Watermelon is an annual plant of the Pumpkin family. Africa and Egypt are considered the birthplace of melons and gourds. In the modern world, they are grown in almost all warm countries. But the best for watermelons is the climate where hot summers prevail, and winters are warm and short. In connection with the growing popularity of growing these plants, many gardeners and gardeners are interested in the question: how often to water watermelons in the open field.

Growing watermelon seedlings in the open field

Before proceeding with planting, you need to prepare and grow seedlings. To do this, it is necessary to properly germinate each seed. You need to grow seedlings in the last days of April or May. Seeds are distributed in separate containers, which should be at least 0.3-0.5 liters in volume. This is done in order to avoid intermediate transplanting or diving, which can badly affect the watermelon.

For early germination, it is better to use loose soil with a lot of humus and sand. Sod land in combination with humus is also a good option for seedlings. For 1 kilogram of soil, add a teaspoon of superphosphate and 2 tablespoons of wood ash.

In order for watermelon shoots to appear quickly, the temperature must be constantly maintained at the same level, approximately 30-32 degrees. It is desirable that it does not reach 25 degrees, otherwise germination may be delayed. If you lower the temperature to 20 degrees, the seeds may not sprout at all.

Growing watermelon seedlings in the open field

When the first shoots began to appear, you need to change the lighting and temperature. At night, the temperature should not be higher than +14, and during the day - above +25. During frosts, the seedlings are covered with polycarbonate.

Important!It is recommended to increase the amount of light during this time, especially on non-sunny days. If the seedlings are on the north or east window, a prerequisite is the creation of additional lighting with lamps, not less than 10 hours a day.

It is important to avoid drafts where the pots are located.

For more intensive growth, it is necessary to fertilize the seedlings. The first time - 10 days after germination. For this, any water-soluble mineral fertilizer is used. Concentrated organic fertilizers will not work.

It is best to place the seedlings in a greenhouse or greenhouse in order to provide the plant with the necessary amount of light. A loggia can also help with this, but only glazed.

Note! Watermelon is a thermophilic plant, and if the climate in the region is unstable and changeable, a greenhouse made of polycarbonate film or other material is simply needed (especially for Siberia and other cold regions). It will also protect watermelons from some pests.

How often you need to water the seedlings of watermelons and melons: instructions

Watermelon and melon watering in the open field should be given special attention, since the quality and size of the fruit directly depend on proper watering.

How often watermelons are watered outdoors depends on their stage of development. During the growing season, watermelons require daily watering, so it is better to use irrigation systems during this time. You also need to be guided by weather conditions. For example, after prolonged rains, you can not water melons until the soil begins to dry out.

Watering watermelons

At the end of the growing season, watering melons should be done once a week, but not sparing water. The closer the ripening period of watermelons, the less you need to water them, gradually stopping watering, but still you should not allow the soil to dry out.

What a gardener needs to know about watering watermelons and melons

Watering melons at first glance may seem like a fairly simple procedure, but this is not entirely true - there are many nuances.

  • The water temperature for irrigation should be at least 20 degrees. This temperature will be optimal for fruit growth. If you water the melons with cold water, their growth may stop due to root rot.
  • Watermelons must be watered at the root, as sprinkling has a negative effect on ripening. It is necessary to water the plant carefully so as not to damage the root system.
  • At the end of each watering, it is necessary to feed the watermelons, since the fruit of the fertilized bush will be much larger and tastier. Also, after the next watering, it is imperative to plow the soil so that it takes in the maximum fertilizers and is nourished with useful substances.

If you do not follow at least one of these points, then you can get savory, small and, in general, tasteless watermelons.

Watering a melon is a little different from watering a watermelon. The water temperature for watering the melon should be slightly higher, within 22-25 degrees. What threatens watering melons with cold water, you can read a little higher. Melon, like watermelon, must first be watered to the very root, but a little later you can make furrows along the bushes of the plant, along which to run water. This will significantly save time and effort. Watering melons is best done in the morning, so that the earth warms up properly until the evening.

On hot days, melons should be watered at least twice a day. As soon as you notice that flowers begin to appear on the bushes, you need to immediately reduce the amount of watering. When mature fruits appear on the bushes, watering can be limited to 3 liters of water per bush per day.

Tips and tricks from experienced gardeners

To get a sweet and large fruit, it is worth listening to the advice of experienced gardeners who have been taught by time and will help you avoid the most common mistakes when caring for your plants. Further in the article, the most effective recommendations and tips that experts in this business share free of charge:

  • Bury a bottle with a cut off top next to each bush. Why do this? Everything is very simple. If you pour water into such a bottle, watering will become very effective, since moisture will enter the soil evenly. The thing is that the soil takes as much water as it needs at this stage. As soon as the container is empty, fill it with water again. This method will save you a lot of time.
  • In small areas, it is best to add at least two kilograms of humus to each hole. If such an action is problematic for you, then feeding must be carried out directly during the growing season. This will contribute to the rapid growth of the fetus in the future.
  • Do not forget about the minting of bushes. When a bush throws out a lot of tops, it expends too much energy, which significantly slows down the growth of fruits and their formation.
  • To make watermelons grow large, there is one secret that not all summer residents know. When the length of the first lashes of the bush reaches 1 meter, it is necessary to cut off the cones at their ends. In this case, the lashes will give side shoots, on which there will be large fruits. This method consists in the fact that if the growth of the lashes is not stopped in time, then the fruits will be much larger, but the plant will not have enough strength to develop them, and the watermelons will turn out to be inferior.
  • Excessive moisture can cause the fruit to crack. An excess of moisture is possible not only due to excessive watering, do not forget about the rains, which can occur at the most inopportune moment. From time to time it is worth paying attention to the weather forecast. If the hydrometeorological center predicts rain, be sure to cover the beds with foil.Such a primitive method will completely help to avoid excess moisture and help keep the fruit intact.

If we take into account all the wishes listed in the article, August will be fruitful and the farmer will definitely receive sweet and large fruits that will delight not only him, but also those close to him.