Square watermelon: secrets of growing an unusual berry

Summer residents and gardeners who are interested in all the innovations in the field of growing new, exotic crops could not help but pay attention to the appearance of watermelons of a non-standard square shape. Amazing square watermelons are a remarkable achievement of Japanese experimenters. By the way, the first copy of the miracle berry saw the light of day more than 30 years ago.

Advantages and disadvantages of a square shape

What qualities of fruits attract consumers so much? Among the advantages are the following:

Convenience of a square shape, from a pragmatic point of view, for transportation and storage. It is no secret that a round berry will shift and move during transportation and is difficult to set still. Ripe watermelons burst easily, even if they are rearranged too much. This product is difficult to put into place, it rolls around and may fall and break. Crop losses can be quite significant. The square option certainly solves this problem.
When using the product directly as food, it is also difficult to place it on the table, on a plate, or put it in the refrigerator. There are no difficulties with a square fruit.
The laws of the market stimulate the emergence of new forms of goods that are attractive, original, exotic, and capable of surprising and delighting. A square watermelon, without a doubt, surprises with its non-standard shape. As a gift or decorative element, it will capture the imagination of guests.

For your information, this is an ordinary watermelon, its excellent taste and composition remain unchanged. Among the disadvantages of square fruits, as the Japanese testify, is that they ripen unevenly. Therefore, it is better to use them as an attribute, decoration at various celebrations.

Why grow such a fruit at all?

The Japanese, who at one time were actively involved in the selection of this type of watermelon, claim that very often square watermelons do not ripen to the end. And due to the fact that such original exhibits are quite expensive on store shelves, these plants are most often used as decorative elements. A square fruit, if all storage conditions are met, can last about a year.

Such watermelons are often bought for major celebrations: anniversaries, weddings. Cubic fruits are not sold everywhere.

Square watermelons are very convenient for transportation. They can be placed quite compactly in the back of a car, with less chance of spoiling the goods while driving the car. The best thing about these berries is that they are grown in the usual way without the use of chemicals. Moreover, it is not even a genetically modified product. Square watermelon is the most common fruit with an unusual shape.

Tip: To determine that the fruit is ripe, do not rely on sound. A dull sound indicates that the watermelon has been despised. First of all, the stalk of a ripe fruit begins to dry out. The surface of the watermelon turns from glossy to matte and becomes dull. The peel hardens so much that it is difficult to pierce it with a fingernail. The part of the watermelon that comes into contact with the ground turns yellowish. If you find all these signs in your watermelon, you know that it is ripe, even if it rings in response to your knock.

A few facts about watermelon breeding:

Japanese students have developed a variety of decorative watermelons that also have excellent taste. After this discovery was patented, and since 2007, square watermelons of the official trademark began to be sold in Japan.
Chinese scientists have developed watermelons with golden-colored flesh. Gold is highly revered in this country and is a symbol of wealth and prosperity. In this regard, watermelon has become very popular.
In Israel, breeders are trying to cultivate seedless watermelon.
It is known that there are even low-calorie varieties of watermelon. With reduced sugar content and increased fructose content.

Growing watermelons is not easy. Requires endurance and a thorough approach. This applies to both cubic and ordinary plants. Starting from planting seedlings and ending with waiting for the formed fruits to ripen, the process requires complete dedication and optimism. But if you approach everything with the desire to achieve results, then you are guaranteed an excellent harvest.

Preparing to grow berries

Let's look in detail at how to grow a square watermelon. As already mentioned, no significant genetic changes will have to be made, you just need to ensure the correct formation of the appropriate form. A square structure containing the watermelon ovary should be made in advance. To do this, prepare the materials:

plexiglass, plastic or polycarbonate with a thickness of more than 8 mm;
small rotary hinges for fastening parts;
2 loops with fasteners;
aluminum corner for external fixation or other suitable fastener.

The most common tools and fastening materials are used: a hacksaw (or jigsaw), screwdrivers, a drill for drilling holes, screws, nuts.

How to make a mold

Since giving the appropriate shape is the most important part of the process, the production of the form must be approached with the utmost seriousness. So how do you make a mold for square watermelons?

First of all, you should take care of the material for the drawers. It is quite possible to construct them from panels made of polycarbonate or plexiglass. They can be either completely transparent or black. Next, you will need ordinary door hinges and a lid lock, a metal corner (about 30 mm wide) and fasteners to connect all these parts into a single structure.

