Residents of the central regions of Ukraine cannot boast of a melon harvest - watermelons ripen late, grow small, savory. But a miracle crop of watermelon and melon can be harvested if you use a few professional secrets.

“It is better to plant watermelons in the second year after adding organic matter to the soil,” says Orest Barabash, head of the Department of Vegetable Growing at the Ukrainian Agrarian University, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences. - Watermelons grow best on sandy soils. In addition, not all varieties are suitable for mid-latitudes. I would recommend these: Borisfen, Borchansky, Golopristansky, Dumara, Obry, Sichnevy, Chernomorsky. These varieties ripen by mid-August. Melon should be taken mainly of three varieties: Serpyanka, Titovka and Bereginya.

In order for the harvest to be good, melons are best grown in seedlings. Seeds are sown on April 10-15. Before that, they need to be wetted, wait until they hatch, and planted in peat pots 10 × 10 centimeters in size. The pots must be filled with soil up to half - when the seedlings are pulled out, it will be necessary to pour the earth.

Watermelons are planted in open ground from May 18 to May 25, when the threat of frost disappears. If the soil is not sufficiently fertilized, half a kilogram of humus is placed in the pits and 8-10 centimeters of earth are poured on top. When planting, it is necessary to strictly observe the row spacing: for watermelon - 1.8 meters, for melon - 1.4. In a row, watermelon seedlings are planted at a distance of 1.4-1.8 meters, melons - 0.7-1.4. Two plants can be planted in the holes at once.

When the seedlings grow up, they are evenly distributed: one shoot to the right, one to the left. On the central stem, where the fruits are formed, you need to leave 3-4 ovaries, and pinch off the rest of the stem on the 6-7th leaf.

Melons are grown using the same technology. But, unlike watermelon, melon forms fruits on lateral shoots. 6-7 ovaries are left on the plants, and the stems are pinched off over the fruits on the 3rd-4th leaf.

Lunisolar sowing calendar

March 28 - rutabagas, turnips, potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, turnip onions, radishes, beets, horseradish, bulb flowers;

Planting and growing watermelons and melons in open ground

Watermelon and melon are associated with the taste of summer, and every gardener dreams of growing delicious fruits on his plot. Watermelon has long been used as a healing diuretic to cleanse the body. Melons are thermophilic and grow in a warm climate, so for their cultivation and planting watermelons in the open field, you need to have special knowledge.

Be sure to find out in advance whether it is possible to plant gourds if a cucumber, pepper, pumpkin or zucchini grows nearby.

Is it possible to plant watermelons and melons side by side?

Melons belong to the gourd family. Cultures are very useful and contain a huge amount of vitamins. If you learn how to properly grow these plants, you can get a high yield of delicious fruits.

Melon is quite suitable for "neighborhood" with watermelon. Plants tend to grow. It is not recommended to plant them too close together..

Proper sowing of seeds for seedlings at home

Seeds for seedlings are planted approximately 60 days before planting in open ground. So, already in mid-March, the seeds should be bought. You can buy them at any specialized store or ask those who have already managed to grow a quality crop of watermelons and melons.

It is impossible to get a good harvest from the seeds of last year's watermelon. The best seeds to plant - 5 years ago. It is important to understand that only any early-ripening varieties with a ripening period of up to 70-85 days are suitable for our climate. It is better to give preference to hybrid varieties that are more adapted to adverse conditions.

When preparing seeds, you need to make sure that they are not empty. To do this, seeds are immersed in a container with water, Anything that comes up can be safely thrown away.. Watermelon seeds germinate more slowly than melon seeds. Therefore, it is recommended to scald watermelon seeds with boiling water, for better germination, and only then sow.

Preparation for planting and soaking

1. Soak. Each individual type of seed must be wrapped and soaked in cloth rags and maintain in a humid environment until germination. You can also soak in special napkins.
2. If the seeds have already hatched, but there is no way to plant them in a timely manner, you can leave the seeds in the refrigerator.

Seeds germinated at home are planted in separate small pots with a diameter of 10 cm, preferably peat. The soil should be a mixture of: humus, sod land 3:1, add peat, sawdust, humus 3:1:0.5.

planted in each pot 2 seeds to the depth 5 cm. Moisten the soil with a sprayer. Cover the container with cling film on top and put in a warm place +25 degrees.

• when the seeds germinate, move them to sunlight at a temperature +22 degrees. Remove the film;
• the best place for seedlings is the windowsill on the south side of the house;
• a week after sowing, feed the seedlings with mineral fertilizers, and a week later - infusion of mullein with superphosphate.

Landing in open ground

When planting in open ground, you need to focus on climatic conditions, the selected crop variety, and the readiness of seedlings.

Soil selection

Before planting melons in open ground, you need to choose a place for planting. Exotic plants love sunny places where there is no shade and wind.

Melons and watermelons need rich soils, as well as those that can withstand moisture well. The ideal option is sandy and sandy loamy soil with a pH of 6-7 units.

Preparing seedlings of watermelons

When the seedlings appear 5-7 leaves, it is ready for transplanting into open ground. The best time - the end of May. However, you need to focus on weather conditions so that at night the air temperature remains +15 degrees.

A week before planting in open ground, seedlings must be taken out for hardening at a daily temperature of + 16 + 20 degrees.

Seedlings are ready for transplanting after the appearance of 5-7 leaves

Outdoor Landing Pattern - Depth and Distance

For planting in open ground, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. Holes should be made in the garden at a distance 0.5-0.7 meters apart in a checkerboard pattern. Leave 70cm spacing between rows.
2. Seedlings are placed in holes so that the surface remains only a few top leaves. The soil should be crushed and sprinkled with sand around to protect the plant from rot.
3. Harvest after planting should be watered with summer or slightly warmed water.
4. To protect a young plant from the scorching sun, it is necessary to close the sprouts for 2-3 days with moistened caps made of plastic or paper.

Features of growing melons

To ensure free access of oxygen to the roots, the soil needs to be constantly loosen to a depth of 10 cm. With the development of lateral loops, spud the culture. In order for the plant not to spend all its strength on gaining mass during the growth period, you need to pinch the main stem. For the full development of melons, three shoots are enough.

When fruit ovaries appear, 2-6 of the strongest and largest specimens are left on the bush. To reduce the load on the whip, it is recommended to tie the fruits into nets and hang on a support. The fruits are placed on foil linings to prevent rotting.

To reduce the load on the whip, the fruits can be hung in a net.

If watermelons will be used for storage and transportation in the future, then it is better to take a berry not fully ripe.

Advantages of planting in open ground:

• in warm weather, you can achieve maximum ripeness fruits;
• daily watering of the culture is not necessary;
• it is possible to increase the yield if the basic rules for selecting soil and planting seeds for seedlings are observed.

Growing watermelons and melons in a summer cottage is quite realistic. Some even grow them in bags or greenhouses. If you follow all the recommendations, then by the end of summer you can enjoy sweet, sugary fruits. The main advantage of growing melons in your garden is the absence of chemicals.

Gourds: how to grow melon, pumpkin, watermelon

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 a good harvest of gourds, the nuances of planting and care, agricultural techniques - so that all the relatives of harbuzov are alive and healthy.

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. In terms of useful qualities, they, in many respects, are 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.

1. The peculiarity of gourds is their thermophilicity and the need for direct sunlight, without shading.
2. 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: + 20 ° C - + 25 ° C, and at night does not fall below: + 18 ° C - + 20 ° C.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. In order for the harvest of gourds to be plentiful, and the fruits tasty and large, it is necessary to ensure regular watering.
6. 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.
7. 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: cucumbers, squash, zucchini. Good: herbs, cereals, cereals, corn, tomatoes, fodder crops, potatoes, beets, carrots, herbs and other vegetables.
8. Melons and gourds respond well to top dressing, the number of female flowers, the formation of ovaries, the filling of fruits, their taste and quality increase.
9. 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.
10. 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 look at the nuances of agricultural technology, choosing seeds of different varieties and growing crops.

Features of growing gourds

melon from seeds

In the southern regions, you can grow any variety, and in cooler regions - the best melon varieties: super-early Titovka, Early 133, reliable early hybrid Amal F1, traditional Kolkhoznitsa, 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. The best seeds will sink to the bottom. Rinse them with water and treat with germination stimulants.

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 mineral fertilizer to the planting 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 with specialized fertilizers. Water regularly, under the root. 203 weeks before fruit ripening, stop watering. Then the melons will be sweeter.

Watermelon from seeds

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 are: Crimson Suite, oval with light green skin Charleston Gray, with bright yellow flesh - Janusik 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 are pinched according to the general rules for melons.

pumpkin seed

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 - gymnosperms.

