I graft a melon onto a pumpkin - the yield increases to 15 kg from each bush

Why and what to vaccinate for?

To the question “why?”
We have already partially answered. Now let's look at it in more detail. Grafting a watermelon makes it possible to: give the plant the ability to fully grow at lower temperatures and their unfavorable fluctuations;

• get an earlier harvest;
• increase productivity by 2 times by increasing the size and number of fully ripening fruits;
• accelerate the intensity of development of watermelon bushes;
• make plants more drought-resistant;
• increase plant resistance to diseases (especially fusarium).

This effect is achieved by grafting onto lagenaria (bottle gourd), which has a magical effect on the watermelon, improving and enhancing its qualities. Its root system feels great even at a temperature of +5 degrees, which cannot be said about watermelon. Without grafting, it is able to grow normally only in cases where the soil temperature does not drop below +15. As you can see, the difference is colossal. It is this property of pumpkin that allows grafted seedlings to be planted earlier and, accordingly, to obtain a much earlier and more abundant harvest.

Due to the cold resistance of the pumpkin rootstock, most of the fruits set on the grafted plant fully ripen. They grow noticeably larger in size - this is facilitated by the powerful root system of the pumpkin. At the same time, temperature changes no longer have a detrimental effect on the watermelon - it not only survives, but also continues to develop normally. The power of pumpkin also saves it from potential diseases even in the most favorable conditions for them (high humidity).

Lagenaria is the optimal rootstock for watermelon, melon and cucumber, which has the following qualities:

• excellent graft survival rate (these crops are highly compatible);
• more powerful root system;
• the ability to develop normally in regions with cold climates;
• resistance to diseases of watermelon, melon, cucumber.

Watermelon grafting is done “at the root” of Lagenaria. That is, the resulting plant consists of two parts: a pumpkin root and a watermelon stem.

Grafting onto figoleaf pumpkin and zucchini gives good results. However, these unions are used less frequently, since their effect is inferior to lagenaria. You can graft a watermelon onto a regular pumpkin. But in this case, compatibility is lower, so for the normal existence of the grafted plant, you need to leave pumpkin leaves on it. Due to reduced compatibility, this combination does not provide the benefits that “lagenar-watermelon” plants have.

Why do you need to graft a melon?

Melon is considered a heat-loving crop. The plant is slightly capricious and does not tolerate temperature fluctuations. In regions with cold or changeable climates, it is impossible to obtain a good harvest. Breeders have developed many cold-resistant varieties, but the problem is not 100% solved. The fruits grow small, less aromatic and sweet.

Grafting helps preserve the varietal characteristics of a heat-loving crop growing in a cold region to the maximum. Melon becomes resistant to cold. On foreign roots it adapts better to the soil. The fruit grows with characteristic varietal characteristics, but in taste it is slightly inferior to melon grown in the southern regions.

Where and how to graft a watermelon

Watermelons are usually grafted onto bottle gourd - lagenaria. The choice of this particular plant as a rootstock is indicated by the fact that its root system is much stronger than that of a watermelon. Pumpkin can withstand temperatures up to +5, while the activity of the roots is not disturbed. It is also capable of penetrating into deeper and therefore unheated layers of soil. Another advantage of grafted plants is that they are much less susceptible to various diseases in unfavorable environments.

Grafting watermelons to their more resistant counterparts makes them more tolerant of weather changes and sudden cold snaps, from which ordinary plants usually die. Ripening occurs ten to fifteen days earlier. In addition, the quantity and quality of fruits increases significantly. It happens that watermelons mutate somewhat and acquire a new shape or taste.

In addition to pumpkin, they sometimes graft on zucchini. It is practically no different from grafting onto other plants. Grafted seedlings can be planted in greenhouses, and even in open ground. There are people who grow grafted watermelons at home in pots.

Watermelon can also be grafted onto a regular pumpkin, but they are not fully compatible. Therefore, in this option you will have to leave the pumpkin tops. Grafting watermelon onto lagenaria is the most common option. Its compatibility with watermelons is almost one hundred percent. By the way, cucumbers can also be grafted onto lagenaria, this gives good results.

Features of the procedure and useful tips

Not only the grafting technique is important, but also the ability to increase its effect on the grafted watermelon.

