save additional strength for the plant to form fruits. In addition, you should not feel sorry for the ovaries themselves, their optimal number on one bush is no more than four. Otherwise, the culture will produce small berries. Also, after the formation of a sufficient number of fruits, it is necessary to cut the lash so that after the last berry on the stem at a distance of ten to twenty centimeters only a few leaves remain. In addition, the melon plantation must be regularly looked after, first of all, we are talking about the weekly removal of side whiskers, which watermelons will constantly grow. This procedure is mandatory if the goal of the gardener is to grow large and sweet berries.

And so, when plucking the stem, it is necessary:

• remove only stepchildren and side whiskers, without touching or injuring the main stem;
• leave no more than four to six ovaries on the bush, depending on the variety of the crop.

There are several ways to pinch gourds. Some gardeners stepchild only lateral stepchildren. This method is applicable for varietal types of watermelons. In this case, the ovary should also remain only on the main stem.

In some cases, side shoots are subject to removal, and the ovary is left on the bush every five leaves, everything else is simply cut off.

The most common way to pinch watermelons is the one in which the side lashes are left and when fruits begin to set on them, all shoots are removed from the main one. Remember that no more than six fruits should remain on the whole plant.

It should also be remembered that in order to get a good harvest, in addition to pinching, watermelons must also be properly watered. Moisture should be enough, an excess can significantly harm the plant.

Remember that the formation of a watermelon bush can only be carried out in dry and sunny weather. This is due to the fact that the cut will dry out quickly and there will be no risk of rot.

We highlight the subtleties of the pinching process, which must be strictly adhered to.

• First, it is important to keep the main stem, leaving no more than seven leaves on it.
• Secondly, they begin to form a bush only when the berries reach a size of ten centimeters in diameter. Such plants must be pinched.
• Thirdly, as the shoots grow, they need to be tied up, otherwise they may simply break.
• And fourthly, as soon as the formation of berries is over, pinching can no longer be carried out, just like watering. Otherwise, the taste and commercial qualities of the fruit may deteriorate.

Here, in principle, are all the main points that should be considered when pinching watermelons grown in open ground conditions. Compliance with the indicated rules of agrotechnics of melons and gourds will allow you to collect a large and incredibly tasty harvest of summer berries.

Note also that pinching technology depends on several factors, such as watermelon variety, growing conditions and climate zone. As a rule, the gardener makes a choice in the direction of one or another method through personal experimental experience. Usually, in one season, several watermelon bushes are pinched in various ways, and at the end of the season, according to the quality of the crop, they make a choice.

Growing watermelons in a greenhouse

Heat-loving gourds in a cool climate can also be grown in greenhouses, the main thing is to create conditions for them that are as close to natural as possible. We note right away that in this case there is much more trouble and labor than when growing watermelons in the open.

With the right approach, greenhouse watermelons also grow quickly and delight with large and sweet berries.

It is important that the height of the greenhouse is more than two meters, it is well lit, there is access to fresh air and artificial heating, especially during cold days and nights.

In closed ground, lashes of watermelons are tied to special supports - trellises. They should be high enough, it is best to install supports in the form of an arch from one wall to another.

Growing watermelons in a greenhouse also involves the formation of the main stem, and those lashes that do not have an ovary must be removed. Every seven days, bushes should be inspected and shoots with fruits should be pinched, leaving no more than six ovaries.

An important point in growing watermelons in a greenhouse is the tying stage. They start it when the shoots of the bush reach one meter. But, approximately, half a meter of the stem must be laid on the ground and sprinkled with earth. Such manipulation makes it possible to strengthen the root system of the plant and provide it with additional nutrition.

For greenhouses, it is best to choose self-pollinated melon varieties. Otherwise, you will need to periodically open them to admit bees.

Pinching watermelons in greenhouses is carried out in the same way as when grown in open ground.

How to properly care for a watermelon after pinching

In order to get a good result, you will still have to work hard.

After the first pinching, the bushes should be regularly inspected, if necessary, repeat pinching. Remember that in open ground conditions we leave one main stem, in greenhouses - two, each of which should result in no more than four fruits. Therefore, as the gourd grows, it is necessary to regularly remove excess shoots.