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 lighted, 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.

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Five tricks to grow watermelons and melons even in harsh conditions

Trick one: double cover

With this method, watermelons and melons are sown in open ground to a depth of 3-4 cm: watermelons are 1.5–2 m apart, melons are 1–1.2 m apart. Each clade contains 2–3 seeds. But they do this not at the end of May, as is usually recommended, but in the first half - then they will have enough time to fully mature. Someone will say: so there is still half a month of frosts ahead, the seedlings will die! And here is the main trick - young plants must be covered. And in an unusual way.

First, the crops are covered with a liter plastic bottle with a cut bottom. The bottom of it is spudded with sand and poured through the neck with warm water (45-50 ° C). On top of the first bottle they put a second, five-liter, also without a bottom. It turns out a kind of nesting doll, in which heat is perfectly preserved.

When the first true leaf appears on the plants, the strongest of the three seedlings in each hole is left. After thinning, the plants are abundantly watered and covered, but now only with five-liter bottles. And do not rush to take them off at the beginning of June - let the watermelons and melons bask under plastic caps until June 15-20.

Trick two: a place in the sun

Ideally, if the soil in the area for watermelons and melons is light, sandy. But this is not the most important thing. It is important that the melon gets a lot of sun. So there should not be any trees and shrubs nearby.

But when the fruits begin to ripen, they must be shaded so that they do not bake in the sun. Burdock leaves or newspaper are suitable for this - they are placed on top of watermelons and melons on hot days.

Trick three: plank under the barrel

Another problem of gourds in cool conditions is rot. Dampness rots fruits and even shoots. And to avoid this, you need to put a plank under each melon and watermelon so that they do not come into contact with the soil. Pour 2-3 handfuls of sand at the root collar.

Trick four: watering aside

In gourds, the roots go deep into the soil - in hot and dry conditions, they get their own water. But in the northern regions, where groundwater is often very close, long roots play a cruel joke - having reached the aquifer, they rot.

Therefore, it is important to make the roots grow not in depth, but in breadth. This is easy to do - you need to water the plants not at the root, but along the furrows that are made in the middle between the rows.

However, it is important not to overdo it with watering - they are needed only in very strong heat. And the next day, the earth must be loosened and mulched so that there is no soil crust.

Trick five: trimming lashes

A large number of fruits in a cool short summer will still not have time to ripen, and the bush will spend energy on them to the detriment of the rest of the crop. So no more than 5-6 watermelons or melons should be left on each plant.

In watermelons, female flowers form on the main lash, so they don’t touch it, but the side ones are cut out. And for melons, on the contrary, the main lash is cut off over 5-6 leaves.

With this method of growing melons, the crop can be harvested at the end of August.

How to grow gourds in open ground?

Methods for growing gourds in open ground

Growing by sowing seeds in non-insulated soil

Site selection and crop rotation. In many places in the temperate zone, virgin and fallow lands are being developed. Where the soils are sufficiently fertile, the newly developed lands should be widely used for gourds: they give high yields on them. For example, in the Altai Territory in 1954, on the Kuibyshev collective farm of the Uglovsky District, on a virgin lands from an area of ​​20 hectares, a crop of watermelon of the Pobeditel 395 variety was obtained at 750 centners per 1 hectare. In the same year, the Znamya Kommunizma collective farm in the Kulundinsky district (Altai Territory) harvested 350 centners of table watermelon and 700 centners of feed watermelon per hectare from an area of ​​32 hectares. In the same area, the Khrushchev collective farm, on an area of ​​36 hectares, grew a crop of fodder watermelon at 400 centners per 1 hectare and table watermelon 130 centners per 1 hectare.

The collective farm named after Lenin of the Kalmansky district in the virgin lands received a harvest of 750 centners of pumpkin variety Stopoundovaya per 1 hectare on an area of ​​13 hectares.

In vegetable farms, gourds can be placed in a special crop rotation along with other heat-loving crops. Good predecessors for gourds are legumes, onions, cabbage, root crops and seed plants of vegetable crops that do not belong to the pumpkin family. In order to prevent pests and diseases, melon crops should not be returned to their original place earlier than 4 years.

Melons are often sown after winter wheat sown on fertilized fallow.

In areas where melons and gourds occupy small areas, it is better to place them on adjacent plots, in the aisles of a young garden and in other warm areas. If possible, it is best to choose a site for melons with a southern, southwestern or southeastern slope with light sandy or loamy soil and permeable subsoil.

On the southern slopes, the ripening of fruits in watermelon and melon occurs 1-1 1/2 weeks earlier than on a flat surface, and the fruits, as a rule, are more sugary.

Fertilization and tillage. Gourds place high demands on fertilizer and tillage. For all areas of the zone, deep plowing is effective, the introduction of increased doses of phosphorus and potash fertilizers together with manure or compost. However, the doses of fertilizers should be different depending on soil differences and rainfall. The smallest amount of fertilizers is applied on chernozem, and the largest - on non-chernozem soils.

Preparing seeds for sowing. Before sowing, the seeds must be treated. In the temperate zone, it is especially important for sowing to select the largest seeds that have the greatest weight, since large, heavy seeds yield a crop 25-30% higher. In addition, the experiments of the Gribovskaya vegetable breeding station showed that in the cold spring period, plants from large seeds give a lower percentage of loss. So, in 1953, three batches of melon seeds Gribovskaya Rassadnaya 13 were sown. The first batch had an absolute seed weight of 50 g, the second 40 and the third 30 g. Due to the cold weather, the plants did not germinate well, many died. A seedling count in early June showed that plants from a batch of seeds with an absolute weight of 50 g were preserved by 39.2%, from a batch of seeds with an absolute weight of 40 g - by 28%, and from a batch with an absolute weight of 30 g - by 23%. ,one%. Similar results were on the Gribov experimental selection frame in 1956.

In the temperate zone, getting quick and friendly entries is of great importance. In most cases, sowing with germinated and soaked seeds is effective. Seeds of melons, pumpkins and zucchini are soaked before sowing one day, table and fodder watermelons - two days. In the experiments of the V. R. Williams All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Feeds, the yield increase from soaking the seeds of the hundred-pound pumpkin for two hours was 21.2% compared with the yield obtained by sowing with dry seeds.

Sowing carried out in such a way that the seedlings do not fall under the influence of the last spring frosts, when the soil temperature at a depth of 10 cm is not lower than 12 °. Pumpkin can be sown before watermelons and melons when the soil temperature reaches 8-10°C. On average, 1.5-5 kg ​​of melon seeds, 2-5 kg ​​of watermelon, 4-5 kg ​​of bush pumpkins and marrows, 3-4 kg of long-leafing pumpkins are required per 1 ha. 3-5 pumpkin seeds or 10-15 melon or watermelon seeds are sown in each hole and covered with soil.

The depth of seed placement depends on the composition of the soil. On light soils, melon seeds are buried to a depth of 3-3.5 cm, watermelons - 4-6, pumpkins - 5-8 cm. 3-5, pumpkins 4-5 cm.

If the soil is not moist enough, then in order to get quick, friendly shoots, the holes are watered before sowing and the seeds are placed in moist, freshly watered soil and covered with dry earth.

On large areas, gourds are sown with SKG-6 and CHI-6 seeders.

Care. Crops before germination, as well as young shoots, must be protected from birds. After germination, that is, approximately 10-12 days after sowing, all areas with gourds should be cultivated to a depth of 10-12 cm in two directions with tractor or horse cultivators, depending on the size of the feeding area.

During the summer, at least three loosenings are carried out, of which the second and subsequent loosenings must be done to a depth of 5-6 cm. Before the last cultivation, the whips have to be thrown into rows so as not to damage them with tractor wheels and cultivator paws. After the last plowing, the lashes are straightened over the site, and the soil near the plants is loosened by hand. With the cultivation of the soil around the root neck of the plants, thinning is combined.

The method of powdering lashes into grooves in areas with excessive moisture can be effective only in dry years, since with an excess of moisture in the soil, lashes of watermelons and melons sprinkled with earth rot.

Gourds are pollinated by insects. According to the estimates of the agronomist M. K. Sakharov (1951), the number of visits by bees to the flowers of gourds is 84.8-96.2% of the number of visits to them by other pollinators. He found that from plants whose flowers are pollinated by bees, the seeds are 2 times more viable than from those plants that were pollinated by other insects or artificially. Therefore, during the flowering period, it is necessary to export 1-2 bee colonies per 1 ha to the melon site.