For this:

• Seedlings of different ages are used - to enhance the properties of the grafted watermelon, the rootstock must be younger than the scion. Then the quality of the scion will begin to predominate in the plant, so the watermelon needs to be sown at least 3 days before the lagenaria.
• To switch the nutrition, all lagenaria leaves need to be removed, this will stimulate metabolic processes and, therefore, increase the yield.
• The scion is artificially created to have a short day.
• Repeated vaccinations are performed.

A grafted watermelon requires a large area. Therefore, when transplanted into open ground, each plant requires up to 8 square meters. m.

Lagenaria is best suited for rootstock; watermelon is almost completely compatible with it, but you can also use ordinary pumpkin.

Preferred varieties: White Honey, Gray Volzhskaya, Mozoleevskaya, and they even graft onto zucchini, but in this case pumpkin and zucchini will not be fully compatible with watermelon, and you will have to leave the tops on the rootstock. And the best scions for lagenaria are watermelons of the Astrakhan, Kholodok, Kherson, Korean, Chernouska and others varieties.

A grafted watermelon takes longer to ripen, so in order to get the harvest earlier, the planted plants need to be covered with film.

Since a pumpkin has a hollow stem and creates an environment favorable for root growth, a grafted watermelon often forms its own root system inside the scion.

Vaccination technology

The technology for grafting melons is as follows:

Grafting melon onto pumpkin. This grafting leads to an increase in the rate of ripening of any varieties. For fusion to be successful, a temperature of 20 to 30 degrees and high humidity are required. Lighting should be diffused (this can be achieved using a greenhouse or greenhouse, in a box with a cover glass). Wooden boxes measuring 30x100 cm with greenhouse frames instead of a roof are also convenient. To secure the grafting site, a thickened thread, cotton cords, or a soft sponge are used.

This is important: if the dressing is not tight enough or, conversely, too strong, the number of surviving vaccinations decreases. For grafting, use a sharp knife or a new safety razor, a sharpened nail that has the same diameter as the scion, and also a special knife

To open the cut, do not bend the stem too much; insert the cutting into the cut, making sure that the stems are in exact contact. The cuts must coincide clearly

For grafting, use a sharp knife or a new safety razor, a sharpened nail that has the same diameter as the scion, and a special knife. To open the cut, do not bend the stem too much; insert the cutting into the cut, making sure that the stems are in exact contact. The cuts must match exactly.

Vaccination against Lagenaria. Melons and melons also have the possibility of grafting against lagenaria. However, they need more care than usual. The pumpkin should now have its first true leaf, and the melon should enter the cotyledon phase. Vaccination is carried out using the “incision” method. The technology is as follows: wrap the graft. During growth, the sponge must be made weaker, and when complete fusion occurs, it must be removed. Watering is daily, and the plant should be under glass or polyethylene. Daily ventilation and spraying is recommended. It is important to keep the plant at temperatures up to 30°, shading it from the sun. If the grafting is carried out correctly, the scion will begin to grow within 5 days. Zucchini grafting. The technology is no different from grafting onto other pumpkin plants.

Since the pumpkin family is plants that are resistant to environmental factors, melon is grafted in order to improve quality indicators and better adaptability to adverse environmental factors.

In the following videos you will learn how to graft a melon onto a pumpkin:

When and where to get vaccinated?

Grafting is done in a house or greenhouse in different ways. The timing of sowing seeds depends on their choice (more on this later). The timing of grafting is calculated in such a way that 25-day-old seedlings are planted at the end of May. It should be remembered that seedlings older than this age take root less well, so there is no need to rush with sowing or delay planting. The timing of sowing and grafting can be adjusted depending on the climatic zone and method of cultivation. So, seedlings can be planted under film or agrofibre earlier (by removing the cover after the onset of stable heat).

Different grafting methods: step-by-step instructions

There are several methods of vaccination. The general requirement is mandatory watering of seedlings 2–3 hours before the procedure. It itself should not take more than 7–10 seconds so that the sections do not have time to dry. Use only sharply sharpened and disinfected instruments, preferably a scalpel or razor. Cover the plants that have survived the “operation” with a plastic bag or a cut-off plastic bottle. It takes 7–12 days for fusion. “Hybrids” are best kept in the dark. The success of the procedure is indicated by the appearance of new leaves on the plant.

The success of grafting depends on several factors - the sharpness and sterility of the instrument, the absence of soil particles in the cuts, the density (but not excessive) of the strapping

The bandage is gradually loosened, finally being removed 12–15 days after fusion. After planting in the ground, it is advisable to install a support for the plant so that the stem does not break. The grafting site remains quite fragile.

