melon grafting

Grafting a melon onto a pumpkin is no more complicated than the procedure carried out with trees. Some of the ways are similar. The difference is the more fragile structure of the stem of the rootstock and scion. To get a good result, you must adhere to the rules, be careful.

Why you need to plant a melon

Melon is considered a heat-loving crop. The plant is slightly capricious, does not tolerate temperature fluctuations. In regions with a cold or changeable climate, it is impossible to get a good harvest. Breeders have bred many cold-resistant varieties, but the problem has not been 100% solved. The fruits grow small, less fragrant and sweet.

Grafting helps to preserve the varietal characteristics of a heat-loving crop growing in a cold region to the maximum. Melon gains resistance to cold. On other people’s roots it adapts better to the ground. The fruit grows with characteristic features of varietal features, but in terms of taste it is slightly inferior to the melon grown in the southern regions.

Grafting methods

For grafting, gardeners use three popular methods:

1. approach method considered simple, suitable for inexperienced gardeners. The technology involves growing a scion with a rootstock in one pot close to each other. At the stems of plants, the skin is cut off on the side, connected and wrapped with tape. The top of the stock is cut off after about a week, when the sections of the plants grow together. The native melon root is cut off during transplantation. The plant continues to grow with the rhizome of the rootstock.
2. Method in split used if the rootstock has a full-bodied stem. The melon is cut off at the root, the stem is sharpened with a wedge. The top is cut off from the rootstock, the stem is cut with a knife 2 cm deep, the scion is inserted with a wedge, wrapped with tape.
3. Method of grafting into the center of the trunk suitable for rootstocks with hollow stems. The procedure is simple, accessible to a novice gardener. For grafting, the top is cut off at the rootstock, leaving a stump up to 2 cm high above the ground. The cut top of the melon is inserted into the hollow stem, wrapped with tape.

Grafting by the splitting method is considered the most difficult. There are other ways, for example, in a lateral incision. The method is also called tongue grafting, and it is a bit like convergence.

What crops are suitable as rootstock

As a rootstock, plants from the related Cucurbitaceae family are chosen. The gardener individually determines what is best adapted to the terrain. Melon is very capricious in choosing a rootstock, so three crops are often used for grafting:

• It is easiest to graft a melon onto a pumpkin due to the presence of an air cavity in the stem of the rootstock. After splicing, the scion creates ideal conditions for rapid root growth. You can graft on a pumpkin in any way considered. The new plant is resistant to cold, pests and diseases.
• Melon is grafted onto lagenaria in the center of the trunk. A rootstock with a scion is difficult to grow together. If the vaccine does not immediately take root, the plant will dry out. Often culture is destroyed by the sun. The taste of melon on the legend is much worse if we compare the result, where the stock is a pumpkin.

  

• A good option is to graft a melon onto a zucchini or squash. The new plant adapts better to the soil, temperature changes, bears fruit well in cold regions

Experienced gardeners practice grafting three plants at the same time. If you combine a tomato, melon and zucchini, you will get delicious fruits, but the plant itself will be susceptible to tomato diseases.

What can be grafted onto a melon

In rare cases, the top of an adult pumpkin or gourd is grafted onto a melon. To achieve a good result, the rootstock is grown from large seeds to get thick stems. Seedlings provide maximum light. If the rootstock stems are thin, the scion will not take root.

preliminaries

In order for the grafting of a melon onto a pumpkin to give a good result, it is necessary to properly prepare the scion with a stock. At the time of the procedure, tools and auxiliary materials should be ready.

Recommended dates

The optimal time for vaccination is the end of April or the beginning of May. By this time, the seedlings should have at least one full-fledged leaf.

Preparation of materials and tools

Of the materials you will need a tape for wrapping the vaccination site, a glass jar or a plastic bottle with transparent walls.

From the tool you need a sharp gardener’s knife, but it is more convenient to cut thin stems with a blade. At the time of work, the tool must be disinfected.

Scion and rootstock preparation

From mid-April, one melon seed and a selected rootstock are sown in cups. Seedlings are watered abundantly, provide lighting. Seedlings need a large amount of water just before grafting. The procedure starts after about 11 days.

How to vaccinate

Pumpkin is considered the best universal rootstock. Vaccination can be carried out by any existing method.

