When is the best time to plant watermelons
Today, the editor will explain when is the best time to plant watermelons and share some related experience about the optimal planting time for watermelon cultivation. Next, a comprehensive introduction will be provided.
Watermelon is an annual vine plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family and is one of the favorite fruits. Known as the "King of Summer," watermelon has sweet and refreshing flesh that quenches thirst and also possesses high nutritional value, meeting significant 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 is an introduction to the planting time and methods for watermelons.
I. Watermelon Planting Time
The sowing period of watermelon is generally determined by the type of variety, cultivation purpose, and market availability. Generally, early-maturing varieties should be sown in mid-March and can be harvested in mid-to-late July; late-maturing watermelon varieties can be sown in mid-to-late April, and harvested from late July to early August; for fall extension open-field cultivation, it is suitable to sow from late June to mid-July and harvest from September to October; for fall extension greenhouse cultivation, it is generally sown from late July to early August and available after the National Day holiday.
II. Watermelon Planting Methods
1. Land preparation and base fertilizer: Deeply till the soil and let it晒白 for half a month, sprinkle 50-75 kilograms of quicklime per mu, then crush the soil and make ridges with a width of 2.5 meters including the ditch, with one side 40 cm high and the other 20 cm high. Dig a planting trench 25 cm deep and 40 cm wide on the high ridge side, and 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. Mix the fertilizer evenly with the soil returned to the trench.
2. Selecting good seeds: Good seeds are the premise of high yield and quality. Reasonably arranging early, medium, and late maturing varieties can extend the supply period of watermelons and increase economic benefits.
3. Seed treatment: Before sowing,晒 the seeds for 1-2 days to increase their physiological activity. Soak the seeds in warm water at about 55℃ for 5-6 hours, pour off the water, then wash the seed coat with 5% lime water, gently rub with hands until the seeds are no longer slippery, rinse clean with water, and let them air-dry before germination.
4. Germination: Germination can be carried out using a greenhouse, electric blanket, quilt, or body temperature methods. For large planting areas, greenhouse germination, electric blanket germination, or simultaneous germination with corn and rice can be used. Beginners can use body temperature germination or quilt warming germination. For 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 in 24 hours. It's best to have 50 to 100 grams of seeds per pack. For 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 into an unsealed plastic bag, and place it under the quilt on the bed. Then, place two hot water bottles tightly capped with boiling water next to the seeds, changing the water every 4 to 5 hours to maintain a temperature of 36 hours, after which the seeds will start to germinate. Regardless of the germination method used, once the sprouts are as long as a grain of rice, they are ready to be planted.
5. Planting: Place the germinated seeds, which are as long as a grain of rice, flat on the prepared nutrient cups filled with nutrient soil, with the sprouts pointing downward (since they are roots), and put only one germinated seed in each nutrient cup. Cover with 1 cm of nutrient 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 mud. Then insert another layer of bamboo stakes about 15 cm apart and cover with another layer of film, pressing the edges with fine mud again. During this period, the temperature in the greenhouse should be maintained at 22-28℃, and after the first true leaf has grown, the temperature can be gradually lowered. A few days before seedlings emerge, the temperature should be lowered by 1-2℃ each day, finally matching the natural temperature to adapt to the post-planting environment.
6. Fertilization and water management: For water management, water the plants at least 2-3 times during the entire growing period. When the vines start to stretch, the leaves increase, and the daylight hours are long, more water is needed, so it is necessary to water once for "stretching." When the young fruit is the size of a fist, water well to ensure the yield, quality, and normal growth and development of the watermelons. Subsequently, decide whether to water based on the local climate and soil moisture conditions, stopping watering one week before harvest; for fertilization, watermelon is a fertilizer-loving crop, and reasonable fertilization is one of the important measures to ensure high-quality and high-yield watermelons. The general principle is: carefully apply seedling promoting fertilizer, skillfully apply vine stretching fertilizer, and heavily apply fruit expanding fertilizer. Top-dressing should focus on fast-acting fertilizers. With sufficient base fertilizer, non-sandy soils generally do not require seedling promoting fertilizers. Under normal conditions, two top-dressings are mainly carried out: the vine stretching fertilizer should be nitrogen-based, supplemented by fast-acting potassium fertilizers to promote the vegetative growth of the watermelon, ensuring the formation of a developed root system and sufficient leaf area required for a bountiful harvest. Generally, apply 8 kilograms of urea and 5 kilograms of potassium sulfate per mu. The second application is before the fruit expansion period, focusing on potassium and nitrogen fertilizers, 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 according to local soil and climate conditions and the growth of the melon seedlings, achieving a combination of top-dressing and control, as well as irrigation and drainage.
When is the best time to plant watermelons
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, light transmission, photosynthesis, and disease resistance, thereby 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 is about 30 cm long, 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 vines on the ground; closed pressing involves loosening the soil with a spade, leveling it, and then burying the vines underground. Generally, press for the first time when the main vine is 40-50 cm long, and then every 4-6 internodes, pressing 2-3 times.
8. Artificial pollination: To ensure that female flowers at the appropriate 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 carried out every morning from 7 to 10 o'clock. When the watermelon flowers in the morning, collect newly opened male flowers from the pollination variety, fold the petals backward to expose the stamens, and then gently wipe them on the stigma of the seedless watermelon female flowers that day to ensure even pollination. When the young fruit is the size of a steamed bun, the fruit begins to expand rapidly. At this time, there is generally no fruit drop, and it is necessary to select fruits in good positions with the right shape. For double or triple vine pruning, keep one fruit per plant.
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 time. Additionally, mature watermelons have clear patterns on the fruit surface, a glossy appearance, a contracted navel and stem end, withered tendrils at the fruit setting position, sparse or fallen hairs on the fruit stalk, and a dull sound when tapped with a finger. In production, the standard for harvesting is determined based on the distance of transportation; for local sales, it can be harvested at 90-95% maturity, while for distant transportation, it can be harvested at 80-90% maturity.
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