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The first thing to remember is that only early ripening varieties are suitable for regions with a cool and short summer – they ripen in about 90 days and manage to produce a crop before the end of summer. But it is even better to choose ultra-early watermelons – they give a harvest in 60 days, that is, already in early August.
Watermelons can be sown immediately in open ground. But it is much more reliable to grow them through seedlings. And here it is important to know when to plant watermelons in 2022.
How to determine landing dates in your area
Watermelons are very thermophilic, they do not tolerate frost, but they do not like even positive temperatures below 10 ° C – their growth stops (1).
You can sow watermelons directly on the beds, or grow them through seedlings. The timing of sowing will depend on this:
- for seedlings for greenhouses – March 25 – April 5;
- for seedlings for open ground – April 25 – May 5;
- seeds in open ground – May 25 – June 5.
How to prepare seeds for sowing
The seeds of watermelons are large, they germinate quickly and do not require special preparation, they can be safely sown dry in the soil. And by the way, when sowing in open ground, it is better to do just that.
“It is dangerous to sow germinated seeds on the beds, especially if you come to the dacha once a week – if it’s hot outside, the soil can quickly dry out, the tender roots of the germinated seeds will die without having time to penetrate deep, and then the watermelons will have to be resown,” says agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mihailova. – And dry seeds are able to lie in the ground, waiting for optimal moisture.
But when sowing seedlings, seeds can be soaked for a day in warm water so that they swell. In this case, the sprouts will appear faster. Or you can germinate the seeds – wrap them in a damp cloth and put them in a warm place. As soon as the roots sprout, it’s time to plant.
“But again, we must remember that swollen and germinated seeds must always be in moist soil – you can’t overdry it,” warns Svetlana Mikhailova. – So water in time – the soil should be slightly moist at all times. But only until the moment of shoots.
Tips for caring for watermelon seedlings
Watermelons are native to the dry regions of southern Africa (2), where they grow on poor soils. Hence the main principles of care.
The soil. The soil for seedlings should be loose and not very rich in nutrients. You can use a universal soil from the store, but it should be mixed with sand in a ratio of 2: 1.
A place. The place for seedlings should be very sunny – definitely a southern window. Or you need to provide good lighting.
Watering. Watermelon seedlings need to be watered very carefully. Until the moment of germination, the soil should be slightly moist, and then watering should be reduced so that the earth ball between them dries completely.
Feeding. Watermelon seedlings do not need fertilizing – they will only provoke excessive growth, but we need the plants not to grow a huge green mass, but to spend their energy on the formation of ovaries and the ripening of the crop.
Preparation for landing in the ground. Before relocating seedlings to open ground, it is useful to harden it – take it out to the balcony, to fresh air for 1-2 weeks.
– The first days for a couple of hours, and then the hardening time should be gradually increased, – Svetlana Mikhailova advises. – A few days before planting in open ground, seedlings can be left outside and overnight, of course, after looking at the weather forecast – it is important that there are no frosts.
Favorable days for planting seedlings at home or in a greenhouse
Watermelons form long lashes, so you should not rush to sow seeds for seedlings – overgrown plants are difficult to plant, and they take root worse. You can plant seedlings in greenhouses in late April – early May. In the open ground – after May 25. The age of the seedlings by this moment should be about 20-30 days (3), and the plants should have 3-4 true leaves (4).
Favorable days for planting seedlings at home or in a greenhouse: sowing seeds – March 11 – 17, April 1, 8 – 9, planting seedlings in a greenhouse – April 25 – 26, May 1 – 15, 31, June 1 – 12.
Favorable days for planting seedlings in open ground
There is also no need to rush with planting seedlings. So that the plants are not killed by frost, they need to be planted after May 25, and even more reliably from June 1 to June 10.
Favorable days for planting seedlings in open ground: May 31, June 1 – 12.
Popular questions and answers
What else you need to know when growing watermelons, we were told by agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova.
How to choose a variety of watermelon?
In general, before buying seeds, look at the information about the variety in the State Register of Breeding Achievements – it is on the Internet and it indicates in which region the variety is zoned.
How long does germination last for watermelon seeds?
Do seeds need to be germinated before sowing?
But when sowing seeds in open ground, it is better to germinate them, because in late May – early June it is hot outside, the soil dries up quickly, and if you are in the country only on weekends, the seeds may not sprout. And the germinated ones quickly take root and the plant can extract moisture for itself.
Sources of
- Fisenko A.N., Serpukhovitina K.A., Stolyarov A.I. Garden. Handbook // Rostov-on-Don, Rostov University Press, 1994 – 416 p.
- Yakubovskaya L.D., Yakubovsky V.N., Rozhkova L.N. ABC of a summer resident // Minsk, OOO “Orakul”, OOO Lazurak, IPKA “Publicity”, 1994 – 415 p.
- Pantielev Ya.Kh. ABC vegetable grower // M .: Kolos, 1992 – 383 p.
- Shuin K.A., Zakraevskaya N.K., Ippolitova N.Ya. Garden from spring to autumn // Minsk, Uradzhay, 1990 – 256 p.