Into the cleft

The method is considered the most reliable and gives the best results. The rootstock and scion should each have one true leaf:

1. At the rootstock, cut off the growing point at a distance of 2–3 cm from the cotyledon leaves. In the middle of the cut, make a vertical straight cut 1.5–2 cm deep. It should not be deep, reaching into the cavity at the base of the stem.
2. Cut off the roots of the scion, leaving 2–3 cm of the stem along with the cotyledon leaves. Peel 1.5–2 cm of the stem, according to the depth of the cut.
3. Open the cut and insert the scion into the rootstock, aligning the cotyledon leaves parallel to each other.
4. Wrap the grafting site with special tape or polyethylene cut into thin strips or cling film. They bandage tightly, but do not compress too much. 2-3 turns are enough.

The cleft grafting method is recommended for beginning gardeners as it is the easiest to implement and provides the highest percentage of plant survival

Splice

Scion and rootstock seeds are planted in one container as close to each other as possible. Grafting begins at the stage of the first true leaf:

1. On the sides of the stems facing each other, above the cotyledon leaves, a thin (up to 1 mm) layer of skin is cut off. The length of the strip is about 3 cm, the width is about a third of the circumference of the stem.
2. Press the sections tightly against each other, secure the structure with a bandage, polyethylene, or foil.
3. When the seedlings grow together, cut the cucumber stem below the grafting site and pinch the growing point at the rootstock.

The plants to be joined should be immediately planted as close to each other as possible.

In the tongue

The method gives a rather low percentage of successful operations; the “stress” from the grafting process is aggravated by simultaneous transplantation. It is better to immediately grow seedlings in one container:

Remove the cucumber seedling and rootstock from the container

It is very important not to damage the roots during the process and to prevent particles of the substrate from getting on the stems. Make an oblique cut on each plant at an angle of approximately 45°, one-third to one-half of the way down the stem and 5 to 8 mm long. On the rootstock it should go from top to bottom, on the scion - vice versa. At the cut site, remove the top layer of skin, insert the scion into the rootstock

Record the vaccination site. When the seedlings grow together, cut off the apical bud from the rootstock. You can leave the roots of the cucumber, or you can also trim the stem.

Grafting into the tongue is practiced quite rarely - it is difficult to guess the depth of the incision, this requires some experience

Video: grafting a cucumber into the tongue

Injection

Essentially, a type of cleft grafting. The top of the rootstock stem is cut off, but instead of a vertical cut, you need to make an “injection” 5–6 mm deep with a pointed wooden stick, an awl, or a nail about 3 mm thick. The top of the cucumber seedling is also cut off, and the base of the stem is sharpened so that it can be tightly inserted into the injection site.

How to graft a watermelon onto a pumpkin

There are many methods of vaccination:

• tongue;
• to the center (to the cleft);
• rapprochement;
• end-to-end;
• injected;
• in a side section;
• into the phone.

Tongue

This is the most commonly used method. It gives good survival rate due to the large contact between the scion and the rootstock and the presence of roots in both pumpkin and watermelon.

Watermelon is planted three days earlier. The seeds are germinated in advance. You can sow them in one container or in different ones.

For grafting, a cut is made in the middle between the root and the leaves on the rootstock (from top to bottom) and on the scion (from bottom to top). The depth of the cut should be 1-1.2 cm to the middle of the stem. Tabs are formed that connect and secure. The grafted plant must be tied to a stake.

After five days, the plants grow together. It is necessary to crush the lower part of the watermelon so that its roots die off and it switches to nutrition from the roots of the rootstock.

Pumpkin leaves are removed during watermelon growth so that three “native” leaves remain (two cotyledons and one true).

By rapprochement

The only difference is the connection method. The skin layer of the seedlings is cut off, after which they are connected and fixed for fusion. Other actions are repeated as when grafting with a tongue.

Copulation

Copulation is similar to butt grafting. The main difference is the volume of the rootstock. The pumpkin must be planted at the same time as the watermelon so that its stem is stronger and thicker.

Next, the growing point is removed, leaving one cotyledon leaf. A cut is made on the rootstock from the removed leaf parallel to the stem, 7-8 mm long. The scion is cut in the middle of the stem and connected to the plant. Afterwards everything is secured with a clip or tape.

Lateral incision grafting

The survival rate with this method is considered high, but not everyone knows about the possibility of using it to graft watermelon.

