Growing watermelons in a greenhouse: planting and care, pros and cons, features of harvesting

Carrying out pre-landing activities

To implement plans to obtain a watermelon harvest in a greenhouse, it is worth preparing responsibly. The possibility of the growing process itself depends on the choice of greenhouse, its equipment and the preparedness of the soil in it.

Choosing a greenhouse

The size of the shelter space and design option depend on the gardener. It is better to give preference to polycarbonate structures, as they are easy to assemble and operate and can withstand weather disasters. Their high cost pays off quickly.

Film greenhouses, although they are an order of magnitude cheaper, are suitable for testing the method of obtaining a watermelon harvest, but on a serious scale they will require the investment of additional expenses and effort.

Since watermelon is a crop that requires an increased amount of space, the size of the greenhouse for growing 10 plant roots must be at least 10 square meters. m. Consider a height of 2 m to ensure convenience for carrying out agricultural technology and not limit the growth of the watermelon. Place trellises and garter material indoors.

When the greenhouse is installed, check it for any cracks in the frame or in the joints of the polycarbonate sheets. If any are found, eliminate them. This will save the seedlings from drafts and inevitable death.

To avoid the occurrence of fungal diseases, treat the interior with a solution of copper sulfate, diluting it in water in a ratio of 1:100, or with Bordeaux mixture.

Install additional sources of heat and light. You can lay heating pipes under the beds so that the soil also has the opportunity to warm up.

Soil preparation

Soil quality is of great importance for growing watermelons. There are several options for preparing the soil:

Remove 20 cm thick soil from the greenhouse. In its place, lay a layer of straw and humus, and sprinkle nitrate fertilizers on top. Water well so that the straw is saturated with water and the fertilizer is dissolved. Fill the removed soil on top and cover it with a dark film. It is recommended to carry out planting work on this soil after 7-10 days.
Dig up the soil, adding organic matter to it. Humus is suitable if you plan to plant watermelons in the near future, or manure if you will be planting seedlings in 2-3 months.
Form artificial beds with a height of at least 30 cm. To do this, make fences from boards and pour inside a mixture of garden soil and river sand (10 kg per 1 sq. m), adding nitrogen and phosphorus mineral fertilizers (10 g per 1 sq. m) . m).

Please note that watermelons prefer soils with a pH level between 6-7. If the soil is highly acidic, it is recommended to add limestone, chalk, and wood ash at the rate of 300-700 g per 1 sq. m. m of land. For alkaline soils, they need to be acidified with humus - 5-7 kg per square meter. m or manure - 2-3 kg per sq. m.

Organic matter also increases the soil’s ability to allow air and water to pass through, making the soil looser and lighter. Sand is added for the same purposes.

Optimal working conditions

The first thing you should pay attention to is that watermelon and melon (see Growing melon in a greenhouse - let's experiment) are heat-loving berries. Seeds begin to germinate at temperatures not lower than 18 degrees, and the optimal option is considered to be from 25 to 35 degrees.

Note. For favorable growth, daytime temperatures should be maintained at 25-30 degrees during the day and 18 degrees at night.

Additional things to consider:

Melon and watermelon are drought tolerant and react negatively to high humidity.
Therefore, the optimal air humidity should vary from 60 to 70%.
Pumpkin plants place quite high demands on temperature and air humidity during rooting. For the middle zone, these factors play a big role.

The secret of success is in the right varieties, also influenced by the watermelon greenhouses themselves. The Strelka or Volya greenhouse is perfect for these purposes.

Advantages and disadvantages of growing watermelons in a greenhouse

The technology for growing watermelons in a greenhouse has its positive and negative components.

