Watermelon: cultivation and care in the country

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Watermelons are loved by both adults and children. Culture is, of course, useful, and many would like to see it at their summer cottage. Watermelon, the cultivation and care of which has some peculiarities, grows best on fertile, light soils. Virgin areas are most suitable for him.

Since the climatic conditions of the middle lane are not suitable for such a heat- and light-loving crop as watermelon, it is worth growing this plant in seedlings. In this case, it is necessary to start sowing no earlier than the end of April. The fact is that by the time of planting in open ground, watermelon seedlings should have at least 4 leaves. And this corresponds to about a month old. Plants can be transferred to the beds only at the end of May. This culture is very thermophilic and, being planted earlier, can die even under the film.

Watermelon, the cultivation and care of which begins with planting seedlings, is best sown in peat-humus pots. This culture does not tolerate transplantation too well, and therefore this option will be the most optimal. Seeds are pre-soaked and thendeepen into pots by about 2 cm.

The air temperature in the room at this time should be about 27-30 degrees. After the watermelons sprout, you can lower it by 3 degrees. It is best if the pots with plants stand in the sunniest place.

Watermelon, the cultivation and care of which requires strict adherence to agricultural technology, is watered during this period with water at room temperature. You can feed the seedlings with some kind of nitrogen fertilizer. A week before being transferred to the ground, the plants are hardened in the usual way.

When preparing the beds (digging and loosening), rotted manure or humus should be introduced into the soil. Seedlings are transplanted, as mentioned above, not earlier than at the end of May. Plants are buried in loose soil in holes at a distance of at least half a meter from each other. Watermelon, the cultivation and care of which in the future will consist mainly of infrequent watering, should be fertilized immediately after planting. For this, it is best to use potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Be sure to cover the plants with foil.

Even a slight drop in temperature can kill them. The film is removed only after the summer weather becomes stable.

So, how to care for watermelons after being transferred to the ground? Experienced summer residents do not advise watering this crop often, since its root system is unusually powerful. Plants are able to get nutrients from fairly deep layers of soil, which may not dry out all season. ATduring the period of fruit formation, watermelons need to be watered even less often. Otherwise, they will turn out watery, tasteless and take a long time to ripen.

Watermelons are fed twice a season. For this, potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are used. The first time the plants are fed fourteen days after planting, the second - at the beginning of flowering. Pinching is a must. Two watermelons are left on each lash, the tip is cut so that about three leaves remain until the last fruit. The fruits are plucked after the pattern on them becomes bright, the sound is muffled, and the stalk dries up.

Watermelon - the culture for the middle band is not too typical. Therefore, when growing it, it is necessary to strictly observe all the rules of agricultural technology. Even in this case, the harvest can largely depend on weather conditions. Still, it's worth the risk.