Few gardeners are ready to grow melons. This culture requires special care. But experts give comprehensive recommendations on how to grow a watermelon in the country in the middle lane. If you adhere to all aspects of growing, you can get a good harvest at the end of the season.
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Growing seedlings
In the process of growing melons and gourds in central Russia, gardeners are faced with the problems of excess moisture and lack of heat. In addition, due to the short summer, the fruits often do not have time to fill or ripen.
In order for the watermelon to receive the required amount of light and heat, it is recommended to plant early maturing varieties or hybrids. Growing seedlings at home will help solve the problem. It is sown in late April or early May. For seeds, containers of 0.3-0.5 liters with a height of 10 cm are used. This will reduce the likelihood of root injury during transplantation, which the melons tolerate very poorly.
A mixture of peat, sand or sawdust and sod is used as a soil, which are taken in equal proportions. In a bucket of such earth, you need to add 50 g of dolomite flour, 100 g of double superphosphate, as well as 55 g of potassium sulfate and ammonium nitrate.
The best planting material will be seeds that are 2-3 years old. The hybrids can be used fresh. Before sowing, the seeds are kept in hot water for 25 minutes and germinated in sand at a temperature of + 22 °.. + 25 ° C. On the second or third day after the emergence of the shoot, the seeds are transferred flat into prepared containers, mulched with humus or sand, covered and left in a warm place. After 7-10 days, the night temperature is lowered to + 20 ° C. If there is little sun in the spring, turn on phytolamps for additional lighting.
When 2-3 leaves appear, the seedlings are fed using an infusion of ash and mullein or a mineral complex.
Watermelon seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place in mid-June. A well-lit area is selected where there is no closely located groundwater. Melons do not like acidic soil. To avoid stagnant water, the bed should be raised, tilted slightly to the south. It must be protected from the north or north-east wind.
A good place for a watermelon is a compost heap. When growing, you can use trellises, thanks to which the plant will be well lit and ventilated.
Before planting seedlings, the soil in the beds is mixed with fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium, for example, Kalyphos, Azofosk, etc.) You should not use manure, as foliage grows from it, and the fruits are tied badly.
Caring for a garden with watermelons
The planted seedlings need abundant watering. But it is better to carry it out once a week, which will promote root growth. The area with watermelons needs processing. The soil must be loosened 10 cm, carrying out this event 3-4 times, simultaneously removing all weeds.
Watering is halved when female flowers are formed on the plant. When the fruit is formed, it is completely stopped. The protective film can be removed at the end of June. But if it's rainy weather, they use it again. It can come in handy at the end of August, when the time comes for strong temperature fluctuations at night and during the day. Covered beds need ventilation.
There are many pollinators in the middle lane, but if there are few sunny days, fruit setting must be stimulated manually, for which the pistils and stamens of the flowers located nearby are connected. Ovaries can be expected within 30-40 days after this procedure.
For watermelons in the middle lane, pinching is carried out: after the appearance of 5-6 leaves, the upper part of the stem is removed. Once again, the procedure is repeated after the formation of 3-4 fruits, leaving 3 leaves after the ovary. Sections should be processed, the plant should be mulched.
Planting watermelons often suffers from diseases and pests. In the fight against them, it is best to use biological products. But if there are too many insects, it is necessary to resort to insecticides. Nets stretched from above will protect watermelons from birds.
So that the plantings are not affected by powdery mildew, they are treated with colloidal sulfur or Ordan.
Boards can be laid under the fruits so that the ovaries do not suffer from excess moisture in the soil.
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