I was prompted to write this article by a question asked by an elderly woman at one of the agricultural exhibitions in Eurasia. She asked: why she can’t grow watermelons, and how they should be grown in greenhouses in the North-West region.

I explained to her that many authors wrote about watermelons in great detail in the magazine, introducing useful information to the treasury of gardening knowledge. Why couldn't this woman make watermelons? Either the variety is wrong, or they weren’t pollinated, the woman noted. They bloomed, but there was no point. It turned out that she fully understands the theory of growing this huge berry. And she told me in detail about the flowering of watermelon, that female flowers are located at the end of the main vine and in the vines of the first order, and male flowers are smaller and bloom for one day, female flowers are large and bloom for two days. Starting to bloom male flowers, and then, after 10-15 days, the female flowers bloom. The duration from germination to this moment is 75-80 days, and then the cold is close.

Historians say that Tsar Peter, when he was in the Caspian Sea, admired the local watermelons. He wanted to grow them near Moscow. Hired best workers, brought from the Volga "watermelon craftsmen", local seeds, even local soil - all to no avail. So it turns out that Astrakhan watermelons grow better in Astrakhan.

Then, at the exhibition last year, I advised her to try growing an early ripening watermelon hybrid Sorento F1 . And everything worked out for her: two watermelons, 7 kg each, grew from the vine. Well matured. They turned out to be very sweet. Perhaps the warm summer contributed to this. This year she came to the exhibition again and thanked her for the advice in choosing a variety. But she didn’t end with questions. And there were many of them. This time she was already interested: how to get more watermelons on the lash? Is this possible in our area, and why do the berries set faster on the side vines? How to properly form plants. Question after question followed.

And I promised to write an article about growing watermelons to answer not only her questions, but also the questions of many other gardeners in our region who want to grow these delicious berries.

Forming watermelons

I’ll say right away about the formation of plants. Here are some options. In a greenhouse, watermelon is grown on a vertical trellis. Twine is tied to each plant. At the same time, they are formed - the two lower lateral shoots (first-order shoots) are removed, since female flowers on them usually appear late. Shoots on which no female flower has formed up to the 6-7th node are removed. The main stem is tied to a vertical trellis, its top is regularly twisted along the twine and not pinched. First-order side shoots of the middle and upper tiers are pinched 2-3 leaves above the female flower. Standardization of ovaries accelerates the formation of the first fruits and improves their marketability and taste. The normal load on the plant is 4-5 fruits weighing 0.8-1.2 kg. If the fruits are large, then leaving more than two does not make sense. If there is an abnormally hot summer, then you can leave more.

The fruits are formed on the main stem, middle and upper side shoots, they are placed in special nets, which are suspended from the upper horizontal wire of the trellis or from the greenhouse frame. The distance between plants and rows in the greenhouse is 70 cm. As the vines grow, they are tied to trellises, and new fruits are hung on nets. No more than 2-3 fruits are left on one plant, the remaining ovaries are removed, preventing them from growing to a diameter of more than 5 cm.

To speed up the growth of the fruit, pinch the vine, leaving 5 leaves above the fruit. Weak shoots are removed altogether.

Vladimir Stepanov, Doctor of Biological Sciences
Photo by E. Valentinov

Watermelons need not only the formation of bushes, but also rationing of the yield. Without these two techniques, you will not be able to grow large and sugary fruits. Most likely, there will be a lot of small and tasteless ones.

About the need to form watermelons

Watermelons have unlimited growth of vines. If you do not pinch them, fruits will form along the entire trunk and on the side shoots. The lashes grow further, the bush spends energy both on their development and on the formation of more and more new fruits. As a result, we will get long stems and many small watermelons on them. In Africa and Australia, they will, of course, ripen, but not in our extreme climate.

Wild watermelons grow in Australia and southern Africa

By shaping we stop the excessive growth of shoots, and by rationing we leave only a few fruits on the bush. The plant will direct all its energy to growing and ripening them. It turns out that the bush itself, without any pinching, tends to become wild. And only under the supervision of a skilled gardener does it turn into a cultivated and productive plant.