It is similar to tongue grafting, only the root system of the watermelon is removed immediately. The pumpkin stem is cut to the center with an oblique line, the watermelon stem is cut through with an oblique cut, leaving only a thin layer of skin on the other side. Afterwards, the seedling is inserted into the cut on the pumpkin stem and fixed.

Vaccination in the center (injection)

Fast, simple and effective way.

The pumpkin must be sown earlier to obtain a thick and strong stem by the time of grafting. Before grafting, the growing point is removed. The center of the stem is pierced with a toothpick or a sharp stick to a depth of 5 mm. The stick or toothpick remains in place until grafting. A watermelon 3-4 days old is cut diagonally and inserted into the puncture site. Fixation is not required, as the scion holds on its own.

There are general recommendations for watermelon grafting:

• sterility: instruments and hands must be treated with alcohol;
• grafting is carried out in the evening or cloudy times;
• containers for pumpkins should be larger;
• the day before grafting, water the rootstock with a sufficient amount of water;
• for plants to grow together, it is necessary to maintain high humidity (70%) in the place where they are placed;
• protect from direct sunlight;
• t +25…+28°C.

General recommendations

• Tools and hands must be treated with alcohol before vaccination. If a large number of plants are being grafted, this procedure can be repeated several times during the grafting process.
• The vaccination should be done in the evening or on a cloudy day. At the same time, there should be no direct sunlight, because of which the plants can dry out and wither.
• It is better to immediately sow lagenaria in larger containers so that in the future there is enough space for the development of the root system. For watermelon, small cups or cassettes are suitable.
• The day before grafting, the rootstock should be well watered.
• The optimal age of seedlings is when, in addition to fully expanded cotyledon leaves, the first true leaf appears. At this stage of plant development, the highest survival rate is observed. Some gardeners graft watermelon with 2-3 true leaves, which is acceptable, but not optimal.
• To graft on a pumpkin, you need to remove the growing point. This can be done 1-2 days before surgery: firstly, the removal site will dry out by then; secondly, there will be no need to perform additional manipulation, completely concentrating on the grafting. But this is not an axiom. Experienced gardeners often do this immediately before grafting.
• In the first days after grafting, it is advisable to maintain maximum air humidity in the place where the seedlings are placed. To do this, water the grafted plants and cover them with film or a plastic bottle.
• The plants should not be exposed to direct sunlight, but the illumination should be high.
• The optimal air temperature is 25-28 degrees.
• You need to make cuts and combine the scion with the rootstock quickly so that they do not oxidize or dry out - the quality and survival rate of the graft depends on this.

Grafting a watermelon is not such a difficult job that anyone can master. The main thing is to treat plants with care and do everything carefully, because they are much more fragile than shrubs or trees. But this feature is not without its advantages: such plants grow together faster and actively grow. You can verify this by grafting a watermelon with your own hands and getting a stunning harvest.

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Other vaccination options

After several unsuccessful attempts, many gardeners began to use special rootstocks that are cultivated only for grafting. Unfortunately, such rootstock seeds can only be ordered in China using Aliexpress. It will not be possible to grow such rootstocks yourself, since they are hybrids. The seedlings are grafted using the method of “bringing the tongues together” and planted in one pot. Then the melon stem is clamped so that the seedling gets used to eating only from the roots of the rootstock. Later, the scion stem is cut off completely.

Since only cotyledons are needed from the rootstock, new leaves that appear are pinched. Such seedlings should be watered and fed like any other seedlings. Growth stimulants are not used. Thanks to this grafting method, the plant becomes more cold-resistant, disease-resistant and fertile. These melons have a particularly sweet taste. The swirled berries taste like pineapple.

Melon grafting. Rootstocks for melon. Personal experience.

At first I grew melons in an ungrafted crop, the harvest was decent, but I wanted more. And when I found out that melons can be grafted onto special rootstocks, moreover, I was able to buy them, I took a risk and did not regret it - the harvest doubled.

Before you start grafting a melon, you need to choose the right rootstock. It depends on him how well the melon will grow and bear fruit. Unlike watermelons and cucumbers, melon is very picky about the rootstocks on which it is grafted.

Melon has poor compatibility with zucchini, lagenaria and pumpkins. I also had experience grafting melon onto benikaza. At one time there were a lot of articles saying that this is the ideal rootstock for melon. Unfortunately, my personal experience has shown that this is not true. The plant did not die, but it did not grow or develop at all.

