Although melon is a southern plant, it is often grown in central Russia. However, of course, such a sweet, large and aromatic, such as, say, in the Kuban or in Uzbekistan, it rarely grows. You can try to correct the situation by planting a melon in a greenhouse. Of course, when growing this plant in this way, you should adhere to certain technologies.
In which greenhouse can I plant
It is allowed to grow melons in a greenhouse made of any material. It can be glass, film or geotextiles. But the best solution would, of course, be to grow melon in a polycarbonate greenhouse. This material transmits sunlight well and does not cloud with time.
The size of a greenhouse for melons can also be of any size . The main thing is that its height should be at least two meters. After all, melon is a lianoid plant, and it requires a lot of vertical space.
To grow melons in a heated or unheated greenhouse - it is up to the owners of the cottage to decide. You can get a good harvest with proper care in both cases.
Together with cucumbers and other pumpkin melons can not be grown. Due to pollination, the fruits of this plant can completely lose their taste. Solanaceae are usually grown with melon. It can be, for example, tomatoes, peppers or eggplant.
Which grade to choose
Best for greenhouses are early melons. For example, such varieties as Dessert, Prestige or Titovka can become a very good option. Given the early planting, crops from such melons can be harvested in July.
Early hybrids can also be a very good choice. Just the same for the greenhouse, the same Roxolana F1 or Goldie F1 will do. Using these hybrids, a delicious and fragrant melon can be grown in a greenhouse. In the Moscow region, the Leningrad region, the Volga region, etc., they are ideally suited for cultivation. You can also plant them in the Urals or in Siberia.
Seed preparation
Due to the increased humidity in the greenhouses, fungi and bacteria of all kinds develop very quickly and easily. To reduce the risk of any future diseases, melon seeds must be sanitized. To do this, they are dipped in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour. You can also additionally hold the planting material in a one percent solution of baking soda (day).
Planting seedlings
Disinfected seeds should be soaked in warm water for germination for 12 hours. Every 4 hours they must be aired. For seedlings, take large enough containers. In any case, their diameter should not be less than 8 cm. Soft plastic glasses are best suited for melons. When using them in the future, it will be easier to transfer the seedlings to the greenhouse.
Fill the tank or ordinary nutritious garden soil or a mixture of soil, peat, humus and sand. Two to three seeds are planted in each glass. In the future, it will be possible to leave the strongest sprout.
Install containers with seedlings on the windowsill. Too close to each other should not be placed. Young plants should not be in contact with foliage. Landing is best in mid-April. This is one of the main conditions for the success of such an enterprise as growing melons in a polycarbonate greenhouse. Early planting guarantees an early harvest.
After five true leaves appear on the plants, they can be transferred to the greenhouse. Before landing on a permanent place at each melon, you must pinch off the top.
Care for young plants
Seedling is just a great answer to the question of how to grow melon in the Urals in a greenhouse, or even in Siberia. If in the European part of Russia seeds can still be planted under polycarbonate directly in the soil, then in cold regions it is better to use this very technique. But, of course, good results can be achieved only if the seedlings are properly taken care of.
Young melons are watered sparingly. This plant is drought tolerant, very afraid of waterlogging. When overflowing seedlings can get sick or rot. In the event that the seeds were planted in ordinary garden soil, seedlings need to be fertilized twice. In this case, you can use universal mineral top dressing.
What should be done first
Growing melons in a polycarbonate greenhouse will be successful only if the soil is properly prepared first. You can plant a melon in the same way as, for example, cucumbers. However, it’s better to make a warm “bed” for her. In this case, the harvest will be more plentiful. To arrange bio-heating in the greenhouse, deep grooves are made at a distance of at least 40 cm from each other. They put hay mixed with humus with a layer of 20 cm in them. Then, according to the instructions, some nitrogen fertilizer is poured on top. Next, the litter is covered with a layer of earth. Top grooves should be tightened with a black film.
After the earth warms up, you can start planting seedlings. The day before this procedure, the plants are carefully poured with warm water. The transplant itself is performed as follows:
- A small hole is made in the soil.
- The glass warms up and turns over. After that, a lump of earth easily falls into the hand.
- Melon plunges into the ground. Its roots should be at the same depth as in the glass.
- At a distance of at least 40 cm, the following melon is planted.
- After the row is completed, the plants should be properly watered with warm water.
