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Among farmers, watermelon Producer gained popularity. This early variety is especially attractive for the southern regions, where it produces large juicy fruits up to 20 kg. Watermelon also shows good yields in the conditions of a short but hot summer in the middle lane.
Watermelon Producer is a product of selection by American scientists, intended for cultivation both on an industrial scale and in household plots. According to experts, it is a modification of the popular American variety with improved characteristics.
Characteristic of the variety
Watermelon Producer, as the description indicates, gives berries of a round-oval shape with rich red, juicy flesh and a smooth striped surface. Among the characteristics of the fetus can be identified:
- high seed germination – up to 99%;
- early ripeness – the fruits ripen 2-2,5 months after germination;
- good yields – up to 8 kg / sq. m;
- excellent presentation and excellent taste – up to 12% sugar;
- excellent transportability and good keeping quality;
- resistance to fungal diseases;
- the possibility of growing in greenhouses and open beds.
Variety Producer also has some disadvantages, these include:
- dependence on temperature conditions;
- the need for regular watering and fertilizing;
- does not always fully ripen.
Preparation of seeds for sowing
If the Producer variety is grown in the southern regions, seeds can be sown immediately in open ground. For the middle lane, the seedling method is more optimal, which brings fruiting closer by about half a month. In more northern regions and Siberia, the Producer variety is grown in greenhouses. The best germination is given by seeds of 3-4 years of storage.
Seedling preparation begins with the correct selection of seeds. You can choose Producer variety hybrids that are more resistant to cold. To prepare for sowing, you should:
- dip the seeds in a 3% solution of edible salt;
- all floating seeds must be discarded;
- specimens that have settled to the bottom, wrap in gauze and rinse under running water;
- after drying, warm up for 2 hours at a temperature of about 60 degrees;
- place for disinfection in a solution of potassium permanganate;
- Arrange on a plate and cover with a cloth for sprouting.
Soil for sowing watermelon AU Producer can be purchased at a specialized store – in it the germination of seeds is much higher. However, you can cook it yourself by mixing humus with soddy soil or peat. You can add to the mixture and sawdust.
Planting seeds
Sowing seeds is carried out around mid-April. It is better to plant them in peat pots so as not to damage the sprouted roots when transplanted into open ground. After sowing the seeds, the pots are watered and covered with a film for accelerated germination. In a warm place, they will quickly hatch and friendly shoots will appear. They need good lighting. The appearance of 3-5 leaves is a signal for transplanting seedlings into open beds.
When planting in open ground, small grooves up to 4-5 cm deep are prepared, into which seeds are placed at intervals of 2 cm, and then sprinkled with earth. Crops are watered with warm water.
Transplantation to beds
Watermelon Producer, as the description of the variety indicates, has an extensive root system that needs light aerated soils. Therefore, to transfer seedlings to open ground, certain conditions must be prepared:
- sandy and sandy loamy soils are most favorable – gourds will not grow in acidified areas;
- the groundwater level should be low;
- the earth must first be dug up, weeds removed, fertilized with humus, sawdust;
- useful predecessors of the Producer variety are potatoes and legumes, and undesirable gourds;
- it is also not recommended to plant tomatoes or onions next to seedlings of the Producer variety;
- an important factor affecting the effective growth and formation of the taste characteristics of the fetus is illumination;
- watermelon planting scheme Producer for open ground – 1,4×1,0 m, and for greenhouses – 0,7×0,7 m;
- the optimum temperature for intensive growth and rapid ripening is above 20 degrees.
It is good to plant watermelon Producer on elevated places – they are more intensely illuminated and warmed up by the sun. Planting seedlings can be done at an ambient temperature of 15 degrees, when the danger of return frosts has passed.
stem formation
In greenhouse conditions, shoots are formed into one main stem, tying it to a support. From the side – shoots less than half a meter long are removed so that they do not obscure the fruits. The more ovaries are formed on the shoots of watermelon varieties Producer, the more time and effort they need to ripen. It is recommended to leave 3 ovaries on each of them, and remove the rest. Two stepchildren are left on the main stem, the rest are cut off. After the appearance of the ovary through three leaves, the lash is pinched. Then you get just three fruits that will ripen almost simultaneously.
On open beds, watermelons of the Producer variety are formed into three stems, then the tops are pinched. Although watermelons need a lot of sun, when they begin to ripen, the fruits need to be lightly shaded. To do this, on especially hot days, each watermelon can be covered with large leaves, such as burdock.
Organization watering
Since watermelons are drought-resistant, watering should be fairly moderate, depending on the stages of vegetative development of plants: in the initial period, when ovaries are formed, watermelons are watered in the morning and evening;
- during the flowering period, twice a week is enough;
- in the hot period – once every 7-8 days;
- at the stage of fruit formation, watering should be limited;
- at the ripening stage, irrigation of watermelons AU Producer, as recommended by reviews, is stopped.
Most often, farmers organize a drip irrigation system, which is ideal for Producer watermelons in terms of increasing yields. Loosening is important for watermelons. It should be shallow so that the root system is not damaged, but weekly.
In the northern regions, groundwater is often located close to the surface, and the roots of watermelons can rot. With a little trick, you can make the root shoots spread not in depth, but in breadth. To do this, it is necessary to dig small grooves between the rows, along which to organize watering.
Feeding
After the formation of the ovaries, the rapid growth of the fruit begins. During this period, the characteristics of watermelons Producer recommends weekly top dressing with mineral fertilizers. They should be produced after rain or watering. Regular top dressing can be replaced by pre-sowing dressing of the soil with ash and humus, or by adding them to each well before planting seedlings. Watermelon especially needs phosphorus and potassium compounds.
Watermelon belongs to heat-loving plants, so you need to provide it with a lot of heat. Many farmers who grow watermelons in the middle lane resort to little tricks. After planting seedlings in open ground, a small greenhouse is built over it in the form of a film stretched over supports. The film is removed only at the end of June, and this should be done in the evening or on a cloudy day so that the sun does not burn the tender seedlings.
Disease control
Although the Producer watermelon variety is resistant to anthracnose and stem rot, there are many other fungal diseases that require preventive treatments:
- if whitish spots of powdery mildew appear on the stems, you need to collect all the affected parts of the plant and burn;
- from infection with root rot, it is necessary to decontaminate the soil before planting.
To protect watermelons of the Producer variety from contact with the ground and infection with root rot, many farmers put boards under each fruit and sprinkle the root neck with sand.
Of the common pests in the cultivation of watermelon Producer can be identified:
- melon aphid, the signs of the appearance of which are expressed in black spots, twisting of the stems;
- spider mite, which causes gradual drying of watermelon lashes.
All affected leaves and stems must be removed and destroyed. For preventive purposes, it is necessary to regularly inspect the bushes and spray.
Feedback from gardeners and farmers
Conclusion
Subject to the rules of agricultural technology, the watermelon variety Producer gives consistently high yields every year and is promising for industrial cultivation.