I tried to graft onto lagenaria, because watermelons and cucumbers grow well on it, but on such a plant, melons developed and yielded even worse than those not grafted.

Grafting a melon onto a zucchini and grafting a melon onto a pumpkin also does not give results.

Further care for grafted watermelons

Immediately after grafting, the plant is placed on a well-lit windowsill and the air humidity is provided within 80% and the temperature at +25...+28°C. When all the manipulations to remove the growth point of lagenaria and the stem of the watermelon have been carried out in accordance with one of the grafting methods described above, you can begin to gradually reduce the air temperature to +15°C. If the weather is warm outside or it is possible to cover the seedlings with spunbond, then after 1–2 weeks they can be planted in a permanent place.

The grafted seedling should be grown in an open area, protected from drafts. The plants in question bear fruit well on light, fertile soils, so a month before planting, you should loosen them to a depth of 30 cm and add 20 kg of compost, 10 kg of peat and 600 g of wood ash for each 1 m².

Did you know? More than 800 varieties of pumpkin are known, but only 25% of them can be eaten.

The holes are placed at a distance of 50 cm from each other. The same distance is maintained between rows. Planting holes are made deep enough to fit the peat pot in which the plants were placed at the time of grafting. After planting, water the soil with 1 liter of water, wait for it to settle, and add the missing layer. Then mulch the soil with fresh grass.

Throughout the season, the watering regime is observed: do this once a week, in the evening, with warm, settled water. During the dry season, watering should be increased to 2-3 times a week.

Read more about the features of watering watermelons.

A plant infusion is used as fertilizer once every 10–14 days. To do this, add 5 kg of nettle, 3 banana skins, 2 tbsp to 20 liters of water. l. wood ash and 1 tbsp. l. Sahara. Leave the mixture to ferment for 1–2 weeks. After this, decant and dilute in a 1:1 ratio with water. Apply 1–2 liters per bush. Vegetation remains are used as mulch.

Stop fertilizing when the fruits stop gaining volume, approximately 3-4 weeks before harvest. During this period, watering is completely excluded.

In order to get a good harvest of watermelons every year in any weather conditions, you can use the technology of grafting onto pumpkin, or more precisely, onto one of its varieties - lagenaria. This approach makes it possible to increase the resistance of the main crop to drought, high humidity, temperature changes and diseases.

Post-procedure care

After the procedure, the soil surface is mulched with wet sawdust. Then cover with glass jars or plastic bottles with the bottom cut off.

During the week, maintain a humidity level of 90-95% and t +25 °C. To do this, the containers are placed on a windowsill located above the radiator and shaded from bright light. The inner walls of the bottle are sprayed daily with warm water.

The plants are ventilated by opening the surface of the pot daily for 1-2 minutes. Water every day with warm and settled water, avoiding moisture getting into the grafting site.

After this, ventilation is increased, and after 2-3 days the caps are removed.

Ventilation of seedlings

In the future, maintain an average temperature of +20°C-+25°C during the day and about +18°C at night. Water as the earthen clod dries. A few days before transplanting, the plants are fed with mineral fertilizers for seedlings and hardened by taking them out into the fresh air. After transplanting, care for it like a regular pumpkin.

Plants that are grafted for the first time have difficulty taking root and produce a small harvest. Therefore, it is unreasonable to immediately transfer all melon plantings to grafted plants. This is done gradually after gaining experience, finding ideal rootstocks and scions.

Grafting a melon onto a pumpkin is no more complicated than the procedure carried out with trees. Even some of the methods are similar. The difference is the more fragile structure of the stem of the rootstock and scion. To get a good result, you must adhere to the rules and be careful.

Caring for seedlings.

To prevent the seedling from rotting from waterlogging, watering it should not be frequent. If all the necessary maintenance conditions are met correctly, the seedlings will fully grow together within 5-7 days. As soon as the stem of the watermelon begins to push up and its second and third leaves appear above the grafted place, pinch it with tweezers or cut off the scion sprout from the ground. After the cut wound has healed, with further good growth of the watermelon sprout, the fixing foil or clip is removed.

In the case when, during grafting, the growth point of the pumpkin was poorly removed, active growth of pumpkin leaves may begin. They must be pinched and removed. At the end of spring and beginning of summer, grafted and already well-grown, strong seedlings are transplanted into open ground, into a well-lit bed fertilized with compost or ash. Before fruiting, seedlings are watered at the root, once a week.

