melon for seedlings

If you plant melons for seedlings correctly, you can achieve a good harvest not only in the south of the country, but also in the harsh climatic conditions of the Urals and Siberia. The benefits of this natural dessert are extremely high, and even a novice gardener can grow it on his site.

Variety selection rules

The choice of variety largely depends on the climatic conditions of the region in which it is planned to grow melon. For example, in Siberia the summer season is cool and short. Preference should be given to early-ripening melon varieties intended for cultivation in similar climatic conditions:

• Lyubushka – one of the highest-yielding varieties with a ripening period of 1,5 months. Fruits are oval or ovoid, weighing from 1,5 to 2 kg;

  

• Altai early – another early ripening high-yielding melon variety intended for cultivation in Siberia. Golden, oval fruits weighing up to 1,5 kg ripen in about 70 days.

  

For Moscow and the Moscow region, where the weather is warmer in autumn and spring, the following early and mid-ripening melon varieties are suitable.

• Collective farmer – in central Our Country, this melon can be safely planted in open ground through seedlings. The variety is considered mid-season, the growing season is 95 days. The fruits are slightly elongated spherical in shape, colored orange, their weight averages 1,5 kg;

  

• Princess Maria – early ripe melon, ripening in 60-70 days. Rounded fruits of gray-green color weighing 1,2 – 1,5 kg;

  

• Caramel – mid-season variety, characterized by juicy sugar pulp. Melon ripens in 60 – 66 days when grown through seedlings. Fruits weighing up to 2,5 kg.

  

In the Urals, as in Siberia, early melon varieties are very popular:

• Delano F1 – an early ripe hybrid variety that gives oval-elongated fruits 60 days after the first shoots. The weight of a melon reaches 4 kg;

  

• Dream of Sybarite – exotic small-fruited (up to 700 g) melon, resistant to frost and drought. The first crop ripens after 60 – 70 days.

  

In the southern regions with a warm and mild climate (Crimea, Krasnodar Territory, North Caucasus), you can grow both mid-season and late varieties:

• Lada – heat-loving mid-season melon. The shape of the fruit is oval, weight is from 2,5 to 4 kg, the surface is painted yellow. Ripening takes about 72 – 96 days;

  

• Turkmen – late-ripening melon, the vegetation period of which is from 95 to 105 days. The fruits are oblong, oval, weighing 4-6 kg, painted yellow-green.

  

When to sow melon seeds for seedlings

The timing of sowing melon seeds for seedlings largely depends on the variety chosen. It should be based on the information on the early maturity of a particular variety indicated on the packaging by the seed manufacturer, and take into account that melon seedlings should develop from 25 to 30 days before transplanting into open ground.

In the Moscow region and central Our Country, melon seedlings can be grown from mid-April, since planting in open ground is usually done at the end of May, and if there is a threat of return frosts, these dates can be shifted to early June.

In Siberia and the Urals, the end of April or the beginning of May is suitable for sowing seeds, since seedlings in open ground in these regions are transplanted only closer to the second half of June.

In regions with a warm climate, such as the Krasnodar Territory, the Crimea and the North Caucasus, seedlings are grown starting from the middle or end of March, and seedlings are transplanted into open ground in the second half of April.

When to plant a melon in 2019 according to the lunar calendar

Many gardeners, when planting melons for seedlings, are guided by the lunar calendar, which helps to predict good and bad days for gardening.

Rules for planting melon seedlings

Melon is a heat-loving plant that loves sunlight very much. It is resistant to drought and soil salinity, but categorically does not tolerate waterlogged and too acidic soils. When planting seedlings, it is better to give preference to light soils with a neutral pH.

It is also important to consider that the melon root system is extremely fragile and weak, so the plant does not respond well to transplants. Seedlings do not dive, but are immediately seated in different pots.

How to check the germination of melon seeds

In order to guarantee a good melon harvest, it is necessary to check the seeds for germination before planting. This will require:

• prepare a saline solution in a small container from 250 ml of water and 1 tsp. salt;
• immerse the seeds in the solution, wait a few minutes;
• as a result, high-quality seeds will remain at the bottom, and empty ones will float to the surface;
• unsuitable seeds must be removed, the remaining ones should be washed and dried in a well-ventilated place.

