How to grow melon in open ground, timing of planting seedlings, watering and care

Melon is a heat-loving crop of the cucumber genus and the pumpkin family, whose homeland is considered to be Asia. Meanwhile, it can be grown in open ground not only in the southern regions, but also in warm-temperate and cold climate zones. To do this, you will need to correctly select the melon variety, carry out proper planting and provide proper care for the seedlings.

Melon varieties for open ground

Melon varieties should be selected depending on the region in which you plan to sow the seeds.

For the southern regions and middle zone

Gardeners often give preference to the following varieties:

• Titovka . Ultra-early ripening, with a growing season of 55-70 days. The fruits have a thin skin that can be orange-yellow or pure yellow and orange. The pulp is dense and thick, white in color and richly fragrant in taste. May be subject to long-term transportation.
• Early 133 . An early ripening variety with a growing season of 60-79 days. It bears oval-rounded fruits covered with a yellow skin. The pulp is thick, dense and white, somewhat reminiscent of Titovka. The variety is highly resistant to fungal infections and withstands transportation.
• Pineapple . It is a mid-early variety with a growing season of 70-80 days. The fruits have a rounded-elongated shape, intense orange color, close to brown. The flesh is light pink, juicy and quite sweet with a slight pineapple aroma.
• Golden . A mid-season variety that produces a harvest 70-80 days after planting. The fruits are round in shape and yellow-orange in color. The pulp is white with a strong melon aroma. The variety does not grow in conditions of high humidity, but withstands diseases and weather changes with decreasing temperature.
• Collective farmer. Like Zolotistaya, it belongs to the mid-season varieties. The growing season ranges from 79 to 95 days. The fruits have a spherical shape, orange-yellow skin with a thin mesh and dense light yellow pulp. Melon gives off a delicate aroma and has a moderately sweet taste. It has high shelf life and is recyclable.
  

  All of the listed varieties produce fruits weighing from 1.5 to 2 kg.

• Blondie F 1 . Mid-season hybrid with a growing season of 80-85 days. The fruits have a round and slightly flattened shape, thin skin with a slight beige tint and aromatic white pulp. Their weight averages 400 g, but under favorable conditions it can reach 700 g.

For northern regions

Under these conditions, it is worth growing varieties that are highly resistant to low temperatures. These include:

• A sybarite's dream . An early variety with a growing season of 50-55 days. The fruits are distinguished by their original elongated shape and green striped skin. On average, the weight of one fruit is 400 g. The crispy pulp has a whitish tint, a specific honey aroma and taste. The variety has a high yield, bears fruit continuously until frost and is rarely affected by diseases.
• Cinderella . An early ripening variety with a growing season of 60 days. The fruits have a round shape, yellow skin with a convex mesh pattern and white juicy pulp with a rich aroma. The average weight of one melon reaches 1.5 kg. The variety withstands temperature changes and is highly resistant to various diseases and pest attacks. Disadvantages include short storage and poor transportability due to the excessively thin crust.
• Altai . An early ripening variety, the growing season of which is from 62 to 70 days. The fruits ripen oval-shaped with an open yellow color. The pulp is very tender and literally melts into a crisp. Can be used for recycling. The variety is characterized by high shelf life and resistance to transportation, but is easily susceptible to various diseases.
• Wintering . It belongs to late varieties with a growing season of more than 90 days and is more suitable for cultivation in the Urals. The fruits ripen, weighing up to 2.5 kg, have a yellow-green skin and a large mesh. The pulp is light green, juicy and tender. The variety is resistant to anthracnose and powdery mildew, and is well transported and stored.

Many gardeners plant several varieties at once, creating a kind of varietal conveyor. Thus, it will be possible to find out which varieties produce the best harvest in specific climatic conditions and are distinguished by excellent marketability and taste.

Growing methods

There are two methods for growing melons: spread out and on a trellis. In the first case, to increase the yield, the seedling shoot is pinched above the 5th leaf. Subsequently, the plant sends out two side shoots, which are pinched in the same way and fixed to the ground. Thus, nutrients are spent on fruits, and not on green mass.

With the trellis growing method, it is necessary to prepare a special two-meter frame in advance. Already on the 4th day after planting the seedlings in the ground, they should be secured to it with a rope. As the shoots grow, they should be pinched in the same way, and then also tied to the trellis. This method is good because the lashes are better illuminated and warmed up.

Advice

In order for the fruits to turn out beautiful, regular in shape and with a uniform golden color, they must be turned over from time to time during the ripening period.

Sowing time

Seeds are sown only in well-warmed soil, since seedlings should not appear before the last frost. Thus, the optimal sowing time can be determined by the melon growing region:

• Steppe zone - from late April to early May;
• Forest-steppe zone – second ten days of May;
• Polissya and Carpathian region - the third ten days of May.