Video: to pinch or not to pinch watermelon vines

When do watermelons begin to form?

To determine the timing of pinching the lashes and removing unnecessary stepsons, first select a formation scheme. There are several of them. Watermelons are grown with one, two, or three stems. The method depends on the variety, region and place of cultivation: in a greenhouse or open ground. If you bought seeds of several varieties and hybrids, then perhaps each will require its own formation technology; it must be carried out within a certain time frame and often in several stages.

In most cases, pinching of the lashes is done over the ovary, which has grown to the size of an apple.

Formation in a greenhouse

A special feature of growing in a greenhouse is the ability to tie watermelon vines to a trellis. Therefore, plants are planted more densely. Bushes are formed into one or two stems. IN closed ground Hybrids are often grown. Most of them produce very large fruits, but to make sure of this, you need to correctly form and standardize.

Growing in one stem

This simplest method is suitable for both varieties and hybrids. The main whip directed upward along the rope. All side shoots are removed. The fruits are set on the main stem. Of these, 1–4 are left depending on the region and size of the watermelons, the rest are removed. The main lash is pinched, 5 leaves away from the top fruit.

Video: greenhouse in the Moscow region, growing 3-4 watermelons on one vine

In Siberia and the northern regions, only one watermelon weighing 7–10 kg will have time to ripen on one vine, and in the south of the Russian Federation - 2–3. If it is a small-fruited variety, then more ovaries are left. The number of berries that will have time to ripen over the summer is individual for each variety and region. You'll have to find out through experience. The information on the seed packet can help.

Formation vertically with fruiting on shoots of the second order

A more labor-intensive method, since you need to monitor the growing stepsons and recognize what flowers grow on them, then wait for the ovaries and pinch them. However, it is precisely with this technology that many varieties bear fruit well. Unlike hybrids, their fruits set faster on the side shoots.

Watermelons set fruits both on the main stem and on the side shoots

Stages of formation:

1. The main lash is tied to the trellis, and every day it is twisted around the rope clockwise.
2. The two lower stepsons are removed or pinched at the very beginning of their growth.
3. All shoots on which female flowers have not appeared until the 6th or 7th leaf are removed - cut off or plucked out from the vine itself.
4. Shoots with ovaries (female flowers) are pinched, leaving 2-3 leaves from them.
5. The harvest is rationed: 4–5 fruits weighing about 1 kg are left on one bush; if it is a large-fruited variety, then 1–2 fruits. The rest are removed, preventing them from growing to 5 cm in diameter.
6. The main vine is pinched, counting 5 leaves from the top fruit.

Schemes for the formation of watermelons, including in one stem (with and without stepsons)

Do not pinch the vines before you are sure that the ovaries are growing. Small watermelons with Walnut often dry out and fall off.

Formation in open ground

In open ground, watermelons are grown in a spread pattern. At the same time, the lashes are intertwined, it is impossible to keep track of every stepson and flower. Therefore, in melon fields, formation is minimized or pinched at the very beginning so that a compact bush grows.

When grown on a spread, formation begins when the watermelons grow in diameter to 5–7 cm

Formation after the ovaries grow

Using this technology, watermelons are allowed to grow freely. Only the tops of the lashes that extend beyond the melon plant are pinched. Formation begins when several apple-sized fruits appear. From each such fruit, 5 leaves are removed and pinched. All other fruits are removed, shoots without fruits are cut off from the stem. In this case, the cut off sections are left in place. Pulling them out can damage the vines left for fruiting.

Video: a simple method of forming in open ground (Altai Territory)

In the melon thickets, you can overlook something. Therefore, a month before the onset of cold nights in the region (below +15 ⁰C), approximately in mid-to-late July, the bed is visited for formation again and all visible tops of the vines are pinched.

Formation of a bush with fruiting on shoots of the third order

Scientists have found that watermelons formed on shoots of the third order grow and ripen faster than others. The technology is recommended for northern regions with short summers.