The advantages of this method include:

No influence of external climate on plants. Regardless of the temperature outside the shelter, the microclimate in the greenhouse has its own stable indicators. You should not be afraid of any manifestations of the weather and worry about their negative impact on the melon crop.
Mechanical damage to the plant and fruit is practically reduced to zero. In a closed greenhouse, the wind does not overturn the watermelon vines, and animals and other pests do not have access to the plant.
Quality of watermelon pulp. The constancy of the microclimate allows watermelons to ripen and gain sweetness, so their flesh is juicy and sweet.

The only drawback of growing watermelons in a greenhouse is the pointlessness of this process in the southern regions, where plants have enough heat and other weather and climatic conditions to ripen without shelter. The profitability of such a process may become negative.

Selection and preparation of planting material

When choosing a watermelon variety for greenhouse cultivation, preference should be given to those varieties that are characterized by small-sized fruits. An important role when choosing planting material is played by the region in which the seed was produced. You need to purchase seeds that are adapted to your climatic conditions.

When choosing a variety for growing indoors, preference should be given to varieties with a short ripening period.

Paying attention to the timing of watermelon ripening, it is worth noting that for indoor soil it is better to choose early ripening varieties, which will guarantee normal ripening of the crop. Varieties with a long ripening period may leave you with nothing. Such watermelons can be safely cultivated only in the southern regions. Of the early ripening varieties, we can recommend the following: Ogonyok, Sibiryak, Cinderella, Gift to the North F1, Krimstar F1, Siberian Lights, Pink Champagne F1.

In addition to choosing seeds, they also need to be properly prepared for planting. First of all, the seeds need to be discarded. To do this, they are poured into a container with water and those seeds that float to the surface are considered unsuitable for planting. Then the planting material is treated in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 10 minutes, which is required for disinfection.

Disinfection of planting material in potassium permanganate allows you to get rid of bacteria and fungal spores on the surface of the seeds

It is worth taking into account that watermelon seeds have poor germination. This indicates the need to take measures to speed up germination. To improve germination, the grains are preheated at a temperature of +55˚C for three hours or placed in a sunny place for a week. As preparatory measures, watermelon seeds are also soaked in water at room temperature for a day. You can judge that the seeds are ready for germination by their appearance - if swelling and an increase in size are noticeable, it’s time to start germination.

To improve germination, watermelon seeds are pre-soaked in a nutrient solution or water

You can germinate seeds either simply in a damp fabric bag or with pre-treatment with growth stimulants and fertilizers (Zircon, Epin, Humic preparations). Then the grains are washed in water, wrapped in a moistened gauze cloth and placed in a warm place, periodically monitoring and, if necessary, moistening the fabric, and also checking the seeds for pecking. In addition to all the steps, the seeds can be covered with film, which will create favorable conditions for germination.

To make the seeds germinate faster, wrap them in a damp gauze cloth and place them in a warm place.

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”

Conditions for growing crops

Creating conditions for growing

Melon in the middle zone is grown strictly in a greenhouse or under temporary film cover. Greenhouse for watermelons and its features:

The design can be of any shape and area. But its height must be at least 200 cm. In order to grow crops well, you will need trellises to which the plants are tied. Watermelon greenhouses are designed for solar heating.

Advice. Many vegetable growers do not only produce watermelons and melons, but also grow tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants and other crops. In our case, it is better to plant crops together with tomatoes, where there is lower humidity.

A greenhouse for watermelon is prepared according to a special standard scheme. At the beginning of April, the snow is cleared and covered with a film covering.
When the soil thaws, cold-resistant, early-ripening crops are sown.
After the harvest comes warm-season crops, including melons and watermelons.
When green crops are grown, the soil warms up qualitatively. Watermelons and melons should only grow up to the trellis.

Advice. If you plan to grow watermelons along with tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, then it is better to plant them in the north side.

Preparing seedlings

To obtain good harvests, you cannot do without proper preparation of seeds and growing healthy seedlings from them.

