How to prepare watermelon seeds for outdoor planting?

How to grow watermelons in the country if you live in the middle lane. It is very simple if you choose the right plant variety and grow the crop through seedlings. What else do you need to know about watermelons in the middle lane?

In fact, growing watermelons is not at all as difficult as it seems. The main thing is to follow all the rules and not be afraid of difficulties.

Step 1. Choosing a variety of watermelon

For sowing, it is best to take seeds of hybrid varieties of watermelons: they are resistant to many diseases, withstand sudden changes in weather, and the fruits ripen faster. Thus, even if the summer is not too warm, the watermelons will still grow to the required size and acquire the sugar content required for the variety.

Step 2. Preparing seeds for sowing

In order for the seeds to sprout well, and the seedlings to be strong and healthy, a number of measures should be taken before sowing: calibration, scarification, warming up and disinfection. Do not be alarmed, everything is not as difficult as it seems.

For sowing in the middle lane, choose hybrid watermelon seeds

Calibration Is the sorting of seeds by size. Why do you need to conduct it? The fact is that larger seedlings will not allow small ones to develop well. And if you divide the seed into groups and sow them depending on the "caliber" in different containers, all plants will develop equally well. The seedlings in each of the containers will grow friendly and even.

Scarification - not really a mandatory procedure. It consists in damage to the seed coat, which contributes to their early germination. Since watermelons in the middle lane already have a difficult time, it is still worth carrying out scarification before sowing. To do this, it is enough to rub each seed a little with a "nose" on sandpaper.

Warming up... This procedure, on the other hand, is mandatory for watermelon seeds. It also speeds up the process of their germination, since with an increase in temperature, the rate of all biochemical reactions in seeds increases. To warm up the seeds of watermelons, they must be immersed in water at a temperature of about 50 ° C and kept in it for 0.5 hours.

Disinfection... To disinfect the seed, it is recommended to hold it for about 20 minutes in a pink solution of potassium permanganate. After that, the seeds must be dried in natural conditions (not on a battery) and sown.

Some gardeners, in addition to the listed procedures, also germinate watermelon seeds before sowing. To do this, they are wrapped in a damp cloth and placed in warmth (closer to a radiator or heater). The cloth should not dry out. When the seeds germinate, they can be sown.

If you properly prepare the seeds of watermelons for sowing, you can significantly increase the percentage of their germination.

Step 3. We select containers and soil

Since watermelon seedlings do not tolerate transplanting well, each seedling is initially grown in a separate container. Its size should be at least 10 cm in diameter and 12 cm in height. Seedling containers should be filled with soil so that about 3 cm remains to the edge of the pot (this will allow you to add soil to the pot as the plants grow).

Seedlings of watermelons grow best in humus or peat-humus soil (compiled in equal shares). But you can grow a culture in a mixture of humus (3 parts) and sod land (1 part). Do not forget to add 1 tsp to any of these substrates at the end. superphosphate or 2 tbsp. wood ash per 1 kg of soil mixture.

Do not sow watermelon seeds deeper than 3 cm

Step 4. Sow watermelon seeds

It is necessary to plant watermelon seedlings in open ground not earlier than the end of May. By this time, the seedlings should be 30-35 days old, and they should have at least 4 leaves. Based on this, you can roughly calculate the time of sowing seeds for seedlings: they do it in mid - late April.

Seeds of watermelons are sown in a pot by two to a depth of 3 cm. When the seedlings sprout, the weaker one must be removed. It is advisable to put the containers on the sill of a south-facing window. It is only important to ensure that there is no draft.

Step 5. We take care of the seedlings

To germinate, the seeds of watermelons need a temperature of up to 30 ° C - then the seedlings can be expected already on the 6th day. Thereafter, the temperature should be immediately reduced to 18 ° C. Then the sprouts must be given a couple of days for adaptation, a weak seedling must be removed from each container and the temperature must be raised again to 20-25 ° C. At the same time, it should be reduced to 18-20 ° C at night. This regimen should be maintained for 3 weeks.

Watermelon seedlings need light and warmth for good growth.

