Watermelon planting methods and management methods

Watermelon is a common fruit in summer. It is indispensable in summer. It tastes sweet, is rich in water and is very thirst-quenching. Let’s learn about the planting and management methods of watermelon.

1. Site selection

When planting watermelons, it is best to choose sandy soil with loose and fertile texture, deep soil layer, sufficient sunlight, and convenient drainage and irrigation. If melon crops have not been planted in paddy fields for less than 3 years or in dry land for less than 5 years, crop rotation is generally required every 4-5 years.

2. Land preparation

The land should be prepared in time before transplanting, and the melon field should be equipped with three ditches to ensure that the soil is loose and the surface is flat, and the field is dry after rain. When preparing the land, apply base fertilizer, mainly high-quality cake fertilizer and organic fertilizer , supplemented by inorganic fertilizer. Base fertilizer accounts for 60%-70% of the total fertilizer application amount. Potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen should be reasonably matched, and trace element fertilizers should be sprayed or applied to the bottom according to the deficiency of elements.

3. Seed treatment

Before soaking the seeds, dry them in the sun for 2 days. Then soak the dried seeds in warm water that is not hot to the touch, at about 30°C, for 6 hours to disinfect the seeds. Wash the treated seeds, place them at 40℃ for germination for 6 hours, germinate them at a constant temperature of 33℃, and sow them when the radicle grows to 0.5cm.

4. Seeding and transplanting

Dig a shallow trench 8-10cm deep on the melon ridge near the place where base fertilizer is applied, with a plant spacing of 45-50cm. Sow 1-2 seeds for germination in each hole. When it is dry, water it thoroughly and cover it with 2-3cm of soil. Seedlings will generally emerge in 2-3 days. When cultivating watermelon in the open field, in addition to direct seeding, you can also raise seedlings and transplant them. When the melon seedlings have 3 leaves and 1 heart and are 30-35 days old, start transplanting, with a plant spacing of 45-50cm and about 450-500 trees per mu. After transplanting, water them enough to establish rooting.

5. Pruning and pruning

When the watermelon seedlings grow to about 50cm, start to press the vines, move the watermelon seedlings in one direction, then pick off the tip of the main vine and remove the weeds in the field. Pruning is required about 10 days after pressing the vines, leaving two strong side vines and one main vine from the root, and the rest of the side branches can be discarded. Leave the melons after the main vine has 10 leaves, leaving one melon on each plant.

6. Water and fertilizer management

Watermelon requires less water during the seedling stage. Try to water it less or not at all. This will allow the seedlings to form a very developed root system. When the watermelon vines begin to appear, you should also control the amount of watering to avoid excessive growth of the vines. When the watermelon sets fruit, you need to add enough water to help the watermelon expand and increase its weight.

When the watermelon vines grow to about 40 centimeters, they need to be supplemented with fertilizer , mainly nitrogen fertilizer, potassium fertilizer and calcium fertilizer. This can promote the growth of the watermelon seedlings faster, accumulate nutrients, and reserve enough nutrients for flowering and fruiting. About 50 kilograms of multi-component fertilizer can be applied per acre for hole application.

When the watermelon is flowering and setting fruit, it is necessary to apply fertilizer to make the watermelon bigger, taller and more juicy. Try to use farmyard manure as the melon-enlarging fertilizer, apply 2,000 kg of farmyard manure per mu, and apply it in hole-fertilizing method.

That’s it