How to plant watermelon seeds in open ground?

Recently, among summer residents, it is not an innovation to grow in their plots not only the usual vegetables and fruits, but also watermelons.Many prefer to plant the seeds of these berries into the soil and gradually germinate them directly in the open field. But not everyone knows that the process of growing watermelons of this kind has many subtleties and rules.

In order to successfully grow a fruit, you need to get acquainted in advance not only with suitable varieties, but also with the algorithm of actions when planting and methods of treatment and prevention of diseases. All these nuances will be described in detail in this article.

Watermelons, like any fruit that can be grown in the garden, are presented in the form of a variety of varieties. Each of them has a number of individual signs. Before making a choice in favor of this or that option, you should be familiar with the most popular varieties.

• "Pink Champagne" - variety, ripe berries that reach weight from 5 to 7 kilograms. To taste, they are very sweet, many even note they have a special honey flavor. The peel has an average thickness and a dark green color, with the stripes on it painted in a yellowish tint, and the flesh is saturated pink in color. The vegetative period of this variety is extended in the range from 80 to 95 days. The plant is resistant to moisture, generally unpretentious.

• For the climate of the middle band is perfect variety such as "Libya" F1. The mature fruit of this culture reaches up to 10 kg in weight, and its shape is slightly elongated. The ripening period of the berry lasts approximately 65 days. The ripe pulp is usually very sweet and has a bright red color. Because of the beautiful appearance and excellent preservation, such fruits are often grown for sale.

• A rather rapid growth rate is characterized by such a variety as "Catherine" F1: aboutn able to reach ripeness in a maximum of 62 days. Many also resort to the technology of accelerating ripening, using a special material for covering plants. The plant is characterized by a rather large size of leaves, which help it protect itself from excessive exposure to sunlight. Fruits have dense pulp, classified as sugar, while they are very tender. The weight of a ripe berry is usually 7 or 8 kilograms.
• One of the largest fruits in size can boast variety Nelson F1. Their weight can reach 14 kilograms. Oblong berries have bright red sugar pulp. The skin of the fruit has a dark green color, with yellowish stripes on it. The ripening period of the plant is about 65 days.
• If you want to grow fruits with a high level of immunity to disease, as well as a good ability to transport, then stop your choice on such an option as "A gift to the North." Ripe berries are equal in weight to 10 kilograms or a little more. The peel has a small thickness, while the flesh of a rich red color is juicy and crispy. Ripens grade for a period of 75 days or more. Due to the resistance to moisture yield is quite large.

Thus, taking into account the signs most convenient for you, you can make a choice in favor of one or another plant species. But regardless of individual preferences, it is important to provide proper care for watermelons and to carefully observe the growing process, especially if you decide to plant seeds in open ground.

Sprouting seeds is a process that is carried out in several stages.

• First you need to calibrate the seeds. This procedure is not only the selection of those seeds that are not damaged, but also their size distribution. This procedure cannot be neglected, since subsequently the uniformity of shoots depends on it.
• In the next stage, it is necessary to ensure the seeds are warming.They should be filled with water, the temperature of which is +50 degrees. After the sunflower seeds are half an hour in this water, it must be drained.
• Before sowing the seeds must be sterile. For these purposes, a weakly concentrated solution is prepared with the addition of manganese. A small amount of this substance is diluted in a glass of water. Then the seeds are placed there and left for a quarter of an hour. After they should be washed with water.
• Nutrient solution will help to prepare the seeds for planting. It will saturate them with special beneficial trace elements, as well as accelerate their subsequent germination. In solution, seeds are kept for half a day. Then they should be dried under the rays of the sun, but in no case should not be rinsed with water.

• After that, the hard rind of the seeds should be softened. To this end, they are placed in hot water for 10 minutes. Next, you need to create a special small bag, folded gauze in several layers, and put the seeds there, while placing them at a distance from each other. Gauze is moistened and placed in a shallow container so that the seeds inside have access to oxygen. After you need to put the plate in a warm place where the air temperature will be at least 25 degrees, and exercise control over the humidity of gauze, periodically wetting it.
• In order to maintain the required level of moisture over a longer period of time, it is recommended to cover the gauze with cellophane, film or plastic bottle. This will create a special microclimate that will help germinate seeds more quickly. But keep in mind that the first shoots are unlikely to appear earlier than in a week.

• Think in advance about the location of the bed in which you will sow the seeds. It is important that the area is well lit by the sun and aired. Pay attention to what garden crops were grown in the same place before. The most favorable options are onions, garlic, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and early cabbage. If you grow watermelons and other gourds for several years, consider that the location of the beds must be periodically changed, since the constant location of the location becomes the causative agent of various diseases of melons and gourds.
• During germination one must not miss the moment of preparing the soil. At the required depth of the earth should be enriched with nutrients. These include organic products such as peat and humus. If you see a high density of soil, then it is also recommended to add sand. As a nutrient, wood ash or superphosphate is best.

With the direct planting of seeds in open ground, a number of nuances are taken into account, which determine the method and time of this procedure.

Pay attention to weather conditions. For the landing of watermelons, the air temperature should not be below 15 degrees. If your region is characterized by unexpected temperature drops, then it is better to plant watermelons not seed, but seedling. When the heat comes early, you can plant seeds at the end of April, but in the case of late spring it is better to refrain from planting until the end of May.

