Cultivation of gourds under irrigation. Gourds - tips for growing watermelons, pumpkins, melons from experienced gardeners. Harvest and storage
Golden melons, pot-bellied pumpkins, sugar watermelons - all these are gourds. They are all relatives, but each plant has its own growing secrets. How to get good harvest gourds, the nuances of planting and care, methods of agricultural technology - so that "alive and healthy all relatives of harbuzov" are.
Traditionally and erroneously, it is believed that good watermelons and melons grow only "in the south." And we are in a hurry to buy imported fruits, but we don’t even buy watermelon and melon seeds. But in vain! Modern varieties and hybrids can be successfully grown in our gardens.
Do-it-yourself watermelons, melons, pumpkins grown from seeds - they will not yield to the southern ones in taste. And nutritionists have long been talking about the benefits of these fruits. They contain a lot of carotene, potassium, phosphorus, organic acids, iron salts. By useful qualities they are, in many respects, in no way inferior to fruits.
General rules for growing gourds from seeds
All gourds need a lot of light and heat, moisture in the soil and dry air.
- The peculiarity of gourds is their thermophilicity and the need for direct sunshine, without shading.
- The temperature at which pumpkin, watermelon, melon develop best from seeds is above +20°C. For abundant flowering with female flowers and fruit set, the recommended temperature during the day is +20°С - +25°С, and at night it does not fall below: +18°С - +20°С.
- At a temperature of +12°С, the development of melons slows down significantly, and at +10°С and below, it stops altogether. During frosts, melons and gourds can die.
- The root system of gourds is powerful, well developed, so pumpkins, watermelons, and melons successfully resist drought. Pubescent leaves - prevent the evaporation of moisture from the leaf plate.
- In order for the harvest of gourds to be plentiful, and the fruits tasty and large, it is necessary to ensure regular watering.
- Increased air humidity in the place where melons and gourds are grown from seeds should be excluded. In high humidity, they can be affected by diseases. To keep the air dry - water under the root.
- Seeds of gourds are sown in one place every 4-5 years. It is not necessary to sow gourds in one place every year. Bad predecessors for watermelon, melon and pumpkin:,. Good:, cereals, cereals, potatoes, etc. .
- Melon crops respond well to top dressing, the number of female flowers increases, the formation of the ovary, the pouring of fruits, their taste and quality.
- From seeds, gourds can also be grown through seedlings. By direct sowing of seeds into the ground, it is better to grow only early and mid-ripening pumpkins and early watermelons and melons.
- To get large fruits and more ovaries, whip pumpkins, watermelons, melons - pinch. One way: by the end of August, pinch the tops of all shoots that have an ovary. The second way: pinch the plant over 4-5 real leaves so that side shoots appear, and then remove the tops after the appearance of 2-3 ovaries on each.
Different melons and gourds have their own characteristics of growth, development, and care. Let's understand the nuances of agricultural technology, the choice of seeds different varieties and growing crops.
Features of growing gourds
In the southern regions, you can grow any variety, and in cooler regions - the most the best varieties melons: super-early, reliable early, traditional, etc.
Grounds and illumination.
Neutral or slightly alkaline cultivated soils without stagnant water are suitable for growing melons. Good melons will only grow in full sun. Seeds are sown in fertilized soil since autumn.
Preparation of melon seeds for sowing.
Before sowing, dip the seeds in a 1% -2% salt solution. Most best seeds sink to the bottom. Rinse them with water and treat the sprouts.
Sowing melon seeds.
Sow seedlings in containers with a volume of 150 ml or more. Sow 3-4 seeds each. Before planting in open ground, seedlings should be 25-35 days old. Seedlings will appear within 6-10 days at a temperature of +25°C. Sowing depth 4 cm - 7 cm. In the garden, seeds are sown when the soil warms up to at least + 12 ° C
Planting a melon.
When planting melons, make nests of 3-4 plants in each hole. Distance between nests - 50 cm - 70 cm in a row. Row spacing - from 120 cm. When planting, add a complete complex to the landing site.
Melon care.
When 5-6 true leaves appear, remove the weakest plants from the hole, leave 1-2 of the strongest. Feed the plants several times a season. Water regularly, under the root. 203 weeks before fruit ripening, stop watering. Then the melons will be sweeter.
When choosing watermelon seeds, please note that the most delicious are medium-late and late varieties, and the earliest ones will definitely have time to pour and ripen regardless of the weather. The most popular varieties:, oval with light green skin, with bright yellow flesh - a variety, etc.
Grounds and illumination.
Watermelons love light sandy soil, enriched in autumn with compost or humus. And sunny places without the slightest shading.
Preparing watermelon seeds for sowing.
In a 3%-5% salt solution, the best seeds will sit on the bottom. Rinse them, treat with a stimulant and sow.
Sowing seeds of watermelon.
The timing of sowing watermelon seeds for seedlings is determined as follows: the age of the plant for open ground is 30-35 days. Shoots appear within 10 days. When the soil warms up to + 12 ° C, it can be sown in open ground. Sowing depth: 4 cm - 6 cm.
Planting a watermelon.
Several sprouts or seeds - form 3-4 plants in holes. After a month, 1-2 of the strongest plants are left. The distance in a row between nests is from 50 cm. Between rows: from 150 cm.