You should also take care that the berries do not touch the ground, this prevents them from rotting. To do this, straw or wooden boxes are placed under each bush.

If non-self-pollinating varieties of watermelons were planted in greenhouses, and the access of bees is very problematic, then manual pollination should be used. For this, the male flower is plucked and the female flowers are pollinated. After about one month, an ovary will form on the bushes and fruits will begin to form.

During flowering and fruit formation, gourds need special attention.

The plant needs to be fed every ten days. For these purposes, it is best to use liquid mullein in a 1: 1 ratio. In addition, during active growth, the bushes are fed with superphosphate, and when the fruits begin to form, then phosphorus-potassium fertilizers should be applied. However, remember that top dressing should be carried out in moderation, an overabundance can backfire.

As for watering, it should be regular, because watermelons love moisture. Once flowering begins, plants should be watered abundantly twice a week. This will contribute to a better formation of berries. But when the fruits reach their maximum size, watering must be completely stopped, at this time the culture needs the sun and warmth, as the berries are poured.

Another important point that must be observed when growing watermelons in greenhouse conditions is tying the fruits in special nets. These actions are performed when the fruit has reached a size of about five centimeters in diameter (the mesh should be easy to stretch, but at the same time be strong, capable of holding ten or more kilograms of berries). Such a small trick allows you to protect the crop from rotting, which is more than relevant when grown in greenhouse conditions.

And in conclusion, the number of pinching gourds depends on their variety, but at least this manipulation with the plant must be carried out twice. It is important not to damage the main whip.

It is important to understand that pinching is not just an invention of agrotechnicians and agronomists, this type of care for watermelons contributes to the early ripening of fruits, increases their size, juiciness and sweetness.

But, it is also worth considering other equally important points in the cultivation of watermelons, such as watering, fertilizing, weeding, loosening the soil, which are also of direct importance for obtaining a good harvest.

For the successful cultivation of watermelons, several agricultural practices are used, one of which is pinching. Consider in the article how to pinch a watermelon and why you need to do it.

Outdoor cultivation

After the sprouts come off and three leaves appear on them, the plants are thinned out, one or two sprouts are left in the hole

When planting seedlings in the holes, it is not advisable to put overripe manure. Fertilizers should be applied in the fall. The main stem is the basis of the culture, it is handled with care, especially if seedlings are transplanted from the greenhouse into open ground. Stepchildren are cut off so as not to injure the stem. In order not to waste the forces of culture, the leaves are also cut off, on average, up to seven pieces are left. The amount of fruit that is left on the stems depends on the variety of watermelon. The ovary appears on the 30th day.

Council number 1. When pinching, you need to leave only the best loops and leaves. Enough leaves are left on the stem to avoid wilting of the shoots.

Growing watermelons in a greenhouse

Growing watermelons in greenhouse conditions has its own characteristics. Despite the lack of sunlight and constant access to air, the plant grows quickly and bears fruit. Preference is given to pollinated varieties of watermelons, because it is difficult to pollinate manually on open ground. On cold nights, plants are covered with foil.

In open ground, the culture grows up to five meters.

A greenhouse is built with a height of more than two meters, otherwise cultivation is impossible. After the formation of the first lashes, the culture is tied to the trellis. Their height depends on the variety of watermelon and the growing season. Watermelons are planted around the perimeter of the greenhouse, trellises in the form of an arch are installed from one wall to another. When growing, the main stem is left, all loops on which there is no ovary are removed. Shoots with fruits are pinched weekly, leaving up to 6 ovaries.

Particular attention is paid to tying. The procedure is needed when the length of the shoots reaches 1 m. At 0.5 m from the root, the lash is placed on the ground and sprinkled with earth. This is necessary to strengthen the root system and additional nutrition.

For greenhouse conditions, self-pollinating varieties are chosen. Otherwise, the greenhouse is opened for access to bees. At night, the greenhouse is closed so that cold air does not enter. In the spring, heat accumulators are installed to prevent freezing of seedlings. Warm water bottles will do.

