Secrets of growing strong watermelon seedlings at home. How to plant watermelons? When to plant watermelons

Watermelon loves a hot climate, but watermelon lovers do not always live in warm countries, and most sweet berry they have to buy. However, you can try to grow it in your garden. How to do it? Read on.

The place of origin of watermelons is the southern part of Africa. The climate is dry and hot, summer is all year round. Cold winters and frosts do not happen. Planting sugar berries in open ground in countries with other weather conditions also practiced, but for this you will have to work hard. Where should you start? First, properly prepare the soil.

What soil is suitable for watermelons?

It is advisable to prepare a place for planting an exotic berry in autumn period. The area where pot-bellied minke whales will be planted should be well lit by the sun and protected from the winds. It is best if corn, beans, peas were planted on the selected soil before the striped berry, and also if cabbage heads, onions, alfalfa, winter varieties of wheat grew. It’s bad if tomato, pepper, eggplant grew there earlier, different types zucchini and melons or watermelon.

For the future, it should be taken into account: re-planting watermelons in the same soil will be possible only after six years.

The land for future seedlings must be dug up along with fertilizers applied in advance. The soil will do sandy, loose, non-acidic, with low moisture content, well breathable. For fertilizer, you can take rotted manure, as well as top dressing based on phosphorus and potassium.

Grow exotic berry can be directly from seeds or seedlings. The seedless method is used in hot countries. In a cold climate with a short and not very hot summer, only the seedling method is suitable.

By planting young seedlings, you will need to properly prepare the ground. The following components should be present in its composition in equal proportions: sand layer, sod layer, peat layer. In the soil (in the amount of 5 kg) it is necessary to add ammonium nitrate, dolomite flour, potassium sulphate (take all elements 50 g each); double superphosphate (about 100 g).

Planting seeds for seedlings

A prerequisite is that the seeds must be planted already germinated. In order to germinate, they are first placed in hot water(not less than 50 degrees) for 30 minutes. Then the seeds are placed in wet sand. In this case, the temperature in the room should be about 25 degrees. In a few days, the first shoots will come out. The germinated seeds are now ready to be planted. The landing date is the end of April.

It is necessary to plant watermelon seeds in separate containers, two or three seeds each, deepen them into the hole by 1 cm. It is worth sprinkling future seedlings with sand, placing them under glass or film. Put the pots with seedlings in heat, maintain the air temperature at about 30 degrees.

The first sprouts should appear in 6-7 days. When this happens, remove the shelter and lower the thermometer to 15-17 degrees for a period of 4 to 8 days.

Watering the sprouts should be good, but in moderation. Pour water under the roots in several passes.

Fertilize correctly when three good leaves appear. A special mineral composition or liquid top dressing (mullein) is suitable.

It is advisable to harden seedlings before planting in open ground. To do this, you can take it outside for several hours, gradually increasing the amount of time spent outdoors. A week after hardening procedures, you can plant on permanent place.

Plant young seedlings in open land need a month after planting the seeds. This coincides with the timing of the last week of May or occurs in the first ten days of June. The first half of the day is the best time to transplant young plants when there is a lot of light and sun.

The earth needs to be dug up and loosened. It should be well warmed up (at least 15 degrees).

What do we have to do?

Dig holes, the diameter and depth of each is half a meter. The gap between the holes in the ground should be about a meter. For planting, it is better to choose a staggered arrangement of holes.
Fertilizers are applied to each hole: humus (5-7 l), sand in a small amount (about three liters), superphosphate (a quarter of a glass).
Pour loose earth on top to make small mounds.
In the mounds, you need to dig holes 10 cm down and pour them with water (one and a half liters each).
Carefully remove the seedlings from the cups without damaging the roots. Now you can plant them in a hole, then fill it up and tamp it down with earth. Pour a layer of sand on top.
At the end of planting, seedlings must be watered. The water must be warm. For some time, the seedlings must be covered from the bright sun so that the leaves rise faster.

Planted seedling care

Care includes:

watering;
thinning;
weeding;
loosening;
topping;
top dressing.

Let us dwell in more detail on these stages of care.

thinning

When 3-4 young leaves appear on the seedlings, the watermelons should be thinned out, leaving up to two shoots in the hole. All remaining must be cut near the surface layer of the soil.

Weeding

Watermelons do not like weeds, so you will have to weed often and thoroughly. Especially on initial stage striped berry growth. When the seedlings grow and turn into bushes, you can weed less often or stop altogether. At this stage, weed grass is no longer dangerous.

Topping

It is necessary to pinch emerging lashes so that they grow faster. This should be done so that there are 2-4 leaves on top of the ripening fruit. In addition, it is necessary to remove weakened shoots. Each bush should have 3-5 ovaries, it is desirable to remove all unnecessary ones.

loosening

It is necessary to loosen the soil constantly, especially when young seedlings are planted in open ground. Watermelons love light, airy soil. Water also penetrates loose soil more easily.

