Watermelon planting technology, when to plant watermelon

1. Watermelon planting technology

1. Planting site selection: It is best to choose sandy soil with deep soil layer, loose and fertile soil, good drainage and convenient irrigation.

2. Land preparation and fertilization: After selecting the planting site, you need to prepare the field before sowing, and apply base fertilizer mainly composed of high-quality organic fertilizer and cake fertilizer, supplemented by inorganic fertilizer. The melon field needs three ditches to be dug, including side ditches, waist ditches and surrounding ditches, to improve the irrigation and drainage system of the field.

3. Planting: In the afternoon of the day before sowing, the melon field needs to be watered thoroughly. When sowing, control the distance between seeds, not too sparse or too dense.

4. Pruning and vine pressing: Generally, three-vine pruning method is adopted. Do not prune on rainy days to prevent disease infection. When the vines grow to about 50cm, you can press them down with soil, pressing them every 3-4 nodes, and press each vine 2-3 times.

5. Top dressing: When the young melon grows to the size of an egg, it is necessary to apply melon-enlarging fertilizer in time according to the growth of the plant.

6. Water: The water requirement is low during the seedling stage. Try to water less or not at all to allow the seedlings to form a developed root system. Before flowering and fruiting, control the amount of watering to prevent excessive growth; after fruiting, ensure sufficient water supply to help the fruit expand and increase weight.

2. When to plant watermelon?

Planting time depends on whether the watermelon variety is early-maturing or late-maturing. Early-maturing watermelons can be sown from mid-December of the previous year to March of the following year, and the fruit ripens from approximately March to June. Mid-ripe watermelons can be planted from April to June, and the fruiting period is around July to September. Autumn watermelons need to be sown in mid-to-late July and can be harvested around late September.