With artificial pollination, the male flower is torn off and the female crops are pollinated. The procedure is carried out when the fruits reach the size of an apple. During this period, crops are watered for growth and development. So that the shoots do not intertwine and do not break from the weight of the fruit, the stems are tied up. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of tying methods in the table.

Method name	The essence of the method	Advantages	Flaws
Hanging in nets	Apple-sized fruits are placed in nets that are attached to trellises.	1. Grids are used several times. 2. Fruits do not rot and are not affected by fungal diseases. 3. The fruits ripen evenly and are warmed by the sun from all sides.	There is no need to build massive, strong trellises to support the weight of the fruit.
Tying by hand	The fruits are tied by hand to the trellis as they grow.	The fruits do not rot and ripen well.	1. There is a risk of damage to the stem if tied incorrectly. 2. The procedure takes a long time.
Using coasters	Fruits are not tied to trellises; special stands are made of wood or plastic for them.	1. No need for capital structures. 2. The fruits lie down on the stands, and the whips will stretch up, so the watermelons are easy to inspect.	Long lashes create a shadow and interfere with full lighting.

It is not necessary to buy special nets, even clothes are used. Stockings, nylon tights and fishnet T-shirts will do. When designing trellises, you can show your imagination and make shelves on which the fruits will lie. Cabinets will do.

How to pinch a watermelon: infographic

See the infographic below for the rules for pinching a watermelon.

(click to enlarge)

Rules for pinching a watermelon stem

Before pinching, it is necessary to study the whole process so as not to harm the crop. Pinching recommendations:

1. Do not injure the main stem, pluck only stepchildren.
2. At one plant, no more than two shoots are left.
3. From two to six ovaries are left on the bush, depending on the variety. Cut off the ovary at an early stage of its formation.
4. Shoots with five leaves are cut off after the second leaf. Monitor the appearance of new shoots and cut them off.
5. Unfruitful shoots are immediately removed.
6. After the appearance of the first ovary on the shoot, pinch the upper part, leaving a couple of leaves.
7. When the fruits begin to grow, pinching is completed.

If, after pinching, there are few leaves left on the culture, then pinch the shoot that is above the fruit. This encourages the growth of new leaves. Lateral branches, on which there is no ovary, are removed at the root collar so as not to take away the culture's strength for the formation and ripening of fruits.

With proper pinching, the fruits grow to such sizes.

Pinching is carried out in accordance with the crop variety and growing region. Be sure to carry out the procedure for large varieties, such as Astrakhan. The table shows the varieties and features of their pinching:

The technology of pinching the top of the stem

We offer step-by-step instructions for this procedure:

1. As the watermelon grows, it begins to form lashes. Lateral shoots are removed without touching the main stem. During this period, such actions are needed to direct all the forces of the plant to the growth and development of the stem, on which the first ovary will appear.
2. After pollination and the appearance of the ovary, the required amount of the ovary is left and the sterile shoots are stepchildren. On shoots with fruits pinch the tops.

Council number 2. The bush is inspected weekly and the side stems are removed, otherwise the fruits will not reach the desired size.

The pinching technology differs depending on the crop variety, conditions and climatic zone of cultivation. Select the appropriate method experimentally. When growing watermelons for the first time, several plants are planted and pinched in different ways. According to the harvest at the end of the season, conclusions are drawn which method turned out to be the best.

Ways to pinch watermelon ovaries

There are three types of pinching. Let's consider each separately.

1. The first method involves the presence of side shoots. It is suitable for all varieties of watermelons. Three to six ovaries are left on the main shoot, lateral shoots without fruits. They are pinched, leaving only four leaves. They are needed for additional nutrition of the main stem. As the fruit grows, the lower shoots are cut off.
2. The second method involves pruning side shoots. The ovary is left every five leaves. The plant is inspected every week, and new shoots are removed.
3. The third method is used frequently. On the main shoot leave lateral lashes. On the side shoots, fruits are knitted, and on the main shoot, all shoots are removed. When the first ovary appears, up to six fruits are left on the whole plant.