How to graft a cucumber onto a pumpkin using the approach method

Approximation:

• Plants are sown nearby.
• Once they reach the specified age (although it can be much longer), a strip of skin (3 cm long, 1 mm deep) is removed from both plants.
• Connect the incisions and tie the grafting site with polyethylene or other materials.
• After fusion, the lower part of the trunk is cut off from the scion (cucumber), and the upper part from the rootstock (pumpkin), i.e., you get the roots of a pumpkin and the stem of a cucumber. You don’t have to cut the root of the scion (cucumber) - this is usually done if you simply want to get a more powerful cucumber root system. In this case, after fusion, the top of the pumpkin is cut off - you get a cucumber plant with two roots.

Types of grafting watermelon onto pumpkin

It is not difficult to graft watermelon onto lagenaria. For these two plants to grow together, a small contact of surfaces is enough.

Let's take a closer look at the possible options:

• reed (the most common method);
• to the center;
• rapprochement.

The choice of vaccination method is a matter of personal preference of the summer resident, confirmed by individual experience.

Grafting watermelon onto pumpkin (lagenaria):

Tongue

Rootstock and scion seedlings for this method are selected with 2 - 3 true leaves. The method has excellent survival rate and can be recommended even for beginners.

On the pumpkin stem, at a distance of 5 - 7 mm below the cotyledon leaves, use a scalpel to make an oblique cut from top to bottom. The length of the cut is 5 - 6 mm, the depth is 2/3 of the stem.

The stem of the watermelon, at the same height, is cut in reverse - from bottom to top. The depth and length of the second cut are the same.

We carefully connect the cuts with a “lock” and secure the grafting with food foil or a grafting clip. At this stage, there is no need to cut off anything; let the seedlings each grow on their own roots until the grafting site heals.

We plant interconnected plants in one large glass (volume 0.5 - 0.8 l), and immediately place it in a lighted place.

After 5 days, the watermelon stem must be pinched below the grafting level; the plant begins to feed from the pumpkin roots. After another 5 days, cut off the stem of the watermelon and cut off the top of the lagenaria.

As soon as the place has healed, the foil is removed. Done - you have a striped berry seedling grafted onto more powerful roots.

For seedlings, use a light, fairly nutritious mixture. For example: nutrient substrate and coconut flakes, ratio 1/3. It is advisable to disinfect the mixture.

This will allow the seedlings to avoid fungal diseases, including the “black leg”, which is dangerous for the pumpkin family.

Grafting with a tongue

To the center (to the cleft)

We take a pumpkin seedling with a true leaf that has barely hatched, and a watermelon seedling with 2 - 3 true leaves.

Using a sharp scalpel, with an oblique cut directed towards the center, we cut off the lagenaria sprout just above the cotyledon leaves. Then slightly extend the incision by 1 - 1.5 mm.

Cut off the top of a watermelon seedling with its growing point at an acute angle. We insert the resulting wedge with 2 - 3 real watermelon leaves tightly into the center of the rootstock, in place of the cut out growth point.

Carefully secure the grafting site (split) with food foil or a grafting clip.

We plant the grafted seedling in a plastic container with a volume of 0.5 - 0.8 liters, and be sure to cover it with a plastic bottle with the bottom cut off and a screwed cap. The foil (or clip) can be removed once the area has healed.

Vaccination in the center (in the cleft)

By rapprochement

We take rootstock and scion seedlings with 2 true leaves, plant them at the same level, as close to each other as possible, in one large glass.

On the inside of the stems, 5 - 7 mm above the cotyledon leaves, cut off the skin with a sharp knife. We connect the plants tightly and secure the grafting with foil.

After 5 - 7 days, the watermelon stem must be pinched below the grafting level. The plant begins to feed from the pumpkin roots, and the watermelon root gradually dries out.

When planting in open ground, the pumpkin sprout can be cut off completely.

Grafting watermelon onto Lagenaria by approach:

Using a regular pumpkin

The first dilemma that arises for gardeners who are planning to increase productivity through selection is how to properly graft a watermelon onto a pumpkin, and which varieties are suitable for such manipulations. Of all the variety of green berries, the following are recommended for crossing:

• Kherson;
• Chernouska;
• Chill;
• Korean;
• Astrakhan and other early ripening options.

Regarding local plant varieties, breeders advise using lagenaria. However, it can not be found in every garden in the middle zone (it is common in southern latitudes).