Watermelon care.
Top dressing is carried out regularly, like a melon, once every 2 weeks, starting from the moment 3-4 true leaves are formed. To prevent the lashes from being whipped by the wind, you can sprinkle them with peat or other mulch. Watermelons do not like their leaves to turn over and break. The ends of the lashes - pinch on general rules for gourds.
Of all melons, pumpkin has one of the longest maturation periods. For most varieties, it is 110-120 days from germination to harvest. There are seeds of early pumpkin varieties, usually they are short climbing or bushy plants, with fruits weighing up to 2 kg (portioned). Pumpkin has the ability to ripen during storage and be stored at room temperature for several months without loss of taste. And there is a pumpkin, the seeds of which are formed without a hard shell, they can be eaten without peeling -.
Grounds and illumination.
The pumpkin plant itself is unpretentious and will survive on any soil. But in order for sweet, ripened fruits to grow from seeds, cultivated, light, nutritious soil is needed. You can plant a pumpkin in light partial shade, but the whips will rush to the light and the best fruits will only be in a well-lit, well-warmed place.
Preparing pumpkin seeds for sowing.
Choose the fullest and largest seeds, treat them with a stimulant before sowing.
Sowing pumpkin seeds.
In order to get larger and more mature fruits, and a richer harvest, grow seedlings. Sowing in both beds and containers is done to a depth of 4 cm - 6 cm.
Planting a pumpkin.
Seedlings and seeds are planted in a garden bed when the temperature at night no longer drops below + 12 ° C. Plants are planted in nests, holes up to 50 cm in diameter are made in advance, and filled with fertilizers. Large-fruited pumpkins are grown - 1 plant per nest, hard-barked and nutmeg - 2-3 plants each.
Pumpkin care.
Fertilize and water your pumpkins regularly, especially when the fruit is in full bloom. During weeding and loosening, lightly spud the bushes.
It is possible to grow gourds - pumpkins, watermelons and melons of good quality and sugar content in any region of Ukraine. To do this, you only need to follow the recommendations for growing and buy seeds of varieties suitable for you.
2. Botanical and biological characteristics
3. Cultivation technology
1. Gourds - watermelon, melon and pumpkin - are cultivated for the sake of obtaining juicy fruits that are distinguished by high taste. They are of great food and fodder importance.
Watermelon and melon are mainly eaten fresh. In addition, honey is boiled from watermelon and candied fruits and pickles are prepared, melon is used in the canning and confectionery industries. Late-ripening melon varieties have become world famous for their unsurpassed taste, transportability and ability to be stored almost until the next harvest. Pumpkin is used in boiled and baked form, it is used for the preparation of candied fruits and honey (from juice). Edible oil is obtained from the seeds of gourds.
For livestock feed, fresh fruits of fodder varieties of watermelon and pumpkin are usually used. 100 kg of fodder pumpkin equates to an average of 10.2 fodder units, 100 kg of fodder watermelon - 9.3 and 100 kg of squash - 7.2 fodder units.
Melon growing as a branch of crop production originated in our country in the middle of the last century. Currently, the sown area under melons and gourds is more than 1 million hectares. In terms of sown areas of melons and gourds, the CIS ranks first in the world.
Cultivation areas. Productivity. Watermelon is cultivated mainly in the Middle and Lower Volga regions, in the North Caucasus, Ukraine and Moldova, melon - in Central Asia and Transcaucasia, and pumpkin - in the central regions of the Non-Chernozem zone, in the Central Black Earth zone, Trans-Urals, Siberia and Far East. Together with pumpkin, early-ripening varieties of watermelon are also cultivated in these areas. In recent years, the border of melon growing has moved significantly to the north and east.
Outside of our country, gourds are cultivated in many countries of Asia (India, China, Japan), Africa and America. From European countries gourds are sown in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Italy.
The average yield of watermelon on non-irrigated lands is 200-250 centners, and on irrigated lands - 400-500 centners per 1 ha, the yield of melon ranges from 160 to 500 centners per 1 ha, pumpkin - from 350 to 700 centners and more per 1 ha. The highest yields of gourds are obtained in Ukraine, Moldova, the North Caucasus, as well as in the irrigated conditions of Transcaucasia and Central Asia.
2. Botanical characteristic. biological features.
Melon crops belong to the Cucurbita-ceae family, which includes the three most important genera in the culture - watermelon (Citrullus), melon (Melo) and pumpkin (Cucurbita). Plants belonging to these genera are annuals, very similar to each other in the structure of vegetative and generative organs.
Watermelon. Watermelons cultivated in our country belong to two species: table watermelon - Citrullus edulis Pang, and candied watermelon - Citrullus colocynthoides Pang.
The root of the table watermelon is taproot, strongly branched, reaching a depth of 2.5-3 m and extending to the sides up to 5-7 m.
Stem creeping, long-braided (2-5 m), creeping, with 5-10 branches covered with stiff hairs.
The leaves are strongly dissected into pinnatifid lobes, stiffly pubescent.
Flower - yellow, dioecious; female flowers larger than men. Cross-pollination by insects.
