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Growing a sweet melon somewhere in the suburbs is already the ultimate dream of every self-respecting summer resident. Yes, and in other regions, many dream of a rich harvest of honey-juicy fruits that emit a dizzying aroma. But melon is a very controversial culture. Growing from time immemorial in a hot semi-desert area, it, nevertheless, is very sensitive to water. If watering the melons is wrong, then there may not be a harvest at all, or the fruits will turn out to be of unsatisfactory quality.
How demanding is a melon for watering
Everyone who has ever tried a melon cannot but agree that this is a very juicy fruit. Its fruits are mostly liquid. Therefore, without enough water, waiting for a good harvest from a melon does not make sense. Professional melon growers know this especially well. Indeed, in the south, on ordinary plots without irrigation, the yields of melons of the same variety are usually two times lower than those where the system of additional irrigation is used.
On the other hand, with an excess of moisture, especially in conditions of insufficiently high temperatures, the root system of a melon is easily exposed to various diseases, simply put, it rots. But even in the south, in the heat, too much watering can cause the fruits to lose most of their flavor and sugar content and turn out to be tasteless, just watery.
Therefore, when growing melons, it is especially important to observe all the features of care and requirements for irrigation technology.
Rules for watering melons from sowing to harvest
Melon is usually attributed to the gourd family. But unlike its closest relatives, watermelon and pumpkin, its root system is much less developed. The main tap root goes to a depth of about 70-100 cm. There are also about 10-12 lateral roots, up to 2-3 m long, located mainly in the upper soil layers, at a depth of no more than 30-40 cm. It is due to their nutrition and the main crop of the plant is formed.
Usually, the watering regime for melons and the volume of water used for these purposes is determined by the phase of plant development and current weather conditions. But there are also general irrigation rules that are the same for any conditions:
- Melons are watered with exceptionally warm, heated to + 22-26 ° C water. Cold water can significantly slow down the growth and development of plants, in addition, cause the spread of root and stem rot.
- Since it is easiest to heat the water in the sun, it is customary to water the melons in the evening, after the sun has begun to go down. On particularly hot days, it will be useful to arrange watering for them twice a day: in the morning and in the evening.Attention! The main thing is not to water in the midst of the midday heat, in bright sun, in order to prevent leaf burns.
- Melons, unlike most garden plants, do not like high humidity at all. Therefore, it is better to completely exclude the option of irrigation using sprinkling.
- On average, depending on the stage of formation of melon plants, from 3 to 8 liters of water are used for irrigation per bush.
- When watering, moisture should not get on the root neck of plants, especially in the initial period of growth. This can cause it to rot. Usually a small space (15-20 cm in diameter) around the root neck of young plants is covered with coarse sand.
- After each abundant watering, and especially after heavy rain, it is advisable to feed the melons.
From planting to emergence
Melons can be grown both by direct sowing of seeds in the ground (mainly in the southern regions), and with the help of seedlings at home. In favorable conditions (high temperature and humidity), melons in the initial period are characterized by a high intensity of growth processes. Moreover, the root system grows and develops much faster than the ground part. So the seeds can germinate after 2-3 days, and seedlings appear only on the 8-9th day. During all these days, the root grows and develops intensively. By the time shoots appear, it is able to reach a length of 15-20 cm and even have several lateral branches.
But if the seeds were placed in well-moistened soil and covered with glass or polyethylene on top to maintain moisture (in the open field with plastic bottles without a bottom), then no additional watering is required for melon plants before germination.
How to water young plants
As soon as the first true leaf appears in the melon shoots that have appeared, the first watering of the plants is carried out. Of course, if the weather is hot, dry and sunny, the top layer of the soil should not be allowed to dry out during this period. This applies to both open ground and seedlings grown in separate pots.
Young melon plants in the first month of life most intensively form the root system. The leaves will grow rather slowly during this period, and therefore the melon bushes can be watered directly into the hole next to the root with a thin stream of warm water.
