Gourds - tips for growing watermelons, pumpkins, melons from experienced gardeners. Cultivation of melons and gourds in the central regions of Russia Modern technologies for growing melons and gourds

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 receiving a stable harvest of these for the fifth year already. gourds on the site, 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 the husband to our little house added a veranda. 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 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. Moreover, 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

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, transfer them to sunlight 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 timethe 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 2-3 ovaries appear on each.

Different melons and gourds have their own characteristics of growth, development, and care. Let's understand the nuances of agricultural technology, the choice of seeds different varieties and growing crops.

Features of growing gourds

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. Most best seeds 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 most strong plants. The distance in a row between nests is from 50 cm. Between rows: from 150 cm.

Watermelon care.

Top dressing is carried out regularly, like a melon, once every 2 weeks, starting from the moment 3-4 true leaves are formed. To prevent the lashes from being whipped by the wind, you can sprinkle them with peat or other mulch. Watermelons do not like their leaves to turn over and break. The ends of the lashes - pinch on general rules for gourds.

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.

Grow gourds - pumpkins, watermelons and melons good quality and sugar content is possible 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.

www.yaskravaklumba.com.ua

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 neck.

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 the conditions of a cool short summer will still not have time to ripen, and the bush will spend strength 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. For preventive pest and disease control melon crops should not be returned to its original place before 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 parison 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 has great importance getting quick and friendly inputs. 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°. 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 melons and 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 pectin substances. 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 temperature norm for flowering, a value from plus 18 to 20 ° C (in the morning) and up to 25 degrees - in the daytime will be considered. 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: on next year instead of watermelons, it is better to plant corn or wheat.

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

Everyone knows that today buying vegetables in the market from unknown people is quite risky for many reasons.

But there is a way out: grow vegetables in your area. However, in the middle lane, where summer is short for ripening and melons, this is quite difficult to do. But probably!

Do you want an early harvest? Plant seedlings on the window!

Not everyone knows that melons, which are generally planted in central Russia with seeds in the soil in early June, it is quite possible to start growing them already in March on your window.

Why do people rarely use this method? Yes, it is very difficult to simply transplant seedlings of cucumbers, melons, watermelons - their roots are tender and quite sensitive to various kinds of injuries.
It is for this purpose that melons are prepared in special peat pots, which are then planted directly in them.

And if there are none, then you can make a container ... from plain paper!
On a bottle, for example, a deodorant with a diameter of 3-4 cm, a strip of a sheet 9-10 cm wide is wound so that about 4 cm remains free on the edge. This will be the bottom of the container. It must be crushed in such a way that a glass is obtained. Then the container is carefully removed from the template and filled with earth. This is where the seed is planted.

Seedling care is normal: sunlight, regular watering. It is only important not to fill the glass with water so that it does not get wet right on the window.

In late May - early June, seedlings can be planted in the ground just as directly in a cup. During watering, it will get wet in the ground, and the roots will freely penetrate deep into. This is all the more useful because paper (or a peat cup) protects the roots from the cold for some time. And the need to penetrate the walls of the container is some “charging” for them. So they will become stronger and stronger.

The sprout will be covered by a matryoshka-greenhouse - let it not be afraid of frost at all!

You can plant seeds directly into the ground. They also do this at the end of May. And so that our shoots do not freeze, they are covered plastic bottles. And there is one trick here.
A liter eggplant cut from below is covered with a seed or seedlings, slightly sinking its edge into the ground. You can cover its edge with sand. It is best to remove the cover - it will interfere with watering.


On top of the second shelter will be a larger plastic container of 3 or 5 liters. It is also cut off from below and placed on top of a small one. The lid is left closed. And watering can be done through the neck of the bottles. Of course, during this procedure, the cover is removed.
When the seedlings no longer fit under the bottom bottle, it is removed, leaving only the top. It can be kept over seedlings until mid-June.

Melons are very susceptible to heat and light - this is not a secret. Therefore, they should be planted only in open space, where there are no shading.


Although there are some difficulties here: in extreme heat, plants can burn out. Therefore, on such days it is better to cover gourds from the rays with burdock leaves and newspapers. If possible, you can even pull an awning over them to create a shadow.

Curls, my watermelon curls - it will taste sweet!

