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Grafting a melon onto a pumpkin is no more complicated than the procedure carried out with trees. Even some of the methods are similar. The difference is the more fragile structure of the rootstock and scion stem. To get a good result, you must adhere to the rules, be careful.
Why do you need to plant a melon
Melon is considered a heat-loving culture. The plant is slightly capricious, does not tolerate temperature fluctuations. In regions with a cold or changeable climate, a good harvest cannot be obtained. Breeders have developed many cold-resistant varieties, but the problem has not been 100% solved. The fruits grow small, less aromatic and sweet.
Grafting helps to preserve the varietal characteristics of a heat-loving culture growing in a cold region to the maximum. Melon acquires resistance to cold. On other people's roots, it adapts better to the ground. The fruit grows with the characteristic features of varietal peculiarities, but in terms of taste it is slightly inferior to the melon grown in the southern regions.
Vaccination methods
Gardeners use three popular methods for grafting:
- Approach method considered simple, suitable for inexperienced gardeners. The technology provides for growing scion with stock in one pot close to each other. At the plant stems, the skin is cut from the side, connected and wrapped with tape. The top of the stock is cut off after about a week, when the cuttings of the plants grow together. The native root of the melon is cut off during transplantation. The plant continues to grow with the rootstock rhizome.
- Splitting method used if the stock has a full-bodied stem. The melon is cut at the root, the stem is sharpened with a wedge. Cut off the top from the stock, cut a stem 2 cm deep with a knife, insert the scion with a wedge, and wrap it with tape.
- Grafting method in the center of the trunk suitable for hollow stems. The procedure is simple, available to a novice gardener. For grafting, the top is cut off at the stock, leaving a stump up to 2 cm high above the ground. The cut off top of the melon is inserted into the hollow stem, wrapped with tape.
The cleft grafting is considered the most difficult. There are other ways, such as a side cut. The method is also called tongue grafting, and it is a bit like rapprochement.
What crops are suitable as rootstock
Plants from the related Pumpkin family are chosen as a stock. The gardener individually determines what is best adapted to the terrain. Melon is very capricious in choosing a stock, therefore, three crops are often used for grafting:
- It is easiest to plant a melon on a pumpkin because of the presence of an air cavity in the rootstock stem. After splicing, the scion creates ideal conditions for rapid root growth. You can graft on a pumpkin in any way considered. The new plant turns out to be resistant to cold, pests and diseases.
- The melon is grafted onto the lagenaria in the center of the trunk. The rootstock with the scion grows together difficult. If the graft does not take root immediately, the plant will dry out. The sun often destroys the culture. The taste of melon on Legendaria is much worse when comparing the result, where the stock is a pumpkin.
- Grafting a melon onto a squash or squash is considered a good option.The new plant adapts better to the soil, temperature changes, and bears fruit well in cold regions
Experienced gardeners practice grafting three plants at the same time. If you combine a tomato, melon and zucchini, you get delicious fruits, but the plant itself will be susceptible to tomato diseases.
What can be grafted on a melon
In rare cases, the top of an adult pumpkin or gourd is grafted onto the melon. To achieve a good result, the stock is grown from large seeds to produce thick stems. Seedlings are provided with light to the maximum. If the stems of the rootstock are thin, the scion will not take root.
Preparatory activities
To give a good result in grafting a melon on a pumpkin, it is necessary to properly prepare the scion with the stock. At the time of the procedure, tools and auxiliary materials must be ready.
Recommended timing
The optimal vaccination time is considered to be the end of April or the beginning of May. By this time, the seedlings should have at least one full leaf.
Preparation of materials and tools
Of the materials, you will need a tape for wrapping the vaccination site, a glass jar or a plastic bottle with transparent walls.
A sharp gardener's knife is needed from a tool, but it is more convenient to cut thin stems with a blade. At the time of work, the instrument must be disinfected.
Scion and rootstock preparation
From mid-April, one melon seed and a selected rootstock are sown in cups. Seedlings are watered abundantly, provide lighting. Seedlings need a large amount of water just before grafting. The procedure starts after about 11 days.
How to vaccinate correctly
Pumpkin is considered the best versatile stock. Vaccination can be carried out in any existing way.
