How to grow a watermelon in the country: advice from summer residents and gardeners

Which grade to choose

Watermelon is not only tasty and healthy. It is a source of mineral and nitrogenous elements, vitamins and sugars necessary for the human body. It contains a large percentage of magnesium, iron, potassium. It is useful to eat this beautiful berry for people suffering from arthritis, gout, sclerosis. Watermelon will help cleanse the body of toxins, its infusion is effective for problems with the normal functioning of the digestive tract. In the State Register of the Federation, 51 varieties of the favorite fruit are recorded, adapted for growing in the climatic conditions of our area.

This list is constantly updated, as new hybrid varieties of watermelons appear, on which breeders are working hard. To streamline the types of watermelons, they were divided geographically. There are , Western European, Asia Minor, Transcaucasian, Indian, Afghan, Far Eastern, Central Asian, East Asian and American watermelons. Varieties recommended for planting and growing in the regions of our country belong to the group. Some watermelons that can be seen in summer cottages are also included in the Central Asian and Transcaucasian groups. When choosing a variety for cultivation, experts and experienced gardeners advise paying attention to the growing season of your favorite berry.

If for the regions of Rostov and Krasnodar with warm climatic conditions varieties with medium and late ripening terms are suitable, then for cool non-chernozem – early varieties of watermelons. When choosing a variety, it is necessary to take into account such indicators as the degree of frost and drought resistance of the crop. Here is a description of several types of watermelons that have excellent characteristics and are suitable for growing in home gardens in our country.

Watermelon Spark is recommended for planting in the non-black earth region, it belongs to early ripening species – 71 – 87 days pass before the period of full ripening of the berry. Fruits have the shape of a ball, can reach a weight of 2 kg. The berry has a rich red pulp and an excellent sweet taste. The fruit is black-green in appearance. The skin of such a berry is thin, inside you can see small seeds. Planting must be carried out from April 5 to the beginning of May, with a seedling method – from May 20 to the first week of June. A landing pattern of 25 meter by 1 cm is used.

Watermelon Crimson Sweet grows normally in regions where there is a hot and short summer. From the moment of emergence of seedlings to the next harvest, the berry of this variety takes 60-70 days. Reaches up to 3 kg in weight, has a characteristic sweet and pleasant taste. It has increased resistance to some dangerous diseases – powdery mildew, anthracnose.

Watermelon AU Producer is a relatively new variety recommended for cultivation in the southern regions of the country. It has a high degree of productivity, has a sweet and juicy middle of a rich red color. It can be stored under suitable conditions for a long time, well tolerates transportation over long distances.

Where and how to plant

How to grow watermelon in the country? The berry will need a large amount of heat, it is advised to grow it in a greenhouse. It should be prepared in the autumn. Fertilize the land with rotted manure and mowed grass. Watermelons cannot be planted every year in the same place. The soil will need at least a year’s rest to recuperate and replenish its supply of nutrients. When the choice of variety is made, you can start planting seedlings. Watermelons may not survive overnight spring frosts.

In this case, do not keep seedlings in a pot for longer than the recommended time. Its cultivation is carried out in a pot with a diameter of not more than 15 cm. The seeds are pre-soaked in hot water for about 10 minutes, after which they are left for germination. They are planted in a pot to a depth of about 4 cm. The optimum temperature for growing seedlings in the daytime is up to +23, at night – at least +18 degrees.

When fragile seedlings appear, the indicator is reduced by 4 days to +18, then the previous regime is resumed. Planting seedlings in the ground is carried out at the end of May. A little more manure should be applied to the land fertilized in autumn before planting. About 3 plantings should be planted per square meter of usable area. For planting watermelons on the site, choose a bright and sunny place. Protect the site from the winds – it is advised to prefer the south or southeast side. The soil should have a neutral level of acidity. Choose sandy and sandy soils.

You can not plant watermelons on land where there is a possibility of close proximity to groundwater. For a better outflow of water from the site, it is advised to make beds up to 15 cm high with a slope to the south. Watermelon feels great growing on a compost heap. When planting seeds in the ground, the sowing technology includes placing the seeds in the ground when it is warmed up to +15 degrees to a depth of 10 cm. The first shoots are thinned out, leaving the most viable at a distance of about a meter from each other. For the greenhouse, a thinning scheme is used with a distance of 70 by 70 cm.