Many melon growers use the technique of turning watermelon fruits 180 ° once or twice to get a more beautiful fruit. This technique is carried out carefully, without twisting the stem, 20 days after the formation of the ovary. The fruits are turned in the direction opposite to the sun to avoid burns. Turning melon fruits is not practiced.

There are a number of works that indicate the expediency of limiting the lashes in gourds by pinching the tops and cutting out non-fruiting shoots. In the Moscow region, in the experiments of the V. R. Williams All-Union Research Institute of Feeds (1953), pinching the tops of pumpkin lashes at the beginning of fruit set increased the yield by 33%. In the experiments of the department of vegetable growing of the Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K. A. Timiryazev (1939), the yield of Etamskaya pumpkin without pinching was 11 tons, and with pinching - 22.5 tons per 1 ha. The work of the same station showed that the pinching of melons sharply increases the yield, as well as the number of ripe fruits. In zucchini, it is recommended to pinch the top of the main stem during budding. At the Gribovskaya vegetable breeding station (Moscow region), positive results were obtained from pinching all the tops of pumpkin, melon and watermelon lashes at a time when 2-3 fruits are formed on the plant. Thanks to pinching, excessive thickening of the lashes is eliminated and fruit growth is enhanced due to the large influx of plastic substances to them. According to the West Siberian Vegetable Experimental Station, pinching the main stem of melons above the 5-6th leaf significantly accelerates fruit ripening.

The Muslyumovsky state farm in the Chelyabinsk region successfully applied pinching of melons of the main stem over the 3rd leaf, first-order lashes over the 7-8th leaf, second-order lashes over the 4th leaf, counting from the formed ovary. In pinched plants, crop maturation began two weeks earlier than in controls. According to the state farm, in 8 hours one worker performs pinching the tops of the main lashes on an area of ​​0.15 hectares, and pinching the axes of the first and second order on an area of ​​0.05 hectares.

Growing watermelons in your garden

• Sowing watermelons
• How to water
• Video footage

A lot has been said about the benefits of watermelons: sweet juicy fruits are indicated for diseases of the heart and blood vessels, kidneys, liver, salt metabolism disorders, obesity and many other ailments. It is the richest source of potassium, magnesium, iron, folic acid, vitamins, acids and pectins. However, many are simply afraid to buy watermelons for fear of being poisoned by them. It's no secret that unscrupulous entrepreneurs who grow products increase the dose of pesticides and fertilizers in order to get a higher yield. Naturally, natural is much healthier and safer for our health.

Watermelons are very demanding on heat and light; it is not for nothing that they are considered one of the most heat-loving crops. Seeds will germinate at a temperature of at least 15 degrees, and the temperature norm for flowering will be from plus 18 to 20 ° C (in the morning) and up to 25 degrees in the daytime. As soon as the daytime temperature drops below 20 ° C, plant growth will slow down. Choose seeds that are not early maturing, but also not characterized by long maturation. Many summer residents praise the varieties of watermelons Ogonyok and Sugar Baby. They differ from other varieties of watermelons with an average size of 4–6 kg and a dark green color without clearly defined lines, the flesh is dark red, and the stones are black.

Watermelon is drought-resistant due to its well-developed, powerful root system, but at the same time it does not tolerate shading.

Growing watermelons: what soils are suitable

For growing watermelon, sandy loamy soils are suitable, warming up in the sun and protected from strong winds. Absolutely unsuitable is too moist land, with a heavy mechanical composition and characterized by being near groundwater. The best option is neutral or alkaline soil, but not acidic, where very small fruits will grow, which will have time to crack while still green. Change planting sites every year - this is good for the soil: next year, it is better to plant corn or wheat in place of watermelons.

Sowing watermelons

The first shoots will appear after 8-10 days, which will be considered the norm. If the ground is still cold, then the germination time increases, and the seedlings may simply die. This can also lead to the development of pathogenic flora in seedlings, which will further adversely affect their development during the growing season.

Each hole should be filled with ash (1 tablespoon) mixed with earth, humus and nitroammophos (1 teaspoon). In the future, this will increase yields by about 20%. The seeding depth is 5-8 cm. After sowing, mulch the soil surface with humus so that a crust does not appear, which can harm the seedlings when they emerge to the surface.

watermelon care

To accelerate the growth of watermelon, various shelters are used: from simple individual ones to group film ones. At the same time, even simple shelters with a film increase the temperature, thereby accelerating maturation by two to three weeks. In addition, with the help of such devices, you will protect plants from pests such as bugs.

You can arrange tunnel shelters with frames made of vines or wire rod. They are removed, as a rule, in early June, on a cloudy day, so that the plants cannot “burn out” under the scorching sun. Otherwise, they will weaken or become a source of infection for mass melons.

As for pollination, when grown under a film, it is carried out manually. To attract bees next to watermelons, you can plant honey plants or spray melons with a weak solution of honey or sugar.

How to water watermelons

During the cultivation of watermelons under the film, they are watered as they dry. After removing the shelters, watering should be stopped. In open ground, watering stops with the beginning of fruit set.

In the future, care comes down to breaking through seedlings, loosening, weeding the soil, destroying weeds and top dressing. Don't let it thicken! Melon crops are very light-loving, so if you want to grow a large and sweet watermelon in the open field - remember that only one plant should remain in the hole - try to keep 1 sq. meter had no more than three landings.

Video about growing gourds

Video: growing under drip irrigation

Video about square watermelons of Japan

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 a good harvest of gourds, the nuances of planting and care, agricultural techniques - so that all the relatives of harbuzov are alive and healthy.

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. In terms of useful qualities, they, in many respects, are 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.

1. The peculiarity of gourds is their thermophilicity and the need for direct sunlight, without shading.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. In order for the harvest of gourds to be plentiful, and the fruits tasty and large, it is necessary to ensure regular watering.
6. 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.
7. 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. .
8. Melons and gourds respond well to top dressing, the number of female flowers, the formation of ovaries, the filling of fruits, their taste and quality increase.
9. 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.
10. 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 look at the nuances of agricultural technology, choosing seeds of different varieties and growing crops.

Features of growing gourds

In the southern regions, you can grow any variety, and in cooler regions - the best melon varieties: 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. The best seeds will 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 are pinched according to the general rules for melons.

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 lighted, 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.

Cultivation of an early harvest of gourds is achieved by introducing early-ripening varieties into the culture, using various methods of pre-sowing preparation of seeds, placing crops on the southern slopes, growing seedlings, mulching crops with synthetic materials, using temporary film shelters, growing gourds in protected ground.

Cultivation of an early crop in an open ground in a seedling way. This method makes it possible to grow ripe fruits in open ground 10-20 days earlier and increase their yield by 26-50%, especially in the first days of harvest.

The seedling method of growing gourds in open ground is effective in all areas of the country. In the south, this method makes it possible to obtain ripe fruits from open ground as early as early July, and in the western regions and in Polissya it is possible to successfully grow these crops, where watermelons and melons do not always ripen when sown with seeds directly into the soil.

Growing seedlings of gourds for open ground. Seedlings of gourds are grown in greenhouses, which are released after seedlings of early cabbage, early green crops and in film greenhouses. Plants of gourds are difficult to transplant, so seedlings are grown in pots, bulk containers or in cassettes.

The composition of the soil mixture depends on the availability of local materials, which include humus, peat, sod land, mullein, sawdust. In the presence of peat, the components of the soil mixture are: three parts of peat, one part of sawdust, 0.5 parts of mullein, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:4. For 1 m 3 of soil mixture, 1 kg of ammonium nitrate, 1 kg of potassium chloride and 2 kg of superphosphate are added. Dolomite flour or chalk, in the case of using peat, is added to bring the pH to 6.5. In areas where peat is absent, a mixture of humus and soddy soil in a ratio of 3: 1 is used to make pots. For 1 m 3 of the mixture add 5-10% mullein and mineral fertilizers - 3 kg of superphosphate, 1 kg of ammonium nitrate and 0.5 kg of potassium sulfate.

The highest yields of cheap early production of melons are given by watermelon plants planted with 30-day seedlings, and melons - with 20-day-old seedlings. Younger seedlings do not give the expected effect, and 40- and 45-day-old seedlings after transplantation are sick for a long time. Pots should be 8x8 or 10 x 10 cm.