Sowing seeds

Before sowing seeds, it is recommended to prepare them. For this:

Dissolve 1 tsp in 100 g of running water. table salt. Dip the seeds into the liquid. Remove all seeds remaining on the surface - this seed material will be of no use, they are empty. Rinse the remaining seeds with clean water.
Prepare a slightly pink solution of manganese and soak the seeds in it for 20-30 minutes. This procedure will disinfect the seed material and protect against the development of fungal diseases.
Place a cotton cloth in the saucer. Wet it well with warm water and spread the watermelon seeds over it in an even layer. Cover the top with the same moistened piece of cloth or plastic bag. Place in a warm place for swelling and germination. Make sure that the fabric is always damp and spray it with water.

Soaking the seeds in a growth stimulant before sowing will speed up the appearance of the first shoots.

When the seed material germinates, you can begin planting it in separate containers. For this, it is recommended to use peat glasses, but any other container of suitable size will do. Fill the glasses with prepared soil and place the seeds in it to a depth of 3-4 cm, placing them horizontally in the ground. Place the container in a warm place with an air temperature of at least 25 °C.

Growing seedlings

When the first leaves appear, create the necessary conditions for the seedlings to keep them healthy and strong:

Use additional lighting with phyto- or fluorescent lamps so that the total daylight hours for the plant are at least 12-14 hours a day.
Water the plant so that moisture does not fall on the leaves.
As the seedlings grow, the distance between the pots should be increased so that the plants do not shade each other.
Rotate the containers periodically so that the plants do not stretch to one side, but grow evenly.
Feed the seedlings every 10-14 days. To do this, dilute 250 g of wood ash in 10 liters of water and use the solution for watering. Nitrogen fertilizers have a good effect. For example, 20 g of urea per bucket of water.

Planting watermelon seedlings in a greenhouse: step-by-step diagram

When 3-4 main leaves are formed on the plants, you can proceed to transplanting it into the greenhouse:

Divide the area for planting into beds. For single-line planting, it is enough to make a ditch 10-12 cm deep and distribute the seedlings in it at a distance of 70 cm from each other.
For a two-line planting, it is preferable to make holes 30x30 cm in size and 10 cm deep, placing them at a distance of 50 cm from each other.
Water the ruts or holes well with water.
Dip a peat pot with seedlings into it and sprinkle with earth, lightly tamping. It is allowed to place 2 seedlings into the hole along the edges, planting them at an angle in opposite directions from each other.
If the seedlings were grown in reusable containers, then water them well the day before planting so that when the seedlings are removed, the earthen ball does not crumble and damage the root system of the seedling.
After planting, the seedling substrate should protrude slightly above the soil surface. This will reduce the likelihood of the seedling stems turning black and rotting.

In the presented video you can see the process of planting watermelon seedlings in a greenhouse:

Time for planting in the ground

When the seedlings reach 30 days of age, they can be transferred to “large” soil. By this time, the plant should have 5–7 leaves. It is better to disembark in the afternoon. The plant is planted so that the neck of the root is outside. This will protect the stem from fungal diseases.

Before planting, apply one of the following fertilizers to the soil:

rotted manure or peat (per 1 square meter - up to 4–5 kg);
potassium-phosphorus complex (per 1 square meter - 25 g of superphosphate, 20 g of potassium salt).

Expert opinion

Istomina Karina Bogdanovna

Agronomist with knowledge and skills in growing vegetables

Fresh manure is contraindicated because it increases plant susceptibility to disease.

Agricultural technology of watermelons in a greenhouse

Agrotechnical measures for caring for watermelons are not difficult, but they should not be neglected.

Temperature and humidity conditions

The optimal temperature for the growth and development of watermelons is 24-26 degrees. It is very important to avoid sudden fluctuations. In cold climates, the use of heating in a greenhouse is mandatory.

The formation of condensation in a greenhouse and excessive air humidity lead to the spread of diseases. Ventilate the room daily. On hot days, you can leave the greenhouse open all day.