More information is provided in the video on how to plant a melon on a pumpkin:

How to plant a melon in the center of a pumpkin sprout

At the time of vaccination, the plants should grow full-fledged leaves. Melon is sown 3 days earlier from pumpkin due to the slow development of the culture. When the seedlings grow, prepare a disinfected blade and a 2 cm wide tape for wrapping. The further process requires the following steps:

• A glass with a pumpkin sprout is placed so that one leaf is on the opposite side of the cut. Cut off the top and second leaf of the pumpkin. At the site of the removed top, the blade is cut along the stem with a depth of 2 cm. Below the cut, the stem is wrapped with tape, the free end is left to hang down.
• A growing melon is cut with a blade to the base of the root. The length of the scion should be from 2,5 to 3 cm. From the side of the cotyledon leaves, the skin is cut off from the stem.
• On the pumpkin, by pressing with your fingers, gently push the cut apart, insert the graft with a stripped stem. The pointed tip should sink to the base into the rootstock groove. In addition, care must be taken to ensure that the cotyledon leaves of the connected plants are parallel to each other.
• The junction is squeezed with fingers. The stem is wrapped with the hanging end of the tape wound below the cut.
• For quick fusion of stems, the plant is covered with a glass jar. A plastic transparent bottle with a cut neck will do.

An optimal microclimate is formed under the tank. Every day, the jar or bottle is removed for 2 minutes to air. If the melon has taken root, the stem will grow on the eighth day. After two weeks, the shelter is removed from the jar.

The method of convergence of scion and rootstock

In terms of survival rate, the approach method is considered the best. Pumpkin and melon seedlings should grow in the same container close to each other. When one adult leaf appears, start grafting:

• Squeeze the stems of seedlings with your fingers. At the point of contact, both plants make a cut. The peel is removed with a thickness of about 2 mm. The stems are again squeezed with fingers, check the exact match of the boundaries of the slices. If everything fits together, the two plants at the grafting point are pulled together with tape.
• Both sprouts continue to receive nutrients through their roots, eliminating the need to cover them with a jar. A week later, the melon stalk near the root is strongly crushed with fingers. Damage will cause the graft to feed on the gourd juices. The procedure is repeated until the damaged stem near the root dries up. At this point, it is cut.

The top of the pumpkin is removed after the scion is completely engrafted. Only two cotyledons and one full-fledged leaf are left on a small segment of the stem.

In a side cut

The side incision method is also called tongue grafting. The technology resembles rapprochement, but some nuances differ:

• The cut on the stems of plants at the points of contact is not made complete, but tongues 2 cm long are left. They should be located in different directions, and when connected, form a lock. For example, a melon is cut from the bottom up, and a pumpkin is cut from top to bottom.

  

• The resulting lock connection is folded together. The stems are tied with tape. A paired seedling is tied to a peg for stability.

The further courtship procedure is the same as with the approach method.

How to plant a melon on a pumpkin in a split

Gardeners practice the simplest method of grafting on pears, apple trees and other trees. In a similar way, a melon is grafted onto a pumpkin in a split, only a rootstock variety with a full-bodied stem is used.

At the age of two weeks, the top of the pumpkin is cut off, leaving a stump from 4 cm of the hypocotyl knee. The stem is split with a blade to a depth of 2 cm. From the scion, the top is cut off 4 cm long with a blossoming young leaf and two cotyledon leaves. The bottom of the cut is sharpened with a wedge. The melon is inserted into the slot of the pumpkin stem, pulled together with a ribbon. For better engraftment, you can cover the plant with a jar.

Plant care after grafting

Vegetable growers post on the Internet a lot of videos of melon grafting on a pumpkin and growing plants after the procedure. Everyone has their secrets, but the principle is the same. Immediately after inoculation, the soil is mulched with raw sawdust. The first week maintain humidity 90% and temperature + 25 ^оC. Plants are shaded from the sun, aired daily for 2 minutes if they are covered with a jar.

With a successful grafting, the melon will grow in about a week. The air temperature is lowered to + 20 ^оC. At night, you can lower another two degrees. 3-4 days before planting in the ground, the plants are fed with mineral complexes, hardened. After disembarking, the melons carry out the usual care.

Conclusion

Grafting a melon onto a pumpkin is guaranteed to give positive results with experience. Initially, you should not try to plant all the crops. In case of failure, you can be left without a crop.