Content
Watermelon is a crop that some gardeners call "extraordinary berry". It looks a bit like some kind of berries, but you can't call it that for several definitions. Berries can be eaten whole, watermelons are not, they are usually cut into pieces. All berry fruits have a thin skin, watermelon is thick-skinned. Berry seeds are easily removed or assimilated by the body, this is impossible with watermelon seeds - they have an additional shell that is difficult to digest.
Scientists have not completely decided how to call this miracle of nature, they attribute it to the genus Watermelon, the family of Pumpkin plants, or simply to false berries. To simplify all these concepts, hereinafter we will call watermelon melons and gourds... Our story will focus on when and how to properly sow watermelon seeds, grow seedlings from them, how to care for this crop in a melon, in a garden or in a greenhouse.
Step by step recommendations
The cultivation of watermelons begins with sowing seeds for seedlings, then care for the seedlings follows, the next stage is transplanting seedlings into the ground, the final stage is taking care of the seedlings and getting the first fruits. It was in this order that we drew up a plan for our article and posted the corresponding photos, adding our comments to them.
Selection and preparation of seeds
It is possible to grow watermelons in central Russia with its cool and unstable climatic conditions only by seedlings. Getting strong and healthy watermelon seedlings at home directly depends on the quality of the seed (see video). It is necessary to carefully choose the varieties of watermelons that are zoned specifically for your region and with an early ripening period. From seeds intended for planting in the southern regions of the country, the fruits are unlikely to have time to ripen in the northern latitudes. This is the main condition for growing watermelon seedlings, pay attention to this when buying seeds.
Watermelon seeds are small, medium-sized and large, and it's easy to work with them. The photo shows medium sized seeds. In structure and shape, it is an embryo, closed with a dense rigid shell, oval, tapering at one end. The structure of the shell can be rough or completely smooth.
The timing and time of sowing watermelon seeds depends on the intended planting of seedlings in the ground. If you expect to plant seedlings in open beds or greenhouses in May, sow watermelon seeds in April, that is, 30 days before transplanting the finished seedlings to their permanent place.
Step 1
The main activities at this stage:
- Selection of quality watermelon seeds. Remove dried and damaged seeds immediately. This can be determined visually and by touch.
- Disinfection and soaking. Place the watermelon seeds in a pinkish potassium permanganate solution for 30 minutes, rinse with clean water. Place on germination as shown in the top photo. The time until the appearance of the first root is from 3 to 7 days.
They will not make good seedlings, they will hatch for a long time or will not sprout at all. It is better to purchase watermelon seeds with a shelf life of more than 2 years, they form more female flowers, from which fruits grow.
Sowing seedlings
Growing watermelon seedlings at home can be difficult for the following reasons:
- experienced plant breeders who have been growing watermelons in their gardens for more than one year, are advised to sow germinated seeds immediately in large containers, that is, do not make an intermediate transplant of seedlings, and this requires large containers, respectively, a lot of soil substrate will be required;
- the roots of the seedlings are very tender and sensitive to any changes, during transplantation they can be damaged, and their further development will be inhibited, this will lead to a slowdown in the entire growth process of seedlings;
- the root system of watermelons develops very quickly, building up a large number of shoots, and very soon takes up all the space in the pots.
Step 2
Planting seeds already germinated is carried out in the following order:
- Prepare the soil mixture. Fertile garden soil with the addition of light compost, ash or peat is suitable. For disinfection, the earth is spilled with boiling water, fried over a fire or treated with special chemicals.
- Capacities, as we have already said, need large ones. One sprout of seedlings requires a container with a height of at least 25-30 cm, with a volume of about 3 liters.
- A 3-5 cm depression is made in the center, a seed with a hatching embryo is placed, and compost is covered.
- Slightly compact the soil and water.
Determine what number to sow watermelon seeds for seedlings yourself, the main thing is to know what you need to do this a month before transplanting into the ground.
Seedling care
The next stage of growing watermelon seedlings begins - caring for seedlings. This period lasts about a month. Taking care of the seedlings in this short time is very simple:
Step 3
- it is necessary to moisten the soil with watermelon seedlings in a timely manner, preventing the soil surface from drying out (just moisturize, not pour);
- at home, the room temperature should not be lower than + 25 ° С;
- the seedlings will have to be provided with additional lighting, in April and May the days are still quite short, and the seedlings need light and heat. In case of insufficient light, the plant stretches in height, cotyledon leaves are formed on a thin, weak stalk, which are also underdeveloped. As a result, you can get an ugly and non-viable sprout.
