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Growing southern crops in other regions is always fraught with difficulties, because the weather conditions, the length of daylight hours, and soil types are strikingly different. Whimsical plants, such as melons, react sharply to a change in their habitual way of life and, at the first violation of growing conditions, they wither, get sick, and drop flowers. But not only the inhabitants of the southern regions want to enjoy juicy and sweet fruits! The topic of this article is the cultivation of melons in the climate of the Moscow region, the best varieties for this, as well as the nuances of caring for the crop when grown in a greenhouse and on open ground.
Variety choice
The key mistake of many gardeners is trying to grow southern varieties in the middle lane. Unfortunately, even in a greenhouse it is difficult to achieve a sustainable crop, since it is physically difficult to achieve the necessary conditions for a healthy vegetation of these varieties. That is why they choose zoned hybrids and varieties that are resistant to low temperatures, which are well perceived by weather vagaries. Mostly these are early-ripening melon varieties that manage to take the best from a short summer.
In the Moscow region, the following varieties are grown:
- Don’s novelty is one of the early maturing, but at the same time high-yielding varieties. Pumpkins are medium in size, round with a yellowish green skin and coarse fibrous mesh. The pulp is sweet, juicy, light green.
- Early 133 is another early variety, growing season takes up to 65 days. Pumpkins are oval, yellow, weighing up to 2 kg. The pulp is white, dense, very sweet.
- Bykovskaya 735 – an early ripening variety with oval pumpkins covered with a coarse fibrous mesh. The weight of one fruit often reaches 2,5 kg. The pulp is soft, juicy, very sweet.
- Scythian gold is another early maturing variety. Pumpkins are oval, weighing up to 1,5 kg, rich yellow. The pulp is white, fragrant, very juicy and sweet. The fruits of this variety take root well in the Moscow region.
- Assol F1 refers to mid-season. This variety has round fruits weighing up to 1 kg. The pulp is soft, with a strong sweet aroma, juicy.
- Kolkhoznitsa is probably the best variety of melon to grow in the Moscow region. This is a mid-season variety with spherical pumpkins of bright yellow color, weighing up to 1 kg. The flesh is white, juicy, becoming sweeter with time.
Features of growing melons in the Moscow region
To grow a melon far from the hot summers of the southern regions, you need to be well prepared. The first step is to take care of the soil – the acidity should be neutral or low, organic and mineral fertilizers are needed. In the greenhouse (and in the conditions of the Moscow Region, melons are grown in greenhouses), ventilation and heating should be established. And of course, you need to grow seedlings, because from seeds the melon will sprout later and give a meager harvest.
Seeds are best planted in peat tablets or paper cups. This is a fairly easy option and is suitable if you are not growing a lot of seedlings. This will prevent damage to the roots of the plant during transplanting, which will provide a stronger plant.
Fill each cup with soil mixture of humus, sod and peat. Moisten the soil, and then plant 3-4 seeds in each cup to a depth of 2-3 centimeters and mulch with dry earth.
When growing seedlings, it is important to adhere to a certain temperature regime: at night the temperature should not fall below +15-16 degrees, and during the day – below +20 degrees.
After a week, the first shoots will appear, which must be thinned out, leaving only the strongest sprout in each cup. Seedlings need to be fed twice:
- after the formation of the first sheet, potassium, nitrate and superphosphate are added;
- after 2 weeks, potassium, phosphorus and superphosphate.
Make sure that the earth in the cups does not dry out.
In open ground
If you decide to take the risk of growing a melon in the open field, then first wait for a steady heat. The air temperature at night should not be lower than +15 degrees so that the sprouts do not freeze. Most varieties are planted in mid-May.
First you need to grow seedlings, for this they use paper cups or peat pots. Seedlings suitable for transplantation are obtained in 25-30 days, so preparation should be done in mid-April. For such experiments, there is no better variety than Kolkhoz Woman, since it is extremely resistant to low temperatures and can survive unexpected frosts in the open field. After planting, the beds must be covered with a film until the air temperature rises to + 26-28 degrees.
In the greenhouse
It is much safer and more enjoyable to grow melons in a greenhouse or greenhouse. If you grew cucumbers in it, then for melons it is perfect in height. The main thing is that ventilation be established, since the culture does not tolerate stagnation of air and high humidity.
Most often arrange the so-called “steam” beds. To do this, a thick layer of sheep or horse manure is laid out, at least 30 cm, and the soil is laid on top, in which seedlings will be planted. As it rots, the manure provides enough heat to speed up and improve the vegetation of the plant.
If this method does not suit you, then plant the seedlings in fertile or well-fertilized soil, after digging it up by at least 15-20 cm.
It is recommended to grow seedlings before planting in a greenhouse at a temperature of at least +16, so it adapts more easily after transplantation. It is important that the seedlings form an extensive root system as this affects the growth rate and fruit quality.
Seedlings are placed in holes at a distance of 45 cm from each other, when the placement is completed, the holes are watered and mulched with dry earth.
melon formation
When growing a melon in a greenhouse, it is important to form its stem on time and correctly. When seedlings planted in greenhouse soil acquire 4-5 real leaves, you need to pinch off the apical bud. This stimulates the development of the main and side shoots. As soon as the main shoot grows, it should be tied to a trellis to avoid rotting in the soil and facilitate watering. Lateral shoots are pinched as they grow if ovaries appear on them, or completely removed if ovaries do not appear. This helps the plant to concentrate nutrients in the main shoot. At the end of pinching, treat the sections with crushed coal and lime.
Additional fertilizing
It does not matter whether you grow juicy melons in the open field or in a greenhouse, in the Moscow region or harsh Siberia – every plant needs top dressing. During the growing season, fertilizer should be applied to the soil no more than 3 times.
The first feeding takes place a few days after planting the seedlings in the greenhouse, when they have adapted a little to the new conditions. Organic fertilizers are used, for example, a solution of mullein or bird droppings mixed with superphosphate.
The second top dressing falls on the period of lash formation, when the plant needs nutritional support to gain green mass – an ash solution is used. And finally, the third top dressing should help in the formation of ovaries.
For any variety growing in a greenhouse, the drug “Kemira-universal” is suitable.
Video “How to grow a melon or watermelon in a greenhouse”
In this video, the guest of the TV show “With a New Home” shares how she grows melons and watermelons in central Our Country.
Author: Svetlana Galitsina
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