So that melon bushes do not fill the ground around, do not interfere with weeding and watering, it is best for them to make a support - let them crawl up, clinging with their antennae! This is both aesthetically pleasing and convenient, and protects the shoots from decay.

Watering water, but do not rot the entire crop!

Another problem for gardeners in central Russia is that sometimes the fruits lying on the ground rot, just a disaster! Especially on cold and rainy days.
And in order to prevent this incident, experienced melon growers pour a pile of sand at the root neck of the plant - a hill of 2-3 cm. You can use hay or straw.

And many more put planks under the fruits. Others even put nets on them and hang them from supports - and it is not difficult for the bushes to hold them, and they do not come into contact with the ground, and worms and slugs will not get to the fruits.


And there are those who care about the convenience of storing melons. After all, round fruits have the ability to ride, which creates some inconvenience. And if the ovary is immediately placed in a transparent container with a flat bottom, for example, in a five-liter plastic eggplant, then the fruit will gradually fill it and take the shape of a rectangle. This is how you can kill two birds with one stone at once: protect the vegetable from rot and give it its original shape.

We water the melon on the sidelines - we will have a bountiful harvest!

In the northern regions, groundwater often lies quite close to the surface. And the roots of gourds grow intensively in depth. But, reaching the aquifer, they begin to rot.
Cunning gardeners figured out how to deceive nature. If you water the plant not at the roots, but somewhat on the sidelines, then this trouble can be avoided. In this case, the roots will grow in breadth, feeling the moisture.


We just make a groove along the bed - we pour water there during irrigation. But do not forget to loosen and mulch the groove the next day to avoid the formation of an earthen crust. Yes, and watering after the formation of ovaries should be reduced. It is needed only in the heat.

We cut off the extra lashes - we do not interfere with the harvest!

To get the most delicious fruits already in August, you need to take care of this in advance. To do this, you should trim the extra lashes - the plant spends its strength on them, and absolutely all the fruits that have begun to ripen in the conditions of the middle lane will not be able to ripen, this is a proven fact.


Therefore, watermelons need to cut out all the side lashes, leaving only the main one - female flowers form on it. Leave no more than 6 ovaries on one bush.
For melons, the main lash above the 6th leaf should be removed. Also, do not allow the plant to "feed" more than 5-6 fruits.


Taking advantage useful tips, which experienced experts share, even a novice gardener will be able to pamper his family with gourds grown with his own hands.

Video about growing watermelons 20-35 kg.

Many gardeners grow gourds(watermelons, melons, pumpkins) various kinds and varieties on their summer cottages. As a result, many questions often arise. For example, do you need to pinch the shoots, like cucumbers, at the beginning of growth? What are the soil requirements? How often should pumpkins and melons be watered in summer? The fight against diseases of these plants is also important.

Melons and gourds are heat-loving plants. Seed germination begins at a temperature of 13-15 ° C for melon, 16-17 - for watermelon, 12 - for pumpkin.

The most favorable for the growth and development of plants is the average daily temperature above 15°C, optimal for pumpkin - 20°C, for watermelon and melon - 22-30°C.

Plants of gourds light-loving, and when darkened, the yield, sugar and taste of the fruit are reduced. Melon plants are relatively resistant to air drought in the presence of moisture in the soil. Plants are especially demanding of moisture during the period of seed germination and emergence of seedlings.

Pumpkins need moisture and consume it in greater quantities than melons and watermelons.

The lack of moisture in the soil and the dryness of the air during flowering and fruit growth have a negative effect. Excess moisture at this time reduces the sugar content in fruits, palatability, and contributes to the spread of diseases.

Gourds grow and develop better on light soils with a sufficient content of organic matter, pumpkins grow well on heavy loamy soils when making organic fertilizers. Good results are obtained by local application of 300-500 g of humus, 20 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium salt to the wells.

Melons and watermelons are best grown on light, well-warmed soils located on gentle southern and southwestern slopes, protected from the winds.

Before sowing, the seeds of watermelons and melons are heated for 5 hours at a temperature of 50 ° C and at 60-70 ° C for 2 hours, then disinfection is carried out in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for 25-30 minutes, followed by washing with running water . Can be disinfected with 0.5% solution blue vitriol within 24 hours (against bacteriosis).