The fruit is a multi-seeded false berry (pumpkin) on a long stem, spherical, oval or oblong, painted white-greenish, greenish or dark green, often with a marbled pattern (Fig. 1). The bark of the fruit is leathery, fragile, 0.5 to 2 cm thick. The pulp is of various textures, carmine-red, pink, less often white or yellow, tastes sweet or slightly sweet. The pulp contains from 5.7 to 13% sugar. Fruit weight from 2 to 20 kg.
The seeds are flat, ovoid (0.5-2 cm long) with a scar along the edge and with a hard skin of white, yellow, gray, red and black color, often with a spotted pattern. Weight of 1000 seeds 60-150 g.
Watermelon fodder in its structure is somewhat different from the table.
Its root system is more powerful.
Leaves with larger shortened segments.
The flowers are large, with a pale yellow corolla. Male flowers are located on long stems, female - on shortened ones.
Fruits of various shapes - spherical or oval-oblong, green or light green in color with dark stripes of a marbled pattern. The flesh of the fruit is greenish-pale, contains sugar 1.2-2.6%. Fruit weight from 10-15 to 25-30 kg or more.
Feed watermelon seeds do not have a rib. Weight of 1000 seeds 100-200 g.
The main varieties of table watermelon: Favorite of the farm of Pyatigorsk 286, Stokes 647/649, Melitopol 142, Marble, Rose of the South-East.
The most common varieties of fodder watermelon are: Diskhim, Brodsky 37-42, Bogarny 112.
Table watermelon is one of the heat-loving, heat-tolerant and very drought-resistant plants. In moist soil, its seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of 10 - 17 0 C. Seedlings appear on the 8-10th day. Frosts in the GS are detrimental to them. The most favorable temperature for the growth of stems and leaves is 20-22 °, and for the development of fruits - 25-30 0 C. Table watermelon is a light-loving plant of a short day. The best soils for it are sandy loamy chernozems clean of weeds.
Feed watermelon, in comparison with table watermelon, is less demanding on growing conditions.
Melon represented by many botanical species. In the CIS, types of melon with soft pulp are common: handalak - Melo chanda-lak Pang., adana, or Cilician - M. adana Pang., cassaba - M. cassaba Pang .; and with dense pulp: charjouskaya - M. zard Pang., ameri-M. ameri Parig., cantaloupe - M, cantalupa Pang.
The stem of the melon is creeping, cylindrical, hollow, strongly branching, coarse-haired.
Leaves are kidney-shaped or heart-shaped, on long petioles.
Flowers are orange-yellow.
The fruits are large, of various shapes and colors. The pulp is loose or dense, contains 12% sugar (Fig. 2).
Seeds are ovoid, flat, white-yellow, 0.5 to 1.5 cm long, contain 25-30% oil. Weight of 1000 seeds 35-50 g.
Varieties of melon with soft pulp include Khandalyak Kokcha 14, Dessertnaya 5. Varieties of melon with hard pulp: Ameri 696, Kolkhoznitsa 749/753.
According to its biological characteristics, the melon approaches the watermelon, but it is more thermophilic and easier to put up with loamy soils.
Pumpkin in culture has three types: table or ordinary pumpkin - Cucurbita pepo L., large-fruited fodder pumpkin - С.maxima Duch. And Muscat pumpkin - C. Moschata Duch ..
The stem of the common pumpkin is highly developed creeping. For some varieties of pumpkin, a bushy form (zucchini) is characteristic.
Leaves are five-lobed, with coarse styloid pubescence.
The male flowers are collected in several pieces in the axils of the leaves, the female flowers are single, located on the side branches.
The fruit is obovate (Fig. 3), with fibrous sweet pulp containing 4-8% sugar.
Seeds of medium size and small, oval, with a clear rim, white, cream or darker in color, contain 36-52% oils. Weight of 1000 seeds 200-230 g.
Large-fruited fodder pumpkin has a cylindrical hollow creeping stem. The leaves are reniform, weakly emarginate, pubescent with coarse hairs. The flowers are very large, orange-yellow. The fruits are spherical, flattened or elongated, reaching 50-70 cm in diameter, of various colors. The pulp of the fruit is loose, juicy, orange, less often white, contains 4-8% sugar. The seeds are large (length 2-3 cm), smooth, with an indistinct rim. The seeds contain 36-50% oils. Weight of 1000 seeds 240-300 g.
Muscat pumpkin has a creeping, branched, rounded-faceted stem. Leaves are reniform, cordate-notched or lobed, pubescent with fine hairs. The flowers are green or reddish-orange, the fruit is elongated, with interception. The pulp of the fruit is dense, contains 8-11% sugar. Seeds of medium size, dirty gray with a clear rim, contain 30-46% oil. Weight of 1000 seeds 190-220 g.
The most common varieties of table pumpkin: Almond 35, Mozoleevskaya 49, Spanish 73, Gribovskaya 37 (zucchini). Varieties of fodder pumpkin: One hundred pounds, Large-fruited 1, Hybrid 72, Muscat pumpkin has local varieties.
Pumpkin is less thermophilic and less drought-resistant than watermelon and melon. Its seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of 12-13°C. Seedlings are less affected by frost. Pumpkin works best on loamy soils.
3. All gourds are demanding on soil fertility and cleanliness of fields from weeds. They work well on virgin and fallow lands, on a layer of perennial grasses and on floodplains.
