Juicy, sweet watermelon is a farewell gift that summer gives us. In August, they begin to be sold almost everywhere. But summer residents are striving to grow melons in their plots by this time. At first glance, this is too complicated. But in fact, many summer residents already successfully grow watermelons in the open ground. Based on their experience, you can try to repeat the experience in your own country house.
In the south and in the north
Of course, a lot depends on the climatic conditions of the region. If in the Krasnodar Territory they can be grown without preliminary preparation, just sowing in open ground, then in Siberia it will be necessary to apply significant conditions to the arrangement of the greenhouse, since a short summer will not make it possible to ripen delicate berries. But there is nothing impossible in this. It is only necessary to correctly approach this issue.
Preparation for landing
There are two methods that are used depending on climatic conditions.
- Seeds To increase germination, it is recommended to pre-soak them in salted water.
- Seedlings. If the region has short summers and lingering spring with frosts, it is best to use this method. Then the melons will have a better chance of growing large, sweet berries.
Growing watermelons in open ground is easiest in the Black Earth region and in the southern regions. Here, the landing time comes when the soil warms up to a depth of 10 cm, and night temperatures do not fall below +15 degrees. On light soils, the embedment depth is at least 4 - 8 cm. On dense soils, it is necessary to reduce the depth to 4 cm.
Under melons allocate huge areas. The fact is that plant nutrition is also provided by additional roots, which are formed along the entire length of the lash and provide the supply of growing fruits with nutrients. Growing watermelons in open ground in the southern regions is a fairly simple task. Plants need only hot sun and sparse watering.
Features of growing in a cool climate
In central Russia, summer is too short, and often cool. Therefore, melons only have time to grow long lashes, but the berries run the risk of remaining small and unripe. Growing watermelons in the middle lane in open ground requires a special approach and the creation of certain conditions.
To give the plant a chance to grow fruits before the cool nights, which are characteristic of the second half of August, they are not sown in the ground, but seedlings are planted in advance.
First, the seeds must be soaked in salt water. Pop-up seeds are rejected.
As the soil uses a mixture of humus, peat and turf. The amount should be approximately the same.
From the time of sowing to planting in the soil takes about 35 days, so the time of sowing must be calculated from the climatic characteristics of the region. In central Russia, these are the first days of summer.
We grow seedlings
Fill the prepared pots with soil and moisten with water. Now you need to put in them pre-soaked seeds. Pots should be tightened with foil. The temperature for the formation of friendly shoots should not be below +25 degrees. It is permissible to decrease it at night to +18.
As soon as the sprouts appear, the pots need to be moved to a cooler place. It is important that the plants are hardened and not stretched. To do this, for 3 to 4 days, the seedlings are transferred to a room with a temperature regime of +17 degrees.
Then again return the temperature mode +22 - 25 degrees.
Water seedlings regularly. Soon the plants should be fed. For this, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers under the root are used.
Growing watermelons in open ground becomes possible as soon as the danger of night frost is over. That is, around the end of May. A week before planting, it is necessary to subject the seedlings to a hardening procedure. To do this, we take out the boxes first for an hour a day, then for two, and so we gradually bring it to a full day. This should be started a week before planting in the ground.
Some secrets
Growing watermelons in the suburbs in the open field is fraught with certain difficulties. And most of them are that hot weather begins only with the onset of summer. Temperature changes, cold nights and rains - all this prevents the plant from developing rapidly, releasing lush lashes and forming berries. Therefore, gardeners came up with a number of tricks to enjoy sweet berries.
- Special shelter. The more time to give a watermelon, the more likely it will be to please a good harvest. Therefore, it is best to land them in the ground in early May. In this case, three plants are placed in each well and covered with a bottle with a trimmed bottom. It is poured over the neck with warm water, and then covered with a second bottle, this time a five-liter one. Only when the third leaf appears in the plants will they need to be thinned out. Of their three, only one remains, but the strongest. These caps can be left until mid-June, until the plants become crowded under them.