Pumpkin tolerates early sowing better than other gourds, so sowing in open ground in the southern regions of Siberia, in particular in Altai, is carried out on May 10-20, watermelons and melons - on May 18-25. Sowing scheme for pumpkin: 200x100 cm and 200x20 cm, 2-3 plants per hole to a depth of 5-8 cm, watermelon and melon according to the scheme 100x100 cm, 150x60-70 cm and 150x100 cm, 1-2 plants per hole or 1 plant per 1m2. Embedding depth seeds Z-b cm, depending on size.

For watermelons and melons, it is better to make ridges 10-15 cm high and 30-40 cm wide or ridges. In the soil, first add humus or compost at the rate of 1 bucket per 1 linear meter and the same amount of sod land, 15-20 g of nitrogen fertilizers and potash and 30-40 g of phosphorus. Dig everything carefully.

When growing melon and watermelon through seedlings, sowing is carried out in humus-earthen cubes or pots 7x7x8 cm in size, filled with a mixture of soddy soil, humus, peat or sawdust in a ratio of 1:1:1.

Seedlings 15-20 days old (from seedlings) take root better, which are planted in the ground on June 10-15, when the threat of frost has passed.

In order to get ripe fruits of melon and watermelon 10-15 days earlier, seedlings are planted under temporary shelters in the phase of 2-3 true leaves on May 20-25.

When growing gourds in open ground, it is better to irrigate in the phase of 2-3 true leaves or when planting seedlings, at the beginning of flowering and in the first period of fruit growth. Water abundantly and no more than 1 time per week. After watering and rain, loosening is necessary, especially on heavy soils. When ripe, watering is stopped.

Melon plants form the crop mainly on shoots of the first and second orders and, to speed up maturation, do pinching the main shoot over 5-6 m real leaf. Then, when the ovary reaches a size of 5 cm, pinch the lateral shoot over the 2-3rd leaf after the ovary.

In watermelons and pumpkins, the first female flowers are formed on the main stem, so pinching them at an early age delays ripening.

For all gourds, to accelerate ripening, a month before the first frost, it is necessary to pinch the tops of all lashes.

Melon and watermelon are melon crops, especially demanding on air and soil temperature. They have a longer growing season than the main crops cultivated in Russia. That is why they are grown mainly in the southern regions of the country. However, a high yield of heat-loving gourds can be grown not only in the southern, but also in the central regions of Russia, by planting seeds of early-ripening cold-resistant varieties or using a seedling planting method, as well as protecting plants from spring frosts. In addition, being annual plants, melons and gourds will not bring additional trouble to vegetable growers, such as apricots or grapes. Despite this, Russian garden plots it is not often possible to find beds on which honey melon or sweet juicy watermelon grow. Growing melon and watermelon, of course, requires some effort, but even not very experienced vegetable growers can create suitable conditions for their growth. The secret of success is the choice of a suitable crop variety and the right agricultural technology.

The secret of success in growing watermelons and melons is the choice of a suitable crop variety and the right agricultural technology.

Choice of melon and watermelon varieties

Before planting, the seeds are soaked - in a container with boiled water, it is necessary to knead a leaf of aloe (the volume of water should be about 5 times the volume of the leaf), lower the seeds for 6 hours.

For cultivation in the central regions of Russia, only early ripening cold-resistant varieties of melons and watermelons are suitable. When choosing seeds, it is necessary to pay attention to the duration of the growing season, that is, the number of days from the beginning of growth to the ripening of the crop. Watermelons and melons of early varieties should have time to grow and ripen in a period not exceeding 90 days.

The climate features of the central regions of the country will not allow growing large fruit. It is best to give preference to medium-sized varieties, which in terms of their taste are in no way inferior to the southern "giants".

For a high yield the best varieties watermelons are: Pink Champagne, Ogonyok, Siberian Lights, Charleston near Moscow, Siberian Rose, Krimstar, Gift to the North and others. Of the melon varieties of interest are: Cinderella, Dessertnaya 5, Dubovka, Thirty Days, Iroquois, Golden, Northern Cantaloupe, Early Kharkov and others.

Agrotechnics and care for early ripening cold-resistant varieties of melons and watermelons are not much different from the rules for growing, for example, carrots, beets or cabbage.

All these crops in the center of Russia are grown by direct sowing of seeds in open ground in mid-late May. Melon crops of other varieties can be grown only in a greenhouse way or through seedlings, while reducing the time spent on open ground. These varieties include mid-ripening varieties of popular Astrakhan watermelons or melons: Kolkhoznitsa, Pineapple and Medovaya.