Place in crop rotation. In field crop rotations, fertilized winter crops and grain legumes are considered the best predecessors of gourds. The gourds themselves are good predecessors of spring, especially spring wheat, and in the southern regions, subject to early harvesting of gourds, and for winter crops.
Fertilizer. Gourds are responsive to the application of organic and mineral fertilizers. The most effective joint application of these fertilizers. It is especially important to fertilize light sandy soils. As the main fertilizer, manure is applied under deep autumn plowing in the amount of 15-20 tons for watermelon and melon and 30-40 tons per 1 ha for pumpkin. Higher doses of manure for these crops should not be applied, as this can cause a delay in fruit ripening and deterioration in their quality. Simultaneously with manure, mineral fertilizers are applied (N 6 oP 45 K 5 o). Great importance has the application of mineral fertilizers when sowing in rows (N 10 P 15 Kio). In addition to the main and sowing fertilizer, fertilizing is also desirable during irrigation before flowering plants (N 30 P 45 K 45).
Soil cultivation. Under gourds, deep autumn plowing is carried out in autumn, and in spring - harrowing and at least two pre-sowing cultivations with simultaneous harrowing. On heavily compacted soils in the northern areas of melon growing, the first cultivation is often replaced by plowing.
Sowing. Seed preparation. For sowing, seeds are taken from fully ripened healthy fruits. Their germination should be at least 90%. To increase germination, the seeds are subjected to air-thermal heating for 3-5 days. Before sowing, the seeds must be treated with 80% TMTD (5 g per 1 kg of seeds) or fentiuram (4 g per 1 kg of seeds).
Sowing dates. Sowing of gourds should be started when the soil at a depth of 10 cm warms up to 14-16°C. When sown in unheated soil, as well as when cold weather returns, the sown seeds do not germinate for a long time and can rot in the soil.
Seeding methods. Seeds are sown in square-nested, rectangular-nested and row methods with corn, cotton and special seeders. The distance between nests or rows for watermelon and pumpkin is 2.1-3 m, for melon - 1.4-2.1 m and zucchini - 0.7 m. scheme 2.1x2.1, 1-2 plants per nest (2.3-4.6 thousand plants per 1 ha), melons -2.1x1.4 or 1.4x X 1.4 m, two plants per nest (7.5-10.2 thousand plants per 1 ha) and squash-70x70 cm, ІхІ m (10.2-20.4 thousand plants per 1 ha).
Seeding rates for watermelon seeds are 2-3 kg, pumpkins - 3-5 kg, melons and zucchini - 2-4 kg per 1 ha. The sowing depth of watermelon and pumpkin seeds is 6-8 cm, melon and zucchini - 3-5 cm.
Crop care. Before germination, harrowing and loosening are carried out with rotary hoes to destroy the crust and destroy weed seedlings. In the future, inter-row processing is carried out to a depth of 12-15 cm during the first and 8-10 cm during subsequent treatments. When processing row spacings, overgrown lashes of plants must be removed to the side so as not to damage them with tractor wheels and tillage implements. To prevent swelling of the lashes by the wind, they are sprinkled with damp soil. This causes the formation of additional roots, which improves plant nutrition. Good results are obtained by pinching (chasing) the ends of the lashes during the flowering of male flowers. In the experiments of the Voronezh Agricultural Institute, chasing fodder watermelon increased the yield by 66.7 centners per 1 ha. Irrigation of gourds begins long before. flowering and spend 3-5 waterings at intervals of 10-15 days. During flowering, watering is temporarily stopped, and they are resumed when the fruit is set. Irrigation rate is 600-800 m 3 of water per 1 ha. After each watering, the row spacing is loosened.
Harvest. The ripening of gourds with a long flowering period does not occur simultaneously. Therefore, table varieties of watermelon, melon and zucchini are harvested as they ripen in several steps, and pumpkin and fodder watermelon - in one step, before the onset of frost.
Signs of ripening watermelon fruits are the drying of the stalk, the coarsening of the bark and the appearance of a clear pattern on it. Ripe melon fruits acquire the color and pattern characteristic of the variety. The ripeness of a pumpkin can also be determined by the color of the fruit and the density of the skin. Zucchini is harvested until the bark is coarsened. In plucked fruits, to improve keeping quality, the stalks should be left.
Ripened and undamaged fruits of pumpkin and fodder watermelon can be stored in a dry and insulated room at a temperature of 2-5 ° C almost throughout the winter. Table watermelon and melon, with the exception of Central Asian and Transcaucasian, are not stored for long.
Gourds are true champions among vegetables in terms of fruit size. The mass of a ripe watermelon or pumpkin is at least 5-6 kilograms of juicy pulp, and often 10-15 kg. Moreover, melons and gourds are famous not only for their size, but also for their excellent taste. This is especially true of melon and watermelon. The bulk of melons and gourds are grown in large farms in the south of the country, but if desired, they can also be grown in their own garden.
melon family
Gourds, or simply melons, are a group of large-fruited vegetables, mainly from the botanical family of Cucurbitaceae, which have similar external features.
In a broad sense, it is customary to include watermelons, melons, zucchini, cucumbers, squash and pumpkins in the melon family. But more often the term "gourds" is used in relation to a narrower group, including only two species - watermelon and melon. Further in the article, we will talk about gourds only in this narrow sense, leaving zucchini, pumpkins and cucumbers out of the brackets.
