Who has a desire to enjoy sweet and juicy melons and watermelons? These fruits will become even tastier if you grow them yourself. But not all lovers, and even more so beginner melon growers, manage to achieve glorious harvests. Often they are unhappy with damaged and thinned shoots. To avoid many mistakes, you should heed the advice of experienced farmers.
The secrets of growing gourds: planting watermelons and melons
In Ukraine and southern Russia, planting watermelons and melons usually begins by the end of April and ends by the first May decade. Usually by this time the dry winds begin to blow, and the upper layers of the soil have already dried out well. Let's pay attention to the features of planting these crops. The most common and easiest way is manual. This is a very interesting process.
Planting watermelons and melons
Before digging a hole, it is necessary to rake the upper dry layer of soil and deepen the blade of the glanders at a certain angle into the moistened soil. The hole is made so that one of its edges goes deeper by 10 cm, and the second is at the same level with the soil surface. The bottom of the hole should be no more than 30 cm in length, width - from 5 to 8 cm. From the excavated soil, make an embankment on the north side of the hole and keep it until the next weeding in order to get the best warming up of the soil.
A handful of complex fertilizers or mixed simple ones are poured into the prepared hole. Fertilizers are mixed with soil. After that, from 7 to 10 seeds, even more can be placed evenly, from shallow to deep edges. Next, the seeds are covered with a layer of moistened soil (two or three centimeters) and trampled with a foot or rammed with a palm. On top of the trampled layer, another six to seven centimeters of moistened soil is poured, and after the earth is completely leveled. Do not trample too tightly, this will complicate the appearance of sprouts. Planting watermelon in open ground occurs according to the same method.
Planting watermelons in the Urals
A seasonal culture such as watermelon is grown in different places in Russia, and the Urals is no exception. It should be noted that watermelons are very fond of heat and grow best in southern sunny places.
To begin with, we take into account the fact that not all varieties are suitable for the climate of the Urals , but only early ripening, because there are not enough warm days there, and even less hot ones. In such varieties as "Spark", "Sugar Baby" and "Skorik" the ripening time is not more than 70 days. During such a time, even in the Ural climate, watermelons have time to grow and ripen.
Before planting, the seeds must be warmed up. Envelopes with seeds should be laid out in a fairly warm place for up to a week. The most suitable period for landing occurs in the last days of April.
Planting watermelons and melons is best worthwhile in a greenhouse or greenhouse. The sequence is the same as in normal conditions. You should make holes and plant several seeds each. The depth to which the seeds are lowered is from 1 to 1.5 centimeters. After planting, the hole must be watered. As weeds appear, they should be removed.
Have a good harvest!