Seeds are sown in pots in such a way that at the time of planting the plants pass the threat of frost and warm weather is established with a soil temperature of about 14 ° C. In the central part of the country, this period begins on May 15 - 20, in the left-bank Forest-Steppe - on May 20 - 25, in the south - on May 5 - 10. Therefore, the timing of sowing seeds, taking into account the germination period, respectively, fall on 10-15, 15-20 and 1-5 April. Seedlings after sowing under optimal conditions appear on the 3-5th day. Before sowing, the seeds are carefully prepared and sown in each pot, 2-3 pecked or dry seeds to a depth of 3-4 cm. After that, the pots are watered with warm water (24-25 ° C). During seed germination, the temperature should be 25 - 30 °C. With the advent of seedlings, it is reduced over 3-4 days to 16-18 ° C. In the next period, the optimum temperature during the cultivation of seedlings of watermelons and melons is 20-25 ° C during the day, and 16-18 ° C at night. Seedlings are watered with moderately warm water. Relative humidity should be 60 - 70%. Sown seeds and seedlings can be damaged by mice, bears and other pests. To combat them, poisoned baits are buried in the soil.

After 5 - 6 days after the emergence of seedlings in pots, excess plants are removed, pinching them and leaving the most developed one at a time. Two weeks after the emergence of seedlings, the plants are fed with a solution of bird droppings (1: 15) or mullein (2: 10) with the addition of 30 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium sulfate per 10 l of a solution. 5-7 days before planting, seedlings are fed with a solution of mineral fertilizers (10-15 g of ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate and 40-50 g of superphosphate in 10 liters of water for 80-100 plants). In addition, 4-5 days before planting, the seedlings are hardened, gradually increasing ventilation, reducing watering and lowering the temperature to 17-18 ° C. Seedlings suitable for planting after the formation of 3 - 4 true leaves. Before planting, it is well watered, after which it is planted manually, with pouring water into the holes or furrows, or with SKN-6A transplanters according to the schemes adopted in the case of growing from seeds. Under irrigation conditions, 2-3 irrigations are carried out after planting seedlings. Further care consists in loosening the row spacing, weeding between plants and removing weeds, protecting plants from pests and diseases.

For the cultivation of gourds in seedlings, the most early-ripening varieties are used.

Cultivation of early products under temporary film shelters. An effective method for obtaining an early harvest of gourds is mulching crops with light or dark ordinary or perforated polyethylene film or agrofiber and the use of temporary small-sized frame and frameless shelters. Mulching with plastic film creates a favorable temperature regime in the soil and the subsoil air layer, contributes to the rapid and friendly emergence of seedlings and plant development, which ensures an increase in the overall and especially early harvest. In addition, in areas mulched with film, weed control is facilitated, since it suppresses their development, and moisture loss from evaporation is significantly reduced.

Mulching is carried out after sowing. The film is spread over the sown rows, and the edges are sprinkled with earth. After the emergence of shoots of melons in the film, holes are made to reach the surface of the film of plants. The film as a mulch is left for the entire growing season and removed after harvesting the cultivated crop. Sowing with the use of mulch is carried out 2-3 weeks earlier than the accepted dates for sowing in open ground.

The seedling method of growing melons with shelter contributed to obtaining earlier production with a yield of 135 centners per hectare, which is 80 centners per hectare higher than without shelter, and 31 centners per hectare more than when growing without seedlings with shelter. The total yield in seedling cultivation with shelter was 174 centners/ha, which was 42 centners/ha higher than without shelter, and 53 centners/ha higher than in seedlingless cultivation.

At this same experimental station, I.S. Semchak and G.I. Kirilov studied the effect of seedling age on the yield of melon variety Early 133. The seedlings were grown in peat pots 8 x 8 cm in size, the soil mixture for falling asleep in pots consisted of humus, peat and soddy soil in a ratio of 2:1:1. Seedlings were used at the age of 15, 25, 35 days, for the cultivation of which, respectively, for additional heating of film greenhouses (per 1000 pieces), 432.5, 852.6, 1245.4 kWh of electricity were used.

To grow an early crop, the site was placed on a slope with a fertile, light-textured soil. The predecessor is winter wheat. Soil cultivation consisted in stubble plowing in two directions with a BDT-3 heavy disc harrow. After 2 - 3 weeks, 50 t / ha of organic fertilizers were applied and plowing was carried out to a depth of 27 - 30 cm with a plow with skimmers. After plowing diagonally, the fields were planned, and a month later, across the plowing, non-moldboard plowing to a depth of 35 cm was carried out. In winter, snow retention was carried out. In early spring, the soil was harrowed, then cultivation was carried out to a depth of 12-14 cm, and before planting seedlings, chiselling to a depth of 22 cm.

Across the chiselling the day before planting the seedlings, earth rolls 25–30 cm high were cut with a special machine of the NDIOG design, with a distance of 140 cm between them. by means of an NDIOG design machine, they covered it with a plastic film. Film consumption per 1 ha was 550 kg. The film was used with a web width of 140-150 cm and a thickness of 0.08-0.1 mm

Seedlings were planted in the conditions of the Donetsk region in the third decade of April - the first decade of May. Seedlings, depending on age, had different biometric indicators (Table 15).

The root system of 15-day-old seedlings was inside the pot for the planting period, while in 35-day-old seedlings it went beyond its borders and was injured during the selection, transportation and planting of seedlings, which reduced its survival rate by 7%. Phenological observations showed that by the phase of mass flowering, plants of seedlings of 15 days of age were 2-3 days behind in development compared to seedlings of 35 days of age, but the first harvest of fruits was simultaneous. Plants of 15-day-old seedlings had 1.5-2 times less shoots and leaves, and the length of each shoot and the assimilating surface of leaves were 2-2.5 times greater compared to 35-day-old seedlings.

Seedlings of 15 and 25 days of age provided a greater increase in yield compared to seedlings of 35 days of age (Table 16).

The lowest cost of the harvest was when using 15-day-old seedlings.

Consequently, 15-day-old seedlings are not inferior to 25- and 35-day-old seedlings over the total yield; its advantage also lies in the fact that 2-3 times less electricity is spent on its cultivation.

Seedlings of watermelons and melons are grown for 30-35 days until 4-5 true leaves are formed on the plants. The technology of growing seedlings is similar to that described in the section "Growing gourds in open ground". Growing seedlings for hydroponic greenhouses is associated with the use of polyethylene pots and a fine fraction (3 - 5 mm) of crushed granite. For low-volume cultivation, mineral wool cubes are used. During the cultivation of seedlings intended for early planting, additional artificial lighting is used.

High whimsicality to light determines the timing of growing watermelons and melons in winter greenhouses. In the third light zone, they are planted in a permanent place in late February - early March, in the conditions of the fourth and fifth light zones - in mid-February, in the sixth light zone - in January.

To increase the resistance of melons and watermelons against diseases and increase productivity, they can be grafted onto a pumpkin. The vaccination is done in a split, and a few leaves are left on the stock, because after the vaccination, the graft is not able to assimilate all the necessary substances in the first period. Watermelon is grafted onto a table gourd (Lagenaria), melon - onto a large-fruited or fig pumpkin (C. figolia). Grafting watermelons and melons on a pumpkin speeds up fruiting at 3-4 weeks. This increases the sugar content of the fruit.

In block greenhouses with a link width of 6.4 m, melons are planted in six rows according to a 106 x 35 cm pattern, and watermelons are planted in four rows according to a 160 x 50 cm pattern.

In the case of growing watermelons and melons in winter greenhouses, attention is focused on maintaining optimal temperatures in the root-containing medium at a level of about 25 ° C. The optimum air temperature for melons during the day during sunny hours should be 26 - 28 ° C, cloudy - 22 - 24 ° C, at night - 18 - 20 ° C, relative air humidity - 60 - 70%. For watermelons, respectively, during sunny hours - 24 - 26 ° C, cloudy hours - 20-22, at night - 17-18 ° C, relative humidity - 60-65%.

Before fruit set, the plants are watered moderately, due to the tendency of plants to accelerate growth to the detriment of fruiting. Watering is increased only with the beginning of the fruit filling, at the same time carrying out top dressing. Watermelons are watered more moderately compared to melons.

In hydroponic greenhouses, before fruit set, the substrate is moistened once or twice a day so as not to stimulate the formation of stems and leaves and delay the fruiting process. During the filling of fruits, the substrate is moistened with a nutrient solution more often - up to 3-4 times a day, and during the period of fruit ripening - 2-3 times. With a moderate supply of moisture, sweeter fruits are formed.

For better pollination of gourds, beehives with bees are placed a week before the start of flowering of female flowers. Flowering begins 35 - 40 days after planting seedlings. The period from flowering to the beginning of fruit ripening is 40-45 days, depending on the variety.

Lateral shoots of the third order at a height of 80-100 cm are removed, which prevents the spreading of shoots on the soil surface.