Thus, for cultivation in the Forest-Steppe it is worth choosing early-ripening and mid-ripening varieties, and in Polesie and the Carpathian region - exclusively ultra-early ripening ones.

In the regions of the northern zone, melon is grown by seedlings or by sowing dry seeds in open ground. The optimal time for sowing will depend on the specific method of growing melon:

• Rassadny . Seeds are sown for seedlings in the second half of April. The seedlings are transferred to open ground 4-5 weeks from the moment of sowing. There is no need to rush into replanting, since it must be done with the arrival of stable heat.
• Dry sowing in the ground . This is carried out at the end of May, but under one condition - if during the spring the bed was covered with film or other non-woven material. When sowing, the cover is not removed. You need to make small cross-shaped slits in it for sowing.

Features of planting melons in the regions

The main difference in climatic conditions between regions for growing melons is the number of warm summer days. This is what leaves an imprint not only on the conditions for caring for plants, but also on the method of planting them in beds. Growing melons is extremely difficult only in regions with a harsh climate, for example, in Siberia.

Central Russia

In central Russia, a few varieties of melons are grown. The most traditional are Altai and Kolkhoznitsa. It is not easy to harvest a good harvest here, and direct sowing of seeds in open ground is almost never used. First, seedlings are grown at home. Work on growing seedlings begins after April 20, and at the end of May they are transferred under film covers. Hardening of seeds before sowing is mandatory. You can transplant seedlings into open ground no earlier than the tenth of June.

The Kolkhoznitsa melon variety is one of the most popular in central Russia.

The success of the entire event depends on the current weather. In other years, the harvest manages to ripen and is quite decent. But there are very rainy and cold seasons, and then the melon in the open ground may not even start, limiting itself to growing abundant green mass. In good years, melons are successfully grown in the Bryansk, Novgorod, Vladimir, and Kaluga regions. New varieties are appearing, so this crop will soon move even further north.

Moscow region

The Moscow region also belongs to the middle zone, and this is an area in which growing melons is risky. You can get a normal harvest in the Moscow region only by using seedlings. Seeds should be sown no earlier than mid-April; daylight hours at this time are already quite sufficient . Seedlings are planted in early summer on small mounds. They often set up a “smart bed” for this: the soil, well seasoned with organic fertilizers, is covered with black film, and melon seedlings are planted in holes cut in it. And even in such a bed, for the first time, young shoots are covered with spunbond overnight. As soon as the flowers begin to appear, the covering is removed: by this time real warmth has already arrived.

Historical fact. In the Moscow region, melons were planted on warm manure beds already in the 16th century. True, they did this using greenhouses, which were opened only on the sunniest days. They used “biofuel” to grow melons – sheep or horse manure, which slowly decomposes and heats the greenhouse. And now they try to plant melons in greenhouses, but sometimes good results are obtained in open ground.

Planting melon in Belarus

The Belarusian climate is similar to Moscow, but milder: in winter there is no sharp alternation of frost and thaw, and spring comes a little earlier. Melons here, as in the Moscow region, are grown through seedlings, which are planted in a permanent place in early summer. Not all varieties in Belarus can produce a good harvest of tasty fruits; most often hybrids are sown: Aikido F1, Caramel F1, Petra F1, etc. Seedlings are planted on ridges with a distance of more than a meter between them. Planting on the plain is used less frequently.

Many people try to sow melons directly into the ground, sometimes this option leads to success, especially in the southern regions: Minsk, Gomel. But even there you can sow in the ground no earlier than the end of May, and the crops have to be covered with film for the first time. Growing melon through seedlings allows you to bring the harvest closer by two weeks, and the use of film coverings gives you an advance in terms of almost a month.

Melon variety Caramel F1 is characterized by stable fruit formation under stressful conditions

Ural region

Summer in the Urals is short and cold, so melons often do not have time to ripen. Here it is necessary to use the seedling method, and often the seedlings are planted not in a garden bed, but in a greenhouse. There are only a few suitable varieties; the most popular are Sybarite's Dream and Cinderella.

Planting seedlings in open ground is possible only in mid-June, and even at this time for the first couple of weeks it is covered with film or cut plastic bottles. Most often you have to stretch the film onto a high frame and not remove it for the first one and a half to two weeks. Getting good harvests is not guaranteed in this case either, but most often it is possible to get quite tasty and fully ripened fruits.

Melon of the Sybarite Dream variety has sweet pulp with a delicate aroma

Site selection and preparation

Melon is a heat-loving crop, so for planting it is worth choosing bright areas that are well warmed up by the sun's rays and maximally protected from the winds. Nearby residential or outbuildings, fruit and berry bushes and trees growing nearby, as well as backstage crops like corn, sunflowers or legumes planted in 2 rows along the perimeter of the melon bed can serve as shelter from drafts.

The best predecessors for melon, from the point of view of crop rotation, are:

• cucumbers;
• onion;
• garlic;
• cabbage;
• corn;
• spices;
• winter grains;
• peas;
• beans.