It is necessary to construct a small box from the panels, equipped with a hinged lid with a shutter. The length of one side should be at least 20 cm so that the berry is comfortable. If the box size is too large, the watermelon may not acquire the desired shape, and you will simply grow a small round berry.

A small hole should be made in the center of the lid so that the watermelon ovary can be placed inside the box. Since the fruit placed in the box will strive to achieve a round shape, and therefore resist changing its outline, considerable pressure will be exerted on the walls of the box. So you need to make sure that the structure is strong enough to withstand the pressure that the growing berry puts on it.

By observing all these conditions, you can build a tool with your own hands to give this berry an unusual shape. By the way, many farmers, having had plenty of practice with watermelons, begin to change the appearance of other crops, using the same methods.

Making a square shape

The form for growing a square watermelon is a cube with 6 planes - identical squares 20x20 cm. When manufacturing, take into account the design features:

Four squares make up the sides of the cube. They are inseparable.
The lid and bottom must open so that the grown fruit can be removed.
A hole is cut into the lid for the tail and air circulation.
When drawing up a cube diagram, you should take into account the thickness of the material, since its ends must overlap.

How to grow a square watermelon yourself

Growing a juicy and sweet square watermelon on your plot is not difficult if you take into account all the rules of agricultural technology.

The whole process consists of several successive stages:

Seed preparation. The optimal time is the end of spring, so that the fruits have time to ripen. Pre-planting material is germinated in damp sand or moistened soil under bright light.
Planting in open ground. The air temperature should not fall below +15°C.
Formations. It begins when the crop reaches the size of a small apple.

Shoots appear from seeds 10-12 days after they are placed in an environment favorable for germination.

Sequence of manufacturing the structure

First, prepare 6 square sheets of 20x20 cm from the material.
Using fasteners, connect the sides of the cube.
Then the lid is made. A circle with a diameter of 25 cm is drilled in the center of the square. Starting from points of the circle opposite in diameter, parallel lines are drawn to one of the sides of the lid. After making the cut, a wide gap is left.
The lid and bottom plane of the cube are attached using rotary hinges. They are equipped with loops with a fastener.
From an aluminum corner cut into 4 parts you will receive additional fasteners for fixing the walls of the mold.

Buying a ready-made form is quite difficult. The designs are sold in specialized stores in large cities. The number of form copies will be small. If you decide to make square watermelon production part of your business, you will need to specially order molds.

DIY form

There are no special rules or special requirements for the form. You can build a square or rectangular body from any suitable material. This can be a sheet of plexiglass, plywood, polycarbonate. To make it easier to get out the formed watermelon, doors are made on both sides.

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That is, two opposite sides should open. To do this, you need to buy a couple of door hinges and curtains. In the upper part of the form you need to drill a hole through which the stem will pass. Holes are made on the sides for free air circulation. If they are not there, the fruit inside the mold will rot.

Approximate set of required spare parts:

plywood 12 mm thick;
metal corner up to 30 mm wide;
self-tapping screws or nuts;
door hinges – 4 pcs.;
door clamps – 2 pcs.

Tools that will be used to make the mold: drill, jigsaw, screwdriver.

5 blanks of equal size and one slightly smaller - 25*25 cm are cut out of plywood. On the blank, which will be the lid, a hole with a diameter of 25 mm is drilled in the center. Cut a strip on one side of the hole.

The tail of the watermelon will be inserted through it. Next you need to attach 2 hinges where the doors will close, and attach the side walls. Finally, drill holes on the sides for air circulation. Place the watermelon inside and close the door.

Preparing and planting seeds

Watermelon seeds are planted at the beginning of summer, sometimes in May, when the weather is warm. Experienced melon growers who know well how to grow watermelons understand that a lot depends on the quality of the seeds. Take seed material zoned for early ripening in your area. Before planting, specially treat:

Warm up for 10 days (create a temperature for dry seeds of about 55 degrees - calcination in the sun). You can simply warm up the seeds near the radiator in February.
Soak the seeds in water for half an hour and remove any that float.
After this, pour hot water at 50-60 degrees into the bowl with the seeds and leave until it cools. Drain this water and pour in new water for biting.
3 days before sowing, soak the ash in water in a ratio of 1:2, respectively, leave for half a day, stirring.
Dip the seeds in a dark solution of potassium permanganate, rinse, and soak overnight in the prepared ash solution.

