When is the suitable time for planting watermelons?
An introduction to the suitable planting time for watermelons and the methods and timing of sowing, with detailed information as follows:
Watermelon is an annual vine plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, and it is one of the favorite fruits of many people. Known as the "King of Summer," watermelon has sweet and refreshing flesh that quenches thirst, and it also has high nutritional value, with a high market demand. It can be said that watermelon has become an important economic crop in China, a fruit that helps farmers increase their economic benefits. So, when is the best time to plant watermelons? The following introduces the planting time and methods for watermelons.
I. The planting time for watermelons
The sowing period of watermelons is generally determined by the type of variety, cultivation purpose, and market availability. Generally, early-maturing varieties should be sown in mid-March and available in mid-to-late July; late-maturing watermelon varieties can be sown in mid-to-late April, harvested in late July to early August; for autumn extension outdoor cultivation, sowing should take place from late June to mid-July, with harvest in September to October; for autumn extension greenhouse cultivation, sowing is generally done from late July to early August, with the product available after the National Day.
II. The planting methods for watermelons
1. Land preparation and base fertilizer: Deeply plow and expose the soil to the sun for half a month, apply 50-75 kilograms of quicklime per mu, then break up the soil and prepare the beds, creating ridges with a width of 2.5m, with one side 40cm high and the other 20cm high; dig a planting trench 25cm deep and 40cm wide on the high side of the ridge, apply 1000-1500 kilograms of decomposed manure, 25 kilograms of ternary compound fertilizer, 1.5-2 kilograms of borax, and 4 kilograms of magnesium sulfate per mu, mixing the fertilizer with the soil when applying.
2. Selecting good seeds: Good seeds are the prerequisite for high yield and quality, and reasonable planning of early, mid, and late-maturing varieties can extend the supply period of watermelons, improving economic benefits.
3. Seed treatment: Before sowing, dry the seeds in the sun for 1-2 days to increase their physiological activity. Soak the dried seeds in warm water at about 55℃ for 5-6 hours, pour off the water, then wash the seed coats with 5% lime water, gently rub the seeds until they are no longer slippery, rinse clean with water, and then dry the moisture for germination.
4. Germination: Methods such as greenhouse germination, electric blanket germination, quilt germination, and body temperature germination can be used. For large planting areas, greenhouse germination, electric blanket germination, or simultaneous germination with corn or rice can be used. Beginners can try body temperature germination or quilt warming germination. First, body temperature germination. Spread the treated seeds on a wet towel, then wrap them in plastic film or a plastic bag and place them inside an adult's clothing; they can generally germinate within 24 hours. The amount of seeds per pack should be 50 to 100 grams. Second, quilt warming germination. Mix the treated seeds with 5 to 10 times as much clean, moist sawdust or fine soil, put them in a small paper box, then place the box in a plastic bag without sealing it, and put it in the bed quilt. Use two hot glass bottles filled with boiling water, tightly capped, and place them next to the seeds in the quilt. Change the boiling water every 4 to 5 hours to maintain the temperature for 36 hours, and the seeds will start to germinate. Regardless of the method used, when the sprouts are about the length of a grain of rice, they are ready to be planted.
When is the suitable time for planting watermelons?
5. Sowing: Place the germinated seeds, which are about the length of a grain of rice, flat on the nutrient-rich soil in the prepared seedling cups, with the sprouts pointing downward (since they are roots), and put only one germinated seed in each cup. Cover with 1 cm of nutrient-rich soil and sprinkle a little 1000-fold Toprobin water (or other fungicides). Insert bamboo stakes, cover with plastic film, and press the edges of the film with fine soil. Then insert another layer of bamboo stakes about 15 cm apart and cover with another layer of plastic film, pressing the edges with fine soil again. Maintain the temperature in the greenhouse between 22-28℃ during this period. After the first true leaf appears, gradually lower the temperature. A few days before seedlings emerge, lower the temperature by 1-2℃ each day, finally matching the natural temperature to adapt to the post-planting conditions.