When the berries begin to increase in size, loosening can be stopped, as well as weeding. At this time, the roots grow very much throughout the area, there is a danger of damaging them with such manipulations. Also try to walk less in the surrounding area so as not to harm the roots near the surface layer of the soil.

Watering

This is very important element caring for large striped berries. Water them every seven days. large quantity water. Three large buckets are taken to water one square meter. In hot, dry weather, you can increase watering up to twice a week.

Both the ground near the bush and the gaps between the bushes are subject to moisture (in a word, the entire area allocated for planting).

Watering should be reduced as soon as the fruits begin to appear. Before harvesting ripe striped berries, they should not be watered at all (at least 14 days before harvest).

top dressing

The first top dressing is applied after at least 14-15 days after planting the seedlings. What composition to fertilize? Berries planted in open ground are fertilized with ammonium nitrate (20 g), which is mixed with water. Each bush is watered with two liters of solution. A replacement can be mullein with water (in a ratio of 1:10), as well as (we dilute with water 1:20). Superphosphate (20-30 g) and calcium chloride (10-15 g) are added to the solution.

The second time to feed the plants should be at the stage of bud appearance. The composition of the fertilizer: 5 g of calcium chloride and ammonium nitrate, plus superphosphate - 6 g. All this will be needed for one bush.

Fertilizers are sometimes added in dry form, then the soil where watermelons grow must be watered before and after top dressing.

Harvest

The harvest of watermelons should be taken somewhere at the end of August. On average, it takes about a hundred days for the fruit to fully ripen. It all depends on the type of berry you choose.

Varieties are early ripening, late ripening and medium in terms of ripening. In cold climates with short summers, it is better to grow early and mid-ripening fruits. For example, "Spark", "Melania", "Ataman". Among the later varieties are well known, which can also have time to ripen in a temperate climate - "Chill", "Spring".

Watermelons can be eaten immediately or stored. Jam is made from fresh berries, they can be pickled and pickled.

Storage Tips

Usually late fruits are stored, medium in size and with a thick skin. This cover should be without damage and softness.
During storage, the berries should not touch each other. The place where these fruits are stored is cold, dark and well ventilated.

Proper harvesting and storage will allow you to enjoy sugar berry long time. With sufficient hard work and perseverance, you can achieve excellent results.

Good afternoon to all readers!

What is the largest berry? Watermelon. Previously, it was grown only in warm, southern regions. Now, when the selection has stepped far forward, an amateur gardener can collect the largest berry on his plot in the Moscow region, and in the Urals, and in Siberia. To do this, you just need to choose the right seeds, grow seedlings, transfer young sprouts to the ridge at the right time and harvest in a timely manner.

You need to start by choosing seeds.

Choosing the right seeds

When choosing seeds, it is necessary to take into account the region in which the watermelon plant will grow. In regions where summer is short, sunny days are a little better to sow hybrid seeds. Their advantages are increased resistance to diseases, early maturity, the ability to grow a decent crop in a short summer, and a lack of solar heat.

In the Moscow region, in the conditions of the Urals or Siberia, it is better to grow early hybrids. The fruits on them are tied in the middle of summer. Thin-skinned watermelons do not grow large, no heavier than 3 kg, but they are just as juicy and sweet, almost like southern ones.

In March and April, seeds of early ripe watermelons are planted. Seedlings are transplanted into the ground when the sprouts become strong and sufficiently hardened. It is necessary to choose zoned varieties for planting in your region.

The first berries on the plant ripen within 80 days after germination. Fruits grow up to 5 kg, spherical, shiny, brightly colored. The pulp of the fruit is sugary, fragrant. Requires a serious attitude to care.

Skorik

Ripe fruits can be harvested as early as two months after plant germination. The long lashes of the bush require the mandatory formation of shoots by pinching. The fruits grow small, up to 2 kg, but very sweet and long-term storage.

spark

Ripe fruits can be harvested at 75-85 days. The mass of fruits reaches 1.5 kg. Watermelons of this variety have an original taste, the color of the fruit is dark green, almost black. The advantages of the Light include increased resistance to fungal diseases and low temperatures.

From less famous varieties in these latitudes, you can grow watermelons such as Super Early Dyutina (SRD), Stetson, Charleston near Moscow, Sugar Baby (Sugar Baby).

For the Urals and Siberia:

Highly early variety. Harvest is ready for harvest on the 70-80th day from the date of germination. Scourge plants grow up to 2.5m. Watermelons are spherical, striped. Juicy, red flesh with rare and small dark-colored seeds is hidden under a thin crust. Can be grown both indoors and outdoors. The variety can be grown through seedlings, and when the soil warms up above 14 degrees, sow the seeds immediately into the ground.

Suga baby

hybrid giving high yields under adverse conditions and lack of heat. Fruits of the correct spherical shape, dark green, weight reaches 10-13 kg. The flesh is bright red, contains a lot of sugars and a small amount of dark seeds. The fruits ripen in August-September.

ultra early

Another very early variety. Watermelons ripen in 80 days. Like all watermelon plants love warmth and sunlight, but how few are resistant to temperature extremes. Round, striped fruits with a thin rind and sweet pulp. Seeds dark, small, few.