After ovaries with a diameter of 3-4 cm are formed on the plants, some of them are removed, leaving varieties with large fruits one fruit per shoot, and small-fruited varieties - two fruits each. The fruits are left by those that are closer to the main shoot. Weak, underdeveloped shoots are removed. The shoots on which the ovary is left are shortened over the fourth or fifth leaf above the ovary. To speed up the filling of fruits, it is recommended to stop the growth of young shoots by pinching their tops.

In watermelon plants, fruits begin to form on the main shoot, therefore, during the seedling period, the plants are not pinched and the main stem grows arbitrarily along a vertical trellis. In the future, the fruits are formed on the shoots of the second and next orders. During the rationing of fruits on one plant, 2-3 ovaries are left. The shoots on which the ovaries are left are pinched, leaving 4-5 leaves above each fruit and removing excess ovaries. The lower shoots, like dini plants, are removed. Shoots are also removed that are poorly developed and those on which there are no ovaries.

The fruits of watermelons and melons, which are already growing or already ripening, are placed in polyethylene or cotton nets and hung from a trellis. The yield of watermelons averages 5-6, and melons 5-7 kg / m 2.

In greenhouses, watermelons and melons are grown as tomato compactors. Plants are planted together with the main crop in five or six rows at a distance of 70 - 80 cm from one another. Then they are tied to a vertical trellis. After the formation of the required number of fruits on the plants, the shoots are pinched, leaving 4-5 leaves above each fruit. The remaining ovaries and all non-fruiting shoots are removed. Fruits in nets are tied to a trellis (stretched wire). Shoots of watermelons and melons, which occupy space above the main crop, create favorable temperature conditions in the spring and summer months, protecting plants from overheating during high temperatures.

The yield of watermelons and melons as sealing plants is 0.6 - 0.8 kg/m 2 .

GROWING GOLUNS IN FILM GREENHOUSES

The use of film greenhouses makes it possible to grow in

an average of 5-6 kg/m 2 of melons and gourds prior to their receipt from the open ground. In some cases, up to 10-12 kg/m 2 are obtained.

Under the conditions of Ukraine, seedlings of melons and gourds are planted in film greenhouses with heating in March - early April, and in greenhouses without heating - in the second half of April. In the Crimea, in a greenhouse with heating, seedlings of watermelons and melons are planted in late February - early March, in a greenhouse with emergency heating - in the second half of March, and in non-heated ones - in the first - second decade of April. Of particular importance is the culture of gourds in film greenhouses when they are reused after growing seedlings of vegetable plants for open ground. Seedlings under these conditions are planted in the second half of April - the first half of May.

Soil preparation. For the cultivation of watermelons and melons, as the main crop in film greenhouses, soil preparation begins with the introduction of humus for watermelons at 100-150, and for melons at 150-200 t / ha (L. G. Shulgina). In order to improve the physical properties of the soil, sawdust or straw is added up to 25% of the volume of the soil mixture. Straw chaff is applied in several steps, after which it is buried to a depth of 25 cm. Straw activates microbiological processes in the soil and this can lead to its depletion in nutrients, especially nitrogen, so 10 kg of active nitrogen must be added per 1 ton of straw . If the straw rate is 3 kg / m 2, additionally add 86 g of ammonium nitrate per 1 m 2 of the greenhouse.

Sawdust is also an effective leavening material. It is best to use precomposted sawdust. During composting, 10 m 3 sawdust is mixed from 1 ton of humus and 100 - 200 kg of bird droppings, filled with gnaw and composted for 4 months. in piles 80 cm high, interrupting them every 2 months. If the farms have peat, it is added to the soil mixture at the rate of 100-150 t/ha. Adding lime to peat, bring the pH value to 6.2 - 6.4.

In autumn, in addition to organic fertilizers and loosening materials, 4-5 centners / ha of superphosphate are applied for plowing, and 1.5 - 2 centners / ha of ammonium nitrate and 1 - 1.5 centners / ha of potassium sulfate are applied in spring for milling.

In the case of using greenhouses after their release from seedlings for open ground, fertilizers are not applied.

Cultivation of seedlings is carried out according to the technology described in the section "Growing gourds in open ground". G. L. Borisov, V. Ya. 01% solution of zinc sulfate, germinate and sow two seeds in peat or plastic bulk pots measuring 10 x 10 x 8 or 12 x 12 x 8 cm. Weak plants are removed 4-5 days after emergence. Melon seedlings are grown within 12-14 days, watermelons - 18-20 days from the moment of germination. The timing of sowing seeds for growing seedlings is determined based on the timing of the start of planting plants in a permanent place. The temperature in the greenhouse is maintained at 22-24°C during the day and 17-19°C at night. Seedlings are watered moderately, always with warm water, after watering the greenhouse is ventilated. 5 - 7 days before planting seedlings in the soil in the room, increase ventilation and stop watering. On the eve of planting, the plants are watered until the entire volume of the soil mixture of the pot is completely moistened. With the normal development of seedlings, feeding with phosphorus (45 g of superphosphate per 10 l of water) and potassium (10 g of potassium salt per 10 l of water) fertilizers is done only 1-2 days before planting it in a permanent place. In case of poor development of plants, they are fed at the beginning of the formation of the second or third leaf. In this case, a complete mineral fertilizer is applied at the rate of 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 30 superphosphate and 10 g of potassium salt per 10 liters of water. At the time of planting seedlings in a permanent place, it should have two or three, but not more than four true leaves.

Seedlings of watermelons and melons in heated greenhouses are planted when the soil warms up to 20 - 22 ° C. After planting the seedlings in a permanent place, the temperature in the greenhouses is maintained for the first 3-4 days in sunny weather at the level of 20-22 ° C, and in cloudy weather and at night - 18-20 ° C. If the plants take root and start growing, the temperature in greenhouses on sunny days is maintained at 27 - 30 ° C, and on cloudy days 22 - 25 ° C, at night - 20 - 22 ° C. For a melon, after the formation of ovaries, the air temperature should be 30 -40 ° C. It should be noted that the level of optimal temperatures for watermelons is lower and their overheating is more dangerous compared to melons, therefore, in film greenhouses, during the cultivation of watermelons, proper ventilation is created. The optimum soil temperature during this period is 24-26 °C. In film greenhouses on solar heating, seedlings are planted when the soil temperature at a depth of 10 cm in the morning is 14 ° C. To increase the temperature of the soil, it is mulched with a transparent film. From the very beginning of planting seedlings, it is desirable to arrange tunnel shelters to improve the microclimate in greenhouses. If necessary (at night), a double layer of film is applied to the tunnels.

According to research by S. A. Bondarenok and L. M. Shulgina (IOB UAAS), melons respond positively to an increase in air volume in buildings, which helps to equalize the temperature regime.

In film greenhouses, where there is more than 2 m 3 air per 1 m 2 of area, melon plants have a large vegetative mass and give a 14% higher yield than in greenhouses, where 1.5 m 3 air falls on 1 m 2. In small-sized film greenhouses, the optimal density is 2-3 plants per 1 m 2 with 2-3 main shoots on each. Plants are placed according to the scheme 70 x 70 or 55 x 65 cm. When planting two tall per 1 m 2, when forming a bush, the first pinching is carried out after the plants have taken root behind the third true leaf. If 7-8 leaves form on the side shoots of the first order, the second pinching is done over the sixth leaf. The shoots on which the ovaries have formed and have reached a diameter of 5 cm are shortened, leaving 4-5 leaves above the ovary. Barren shoots are shortened over the third - fifth leaf. In large-sized film greenhouses, the optimal density is two plants per 1 m 2 with arbitrary formation of a bush without pinching at seedling age.

Seedlings of watermelons in large greenhouses are planted according to the scheme 70 x 70 cm. Plants are tied to a trellis. At an early age, they are not pinched, but only weak shoots are removed. With this planting scheme, 2-3 fruits are left on one plant. This operation is carried out when the ovary reaches a diameter of 5 - 7 cm. To accelerate the growth of the fruit, pinch the shoots, leaving five leaves above the fruit.

