Organization of proper watering of watermelons in open ground

Many people like watermelons. They are enjoyed not only fresh, but also stored for future use. Few people will miss the ripening season of melons without allowing themselves to enjoy their taste. But many gardeners do not agree to wait for the gifts of melons to be brought to their market from the south. They decide to grow them even in the middle zone, and these experiments are often successful. It is only important to choose the appropriate variety and provide the plant with proper care. If you want to grow melons in open ground or a greenhouse, you need to find out how often to water watermelons. Only if you follow the watering regime can you count on a rich harvest.

Do watermelons need to be watered?

The yield and quality of fruits directly depend on proper irrigation. Due to lack of moisture, the berries grow small and tasteless. An excess of water leads to watery fruits, the formation of voids and fibers in them and provokes further rotting.

It is recommended to water watermelons throughout the season, taking into account the climatic zone and soil characteristics:

watering is carried out only at the beginning of the growing season

(1 m from the soil) irrigation is rare

regular irrigation throughout the growing season until ripening

regular and abundant watering

Choosing a watermelon variety for growing in a greenhouse

For growing in shelters, it is advisable to choose varieties and hybrids with a short ripening period. We invite you to get acquainted with some of the most popular watermelon varieties suitable for cultivation in mid-latitudes:

• Siberian . A variety specially bred for cultivation in the regions of Siberia. The fruits are sweet, medium in size, their weight is up to 5 kg. The crust is not thick, the flesh is rich scarlet in color, and contains a lot of sugar. The variety is not afraid of fluctuations in air temperatures and produces high-quality ovaries even at low temperatures.
• Crimson . An early ripening variety, ripening is observed at 70-75 days. The peel is matte with green stripes of dark and light green. The pulp is juicy and red. The weight of the fetus can range from 5 to 12 kg. Moderately resistant to anthracnose.
• Ogonyok . Early ripening variety. The growing season ranges from 70 to 80 days. The weight of the small spherical fruit reaches 2.5 kg. The juicy sweet core of a fiery color is covered with a thin dark peel of a dark green hue with virtually no pattern. The seeds are not large. The variety is unpretentious in cultivation, but does not last long. Characterized by an average degree of resistance to powdery mildew and anthracnose.
• Sugar . Ultra early variety. The fruits appear on the 65-75th day. The peel is thin, green with a barely noticeable pattern. The pulp is rich red, representing a mass of large grains, sweet, juicy. The weight of the fruit is about 3 kg, rarely growing up to 5 kg. The variety is unpretentious, cold-resistant, and can be transported and stored.
• Florida . Mid-season hybrid with a growing season of up to 100 days. The fruits are elongated. The pulp is juicy and aromatic. The crust is hard, colored with blurry stripes. Suitable for transportation, can be stored for up to 3.5 months.

watermelon variety “Sibiryak”

watermelon variety “Crimson”

watermelon variety “Ogonyok”

watermelon variety “Sugar”

watermelon variety “Florida”

How to determine that a watermelon needs to be watered

The need for soil irrigation can be determined by the moisture content of the top layer. To do this, you need to immerse a dry wooden stick into the soil to a depth of 5 cm and then remove it. If the stick remains dry, then the top layer of soil is dry and requires immediate watering. For successful growth of watermelons, the top of the soil should always have moderate moisture.

Signs of moisture deficiency:

formation of a small number of ovaries

drying and sagging shoots

small ripe berries

non-standard fruit shape

appearance of cracks in the skin

The main secret of success

It is possible to get a good harvest of ripe striped berries only with regular moisture. The rate of plant development, ovary formation and fruit ripening directly depends on the abundance of moisture. At the same time, certain requirements are imposed on the technology itself:

• Water for irrigation is pre-prepared (the use of unsettled tap water or well moisture is not allowed).
• They use the “root” or “leaf” irrigation method.
• It is possible to combine watering and fertilizing, which reduces processing time and makes the farmer’s work easier.
• The most popular is drip irrigation technology, which is suitable for both greenhouses and open melon beds.
• The watering procedure is carried out early in the morning or in the evening (avoiding the midday heat and scorching sun).
• Irrigate not often, but with a large volume of liquid, which will sufficiently saturate the crop with moisture and prevent the development of fungal infections.
• Avoid getting water on ripening fruits to prevent them from rotting (for this purpose, each watermelon is placed on a special bedding made of straw or other natural material, which will protect the berry from moisture).
• A sign of sufficiently moist soil is impregnation to a depth of 0.5 m (checked simply with a wooden splinter).
• After watering, the root zone around each bush is carefully but gently loosened and covered with a layer of mulch (compost, humus, peat, rotted sawdust, mown grass, etc.)