The formation of the ovary is an important step that cannot be skipped when pinching.

Two fruits are left on each lash. The top is pinched at a distance of three leaves. All excess layering with the ovary is removed with scissors. The third method is popular among gardeners, because they get the maximum yield due to the branching of the bush. A sufficient number of leaves contributes to the nutrition of the culture and prevents drying.

Pinching and pruning of shoots is carried out on warm and sunny days, in which case the pruning sites will dry out quickly. In wet weather, rot is formed, and the likelihood of plant disease increases.

Watermelon care after pinching

After the first procedure, you need to inspect the culture weekly and, if necessary, pinch it. Only two shoots are left from the center of the bush, on which up to four fruits are formed. After the appearance of additional processes, they are immediately torn off. Otherwise, they take on all the forces of culture, and the fruits do not have enough time for full growth.

Council number 3. Each bush at the root is covered with a tree or bottles of warm water.

Wooden boxes or straw are placed under watermelons so that they do not rot.

When growing in a greenhouse, bees must be provided with access to the culture, otherwise pollination will be impossible. Also use the method of manual pollination. The fruits appear within a month. Flowers appear depending on the variety of watermelon. In early varieties, they are located between the 4th and 11th leaflet, in later varieties, between the 20th and 25th.

Care during flowering and fruit formation is as follows:

1. When the fruits become the size of a walnut, they are knitted into nets, this prevents the watermelons from rotting.
2. Plants are fed every 10 days. Use liquid mullein in a ratio of 1:10 with water or chicken manure in a ratio of 1:20. Read also the article: → "". During the growth period, superphosphate is used as top dressing, and during the ovary period, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are used.
3. After the appearance of flowers, the culture is watered 2 times a week, but plentifully.

Harvest after drying the tip of the loop. Watermelons love abundant watering, but when the fruits ripen, watering is limited. With temperature drops up to 15 degrees, the melon is covered with a film.

Answers to frequently asked questions about pinching a watermelon

Question number 1. How many times do you pinch a watermelon?

It depends on the variety of culture, at least for the season the procedure is done twice.

Question number 2. During pinching, I injured the main stem, what will happen now?

Unlike melons, in watermelons, fruits are formed on the main stem, if it is injured, then there will be no harvest. When the first fruits grow to the size of a walnut, the vines are cut out so that the fruits form on the second leaf.

Question number 3. Why is pinching necessary?

With the help of this procedure, fruits of maximum sizes are grown, and pinching helps to accelerate ripening, increases the juiciness and sweetness of the watermelon.

Question number 4. Is it possible to do without pinching?

To grow large and juicy fruits, an integrated approach is needed, one fertilizer and watering is not enough. If you grow watermelons in a greenhouse, then you can not do pinching, but the stems are tied up. For a crop that grows in open ground, pinching is indispensable.

Growing watermelons in a greenhouse requires pinching and tying.

Question number 5. How to determine when to start and stop pinching?

The procedure is started when the first secondary shoots appear, this prevents the plant from weakening and promotes growth. Stop pinching as the fruit grows, because the plant is gaining strength. It is advisable to pinch the shoot over the fruit.

Mistakes gardeners grow watermelons

We offer a solution to the problems that arise when growing watermelons:

1. When pinching, in no case should the main stem be injured, otherwise the plant will die. You need to leave a maximum of 7 leaves, but large ones. Up to two shoots are left on one stem.
2. Be sure to pinch when the fruit reaches 10 cm. Three loops are left on the plant, and two fruits on each loop, if there are more fruits, they will reach small sizes. The rest is better to pinch.
3. As the fruits grow, the stems of the watermelon are tied, otherwise they will break off and dry out.
4. When the watermelon fruits grow to the desired size, it is worth stopping watering and fertilizing. With an excess of manure, the loops will grow long, and the fruits will be small. Sandy soil is suitable for growing crops.
5. Some gardeners pinch off the main stem, leaving side shoots. This cannot be done. Lateral shoots up to 1.5 m long are added dropwise to strengthen the root system of the plant.

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