Watering

Properly organized watering is necessary for the growth and development of plants. With a lack of moisture, the leaves and vines of watermelons wither. It is enough to carry it out 1-2 times a week, but generously. Or water the beds with moderate amounts of water every other day. Do not overdo it with the amount of moisture when watering, otherwise the fruits will begin to crack. Keep in mind that watermelon is a drought-resistant crop.

When watermelons ripen, sharply reduce the amount of watering. This will allow the berries to grow fragrant and sweet.

Water at room temperature is considered optimal for moistening beds. When watering, make sure that it does not fall on the green parts of the plant, but is directed towards the root system. As the soil dries out after watering, make sure that a dry crust does not form on the surface of the soil. Loosen the soil in a timely manner.

Forming watermelons

An important step on the path to harvest is the formation of watermelon bushes. 10-15 days after planting the seedlings in the greenhouse, after adaptation to new conditions, it must be tied up, indicating the growth guide and preparing the bush for further activities.

Side vines empty of inflorescences are immediately removed. Pinch shoots with ovaries, leaving 3-4 leaves above the inflorescence. As the fruits grow to the size of a walnut, leave 3-4 of them on one plant and pick off the rest. If you do not remove the excess ones, the watermelons will grow small and may not ripen due to nutritional deficiency.

Diseases and pests

Most often, watermelons are affected by fungal infections - anthracnose, powdery mildew, and also suffer from black, white, and gray rot. Various spots appear on the leaves and vines, and the plant itself begins to wither. If this situation is left unattended, the culture may die.

When you detect the first signs of disease, remove damaged leaves and treat the healthy part of the plant with fungicidal solutions. The drugs are purchased in specialized stores and diluted according to the instructions.

Preventive measures, such as tilling the soil and seeds, killing weeds and loosening the soil, moderate watering, ventilation and maintaining optimal air temperature, reduce the chances of watermelon infection. If the disease spreads, the main measure to combat it will be the destruction of the crop, followed by burning. The greenhouse and soil are then sanitized.

The main pest of watermelon plantings is the melon aphid, the larvae of which feed on the sap of the plant, thereby depriving it of nutrition. Watermelons wither and dry out. To combat it, plants are sprayed with an ash solution with the addition of laundry soap. When processing, keep in mind that the main concentration of insects is concentrated on the underside of the leaf blade.

A good drug aimed at combating aphids is Intavir. Dissolve 2-3 tablets in a bucket of water and spray the crop.

Fertilizers

The main feeding of plants in the shelter is carried out 3 times:

When the lashes grow to 25 cm in length, on the 30th day after placing the seedlings in the greenhouse.
Before flowering begins.
When the first ovaries appear on the lashes.

If there is insufficient application of fertilizers during soil preparation, additional nutrition may be required for watermelons. In this case, alternate the types of fertilizing, taking into account the total application doses.

Fertilizing the soil can be done with various fertilizers:

Ammonium nitrate. Dilute 15-20 g of granules in 10 liters of water. Liquid consumption is approximately 1.5-2 liters for each plant.
Chicken droppings. Dissolve 800 g of organic matter in a bucket of water. Let it brew for a day in a warm place, stirring occasionally. Fertilizer consumption - 500 ml per bush.
Ash infusion. Use 700 g of ash per bucket of water, leaving the solution to steep for 12-14 hours. Feeding consumption is 0.5 liters for each plant.
Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Apply superphosphate 40-50 g per bucket of water and potassium chloride 25-30 g per 10 liters of water.
Use special fertilizers for melons, for example, “Giant Vegetable”, according to the instructions.

Pollination

Pollination by insects is only possible if the greenhouse remains open all day. If this is not possible, then you need to pollinate the flowers yourself. To do this, pick a male flower and transfer its pollen to the female inflorescences. This manipulation can be carried out using a cotton swab.

It is advisable to carry out the procedure in the morning at 10-11 o’clock, and repeat as necessary.