In this regard, summer residents are interested in whether it is possible to graft a watermelon onto an ordinary pumpkin. In principle, the following varieties are allowed:

• Gorlyanka;
• Figolifolia;
• Wax;
• Large-fruited;
• Benincasa.

Recommendations for the use of bottle varieties are solely due to the accelerated growth that is transmitted to the grafted plant.

Caring for a grafted plant

Watermelons after grafting require special care:

Be sure to cover the grafted plant the first time so that the watermelon does not die from lack of moisture, since it does not yet fully receive nutrition from the lagenaria. Every 5 days, ventilate the plants by opening them for 20-30 minutes, gradually increasing this time. After 2 weeks, when the watermelon gets stronger, remove the cover completely. Plant the grafted watermelon in the sunniest place

After vaccination, it is important to maintain a temperature of at least 25 °C. Place the seedlings in the sunniest window

When planting watermelon in open ground, add a bucket of humus and 0.5 kg of ash to the hole, mix, water well, plant the plants, and mulch. During fruit growth, in hot and dry summers, water the watermelons well once a week, but so that the foliage remains dry. When fruit growth stops, stop watering so that the berries can gain sugar.

Grafting watermelons onto pumpkin seedlings is a rather complicated procedure and not always successful. But once you have mastered it, you will be able to get good harvests of large and sugar watermelons every season.

Preparing the instrument for the procedure

Without the right tools, it is impossible to successfully cross melons and melons. Special requirements are placed on the blade. It should be as sharp as possible, otherwise it will not be possible to cut through the thick peel, and disinfected so as not to introduce germs. A regular blade will do the job best. To avoid injury, it is wrapped with cloth on one side.

Full list of required equipment:

• cutting device (blade, scalpel or stationery knife);
• felt-tip pen;
• dressing (bandage, hemp, washcloth, plastic tape or foil strips measuring 1.5 by 30 cm);
• smooth clothespins or special clips for grafting.

It is strictly forbidden to use a kitchen knife for cutting, no matter how sharp it is. Its design will not make it possible to make an even cut without dents.

When crossing plants, it is necessary to ensure maximum contact between dissimilar cells. To do this, at the cut points, the contacting areas are tightly tied and, for reliability, additionally secured with clothespins or clips.

On a note! The procedure for grafting a watermelon onto a pumpkin is not a simple one; not every seedling survives it. Therefore, such manipulations should be carried out with a large number of planting materials, thereby creating a reserve.

Growing seedlings for grafting

Seeds of both crops need to be planted for seedlings 7–10 days earlier than usual, so that the seedlings have time to grow together reliably before transplanting into the garden bed. By this time, it is desirable for the “hybrids” to have 5–6 true leaves and at least one tendril.

The rootstock, as a rule, grows more actively than the cucumbers themselves, which it is advisable to give a “head start” in another 4–5 days. To ensure that its root system develops from the very beginning, provide the pumpkin or zucchini with enough space by planting it in a container with a volume of about 0.5 liters. But in this regard, you can save on cucumbers.

Seedlings of pumpkins and zucchini develop more actively, so cucumbers need to be planted a few days earlier so that the plants have approximately the same dimensions

It is advisable to grow seedlings in sawdust, perlite, vermiculite, coconut fiber, and sphagnum moss. Particles of ordinary soil are more difficult to clean from plants, and if they get into the cuts made, the operation will definitely not be successful.

Grow the scion and rootstock in a substrate that can be easily removed from the roots and stems of the seedlings

Seedlings must have strong, thick stems. You can't let her stretch out. This is caused by:

• lack of additional lighting during early sowing periods;
• elevated temperatures (more than 23–25°C);
• too much watering;
• excessive crowding in a container with seedlings.

Elongated cucumber seedlings with thin stems are not used as scion

Growing cucumbers using the grafting method: general description, advantages and disadvantages of the method

Grafting a cucumber is a method of growing it that allows the vine to be “transferred” to receive nutrition from the root system of another plant, more powerful and developed than its own. You can choose any varieties, it is advisable to give preference to the zoned and most unpretentious ones.

Cultivation of cucumbers by grafting in Asian countries (South Korea, Japan) is practiced on an industrial scale

The technique has been mastered by gardeners since the beginning of the twentieth century. The operation will be successful only if you choose the right rootstock. Both plants must belong to the Cucurbitaceae family.