1. When on young plant the fifth leaf will appear, the stem is pinched above the third leaf.
2. Three second-order shoots will grow from the axils; select two and pinch them over the fifth leaf. The third one is removed.
3. Third-order branches will grow on the remaining two vines, and berries will grow on them.
4. 2–4 watermelons are left on the bush, depending on the expected size of the fruit. The remaining ovaries are removed.
5. All branches without watermelons are cut off, and fruit-bearing ones are pinched at 3–5 leaves from the fruit.

Scheme of watermelon formation to obtain a harvest on third-order shoots

Two methods for open and closed ground

Some Siberian gardeners grow large watermelons Very in a simple way, which has already been mentioned. They leave in the bush one lash and one watermelon that tied on it first. The stem is pinched after 5 leaves, and all side shoots, flowers and ovaries are also removed. They say it’s easier to grow 30 bushes with one watermelon than to plant 10 and constantly pinch them to grow the same 30 berries. In addition, the third watermelon does not ripen in every area, but one on a bush will ripen quickly.

Video: one bush - one watermelon, greenhouse in Siberia

Other watermelon growers are solving the problem of non-ripening of the third fruit alternative way. They ensure that three berries set, grow and ripen at the same time. To do this, leave the main lash and two stepsons emerging from axils 3 and 4 from the ground of the leaf. All other shoots are removed. It turns out three lashes. When the fruits set on each and begin to grow, pinch the fifth leaves from the fruits. But such technology should also be subject to your criticism. After all, a lot depends on the size of the future fruits, the place of cultivation and the weather.

Scheme of forming a watermelon into three stems - in order to get three fruits

There are many technologies for shaping watermelons. There is no one universal for all varieties and regions. If this is your first time growing this heat-loving culture, then it’s better to start with the simplest circuits. Another option is to arrange an experimental melon plant, test all known methods of formation and choose the most suitable one for specific varieties and climatic conditions.

Basic methods of forming watermelons: how to get decent harvest from yagodka.club.

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30.05.2017 27 400

How to pinch a pumpkin in open ground and further care?

If you don’t know how to pinch a pumpkin in open ground, then read what rules you need to follow to get a tasty and rich harvest. Also from the article you will learn how many vines to leave on a pumpkin and how many ovaries, how the bush is formed, what needs to be done to make the pumpkin sweet, and how the variety affects cultivation, as well as others useful recommendations experienced gardeners and summer residents.

Pumpkin in open ground - pictured

Let's figure out whether you need to pinch the pumpkin?

Almost every garden blooms with bright large balls by the end of summer different color, - this pumpkin has gained unprecedented popularity among gardeners today, and for good reason. The fruits contain incredible amounts of vitamins and microelements; people have learned to cook delicious healthy dishes from pumpkin. gardening is a relatively easy task, the plant develops well at high sunny place, moisture and heat are required, but stagnation of water is contraindicated.

The culture grows quite quickly, soon a powerful fruit with large leaves, long stems. In order for the fruits to be large and sweet, you need to know how to pinch a pumpkin in open ground. Before learning how to pinch, it is important to understand why the procedure is needed.

A good support for a pumpkin can be a fence along which the lashes will crawl, braiding the whole thing. Some crafty people even grow pumpkins on the roof, and the results are impressive. If it is not possible to use a fence or a roof, then the formation of pumpkin vines becomes a necessity. In addition, devoting a lot of space to pumpkin on 6 acres is, at a minimum, not rational; not every summer resident can afford this.

a mesh fence serves as a support for the pumpkin - in the photo

It is very important that by pinching the period when the pumpkin fruits become ripe is adjusted, the quantity and quality of the ovaries are adjusted. A pumpkin with only 3-4 leaves already has flowers containing future harvest. The gardener’s task is to increase the number of flowers or leave the existing ones to collect bountiful harvest. The summer resident creates a pumpkin bush, namely, pinches, trims, stepsons, removes excess ovaries, spoiled fruits, leaves, and all these operations lead to an excellent result.

If you are going to grow a pumpkin in the conditions of Siberia and the Urals, as well as other northern regions of the country, where the climate is not so hot, keep in mind that you need to leave no more than 3-4 ovaries on the vines of large-fruited varieties, otherwise the fruits may not have time to ripen before the arrival of frost .

