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Watermelons in a greenhouse made of polycarbonate. Cultivation of watermelons

Watermelon is an amazing berry with an excellent, melting in the mouth cool sweet pulp, which everyone loves, from small to large. And therefore they have long been learned to grow successfully in the most difficult climatic latitudes of the Urals and Siberia, often labeled as zones of risky farming. Watermelons in a glasshouse made of polycarbonate have already ceased to be a curiosity and successfully mature. Experienced gardeners often emphasize the unpretentiousness of melons and gourds. Let's talk about the subtleties of greenhouse cultivation of striped-green berries in this article.

How to grow watermelons in a greenhouse

A special imprint on the greenhouse cultivation of watermelon imparts features of this culture. Watermelon - is originally a southern, light-loving plant, home to which are the hot sand of deserts. Naturally, heat and light may not be enough for him, so greenhouses for growing these melons should be installed in the most illuminated places, where there are no shrubs, trees or structures casting a shadow. In northern regions with a noticeable lack of natural light, which affects the development of plants, additional artificial lighting is used: for a medium-sized greenhouse 6 * 3 * 2 m, four LB-40 lamps are sufficient. Plant watermelons on seedlings in April, otherwise the berries will not ripen.

In greenhouse cultivation, we should not forget that watermelons do not tolerate high humidity (more than 60%), since the arid climate is their native element. Therefore, periodic airing of greenhouses is an indispensable condition for the comfortable growth of striped berries in temperate climatic zones. With the proper care of watermelons in a greenhouse in Siberia grow well, ripening in early autumn and not yielding to sugar content to their brethren with melons.

Choose a variety

Not every watermelon is suitable for greenhouse cultivation. Full ripening in such conditions can only early varieties of watermelons. Ideal option is the selection of a regionalized, i.e., adapted for regional climatic conditions. Acquiring seeds should be guided by the date of their development. It is noticed that the most "fresh" seeds germinate faster and develop better. In addition, in the greenhouse space, large-fruited varieties do not have time to ripen. Smaller watermelons are fastened and poured. In a greenhouse polycarbonate successfully grows one and a half-two-kilogram fruits of tested varieties "flame", "ultra-early", "Siberian", "cinderella", "gift to the north", etc. Today, many hybrids with a short vegetation period are put out. Cultivation of watermelons begins with seeding on seedlings.

How to plant watermelons correctly

The duration of the "seedling" period in melons is 25-35 days. Based on this time, the date of planting seedlings on a permanent place in the greenhouse is calculated. It is important that the seedlings are at the stage of readiness, not overgrown or not too weak by this time. Therefore, all stages of work need to be done competently. Seed sowing is usually performed in mid-April.

The soil composition for seedlings is as follows: garden soil, sand and humus in proportion 1/1/3 kg. In this mixture, add half a cup of wood ash and 10 g of potassium sulfate. Planting watermelons on seedlings in a common capacity is not worth it, since the stem and roots of the shoots are very fragile, and the plant can not always be painlessly removed from the common box. A separate container will protect the seedling from stress and facilitate rooting.

Given that the watermelon is a fairly large crop, the pots for seedlings must be at least 10 cm in height and in diameter.

Seed preparation

Before planting the seeds, culling is performed, removing the unproductive (dried or spoiled). They are briefly placed in salted water (1 tsp / 0.3 liters) and, surfaced, ie, unfit for planting, are removed. Seeds that sank to the bottom are a valuable seed material. After rejection, they are rinsed, they are etched in a weak solution of manganese for half an hour, and washed again. For better germination and protection against diseases, the seeds are treated with a solution of a biostimulator (for example, "Epin", "Zircon"), observing the concentration according to the instructions attached to the preparation.

Prepared seeds are planted in a substrate. To facilitate germination, the location of seeds "lying on its side" will help. They are buried at 2-2.5 cm, watered and covered with seedlings by polyethylene or food film to create a comfortable microclimate. The temperature of the air in a room with a future seedling should not be below 22-25 ° C. After germination of shoots, the film from the containers is removed and the boxes are installed as close to the window as possible. Lack of illumination is compensated by an additional artificial source.