How to germinate melon seeds

Before germinating melon seeds, they should be disinfected. To do this, prepare a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, immerse the seeds in it for 30 minutes and rinse them thoroughly after the procedure.

The next step to get healthy seedlings is hardening off:

• disinfected seeds should be wrapped in gauze and soaked in warm water so that the bundle is not completely immersed in it;
• place the bundle on a saucer, leave for a day, not forgetting to control its humidity;
• place for 20 hours in the refrigerator, observing the temperature regime at 0 ^oC.

Germinate melon seeds using sawdust or a damp cloth until a small sprout is formed. The temperature in the room should be from +20 to +25 ^oC. Before the procedure, sawdust must be steamed for 7 hours.

Preparation of containers and soil

To prepare the soil mixture, you should use soddy soil, peat and humus, taken in equal proportions. Sometimes, instead of humus, ready-made home compost is added. River sand will help improve the permeability of air and water to the root system. You can enrich the soil mixture with potassium and phosphorus by adding ash at the rate of 1 cup per bucket of soil.

In addition, it is required to subject the soil to disinfection. To do this, you can harvest it since the fall and store it in a cool room until the seedlings are planted. Freezing will ensure the destruction of pathogens and minimize the likelihood of emergence of annual weeds. Another way to disinfect the soil is by watering with a solution of potassium permanganate.

If the soil for melon seedlings is purchased in a store, then preference should be given to mixtures for pumpkin crops, since it is optimally balanced in terms of acidity and nutritional value. Shop soil is also already treated with specialized antifungal agents, so it does not need additional disinfection.

Peat containers with a diameter of about 10 cm or plastic glasses with a volume of at least 0,5 liters are perfect as containers for seedlings. Seeds are recommended to be planted in separate containers from the very beginning, this will avoid damage to the roots during transplantation.

Landing algorithm

To grow a melon from a seed, you must adhere to the following seedling planting algorithm:

1. Fill the container for planting with the finished soil mixture, moisten with settled water. The soil should be laid in a container in several layers, gently pressing and tamping each of them with your hand. It is important not to forget to leave a space of 2 – 3 cm to the edge of the container in order to be able to subsequently add more earth on top.
2. Prepare holes 2-3 cm deep and carefully dip the germinated seeds into them with tweezers. 1 seed is planted in 1 hole.
3. Sprinkle with earth, lightly tamping the soil. Moisten with a spray bottle so as not to accidentally wash out the seeds.
4. Cover the container with cling film or glass for 2-3 days, place in a warm place and do not forget to open after.

At room temperature from +25 to +28 ^oSeedlings will appear after 4-5 days. After the appearance of the first sprouts, the pots are rearranged on a well-lit windowsill.

How to grow melon seedlings

Comfortable temperature for melon seedlings is from +25 to +30 ^oC. Optimum air humidity for plants is 60%.

Light day should last at least 14 hours. Melon seedlings should be placed on the southern windowsills. If necessary, in cloudy weather, seedlings can be additionally illuminated with fluorescent lamps. They must be installed close to the plants and turned on for a couple of hours in the morning and evening.

Subsequent care of melon seedlings includes fertilizing and watering. Water the seedlings sparingly to avoid water stagnation, they are detrimental to the root system of the plant. The signal for watering is the drying of the topsoil.

Top dressing is carried out at least twice during the period of growth of the melon at home. The first time the seedlings are fed with complex fertilizers without chlorine content 2 weeks after planting. The second top dressing is carried out 7-10 days before transplanting into open ground, after which the plants need to be hardened.

Plants are transplanted into open ground after 25 – 35 days. By this time, the temperature should be quite warm outside.

Conclusion

Planting melons for seedlings is not an easy process, but following certain rules can make it much easier. Choosing the right variety and creating comfortable conditions for the plant will ensure a rich, healthy and tasty harvest in the future.