To prevent watermelon seedlings from stretching and deforming, they need to be grown in good lighting. Usually, to provide young watermelons with enough light, it is necessary to supplement them with the help of special lamps. It is also recommended to regularly ventilate the room, but avoid drafts.

After 10-12 days, the seedlings should be fed with fertilizer based on fermented mullein (diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10). The second feeding is carried out after 2 weeks. This time, you need to add 50 g of superphosphate, 30 g of potassium sulfate and 15 g of ammonium sulfate to the mullein for each liter of fertilizer.

Step 6. We plant seedlings in open ground

An important step in leaving is hardening. It is carried out a week before planting seedlings in the garden. The essence of the procedure is to gradually reduce the temperature of the content of watermelon seedlings by 2-3 degrees and reduce watering. The last few days before "moving" to the open ground, the seedlings should be held on a balcony or in an outdoor greenhouse. On the evening before transplanting, the plants should be well watered. You can spray them with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid.

Watermelon seedlings should be transplanted in the morning, carefully removing each plant along with an earthen clod from the container and transferring it to a separate hole. You should not place young watermelons in the garden closer than 70-100 cm to each other. Seedlings must be buried to the cotyledonous leaves. After planting, it should be watered and covered with foil.

Hardened seedlings are more resistant to unstable outdoor weather conditions

Step 7. Properly taking care of watermelons in the garden

Watering. Young watermelon seedlings consume a lot of water, so they need to be watered abundantly, but not more often than once a week. When the female flowers open on the plant, the frequency of watering can be reduced, and when the fruits are formed, it can be stopped altogether.

Shelter... Usually, the film covering the plants is removed at the end of June. But if the difference between night and day temperatures is significant, polyethylene can be returned to the beds. It is also worth protecting the watermelon plantings from rain. The shelter should be regularly ventilated to remove condensation.

Pollination... In the middle lane there are enough insects that can pollinate watermelons. And yet, if the weather is cloudy during the flowering of plants, the procedure will have to be carried out manually: (touching the stamens of one flower to the pistils of several others). The fruits should ripen approximately 40 days after pollination.

Formation... In the northern regions, when growing watermelons on a trellis, they are formed into one stem. When 3-4 fruits are tied on the plant, and the main stem "reaches" the trellis, you can pinch (remove the top of the shoot).

Pest control... Watermelons often suffer from aphids, wireworms, meadow moths, scoops, and sprout flies. If you find pests before they spoil the watermelons, it is worth treating the plants with biological products (for example, Fitoverm). If there are a lot of insects, you will have to use chemical insecticides (Aktara, Decis or Fufanon, from the melon aphid - Tantrek).

Protection from disease. Watermelons are susceptible to the same diseases as cucumbers: powdery mildew, anthracnose, peronosporosis, ascochitosis. Accordingly, the preventive measures will be the same - HOM, Ordan, colloidal sulfur, Abiga-Peak.

Growing watermelons is a very interesting and exciting activity for ambitious people, because not everyone is able to get ripe fruits of this heat-loving culture in the middle lane. But imagine how great it is to cut a ripe, juicy and sugar watermelon that was grown in your own garden at the end of summer!

So that the cultivation of a watermelon does not become a waste of time, it is necessary not only to take proper care of the plant, but also to carefully prepare its seeds for planting (both in open ground and for seedlings for a greenhouse). In particular, it is extremely important to properly germinate watermelon seeds, which will help not only to activate the process of their growth, but also to increase their germination. Further, in detail about how to germinate watermelon seeds before planting in the ground or seedlings in a greenhouse.

Preparation of watermelon seeds before planting in the ground, for seedlings

Experienced gardeners know that the correct cultivation of watermelon presupposes, first of all, high-quality preparation of seed material. The main thing in this matter is the correctness and consistency of actions. So, before sowing seeds in the ground or for growing seedlings (in a greenhouse), it is necessary to do certain actions with the planting material that will help minimize the possibility of low shoots:

1. Choosing the right watermelon variety. The choice of a variety suitable for cultivation specifically on your garden plot must be approached very carefully. If you do not have special experience in growing melons, it is better to opt for hybrid varieties, which, as you know, have better characteristics than the main watermelon varieties: they are early ripening, resistant to many diseases and unfavorable climatic conditions.