- A lot of sun. The presence of fruit trees on the site is the norm. But for melon, maximum coverage is very important, so any shading will slow down the growth of seedlings. Only when the ripening of the fruits begins can they be obscured by foliage or newspapers.
- Watermelon rot is something you may encounter in rainy summers. Therefore, when the berries begin to be tied, you need to put a plank under each of them. On it, he will ripen, until the cutting from the bush.
- Features of watering. In a hot climate, the roots of watermelons go deep into the earth, in search of water. In the northern regions, this leads to the fact that the roots begin to rot, because the groundwater is too close. Therefore, they make special grooves between the rows and do watering only through them, without introducing water under the root.
- Many fruits should not be left. A short summer will still not allow to grow everything, and the bush will lose strength. Therefore, leave only the very first berries, in the amount of 5 - 6 pieces per bush. Pluck everything else without any regret.
Landing care
Growing watermelons and melons in open ground becomes difficult only if the summer was very cold and rainy. In this case, without the greenhouse, saving the plants and getting a good harvest will not work. But the weather does not depend on the gardener, but he will have to fulfill all the care requirements anyway.
Regular care includes a number of activities:
- When 5 leaves appear on the plant, it is spudded so that the soil is as loose as possible.
- It is very important to clean all the weeds on the site. They take away moisture and nutrients, are a hotbed of pests, can obscure the vine from the sun.
- Watering should be minimal. Typically, melon manages only in that it falls in the form of precipitation. So the fruits are not watery, but very sweet.
- Be sure to add a solution of ammonium nitrate to the soil. Concentration - 20 g per bucket. The second top dressing is performed when the first flowers appear.
The difficulties of growing in Belarus
With the onset of August, one can only be surprised at how many watermelons are brought for sale from various parts of the country, as well as from neighboring countries. Growing watermelons in Belarus in the open field is not only possible, but also regularly practiced. The first thing you need is to choose the right variety. Early ripe varieties showed themselves best. The growing season should not exceed 80 days, otherwise the watermelon simply does not have time to ripen.
Recommended Varieties
Recommended watermelon varieties such as Gift to the North, Borchansky, Garny. Often used seeds of Trophy F1 hybrids. The secrets of growing watermelons in open ground can be summarized as follows:
- Choosing a suitable site, closed from cold winds and solar.
- Light, sandy land.
- Compliance with crop rotation, that is, growing watermelons in one place only after seven years.
- Preparing seedlings.
- Rare watering and frequent loosening of the soil.
Observing such simple rules, you will receive an excellent harvest. At the same time, many gardeners note the low complexity of such cultivation. Care for watermelons in the open ground can be problematic only if it turned out to be a very cold and rainy summer. In this case, the vine rots.
Gardening in cold regions
It is traditionally believed that Siberia is not a place for agriculture. But people living here every time prove that they can cope with such a task by five. In addition to potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes, they successfully plant more heat-loving crops. Growing watermelons in Siberia in the open field seemed a completely unsolvable task. But today, varieties are developed that successfully grow even in the coldest regions.
For the conditions of Siberia, such varieties as Crimson Sweet, Astrakhan, Ultraearly, Siberian are best suited. But even these varieties may not give a good harvest in the region with a short summer, so it is important to observe the following conditions:
- be sure to prepare seedlings;
- in open ground, grow watermelons in a warm, high bed.
The main secret of success is warmth. The roots need a temperature of at least +24 degrees. During flowering and budding, the temperature should not fall below +18 degrees. Of course, the climate is not subject to us and sometimes in the midst of hot summers there is a strong drop in temperature. For these purposes, it is recommended to have a covering material on hand that will save from excess moisture and keep warm. The agricultural technology of growing watermelons in open ground in the northern regions has its own characteristics that must be taken into account.
For a better harvest
You can even cover the ground with black non-woven material before planting. Crosses are made in it and seedlings are planted. This will give additional heat, which is so lacking in the plant. As the lashes grow, they must be directed in different directions so that they do not interfere with each other. And under each fruit you can put a brick. It will give off heat, and the watermelon will grow faster.