If you have long dreamed of growing watermelons on your own in your country house or garden in the open field, but did not know where to start, then this article should definitely help you! A minimum of rules and a little patience - and your work will be rewarded! The content of the article:
- Growing watermelons: which soils are suitable
- Sowing watermelons
- Care
- How to water
- Videos
A lot has been said about the benefits of watermelons: sweet juicy fruits are indicated for diseases of the heart and blood vessels, kidneys, liver, salt metabolism disorders, obesity and many other ailments. It is the richest source of potassium, magnesium, iron, folic acid, vitamins, acids and pectin substances. However, many are simply afraid to buy watermelons for fear of being poisoned by them. It's no secret that unscrupulous businessmen who grow their products are increasing the dose of pesticides and fertilizers in order to get a higher yield. Naturally, natural is much healthier and safer for our health.
Watermelons are very demanding for heat and light, it is not for nothing that they are considered one of the most thermophilic crops. Seeds will germinate at a temperature of at least 15 degrees, and the temperature norm for flowering will be considered a value from plus 18 to 20 ° C (in the morning) and up to 25 degrees in the daytime. As soon as the daytime temperature drops below 20 ° C, plant growth will slow down. Choose seeds that are not early ripening varieties, but also do not differ in long ripening. Many summer residents praise the varieties of watermelons Ogonyok and Sugar Kid. They differ from other varieties of watermelons with an average size of 4–6 kg and a dark green color without brightly marked lines, the flesh is dark red, and the bones are black.
Watermelon is drought tolerant due to its well-developed, powerful root system, but at the same time, it does not tolerate shading.
Growing watermelons: which soils are suitable
For growing watermelon, sandy loam soils, warming up in the sun and protected from strong winds, are suitable. Too moist soil, with a heavy mechanical composition and characterized by being near groundwater, is absolutely unsuitable. The best option is neutral or alkaline soil, but not acidic, where very small fruits will grow, which will have time to crack while still green. Change the planting sites every year - this is good for the soil: next year, it is better to plant corn or wheat instead of watermelons.
Sowing watermelons
Before planting, the seeds should be soaked in water at a temperature of 50 ° C until they bite. After that, they are sown in open ground at a soil temperature of 12 to 14 ° C (end of the first decade of May). By the time of germination, it will already warm up to 18 ° C. The first shoots will appear after 8-10 days, which will be considered the norm. If the ground is still cold, then the germination time increases, and the seedlings may simply die. This can also lead to the development of pathogenic flora in seedlings, which will further adversely affect their development during the growing season.
Hence the conclusion: under unsuitable natural conditions, the time for sowing seeds is postponed to the third decade of May. Each hole should be filled with ash (1 tbsp), mixed with earth, humus and nitroammophos (1 tsp). In the future, this will increase yields by about 20%. The seeding depth is 5–8 centimeters. After sowing, mulch the soil surface with humus so that a crust does not appear, which can harm the seedlings when they come to the surface.
Watermelon care
To accelerate the growth of watermelon, various shelters are used: from simple individual ones to group film ones. At the same time, even simple covers with a film increase the temperature, thereby accelerating ripening by two to three weeks. In addition, with the help of such devices, you will protect plants from pests such as kravchik beetles.
It is possible to arrange tunnel shelters with frames made of rod or wire rod. They are removed, as a rule, at the beginning of June, on a cloudy day, so that the plants cannot “burn out” under the scorching sun. Otherwise, they will weaken or become a source of infection for mass melon.
As for pollination, when grown under the film, it is done manually. To attract bees next to watermelons, you can plant honey plants or spray melons with a weak solution of honey or sugar.
How to water watermelons
During the cultivation of watermelons under a film, they are watered as they dry. After removing the shelters, watering should be stopped. In the open field, watering stops with the beginning of fruit setting.
In the future, care is reduced to breaking through seedlings, loosening, weeding the soil, destroying weeds and feeding. Do not thicken! Melons are very light-requiring, therefore, if you want to grow a large and sweet watermelon in the open field - remember that only one plant should remain in the hole - try to keep 1 sq. meter had no more than three landings.
Video about growing melons and gourds
Video: growing under drip irrigation
Video about Japan's square watermelons
Successful work and rich harvest!