   Choose a disease-resistant watermelon variety first.

2. Seed calibration. At first glance, this procedure does not seem so important. But in fact, the germination of seeds and the development of young seedlings will largely depend on it. The fact is that larger seeds "oppress" smaller ones and the latter, accordingly, develop rather slowly. If the seeds are divided into several groups (depending on size) and planted in separate groups, the seedlings will be generous and friendly.
3. Scarification of seeds. An optional procedure for preparing the material, which is still worth carrying out if the cultivation of watermelon seeds is planned in rather harsh conditions. The essence of the operation is to damage the outer seed coat, which will contribute to their faster germination.
4. Warming up the seeds. But this procedure cannot be skipped in any way when preparing watermelon seeds for planting. Warming up for them is a kind of growth catalyst that activates all biochemical processes. The seeds are placed in a deep container and filled with warm water (about 50 degrees). After half an hour, the water can be drained.

   Disinfection of seeds

5. Disinfection of seeds. And finally, the last stage of preparation is the disinfection of the material for sowing.For these purposes, potassium permanganate is most often used (the solution must be weak). The seeds are soaked in a pink solution for 15-20 minutes, after which they are thoroughly washed with water.

Advice. Some gardeners believe that disinfecting watermelon seeds is not such an important procedure. In fact, the seed should be pickled: this will help minimize the possibility of infection of young seedlings or damage to them by pests (this does not apply to those seeds that were processed during the production process).

Sprouting watermelon seeds: subtleties, features

After completing all the preparatory procedures, you can proceed directly to the germination of watermelon seeds. It is advisable to keep the seeds pre-treated and washed with water for about 10-12 hours in a nutrient solution in order to saturate them with microelements necessary for active growth.

Advice. After soaking the seed in a growth stimulator, in no case should it be washed: it is enough to dry it in natural conditions (in the sun).

Immediately before soaking the watermelon seeds, fill them with hot water for 10 minutes to slightly soften the dense top layer of the rind. Make a small bag of cheesecloth folded several times and place the seeds there, being careful to keep some distance between them. Place cheesecloth with seeds in a shallow container. Be sure to wet the bag with water (but you don't need to fill it). Place the container with seeds in a warm, sunny place. Remember to periodically feel the gauze and moisten it with water if necessary.

Covering the container with a transparent film can help optimize the seed environment and retain moisture for a longer period of time.

Watermelon seeds germinate rather slowly, and you will be able to find the first sprouting sprouts over gauze only after a week.

Sprouted seeds

Experienced gardeners note that the temperature of the room in which this process is carried out can affect the speed of germination of watermelon seeds. You can, for example, install a system that will gradually increase the temperature under the seed container. But whether it is necessary is up to you to decide.

That's all the subtleties that are worth remembering when preparing watermelon seeds for planting, in particular, when germinating them. Good luck!

Growing watermelon from seeds: video

Juicy sweet watermelons are always associated with summer and sun. The crackle of the striped peel under the edge of the knife, the characteristic aroma and the melting, refreshing pulp. What could be better than, forgetting about business for a while, enjoy a slice of ripe berries. Today, you can pamper yourself with watermelon at almost any time of the year. Supermarkets always have these giant berries, however, grown on the other side of the world or in a greenhouse.

The most delicious watermelon is the one that was saturated with the power of the sun and grew not under the film, but in the garden.

Many gardeners are wondering how to grow watermelons in the country? As of today, there are all the conditions for this. Thanks to the appearance of early varieties and hybrids, even residents of the Non-Black Earth Region can break their own melons and get a harvest of watermelons. How to grow watermelons outdoors? What kind of care does the culture require and when can the first fruits be harvested?

Preparing watermelon seeds for sowing

Of all the melons and gourds, watermelons have the most difficult seeds to germinate. In order for the seedlings to be friendly and strong, the seeds are first immersed in salt water. This will allow you to identify and remove not viable, light specimens, but those that are heavier and sunk to the bottom, use for sowing.

