Content
It is recommended to form a melon in a greenhouse according to a certain scheme. Melon is a thermophilic plant of southern latitudes that does not tolerate a drop in temperature. To obtain a crop in a polycarbonate greenhouse structure, it is necessary to create conditions for it that are as close as possible to the natural growing environment.
Can melons be grown in a greenhouse
The melon crop in the open field is grown only in a warm climatic zone. Transportation to regions with cold climates requires a certain amount of time and material costs. Fruits come to the shelves at a high price and not always of good quality.
In temperate climates, it is advisable to grow the crop in a closed way. Polycarbonate structures are available for everyone: they are inexpensive, easy to assemble. Therefore, the cultivation of melons in the Urals and in the Moscow region is practiced in a greenhouse. In order for the pumpkins to ripen and the plant does not die, they observe the agricultural technology appropriate to the culture.
For the cultivation of melons in greenhouses (pictured) located on large farm areas or in personal plots, the following conditions are created:
- Air circulation. A heat-resistant plant does not react well to high humidity, therefore air ventilation is necessary. If the weather is warm, the greenhouses are opened for ventilation during the day. If it's cold outside, ventilate only with the help of vents.
- During the period of fruit formation, the plant accumulates starch, by the time of ripening, sugars are obtained from it by splitting. For the fruit to be sweet, this process must take place at a high temperature.
- Melon photosynthesis requires a large amount of ultraviolet radiation, the culture needs a light period of up to 16 hours, so you should take care of installing special lamps.
- The root system of the melon is deep, a large amount of nutrients is needed to form a bush, so the soil in the greenhouse must be nutritious.
Cultivation of melons and gourds in temperate climates is possible, but requires certain physical and material costs. The plant cannot be called unpretentious in care. The big advantage of such cultivation is that the fruits can be obtained throughout the year, the fruiting is not affected by weather conditions.
How to plant a melon in a greenhouse
Melon is grown in two ways: early varieties by sowing seeds in the ground, later - by seedling. The second method is productive, but more time consuming. In spacious, well-heated farm greenhouses, seed planting is used. On a personal plot, for example, in the Moscow region, it is better to grow melons in a greenhouse in a seedling way. Planting material is germinated in two ways:
- distribution of seeds on porous paper;
- in peat tablets.
The seeds are preliminarily disinfected in a manganese solution, then dried. The work is carried out in early April, after 30 days the material is ready for placement in the greenhouse.
The sequence of works for germinating material on paper:
- Unwind 1 m of toilet paper.
- They retreat 2 cm from the edge, lay out the seeds, taking into account that they have enough space for the formation of sprouts.
- A roll is made of paper, tied with a thread.
- The side of the indentation (without seeds) is lowered into the container, water is poured so that it covers 1/3 of the bundle.
- Placed for germination at a constant temperature of +260 C.
On the 4th day, sprouts appear, the material is carefully transplanted into peat glasses. Planting in tablets is carried out according to the same principle, only the peat base is laid out on a pallet and filled with water, after the sprouts appear, they are placed in peat glasses. Pots for planting material are taken with a diameter of at least 15 cm. Melon does not tolerate transshipment, planting material is placed in a greenhouse together with a planting tank.
Recommended timing
The time of planting melons in a greenhouse for growing in the Moscow region is chosen according to weather conditions. A layer of soil 15 cm deep must warm up at least +180 C. Seeds are not sown in cold ground, they will not germinate, planting material may completely lose its germination. For the transfer of seedlings, the same conditions. The temperature regime in the greenhouse must correspond to the norm required for the vegetation of the melon. Daily value is not lower than +220 C, night +190 C. For temperate climates, this is any date in May.
Soil preparation
The melon culture is demanding on the composition of the soil, growing melons in a greenhouse without preparing the soil for planting will not give the desired result. The plant will not be able to fully form the root system, will slow down the growing season and will not bear fruit. The best composition for melons in a greenhouse is neutral loams. Acidic soils are "corrected" by the addition of alkali.
The site is being prepared in the fall, dug up, and plant fragments are removed. 1 m2 beds you need:
- organic matter - 5 kg;
- urea - 20 g;
- potassium sulfate - 15 g;
- superphosphate - 30 g;
- nitrogen-containing agent - 35 g;
- dolomite flour - 200 g.
Organic matter can be replaced with peat mixed with coarse sand in a ratio of 3 * 1.
In the spring, in a greenhouse on a prepared bed, a trench 25 cm deep is dug, the upper fertile layer is folded next to:
- Drainage from pebbles, expanded clay or crushed stone is placed on the bottom of the recess.
