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As you know, melons are extremely whimsical plants that need special conditions for growth and fruiting. Most varieties grow well in the southern regions, but they are not suitable for the middle lane and the north. The melon Kolkhoznitsa comes to the rescue, which is intended for cultivation in open ground or a greenhouse in central Our Country. Resistance to low temperatures allows you to grow a rich harvest, and the ease of caring for the plant makes it extremely convenient to farm. In this article, you will learn how to grow this variety, what conditions are needed to get a high yield, how to deal with pests and when to harvest.
Variety description
Melon Kolkhoznitsa is a mid-season variety, the vegetation of which takes up to 95 days. Growing in a greenhouse, you can reduce the ripening to 77-80 days. Pumpkin has a slightly elongated, spherical shape, bright orange or yellow-orange color, with a pronounced mesh pattern. The average weight of a pumpkin reaches 1,5 kilograms. The flesh is white, firm and crispy, with a very sweet taste. Unfortunately, the Kolhoznitsa variety is not suitable for long-term storage, therefore, it requires prompt consumption or processing.
One of the main advantages of the variety is resistance to low temperatures. For the pumpkin family, this is a rarity. And this is what makes it possible to grow the Kolkhoznitsa variety with equal success both in the greenhouse and on the open ground.
How to get a high yield
In order for the Kolkhoznitsa melon to give a rich harvest, you need to make a little effort. It doesn’t matter where the cultivation is planned – in a greenhouse or in the open field, it is best to grow seedlings from seeds first. Sowing takes place from April 14-17, the deadline is the beginning of May. It takes about 25-30 days to form seedlings suitable for planting, so if you plant this variety for seedlings in mid-April, you can plant seedlings in a greenhouse or in open beds as early as mid-May. It is important to immediately cover the beds with foil if planting is done in an open area.
When planting, it is important to consider that for comfortable growth and active development, a melon needs a lot of free space. Therefore, between the holes should be about 80-100 centimeters. When the first lateral stems appear, after the formation of the third true leaf, it is necessary to carry out pinching, forming the plant into one stem. The procedure must be repeated regularly, each time pinching the plant over the third leaf, cutting off the side shoots.
Lighting is of great importance. The recommended lighting intensity is from 5000-6000 lux. However, it is worth knowing that a melon that loves abundant light blooms faster with a shortened day. That is, it must be stably illuminated for 8-11 hours. Shorter daylight hours will slow down the growing season.
Also, do not forget about watering. The general drought tolerance of cucurbits does not mean that watering can be forgotten. When seedlings are planted in a greenhouse or in the ground on a plot, they need a sufficiently large amount of moisture for good vegetation. At the same time, try not to flood the plant and do not pour water on the stems and leaves.
Features of care
First of all, make sure that the melon does not grow in acidic soil. It is also quite difficult to grow a healthy crop if ventilation does not work well in the greenhouse in the early stages of the growing season, or, on the contrary, drafts “walk”. You should forget about watering with cold water, as this not only slows down the growing season, but also creates favorable conditions for the development of fungal diseases.
It is important not to forget about the mineral supplements that are needed in the first week after planting the seedlings, when the green mass of the melon is just beginning to develop. The soil in the greenhouse must be fertilized in advance, but additional dressings cannot be avoided. Prepare a composition of superphosphate, ammonium nitrate and potassium to make it every 2 weeks.
Growing in a greenhouse also requires additional pollination of inflorescences. To do this, shake the pollen from the male flowers into a plastic bag and pollinate the female flowers.
This variety requires a certain temperature for good growth. Although resistant to low temperatures, cultivation should take place at a temperature not lower than 18 °C, and preferably at 26 °C.
Terms of maturation
Due to its rather short growing season, this variety allows you to collect the first fruits already 2 months after planting, however, the description on the bag of seeds will tell you more detailed information.
The ripeness of a pumpkin can be determined by the condition of the peel, as soon as it turns yellow or dark yellow, you can pick the fruit from the garden. In addition, the pumpkin becomes softer where the flower was and easily separates from the stem.
Diseases and pests
A description of all the diseases and pests that the Kolkhoznitsa variety is susceptible to can result in a rather voluminous encyclopedia. However, most of them do not appear in the greenhouse, so we will consider only the most frequent unwanted guests who interfere with growing sweet melons.
The variety is often susceptible to powdery mildew. A fungal disease manifests itself as a grayish coating on leaves and stems. The affected areas quickly wither and die. Powdery mildew negatively affects not only the condition of the plant, but also the quality of the fruit.
Fusarium is another opponent of the Pumpkin family. The spores of the fungus penetrate the plant and lead to the formation of spots on the leaves, which often curl down. Gradually, the plant begins to fade and, if nothing is done, it dies.
Among insects, the most dangerous are: melon aphid, spider mite, wireworm and nibbling scoops. Therefore, it is necessary to annually treat the site with fungicides and insecticides.
Video “Seeds of Melon Kolkhoz Woman”
In this short review, we are talking about the seeds of one of the most popular melon varieties in the middle lane.