Growing seedlings

The backlighting of seedlings allows the seedlings to not stretch and not weaken. There are some rules that should be observed when growing seedlings:

• containers with young plants are set at a certain distance from each other, since the leaves of plants should not touch each other;

• 2 weeks after germination of seedlings seedlings are fed with complex fertilizer;

• ready for planting is a seedling with 3-5 true leaves.

Preparing the greenhouse

Watermelons in a greenhouse made of polycarbonate excellently develop. This universal material has proved equally well for the cultivation of melons and nightshade cultures. Since watermelons have unlimited growth of shoots and, fixed on the trellis, they rise quite high, the main condition to the size of the greenhouse is the height, which should not be less than 2 meters. As they grow, the whips are fixed on the trellis. Fruits that reach the size of an apple are tied in separate nets, and they develop in a suspended state, without traumatizing the feeding shoot. Thus, one watermelon in a greenhouse in the suburbs brings several mature fruits from a single plant.

Prepare a greenhouse traditionally: in spring the soil and all frame elements are sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate or a Bordeaux mixture, preventing the development of bacterial and fungal infections.

Soil preparation

Before growing watermelons in a greenhouse, prepare the soil. Ideally, the necessary work should be done in the autumn: to fix the manure (20 kg / 1 m 2 ), the vegetable tops and the cut grass. To loosen the soil, peat-humic preparations are needed, improving its structure. At 1 m 2, make a bucket of large river sand and 10 g of nitrophosphate and double superphosphate.

Together with watermelons, one can grow other crops, for example, melons, nightshade, that is, preferring to grow in conditions of low humidity.

As part of the requirements put forward by watermelon in greenhouse cultivation - quality care, protection from recurrent frosts and mandatory restriction of the number of fruits in one bush.

Planting of seedlings

Prepared seedlings are planted in a greenhouse if the soil temperature is not less than 14-15 ° C. In this case, the apical point of growth in plants is not pinch. Since watermelons are large plants, it is not recommended to plant more than two crops per square meter. The planting algorithm is as follows: the planting holes are generously watered, then carefully remove the plant from the container, place it in the hole, and seal it above the soil so that a distinctive tubercle protrudes from the water around the stem. Planting in unheated greenhouses at first cover with additional film material. So, watermelons in the greenhouse in the Urals or other temperate zones adapt more quickly and move into growth.

Care of plantings

To sugar content of watermelon was high, for growth it needs a moist soil and dry warm air. Culture is rarely watered, but generously, while trying not to moisten the stem. Regular airing of the greenhouse is necessary to maintain optimum humidity. Comfortable air temperature during the day should be maintained in the region + 24-30 ° C, at night - + 18-20 ° C. At the threat of cooling over plants establish a temporary framework and cover plants.

Watermelons in a glasshouse made of polycarbonate are more convenient to grow on a trellis, necessarily forming it. On the vertical twine, the central stem is allowed. Remove the 2 lower lateral shoots, as they are unproductive - female flowers appear on them too late to be able to ripen. The next 3-4 stems are fastened on the trellis on different sides of the main shoot and watch closely: when the female flowers grow, they are plucked for 2-3 interstices higher. Shoots that produce male flowers to 6-7 knots are removed.

Normalization of the number of fruits on the plant

Since the fruits of watermelon are large, the number of ovaries will have to be normalized. This procedure will accelerate the formation of the first berries and improve their taste. The optimal load is the presence of 4-5 fruits weighing 1-1.2 kg each on a single plant.

During the season the soil is loosened 5-6 times. Good results are obtained by mulching with humus and top dressing from Mullein infusion (1/10 L). 2-3 weeks before the end of the vegetation period, watering is stopped. This slows the growth processes and increases the sugar content of the fruit.

The article gives an idea of how to properly plant watermelons, which agrotechnical techniques will help to grow a good harvest of this magnificent southern berries in the temperate latitudes of the country.

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