For the seedling method, the seeds are spread into a container filled with raw sawdust. The distance between the seeds should be from 1 to 1.5 cm, while the gap between the rows is usually about three centimeters. Further, having powdered the raw material with sawdust and having rammed it, the vessel is put in a place with a warm temperature (from 23 to 27 degrees). When sprouts appear, they can be planted in open ground.

In order to plant sprouts in the ground correctly, it is important to remember that there must be enough space between the watermelons for their normal growth.In the standard version, they adhere to the following parameters: 2 meters - between rows, 1 meter each - between holes.

At the same time from 5 to 10 seeds are usually put in one hole. As a result, only one strongest seedling is left. But if you choose a watermelon variety with more compact fruits, the distance between the holes can be reduced. But still, distance plays an important role in planting, since it allows plants to get the same amount of sunlight and heat.

An important factor is the depth of planting seeds. This indicator depends on the composition of the soil, variety and characteristics of the region where watermelons will be grown. For small seeds, the optimal depth is from 40 to 60 mm, for larger seeds from 60 to 80 mm. If the soil is sandy, it is better to place the seed at a depth of 70–80 mm; if it is sandy, then this figure should be from 50 to 70 mm; in the case of loam type, the depth should be between 40 and 50 mm.

Those who want to grow seeds early, you must use the film method of planting. For its implementation, you need to make the ridges, located 0.7 m from each other. In these ridges are then created holes for planting seeds, they are located a meter away from each other. Depending on the variety, a specific number of seeds is laid in each groove. Then the soil is moistened and covered with a film so that the width of the film web covers two ridges at once.

A week later, the gourd culture should already germinate. At the same time it will be necessary to cut through the film so that the seedlings could germinate further. It is very important to pull a young plant through the hole carefully, so it is recommended to use a piece of plastic bottle for this. A piece of plastic needs to be put on the plant, lightly tamped and sprinkled with earth. After that, the plastic should be removed.

In the future, it is necessary to regularly take care of young plants so that they can become stronger and develop. There are a number of mandatory procedures for the successful growth of watermelons.

• When the plants are still located under the film, do not forget to regularly lift it to air the seedlings. This helps avoid condensation.
• Abundant watering of watermelons is recommended no more than once a week. When the flowers on the female plants open, the amount of moisture introduced is reduced. When the fruits are formed, watering is not required.
• Do not neglect such a procedure as loosening the soil: it is also very useful for watermelons.
• When the mass of leaves increases, it is important to feed the plants. As a nutrient fertilizer, you can use superphosphate, urea, and potassium salt. These substances are usually diluted in certain proportions with water and introduced by irrigation. The first feeding should be carried out after 12 days. It represents the introduction of organic fertilizers (cowshed mixed with water).

Before planting such a melon crop as a watermelon, you need to be prepared for the fact that the plant can be adversely affected by various garden parasites and diseases. It is necessary to get acquainted with the most common pests and means of combating them in advance.

• Mealy dew - A disease that causes darkening and drying of the leaves. But first, a green patina appears on the green. If you have already noticed the defeat of a plant, then it is recommended to remove its infected leaves, and all the rest should be sprayed with a solution of colloidal sulfur.

• Dangerous parasites are scoopslaying larvae on the foliage of the plant.Subsequently, ripe larvae begin to devour the root system, thereby provoking the drying of the leaves. These parasites are usually fought by hand using special sweet baits.

• If you re-moisten the greenhouse and also air it poorly, then a disease such as peronosporosis. It appears as spots on the leaves. On the outer side, the spots have a yellowish tone, and on the lower side, the sheet acquires a gray-violet tint. Treatment is carried out with the help of “Oxychloride”, field horsetail, as well as “Kuprosata”. As a preventive measure, plants are treated with Fitosporin.

• Such a pest as wirewormusually eats seeds and young shoots of watermelons. Combating it is like fighting with shovels: similar sweet baits are used.

• When a plant is overwetted, a disease such as copperhead It is characterized by the formation of beige spots on the foliage. If leaves are damaged, they should be removed as soon as possible.

• Between June and July, the plant may be exposed to aphids. This insect lays larvae on the underside of the leaves. And those, in turn, feed on plant sap, as a result of which the leaves wither. Of the folk remedies against this disease are effective: an infusion of onion peel, celandine or garlic. Among the chemical analogues, Iskra and Intavir are popular.

• Bacteriosis characterized by the appearance on the green brown spots of oily texture. This disease also adversely affects the ovary of plants. To prevent the emergence of such a disease, you still need to remove from the garden all the remnants of previous plants from the garden and dig it thoroughly.

Experienced gardeners claim that, knowing certain tricks, can significantly simplify the process of growing melon crops.

• Place a peg near each well. This will help you to more clearly distinguish the outlines of the beds.
• During the flowering period of watermelons, think about their pollination. In order to attract the attention of pollinating insects, plant honey plants near the garden with watermelons.
• If you live in the northern regions, it is not recommended to choose exotic plant varieties, as they usually need a large day length during the entire growth time, as well as high temperature.
• Harvesting is carried out in August, with the ripe fruit can be found on the dried stem cutting, as well as on the glossy skin. At the same time, it is necessary to knock on the fruit: if at the same time a deaf sound is made, it means that the watermelon is completely ripe.

The secrets of growing watermelon, see the following video.