However, this is not enough. Shortly before planting, the seeds are heated for 3-4 hours at temperatures up to 55 ° C or left in the sun for a week in order to disinfect the seed in this way. Then the seeds are soaked in warm water for a day, which will accelerate germination and give the sprouts additional strength.

Planting watermelon seeds

In the Black Earth and southern regions, where watermelons are grown in summer cottages and industrial melons, the culture can be planted in open ground with seeds.

The best time for this is when the soil at a depth of 10 cm warms up to 12-15 ° C. For sandy and other types of light loose soils, the seeding depth of watermelon seeds is 4–8 centimeters, but if the soil is heavy, dense, it is more correct to deepen the seeds by no more than 4–6 cm. And the smaller the seeds, the smaller the grooves for planting them are made. ...

Melons and gourds, especially during the ripening period, require good nutrition, which is provided by the main root system and small roots formed on separate lashes. Therefore, when growing watermelons in open ground, a rather large area is allocated for planting, the size of which depends both on the type of soil and on the variety, as well as on the expected load on the plant.

• If watermelons are sown in rows, gaps of 0.7 to 1.5 meters are left between the bushes. The row spacing in this case should be at least one and a half meters.
• When using a square planting scheme, a distance of 0.7 to 2.1 meters is laid between the plants.

The main thing is that as the planting grows, they do not turn out to be overly thickened, and all the berries that have set have enough light, moisture and nutrition.

Seedling method of growing watermelon

In the conditions of the middle zone, for example, in non-chernozem areas, as well as during a cold, prolonged spring in the southern regions, it is possible to grow watermelons in the open field through seedlings. From the moment of sowing to transplanting young plants into the ground, it usually takes from 25 to 35 days. It is most convenient for sowing to use peat pots with a diameter of about 10 cm, which are filled with a mixture of equal amounts:

• humus;
• turf land;
• peat.

The seeds are buried in moist soil by 3-4 centimeters, after which the pots are left under a film until germination at a temperature not lower than 20-25 ° C, only at night the temperature background can drop to 18 ° C.

When sprouts appear above the ground level, the seedlings are transferred to a cooler room. At a temperature of about 17-18 ° C, watermelon seedlings will have to stay for 3 to 4 days, which will allow you to get strong sprouts and prevent them from stretching. Subsequently, temperatures around 22–25 ° C are returned again during the daytime.

Regular watering is carried out with warm water, trying not to get on the leaf plates. A week after sprouting, the seedlings under the roots are fed with a fertilizer containing nitrogen and phosphorus.

Since melons are warm and light-loving crops, well-lit warm rooms or greenhouses are chosen for young watermelon plants, but a week before the seedlings get into the open ground, they must be hardened. To do this, the seedling boxes are exposed to the open air, first for 2–4 hours, then the time is gradually increased. In early June or at the end of May, watermelon seedlings are planted in the beds.

Choosing a site and soil for growing watermelon in the country

To get a good harvest from a watermelon grown in the country, it is important that the site intended for planting:

• was well lit;
• closed from cold winds;
• provided plants with proper nutrition.

The best soil for melons is light, fertile and loose. It is optimal if on summer cottages there is sandy and sandy loam soil, which has been enriched with humus or other well-rotted organic matter since autumn.

The best precursors for watermelons are legumes, crucifers, including cabbage and radish, as well as potatoes and tomatoes.

Before growing watermelons outdoors, care should be taken to prepare the ridges and fertilize the soil. Per meter of the bed in the spring they bring:

• 24–35 grams of ammonium sulfate;
• 40–45 grams of superphosphate;
• 15-25 grams of potash fertilizers.

1-2 plants are planted in pre-moistened wells, located at intervals of 1-1.5 meters, or one peat cup is immersed in such a way that cotyledon leaves remain above the soil level. After planting, the garden bed is mulched with sand, and the plants are sheltered from the sun. They act in a similar way when seedlings appear if watermelons are grown from seeds in the open field.

In the first week, while the acclimatization process is underway, watermelons are watered with warm water.