Watering in caring for watermelons is a fundamental procedure, without which it is unlikely that it will be possible to grow a striped berry. A harvest of juicy, ripe watermelons can be harvested only with regular artificial irrigation, which will give the plant strength for normal development and fruiting throughout the season.

How often to water watermelon seedlings

Sowing seeds for seedlings is done in well-moistened soil. The container for seedlings should be equipped with a bottom with holes to get rid of excess water. The soil mixture with seeds is watered daily until completely moistened, without eroding the soil. The soil should not become waterlogged.

After the emergence of seedlings, the frequency of watering is reduced by 2 times. However, peat dishes, due to their properties, increase the evaporation of water, so it is necessary to check the degree of drying of the soil more often. For irrigation, water is used at a temperature not lower than + 20 ° C and not higher than + 25 ° C. Moisturizing occurs strictly at the root.

Watering frequency for drip irrigation

Recently, instead of manual watering (with a watering can or bucket under a bush) and from a hose, summer residents have been using the drip method of irrigating melons and melons. Its advantages:

• saves effort, time and water consumption;
• the soil does not erode under the bush;
• water does not get on parts of the plant;
• Fertilizers are applied simultaneously with watering.

Such systems are bought in a store or built independently, connecting hoses to each bush. Irrigation is carried out as needed. Experienced gardeners turn on the system daily, in the morning or evening, for about an hour. This gives each plant up to 1-2 liters of water.

Basic rules of watering

Expert opinion

Kuznetsov Sergey Ivanovich

Expert on melons and melons

• Water the plants with water at room temperature.
• Irrigate in the morning and evening.
• When watering, do not touch the leaves with water.
• When reducing the frequency of watering, you need to increase the volume of water.
• During flowering, increase the frequency of watering, and when ovaries appear, reduce it.
• A week before harvest, stop moisturizing.

After planting the seeds

The seeds are planted in moist soil, sprinkled with earth, lightly compacted and watered abundantly again.
Watering is carried out once every 2 days until seedlings appear. Further irrigation is carried out daily or as the soil dries out. The top layer of soil in the container, 1.5 cm deep, should always be moderately moist and loose. This needs to be checked every morning.

After planting the seedlings

After planting the seedlings in open ground, the beds are watered 4 times a week, depending on the drying of the top layer of soil.
When irrigating, at least 5 liters of water are poured under each bush at a time. After heavy rains, watermelons are not watered for up to 5 days with daily monitoring of soil moisture using a wooden stick. In the greenhouse, watermelons are also watered up to 4 times a week, for example, every other day, and the water consumption per plant is 3 liters.

During the flowering period

From the moment the inflorescences appear, the frequency of irrigation in open ground is reduced to 2 times a week.
At the same time, the volume of water increases - from 7 to 10 liters of water must be poured onto each bush. Moisture must penetrate deep into the roots, so before watering it is better to loosen the soil, and then water the beds in portions, waiting until the soil absorbs the liquid from the first portion. In greenhouse conditions, flowering watermelons are watered once every three days, spending an average of up to 5 liters per plant bush.

During ripening

During the formation of ovaries, and then during the period of fruit growth, watermelons in open areas and in greenhouses are watered once a week.
The volume of water for each bush is up to 10 liters. In dry weather, the frequency of watering can be increased to 2 times a week, and in rainy weather, do not water plants in open ground at all, having first checked how moist the soil is after deep precipitation - if necessary, top up after rain. A week before harvesting the fruits, irrigation must be completely stopped.

Rules for watering watermelons

To get a good harvest, it is not enough to follow the watermelon watering schedule; you also need to carry out this procedure correctly.