Tying watermelons

Tying watermelons is a measure to prevent damage to the vines due to the weight of the fruit. When watermelons reach the size of a large apple, they are placed in nets and tied at the required level to trellises or other fastenings. Another option for preserving fruits is to build special fruit stands. Watermelons are on them constantly until harvest.

There are many methods for tying and placing watermelons in a greenhouse. Each gardener performs work from available materials, using imagination and skills. They use old stockings, mesh bags, wooden shelves and fabric swings, and much more.

Rules of care

In the process of growing melons, certain care is required. To obtain smooth and juicy fruits, you will need to pinch the growing point above the fifth leaf. A week later, two shoots are cut off from the very bottom. Melons are pinched after the stem has formed.

A necessary condition for caring for watermelons: there should be 5-6 ovaries on one stem. Pruning is carried out without overall damage to the sprout. In some places, the lashes are covered with earth to form additional roots. The lashes are tied to the trellises on both sides of the main shoot, removing the shoots.

During ripening, this kind of care is necessary: create a lot of light and warmth. If the temperature in the greenhouse is more than 300C, it is ventilated. If the vines are slightly wilted, this indicates a lack of water in the soil. When growing watermelon in a light polycarbonate greenhouse, it is important not to skip the pollination period. If these are non-fertile male flowers, they will disappear during the growth process; female flowers are pollinated in three days.

Tip: In order for bees to easily penetrate the greenhouse, the film must be open. To attract bees, plant leaves are sprayed with sweet water.

If artificial pollination is required, it is carried out by picking large male flowers and applying them to female flowers. For pollination, repeat the action several times. During fruit ripening, watering should be stopped - this will help not spoil the taste and appearance of watermelons.

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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Pollination is the responsibility of the summer resident

Watermelon flowers are divided into male and female. Females are distinguished by the presence of a formation in the form of a small ovary, and are located mainly on the central stem and first-order branches. They bloom 10–15 days after the start of branching (male flowers - on 7–12 days.

Pollination is carried out 1–2 days after the female flower has bloomed. To do this, pick a male flower and carefully remove its petals. The anthers are then applied to the stigma of the female flower. At least 500 grains of pollen should fall on the pistil. With less pollen, irregularly shaped fruits may form.

Pollination is carried out when the air temperature reaches +18 °C in the morning and 22 °C in the afternoon. It is better to plan the operation in the morning from 6 to 10 o'clock. Then the pollen and stigma are most active. But if in the past days the night temperature was below 12 ° C, then, with a high probability, pollination will be unsuccessful.

Not only bees and bumblebees can be pollinators. There are up to 150 species of insects that perform this task. These include ants. Therefore, if insects appear in a greenhouse, you need to think about whether they should be destroyed.

The best varieties for forcing seedlings

The work of breeders to develop new crop hybrids is ongoing. There are more than 1,200 varieties of watermelon on the seed market. For seedling cultivation, zoned representatives are selected that easily adapt to the conditions of the cultivation region. They are tolerant to the temperature regime of the zone, daily differences in values on the thermometer

When purchasing seed material, pay attention to the timing of fruit ripening, immunity to pathogenic organisms, and method of pollination.

"Crimson Sweet"

It is represented by powerful plants that vegetate for 80 days. Mid-early watermelon is the result of the work of French breeders. It surpasses many varieties in its evenness, large size of rounded fruits, average weight of 9-11 kg, honey taste, dark red, crispy, veinless pulp. Suitable for fresh consumption.

It is easy to grow, does not require watering, and has a high yield of mass yield. Resistant to fusarium and anthracnose.

"Ogonyok"

Russian breeders bred a representative of the crop by crossing the “Sakharny” variety with an Asian hybrid. In warm areas, watermelon grows well in open ground without shelter. In the conditions of the Moscow region and Siberia, the variety bears fruit abundantly under a film or on unprotected beds if grown seedlings were planted. It is distinguished by its sweet taste, aroma and ease of care. On thin, branched vines, spherical berries weighing up to 3 kg ripen 80 days after emergence. The pulp is juicy and moderately sweet.