As noted by R. L. Borisova et al., in film greenhouses in the south of Ukraine and in the Crimea, the apical point of growth is not pinched at the seedlings of melons and watermelons. Seedlings are planted according to the scheme 70 x 70 cm. Deep holes are made in the landing sites, into which peat, humus or a compost mixture of peat, with humus, is introduced. Then they fill it with water and, as soon as it is absorbed by the soil, a pot with seedlings is placed at the bottom of the hole, which is covered with earth 1.5 - 2 cm above the soil level, forming a mound near the stem that will protect it from water during irrigation. If the peat humus pots are dense, then they are well moistened before planting, and during planting they are slightly squeezed by hand to make cracks in the pots, along which the roots will easily penetrate into the soil. After the plants have taken root, they are tied to a trellis with twine and, as the vegetative mass grows, they are formed. The main shoot, as noted, is not pinched, but the two lower lateral shoots of the first order are removed, since female flowers appear late on them. The next 3-4 shoots are spread on the surface of the soil and each one is pinched 2-3 leaves after the appearance of a female flower. Shoots on which female flowers did not form to the sixth or seventh node are removed, and the central stem is regularly tied to twine as it grows, without pinching. Lateral shoots of the first order of the middle
and the upper tiers of the trellis are pinched 2-3 leaves above the female flower. Rationing the ovaries accelerates the formation of the first fruits and improves their marketability and taste. The normal load on the plant is 4-5 fruits weighing 0.8-1.2 kg. During the cultivation of varieties with smaller fruits, the load of plants with ovaries is increased to 14-16 pcs. The fruits that form on the central stem, middle and upper lateral shoots are enclosed in mesh bags, which are suspended from the upper horizontal wire of the trellis or the frame of the greenhouse. Pieces of glass are placed under the fruits that form on shoots that creep along the surface of the soil in order to prevent them from rotting and being damaged by various pests.

Plants are watered moderately at first, and then gradually increase the watering rate. Melons are watered first after 3-4 days at the rate of 10 liters of water per 1 m 2, in cloudy weather - less often, in sunny weather - more often. It is necessary to water carefully with warm water, wetting only the soil, and leaving the stem and leaves dry. Therefore, watering is carried out along the furrows. After each watering, the soil is loosened. Optimal relative
air humidity 60 - 70%. During flowering, air humidity
somewhat increase refreshing watering. In hot weather
it is advisable to carry them out every other day. The fruits ripen better
in dry air. Watermelons are watered less frequently than melons because
excessive watering reduces sugar content, contributes to thickening
bark and the appearance of fungal diseases. The relative humidity of the air during the formation of watermelon fruits is maintained at the level
about 70%, and during their growth and maturation - 60%.

Plants of watermelons and melons during the growing season are fed 2-3 times with an interval of 8-10 days. The composition and doses of dressings depend on the content of mineral nutrients in the soil. The composition of the mixture for feeding melons: for 10 liters of water, take 25 g of ammonium nitrate, 50 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium sulfate, for feeding watermelons, respectively, 10, 50 and 30 g.

According to L. G. Shulgina, during the first feeding, 1 liter of solution is consumed per plant, during the next - 1.5 liters.

For pollination in a greenhouse, 10-15 days before the flowering of plants, hives with bees are brought in.

Ripened melon fruits are recognized by the change in color from green to yellow, the appearance of a characteristic aroma, and the ease with which the fruit separates from the stem. A watermelon is considered ripe, which has a dull sound after light tapping on it with a finger and a matte coating. The fruits of watermelons are cut, not plucked, so as not to damage the tops of the plant.

GROWING GOLUNS IN GREENHOUSES

In greenhouses, watermelons, melons and zucchini are most often grown as a second crop after growing seedlings of early and medium cabbage. Previously, in greenhouses or hotbeds, 25-30-day-old seedlings are grown in humus-earthen (humus to earth ratio 3: 1) or peat-humus (ratio - 3 hours peat, 1 hour sawdust and 0.5 hours liquid cow pus diluted in ratio 1:4) in pots The pots are 8x8 or 10x10 cm in size, one plant is left in them. Planting seedlings in a permanent place is carried out at the rate of two plants under the greenhouse frame. The soil layer in the greenhouse must be at least 25 cm. In greenhouses with electric and water heating, this layer is created without adding soil mixture. When using greenhouses with biological heating, in the middle of the greenhouse frame where the plants will be planted, the soil mixture is removed to a width of 30 - 35 cm and placed next to it in the greenhouse, then I select biofuel in the groove to a depth of 10-15 cm, laying it on the paths, and the groove is covered soil mixture. The total thickness of the soil mixture in the groove zone should be 25 - 30 cm. Towards the northern and southern parubny, the thickness of the soil mixture is 10-12 cm. In case of a shortage of soil mixture, freshly prepared soil is added to it. The best soil mixture for growing melons and gourds is humus-earthen: for 2 hours of fresh soddy soil, 1 part of humus is added and 5-10% of river sand and mineral fertilizers are added to the mixture. After planting the seedlings, the temperature during the day is maintained at 25-30 ° C, and at night 18-20 ° C. Water moderately, with warm water, avoiding overmoistening of the soil, after 2-3 days, 4-5 liters each, and in dry and hot weather, 8-12 liters each. Water should be poured between the tops, preventing the root neck of the plants from soaking. During the flowering period, watering is temporarily limited for better formation of ovaries.

Greenhouses are periodically ventilated, and with the onset of warm weather, when the threat of frost passes, they open completely removing the frames. The frames are removed gradually so that the plants get used to the outside air and direct sunlight.

In the process of vegetation, infertile shoots are cut out from watermelon plants, and in fruitful shoots, a growth point is pinched above the second or third leaf above the ovary. 2-3 formed ovaries are left on the watermelon plant, and the excess ones are removed. In melons, pinching of the main stem is carried out above the fourth or fifth leaf, side shoots - above the fifth - seventh leaf and above the second or third leaf above the ovaries. On melon plants, 3-5 fruits are left.

Melon plants respond very well to top dressing. During the growing season, 3-4 fertilizing with organic and mineral fertilizers is carried out. Melons and zucchini are fed at the beginning of development with organic fertilizers, adding superphosphate and potassium chloride (Table 20). For optimal placement of the vegetative mass of plants and the formation of additional roots, when the shoots reach a length of 40 - 50 cm, they are pinned with wooden hooks 12-15 cm long at a distance of 25 - 30 cm from the root neck (always near the petiole of the leaf). The places of pinning are sprinkled with a moist soil mixture, which contributes to the formation of additional roots. To prevent the fruits from rotting, pieces of glass or thin boards are placed under them.

For growing in greenhouses, the most early-ripening varieties of watermelons and melons are used. Before the beginning of the receipt of fruits from the field in greenhouses, 4-6 kg of crop can be obtained from one frame.

GROWING GOLUNS IN WINTER GLAZED GREENHOUSES

The cultivation of watermelons and melons in winter glazed greenhouses, despite their rather valuable properties, is limited. The culture of watermelons and melons is possible both in soil and hydroponic greenhouses. Mostly watermelons and melons are grown in such greenhouses as compactors, sometimes as an independent crop.

Seedlings of watermelons and melons are grown for 30 - 35 days to form 4 - 5 true leaves on plants. The technology of growing seedlings is similar to that described in the section "Growing gourds in open soil". Growing seedlings for hydroponic greenhouses is associated with the use of polyethylene pots and a fine fraction (3 - 5 mm) of crushed granite. For low-volume cultivation, mineral wool cubes are used. During the cultivation of seedlings intended for early planting, additional artificial lighting is used.

High whimsicality to light determines the timing of growing watermelons and melons in winter greenhouses. In the third light zone, they are blown up to a permanent place at the end of February - at the beginning of March, in the conditions of the fourth and fifth light zones - in mid-February, in the sixth light zone - in secants.

To increase the resistance of melons and watermelons against diseases and increase productivity, they can be grafted onto a pumpkin. The vaccination is done in a split, and a few leaves are left on the undergraft, because after the vaccination, the graft is not able to assimilate all the necessary substances during the feather-bed period. Watermelon is grafted onto a table gourd (Lagenaria), melon - onto a large-fruited or fig-leaved pumpkin (C. figolia). Grafting watermelons and melons on a pumpkin speeds up fruiting at 3-4 weeks. This increases the sugar content of the fruit.

In block greenhouses with a link width of 6.4 m, melons are blown up in six rows following a 106 x 35 cm pattern, and watermelons in four rows following a 160 x 50 cm pattern.

In the case of growing watermelons and melons in winter greenhouses, attention is focused on maintaining optimal temperatures in the root environment at a level of about 25 ° C. The optimum air temperature for melons during the day during sunny hours should be 26 - 28 ° C, cloudy - 22 - 24 ° C, at night - 18 - 20 ° C, relative humidity - 60 - 70%; for watermelons, respectively, 24 - 26 ° C, 20-22, 17-18 ° C, 60-65%.

Before fruit set, plants are watered moderately, due to the tendency of plants to accelerate growth to the detriment of fruiting. Watering is intensified only with the beginning of the fruit filling, at the same time carrying out feeding. Watermelons are watered more moderately compared to melons.