Melon cannot be planted in an area where the following crops previously grew:

• pumpkin;
• tomatoes;
• carrot.

Melon does not tolerate proximity to potatoes and cucumbers, but can grow fully near turnips, basil, radishes and radishes. At the same time, the location of growing melons should be changed every year, since it is impossible to get a good harvest from the same area for two years in a row.

You can return the melon to its original place of growth without reducing its yield in the 5th year.

Melon produces a good harvest on light, medium-loamy soils with neutral acidity. It is also possible to grow the crop on saline soils, but heavy, swampy beds are unacceptable for it.

The selected area with soil favorable for melons must be prepared in the fall, adhering to the following rules:

• In the fall, dig the bed shallowly using a spade, adding humus or manure as fertilizer at the rate of 4-5 kg ​​per 1 sq. m. m. If the soil on the site is clayey, it must also be dried by adding 1/2 a bucket of river sand per 1 sq. m. m. Leave the bed in this form until spring.
• With the arrival of spring, dig up the area again, sprinkle with dry peat or dust with wood ash to speed up the melting of snow. Afterwards, the area must be covered with film or non-woven material to ensure maximum heating of the soil.
• When the surface layer of soil warms up to +13°C, perform deep loosening, adding superphosphate (40 g per 1 sq. m) and potassium salt (20 g per 1 sq. m).

Immediately before planting, re-dig the area with the application of nitrogen fertilizers at the rate of 15-20 g 1 sq. m.

When to plant melon seedlings in 2022

For sowing melons, dates are chosen during the waxing Moon in certain fertile signs of the Zodiac. In 2022, according to the Lunar calendar, it is recommended to sow melons for seedlings:

• January 3, 6, 7, 11, 12, 16, 17 (from 23 to 30);
• February 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13 (from 19 to 27);
• March 3, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13 (from 19 to 26, 29, 30);
• April 3, 4, 8, 9, 15 (from 17 to 22, 26, 27);
• May 1, 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 15 (17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29).

The dates on which the Moon is in zodiac signs favorable for planting melons, but when the Moon is waning, are written in brackets. That is, the plants will develop roots better than green mass. At the same time, a strong root system means that the bushes will also be good.

Prohibited dates for sowing in 2022:

• in January - 2, 4, 5, 18, 31;
• in February - 1, 2, 16, 28;
• in March - 1, 2, 18, 27, 28;
• in April - 1, 16, 23, 24, 25, 30;
• in May - 16, 20, 21, 22, 30.

Preparing seeds for sowing

Melon seeds can be purchased at the store or prepared yourself. In any case, to get a good harvest, you should use seeds that are 3-4 years old. The fact is that fresh seed can grow into a strong and strong plant, but at the same time not bear fruit. The fact is that such a plant can be sterile, so only male flowers without ovaries will form on it.

Selected seeds can be prepared in one of the following ways:

• Soak for 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. During the procedure, empty seeds that float to the surface should be removed.
• Soak for 12 hours in a solution of boric acid and zinc sulfate. After the procedure, rinse the seeds under cool water and dry.
• Soak the seeds for 2 hours in hot water (up to 35 °C), remove and keep for 24 hours at a temperature of +18...+20°C. Next, move the seeds to the lower compartment of the refrigerator for 16-18 hours, and then return them to the heat again for 6 hours. Seeds prepared in this way must be immediately planted in the ground.

Many experienced gardeners use a third technology for seed hardening, which is called the temperature method.

Harvesting

The melon is ripe, as many ovaries were on the bushes, so many fruits will be collected by the summer resident. This must be taken into account during formation and pinching. If the climatic conditions of the region are unstable, 5-6 ovaries should be left on one plant. Over the course of the season, the maturity of the melon should return to normal. If the summer resident has cared for it correctly, watered it in a timely manner and applied fertilizer, then the fruits are ready to eat.

But before picking, you need to make sure that they are ripe. A ripe melon is easily separated from the vine, the mesh pattern becomes obvious and the color changes. Unripe fruits rot, and overripe ones become mushy inside, lose their taste, smell and presentation.

Planting methods

Gardeners use two methods of growing melons - seedlings or direct sowing in open ground. Each method has its own rules and features, and therefore requires separate consideration.

Dry sowing in open ground

Prepared seeds are planted in open ground in compliance with the following parameters:

• planting pattern – 140x70 cm;
• sowing depth – 4-5 cm;
• the number of seeds for one hole is 3-4 pieces.

You can additionally add fertilizer to each hole - a handful of humus or 1 tsp. nitrophoska. After sowing, the soil should be sprinkled with earth and lightly pressed down with your foot. Seeds will actively germinate at temperatures above +15°C. During the growth period, the temperature should be above +25°C with relatively low air humidity.

As a rule, seedlings appear 10-12 days after sowing the seeds.

