When to plant watermelons?

Watermelon is a common fruit and many people like to eat it. Watermelon planting is generally divided into open-air planting and greenhouse planting. So when exactly should watermelons be planted? Let’s learn more about it below.

When to plant watermelons?

Generally speaking, early-maturing varieties are sown in March and available in mid-July. Late-maturing varieties can be sown in mid-to-late April and harvested in late July to early August; for autumn-delayed open-field cultivation, it is best to sow in late June to mid-July and harvest in September to October; autumn-delayed greenhouse cultivation is generally sown in late July to early August and put on the market after National Day.

How to grow watermelon

1. Land preparation

The soil is deeply ploughed and dried for half a month, and 50-75 kg of quicklime is spread per mu. The soil is then broken up and the ridges are leveled to make ridges with a width of 2.5m and furrows, 40cm high, and 20cm inclined on the other side. Dig a planting ditch with a depth of 25cm and a width of 40cm on the side close to the high ridge, and apply 1000-1500 kg of decomposed farmyard manure, 25 kg of triple compound fertilizer , 1.5-2 kg of borax, and 4 kg of magnesium sulfate per mu in the ditch. When applying in the ditch, the fertilizer and backfill soil should be mixed evenly.

2. Planting

Soak the watermelon seeds in warm water for about 2-3 hours and then dry them for later use. Greenhouses, electric blankets, bedding, etc. can be used to promote germination. When the sprouts grow to one meter long, they should be sown. Put one seed in each nutrient cup, cover with 1 cm thick nutrient soil, and sprinkle with a little 1000 times thiophanate-methyl water. The sowing depth is 1-2 cm. If the sowing is too deep, it will affect the germination and growth of the watermelon.

3. Seedling management

Cover with film and press the edges of the film with fine mud. During this period, the greenhouse temperature is maintained at 22-28℃. The temperature is lowered after the first true leaf grows out, and then lowered by 1-2℃ a few days before emergence, to the natural temperature to adapt to the natural temperature after planting.

4. Fertilizer and water management

Water the watermelon at least 2-3 times during the entire growing period. After the watermelon extends its vines, the number of leaves increases, the sunshine time is long, and more water is needed, so water the vines as they extend. When the young melons grow to the size of a fist, you can water them with water to ensure their quality and development. You can decide whether to water them based on the climate and soil moisture conditions. Stop watering one week before harvest.

Generally, top dressing is carried out twice. The vine-stretching fertilizer should be mainly nitrogen fertilizer, supplemented with potassium fertilizer and quick-acting fertilizer to promote the nutritional growth of watermelon. The second time is before the fruit expansion period, apply quick-acting fertilizer. The topdressing should be mainly potassium and nitrogen fertilizers, which are beneficial to the development of watermelon. Apply 20-25 kg of urea and 10-15 kg of potassium sulfate per acre.

5. Pruning and vine pressing

Watermelon is usually pruned with two or three vines. Double-vine pruning is to select strong side vines at the base of the main vine in addition to keeping the main vine, and remove the rest to ensure ventilation and light. Pressing down the vines can prevent them from being blown over by strong winds and control the growth of the vines. When the main vine of the melon vine grows to 30cm, let the vine grow in the specified direction. There are generally two ways to press vines: open pressure and hidden pressure. Open pressing means using clods of earth or branches to fix the melon vines to the ground. Hidden pressing is to loosen and flatten the soil and bury the melon vines underground. Generally, the first press is performed when the main vine is 40-50cm long, and then every 4-6 nodes, and 2-3 times are required.

6. Assisted pollination

Pollination is carried out from 7 to 10 am every day. When the watermelon blooms in the morning, first collect the female flowers from the pollination variety, fold the petals to the back to expose the stamens, and then gently wipe the stigma of the female flower of the seedless watermelon that opened that day to ensure uniform pollination. When the young fruits grow to the size of steamed buns, the fruits will swell and you should select the fruits with the right shape in time. When pruning double or triple vines, leave one fruit on each plant.

That’s it