In hydroponic greenhouses, before fruit set, the substrate is moistened once or twice a day so as not to stimulate the formation of stems and leaves and delay the fruiting process. During fruit filling, the substrate is moistened with a nutrient solution more often - up to 3-4 times a day, and during the period of fruit ripening - 2-3 times. With a moderate supply of moisture, sweeter fruits are formed.

For better pollination of gourds, beehives with bees are placed a week before the start of flowering of female flowers. Flowering begins 35 - 40 days after the explosion of seedlings. The period from flowering to the beginning of fruit ripening is 40-45 days, depending on the variety.

Plants of gourds are formed on a vertical trellis. The first pinching of melons is recommended to be carried out over the third leaf of the seedlings. After pinching, three shoots are formed on the plant, which, as they grow, are wrapped around the twine, directing them to the upper horizontal wire. The second time, the top of the shoots is pinched when the plants reach a height of 2-2.5 m. During this time, shoots of the third order are formed, as a rule, female flowers form on them. If their appearance is delayed, re-pinch the tops of the shoots of the second and part of the shoots of the third order. This contributes to the formation of shoots of the fourth order, on which female flowers appear.

Side shoots of the third order to a height of 80-100 cm are removed, which prevents the spreading of shoots on the soil surface.

After the ovaries with a diameter of C -4 cm are formed on the plants, some of them are removed, leaving in varieties with large fruits one fruit per shoot, and in small-fruited varieties - two fruits. The fruits are left by those that are closer to the main shoot. Weak, underdeveloped shoots are removed. The shoots on which the ovary is left are shortened over the fourth or fifth leaf above the ovary. To speed up the filling of fruits, it is recommended to stop the growth of young shoots by pinching their tops.

In watermelon plants, fruits begin to form on the main shoot, therefore, at the seedling age, the plants do not pinch and the main stem grows arbitrarily along a vertical trellis. In the future, the fruits are formed on the shoots of the second and next orders. During the rationing of fruits on one plant, 2-3 ovaries are left. The shoots on which the ovaries are left are pinched, leaving 4-5 leaves above each fruit and removing excess ovaries. The lower shoots, as in a tall din, are removed. Shoots are also removed that are poorly developed and those on which there are no ovaries.

The fruits of watermelons and melons, which are already growing or already ripening, are placed in polyethylene or cotton nets and hung from a trellis. The yield of watermelons averages 5-6, and melons 5-7 kg/m2.

In greenhouses, watermelons and melons are grown as tomato compactors. Plants are blown up together with the main crop through five or six rows at a distance of 70 - 80 cm from one another. Then they are tied to a vertical trellis. After the formation of the required number of fruits on the plants, the shoots are pinched, leaving 4-5 leaves above each fruit. The rest and all infertile shoots of the ovaries are removed. Fruits in nets are tied to a trellis - a stretched wire. Shoots of watermelons and melons, which occupy space above the main crop, create favorable temperature conditions in the spring and summer months, protecting plants from overheating during high temperatures.

The yield of watermelons and melons as sealing plants is 0.6 - 0.8 kg/m2.

And open ground is not fraught with great difficulties. Some summer residents refuse to plant gourds, considering it inappropriate to occupy a large area of ​​​​the site. Meanwhile, these crops get along well together and give an excellent harvest, subject to certain rules. In a compact garden plot, it is not necessary to allocate a separate place for melons and watermelons, they can be planted side by side and enjoy juicy sweet fruits.

Seed treatment before planting

Seed material is planted in peat forms at the end of April. Before sowing, it is advisable to warm the seeds well indoors or near a heating device. It is also recommended to soak them in warm water and disinfect in one of the solutions:

• hydrogen peroxide solution is prepared at the rate of 10 tablets per liter of water;
• a weak solution of manganese or boron 0.05% concentration;
• "Epin extra", the stimulant is diluted as follows: 6 drops of bioadditives per 100 ml of water;
• "Zircon", the solution is prepared at the rate of 2-4 drops of liquid per liter of water.

Treatment with biostimulants will not only destroy pathogens, but also allow plants to adapt to temperature disasters, and also increase crop yields. Soaking is carried out in a cotton bag, which is dipped in heated (about 60 °) water, the liquid is allowed to drain and left for a day. During this time, the seeds should swell and crack a little. If this did not happen, planting them in the ground does not make sense: the culture will turn out to be weak. When planting, 2 seeds are placed in each mold, in the future this will allow you to remove a weaker branch.

Simultaneous soaking and warming the seeds is the best preparation for seedlings. Melons are watered only with water at room temperature, while making sure that it does not irrigate the leaves. Seedlings of gourds are quite capricious and require good lighting, warmth and careful watering.

Special soil is sold in stores, but you can cook it yourself. To do this, mineral fertilizer "Kemira universal" is added to suitable soil. For each pot, 1 teaspoon is enough, then the earth is well mixed. Seeds are buried to a depth of 2-3 cm and watered. Under favorable conditions, the first shoots appear on the 5-6th day, and after a week you can see the first leaf.

Planting gourds in covered ground is carried out at the end of May. By this time, the soil will already warm up enough, and frosts will not damage the root system. Previously, young plants are recommended to be hardened, for this they are taken out into the street at a temperature of 13-15 degrees or the air in the room is cooled to these figures. The best age of seedlings for planting is approximately 25-30 days.

Before planting, the soil is covered with plastic wrap, in which holes for peat containers are cut. This allows not only to protect heat-loving crops from low temperatures, but also increases productivity. Fertilizers are additionally added to the wells: humus, ash or mineral additives. From above, the nutrients are covered with a layer of earth.

The greenhouse should maintain optimal temperature and light conditions. The temperature during the day should be 20-25°, and at night - 15-18°. Water moderately and infrequently with warm water. To prevent condensation, the greenhouse must be periodically ventilated. Watermelons and melons are quite sensitive to excess moisture, their seedlings can rot, and the fruits themselves grow watery and tasteless. If it gets colder outside, you should cover the soil and young shoots with a film, cotton cloth or paper.

At the time of planting gourds in the greenhouse, you can have time to harvest young cabbage, early radishes and greens. This will not only additionally warm the soil, but also save space.

Boarding order

The scheme of planting in open ground is as follows. The distance between plants should be 40-50 cm for watermelons and 50-60 cm for melons. When grown together in a greenhouse, watermelons and melons are planted in a checkerboard pattern. Peat containers are buried shallowly in the ground, there should be a gap of about 3 cm between the leaves and the ground. This trick will further protect the plant from diseases and decay.

When planting, the scheme and the distance between the rows are taken into account. It is usually recommended to plant in 2 rows, between which a piece of land 50 cm wide is left. The next planting of melons in the ground is carried out at a distance of 80 cm from the first rows.

Care for melons in the greenhouse

Caring for watermelons and melons is not particularly difficult and not too laborious. Young shoots can be covered with cut plastic bottles, this protective frame allows you to increase the yield. As the plant grows, the bottle is removed or replaced with a higher shelter. When the stem has grown sufficiently in length, it is attached to a special support - a trellis, you can tie the top with a thread to the ceiling of the greenhouse. Heavy fruits are placed in nets, cardboard boxes. The main thing is that they do not come into contact with the ground.

7-10 days after planting, you can feed with nitrogen fertilizer - urea or nitrate, for this, 20 grams of the substance is diluted in 10 liters of water.

Caring for gourds consists in loosening the soil, watering and top dressing. It is necessary to ensure that after planting, weeds do not appear between the sprouts. Young plants are watered once a week, then it is allowed to do this twice a month.

Watermelons and melons are drought-resistant crops, they germinate in the southern regions, where the absence of rain for a long time is considered normal. When the first fruits appear, watering is stopped. Irrigate melons should be carefully, making sure that water does not get on the root part of the stem. Otherwise, the culture may be damaged by rot.

Every 2-3 weeks, the soil should be fertilized with mullein infusion and minerals. During feeding, a small handful of ash can be added to each well.

Artificial pollination in a greenhouse is carried out by a male flower, it is determined by its impressive size. The flower is plucked and applied to female flowers. Before pollination, the crop should not be watered so that excess moisture does not affect the quality of the pollen. Many gardeners attract bees to pollination: they open the doors of the greenhouse, put saucers with sugar syrup.

plant formation

As they grow, the stems are bred in different directions. In the future, they are tied to wooden or metal trellises.

To teach a good harvest, you must follow the rules.

• On melons stop the apical part of the stem. This procedure will be sufficient for early ripening varieties. Late-ripening varieties of melon are docked differently. In addition to removing the top, the side parts are also examined, their thickness and power are estimated. Young lashes are removed, leaving 3-4 strong branches.
• With watermelons will have to tinker. The cultivation of this culture is carried out in one stem, it is chosen according to the presence of shoots in the leaf axils. The stems on which there is no ovary are removed, the rest are pinched. When the culture grows above the size of the trellis, the apical lash is re-pinched at the level of the 4-5th leaf.