More information is provided in the video on how to plant a melon on a pumpkin:
How to plant a melon in the center of a pumpkin sprout
At the time of grafting, the plants should have full-fledged leaves. The melon is sown 3 days earlier from the pumpkin due to the slow development of the culture. When the seedlings grow, prepare a disinfected blade and a 2 cm wide tape for wrapping. The further process requires the following steps:
- A glass with a pumpkin sprout is placed so that one leaf is on the opposite side of the cut. The top of the pumpkin and the second leaf are cut off. At the site of the removed apex, a blade is cut along the stem with a depth of 2 cm. Below the cut, the stem is wrapped with tape, leaving the free end hanging down.
- The growing melon is cut with a blade to the base of the root. The length of the scion should be from 2.5 to 3 cm. From the side of the cotyledon leaves, the skin is cut from the stem.
- On the pumpkin, pressing the fingers gently apart the incision, insert the scion with a peeled stem. The pointed tip should sink into the rootstock groove to the bottom. In addition, care must be taken to ensure that the cotyledon leaves of the connected plants are parallel to each other.
- The junction is squeezed with your fingers. The stem is wrapped around the hanging end of the tape wound below the cut.
- For quick accretion of stems, the plant is covered with a glass jar. A clear plastic bottle with a cut-off neck will do.
An optimal microclimate is formed under the tank. Every day, the jar or bottle is removed for 2 minutes for airing. If the melon has taken root, the stem will grow on the eighth day. After two weeks, the shelter is removed from the can.
Method of convergence of scion and rootstock
In terms of the survival rate, the convergence method is considered the best. Pumpkin and melon seedlings should be grown in the same container close to each other. When one adult leaflet appears, they start vaccination:
- The stalks of the seedlings are gently squeezed with your fingers. A cut is made at the point of contact in both plants. The skin is peeled off with a thickness of about 2 mm. Squeeze the stems again with your fingers, check the exact coincidence of the cut boundaries. If everything fits together, the two plants at the grafting point are pulled together with a tape.
- Both sprouts continue to receive nutrients through their roots, eliminating the need to cover them with a jar. After a week, the stalk of the melon near the root is strongly crushed with your fingers. The damage will cause the scion to feed on pumpkin juices. The procedure is repeated until the damaged stem near the root dries up. At this point, he is cut.
The top of the pumpkin is removed after the scion has completely engrafted. Only two cotyledons and one full leaf are left on a small piece of the stem.
Side cut
The lateral incision method is also called tongue grafting. The technology resembles rapprochement, but some nuances differ:
- The cut on the stems of plants at the points of contact is not made complete, but tongues are left 2 cm long. They should be located in different directions, and when connected, form a lock. For example, a melon is cut from bottom to top, and a pumpkin is cut from top to bottom.
- The resulting lock joint is folded together. The stems are pulled together with a ribbon. The paired seedling is tied to a peg for stability.
The further procedure of courtship is the same as in the method of intimacy.
How to plant a melon on a pumpkin in a cleft
The simplest method of grafting is practiced by gardeners on pears, apple trees and other trees. In a similar way, a melon is grafted onto a pumpkin in a split, only a rootstock variety with a full-bodied stem is used.
At two weeks of age, the top of the pumpkin is cut off, leaving a stump from 4 cm of the hypocotal knee. The stalk is split with a blade to a depth of 2 cm. A 4 cm long top with a blossoming young leaf and two cotyledonous leaves is cut off from the scion. The bottom of the cut is sharpened with a wedge. The melon is inserted into the slot of the pumpkin stalk, pulled together with a ribbon. For better engraftment, you can cover the plant with a jar.
Plant care after grafting
Vegetable growers are posting many videos on the Internet of grafting melons onto pumpkins and growing plants after the procedure. Each has its own secrets, but the principle is the same. Immediately after grafting, the soil is mulched with raw sawdust. The first week is maintained at a humidity of 90% and a temperature of + 25 aboutC. Plants are shaded from the sun, ventilated daily for 2 minutes if covered with a jar.
With a successful vaccination, the melon will grow in about a week. The air temperature is reduced to + 20 aboutC. At night, it can be reduced by another two degrees. 3-4 days before planting in the ground, the plants are fed with mineral complexes, hardened. After planting, the melons are treated as usual.
Conclusion
Grafting a melon on a pumpkin is guaranteed to give positive results with the acquisition of experience. Initially, it is not worth trying to inoculate all crops. In case of failure, you can be left without a crop.
