Who doesn't like watermelon? Probably, such a person will not be found - he is adored not only by children, but also by adults who do not even know how to grow watermelons and where they grow. These berries belong to the pumpkin family. Translated from the Persian language, watermelon means "big cucumber."
Previously, to grow such a beloved fruit was possible only in the southern latitudes, but now it has become available in the northern latitudes - however, it will take a lot of effort.
Even in household plots located in the southern latitudes, it is difficult to create melon conditions - for this reason, watermelons do not grow as sweet and large as in the steppe zone. Growing watermelons in the middle lane is possible only with a professional approach. Summer in the north is not as long as in the south, the weather is unstable and changeable, the earth warms up not so deep. As a rule, watermelon is a freedom-loving and extremely sensitive to weather conditions.
These berries require increased attention: even minor errors will affect the harvest - the fruits may turn out to be tasteless or too small. Proper watermelon cultivation is also based on adequate watering. A small amount of water leads to small fruits and their poor quality.
Watermelons - growing in the northern latitudes
The nuances of climate influence the cultivation of this crop. In the northern strip, tying occurs in two stages. At the end of June, at the time when the white nights end, the tying of the first layer is completed. The main problem is pollination. The second layer is formed at the end of July. Successful fruit growing will depend on how long and warm the fall will be. A rainy and unstable summer with a sharp temperature difference leads to the fact that the fruits have a different taste (and not very sweet) and grow one-sided. Watermelon, the cultivation of which is hampered by the "moodiness" of the culture, does not turn out to be "sugar" if the smallest details were not observed in the courtship process. It was noted that if the growth of watermelon is suspended for at least a few days, then in the future it occurs unevenly or the fruit stops pouring.
The cultivation of watermelons largely depends on the creation of suitable conditions for the development of the root system and continuous division, up to the stage of maturation of the first layer. In the south, it happens that the roots of watermelons often reach one and a half meters, and in the north - a maximum of 50 cm, even on the highest and warmest beds.
Growing watermelons on a "warm bed" in the open ground
The primary task when growing crops in open ground in northern regions is the creation of "warm beds". Such beds need to be prepared in the fall. For this, it is necessary to dig a trench of the desired length, depth and width of 1 meter. The bottom of the trench should be covered with a drainage bed of expanded clay or sand about 10 cm thick, then you need to make a heat-insulating layer about 20 cm thick from sawdust. Then it is necessary to form a good layer of biofuel with a thickness of at least 60 cm, which may consist of a mixture of grass, leaves, food waste, straw, manure. A bed consisting of fertile soil 80 cm wide and 20 cm high should be formed on top of this trench. The bed should be planted with green manure in the fall, covered with roofing material and straw for the winter.
Growing watermelons on such a good "warm bed" allows you to not use additional shelters. However, it will be useful if you can establish shelter from the wind around your melon. Hardened seedlings can be planted in open ground only after spring return frosts. So that your plants do not suffer, they can be covered with a mini-greenhouse in the form of plastic bottles that can be removed when the seedlings get stronger and take root. But even on a “warm bed”, as a rule, growing watermelons in the northern strip will require a lot of patience and skills.