Through seedlings

This method allows you to accelerate the ripening of fruits by 15-20 days.

Sowing seeds

Seeds are sown for seedlings in the last days of April, following the following instructions:

• Select containers for growing seedlings . To get a good melon harvest, it is extremely important when transplanting seedlings into open ground not to damage its root system. To do this, the seeds need to be sown in peat pots with a diameter of about 10 cm.
• Prepare the soil . The soil from the garden should be mixed with loose humus. A 0.5 liter jar of ash should be added to a bucket of this mixture. For heavy soil, it is also worth adding peat. The prepared substrate must be steamed, and then add fertilizer to it - 1 tsp. potassium sulfate and 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate. You can also use another composition - a mixture of peat and sand in a ratio of 9:1. For 10 liters of such soil you need to add a glass of woody zone. Some gardeners also prefer to use store-bought garden soil.
• Sow the seeds . Fill plastic or cardboard pots with the resulting substrate, and then plant 2 seeds in each of them. The optimal planting depth is 1.5 cm.

Seedling care

After sowing, the pots with seedlings should be covered with polyethylene and kept at a temperature of +20...+25°C during the day and +18...+20°C at night. It is best to grow seedlings in a greenhouse or hotbed, but in the absence of such conditions, the pots can be placed on a windowsill or any other place where illumination can be provided with a fluorescent lamp. It should be located at a height of 15 cm above the seedlings. It should be turned on in cloudy weather and in the evening to provide additional lighting to the plants.

Water the seedlings moderately, otherwise excess moisture will lead to rotting of the root collar. In this case, do not allow water to get on the stems. To do this, the soil around them should be formed using a cone-shaped method.

During the development of the plant, two fertilizers should be applied:

1. With the appearance of the first true leaf of the seedlings . Feed with mullein solution (1:10) or bird droppings (1:15) with the addition of 1 tbsp. With. superphosphate.
2. 2 weeks after the first feeding . Apply mineral fertilizers, for example, Mortar or Kemira Universal. Use the drug according to the instructions on the package.

With the formation of three pairs of true leaves, the tops should be carefully pinched to stimulate the growth of side shoots. In addition, when 2-3 true leaves appear, the seedlings must be thinned out, leaving only one, the most developed one.

If seedlings are grown on a windowsill, it is additionally worth hardening off the plant. To do this, you will need to gradually accustom the seedlings to natural weather conditions 10-15 days before planting in the ground. Initially, you need to regularly ventilate the room, and then temporarily remove the seedlings to the balcony or garden, and each time you need to increase the duration of the procedure. Seedlings should be placed in light partial shade so that they are not damaged by sunlight.

Obtaining a full-fledged seedling takes 30-35 days. The readiness of the seedlings for planting is indicated by the appearance of 4-5 true leaves.

Transplantation into the ground

It cannot be carried out during frosts. They can be observed until the beginning of summer, so seedlings should be transplanted in early June, following the following instructions:

1. Cultivate high beds (10-15 cm) in a previously prepared area. To plant a plant in 1 row, the width between the beds should be 0.3-0.4 m, and if in 2 rows - 0.9 m.
2. Moisten the soil in each hole and feed with humus or 10-15 g of nitrophoska.
3. Water the pots with melon seedlings so that you can easily remove the plant without damaging the root system.
4. Move the bush to the center of the hole and cover it with soil up to the root collar, which should remain at soil level. Lightly moisten the soil again.

For 2-3 days, the seedlings need to be protected from sunlight, creating shade so that they can take root better. If there are strong temperature changes between day and night, the planted plants should be covered with film. It is best to cover it on arcs, about 0.7 m high and wide. If the temperature drops unexpectedly, you can additionally cover the film with old polyethylene or any other material that will prevent air hypothermia.

In sunny weather, it is worth opening the film to ventilate the plants. As a rule, this should be done on the 20th of June. It is during this period that flowering occurs, so for pollination you will need to give insects access to the flowers.

Growing seedlings

A heat-loving crop often does not have time to ripen, so experienced summer residents advise using seedlings to grow the crop. This will save time and allow you to enjoy delicious, ripe melons much earlier.

Planting seeds for seedlings

For a vegetable garden, growing seedlings is the most acceptable option. From mid-spring until planting, the seedlings are kept in the house. When it gets warm and the threat of frost has passed, the grown bushes of the crop are taken outside and planted in a permanent place.

Every second summer resident asks how to properly grow a melon at home and avoid mistakes. You don't need to do anything special. By following simple techniques, vegetable growers grow strong, strong seedlings. Peat pots with a diameter of 10 cm are filled with a nutrient mixture. The melon sowing depth is 5 cm. Then the containers are covered with polyethylene or covered with glass and placed in a warm place. Optimum temperature +20 ⁰С.