Common watermelon is an annual herbaceous plant, one of two cultivated species of the botanical genus Watermelon, which is part of the Cucurbitaceae family.
Watermelon gourds have thin, flexible stems that creep ("crawl") along the ground. The length of the stems can reach several meters. Leaves planted on long petioles, depending on the variety, may have a different configuration, but always triangular in shape and consist of three pinnatipartite lobes.
Flowers (usually pale yellow) appear in the first year. Subsequently, fruits are formed from them - pumpkins or watermelons proper, filled with juicy red pulp and many flat black seeds. There are many varieties of watermelon, so the fruits can vary significantly in shape, size and color. The classic watermelon fruit is a green ball weighing from 3 to 15 kg or more. Since the structure of the fruit has much in common with berries, formally watermelons are also considered berries.
The birthplace of watermelon is South Africa, but this fruit came to the Mediterranean region back in the days ancient egypt or even earlier. It is known that the ancient Greeks knew about it, but the real watermelon was discovered by Europeans only in the Middle Ages, when the Crusaders brought it from the Middle East. Tatars brought watermelons to our country during their conquests Kievan Rus and subsequent stay here.
Melon
As for the melon, it belongs to a slightly different botanical genus - to cucumbers. Like other gourds, melon is an annual herbaceous plant with a liana-like stem creeping along the ground, which can reach a length of 3 meters. The leaves of a melon are larger than those of a watermelon and have a solid (not indented) heart-shaped shape. Flowers yellow, bisexual.
The fruit of a melon weighing from 1 to 15 kg or more has the shape of a ball or oval. Outside, the fruit (pumpkin or berry) is covered with a thin peel, which, when fully ripe, often becomes yellow (less often brown, or remains green). Inside the fruit is a pale yellow juicy pulp. Seeds cream or pale brown, oblong-oval. Unlike watermelon, melon seeds are collected in the center of the fruit, rather than distributed throughout the pulp.
Like any melon plant, melon comes from a hot region. Its homeland is considered to be Central Asia, namely, northern India. Probably, it was there that the cultivation of wild melon took place, and later it spread both to the west and to the east. It is known that the ancient Egyptians were definitely familiar with this vegetable crop. The melon, like the watermelon, was first brought to Europe by the crusaders, and since that time it has been cultivated in the south of the continent. Melon came to Russia directly from Central Asia about 500 years ago.
Like all natural products, watermelons and melons are very beneficial for the human body.
Thus, watermelon has a very positive effect on the kidneys, helping to remove stones and sand from them. Also, this vegetable is useful for men, as it improves sexual potency. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of watermelon for those who suffer from heart disease, as its pulp contains a lot of potassium and magnesium, which are important for maintaining of cardio-vascular system in normal condition.
A ripe watermelon is a few kilograms of juicy sweet pulp that will appeal to both a child and an adult. The taste of watermelon is so outstanding that as a dessert, it easily replaces any confectionery.
The main way to consume watermelon is in its raw natural form. The fruit is simply cut into slices with a knife and its juicy red flesh is eaten. No other flavor additives are required.
And although, like zucchini, melons of this type are not customary to be heat-treated, this is by no means the only option for how watermelon can be used.
First, it is great for making fruit salads. Moreover, you can even use a hard green crust, which, with proper skill, can easily be turned into an original salad bowl filled with watermelon salad with other vegetables or fruits.
Secondly, due to the fact that watermelon pulp contains a huge amount of sweet juice, you can easily prepare a natural refreshing drink from watermelon, or make homemade wine.
Thirdly, sweet watermelon makes wonderful jam. Moreover, you can use not only the pulp, but also the hard skin, which, after heat treatment, easily turns into jelly.
Special mention deserves watermelon honey, or nardek, which is boiled without the use of sugar.
Finally, watermelons can be salted for the winter, after which they will make an excellent side dish for meat or fish. They can also be used to prepare absolutely unique sauces for meat dishes.
Sweet types of gourds are primarily healthy desserts. So, ripe melon fruits are rich in sugar, carotene, provitamin A, vitamins P, C and B9, and also iron, folic acid, salts, pectins and fiber.
It is recommended to eat melon for diseases of the blood, cardiovascular system, nervous disorders, problems with urination and intestines. In addition, melon is good for those who are on a diet, it is useful during pregnancy, is a good remedy in the fight against dehydration. In cosmetology, melon is also in great demand. Tonic and healing masks from melon have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin.
Ripe melons and watermelons are an excellent dessert vegetable that can replace any confectionery sweetness. It is worth noting that the taste and level of sweetness of melon is highly dependent on the variety.
Traditionally, melon is eaten in its natural form as a completely independent product. Like the watermelon, the melon is simply cut into slices and the sweet flesh is eaten away while the tough skin is discarded.
Although melon also contains a lot of water, unlike watermelon, it lends itself well to drying. In Central Asia, dried melon is often used as a dessert for tea drinking. In addition, wonderful jams and preserves are obtained from melon. Like watermelon, it goes well with salads and various soft and alcoholic drinks.
Interestingly, in some Mediterranean countries, melon is a side dish for other dishes. For example, in Spain it is served with jamon and shrimp, and in Italy it is eaten with mozzarella and other cheeses.