When to plant watermelon for seedlings according to the lunar calendar in 2019

Seedlings of watermelons are planted in a greenhouse or open ground when the soil at the depth of the roots warms up above +18 degrees, and frosts do not return even at night.

In the Urals or in the Moscow region, this happens in mid-June. From this time, we will begin counting the date of sowing seeds for seedlings.

If the soil temperature near the roots is below +15⁰, the plants will take root for a long time, they may weaken and die. It is also not worth delaying planting - a ripening crop may fall under the first frost.

Watermelon seedlings best tolerate transplanting at the age of 25-30 days. Treated seeds germinate from ten days to two weeks. Simple calculations show that it is necessary to start sowing seeds in late April - early May.

The results of cultivation will be even more significant if the sowing is coordinated with the movement of the moon, with the lunar calendar.

Experienced gardeners say that half the success in growing crops depends on the correct planting dates. Especially for gardeners, the Lunar Calendar is published annually, the recommendations of which are desirable to use so as not to be surprised why plants lag behind in development or get sick. Depending on the region, watermelon is sown in different months.

Favorable days for planting in 2019 will be the following dates:

in March - from 7 to 20;
in April - from 6 to 18;
in May - from 6 to 18;
in June - from 4 to 16.

On the days of the new moon and full moon, as well as on the eve and immediately after these dates, it is not recommended to plant, transplant and pick. Here are those days:

March - 6, 21;
April - 5, 19;
May - 5, 19;
June - 3, 17;

What else can be considered to obtain healthy planting material:

It is recommended to sow seeds for growing seedlings during the waxing moon.
From seeds sown on the days of the full moon or new moon, seedlings are obtained with a reduced yield
Plants grown from seeds sown on the days shortly before the full moon have a less elongated stem
Seedlings will take root better in open ground if it is covered with a film for the time of adaptation, the entire garden as a whole or transparent plastic bottles 5L capacity to create an atmosphere with high humidity.

Seed preparation

Despite their rather large size, watermelon seeds germinate for a long time. Watermelon belongs to the pumpkin family, and it means that you can prepare its seeds for sowing in the same way as cucumber seeds - warm them up. You can hold them for a month at a temperature of about 40 degrees.

In the old days, peasants carried such seeds in a pouch around their necks. Nowadays, they are stored in a warm place - above the stove in the kitchen or near the battery.

Before sowing, it is useful to free the seeds from infections, the pathogens of which remain on the shell. As disinfectants use a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate, aloe juice, Fitosporin, soda solution or just hot water with a temperature not exceeding 50 degrees.

Decontaminated seeds are germinated in a humid environment until pecking.

A damp cloth is used, which is placed in a sealed container in a heat of approximately 28-30 degrees.
Seeds must be regularly inspected and checked to see if the substrate has dried out, if seedlings have appeared.
Germinated seeds are recommended to harden. They are kept at a temperature not lower than +6 degrees.
Twelve hours kept in the cold, the next twelve hours warm. Temperature changes are performed 2-3 times.

Sowing dry seeds

While the seeds are being disinfected and stratified, we are preparing the soil.

The soil should be light, loose, permeable, but at the same time nutritious. Suitable purchased soil for cucumbers.

To prepare the planting mix yourself, you need to mix well:

1 part of sod land
1 part loose humus
1 part coarse sand.
For 10 liters of the resulting mixture, it is useful to add 1 liter of wood ash.

The soil mixture laid out in planting containers is disinfected. For this, hot water or Fitosporin solution is suitable. The mixture prepared in the fall can be frozen during the winter. The soil in planting containers can be enriched with useful soil microflora- water them with the working solution of Baikal EM.

Sowing germinated seeds

It is necessary to grow watermelon seedlings in individual containers - pumpkin seeds are very sensitive to root damage. Seedlings ready for planting should have a powerful root system and 3-4 formed leaves - a large plant.

Suitable for her peat pots, milk or juice boxes, plastic glasses or cut plastic bottles. Two requirements for dishes - a volume of at least 0.6-0.8 liters and drainage holes.

Fill with soil mixture landing tanks by 2/3. The mixture is compacted, spilled, prepared seeds are laid on the surface, covered with soil for 2 cm. If there are a lot of seeds, then two seeds can be sown in one pot. To speed up germination, the seed pots are sealed tightly and placed in a warm place.

After the emergence of shoots, a weak sprout is cut off. It is not recommended to pull out - a stronger seedling can be damaged.

The remaining sprouts during the day contain at 20-25 degrees of heat during the day, at night the temperature should drop to 18-20. Every day it is necessary to air the seedlings - lift the film or lid to remove excess moisture.

Light day for watermelon seedlings should last about 12 hours. The lack of light so that the plants do not stretch out is compensated by additional lighting.