After the shoots emerge, the film is removed and the melon is given the opportunity to grow. Pots with seedlings are moved to a sunny windowsill or other well-lit place. If necessary, provide additional lighting using special lamps, since when there is a lack of sunlight, the seedlings stretch out.

Feeding and watering

Mullein or other organic fertilizer is used as a top dressing for melons. It is advisable not to overfeed the culture. In this case, the fertilizer is harmful to the plants. When the 5th true leaf appears, it is planted in a permanent place.

Water as needed after the top layer dries. Before the shoots appear, make sure that the soil does not dry out. If necessary, spray the soil with a spray bottle.

Preparing seedlings for planting

It is recommended to harden the plants before planting. The melon must be accustomed to the sun, wind and other factors of open ground. To do this, pots with seedlings are taken out to the loggia, veranda, balcony or just outside, and left for 10-20 minutes. The next day everything is repeated, but the time increases. And they do this for 7-10 days, the total time the plants spend on the street is 10-12 hours.

Transferring seedlings to open ground

Plants ready for transplanting are planted in a permanent place. To do this, make holes, then water them with water. If the seedlings were grown in peat pots, plant melons along with them. In the future, it will disintegrate, turning into root fertilizer.

When planting seedlings, it is necessary to plant seedlings in the ground in early June or late May. Depending on the climatic characteristics of the growing region and the age of the seedlings. The optimal age for planting is 4-5 weeks. Care should be taken when freeing plants from containers; melons have vulnerable roots. Damage to the root system leads to the death of the entire plant. Before planting, they are watered generously.

Basic rules for caring for seedlings

During the period of formation and formation of fruits, the plant must be properly cared for. Let’s find out in more detail what it includes.

Loosening and hilling

Regular loosening allows oxygen access to the roots of the plant. During the first two procedures, the row spacing should be loosened to a depth of 10-15 cm, and subsequently - no deeper than 8-10 cm. The soil next to the stem should not be touched, so as not to damage the root system.

When loosening, you should carefully remove weeds. In the southern regions, after fruit set, you can leave a few weeds, which will create shading and protect the melon from sunburn.

As soon as the side loops begin to develop, the seedlings need to be earthed up. Mechanical tillage must be interrupted when the foliage closes. In this case, the growth of the lashes should be regulated, directing them in the desired direction so that they do not fall into the aisle.

Watering

Moisten the soil for planting moderately and once a week. For irrigation, use warm water heated in the sun to +23°C. To prevent drops from falling on leaves, stems, flowers and ovaries, it is worth digging an irrigation ditch around each plant or using the principle of drip irrigation.

Under no circumstances should the soil be over-moistened, as in this case the root system of the plant will rot and it will not be possible to reap a bountiful harvest.

When the fruits begin to appear, the portions of water should be gradually reduced until watering is completely stopped. This maneuver will increase the amount of sugar in ripe melons. You should use another trick - place plywood or a plank under each fruit that has set, otherwise there is a risk of it rotting when it touches wet soil.

Topping

The first time is carried out when growing seedlings. After planting seedlings in open ground, repeated pinching should be done as they adapt. This manipulation allows you to limit the development of the vegetative mass of fruits, which is necessary to obtain a full harvest.

Initially, you need to pinch the main lash and leave 2-3 side lashes. If hybrid varieties are grown, then there is no need to pinch the main vine, since female flowers grow on it. The side lashes need to be pinched at the level of the second pair of leaves.

In addition, it is worth removing all unnecessary flowers, only leaving 2 to 6 fruit ovaries per bush, located not next to each other, but at a distance. The shoots that remain without fruit must also be removed to prevent the draining of vital juices from the main stem.

Top dressing

Before the leaves close, you can apply 2-3 fertilizers:

• 2 weeks after planting the plant, add fertilizer in the form of ammonium nitrate, chicken manure or mullein.
• After 10 days from the first feeding or during the budding phase, feed the plant with a solution of organic fertilizers at a rate of 1:10.
• After 3 weeks from the second feeding or during the growth phase of the melon ovaries, feed the plant with a solution of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers at the rate of 50 and 20 g per bucket of warm water.

When the fruits begin to ripen, you no longer need to apply fertilizer.

Planting scheme

To prevent plants from interfering with each other, it is necessary to maintain a distance between the bushes. Holes are made in the planting holes and seedlings are planted in them. Between bushes there is at least 60 cm, row spacing is 1-1.5 m.

Landing

When plants are buried, it is necessary to ensure that the root collar is on the surface. After planting, the melon is well watered and protected from sunlight for the first few days.

If you accidentally deepen the root collar, it will rot. And subsequently the disease will begin to develop, the bush will be lost. Proper planting will ensure active plant growth and harmonious development of the bush. The melon will bloom in time and form an ovary.