"Siberian Lights"

A cold-resistant variety that was bred for Siberia, as the name indicates. Thanks to tolerance to fusarium, even in short, cool summer conditions, the fruits have time to ripen (growing season up to 90 days). Externally, the berries look like a light green ball of regular shape, covered with black stripes. The pulp is tender and sweet in taste, bright red in color. The peel is thin. The weight of the fetus is 1-2.5 kg, sometimes reaching 5 kg.

"Ultra-early"

Watermelon is characterized by high disease resistance and unpretentiousness. But it is sensitive to soil temperature and excess fertilizing. On compact bushes with non-intensive branching of side shoots, fruits weighing from 4 to 6 kg ripen within 80 days after emergence. The berries have tender, sweet pulp. To increase productivity, they resort to the trellis cultivation method.

"Peasant"

Mid-season (105 days pass from germination to ripening) representative, which is suitable for cultivation in both unprotected and protected ground. The fruits are oval, striped, with a thick, durable peel. The pulp is red, granular-sugar, sweet. Weight – 5-8 kg or more. The variety is light-loving; with thick planting, productivity noticeably decreases. Value of the variety: high quality and excellent yield, perfectly refreshes and quenches thirst, removes cholesterol. The purpose is universal.

"Emperor's Hat"

Another cold-resistant hybrid with medium ripening periods. The fruits are elongated-oval, green with black stripes, weighing 6-8 kg. And single specimens can weigh 9-10 kg. The grainy, sweet flesh is intensely red. Sugar content – up to 12%. The yield per plant with proper care is 15-25 kg. Watermelon is valued for its tolerance to pathogenic organisms, high shelf life, and suitability for long-term storage.

Specifics of greenhouse cultivation

The technology for growing watermelons in greenhouse structures will help to grow the plant correctly, and therefore you should familiarize yourself with it in advance.

Landing dates

First you need to decide when is the best time to do planting work. Experts advise planting watermelon seeds at the end of May so that a mature harvest can be harvested in the second half of summer. However, if the greenhouse is heated, planting can be done at any time.

Greenhouse preparation

Before planting, it is necessary to prepare the greenhouse structure in advance. First you need to carefully inspect the greenhouse and check for any damage. Then the greenhouse is cleaned and disinfected. If necessary, you can install lighting lamps to extend daylight hours.

Soil preparation

Having finished with the greenhouse, they begin to prepare the soil. Watermelons are very demanding on the composition of the soil and therefore it must contain many nutritional components. Before planting, the land is fertilized with manure, sawdust and peat.

Planting seedlings

When planting watermelons, a special planting pattern is followed. The holes are made at a distance of 30-40 centimeters from each other, their depth should be 5-8 centimeters. After digging the holes, you need to plant the seeds in them, sprinkle everything with soil and water it.

Irrigation and feeding of watermelon crops

Watering watermelons in a greenhouse

It is believed that watermelon loves irrigation, but in fact it is a drought-resistant representative of the flora and must be irrigated especially carefully.

It needs the greatest amount of moisture in the first period of growth, namely before flowering and during the initial development of the ovaries.

It is necessary to irrigate with warm water in the amount of a ten-liter bucket for ten copies. By the time the fruits reach the size indicated in the description of the varietal type, we stop irrigation.

Along with the irrigation, which we carry out every week, we will produce fertilizing. To do this, mix one handful of azophosphate with one handful of superphosphate, add a teaspoon of potassium sulfate and two tablespoons of any microfertilizer composition. In total, we carry out no more than four recharges. We stop them in the same way, from the moment the fruit reaches the size of the varietal type.

All melon plants can be grown in the dacha area. It often happens that from meager planting material an excellent harvest grows in sufficient volume, while other varietal species are capricious in terms of care work and at the same time bear fruit in small volumes.