When sowing, focus on a soil temperature of 15 degrees above zero. The soil should be loose and fertile. Sow 10 seeds per linear meter to a depth of 6-8 cm (not all will sprout). If low temperatures prevent you from sowing a crop in a timely manner, you must first germinate the seeds in a peat pot. During this time the earth will warm up. When the temperature changes, a square watermelon is grown in a greenhouse.

The history of the appearance of an unusual shape

Square watermelons first appeared 3 decades ago in Japan. They were grown for ease of transportation, because stacking square fruits on top of one another is much easier than round ones. This saves space and prevents watermelons from breaking. But it turned out that customers liked the unusual product and began to grow it due to good demand. However, there is still not a large scale and square watermelons in Japan are mainly grown to order.

Features of caring for seedlings before placing them in the form

After planting, it is necessary to regularly water the holes with water (+25 degrees). The soil for germination must be constantly moist. After 7 days, sprouts will appear. When caring for seedlings, follow these tips:

When the 5th leaf appears, it is necessary to spud up and carefully loosen the soil.
The main thing for watermelons is to be warm and dry. During rainy weather, you will need to cover the seedlings.
Water moderately, not directly into the hole, but next to it.
In a month the watermelon will bloom. When the fruits reach 10 cm in diameter, pinch the main vine and remove the side shoots so that the plant spends energy only on the main ovary.
Remove excess, weak plants.

Then, upon reaching 10 cm in diameter, the ovary is placed in a mold. Watermelons will gradually grow, taking the form of a cube.

Caring for fruits in shape consists of maintaining the required temperature and moderate watering (watermelon does not like waterlogging). The berries are collected in August and September, 3 months after planting. It is worth adding that growing square watermelons requires the experience of a melon gardener. If the shape is larger than the watermelon, it will not be square. If less, the fruit will crack and the result will worsen. In general, it all depends on how well the gardener knows how to grow watermelons, knows the varieties, and can choose the required size for the chosen shape.

Growth period and cultivation characteristics

Cubic melons are grown in the same way as traditional ones. They are not treated with chemicals and do not use intensive technologies. Watermelon is not a genetically modified product. Cultivation occurs according to the traditional scheme:

sowing seeds;
grow the berry to the size of an onion;
place it in a special cube, taking into account the vertical arrangement of the stripes;
constantly monitor the growth of the fetus so that the shape does not become deformed;
The harvest is harvested in June, carefully removing square watermelons from containers.

Harvests are obtained once a year by cutting the fruit at the technical ripeness stage. A cube made of plastic, polycarbonate, steel and even glass is prepared for growth. The latter material is less reliable, since under the pressure of an overgrown watermelon it can burst.

Growing square-shaped fruits is possible only in southern regions with a consistently warm climate. It is more convenient to use hybrids with a short growing season as varietal material.

Watermelons grow like other agricultural crops, gradually gaining mass. But this is a piece product: each of the specimens needs careful care. The fruits should be without cracks, and the stripes should run clearly vertically. The condition of the berries is checked every day and the picking time must not be missed, otherwise the work will be done in vain.

Preparation, cultivation and care are more expensive than working in a melon field. Therefore, 200-300 units of square products are grown per year and they are not going to increase this figure.

How to determine the degree of ripeness of fruits

For an unnaturally shaped watermelon, determining ripeness plays an important role. They are recognized primarily by external signs:

the stalk of a ripe watermelon is dried;
the bark becomes softer and dull;
the part of the berry lying towards the ground becomes whitish.

As for determining ripeness by “ringing”, such a fruit will be overripe.

Harvesting and storage rules

It is important not to miss harvest time. Here you need to get to the moment when the fruits completely fill the mold, then they can already be removed. If left to grow further, large-fruited watermelons may tear the container. Signs of ripeness are a dry tail, a yellow spot on the side adjacent to the ground.

Take the watermelons out of the square and leave them on the bush for another 2-3 days in the sun. If it is not yet very ripe, then during this time it will ripen a little. The collected fruits should be stored in cool and dark conditions, spread out on a layer of straw.