- Cover with straw on top.
- A layer of humus is poured, above sawdust or dry leaves.
- Cover the ditch with soil.
- Pour hot water over, cover with black film.
By the time of planting, the bed will warm up, the seeds will sprout faster.
How to plant melons in a greenhouse
During the growing season in the greenhouse, the melon must form a bush. By properly distributing the crop, it provides easy access to plants and saves space. On one side, the greenhouses make a wider bed, it occupies 2/3 of the territory. Melons are planted in a checkerboard pattern, with an interval of 40 cm. From the opposite side, 20 cm recede, a trench is laid, the melon is planted in one row with the same interval. Landing scheme:
- The planting points of the melon are marked.
- Depressions are made, ash is poured at the bottom. For seed breeding, a 5 cm deepening is sufficient, for seedlings - to the depth of a peat glass.
- The wells are filled up, compacted, watered.
If there is a threat of a drop in temperature, cover the seedlings with spunbond.
Rules for growing melons in a polycarbonate greenhouse
Melon formation diagrams in a greenhouse and videos will help you get a general idea of \ u200b \ u200bthe growing techniques. The culture requires constant care and monitoring of the growing season.
Watering schedule
Melon is a drought-resistant plant that can do without watering for a long time. In the greenhouse, the melon is watered at the root, avoiding waterlogging of the soil and moisture ingress on the root collar. The culture quickly and negatively reacts to high humidity, the root system rots, fungal and bacterial infections develop.
Watering is carried out with water, the temperature of which is not lower than +35 0C, cold use is not recommended. In production greenhouses for watering melons, titans with a temperature controller are installed. Watering is carried out if the top layer has dried up to 5 cm. During the ripening of fruits, watering is reduced to a minimum, two procedures per month are enough.
When caring for melons in a greenhouse, overhead irrigation (sprinkling) is not used, since the plant does not tolerate high humidity. Periodically observe that condensation does not accumulate on the walls, which gets on the plant and contributes to the development of fungal diseases.
Pollination of melons in a polycarbonate greenhouse
Most varieties of melons of different ripening periods are not self-fertile. They need pollinators to form ovaries. In greenhouses, you will have to manually pollinate the plant yourself. In large farms, mobile apiaries solve this problem. In a greenhouse on a personal plot, manual pollination is carried out as follows:
- find male flowers;
- collect pollen from them with a cotton swab;
- shaken off in the middle of the women.
The procedure is carried out 3 times at intervals of 24 hours.
How to pinch melons in a greenhouse
Melon formation in a polycarbonate greenhouse begins after the appearance of four leaves. Pinch the top of the central stem. Melon gives two lateral shoots, they are left, they go to the formation of a bush. During the growing season, stepchildren grow up, which cut or break. The number of ovaries is normalized in accordance with the variety, if the fruits are medium in size, leave 4 pieces on each shoot. After the extreme ovary, three leaves are left at the top, and the stem is pinched. The plant will not waste nutrients on the crown, they will be used for the growth of fruits.
Do I need to tie a melon in a greenhouse
The fixation of melon stalks in the greenhouse begins immediately after planting. The twine is pulled and fixed to the greenhouse structure. As the shoots grow, they are twisted along a support in the form of a spiral. In the process of ripening, the mass of the fruit increases. In the greenhouse, a nylon mesh with large cells is put on each melon and tied to a trellis. If the first fruits lie on the ground, special material or boards are placed under them, the melons should not be allowed to come into contact with the ground.
When and what to feed
In the greenhouse, the melon is fed at the time of fruit formation with the complex fertilizer "Kemira" with an interval of 14 days for one month. Potassium or wood ash is added at the same time. Top dressing is increased at the time of pumpkin ripening; the complex includes huminates and a growth stimulator "Zircon". To enrich the soil with microelements, a fermented herbal infusion is added to the root with each watering. Melon will not bear fruit on acidic soils, so the root circle must be constantly covered with ash.
You can feed with a mixture of NPK (potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen) for 20 liters of water, 25 g of the product are consumed. The solution is applied at the root once a week throughout the entire growth period.
Conclusion
They begin to form a melon in a greenhouse after the formation of the fourth leaf with two side shoots. For the entire growing season, conditions are created, including: moderate watering, top dressing, removal of stepchildren, garter of fruits and stems to the support. By installing lamps, they increase the time of daylight hours, monitor the humidity of the air.