Features of watering and feeding watermelons

It is impossible to grow a watermelon in the country without providing the plant with proper watering and feeding. Without water, it is difficult to talk about the juiciness of sweet berries, but you do not need to overdo it here, otherwise you will not achieve such a beloved sugar pulp. Before the flowers appear, watermelons are watered sparingly, and when an ovary appears on the lashes, more generously.

At a summer cottage for watermelons, it is convenient to use drip irrigation systems, with which you can also carry out regular feeding of plants.

When growing watermelons in the country, you need to remember that the culture loves rare, but abundant watering, which is extremely necessary in the hot season, in conditions of a shortage of natural moisture. A comfortable soil moisture level for watermelons is 85%. On sandy soil that does not retain moisture well, the beds are watered more often, and less often on chernozem and clay soils. When the berries are poured and they begin to ripen, watering is carried out less often, and then completely stopped.

The feeding schedule for watermelons grown in the country includes three procedures, during each of which approximately 2 liters of liquid fertilizer should be per plant. A week after planting in the ground, watermelons are watered with a solution of 10 liters of water:

• 40-50 grams of superphosphate;
• 30–35 grams of ammonium sulfate;
• 15-20 grams of potassium salts.

When active growth of lashes begins on the plants, the watermelons should receive a second feeding with half the concentration of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. With the beginning of the formation of the ovaries, one more top dressing is carried out, introducing a solution based on the watermelons growing in the country:

• 20-25 grams of ammonium sulfate;
• 10 grams of superphosphate;
• 35 grams of potassium salts.

The nutrient mixture is introduced into furrows arranged in advance at a distance of 15–20 cm from the bushes.

A decrease in the proportion of nitrogen fertilizers is associated with the possibility of accumulation of nitrates in the pulp of berries. Also, this measure will push the plants not to gain green mass, but to ripen.

Caring for watermelons grown in the country

Caring for watermelons growing in the open field consists of:

• in regular loosening of the soil under the plants;
• in watering and feeding melons and gourds;
• in the removal of weeds;
• in the fight against plant pests and diseases;
• in the protection of lashes and ovaries from freezing.

The soil under the plants is loosened to a depth of 7 cm, not only after planting, but also after watering and rains, until the lashes and foliage cover the spaces between individual bushes.

To protect the ovaries and shoots from the wind, it is useful to fix the lashes to the ground using wire pins or sprinkling the stems with moist soil.

If in the area where watermelons grow, there is a risk of moisture stagnation or not enough light, trellises are built for the plants and, at the beginning of the growth of the lashes, the shoots are transferred from the ground to strong vertical supports. The same technique is useful if there is not enough space in the country for growing watermelons using the traditional melon method. As they grow, the shoots are spread over a trellis or laid out on the ground so that one whip does not obscure the other.

If a watermelon is grown on a trellis in the country, it is recommended to leave only one main lash, on which, after flowering, depending on the variety and climate, from 3 to 6 fruits should be tied. The rest of the shoots are pinched in the early stages of growth, and then, when the ovary reaches the size of a five-ruble coin, the top of the fruiting stem is removed.

When growing watermelons in the open field by the melon method, pinch all the shoots after 3–6 ovaries, remove the stems that appear from the axils of the leaves and female flowers.

It is interesting that the trimmed side lashes can be rooted and also obtained from them, albeit a late and small, but high-quality harvest.

If there is a threat of frost in the area where watermelons grow, the plants are protected with cardboard or special covering material.

When to harvest watermelons?

Ripening tomatoes are easily recognizable by their discoloration. With cucumbers and zucchini - the main thing is not to linger with the collection, so that the vegetables do not lose their juiciness and useful properties. And when to pick watermelons, how to distinguish a ripe berry from one that still needs to warm the sides in the sun?

The earliest ripening varieties of watermelons in the central part of Russia can only yield a harvest by mid-August. At the same time, mass harvesting at the summer cottage is not carried out, except for cases when the berries on the melon are threatened with frost. While the warm season lasts, the ripe watermelons are cut from the lashes:

• with a glossy dense bark;
• with a dull sound audible when tapping;
• with a smooth peduncle without hairs inherent in the green ovary;
• with dry bracts and whiskers at the base of the leaf.