Features of storing square berries

Late-ripening square watermelons are grown for long-term storage. After collection, they are laid out in a well-ventilated place on a layer of dry straw. The laying shape is a pyramid of 7-8 rows. Fence the area with fragile goods with boards. Scientists and plant breeders around the world undoubtedly continue to work on the creation of new bizarre forms of plants. The experiments concern many crops - melons, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, apples. Cone-shaped watermelons and cucumbers, which have a star-shaped cut rather than a round one, amaze the imagination of consumers.

Specifics of growing unusual watermelons

There are no special secrets to the difficulties in growing square watermelons. The agricultural technology used at home is very similar to the standard one, and you can grow a square watermelon fruit from any variety. However, there are still mandatory conditions - the fruits must be large, so that when they grow, they can occupy the entire area of the form, leaving no voids.

Preparatory stage

The watermelon variety must be early or ultra-early, that is, with a high rate of growth and ripening. Square fruits are grown from prepared seedlings, the seeds for which are selected exclusively large, healthy, without damage or diseases of various origins, and of the correct shape. It is not advisable to take fresh seeds; they should be 2-3 years old.

Sowing seeds

Before sowing, watermelon seeds should be heated in hot (50-60°C) water, and then pickled in a solution of potassium permanganate. Wrap in a wet cloth and leave in this position for 3 days for pipping. You can add a solution of a growth stimulator to the water to moisten it.

After the seeds germinate, they need to be sown individually in cups filled with fertile soil (to a depth of 2-3 cm). Substrate composition: turf, rotted humus and clean river sand in a ratio of 1:1:3. To disinfect, pour a solution of potassium permanganate and dry.

Seedling care

Place containers with seeds in a lighted and warm place, cover with light-colored film. After the sprouts emerge, it can be removed. Watering should be carried out with settled, heated water; the soil should remain moderately moist at all times. Feed 1-2 times until the seedlings are ready with complex fertilizers. 1 week before planting in the beds, watermelons need to be hardened in the fresh air. When the seedlings throw out 3-5 leaves (about 1 month old), plant them in beds according to the pattern of 0.7-1 m by 0.7-1 m.

See also Methods for controlling diseases and pests of watermelons

After planting, agricultural technology is also standard - regular watering, fertilizing, loosening and weeding. First, after replanting, you need to water frequently until the seedlings take root. Afterwards, you can reduce the frequency of watering, but increase the volume of water poured under one plant. When the fruits grow to the size characteristic of the variety, you can no longer water them, otherwise the fruits will begin to crack. Loosen the soil after the next irrigation, cut off weeds.

Feed watermelons three times a season with organic matter or conventional mineral fertilizers used for feeding vegetables - when 2 weeks have passed after transplantation, during the beginning of flowering and after all the ovaries have formed. Form plants into 1-3 stems, leave up to 6 ovaries on one watermelon.

When and how to place berries in the mold

The fruits will be ready to be molded when they reach the size of a tennis ball. Thread the tail into the hole on the lid. While the fruit is growing, you need to check whether it is positioned correctly in the square and how it fills the volume.

Growing in a barrel, using film

Our summer residents are well-known experimenters, and in pursuit of saving space, they have invented many unique ways of growing vegetable crops. Thus, many vegetables, flowers and even strawberries are often grown in old, unusable barrels with a volume of about 200 liters. You can do the same with watermelons. Various debris is placed at the bottom of the barrel, which acts as drainage, and as it rots, fertilizer. Grass, good humus, and then fertile soil are poured on top. Since the metal barrel warms up well in the sun, this substrate always remains warm.

You can immediately sow seeds into the barrel or plant seedlings (depending on the climate), but in any case, the watermelon must first be covered with non-woven material. There is enough space in the barrel for two plants. There is no need for a trellis here, and the growing vines will hang down, where flowers and then fruits will appear near the surface of the ground. Caring for watermelons is normal, but may require more abundant watering.

Some summer residents cover the planted seedlings with plastic film instead of non-woven material. This approach can be used as a temporary measure, but keeping watermelons under the film for a long time can lead to rotting of the roots. The film can be used both in a regular garden bed and in a greenhouse, but only for a short time. Its only correct use is to cover crops in order to create a greenhouse effect for the emergence of rapid seedlings. In the future, you can make holes for seedlings and hold the film for some more time so that the earth does not cool down. But prolonged storage under polyethylene is detrimental for watermelons.