Varieties of watermelon and melon
Since watermelons are grown all over the world, wherever agro-climatic conditions allow, the abundance of existing varieties is simply enormous. In addition to purely geographical varieties, it should be mentioned separately that there are watermelons with unusual yellow flesh and pitted watermelons.
In Russia, melon fields are planted with the most famous Astrakhan variety in our country, which is famous for its very sweet pulp, although it ripens already in the last ten days of August. Another very sweet, but earlier variety is Crimson Swift.
Melon is a little less popular than watermelon, so it has fewer varieties. But even those that are are quite enough to meet the needs of gourmets and gardeners. In the melon farms of Russia, melons of the Kolkhoznitsa variety are most widely used. They are cultivated in the Volga region. The variety is easily recognizable by its bright yellow skin, small size and spherical shape of the fruit.
In Europe and America, the Cantaloupe variety is most widely used. They are not as sweet and less juicy, but much more fragrant.
The best Uzbek variety is "Torpedo". These melons have an elongated, cigar-shaped shape and large sizes. Uzbek melons are famous for almost the best taste characteristics.
In the Mediterranean, where Uzbek melons are not available, their counterpart is the Moroccan Honey Melon variety. These fruits do not have characteristic grooves on the skin, and the color varies between ocher and greenish. The taste is actually almost honey.
Watermelons and melons are heat-loving crops. Moreover, they love heat so much that a really good harvest can only be obtained in the southernmost regions of our country. Already at the level of the 50th parallel (Belgorod, Voronezh, Tambov) and to the north, the cultivation of melons loses its meaning, since here watermelons simply cannot ripen and the fruits are small (maximum 2-3 kg) with fresh pulp. Melons are less fastidious and in hot summers they can produce quite decent-sized and sweet fruits even north of Volgograd.
However, in general, these crops prefer hot, dry weather. Drought is more preferable for them than rains and high humidity. In order for melons and watermelons to gain the desired mass and sweetness, they need a lot of heat and light. In the post-Soviet space, the optimal conditions for these crops are in the Lower Volga region, in the North Caucasus, in the Black Sea regions of Ukraine, in Moldova, and especially in the countries of Central Asia. In other regions, it is commercially unprofitable to grow gourds.
Technology of growing watermelon
Watermelon prefers sandy loamy soils warmed by the sun and protected from the wind. Categorically not suitable waterlogged and heavy soils with high level ground water.
Before planting, seeds should be prepared by soaking them in warm water (50 ° C) and soaking in it until they peck. After that, the seeds are ready for sowing. The timing of planting in open ground depends on the region. It is optimal when the soil temperature reaches from 12 to 14 ° C, which in the south of our country usually occurs in late April - early May.
The first shoots should appear in the second week: the norm is 8-10 days. If a cold snap occurs after sowing, the timing of seedling emergence can shift significantly, and the seeds themselves may well die or become infected with pathogenic flora. For this reason, in the central regions of the country, where spring frosts and cold snaps are commonplace, it is better to postpone the sowing of watermelons until the end of May or even the beginning of June.
You need to sow gourd seeds in individual holes 5-8 cm deep. Since watermelons are plants creeping along the ground, the distance between the bushes should be significant - at least half a meter in a row and at least 1.5 meters between rows. To increase the chances of successful seedlings, it is advisable to add a tablespoon of ash and a little humus to each well.
To increase the growth rate of watermelons on melons, mulch is often used. Film shelters and agrofibre are best suited for this role. This simple trick can speed up the ripening of watermelons by 15-20 days.
Although watermelons are a drought-tolerant crop that does not like excessive moisture, it is impossible to do without watering at all. It should be carried out at the initial stage of the growing season until the moment when the fruits begin to set. Watering should be no more than once a week.
Until the melon crops cover the entire garden bed, you also need to take care of loosening the soil and weeding.
IN this issue melon has a lot in common with watermelon. She also needs a well-warmed and wind-protected area of sandy loamy soil. In autumn, 4-6 kg of humus per square meter should be added to a previously dug-up bed. If the soil is loamy, then half a bucket of river sand should be added here. In spring, the soil needs to be fed with superphosphate, nitrogen and potassium salt.
The peculiarity of the melon is that mainly male plants grow from last year's fresh seeds, and evenly male and female plants grow from old ones, but the fruits are much smaller. For this reason, it is better to combine last year's seeds and seeds 2-3 years ago in one sowing.
The timing of planting gourd melon seeds generally coincides with the timing of watermelon. True, it is still better to wait for slightly warmer days: when the soil warms up to 16 ° C. Seeds are buried in the ground to a depth of about 3-5 cm. Planting density is higher than that of watermelon: 10 seeds per square meter. This is done in such a way that not all seeds will sprout.
A bed with freshly sown melons must be moistened with warm water. Seedlings should be expected in the second week. As soon as five full-fledged leaves are formed on the shoots, the plants need to be spudded and the soil around should be gently loosened.
As in the case of watermelons, you need to water melons only until the ovaries appear, and even then not very often. After the appearance of fruits, watering should be stopped. But even this is not enough. Since melons do not like moisture, it is advisable to cover the bed with growing fruits with a film whenever it rains to increase productivity.