Pests and diseases

Violation of melon agricultural technology in open ground leads to the plant becoming ill with various ailments, among which the most popular are:

• Fusarium . Caused by fungi, it leads to a decrease in the yield and taste of melon. It manifests itself as a sudden lightening of the leaves, which acquire a gray tint and become covered with spots. After a few days, the plant rapidly withers and dies. The plant becomes infected through the root system, and the risk of an epidemic appears when growing melon in the same area for two years in a row. To save a melon at the stage of bud formation, the plant should be treated with a concentrated solution of potassium chloride, and the affected leaves should be collected and burned. As a preventive measure, you should adhere to the following measures:
• do not plant crops in the same bed for 6-7 years;
• before sowing, soak the seeds for 5 minutes in a solution of 40% formaldehyde;
• water the beds evenly, avoiding excessive soil moisture;
• loosen irrigation furrows.
• Powdery mildew . Often it is this fungal disease that leads to the death of the plant. On its leaves, stems and vines, bluish-whitish spots appear, which over time acquire a brown tint. As a result, the leaves dry out and die, shoot growth slows down and fruit development stops. In the fight against powdery mildew, the beds need to be treated with sulfur powder at the rate of 4 g per square meter. m. Repeat the procedure every 10-12 days until 20 days remain before harvest.
• Anthracnose (verdienne) . The disease manifests itself in the form of pinkish-brown spots and holes on the leaves, fragility of the lashes, deformation and rotting of the fruits. To combat anthracnose, you need to treat the plant with Bordeaux mixture 3-4 times.
• Downy mildew . When infected with this disease, yellow-green spots form on the leaves. To get rid of them, the plant needs to be sprayed with an aqueous solution of urea (1 g per 1 liter of water).

The plant can also become ill with viral diseases like cucumber or watermelon mosaic. In this case, the affected seedlings must be destroyed, since they cannot be cured.

When grown in open ground, melons are also threatened by various parasitic insects - aphids, spider mites, wireworms, cutworms, and tobacco thrips. To repel them, young seedlings should be treated with systemic insecticides, and adults with contact preparations. Such products as Fufanon, Confidor Maxi, Actellik, Fitoverm are popular among gardeners.

Growing melon from seeds

Sowing

In mid-latitudes, this crop is grown through seedlings. For sowing, you need to use seed material that was collected 3 or 4 years ago, but if you take freshly collected seeds for this, then the area will display strong bushes with many male flowers, but there will be no fruits on them. Seeds need pre-sowing preparation. Large seeds need to be kept for a third of an hour in a solution of potassium manganese (2%), to prepare it you need 1.5 tbsp. combine water with 1 tsp. (without a slide) potassium permanganate. It is also recommended to immerse the seed in a solution of zinc sulfate and boric acid (5%) for 12 hours, then the seeds are washed and dried. Some gardeners harden the seeds with cold before sowing. To do this, they need to be kept in a thermos with water for a couple of hours, the temperature of which is about 30 degrees, after which they are taken out and covered with moistened gauze on top, and left for 24 hours at a temperature of 15 to 20 degrees. Then they are put on a refrigerator shelf for 18 hours at a temperature of 0–2 degrees, after which they are again kept for 6 hours at a temperature of 15 to 20 degrees. The seeds hardened in this way are immediately sown in open soil.

In mid-April, seeds are sown for seedlings. To do this, use peat pots, reaching 10 centimeters in diameter, 2 or 3 seeds are sown in each of them, and they are buried 15–20 mm. To grow seedlings, a substrate is used, which includes sand and peat (1:9). 10 liters of the resulting substrate must be combined with 1 tbsp. wood ash.

Growing melon seedlings

Before the seedlings appear, the crops should be provided with a temperature of no more than 18 degrees at night, and about 20–25 degrees during the day. Approximately 7 days after sowing, the first seedlings should appear. You will need to thin out, for this you need to leave one most developed and strong plant in each pot, the rest must be carefully cut off at the level of the surface of the substrate; it is not recommended to pull them out, since in this case there is a high probability of injury to the remaining seedling. When the plants have formed 3 pairs of true leaf blades, they should be pinched, due to which the active growth of lateral shoots will begin. The seedlings must be kept on the windowsill of a south-facing window; if this is not possible, they will need daily artificial illumination for 10–12 hours, using fluorescent lamps. Seedlings should be watered as needed and lukewarm water is used for this. It should be noted that after the seeds are sown, they should be watered for the first time only when the seedlings have formed 1 true leaf blade. Make sure that during watering the liquid does not get on the shoots or foliage of the plants. In order to prevent the development of blackleg, it is recommended to sprinkle the surface of the substrate with a layer of dry sand. Experts advise feeding the seedlings 2 times, using a solution of complex mineral fertilizer. Hardening off of seedlings begins 7 days before they are planted in open soil. To do this, the daytime temperature must be reduced to 15–17 degrees, and the night temperature to 12–15 degrees, while the duration of the hardening procedure must be increased gradually.

