Watermelon seedling raising method and time

If you want to grow good watermelons , you must pay attention to the cultivation of watermelon seedlings and cultivate high-quality strong seedlings. This will not only help simplify subsequent management, but also have an obvious effect on improving quality and yield. So what are the methods and time for growing watermelon seedlings? Let’s learn more about it below.

1. Seedbed site selection

The seedbed should be selected in a place that is close to the cultivation site, easy to manage, and sheltered from the wind and facing the sun. For areas with high groundwater levels or heavy rain, the seedbeds can be built at high altitudes or drainage ditches can be dug around the seedbeds to prevent water accumulation.

2. Seedling raising time

It is recommended to grow watermelon seedlings between mid-March and early April each year. Because there is more rain during this period and the temperature is slowly rising, it is more suitable for seed germination.

3. Seed treatment

(1) Seed disinfection: Soak the seeds in warm water for 20 minutes or in 200 ml of phytocin for 2 hours.

(2) Soaking seeds for germination: Soak the seeds in warm water at 55 degrees for about 15 minutes, stirring them. After the water temperature drops naturally, soak the seeds for another 6 hours. Then wipe the soaked seeds dry and spread them evenly on the wrung-out wet cotton cloth. The thickness of the seeds should be 1-2 layers. Leave a 3-4 cm gap around the cotton cloth. First fold the cotton cloth around and roll it into a roll. Then wrap the roll with a wet towel to make the seeds evenly distributed in the roll. After the roll is wrapped, it can be germinated.

4. Sowing and seedling raising

Before sowing, fill the plastic pots with the prepared culture soil and arrange them neatly and tightly in the seedbed. Then fill it with water, let the water seep in, sow the seeds and cover them with soil. Among them, the recommended formula of culture soil is: peat, vermiculite, slag and perlite mixed in a ratio of 4:3:1:2.

5. Seedbed management

When the temperature changes greatly, you need to cover the seedbed with a layer of straw mat to keep warm. The arch shed cannot be opened for ventilation before the seeds germinate. After the watermelon seedlings emerge, proper ventilation is required. When the seedlings grow to 4-7 cm, they need to be hardened to allow the seedlings to adapt to the natural environment and increase the survival rate.

6. Transplanting and planting

After about 30 days of careful management, the melon seedlings can be transplanted when they reach the standard of strong seedlings with bright green leaves, thick leaves, short and thick hypocotyls, 6-7.5 cm high, and 3-4 leaves.

The above is an introduction to the methods and time for growing watermelon seedlings. Of course, there are many key points that need to be paid attention to during the watermelon seedling period, but basically, by doing a good job of management before and after seedling cultivation, the yield and quality of watermelon can be effectively guaranteed.