Often, gardeners plant watermelons in their summer cottages in order to enjoy their juicy fruits in the summer. However, not everyone manages to get a high-quality harvest, since special knowledge is needed to grow gourds. Therefore, it is necessary to familiarize yourself in advance with how watermelons are grown.
Watermelons are considered heat-loving plants that have a long growing season. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the technology of growing this crop in areas that differ in climatic features. Residents of southern regions with a warm climate can plant gourds immediately in open ground. Due to the high temperature, bushes and fruits will grow rapidly. When growing a plant in warm regions, it is much easier to get a good harvest.
In the northern regions, the air temperature is much lower, so watermelons ripen worse. Due to the harsh climate, many gardeners fail to achieve high yields.
When growing gourds in such regions, certain rules are followed:
- for planting use only varieties with early ripening;
- in order to create optimal conditions for the germination of seedlings, the seed must be planted in greenhouses or under film shelters;
- planting is carried out by seedling method;
- to improve the growth of the root system, all seedlings are watered between rows;
- to obtain medium-sized fruits, no more than six ripe berries are left on each bush, and two fruits are left to collect the largest crop.
Selection and preparation of watermelon seeds for sowing
Before you start sowing watermelons at home, you need to do the selection and preliminary preparation of the seed.
Choice
It is recommended to pre-select seeds that will be planted in the future. When selecting, carefully inspect each seed to look for any signs of damage. Damaged seeds are immediately thrown away, as they are unsuitable for planting.
Also, when choosing the highest quality seed, pay attention to its variety. Experienced gardeners advise planting hybrid varieties, as they are resistant to weather changes and common diseases.
Preparation
To obtain strong and healthy seedlings, you will have to do the preliminary preparation of seeds in advance, which consists of several activities:
- Disinfection. Before sowing, all seeds will have to be disinfected so that they are not exposed to diseases in the future. During disinfection, all seeds are soaked in manganese liquid for 25-30 minutes. Then they are laid out on a towel and dried thoroughly.
- Warming up Gardeners strongly recommend heating watermelon seeds, as this contributes to their germination. The procedure is carried out very carefully so as not to accidentally overheat the seeds. To warm up, all planting material is lowered for half an hour into a container with water heated to 45 degrees.
- Scarification. When carrying out such a procedure, the shell of the seed of watermelons is carefully pierced. This speeds up the process of seed germination several times. It is necessary to engage in scarification 2-3 weeks before planting.
Choosing a place to land
To grow a quality crop in open ground, it is necessary to select in advance the most suitable site for watermelons. When choosing a place in the garden, pay attention to the characteristics of the soil. For gourds and gourds, sandy and sandy loamy soils are ideal, which are rich in nutrients. The level of illumination of the site is also taken into account, since due to the lack of light, the yield may deteriorate. Therefore, experts do not recommend planting seeds or seedlings in shaded areas, under trees or fences.
When choosing a place for planting watermelons on suburban area the compatibility of this culture with other plants should be taken into account.
Watermelon seedlings grow well in gardens where black radish has been grown for a long time. This vegetable saturates the soil with phytoncides, which protect crops from spider mites and other pests. Gardeners also recommend planting gourds near tomatoes and parsley, as they drive away moths and sawflies.
However, there are several plants with which watermelons are incompatible. You should not plant them after peppers, potatoes, strawberries and eggplants, as these vegetables suck out many of the nutrients that watermelon plants need from the soil.
Preparing and fertilizing the soil
Having chosen a site for planting a plant, they begin the preliminary preparation and fertilization of the soil in which watermelon seedlings will be grown. Chernozem should be loose and contain nutrients that will accelerate the growth of seedlings. Soil preparation technology consists of several successive stages.
- Determination of the level of looseness of the soil and its acidity. If the land on the site has an increased level of acidity, you will have to water it with chalk or lime mortar. Heavy soils are pre-fed with vermicompost to increase friability.
- Adding mineral supplements to increase yields. In the first few weeks after planting watermelons, mineral fertilizers are added to the soil, which are dominated by nitrogen. This component activates the growth of seedlings, due to which fruits are tied on the bushes earlier. Also, the site is fed with phosphorus-containing dressings, which increase the resistance of seedlings to temperature extremes.
- Introduction of organic matter. To saturate the soil with useful microelements, it is necessary to fertilize it with organic top dressing. It is recommended to distribute evenly over the area bird droppings with humus, then loosen the earth and pour it with warm water. To improve the yield of watermelons, you can moisten the soil with herbal infusion mixed with wood ash.
Growing seedlings
When using the seedling planting method, gardeners have to grow seedlings, which in the future will be transplanted into the garden. It is recommended to familiarize yourself in advance with the features of planting seeds and transplanting grown seedlings on permanent place.
Planting watermelon seeds
Sowing seeds is carried out when they have sprouted a little and white sprouts have appeared on their surface. When carrying out planting work, all seed material is planted in pots with soil mixture. About 2-4 seeds are sown in each container, so that in the future you can get rid of weak seedlings and leave only the most healthy seedlings. Seeds are sown to a depth of 3-5 centimeters.
When all watermelon seeds have been planted in pots, they are covered with plastic wrap and transferred to a well-lit room.
In the first 5-7 days, pots with planted watermelons should be in a room with a temperature of at least 23 degrees. After the appearance of the first sprouts, the film is removed from the pots, and containers with seedlings are transferred to a room with a temperature of 15-17 degrees.