How to pinch a pumpkin - basic rules and techniques

Beginners in gardening often have a problem: how to pinch a pumpkin in the open ground so that it is correct and does not harm the harvest? Let's figure out how to pinch a pumpkin, based on the experience of experienced gardeners and summer residents with experience:

1. The first rule is to start pinching a pumpkin when there are fruits on the vines reaching a diameter of 10 cm
2. The stems need to be pinched so that 4-6 leaves remain above each fruit.
3. Be sure to decide how many ovaries to leave on the pumpkin, since to obtain large fruits it is better to leave 1-4 ovaries, depending on the variety grown and the region of cultivation
4. When solving the problem of how to pinch a pumpkin in open ground, it is better to use the tips and lead to one, two (main and lateral) or three stems (main and two laterals). Most convenient way to get large fruits, leave the main stem with 2-3 fruits and one side shoot with one pumpkin.

formation of a pumpkin bush - in the photo

Experienced farmers advise beginners not to grow all the bushes in one way, but to try to form one plant into one stem, another into two, etc. This is the only way to choose the most suitable way maintaining culture. If you form a pumpkin into three stems, then you need to leave one main shoot and two side shoots, and there will be one fruit on each of the shoots.

It is worth noting that a pumpkin can grow perfectly without shaping. If the variety is not large-fruited, medium or small in size, then in good weather the harvest will please you in any case. When you leave more ovaries on large-fruited varieties(5-7), then the ripening period automatically increases, and the size of the fruit decreases.

Don’t forget that pumpkin is a heat-loving plant, so ripening requires a lot of sun and heat, fertilizing and the quality of the bed are also important, and the characteristics of the variety have not been canceled - all this must be taken into account in complex, in order to correctly calculate how many lashes leave on the pumpkin.

The need to form a pumpkin and regulate the number of fruits is determined based on the purpose of cultivation - exhibition varieties (as a rule, one fruit is left on one stem to make it as large as possible), for home preparations, etc.

Caring for a pumpkin after pinching

You can choose any of the methods of forming a culture, but in any case you need to sprinkle the lashes with soil. When their length reaches about a meter, they are separated and sent to necessary side. The lashes take root in sprinkled areas, further fertilizing the plant. A gardener must know not only how to pinch a pumpkin, but also how to create conditions for its successful growth.

pumpkin care - pictured

Often pumpkin flowers need to be pollinated artificially, since weather sometimes they are not happy and pollination does not occur, so the process of starting to set fruit is postponed indefinitely.

The operation is carried out early in the morning; for this, male flowers with the petals removed must be pressed well against the stigma of an open female flower. How to distinguish male pumpkin flowers from female ones, you ask, but it’s very simple - the male flower will stick out on a long thin stalk, and the female one can be recognized by the base, in which round rudiments of future fruits will be visible.

During each growth period, the pumpkin requires a large number of water. It is especially needed when mass flowering and fruit formation, the plant needs abundant evening watering. The water should not be colder than twenty degrees. After watering, it is recommended to remove weeds and loosen the soil.

If the ovary is not yet comparable in size to a fist, then you should not water it, otherwise only leaves will grow. To give the pumpkin time to ripen and gain sugar, the access to water should be stopped; it does not tolerate soil dampness. While the fruit is small, a piece of board or plywood or something like that is placed under it to save it from rotting.

The plant is responsive to feeding, but the main thing is not to overdo it. If the garden bed is fertilized in the fall, then in the summer the pumpkin is not given organic matter. Pumpkin is well received liquid fertilizer with alternating mineral and natural preparations. With a lack of phosphorus, the pumpkin ovaries may fall off; the same problem can arise with excess moisture.

To prepare organic matter, take 2 liters of slurry and wood ash weighing 50g. In the first month of pumpkin growth, 6-8 plants need about a bucket of this fertilizer at a time. Alternate this feeding with mineral fertilizer - dilute superphosphate (40 g), potassium salt (30 g), saltpeter (20 g) in 10 liters of water.

Now the gardener knows how to pinch a pumpkin in the open ground and how to further care to obtain tasty, large and sweet fruits. Have a good harvest!

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