Until the plant develops two or three true leaves, watering one melon is unlikely to require more than 0,5-1 l of water. But in each case, an individual approach is necessary, since irrigation rates are highly dependent on weather conditions, especially when it comes to open ground. It is equally important not to overdry, and not to pour the soil under the melons. Watering young melons should be regular and constantly monitored.
Watering melons during flowering and ovary formation
Perhaps this is the most important and difficult period of melon development in terms of irrigation characteristics.
The plants are still quite young, so regular and fairly plentiful watering is more important than ever. Each plant requires at least 3 liters of water per procedure.
With the advent of the very first flowers, watering must be temporarily suspended. The fact is that the first melons to have male flowers, which are usually collected in inflorescences of several pieces. And only after a few days, female flowers bloom – single, located mainly on the lateral shoots of the first orders. A temporary reduction in watering during the appearance of male flowers will stimulate the formation of female ones. When the mass appearance of female flowers begins, watering is resumed again.
From this moment until the formation of ovaries, watering the melons should again be regular and plentiful. It is necessary to constantly monitor the level of soil moisture. It should not dry out more than 5-6 cm deep. And after the procedure, the earth should be wetted to a depth of 40-60 cm.
Watering melon plants under the root during this period is already highly undesirable. It is best to make small grooves between the rows and fill them with water.
During this period, it is also important to promptly remove all excess vegetation around the bushes, the roots of which can take moisture from the melons. Loosening after watering also contributes to better absorption of moisture by the roots and prevents water from stagnating.
How to water melons during the period of growth and ripening of fruits
From the moment the ovaries form, the time comes for the most abundant watering of the melon. They should not be too frequent, but the earth should be well moistened. At one time, one melon bush can take from 5 to 8 liters of warm water. Watering should be, as in the previous period, in the grooves running along the row spacing.
Much depends on weather conditions. Of course, during the rainy season, watering melons should be minimized or completely postponed.
But as the fruits grow and pour, watering is gradually reduced. About a month before the full ripening of melon fruits, it is best to stop watering altogether. This will allow them to gain the maximum amount of sugars. In addition, the preserved properties of melon fruits are also increasing. Do not worry too much about the plants, even if the weather is dry and hot. Roots at a depth of about a meter will always find the moisture they need.
It is important to remember that all operations to reduce or increase watering should occur gradually. Because the most common mistake novice gardeners make is overwatering plants after a fairly long drought. Melon fruits from this can begin to crack and rot. It is especially important to observe the correct watering regime in the period after the formation of ovaries.
Benefits of drip irrigation
Drip irrigation is, of course, the most versatile and most convenient watering system for melons. First of all, it allows each time to regulate and control the amount of water supplied for irrigation. This is especially true for those regions where there are problems with the norms of the water used.
It is also important that with drip irrigation, water wets only the soil, without affecting or disturbing the leaves and root neck of the bushes.
In addition, automatic drip irrigation will help you not forget about the next procedure and save time and effort for other garden chores.
Combination of watering with top dressing
Top dressing is very convenient to combine with watering, primarily because it saves time, effort and plants do not receive an overabundance of fertilizers.
The first top dressing is usually carried out by adding crystallon, kemira or ammonium nitrate to the water for irrigation approximately 8-10 days after mass shoots. Usually in the instructions for these complex fertilizers there are norms for the consumption of dry matter per 10 liters of water. Water consumption during irrigation should be standard.
In the phase of budding and flowering, a second addition to the water for irrigation of fertilizers can be carried out. During this period, it is best to use organic matter. It is diluted in a ratio of 1:10 or 1:15, depending on the condition of the plants.
After about 3 weeks, when the formed ovaries begin to grow, the last top dressing of melons is carried out. Phosphorus and potash fertilizers are mainly used, diluting 50 and 20 g, respectively, in 10 liters of warm water.
Conclusion
Learning how to properly water melons during different growing seasons is a simple task. But the result will be a great taste and enchanting aroma of fruits grown on their own plot.