Features of growing in open ground

Before planting plants in open ground, you should decide on a place. Watermelons and melons prefer to grow in somewhat elevated flat areas that are well warmed up and illuminated by the sun's rays. Here they grow better, fruit abundantly and ripen early.

Care is carried out by loosening the soil, removing weeds and excess lashes. In the process of growth, several inter-row tillage is carried out. The first - when young leaves appear, to a depth of 6-8 cm, the second - when 5-6 true leaves appear, loosening can be combined with top dressing.

Harvest watermelons and melons as they ripen. The ripeness of watermelons is determined by the drying of the tendrils in the axils of the leaves, the disappearance of haze and the appearance of shine, and the lightening of the skin of the fruit. If you knock on a watermelon, there is a dull sound, but to distinguish it, you need to have practical skills.

The ripeness of a melon is determined by the dried stalk.

Are melons compatible?

Is it possible to plant watermelons and melons side by side? These crops consume similar chemicals from the soil and need roughly the same processing methods. If you plant them side by side, this will greatly simplify the care procedures: watering, garter, bait. However, melons and gourds greatly impoverish the soil, and they can be planted in the same place only after a few years. To prevent this, watermelons and melons should be regularly fed with mineral fertilizers.

It is not recommended to collect seeds from watermelons and melons when they are planted together, since mutual pollination occurs. The result of such a hybrid may not be entirely palatable.

If you are the owner of a large plot of land, it is better to plant these crops in open ground in different places in the garden. If the plot is small, then they can be planted nearby, nothing bad will happen. The proximity of melons to each other will not affect the yield.

Last season, my husband Boris Petrovich implemented two of his new projects on our site. I want to talk about their results. The first project was a dream he had for a long time: to use watermelon and melon plants as a design element.

We have been getting a stable harvest of these gourds on the site for the fifth year already, but this is not enough. My husband has long wanted to use watermelons and melons in such a way as to show all their beauty. In the last season, which was difficult due to weather conditions, his dream came true. It all started with the fact that in 2008 my husband added a veranda to our small house. The need for it has matured for a long time: guests often come to us, but there was nowhere to receive them. The veranda turned out to be 4x4 meters in size. Boris Petrovich covered it with a 150 micron thick polyethylene film to protect it from rain. For ventilation of the veranda and comfort inside it, a large window was made in the roof, and for better air movement and coolness in two places, the film on the walls could also be rolled up.

The veranda was built in the fall of 2008, so we could only feel the beauty of the sun rays passing through the film only in the coming summer season of 2009. And all winter my husband thought about how to protect himself from the scorching sun in summer and create an unusual green background on the veranda. He wanted our veranda inside to resemble the tropics with rapidly growing vines. That is why his choice fell on watermelons and melons. When he realized which plants would give the desired effect, the whole picture of the project immediately emerged - from the manufacture of warm ridges to the arrangement of plant lashes and their hearths on the veranda.

To insure the project, he connected the veranda with the house with an open opening. Additional heat through it came to the veranda on cold May days and in early June, and then in the second half of August, when the bulk of melons and gourds began to ripen.

This veranda was very useful to us at the beginning of May for keeping the grown seedlings of vegetables and flowers there. Since May 15, almost all containers with young plants have been there.

In May, I still do not live permanently in the country. And therefore, on my next visit there, a surprise awaited me, which at first upset me. The fact is that on the south side of the veranda, to the right and left of the entrance, the husband made two warm ridges with an area of ​​1.5 m? and a height of 50 cm. I did not like these structures, as they seemed uninteresting and out of place here. In addition, one of these ridges covered from the south and west from the sun the seedlings of flowers I recently planted near the house. At that time I did not really understand what would come of his idea? But an experiment is an experiment. And I gave him two cups of seedlings of watermelons and two cups of melons for this. The case was new, so we decided to use new varieties. To decorate the veranda, we used seedlings of Zemlyanin and Sorrento watermelons, which we purchased for the first time, as well as a new hybrid of Roxalana melon. There was no second melon novelty; I had to use the already tested Gerda melon hybrid. We sown the seeds of these melons and watermelons for seedlings on April 8th.

By May 10, having filled the warm ridges with organic matter, Boris Petrovich covered them with plastic wrap for quick heating. After a dozen days, the ridges breathed warmth. The husband built over them wall-mounted mini-greenhouses made of polyethylene film, which could be opened for planting seedlings, airing the plants and watering them. On May 20, seedlings were planted in mini-greenhouses.

Ten days later, Boris Petrovich decided to complicate his experiment: he planted one glass of cucumber seedlings - the Ecole hybrid - to two melon plants, and a glass of curly bean cowpea vegetable variety Countess to two watermelons. And it was convenient to plant all the plants and take care of them outside the veranda, for this it was enough to roll up a film on mini-greenhouses only a third.

Plants of watermelons and melons were formed into three stems: the main and two strong first lateral shoots. The cucumber was formed into one stem, the husband pinched all the side shoots - two ovaries and a leaf.

After planting, all seedlings quickly took root and began to grow. Already after June 10, all the lashes of melons and watermelons were introduced into the upper part of the veranda from its south side. A week later, the bean shoots caught up with their neighbors and went inside the veranda.

The husband watered the beds twice a week with warm, slightly podzolized water. He constantly monitored the landings so that they would not overgrow. Inside the veranda, under the film ceiling, I pulled the cords in order to guide the whips of developing plants along them. Boris Petrovich built a variety of shelves and swings for the fruit-setting, so that they would lie securely and comfortably on these coasters. I had to work hard, but the veranda turned out to be unusually interesting and beautiful - plants flourished at the top, and below there were comfortable benches and a table for family and guests.

The first melon started on June 10, and the first watermelon was pollinated on June 11. As a result, four watermelons grew on the veranda last season: from the whip of the Sorrento variety - one watermelon weighing 18 kg, the other - 3 kg; from a whip of the Zemlyanin variety - one watermelon in 11 kg, the other - 6 kg. We took 18 melons, their average weight was from 1.5 to 2 kg. Three melons, which we picked last, were already 2.5 kg each. And a lot of cucumbers formed on one lash. Their fruits looked very impressive under the ceiling of the veranda. Beans occupied the western wall of the veranda with their lashes, its pods were up to 70 cm long.

Scourges of watermelons and melons evenly covered the entire south side and top of the greenhouse, creating a beautiful openwork shadow inside. The melons and gourds were constantly cleaned: the growth of the main shoots was not limited, and the side shoots were all pinched after the second leaf. If we didn’t do this, we would get thickets of plant tops and a solid shadow inside. In addition, over the years of growing melons, we realized that we get a large harvest of these crops and large fruits due to the powerful, peeled tops of watermelons and melons. We usually pinch the main lash of these plants only at the last moment - during the period of mass ripening of fruits.

Our veranda in the last rainy summer was a favorite place for grandson to play. We, adults, also often gathered to have tea in it. The sight of ripening fruits, the aroma of ripening melons, the interesting design of the veranda - all this cheered up and inspired for further work. All the fruits we picked there are fully ripe. We think that all the guests who visited our site last summer were also impressed by what they saw on the veranda, they now know that even in the conditions of the North-West they can grow, ripen watermelons and melons, that they can also be beautifully inscribed into the site landscape.

I will dwell separately on the feeding of plants that developed on our veranda. After all, it was necessary from two beds with an area of ​​\u200b\u200b1.5 m? get not only the maximum surface of the leaf mass of melons to decorate the veranda, but also a good harvest of fruits. Without top dressing, such a result cannot be obtained. A year ago, Boris Petrovich developed a method of dry top dressing - with a thick layer of mulch. He used this method for fast-growing cucurbits, now he used it for the veranda.

Its essence is that in mid-July, at the time of maximum fruit set and growth, a nutritious mulch was placed under the plants, consisting of burnt sawdust and hay, soaked in the remains of horse manure and urine. This litter with a layer of 5-8 cm, when watered with warm podzolized water, gave fast-growing plants a balanced nutrition. And melons and gourds successfully grew under it last summer. In addition, their root system under the mulch was protected from hypothermia during cold nights. It was she who helped us grow a good crop of watermelons and melons without the use of other fertilizers. Another plus of it is that after watering the surface of the ridges quickly dried out.

This was my husband's first project, which, in my opinion, he managed to successfully implement. I will report on the results of the second project in the next issue of the magazine.

Galina Romanova, gardener, multiple winner of the competition of the Union of Gardeners, Kolpino