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Sowing seeds of melons and watermelons

By direct sowing in the open ground of seeds in the territory of the central regions of Russia, only early-ripening varieties of melons and watermelons are grown, as already noted. For sowing, it is recommended to use 2-year-old or 3-year-old seeds, which, as practice has shown, bloom earlier than accelerate the process of fruit ripening. In cases where sowing will be carried out with fresh seeds, they must first be dried for 2-3 days at a temperature of 30-35ºС.

Types of insulated soil: 1 - steam pit; 2 - steam combs; 3 - steam ridge.

It is better to plant seeds in a nested way, placing holes at certain distances depending on the variety. So, short climbing varieties can be planted thicker, and long climbing varieties less often. The optimal distance between the holes is at least 1 m.

Prior to sowing seeds, it is necessary to add 1-1.5 kg of humus or compost to each well. In addition, the application of phosphorus and potassium mineral fertilizers can be recommended for watermelons.

The seeds of melons and watermelons are planted to a depth of about 5 cm, after which the soil is generously watered with warm water. Seeds germinate after sowing in about 8-10 days.

Watering the growing shoots should be carried out with warm water as the soil dries abundantly, but not often, but about once a week.

As experts emphasize, when forming a plant, the process of pinching the tops of the shoots is important. This process is necessary, since female flowers begin to develop better on second-order shoots. Pinching should be done when 5-6 leaves appear on the shoot of a melon or watermelon. It is possible to carry out repeated minting of plants, when 5-6 leaves appear on the shoots of the second order.

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Growing seedlings of gourds

The seedling method of growing melons and gourds allows you to get a good harvest of melons and watermelons with a growing season of more than 90 days. Seedlings of gourds should be grown in pots to avoid damage to the root system during planting.

You can grow melon and watermelon seedlings ready for planting in about 30 days. Before sowing seeds in pots, they can be soaked and germinated, which will reduce the period of emergence of seedlings.

The first female flower of a watermelon appears on the main stem: in early varieties after the 5-6th and in later varieties after the 12-14th node.

Care for seedlings of melons and watermelons has features. First of all, it is necessary to provide an air temperature of at least 20ºС to obtain good seedlings. On cloudy days and at night, it is best to lower the temperature a little to prevent the plants from stretching. In addition, it is necessary to control that the plants do not touch the leaves, and periodically push the pots apart.

There is no need for additional lighting of seedlings, since the seeds of gourds for seedlings are sown around the middle or end of April, when there is enough natural light. But plant nutrition is necessary. It is best to do 2 fertilizing during the growing period.

Ready seedlings should have 3 to 5 leaves. Melon seedlings have their own characteristics: the formation of female flowers on the lateral shoots occurs earlier than on the main shoot. That is why the tops of plants ready for planting must be pinched. About a week before the date when the seedlings are planned to be planted, the daytime temperature is reduced to 15ºС, and the night temperature is reduced to 12ºС. In addition, periodic airing of plants is carried out. Thus, the seedlings are hardened and prepared for planting in open ground.

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Planting seedlings of melons and watermelons

A feature of the melon is the absence of female flowers on the main stem - therefore, the first pinching is carried out over the 3rd leaf.

In order to do without greenhouses and hotbeds, you should not hurry with planting seedlings of melons and watermelons. Very often in the territory of the central regions of Russia, fine weather sets in at the beginning of May, which worsens noticeably by the middle of the month. Sometimes frosts occur during this period. Under such conditions, seedlings of melons and gourds may die. That is why it is best to plant seedlings at the end of May, having previously read the weather forecast.

In cases of unexpected cold snap, the shoots of melons and watermelons will require additional care: a temporary film shelter - a greenhouse will need to be built over the plants.

Seedlings are planted in holes, as noted, at a distance of at least 1 m. Two plants can be planted in one hole, provided that in the future the growing shoots will be directed in opposite directions.

Planting melons and watermelons in a small area requires the preliminary application of at least 2 kg of humus or compost to each well. This is best done a week or two before transplanting. Immediately before planting, the holes are abundantly watered with warm water, the plants are carefully removed from the pots and planted in the slurry formed from watering. In order to avoid rotting of plants, deepening of seedlings is not allowed: the seedling clod should protrude above the soil surface.