How to water watermelons: how often, watering rules, in the ground, in a greenhouse

Features of watering watermelons

To obtain a high-quality watermelon harvest, it is necessary to water the crop on time. The growth rate, taste and aroma of the striped berry depend on the quantity, frequency of application and type of water. So, what are the basic watermelon requirements for watering:

Watering watermelons at the root can be done at any convenient time.

Water for irrigation is taken warm, settled (preferably in the sun).
If possible, you can collect rainwater and use it for irrigation.
Irrigation does not harm if done very rarely, in dry weather, in the late evening, to revive the leaves a little. But if you do the procedure often, there is a risk of rot on the stems.
Watering at the root can be done in the morning or evening, as convenient. But sprinkling is best done at sunset. During the night, the water from the leaves will evaporate, and the sun will not burn them.

Important!

After watering or rain, the ground under the watermelons becomes fluffy. This is done so that air penetrates into the ground - rot can develop in compacted, abundantly moistened soil.

How to determine lack of water

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Watermelon is 90% water. So its development directly depends on watering. Water deficiency can be determined by certain signs.

The soil in which watermelons grow should be saturated with water to a depth of 60-70 cm.

Reduced seed germination;
inhibition of development;
weakness of the bush (thin lashes and root system);
lethargy, curling, drying of leaves and stems;
small number of ovaries;
The fruits grow small and may be deformed.

Interesting!

Not only an abundance of water, but also a lack of it can lead to watermelons cracking!

The soil in which watermelons grow should be saturated with water to a depth of 60-70 cm. To check whether watering is necessary, simply stick a 50-70 cm long stick into the ground. Then they take it out and see at what depth the soil is still wet and, if necessary, water it.

How often to water watermelons

Knowing how to water watermelons, you can get a bountiful harvest. It is important to understand that water is added to the soil from the moment the seeds are sowed! So how often should you water watermelons? It depends on the age of the crop and where it grew.

Drip irrigation is used not only in a greenhouse, but also when growing watermelons in open ground

Watermelon seedlings are usually harvested in peat cups or similar containers. Sowing of seeds is carried out in moist, loose soil. As the seedlings grow, it is necessary to water every day from a watering can with a thin spout so that the liquid flows over the edge of the cup. This way it will not erode the soil and will not fall on the stem or leaves of the sprout.
In open ground, water evaporates quite quickly under the sun. Watering is done only in the evening or early morning, so that by the time the sun is active, the water will saturate the soil. Do not forget that the frequency and abundance of watering in open ground depends on the climatic zone and weather conditions. For example, in rainy weather, watering is reduced or stopped altogether, but in dry weather it needs to be done more often. After heavy rain, thunderstorms, watering is stopped for a week!
In a greenhouse, water is not added as often as in open ground, because there is high humidity and water does not evaporate quickly. Gardeners often use drip systems in the greenhouse; they are convenient and practical, simplifying the work. When growing this way, watering is done once a week. This is more than enough. But we must not forget that to prevent the development of fungal diseases, it is important to regularly ventilate the greenhouse.

Important!

In dry soil, watermelon cannot develop normally. As a result, the fruits grow small and taste bland.

Rules for watering watermelons

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Depending on the age of the plant, watering can be carried out with different frequencies and abundance. This is important to consider! How to water watermelons of different ages?

When the fruits have already set and begun to develop, watering is carried out no more than once a week.

Immediately after planting young shoots, it is necessary to water once every 1-2 days. This is important so that the culture takes root without problems and begins to grow. The abundance of water allows greenery to grow faster, new leaves to appear, and the root system to fully develop. Water consumption per seedling is small - 1-5 liters, depending on the size of the sprout, climate, and place of growth.
After the first flowers appear, the plants begin to be watered 2 times a week, that is, every 3-4 days. But water consumption per plant increases to 10 liters.
When the fruits have already set and begun to develop, watering is carried out no more than once a week. Water consumption per plant is 10-15 liters. In this case, water should not get under or on the fruits so that rot does not develop.

About 2-3 weeks before harvest (when the berries are fully formed), watermelons are stopped being watered altogether so that they gain sugar and are not watery.

Important!

When growing watermelons using the simple method, rather than on a trellis, the fruits simply lie on the ground until fully ripe. During heavy rains or watering, they may begin to rot at the point of contact with the soil. Therefore, it is important to put straw under them.

Advice from experienced gardeners

In order to harvest tasty and sweet watermelons at the end of the season and avoid common mistakes, you should listen to the advice of experienced gardeners:

Depending on the climatic conditions, the irrigation method is chosen - manual or drip.
If there has been heavy rain, the soil should be moistened after 4 days. To prevent excess moisture during rain, the beds are covered with film.
After loosening the soil, mulch with fresh grass. This will protect the crop from weeds and retain moisture in the upper layers longer.
To ensure that the fruits grow and ripen quickly, sourdough is used as a top dressing. Crusts of bread are poured into a bucket and filled with water, and oppression is placed on top. The mixture is left to ferment for a week. Before use, the solution is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3. A week before harvesting, the plants are watered with it.

Drip irrigation and its advantages

Drip irrigation is used not only in a greenhouse, but also when growing watermelons in open ground. This method is very convenient and has many advantages:

Construction of a drip irrigation system

the ground does not erode;
water does not fall on the leaves and stem of the plant;
you can combine the procedure with the application of mineral fertilizers;
saving water, time, effort.

You can make a drip system yourself or buy it at a specialty store. Watering with a drip system is carried out, as with the usual method, with the same regularity as when using a bucket or a simple watering can. The main thing that is required of the gardener is to connect everything correctly and check the system from time to time.

Important!

Watermelons grow well only in light, well-drained soil. They need a lot of water to develop, but it must easily seep through the ground - this crop will not survive in waterlogged soil!

Growing seedlings

Only by knowing what kind of soil do melons like can you properly prepare the soil for growing high-quality seedlings:

all melons love soils that are neutral and fairly light, but rich in organic compounds;
it is allowed to grow watermelon and melon on dry and saline soils with sufficient fertility indicators;
you cannot cultivate melon plants in areas with acidic and too wet soils;
It is best to use for planting ridges with light, medium-loamy soils, avoiding cultivation on sandy and heavy loamy soils;

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.

Growing melon in open ground (video)

for deep digging of the soil, it is recommended to add half a bucket of humus or manure;
clay soils should be improved by adding humus and coarse sand at the rate of a bucket for each square meter of planting area;
the prepared soil for growing seedlings should be improved with basic complex fertilizers;
in the spring, when preparing the site for planting seedlings, 15-25 g of potassium salt and 35-45 g of superphosphate must be added per square meter;
spring application of nitrogen fertilizers at the rate of 15-25 g per square meter of planting area gives very good results.

It should be noted that sowing melon crops for seedlings must be carried out no later than mid-to-late April , which will allow you to get a strong and well-developed plant ready for planting in a permanent place in a month. The melon needs to be planted in a permanent place with a distance of a meter from each other. The planting pattern for watermelon when placing two plants in a nest is 2.1 x 2.1 m, and when alternating one plant in a nest with two seedlings it is 1.5 x 1.8 m.