6. Fertilization and water management: Water management involves watering at least 2-3 times during the entire growing period of watermelons. When the vines start to spread, the number of leaves increases, and the daylight hours are long, requiring more water, so a "stretching water" should be provided. When the young fruit reaches the size of a fist, water well to ensure the yield, quality, and normal growth of the watermelons. Watering can be determined based on the weather and soil moisture conditions at the time, stopping one week before harvest; topdressing, watermelons are fertilization-loving crops, and reasonable fertilization is one of the important measures to ensure high-quality and high-yield watermelons. The general principle is: be cautious with seedling promoting fertilizer, skillful with vine stretching fertilizer, and generous with fruit swelling fertilizer. Topdress with fast-acting fertilizers. With sufficient base fertilizer, non-sandy soil generally does not require seedling promoting fertilizer. Under normal conditions, two topdressings are carried out, with the vine stretching fertilizer mainly consisting of nitrogen fertilizer supplemented with fast-acting potassium fertilizers to promote the nutritional growth of the watermelon, ensuring the formation of a developed root system and sufficient leaf area required for high yield. Generally, apply 8 kilograms of urea and 5 kilograms of potassium sulfate per mu. The second is to apply fast-acting chemical fertilizers before the fruit expansion period, with potassium and nitrogen fertilizers being the main components, which is beneficial for the formation of fruit yield and quality improvement. Generally, apply 20-25 kilograms of urea and 10-15 kilograms of potassium sulfate per mu. Water and fertilizer management should be controlled based on local soil and climate conditions and the growth of the vines, combining topdressing and control, and irrigation and drainage.
7. Pruning and pressing vines: Watermelons generally adopt double or triple vine pruning. Double vine pruning involves selecting one strong lateral vine in addition to the main vine and removing all other lateral vines. This allows for a reasonable distribution of stems and leaves, improving ventilation and light transmission, enhancing photosynthesis and disease resistance, and thus increasing yield and improving quality. Pressing vines can fix the plants, prevent them from being blown over by strong winds, and control vine growth. When the main vine reaches about 30cm in length, lay the vine down to force it to grow in the specified direction. There are two methods of pressing vines: open pressing and closed pressing. Open pressing involves using soil blocks or branches to secure the vine on the ground; closed pressing involves loosening the soil with a spade, leveling it, and then covering the vine with soil. Generally, press the vine for the first time when it is 40-50cm long, and then every 4-6 nodes, pressing 2-3 times.
8. Artificial pollination: To ensure that female flowers at the right nodes bear fruit, artificial pollination must be carried out. The best quality and yield come from the third female flower on the main vine or the second on the lateral vine. Pollination is done every morning from 7-10 am. When the watermelon flowers open in the morning, collect the newly opened male flowers from the pollination variety, fold the petals backward to expose the stamens, and then gently wipe the stigma of the seedless watermelon female flowers with the male flowers to ensure even pollination. When the young fruit reaches the size of a steamed bun, the fruit begins to expand rapidly. At this point, there is generally no fruit drop, and it is necessary to select fruits in good positions and with the right shape, leaving one fruit per plant with double or triple vine pruning.
9. Harvesting in time: Depending on the maturity of the variety, calculate the number of days after pollination based on the fruit setting mark to accurately determine the maturity and harvest in a timely manner. In addition, the characteristics of ripe watermelons include clear fruit patterns, a glossy surface, the navel and stem ends收缩, the tendrils at the fruit-setting position dry up, and the fruit stalks have sparse or fallen pubescence, with a dull sound when tapped with a finger. In production, the harvesting standard is determined based on the distance of transportation, with locally sold ones harvested at 9-10 maturity and those for distant transport at 8-9 maturity.
The above sharing on when to plant watermelons and the methods and timing of sowing is hoped to be of help to you. Remember to visit the Green Plant Enthusiast website often!