Near each row, a trellis should be installed in advance. Within seven days after planting, melons should not be watered, loosened or fed.
How to fertilize
An operation such as feeding melons in a greenhouse is performed without fail. Otherwise, the plants will develop very poorly. You can fertilize melons, for example, with a solution of ammonium nitrate. Make this top dressing one week after planting. After another three weeks, complex mineral fertilizer is poured under the melons. After 14 days, this operation is repeated.
In the event that the soil is poor, growing a melon in a polycarbonate greenhouse is a little different. In this case, ammonium nitrate is added under the plants every week.
After the appearance of the first flowers, plants begin to be fed with liquid universal fertilizer. Use it until the first ovaries appear. From this time on, melons begin to be fed liquid fertilizer for tomatoes.
Greenhouse Melon Care: Watering
As under seedlings, the soil under large melons is moistened only as necessary. Do not allow the soil to dry out. But an excess of moisture for melons will be very harmful. In order to prevent rotting of the roots or the stem, two grooves should be dug on both sides of each row. They start up water from the hose. Water melons should be very careful. Water should not fall on leaves and stems.
What more do you need?
Watering and top dressing are not the only procedures necessary to get a good crop. In addition to them, you should perform operations such as the formation of melons in the greenhouse, as well as artificial pollination. Ventilate the greenhouse daily. For pollination of plants, you can try to attract bees. They are very fond of these insects, for example, sugar syrup. It should be placed in small saucers throughout the greenhouse. However, rely on bees, of course, is not worth it. Be sure to carry out manual artificial pollination.
To do this, you can pick one flower and rub it in a circular motion several others. Sometimes a soft brush is also used to carry pollen.
How to pinch melons in a greenhouse
It is impossible to allow the melon to grow as it should, in the greenhouse. After all, the place here is limited. The molding is carried out in such a way that both the area is saved and the harvest is good. To do this, each melon leaves the main stem and two shoots. The remaining stepchildren must be removed.
The fruiting lashes of melons are pinched at the distance of one leaf from the top, and the "empty" ones are three sheets. Each lash should have no more than 6 ovaries. Pinch the main stem after it reaches the top of the trellis or the ceiling of the greenhouse. When forming, it should be remembered that female melon flowers are formed mainly on third-order lashes. Therefore, with their removal should be more careful.
This is how the melon is formed in the greenhouse. In addition to pinching itself, you need to make sure that the lashes do not grow horizontally, but vertically. Growing stems should be wrapped around the trellis ropes by hand. As the mass gains, the melons are placed in special nets attached to the support. The fruits of this plant weigh a lot. Therefore, they can’t simply keep them on their own.
Melons in Siberia
The method described above is perfect for growing this plant, including in the cold regions of the country. Melon in a greenhouse in Siberia is more than possible. The only thing - in this case you have to monitor the air temperature. During the day, inside the greenhouse, it should be about 25-30 degrees, at night - at least 18. Therefore, in Siberia, under the melons, most likely, it is necessary to arrange a heated greenhouse.
Harvesting Melons
Pick fruits as they ripen. In order to determine whether the melon is ready for cutting, it is examined in the area where the “tail” adjoins. If the base of the latter was covered with ring-shaped cracks - the melon ripened. The fruits should be cut carefully, being careful not to damage the skin.
Melons are usually stored in the refrigerator, but not for too long. Otherwise, they simply lose their taste. You should not be afraid to rip off a slightly immature melon. The fruits of this plant are able to ripen when stored in a warm room.
Seed harvesting
If not a hybrid was grown in the greenhouse, planting material for the next year can be collected independently. Seeds are usually taken from the largest, sweetest and most fragrant melon. They are removed along with the pulp and allowed to settle for several days. Then the seeds are washed under a stream of warm water and laid out on a flat plate to dry.
A novice gardener should know that in the first year the material thus prepared is not recommended to be planted. Harvest from them afterwards will not be too big. Planting melons in a greenhouse or outdoors is usually done using two-year-old seeds.
After the planting material dries, it must be wrapped in paper and stored in a dark, dry, cool place. Melon seeds can retain their germination for seven years.
So, we have found out how to care for melons in the greenhouse. The procedure is simple, but some rules must still be followed. Plants should be moderately watered, fertilizing on time and pinching bushes. In this case, you can get a very good harvest of tasty and fragrant melons.