Seedlings are watered infrequently, but abundantly with warm settled water. Water should be poured under the root, trying not to get on the leaves. Water should not stagnate in the pan, it should be removed regularly. Excess moisture leads to rot and oxygen starvation of the root system. Harmful and dry earthen clod. The best option- moderately moist soil.

Two weeks before planting in the ground, seedlings begin to harden, accustom to the open air. Plants in the daytime are left outdoors first for a short time for 15-20 minutes, then increase the time. When night temperatures become positive, seedlings can be left uncovered all night.

When growing seedlings, it is necessary to provide for young plants free place- seedlings should not be in contact with leaves.

top dressing

At the age of ten days, seedlings are fed for the first time. The second and last time seedlings are fertilized 10 days after the first feeding. For all dressings, fertilizers are used in liquid form. The first fertilizer mixture contains more nitrogen in its composition - for the accelerated growth of green mass. The fertilizer mixture for the second top dressing should add phosphorus and potassium to the soil - they have a beneficial effect on the root system.

Difficulties in growing watermelon seedlings

Seedlings wither

There are many reasons for fading:

lack or excess of moisture,
root damage by infections,
cold soil.

Seedlings damaged by infections are removed, the remaining plants are treated with fungicides and watering is reduced.

Yellow leaves appear on seedlings, plants die

Most often, with such symptoms, brown spots are found at the base of the stem. Such seedlings must be isolated and destroyed. For prevention, before planting, it is necessary to disinfect the soil, and keep the seedlings at a sufficient high temperatures environment.

The main conditions for obtaining healthy watermelon seedlings:

disinfection of soil, seeds, utensils, tools;
moderate watering;
timely feeding;
sufficient lighting;
stable temperature regime

Transplanting seedlings into the ground

The frosts are over, the soil has warmed up, the third leaf has grown on the plant - the seedlings can be transferred to the garden. AT closed ground can be moved up to a week earlier.

For a watermelon bed, choose a place lit by the sun, protected from cold winds. When planting seedlings on virgin soil, fertilizers may not be applied. In other areas, good humus is introduced for planting up to 10 kg per 1 m2. AT ideal humus is scattered in the garden in the fall and immediately dug up. In the spring they pour into the planting holes complex fertilizer, can be specialized for pumpkin.

You can additionally warm the soil before planting by covering the hole with a dark film or spilling it hot water when planting seedlings. Like all cucurbits, watermelons do not like to be disturbed by the roots. When transplanting, it is desirable to keep the clod of earth intact - this will accelerate the survival of plants. The likelihood of seedling survival will increase if, after planting, it is covered with a film or plastic bottles with a cut bottom.

The scheme for planting watermelon seedlings on melons is 50 cm between bushes in a row and 150–200 cm between rows. For getting decent harvest watermelons need a lot of space. Each lash can grow up to 2.5m or more.

With a lack of area, the fruits will not reach the declared weight. Will not give standing crops and planting watermelons between the trees - there will be a lack of sun.

Planted plants should be watered approximately twice a week. About ten liters of sun-warmed water should be poured into each hole. In areas with high humidity, in the Urals or Siberia, watermelons are watered only 5-6 times during the entire growing season. During the period of fruit ripening, one and a half to two weeks before harvesting, watering is completely stopped.

You can get three fruits on each bush (a larger number of plants will not be able to feed) if you form a bush correctly.

The first fruit is left on the main stem, at the 4-5th node.
We form the second fruit on the third branch of the 2nd order.
The last fruit can be left on the shoot of the third order on the second shoot of the 2nd order.
The remaining shoots are pinched, leaving one leaf after the ovary.

Watermelon plants planted in a permanent place must be fed in a timely manner, despite the beds filled with fertilizer.

Scheme of fertilization at a permanent place of growth:

on the 9-11th day after planting the seedlings, pour 2 liters of ammonium nitrate solution, diluted in a ratio of 20 g per 10 liters of water, into each well.
at intervals of 7-14 days, plants are fertilized with infusions of mullein, humus, herbal kvass or chicken manure, in which they dissolve wood ash.

Like everyone fruit plants, on watermelons there are pests and diseases.

Watermelon pests

melon aphid

wireworm

spider mite

For pest control in early dates growth of watermelon bushes, insecticides with a long waiting time can be used; when the fruits ripen, plantings need to be treated only with biological preparations with short waiting times.

Diseases of watermelons

Most often, watermelon plantings are affected by all kinds of rot, anthracnose, bacteriosis, and powdery mildew.

The main measure to combat diseases is prevention - crop rotation, correct scheme planting, seed and soil treatment, autumn cleaning and destruction of plant residues.

The only way to combat rot is the timely removal of diseased parts of the plant or the entire plant from the garden. From powdery mildew solution can be used baking soda, unpasteurized whey, ash infusion.

powdery mildew

root rot

To grow sweet watermelon in the conditions of the Moscow region or Siberia, you need to make a lot of effort. But a fresh, sweet, environmentally friendly watermelon on the table will justify the effort and money spent.