Seedling transplant
Watermelon seedlings should be grown in pots until the first three leaves appear on the seedlings. After this, the seedlings must be transplanted to a permanent place. To do this, rows are marked along the entire site, on which holes are made for further planting. The depth of each hole should be about 8-10 centimeters so that the roots can be completely placed underground.
Each hole is watered with warm water, after which the seedlings are carefully planted in the ground. Then the holes are covered with soil and re-moistened with water.
Shaping and pinching
Experienced gardeners recommend regularly pinching gourds. This procedure is carried out to improve the yield and accelerate the development of watermelon berries. Most often, pruning of lashes is carried out when growing plants in open ground, since in greenhouse conditions it is not necessary to form bushes. In order to properly form seedlings, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of removing extra stepchildren.
There are three main methods of pinching, which are most often used by gardeners:
- Pasynkovanie lateral shoots. This method is considered universal, as it is suitable for any variety of gourds. During the procedure, 1-2 shoots are left on the main stem. At the same time, on all lateral stems, the ovaries are completely removed.
- Trimming the side stems. Using this method of pinching plants, you will have to completely remove the shoots. Only a few lashes are left on the main stem, and everything else is cut off.
- Formation in several stems. This is the most common way in which you do not need to completely cut the shoots. On the bushes leave 2-4 lateral lashes. At the same time, each of them should have 2-3 ovaries. If there are more of them, then all the extra fruits that have set are removed.
Rules for feeding and caring for the plant
It is recommended to properly care for gourds, since without care it will not be possible to get a quality crop. The quality of the fruits directly depends on the application of fertilizing to the soil at all stages of growing watermelons.
When sowing
Before planting the seed, be sure to fertilize the soil. To do this, the earth is mixed with a liquid that is prepared from humus. Then the site is treated with wood ash and bone meal, which increases the permeability of oxygen in the soil.
When landing in open ground
Some people prefer to grow watermelon bushes in the open field, so they immediately plant the seeds in the garden. Before that, the land on the site is mixed with green manure plants, which are considered the best top dressing to strengthen the roots.
When flowering
When pollination and flowering of bushes begins, it is recommended to add more fertilizing with potassium to the ground. This substance contributes to the appearance of new flowers on seedlings, due to which the yield increases significantly. Gardeners advise once a month to spray watermelons with Kelik and Nutrivant.
At the beginning of fruiting
At the initial stage of fruiting, it is necessary to take seriously the feeding of each bush, since due to the lack of nutrients in the soil, the yield is deteriorating. Often, few berries are tied on the bushes due to a lack of boron.
Therefore, to improve the formation of ovaries and the ripening of fruits, it is necessary to periodically spray the area with Megafol and Boroplus.
Nutrition for the fetus
The correct fertilization scheme for watermelon seedlings contributes to the ripening of berries. To make the fruits more watery and tasty, the plants are regularly sprayed with Uniflor and Terraflex.
How often to water
Before you start growing melons, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of their irrigation. In the first weeks after germination, the plant needs intensive watering, as its root system is weakened. With a lack of moisture, seedlings grow poorly and gradually fade. Also, more often it will be necessary to moisten the soil during the formation of flowers and the setting of the first fruits. During such periods, seedlings are watered at least four times a week.
Experts advise to moisten the soil in the afternoon, when the sun begins to set. In the daytime, it is not worth moistening the soil, because due to high temperature and sunlight, moisture will evaporate faster. For irrigation use settled water at room temperature. Watering the bushes with too cold liquid is contraindicated, as this can lead to rotting of the root system and further death of watermelons.
Irrigation of gourds ceases to be engaged after the full ripening of the fruits.
Harvest and storage
If the agricultural technique for growing watermelons has been fully observed, a ripe crop can be harvested 35-50 days after planting. However, sometimes watermelon berries ripen prematurely. To make sure that the fruits are ripe, inspect the color of their pulp and seeds. The seeds should be dark brown and the flesh should be pink with a reddish tinge. The peel of ripe watermelons should be hard and rough.
The harvested crop is best stored on high racks with shelves, which are located at a distance of 55-65 centimeters from each other. Each shelf should be covered with a thin layer of peat or straw. Such a coating will increase the shelf life of the crop. During storage, watermelons are carefully examined every month. All rotten fruits are thrown away so that the rot does not spread to neighboring berries. Monthly treatment of fruits with lime mortar will help protect the crop from rotting.
What diseases and pests gourds are susceptible to: methods of struggle
Often gourds do not grow well due to pest attacks or the development of diseases:
- Anthracnose. The presence of such a pathology can be determined by the brown spots that appear on the leaves of watermelons. To get rid of the symptoms of anthracnose, all infected bushes are treated with Bordeaux liquid and Kuprozan solution.
- Bacteriosis. The disease damages the leaves, on the surface of which oval white spots appear. Bacteriosis cannot be cured, so infected watermelons are dug up and burned.
- Mite. Due to dry weather, young watermelon seedlings are often attacked by spider mites. Insects feed on the juice from the leaves and stems, which causes the bushes to dry. A mixture made from onions and garlic will help to cope with the pest.
Conclusion
Many summer residents plant their plots with watermelon bushes. To properly grow them, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of planting gourds and caring for them.