• For irrigation (except for drip irrigation), you can use only warm and settled water. For watermelons, the optimal water temperature is 20-25 degrees.
• Watering watermelons can be done in the morning or evening, but not during the day.
• Watering can be combined with fertilizing, but you need to ensure that the total amount of liquid poured under the bush does not exceed the norm.
• Watermelons can only be watered at the root. Do not allow liquid to get on other parts of the plant.

How often to water watermelons in open ground

Before placing seedlings in an open area, the soil must be well moistened. No watering is required for two days after planting.

Starting from the third day that the seedlings are in the beds and until the inflorescences appear, irrigation is carried out every day in normal weather.

The water consumption for each hole is from 2 to 3 liters. In cases where the soil remains wet before watering, the frequency of water application is reduced to twice every 7 days.

During the formation of flowers, moisture should penetrate into the soil to a depth of 0.6 m to 0.7 m. This will require at least 1 bucket of water for each bush. To avoid rotting of the stems, watering should be done only at the root, without touching the above-ground part of the watermelon.

Harvesting

You can understand that it is time to harvest by several points:

• the watermelon skin becomes smooth and elastic;
• the stripes of the pattern become yellowish;
• when you tap the fruit, a ringing sound is produced;
• The tail of the watermelon becomes thinner and dries out.

When deciding to harvest, stop watering. After 3-4 minutes, you can start cutting, leaving a small stalk. Dried fruits are stored much longer than moistened watermelons.

You can store the fruits in a cardboard box, sprinkle them with sand and ash, or in a suspended state. It is important that the watermelons do not touch each other. Choose a storage location in the basement or another dark, cool room without fluctuations in air temperature.

Any gardener can grow juicy, sweet watermelons in a small greenhouse area. It is important to observe agrotechnical measures for crop care and special measures to preserve the integrity of fruits and plants. If these conditions are met, the yield from each watermelon seed can reach from 10 to 20 kg!

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Table: irrigation regime for melons using drip irrigation when grown on medium loamy soils

Selection of water for irrigation

To moisten watermelons and melons, it is necessary to use water at a temperature that corresponds to the ambient temperature. Moistening with cold liquid will lead to rotting and death of the root system. The most correct option is to collect it in large tanks installed in a well-lit area. During the day, the liquid will warm up in the sun, and in the evening it can be used for irrigation using any method convenient for the user.

Also find out why watermelon is a berry and melon is not.

When carrying out the activity under consideration, it is worth considering the time of fertilizing. Due to the fact that most fertilizers are applied by the root method in the form of a solution, the amount of total moisture and the time of application should be correctly distributed. For example, for each plant that is in a specific phase of the growing season, you need to pour 7 liters of water, and add 1 liter of fertilizer solution. First you need to calculate the amount of clean water introduced: 7-1 = 6 liters. This amount is applied in the morning, and 1 liter of fertilizer is poured in the evening. In a similar way, calculations are made for each time watering coincides with fertilizing.

The principle of drip irrigation: how to grow watermelons

Drip irrigation is widespread in regions with water scarcity.
Using the system, you can control the amount of incoming liquid, water several plants at the same time and apply soluble fertilizers. Another advantage of this method of irrigation is watering at the root, without affecting the leaves and shoots. Drip irrigation systems are suitable for both open ground and greenhouses. Watermelons are irrigated every day, for 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour after sunset. Watering can be done less often, but with an increase in the volume of water - 4-6 hours three times a week. During this time, moisture penetrates the soil 0.5 m or more.

Automation of watering using a drip irrigation system

A drip irrigation system can carry out independent uniform watering if it is supplemented with an additional sensor and controller.
These two devices will help you set the watering time and stop the water supply when the required level of moisture in the soil is reached. The main elements of an automatic irrigation system include:

• water pressure reducer - a device that allows you to regulate water pressure, thereby protecting pipes and the ground surface;
• protective fittings in the form of a check valve - a part necessary to prevent the movement of water in the opposite direction;
• filter - a nozzle for purifying water from foreign impurities.

Drip irrigation system design

A standard irrigation system consists of the following parts:

• main water supply system made of plastic;
• filters for drip irrigation and water plugs;
• hose with holes, droppers;
• fitting;
• polyethylene pipes;
• polyamide nuts;
• ball valve;
• stubs.