Growing watermelons - care and shaping: video

First of all, it should be noted that for successful cultivation This heat-loving crop needs an appropriate temperature regime, good sunlight and sufficient humidity. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare greenhouses, although in the central and southern regions it is quite possible to grow watermelon in the open ground using the seedling method. This method allows you to pick the first fruits earlier by 14-20 days.

Do not make beds and do not put greenhouses under a tree, next to the bushes, otherwise you will not wait for a ripe, large berry. Prepare the soil in the fall, abundantly filling it with rotted manure (2 buckets per square meter). Now for the seeds: it is best to sow early-ripening varieties or hybrids, which are characterized by resistance to various diseases, adverse weather. Even in cold summers, hybrids form fruits and are able to accumulate a sufficient amount of sugars.

How to grow big and sweet watermelons?

The watermelon planting site needs to be changed every year. After it, corn or wheat is planted, and potatoes, cabbage, onions, and legumes are considered the best predecessors.

The most popular hybrids and varieties: Twinkle, Boy F1, Sugar Baby, Crimson Suite F1, Gift to the North, very early Ataman. You can grow a really high-quality product only through seedlings.. Even in Central Asia this is done when they want to get an early harvest.

The optimal time for landing will be April 10-15, in northern latitudes this is April 21-25. Each gardener can determine more exact sowing dates on his own, based on the fact that no more than 30 days should elapse before planting seedlings. Overgrown plants take root for a long time, and the harvest can be shifted by a week, or even 10 days.

So, how to plant watermelons for seedlings:

pickle watermelon seeds for about twenty minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate (1%), rinse clean water. Wrap them in a damp cotton napkin and leave for 2 days in a warm place. In order for the shoots to sprout together, the temperature must be +30 ° C;
while the seeds swell, prepare a container with a capacity of 0.8 liters - these can be pots, tetra packs. Now you need to take care of loose, permeable soil: in equal proportions, mix country soil, rotted manure, peat, coarse sand. For 10 liters of mixture, add 3 liters. superphosphate, a tablespoon of urea, potassium. Fill the container with the soil mixture, without adding 3 cm to the brim.
make a hole 3 cm deep and lower the seed that has hatched there, cover it with earth and pour water +25 ° C. Cover the pots with plastic wrap on top;
when shoots appear, lower the temperature to +18 ° C, remove the film. After 4 days, you can return to the daytime temperature of +25 ° C, and maintain +18 ° C at night. Keep the seedlings on a bright windowsill, but if the conditions do not allow or it is cloudy outside, use additional lighting for 12 hours a day. Water young plants regularly warm water, and also loosen;
after 12 days, feed the seedlings with manure solution (1:10);
a week before planting, start hardening, gradually lowering the temperature by 3-4 degrees. You can also take out the pots on covered balcony, in a greenhouse or greenhouse. Plant in the ground from mid-May to June 10. A fully formed watermelon seedling has 5 leaves.

Watermelon - planting and care

There is different ways plantings of this crop, but usually they do this: on beds filled with organic matter (width - 1 m, height - 20 cm), build ridges that make 45-50 cm wide and 18 cm high. In each row on the crest, after 80 cm, make holes 10 cm deep and plant seedlings in them with a clod of earth to cotyledon leaves. Then pour warm water - 1 liter per seedling.

As long as there is a threat of frost, it is still better to cover the plantings for the night with lutrasil or film. To do this, install arcs at the ends of the beds, which can then be removed as unnecessary. The culture is quite moisture-loving, so water the plants generously, but only until flowering. Then stop watering, otherwise the fruits will grow wadded, unsweetened. Optimum temperature for ripening - from 25 o C to 28 o C.

Well, how about without dressings: do the first one a week after planting - on a bucket of mullein solution (as usual 1:10), you can chicken manure(0.5:10) add 30 gr. superphosphate, not less than 15 gr. potassium (1 tbsp. ash); spend the second in the phase of lash formation, spending 6 g per bush. superphosphate, 4 gr. potassium and ammonium nitrate. Before fertilizing, water the plantings abundantly so that the fertilizers do not burn the root system and are well absorbed.

Good care also includes loosening, weeding, and disease control. Watermelons bloom 40-50 days after sowing: male flowers bloom first, then female ones. Spraying in the morning with a solution of sugar (a teaspoon per liter of water) will help improve the pollination process and attract bees. As soon as you notice the knotted fruit, count five leaves from it and pinch it so that all your efforts are directed towards harvesting.

This year I decided to plant 1-2 watermelon plants in the greenhouse. The rest of the greenhouse area I have is for tomatoes. So let's see how this turns out in the end. I will grow watermelon seedlings at home and plant them in greenhouse soil at the same time as tomato bushes or a little later.

Terms of sowing watermelon for seedlings

AT middle lane watermelon is cultivated under film shelters, in greenhouses and polycarbonate greenhouses. Outdoors without additional insulation this culture usually does not have time to ripen.

