Why is there a stone on top of a watermelon? (What does it mean to put a stone on a watermelon?)

Why do watermelon farmers put a stone on top of the watermelon when growing it?

When farmers plant watermelons, they will put a stone on the watermelons when they are about to mature. Is it because they are afraid that the watermelons will run away? What is the purpose of putting this stone on them?

There are many opinions on this issue. Some say that they are afraid that the watermelon will run away? Some say that putting a stone on it is to attract people's attention when shooting the video? Others say that it can promote the growth of the watermelon and prevent birds from destroying it?

With these questions, I asked an old watermelon farmer, who told me that putting a stone on the watermelon is a small action, but it has five effects:

1. The role of marking

This is what my family did when they planted watermelons when I was a kid. Generally, large watermelons mature earlier, but are harvested later, usually in the middle or late stages. And this watermelon should be kept for birthdays.

My family usually grows about one acre of watermelons, and the largest ones are around 20. We will put a stone on top of these 20 watermelons.

When the watermelons are ripe for harvest, do not pick the ones that are weighed down by stones. Just leave them for later picking.

2. Heat absorption and sweetening effect

The best time to harvest watermelons is early in the morning, followed by afternoon to evening because the temperature is the lowest. Especially on sunny days, putting stones on top can help absorb heat.

In the hot summer, the speed and amount of heat absorbed by stones are faster than those of watermelons. We can artificially create some temperature differences for heat absorption, increase the temperature difference between day and night, and make the watermelon sweeter.

This effect will be more obvious especially for the sandy melons grown in sandy soil.

3. Promote the ripening of watermelon and play a role in counting

The principle is the same as the second point. Due to the rapid and large heat absorption, the temperature difference between day and night is large. On the basis of sweetening, it can well ensure that the watermelon matures relatively quickly. This effect is more obvious when the planting area is large.

For example, many watermelon farmers in Ningxia and Xinjiang in the northwest of China do this. They can calculate the approximate ripening time of the watermelon relatively accurately and pick it. Therefore, the watermelons that are pressed with stones first are picked and put on the market first, and the rest are put on the market in order.

4. Scare birds away from pecking

Nowadays, there are more and more magpies and other birds that peck at watermelons in rural areas. To be honest, it is really annoying. They not only peck at watermelons, but also apples and pears, and even the cultivated grain crops.

So from the perspective of watermelons, putting a scarecrow in the watermelon field and then pressing a stone on the watermelon will create an illusion for the magpies, scaring them away from pecking at the watermelons and reducing unnecessary economic losses.

5. Improve the appearance of watermelon

After pressing the stone, the watermelon can grow into an oval long strip, especially the watermelon with this characteristic needs to be done in this way.

Second, on the basis of fast heat absorption, the upward facing west side will not be sunburned and yellowed. As we all know, the part of the watermelon without lines is the place where the watermelon sits.

Then, put stones on it to prevent it from getting yellowed by the sun. But from this point of view, it is obviously better to cover it with soil directly.