How to make a drip irrigation system with your own hands

The system can be assembled independently if all the necessary elements are available. It is better to first make sketches of the future device to correctly calculate the number of parts needed. There are two sources of water - a barrel and a water tap.

Option 1 - barrel

Option 2 - tap (Diagram below the description)

1. Connect the water pressure regulator to the faucet.
2. Install a filter for water purification.
3. Install shut-off valves - tap.
4. Install an irrigation timer and controller.
5. Connect a low-pressure polyethylene pipe to the timer, and close the end of the pipe with a plug.
6. Using start taps, attach drip tapes to the pipe. Close the ends of the tapes with plugs.

Watering methods

The accepted methods of watering watermelons in a greenhouse and “outside” are practically the same. It’s just that in the open air, rain provides additional “help” from time to time, which should also be taken into account when watering frequently.

Accepted methods of watering watermelons in a greenhouse:

• Bucket. Watering buckets by hand into each hole.
• Drip. Using a special factory drip irrigation system. In this case, they begin to water from the moment 5-7 leaves are formed, 2 times daily. Taking into account soil absorption, lasting up to 1 hour in the morning and evening. Approximately 1.5 kg of fertilizer is added per ton of irrigation water. Such as “Green-Go”, “Master” or “Terraflex”. Using the drip method, water and nutrients are absorbed by the plantings almost 100%.
• Homemade drip. Place a plastic bottle with a lid punched with small holes upside down. The upper part is cut off, arranging drip irrigation. Water is absorbed into the ground as needed and topped up as needed.

Wherever you grow your watermelons, be able to clearly distinguish the rules for watering the crop according to the time of ripening. In nature, it turns out that the quality of these melons largely depends on water, which is capable of “nurturing” a magnificent “sugar miracle” that melts on the tongue, or making a tasteless “something” out of a watermelon. What everyone gets depends on their efforts and careful attention to the watermelon shoots.

Expert advice

Expert opinion

Kuznetsov Sergey Ivanovich

Expert on melons and melons

• After irrigation, it is recommended to loosen the soil and further mulch with grass. This will help retain moisture in the soil.
• It is better to water watermelons using a watering can without a nozzle; this method will protect the leaves from water and direct the stream directly to the root.
• Excess moisture during the formation of lashes can provoke the appearance of fungus.
• Drip irrigation allows you to accurately dose water-soluble fertilizers and makes fertilizing more convenient.
• Irrigation should be done strictly in accordance with the stages of plant growth.

How to water watermelons for fast growth

Greenhouse gardeners most often use drip irrigation systems.

When growing watermelons in the southern regions, they have enough time to fully ripen before harvest. At the same time, they turn out not only ripe, but also sweet. But in the northern and central regions, the ripening time for watermelons is shortened, so gardeners use nutritious fertilizers to make watermelons grow faster. So, how to water watermelons for fast growth?

• An infusion of humus diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 is an excellent growth stimulator for young crops.
• Liquid vermicompost, which is sold in stores, can also be used as watermelons grow.
• Among mineral supplements, you need to pay attention to those that contain a lot of potassium and magnesium - these elements shorten the time of fruit ripening. Use them according to the instructions.
• With yeast feeding, not only does the green mass of the plant develop faster, but the ripening period of the striped berry is also shortened. 500 g of wet yeast are mixed with 5 liters of water. The resulting concentrated solution can be mixed with water and used for feeding. For 500 ml of such concentrate you need to take at least 10 liters of water.
• Lactic acid bacteria present in whey, for example, have a positive effect on the development period of watermelons. But it is not brought in in its pure form. As a rule, this product is mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10.

Nutrient fertilizers can be applied at all stages of plant growth. But 2-3 weeks before harvesting, it is best not to add anything to the soil at all, except to loosen it and remove weeds, so that the watermelons can ripen normally and their taste does not deteriorate.

Questions and answers

Is it possible to water watermelons directly from a hose?

This method is recommended to be used only for moistening the rows, since strong pressure can erode the soil in the holes and cause the leaves to come into contact with water.

Which irrigation method is suitable for large plantations?