The optimal age of watermelon seedlings for planting in a permanent place is 30-35 days.

Thus, sowing seeds is carried out:

in late March with planting in a greenhouse in late April - early May.
in the second decade of April with planting under a film or in a greenhouse in the second or third decade of May.

Important note! Watermelon seedlings are better NOT to grow than TO grow. Overgrown seedlings are difficult to plant without damaging the roots; after transplantation, they get sick for a long time.

Preparing watermelon seeds for sowing

Presowing treatment of watermelon seeds guarantees early and friendly shoots and increases the yield. It is carried out in several steps:

Disinfection. To do this, you can use hot water, potassium permanganate, garlic, and so on. Read about all the methods in more detail. I prefer to sterilize cucurbit seeds in hot water. To do this, I keep them for two hours in a thermos with water at a temperature of + 55-60 degrees. Then I immediately dip the seeds in cool water. To increase the number of female flowers on plants, the seeds are heated for 2-3 weeks near the battery or over the stove.
Food. There are many recipes for nutrient solutions for soaking seeds. You will find the most popular and reliable of them. If you do not have the time or desire to cook them, process the seeds in. To do this, add 1-2 drops of the drug to a glass, the exposure time is 8-10 hours.
Soak. Watermelon seeds are soaked until swelling for 10-12 hours.
. Alternate exposure to cold and heat will make your watermelon plants more resistant to spring frosts. To do this, a bowl with wet swollen seeds is placed in a refrigerator with a temperature of +1 ... 4 degrees for a day, then it is kept warm for another day. And so repeat 2 times. But make sure that the seeds are always slightly damp.
Germination. After hardening procedures, the seeds are either immediately sown in the soil, or germinated until short white roots form.

If you purchased seeds already processed special formulations or, they do not need any additional preparation - they are sown dry.

Where and how to sow watermelon seedlings

Watermelon seedlings are best grown WITHOUT picking!

Watermelon has delicate and brittle roots that are poorly restored after mechanical damage. It is better to grow seedlings of this crop without picking - sow the seeds immediately in separate cups or pots with a capacity of about 300 milliliters and a diameter of 10-15 centimeters.

It is advisable to prepare the soil substrate in advance, in the fall. Ideally, it should consist of three parts of sod or garden soil and one part of humus (compost). Wood ash is also added to the mixture - a glass of 10 kilograms - or mineral fertilizers - a tablespoon of superphosphate and a teaspoon of urea per 10 kilograms of substrate.

So that watermelon seedlings do not suffer from other seedling ailments, be sure to disinfect the soil mixture with one of them. Make sure your cups have holes to drain excess liquid when watering.

The containers are filled with seedling soil, moistened and mini-holes are made in the center with a depth of 1.5-2 centimeters. In each such hole, 2-3 dry or one germinated watermelon seed is sown and covered with slightly moist crumbly soil.

After that, plastic bags are put on the cups and kept at a temperature of + 25 ... 28 degrees until shoots appear. When using germinated seeds, they hatch already for 3-5 days.

Growing seedlings of watermelon at home

As soon as the seeds germinate, the containers with seedlings are rearranged on a light window sill with a temperature of + 16 ... 18 for 3-4 days. This warns the plants and provides blackleg prevention.

In the future, watermelon seedlings are grown:

in sunny days- at +25...30 degrees;
in gloomy weather - at +20...22 degrees;
at night - at +16...18 degrees.

The most suitable air humidity for watermelon seedlings is 50-60%.

If you placed the plants on the south or southeast window sill, there is usually no need for additional illumination of the seedlings. Especially considering that it is already April-May outside the window. However, for the first one and a half to two weeks, it is useful to put watermelons under in the morning and evening hours.

To improve the quality of seedlings, place the containers on a glazed insulated balcony. Just watch the temperature!

In the phase of the first real leaflet, the weakest plant should be removed from the cups - it is carefully cut out with nail scissors.

Watermelon seedlings are watered very moderately, avoiding waterlogging of the soil. You also need to regularly move the pots apart so that the leaves of the plants do not touch each other.

During the seedling period, watermelon is fed two to three times: 10 days after germination, a week after the first feeding and 3-5 days before planting in a permanent place.

To do this, use mullein, diluted with water 15-20 times, or complete mineral fertilizer- 5-6 grams per 5 liters. Watermelon seedlings respond well to the alternation of mineral and organic fertilizers in feeds.

High-quality watermelon seedlings have 3 to 5 true leaves, a thick stem and compact internodes. 7-10 days before planting, they begin to harden it. To do this, the daytime temperature is lowered to +15 ... 17 degrees, the night temperature - up to + 12 ... 15 degrees. But you need to do this gradually, starting with a few hours a day. remember, that without hardening seedlings, hardening seeds is meaningless.,

See also video from useful tips for growing strong seedlings of watermelon.

Have you tried growing watermelons and melons in your garden? Tell us in a nutshell about your experience in the comments!