When the scion and rootstock grow together, the stem of the cucumber seedling is cut off near the soil; the new plant is provided with everything necessary by the root system of the pumpkin or zucchini

It was found experimentally that it is best to graft cucumbers onto:

• Pumpkin. For the rootstock, it is recommended to use hard-barked pumpkin varieties zoned for the Urals, Siberia, the Far East, and other regions with harsh climates (Danae, Golosemyanka, Yuno, Almond, Gribovskaya bush, Acorn, Altai). It is also allowed to use large-fruited (Titan, Rossiyanka, Stofuntovaya, Marblenaya, Ulybka, Tsentner) and figleaf (In Memory of Tarakanov) pumpkins, but the percentage of successful grafting will be lower. They are also more heat-loving and easy to care for. Definitely unsuitable options are gymnosperm and nutmeg pumpkins.
• Zucchini. Compared to hard-bark pumpkins, they give similar grafting results. You can choose any varieties recommended for cultivation in a given region.
• Lagenaria. An interesting variety of decorative pumpkin with fruits of the most unusual shapes, sometimes called bottle pumpkin. The survival rate of the scion and rootstock is quite high, but the resulting plants noticeably lag behind in development. It is better to graft watermelons onto lagenaria. Not many varieties of it are known in Russia - Goose in Apples, Serpentine, Bottles, Calabash, Geese-Swans, Club-shaped, Turban.

The main advantages of the method:

• The root system of the cucumber, which is not particularly branched and extends only 25–30 cm into the soil, limits its productivity. The roots are simply not able to “feed” all the ripening fruits. At the rootstock they extend 2–3 m deep, providing better nutrition and greater yield.
• Ordinary cucumbers cannot tolerate temperatures dropping to 10–12°C and die. A more frost-resistant rootstock allows you to extend the fruiting period. Cucumbers become less sensitive to temperature changes day and night.
• Cucumbers are extremely moisture-loving; they need to be watered almost every day. This is a problem for gardeners who do not have the opportunity to permanently live on the site. Powerful roots draw moisture from the deep layers of the soil - this allows you to increase the intervals between waterings. New “hybrids” survive long-term drought better.
• Among pumpkin cucumbers, cucumbers are most susceptible to various diseases. They develop even as a result of minor errors in agricultural technology. Grafting improves plant immunity.

The cucumber’s poorly developed root system compared to pumpkin is one of the main reasons for its finicky care and capriciousness.

A significant drawback of the technique is the low percentage of successful grafting, especially if the gardener has no experience in this, and the technology is violated. Therefore, it is recommended to simultaneously graft at least 10–15 pairs of plants in order to be able to get your hands on in the process. But be prepared in advance for the fact that it will not be possible to achieve a 100% result.

Be prepared for the fact that absolutely all scions and rootstocks will not grow together, especially if you are resorting to this method of growing cucumbers for the first time

Video: personal experience of grafting cucumber onto lagenaria

As a result of grafting a cucumber onto a pumpkin or zucchini, you will not get fruits of an incomprehensible appearance and taste - only plants that are more powerful and resistant to the vagaries of the weather

What crops are suitable as a rootstock?

Plants from the related Pumpkin family are chosen as a rootstock. The gardener individually determines what is best adapted to the local conditions. Melon is very capricious when it comes to choosing a rootstock, so three crops are often used for grafting:

• It is easiest to graft a melon onto a pumpkin due to the presence of an air cavity in the rootstock stem. Once the scion has been fused, ideal conditions are created for rapid root growth. You can graft onto a pumpkin using any of the methods discussed above. The new plant is resistant to cold, pests and diseases.
• The melon is grafted onto lagenaria in the center of the trunk. The rootstock and scion grow together with difficulty. If the graft does not take root immediately, the plant will dry out. Often the sun destroys the crop. The taste of melon on legenaria is much worse if we compare the result where pumpkin is the rootstock.
• A good option is to graft melon onto zucchini or squash. The new plant adapts better to the soil, temperature changes, and bears fruit well in cold regions

Experienced gardeners practice grafting three plants at the same time. If you combine a tomato, melon and zucchini, you will get tasty fruits, but the plant itself will be susceptible to tomato diseases.

What can be grafted onto a melon?

In rare cases, the top of an adult pumpkin or gourd is grafted onto a melon. To achieve good results, the rootstock is grown from large seeds to produce thick stems. Seedlings are provided with maximum light. If the stems of the rootstock are thin, the scion will not take root.