The best option is drip irrigation. Using a special automated system, watering will be carried out for a certain time, measuring a set volume of water. The main advantage is the simultaneous watering of several plants.

How else can you check the degree of soil moisture?

Take a handful of soil from a depth of about 10 cm and try to form a ball out of the soil. A sticky structure indicates sufficient moisture, while a loose structure indicates a lack of moisture.

Is it possible to build a drip irrigation system using improvised materials?

It will not be possible to recreate an exact copy of the system, but a simpler similar design can be made. To do this, you will need several 10-liter plastic bottles without bottoms and lids. The bottles are immersed in the soil, neck down, and gradually filled with water. But such a homemade system does not guarantee high-quality results.

Is it possible to water greenhouse watermelons during the daytime?

It is necessary to water the plant early in the morning, or in the evening, after sunset, regardless of where it grows.

Greenhouse preparation

Before growing watermelon in a greenhouse, it needs to be prepared. The greenhouse can be of any type, the main thing is that the plants inside feel comfortable. The height of the structure should be at least 180-200 cm, air humidity should be at 60-70%. It’s good if you can regulate the temperature and humidity.

Particular attention should be paid to lighting. A shelter made of non-woven materials or colored film will not work - the bushes will not have enough light. Additional lighting will partially solve the problem, but it is still best to plant melons in a greenhouse with transparent walls. If it is assumed that the watermelon will have neighbors (peppers, tomatoes, melons), tall specimens are planted at the northern wall and then in a “ladder”. This way the plants will not block each other’s light.

It is advisable to prepare the soil mixture for planting in the fall, but you can do this in the spring. They dig it up onto the bayonet of a shovel. When digging, add organic matter and sand. This will improve the structure and fertility of the substrate. Organic matter can be replaced with any complex fertilizer. Green manure will work well. They are sown after harvesting or in early spring, and after two to three weeks the soil is dug up along with the green mass.

Features of watering under film

In the northern regions, they prefer to grow watermelons under covers made of lutrasil or spunbond. To make it convenient to water plants under the film, the irrigation system is taken care of in advance, even before sowing the seeds.

Grooves are dug along the entire bed between the holes. To ensure that moisture reaches the roots faster, layering is made from the central ditch for each bush. All that remains is to lower the hose into the mini-ditch and fill it with water.

Tips and recommendations from experienced gardeners

How often to water eggplants in open ground

To get a sweet and large fruit, you should listen 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 are the most effective recommendations and advice, which are shared free of charge by experts in this matter:

• Bury a bottle with the top cut off 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 flow into the soil evenly. The thing is that the soil takes as much water as it needs at a given stage. As soon as the container is empty, fill it with water again. This method will significantly save your time.
• In small areas, it is best to add at least two kilograms of humus to each hole. If this action is problematic for you, then fertilizing must be done directly during the growing season. This will contribute to the rapid growth of the fetus in the future.
• Don't forget about chasing bushes. When a bush throws out a lot of tops, it spends too much energy, which significantly slows down the growth of fruits and their formation.
• To make watermelons grow big, 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 tear off the cones at their ends. In this case, the vines will produce side shoots, which will bear large fruits. This method is that if the growth of the vines is not stopped in time, there will be much more fruit, but the plant will not have enough strength to develop them, and the watermelons will turn out inferior.
• Excess moisture can cause the fruits to crack. Excess moisture is possible not only due to excessive watering; do not forget about 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 film. This primitive method will 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 his loved ones.

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Do watermelons need watering?

Melons are rarely grown in ordinary beds - they require a lot of space for nutrition. Therefore, watermelons are planted on large plantations, which are difficult to moisten manually. Novice gardeners even wonder whether it is necessary to water plants growing in open ground.

The crop's moisture requirements are moderate, but much depends on the growing area. The hotter the climate, the higher the soil moisture levels should be. This is a mandatory condition throughout the growing season.

Lack of moisture negatively affects yields, leading to the following consequences:

• less fruit sets;
• due to the drying of the vines, the berries decrease in size;
• the fruits are deformed, the skin cracks.

But watermelons do not need excessive moisture - there is a risk of developing fungal diseases. Abundant watering will lead to voids in the pulp and a decrease in the percentage level of sugars.