All these signs of ripeness must be considered in aggregate and only then are watermelons harvested, otherwise it is possible that the cut berry will turn out to be unripe.

However, when watermelons are used for storage or transportation, it is best to take the berries a few days before they are fully ripe. Such watermelons, being in a dry warm room, can ripen without losing any useful properties, or taste and aroma. But for obtaining seeds, only watermelons are suitable, harvested in a fully ripe state.

Growing watermelons in the middle lane - video

The basics of growing watermelons outdoors

What is summer? This is a vacation, sea, sun, beach, barbecue, a variety of fruits, berries and a lot of fresh. The dacha is a great place to relax, grow your favorite crops and get all the necessary emotions. There is no doubt that the cultivation of watermelon is included in this list for many gardeners. However, some manage to grow beautiful, ripe, juicy berries in the open field, while others, unfortunately, do not. What's the matter? Let's look at the main aspects of growing watermelons in the open field.

To begin with, you need to clearly understand that in order to grow a high-quality watermelon in the open field, you need the same high-quality planting material, so buy seeds in places you have checked. If your garden plot is located closer to the south of Russia, then you can grow watermelons in the open field, otherwise, most likely you cannot do without a greenhouse.

Place and soil

It should be a very sunny place with deep waters, as the watermelon does not tolerate excessive moisture. The soil is preferable to sandy loam or sandy, light, since the berry gains juiciness from the root system, which penetrates deep into the ground. In heavy soil, the root system of a watermelon is not able to fully develop, but its deep loosening will slightly improve the situation. Soil acidity pH 6.5-7.0. Pay attention to the presence of weeds, the watermelon doesn't like them.

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

In autumn, the land is fertilized with rotted manure (4-5 kg ​​per 1 square meter). Fresh manure makes the plant vulnerable to fungal diseases.

Preparation of watermelon seeds and sowing in open ground (a seedless way of growing watermelons in the open field)

Before sowing in open ground, the seeds of watermelons need to be warmed up in the sun (right in a bag) for 10 days, so that their temperature reaches 55 ° C, if the seeds are moist, then up to 30 ° C. Then fill them with water and leave for 30 minutes. Those seeds of watermelons that float will have to be thrown away, they are not suitable for sowing. Next, fill it with hot water (50-60 ° C), when the water cools down, drain it and soak it until pecking.If the seeds cannot be calcined in the sun, then from February the seed has been stored near the battery. 3 days before the intended sowing in the morning, prepare a solution of ash (1 part ash to 2 parts water), stir for 12 hours. On the same day in the evening, immerse the seeds in a dark solution of potassium permanganate for 15-20 minutes, rinse and dip them in the prepared ash solution overnight. Remove and dry the next morning.

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

Seeds of watermelons are sown to a depth of 6-8 cm at the rate of 10 seeds per running meter, let them be planted more densely, because it is not a fact that all the seeds will sprout. To obtain large watermelons, fresh seeds are usually taken for sowing, since old seeds will produce small watermelons with a large number of flower ovaries on one plant. After sowing, water the soil with warm water. The first shoots should appear a week after sowing. When 5 leaves appear, huddle the plants, gently loosening the soil. Remember that warmth and no rain is important for watermelons, so shelter should always be at hand. Sometimes, when the fruits reach 10 cm in diameter, pinching of the main lash is carried out with the removal of all lateral shoots, then the plant spends all its strength on the development of the main ovary.

Growing seedlings of watermelons for open ground

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

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

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

Outdoor watermelon care

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

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

Place foil or any other non-rotting material under the plants so that the wireworm and moisture, from which the fruit can begin to deteriorate, cannot spoil the crop.

Turn the watermelons regularly to ripen evenly.

Pay attention to the fruits, if one berries began to grow vigorously, while others lag behind in development and turn yellow, then additional feeding is required.

Collection of watermelons

In August, there is an intensive ripening of watermelons, so their readiness for harvesting can be determined by a set of signs:

- glossy surface;

- drying of the bracts;

- there are no hairs on the peduncle;

- when tapping on the berries, a dull sound is heard.