Watermelon is a melon crop. Its growth is associated with a warm climate. But at present, this crop is grown in various climatic conditions in their gardens and greenhouses. For information on when to plant watermelons so that they reach ripeness, read the article.

Description of watermelon

This plant survives on its long stems, which reach from the deep layers of the soil. nutrients for the fetus. Their length reaches four meters or more. They are curly in structure. Despite the fact that the stems are thin, they are able to withstand large fruits. The leaves are egg-shaped and pubescent along the edges. They grow in length up to 10-20 cm, and in width - from 6 to 17.

The flowering period of watermelons begins in summer. Their fruits are considered berries, and this seems unusual to many people. Under a dense, thick crust contains juicy, tasty, sweet and very fragrant pulp with a lot of large seeds.

How to choose the right site and prepare the soil?

The growth and development of plants, the formation and ripening of their fruits largely depend on how to conduct preparatory work. What is needed for this?

To obtain good harvest watermelons, you need to create them normal conditions growth. First of all, such a site is selected, which during the whole daylight hours will be heated by the sun's rays and not blown strong winds. It is important that there are no drafts.
Seedlings take root quickly and grow well in the area previously occupied by onions, alfalfa, cabbage, legumes. You do not need to plant watermelons on those beds where eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes grew before.
When you have decided on the site, you should start preparing the soil. Watermelons are suitable for sandy and sandy soils. While the site is free from plants, it must be fertilized with manure, potash fertilizers, superphosphate. If it turns out that the soil on the site is heavy, it must be discharged. To do this, it is enough to add fine-grained sand, otherwise the watermelons will grow poorly and bear fruit.

Preparing seeds for planting

For planting watermelons, planting material must be prepared. The steps for this procedure are:

First, calibration is done, for which you need to pour the seeds onto a horizontal surface and arrange them in separate piles, focusing on size. For large, medium and small seeds, containers are prepared with the appropriate parameters. This will increase their germination: large specimens will not oppress small ones. The seeds will sprout and grow evenly. Small specimens do not need to be thrown away. They are suitable for planting, only seedlings from them will bear fruit later.
The second step is scarification. It is optional, but desirable. It is carried out in order to make it easier for the sprout to reach the surface. To do this, just rub the "nose" of the seed sandpaper with fine texture.
Then the seeds are heated. To do this, put them in hot water for 30 minutes. The procedure cannot be ignored, it is mandatory for watermelons.
After that, the seeds are disinfected, for which they are placed in a solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes.
The last step is drying the seeds. This should be done not on a battery or in an oven, but in a natural way. Seeds are laid out in one layer on a horizontal surface of a table or floor outside under a canopy. Be sure to exclude the sun and drafts.

To increase germination, the seeds are germinated. Before drying, they are wrapped in a soft cloth made of natural fibers, moistened with clean water and placed on a plate next to a heat source. The condition of the rag must be constantly monitored, it should not dry out. Moisturize if necessary.

How to plant watermelons in seeds?

If the cultivation of the crop will be carried out in regions where a warm climate prevails, then the seeds do not need preliminary preparation except for soaking. When the sprouts hatch, they are immediately sown in the ground. How to plant watermelon seeds, read below.

In the spring, when the snow melts, under the influence sun rays the soil will start to warm up. It is necessary to wait until its temperature reaches +13 ° C. Seeds should be placed in a container with water heated to room temperature until they germinate.
In the garden or in the country, a site is selected for planting. Holes are made over its entire area, their depth is 10 cm. The distance between them should be large. Approximately one metre.
Then, fertilizer prepared independently is poured at the bottom of each hole: humus is mixed with a tablespoon of ash and a teaspoon of ammofoska.
After that, the seeds are placed in the hole, covered with soil and waiting for them to sprout. This happens two weeks later or a little earlier.
Planting seeds in regions where cold climate carried out at other times. When to plant watermelons in this case? Taking into account climatic features, planting seeds should be carried out at the end last month spring or early summer.

When to plant watermelons for seedlings? It depends on the region of growth and the method of cultivation. If watermelons are bred in open ground, sowing seeds in pots (for example, in the Moscow climate zone) occurs at the beginning of April. When to plant watermelons for seedlings? Each climate zone has a different time for sowing seeds in pots. This is agreed in lunar calendar.

For sowing watermelons for seedlings, small containers are used, it is better if they are peat. Soil is poured into them, but not to the very top, but three to four centimeters lower. Then proceed to sowing the seeds. Three, four or five pieces are planted in each pot. They are only four centimeters deep in the soil, no more, otherwise they will germinate for a long time.

The pots are covered with a film - it will protect the soil from drying out. Then they are transferred to a cool place with an air temperature of +17...+20 °C. It is very important that the surface of the soil in the pots is always moist. It is clearly visible through the transparent film. Before the emergence of seedlings, the film is not removed, and the crops are periodically watered with settled water at room temperature.