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Care

After planting seedlings and the beginning of the formation of lashes, it is recommended to feed the plant with liquid cow or chicken droppings. Kuryak has a higher degree of concentration, it should be taken at the rate of 1:20. Mullein can be used in an amount of 1:8. Perfect for top dressing and superphosphate, which will saturate the soil and plant with minerals. In the period when the ovary begins to form, a second fertilization is carried out – phosphorus-potassium.

The long root system of the beloved berry allows it to grow in arid regions on sand. After landing on the site, regular watering is carried out in the amount of 3 buckets per square meter. At the time of intensive flowering, watering is done about twice a week. In order not to slow down the normal development of watermelons, they are no longer watered during the ripening of the fruits. Watermelon needs a temperature of +25 to 30 degrees. This will have to be monitored, since a sharp cold snap will have a bad effect on its growth.

In the middle lane at +15 degrees, landing is covered with a film. To prevent condensation from accumulating, a non-woven fabric or gauze is placed under it.

It should also be remembered about pollination – in cloudy weather it is not easy for bees to carry it out. To help the little workers, touch the stamens on the flower to a pair of pistils on the rest of the plants. The fruits can be harvested after the procedure in less than a month. In the southern areas, the tops of the stems are cut off, thereby stopping the growth of shoots. So the fruits grow larger in size.

vermin

A lot of unpleasant moments are delivered to watermelons by the melon aphid attacking them. She appears in June-July. Lives on the bottom of the sheets with families and sucks juices. The leaves shrivel and dry up. During the summer period, the aphid gives several generations. First, pests appear on the weeds. Females move to melon in mid-June and parasitize on it until autumn. They lay their eggs on weeds where they spend the winter.

In order to protect plantings from aphids, it is advised to weed weeds and mow areas near watermelons. When pests appear, plants are treated with infusions and decoctions of onion peel, garlic, and celandine. In case of severe damage to the deciduous system, the use of chemicals is recommended – Iskra, Karbofos, INTA-VIR.

Diseases can overcome melon plantations. Anthracnose or copperhead is characterized by the appearance of yellow or light brown spots on the leaves. They gradually spread to the fruits. To prevent the disease, you need to warm the seeds before sowing. Use disease-resistant varieties – Dolby F1, Helen and others. Sick leaves are removed, plantings are dusted with sulfur. Bacteriosis or corner spot affects leaves and stems. Brownish-brown spots appear on them. The causative agents of the virus are stored on plant debris and in seeds. For prevention, the earth is deeply dug in the fall.

Diseased crops are removed, it is worth choosing varieties that are resistant to the disease. Powdery mildew provokes the appearance of a white coating on the leaves and stems. The causative agent of the disease spends the winter on weeds and plant debris. For prevention, the seeds are soaked in Fitosporin solution for a couple of hours. If a disease is detected, the affected leaves are removed, additional potassium supplements are added, and colloidal sulfur is treated at the rate of 30 grams of the product per 10 liters of water. Perenosporosis or downy mildew – spots are found on the upper side of the leaves. They are yellow-green in color. The infection is carried by the wind and stored on plant debris. For prevention, the seeds are heated or soaked in Fitosporin solution before sowing.

If a disease is detected, it is treated with infusion or decoction of horsetail at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water. At the beginning of the development of the disease, treatment with milk with iodine is effective. In case of severe damage, it is recommended to use Oxychloride and Kuprosat preparations. Fusarium wilt can lead to the death of plants in a couple of days. There is a protracted form of the disease, when the leaves curl, chlorotic spots appear, then the leaves dry up. The infection spreads through the soil, seeds, plant debris. For prevention, it is advised to treat the seeds with a solution of Baktofit for about 4 hours. For planting, choose varieties of hybrids Trophy, Helen, Lady, Dolby and others. When an ailment is detected, the affected plants are destroyed, the rest are sprayed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

Video “Watermelons and their cultivation in the country”

The video presents popular tips and recommendations that relate to the cultivation of this crop in their summer cottage.