The method of growing watermelons in a polycarbonate greenhouse is more suitable for this agricultural crop. Polycarbonate is capable of excellent transmission of sunlight, is resistant to draft winds and moisture, and is affordable.

Garter of whips

In the greenhouse, watermelons form lashes up to 10 m long, the weight of the fruit reaches 2–3 kg. Plants are fixed on trellises. The support can be either purchased or made independently.

Garter rules:

Watermelons are formed into one stem, completely removing shoots without ovaries. The remaining branches are pinched.
The number of fruits must be normalized; no more than 4–6 ovaries are left on one plant.
The lashes are tied to the support when the height of the plant reaches 1 meter.
It is recommended to lay the lower part of the stem on the ground and sprinkle it with soil so that the vine can receive more nutrition by growing additional roots.

With this organization of the garter, it will be possible to avoid excessive plant density and achieve rational use of the greenhouse area. Caring for tied plants is much easier.

Types of trellises used

In order to properly tie up plants, arched trellises are best suited. They are installed along the entire greenhouse. The number of trellises depends on the number of plants grown. Arched trellises can be purchased or homemade.

They can be made from metal-plastic pipes or fittings. The installation must be carried out before the watermelon seedlings are planted in the greenhouse. The design must be reliable: the support will bear the load from the entire vegetative mass, including fruits.

It is permissible to install a U-shaped trellis, placing it along the wall of the greenhouse. The support can be made of side wooden or metal pillars. The crossbar is made from timber under the ceiling of the greenhouse. If the structure is long, it can be reinforced with 1–2 additional supports or crossbars in the middle.

In the future, a strong twine or rope is tied to the crossbar opposite each plant - the lashes will be tied to it.

Due to the large weight of the loaded trellis, it is necessary to securely fasten the support pillars, digging them 50–60 cm into the ground. For greater stability, the base of the supports can be concreted.

Garter materials

Watermelon stems cannot cling to the trellis on their own, so they need to be tied up. For this purpose, twine, soft fabric ribbons, and special fasteners are used:

The twine should not be too thin, otherwise after tying it will begin to dig into the tissue of the shoots, damaging them. Pathogenic microflora can easily penetrate inside through wounds. In addition, tissue injury is stress for the plant.
The fabric should be thin and dry quickly. Rags are often used as garter material, cut into strips 2 cm wide and 20–25 cm long. If possible, you can use old nylon tights or stockings.
Fasteners (clips) for garters are usually made of plastic. You can buy them where gardening supplies are sold. They can also be found in the Fixe-Price chain of stores. The devices are similar in appearance to clothespins and come in different sizes. Sometimes one set includes both large and small clips. With their help, you can tie up all the plants in the greenhouse at once in a few minutes.
An advanced option is to use a stapler (tapener) to tie up plants. It comes complete with staples and nylon tape. Using the device, you can quickly tie up the lashes of watermelons. The price of staplers starts from 1,500 rubles, so it’s worth first assessing the feasibility of such a purchase. If there are a lot of plantings on the site that require garter, such an acquisition makes sense.

Which varieties are suitable

Summer here is cold and damp, and there is a lack of light. Watermelons need time to grow and ripen. Therefore, varieties are chosen that are early ripening and cold-resistant. And it’s better not to try varieties with huge fruits weighing over 20 kg; they may not have time to grow and ripen.

It doesn’t hurt to pay attention to the variety’s resistance to fungal and bacterial diseases. The fact is that increased atmospheric humidity and low air temperature create favorable conditions for plant infection by pathogens.

The following varieties are suitable for growing watermelons in a greenhouse: Ogonyok, Siberian Lights, Podmoskovny Charleston, Russian size-XXL, Gift to the North, Pink Champagne, Siberian Rose, Krimstrar, Sugar-baby.

Important!

Seeds for sowing must mature for 5-6 years. Fresh seeds usually produce male flowers. They don't bear fruit.