Shoots will appear in about seven days. If the seeds were not germinated before planting or they were deeply planted, then this will happen a little later. For pots with young plants, choose a place in the room so that it is well lit by the sun. It is important that the temperature is within the acceptable range: +16...+24 °С. In order for the seedlings to get used to the low temperature, it must be taken out into the street for a short time. When to plant watermelons? This should be done when the shoots are strong enough - then they will quickly take root in a new place.

Planting watermelon seedlings

How to plant watermelons in open ground? In order for these plants to grow comfortably in the selected area, the earth is first dug up and loosened well. Planting seedlings is recommended 30 days after sowing seeds. This time falls on the last week of May or the first decade of June. best time for landing are a.m. hours. How to plant watermelons in open ground? Landing technology is as follows:

Holes are dug up to a depth and diameter of up to 50 cm. Gaps of one meter are left between them. It is better to arrange the pits according to the principle of chess.
In each well you need to add: humus, sand, superphosphate - 5-7 liters, 3 liters and ¼ of a glass, respectively.
From above, the hole is covered with loose soil to form mounds. small size.
Holes are made to a depth of 10 cm, and 0.5 liters of water is poured into each.
The seedlings are taken out of the cup, lowered into the hole, covered with earth, which is well compacted. Above trunk circle plants are covered with a thick layer of sand.
The seedlings are watered and covered for a while to avoid direct sunlight on the leaves, otherwise they will rise for a long time.

Outdoor seedling care

Planted plants are under stress as they are placed in a new environment. In order for the acclimatization process to go faster, seedlings need to be looked after.

thinning. This procedure is carried out with the appearance of three or four leaves. Plants are thinned out, one or two are left in the hole, all the rest are removed.
Weeding. Watermelons are very clean plants, they do not tolerate weeds. Therefore, they will often have to be fought, especially at the beginning of growth. Very soon, the seedlings will grow up, take the form of bushes, and then the frequency of weeding will be reduced. Weeds will no longer be able to harm mature plants.
Topping. This is done so that the lashes grow faster. Pinch curly shoots at the level of two or three upper leaves. At the same time, weakened lashes are removed. Three to five ovaries are left on each bush.
Loosening. This procedure is carried out constantly, since watermelons prefer airy soil.

Watering

When planting watermelons in the ground, you need to be prepared for the fact that they will often have to be watered, otherwise they will not draw juice well. Striped berries should be watered regularly, once a week, in hot weather- two. To do this, use a lot of water: three buckets per meter square square site. You need to moisturize not only watermelon bushes, but also free space between them. With the advent of fruits, watering decreases, and before they are harvested, it stops altogether (for two weeks).

top dressing

Plants need it already a couple of weeks after they were planted in the ground. An aqueous solution of ammonium nitrate is used as a fertilizer. One bush will require two liters. The second dressing is done when the buds begin to form. Calcium chloride is added under one bush, ammonium nitrate 5 g each, superphosphate - 1 g more.

Planting watermelons in a greenhouse

Watermelons are a thermophilic culture. In the distant past, they were grown in regions corresponding to such a climate. But now there are opportunities to get delicious fruits and in cold climates. Only here they do not grow in open ground, but in greenhouses. How to plant watermelons in a greenhouse?

First you need to plant the seeds in boxes with soil. Allocate a place for planting in the room to put containers with planting material.
Then prepare the beds for planting watermelons. This is done like this: the soil is removed upper layer, a trench is formed. Humus is poured into it, nitrogen fertilizers and above - the soil.
After that, the seedlings are transplanted into the beds (they will germinate from seeds just by this time). Landings are covered with a film of polyethylene in two layers. When to plant watermelons in a greenhouse? The optimal time for this procedure is the end of April.
To plant sprouts, they dig holes of small depth - from 10 to 11 cm. Between them leave gaps equal to 70-100 cm.
A trellis should be installed near each hole. It is needed to tie growing stems to it, as they are curly, and they need to cling to something.
To improve the fruiting of watermelons, you need to launch bees into the greenhouse, but not a whole swarm, but several individuals. They will pollinate the flowers.
When the shoots begin to sprout intensively, they should be cut off immediately, but first of all they get rid of the weak and sick.
During the growth process, plants need useful supplements, so they should be fed with mullein or chicken droppings.
A prerequisite for growing watermelons in a greenhouse is its regular airing. This should not be forgotten.

Caring for watermelons in a greenhouse

When the growing lashes begin the flowering period, watermelons must be pollinated by hand, otherwise the ovaries will not form. Each whip in greenhouse conditions can withstand a load not exceeding two fruits. But if you leave only one striped berry, it will be much larger.

Watermelons are grown using a trellis. Each fruit is wrapped to avoid contact with the ground. Watermelons growing in a greenhouse are much weaker than those growing on melons. Their lashes cannot support the weight of the fruits and fall to the ground. If not wrapped, they may rot.

If a lot of side shoots have formed and they branch in the opposite direction from the support, they are cut off. Plants must be constantly turned towards the sun, as the lashes need good lighting, otherwise the leaves and fruits will not form well.

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