Important tips for growing melon seedlings / Growing melons from seedlings

Picking

Melon seedlings, like any other representatives of the Pumpkin family, are not plucked, as they react extremely negatively to this procedure. In this regard, seeds must be sown in individual cups.

Harvest and storage

The harvest is harvested as the fruits ripen, as evidenced by the following signs:

• easy separation of fruits from the vine;
• color that matches the variety;
• a dense network of cracks that evenly covers the peel.

Ripe melons should be eaten within 30-40 days. Fruits that are only half covered with mesh are suitable for storage. They need to be stored in a cool cellar, barn, garage or any other room where the temperature is about +4°C and air humidity is up to 70%. The shelf life of some varieties reaches 6 months.

Preparation and processing of melon seeds before planting seedlings

In order not to ruin the planting from the very beginning, it is necessary to initially properly prepare the melon seeds.

If you prepared the seeds yourself, then seeds that are 2-3 years old are optimal for sowing.

If you purchased coated (treated) seeds , then they do not need any pre-sowing preparation; they should be sown dry.

You can determine the suitability of seeds in a few minutes by immersing them in a 3-5% solution of table salt (at the rate of 3-5 g of salt per 100 ml of water). Weak and weightless (in other words, empty and non-viable) will quickly float to the surface, they need to be selected, and those that have sunk to the bottom must be processed further.

Next, you can warm up your planting material for 20-30 minutes in hot water (50-60 degrees).

Then it would be a good idea to immerse them for 20-30 minutes in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection, or even better in a solution of Fitosporin (according to the instructions). At the end of the time, rinse them under clean water and dry until the required flowability appears.

And the most effective pre-planting procedure is considered to be soaking and germination of seeds.

For summer residents from cold regions, it will be first of all useful to harden the planting material of heat-loving melon. To do this, you need to wrap the seeds in damp gauze and put them in the refrigerator for 10-12 hours, then take them out and put them in a warm place for 10-12 hours. This should be done in this way for 3-4 days, in other words, it is necessary to expose the seeds to temperature changes (stress), and then germinate.

You can soak the seeds in one of the growth stimulants - Epin or Zircon. Also, as an option, you can prepare a solution-infusion of wood ash (5 grams per 250 ml of water) and leave it in it overnight (10-12 hours).

It’s even better not to just soak, but to germinate the seeds in one of the above-mentioned growth stimulants.

In order to germinate seeds, they need to be wrapped in wet gauze (or cotton pads), put on a plastic bag or placed in a container with a lid. Then you should put them in the warmest place in the apartment, where the temperature is +22-28 degrees. After 3-7 days they should hatch (the higher the temperature, the faster this will happen).

Video: example of growing melon in open ground

An experienced gardener in the following video shares the secrets of growing melons in open ground:

Growing melon in open ground is not a difficult task, but it requires compliance with a number of important rules and nuances. Although the culture is of southern origin and loves warmth, it can be grown even in harsh climates by simply choosing a cold-resistant variety. Of course, regardless of weather conditions, in order to obtain a good harvest, you need to competently approach both the preparatory work and the care of the plantings.

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Treatment of the landing area

To grow melon in open ground, you need to properly prepare the area for sowing. To do this, dig up the soil to a depth of 25-30 cm in the fall. Add humus and compost at the rate of 25 kg per 1 m2. Oversaturation will lead to an increase in green mass and a decrease in the number of fruits.

In the spring, the area is loosened by adding potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Proportions 25-35 g per 1 m2. Later, 2 weeks after planting, repeated loosening is carried out to a depth of 5-7 cm. Finally, the seeds are sown. Having prepared the soil, sowing in open ground is carried out in a timely manner. Without neglecting the advice on preparation and choosing the right variety, the summer resident receives an excellent harvest.

Caring for melon seedlings after planting: necessary maintenance conditions

The time until the first shoots appear is usually 7-10 days. In order for the seedlings to grow strong and healthy, it is necessary to create favorable temperature and light conditions for them, regular watering and fertilizing, pinching and replanting.

Temperature and lighting

As soon as the first shoots sprout, you need to remove the greenhouse from the containers and provide a cooler temperature (about 20 degrees). After that, organize the temperature regime in the temperature range: daytime +22, +26 degrees, night – +15, +16.

Melon seedlings must be provided with at least 12 hours of light per day, otherwise they will begin to stretch out greatly.

To illuminate the seedlings, you can use a phytolamp. In addition, it is necessary to immediately remove all weeds, since even slight shading is harmful to the melon.

Watering

Initially, one of the most important points of agricultural technology is melon seedlings. Before the seeds germinate from the ground, the soil must be kept moderately moist at all times. From the moment the first shoots appear, water as soon as the thin top layer of soil dries a little, avoid flooding or, conversely, drying out. Water should be taken warm, after settling for 2 days.

