Both adults and children love watermelons. The culture is, of course, useful, and many would like to see it at their summer cottage. Watermelon, the cultivation and care of which have some features, grows best on fertile light soils. Most virgin lands are suitable for him.
Since the climatic conditions of the middle zone are not suitable for such a warm and photophilous crop as a watermelon, it is worth growing this plant in seedlings. In this case, sowing should be started no earlier than the end of April. The fact is that by the time of planting in open ground seedlings of watermelon must have at least 4 leaves. And this corresponds to about a month old. It is possible to transfer plants to beds only at the end of May. This culture is very thermophilic and, if planted earlier, can die even under the film.
Watermelon, the cultivation and care of which begins with transplanting seedlings, is best sown in peat-humus pots. This culture does not tolerate transplantation very well, and therefore this option will be the most optimal. Seeds are pre-soaked and then buried in pots by about 2 cm.
The air temperature in the room at this time should be about 27-30 degrees. After the watermelons have risen, you can reduce its degree by 3. It is best if the pots with plants will stand in the sunniest place.
Watermelon, the cultivation and care of which require the strict observance of agricultural technology, is watered at this temperature with water at room temperature. You can feed the seedlings with some kind of nitrogen fertilizer. A week before being carried into the soil, the plants are quenched in the usual way.
When preparing the beds (digging and loosening), rotted manure or humus should be introduced into the soil. Seedlings are transplanted, as mentioned above, not earlier than at the end of May. Plants are buried in loose soil in holes at a distance of not less than half a meter from each other. Watermelon, the cultivation and care of which will continue to consist mainly of infrequent watering, should be fertilized immediately after planting. For this, it is best to use potash and phosphorus fertilizers. Certainly you need to cover the plants with a film.
Even a slight drop in temperature can ruin them. The film is removed only after the summer weather becomes stable.
So, how to care for watermelons after carrying in the ground? Experienced summer residents often do not recommend watering this culture, since its root system is unusually powerful. Plants are able to get nutrients from sufficiently deep layers of the soil, which may not dry out all season. During the formation of fruits, watering watermelons should be even less common. Otherwise, they will turn out watery, tasteless and will ripen for a long time.
Watermelon is fed twice a season. For this, potash and phosphorus fertilizers are used. The first time the plants are fed fourteen days after planting, the second - at the beginning of flowering. Mandatory do pinches. Two watermelons are left on each lash, and the tip is cut so that about three leaves remain until the last fruit. The fruits are ripped off after the drawing on them becomes bright, the sound is deaf, and the stem is dry.
Watermelon - a culture for the middle strip is not too typical. Therefore, when growing it, it is necessary to strictly observe all the rules of agricultural technology. Even in this case, the crop can largely depend on weather conditions. However, the risk is still worth it.