- an important factor for the normal development of watermelon seedlings is such an indicator as air humidity, if this value is below 70%, it is necessary to eliminate this state of affairs by applying artificial humidification, spraying the room with water or using special devices for this;
- a week before planting in a permanent place, the seedlings need to be fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers; it is not recommended to add nitrogen-containing components during this period.
Subject to the basic rules of care, your efforts to grow watermelon seedlings at home will be rewarded, you will receive high quality seedlings, as shown in the photo below. And we move on to the next stage.
Step 4
Landing in the ground
All watermelons love spacious, well-warmed and lighted areas, so it is worth choosing just such sites for planting watermelon seedlings. Not all gardeners have plots that meet these requirements. A vertical garter of watermelon lashes to supports and additional devices for supporting heavy fruits (nets, trays) will help to avoid such problems.
Step 5
When planting watermelon seedlings in open ground or in greenhouses, we recommend adhering to the following sequence:
- Two weeks before the main work on transplanting seedlings, prepare the soil in a new place. Apply chemical and organic fertilizers according to the norms provided for melons and gourds, dig up and level the area. It is better to do this in the fall, and in the spring, just loosen the beds again.
- Make a marking of melons, every 2 meters, dig a hole deep and wide enough to fit a seedling with a lump of seedling soil. The depth is more than 30 cm, the size of the hole is 30x30 cm.
- Install strong stable supports near the hole, the distance from the center of the hole should be no more than 0.5 meters. On the support, you need to provide hooks or a notch for hanging the fruit.
- On the day of planting watermelon seedlings, pour half a bucket of water into each well and wait until it is completely absorbed.
- Carefully free the watermelon seedling from the seedling container, taking it along with the clod of earth. Place this lump in the center of the hole, sprinkle with earth collected along the edges of the hole, lightly compact the earth. Pour again with a little water (1 liter), cover with peat or compost on top.
From the moment of sowing the seeds to the first fruit, it takes from 2.5 to 3 months, if you sowed the seeds in April, then wait for the "firstborn" in July or August.
Diseases and how to deal with them
Amateur gardeners grow watermelon seedlings at home and achieve excellent results. For novice melon growers, we remind you that any violation of the technology of such cultivation can lead to undesirable consequences: the plants will often get sick, there will be a delay in their vegetation, the fruits, if they ripen, will be of much worse quality, and will lose useful properties.
During its development, watermelon seedlings are very susceptible to environmental conditions, below are some plant diseases during this period, the reasons for their occurrence and how to deal with them:
- The leaves of the watermelon seedlings turn yellow. This is not a disease yet, but a harbinger of its occurrence. The seedlings make it clear to the gardener that his roots no longer have enough space in the container, the air temperature is too low, the illumination is insufficient, there is a deficiency of nutrients or an excess of nitrogen in the soil. Action to be taken: Immediately eliminate all unfavorable conditions.
- The stems of watermelon seedlings stretch upward, the size of the leaves decreases. Reasons: lack of light, too hot in the room or watering with cold water. Measures: add light, achieve the desired temperature, water only with warm, settled water.
- The leaves of the watermelon seedlings dry at the edges. Reasons: again, a lack of illumination, an incorrect watering regime, it is excessively abundant or insufficient. Measures: establish regular watering, observe the norms (2-3 times a week, 0.5 liters per seedling).
- Seedlings of watermelons are sluggish, drooping. Reasons: there is a lot of nitrogen in the soil, the seedlings are freezing. Measures: do not use organic and mineral nitrogen-containing fertilizing, water the seedlings only with warm water not lower than + 25 ° С, the temperature in the room should be identical.
- White spots form on the leaves of watermelon seedlings. This plant is affected by powdery mildew, white rot, or spotting. These diseases are almost impossible to cure, the plant will have to be destroyed. Seedling sprouts not infected with a fungus should be treated with antifungal drugs for prophylaxis.
- The stems at the base of the watermelon seedlings have turned black and thinned. Reason: the development of the disease "black leg" or root rot, which occur due to frequent and unnecessarily abundant watering. Measures: the seedlings are destroyed, then the seeds of watermelons are treated in special chemical solutions before sowing.
Conclusion
Growing watermelon seedlings at home, and then getting an excellent harvest from your beds is not an easy job, but enthusiastic gardeners do not give up to anything, they achieve wonderful results. We wish them the best of luck, and you are encouraged to follow their example. Plant this melon crop in your country house, in greenhouses, on balconies. You will receive an environmentally friendly, tasty and healthy WATERBUZ.