Top dressing

If the soil mixture is rich in nutrients, then frequent fertilizing is not necessary. The first fertilizing can be done when the first true leaves grow. Natural nitrogen fertilizer is suitable for this:

• yeast: dissolve 10 g of yeast in a liter of water with 4-5 tablespoons of sugar, wait 4-5 hours for the fermentation process;
• infusions of herbs, for example, nettle.

After one or two weeks, when the sprouts grow two true leaves (that is, there are approximately 7-10 days left before transplanting into the ground), a second feeding is done, with potassium fertilizers: potassium sulfate (3-4 grams of the substance are taken per 1 liter of water ).

It is not necessary to strictly follow the feeding schedule; you can understand that seedlings need additional nutrition by carefully examining them:

• lack of nitrogen - yellowing of the lower leaves;
• lack of potassium - the leaves (and the top ones too) turn yellow, dry out at the edges and crumble.

Pinching

This manipulation is carried out in order to accelerate the appearance of lateral shoots on the young plant, where the melons will then ripen. There are two main opinions about when it is better to do this: the first is with the appearance of the third true leaf (the growth point is removed above it), the second is to pinch out after transplanting the seedlings to a permanent place, when they have formed at least five true leaves.

General requirements for growing conditions

Melon needs a lot of heat and sun, which must be taken into account when choosing a location for the bed. It can withstand the most intense heat and very dry weather because it is able to extract moisture from the deep layers of the soil, but in humid climates it is not healthy.

The roots go deep into the ground up to 1 m or more, although this seems incredible when looking at very average-sized plants.

Melons do well at mild elevations because excess water does not accumulate there, in the presence of which most varieties quickly become ill. However, these hills must be reliably protected from cold winds.

The composition of the soil is of great importance: melon does not grow just anywhere. She loves soils that are light in structure: loams that are neutral in acidity are the best option. A lot of sand must be added to clayey soil, and acidic soil must be thoroughly limed. The best predecessors are cabbage, cucumbers, peas, garlic, and onions. It is not advisable to plant melons after any melons, tomatoes and carrots.

Due to the requirement for good lighting, they try to grow melons mainly in open ground: the walls of even the best greenhouse absorb a significant proportion of sunlight. However, in the middle zone, many gardeners are forced to plant crops in a greenhouse, since the risk of non-ripening in the garden is very high: summers vary.

Melons need a lot of space to grow properly.

In the central regions, only the earliest ripening varieties can be grown by sowing directly into the ground; in most cases, seedlings have to be prepared. And even at first they keep it in vegetable gardens under light film covers, removing them no earlier than June 10.

Historical records indicate that in the Moscow region, melons were planted about 500 years ago, using warm manure beds in greenhouses. They are prepared in advance using good doses of organic matter, covered with dark plastic film, in which holes are made. Melon seedlings are planted in them without removing the film for the whole summer, and in case of cold weather they are covered with non-woven materials.

Video: growing melon in a high bed

What difficulties arise when growing melons?

In order not to waste time treating diseases and removing enemies, I initially choose varieties that are resistant to rot and fungal infections. I don’t forget about preventing problems - I apply fertilizers in a timely manner, loosen them, form plantings, remove weeds, and monitor the watering schedule.

Disease Prevention

In Russian conditions, which differ from the southern drought, melons most often suffer from fungal diseases:

• fusarium;
• powdery mildew;
• peronosporosis;
• anthracnose

To prevent their development, I carry out preventive treatments (according to instructions) with well-known drugs:

• "Baktofit";
• "Fitosporin";
• "Planriz";
• "Gamair";
• "Alirin" and so on.

The good thing about using such drugs is that they are universal – they are used for both treatment and prevention.

Pest Control

Common enemies of melon plantations:

• scoops;
• spider mites;
• aphid;
• wireworms.

cutworm butterfly caterpillar garden pest

aphids in the garden

Spider mites are also a lover of melons
. When pests are detected, I use popular folk remedies - infusion of garlic arrows, onion peels, dusting with tobacco and ash, decoctions of nettle, dandelion, sprinkling with red pepper and other spices. If these measures are ineffective, I turn to store-bought organic insect and arachnid repellents:

1. Against sucking: “Verticillin”, “Mikoafidin”.
2. Against chewers: “Aktofit”, “Bitoxibacillin”, “Basamil”, “Avertin”, “Fitoverm”.

Their huge advantage is the short waiting period. The products can be used 4-5 days before harvest.

I do not recommend using pesticides - these substances take a long time (up to 3-4 weeks) to decompose in the soil. All this time they are absorbed by the roots of the crop and accumulate in the fruits.

I have been growing melons in a regular garden plot for several years now. I propagate the crop with seedlings and spend a minimum of time caring for it. The plant does not require watering or fertilizers, but all simple procedures (loosening, pinching, hilling, fertilizing) must be performed on time and with high quality. In this case, you will have your own sweet and unusually fragrant melons on your table.