When is the best time to plant watermelons?

Watermelon is a common cooling fruit in summer. Its annual demand is quite large. The planting time of watermelon is usually determined according to the characteristics of the variety, the purpose of planting and the expected time to market. So when is the best time to plant watermelons?

When is the best time to plant watermelons?

The planting time of watermelon is usually set according to its variety characteristics, planting goals and expected market supply time. For early-maturing watermelon varieties , it is usually recommended to sow in mid-March so that they can be put on the market in the first half of July. Late-maturing watermelon varieties can be sown a little later, in mid-to-late April, and are expected to be harvested in the second half of July to the first half of August. For delayed open-field planting in autumn, the best sowing time is from late June to mid-July, and the harvest period is scheduled from September to October. As for the delayed greenhouse planting in autumn, the sowing time is usually scheduled from late July to early August so that it can be put on the market after the National Day.

How to grow watermelon

Land preparation and application of base fertilizer: First, deep plow the soil and dry it for about half a month, then spread 50 to 75 kg of quicklime per mu, followed by soil crushing and ridge leveling to form 2.5-meter-wide continuous ridges with a height of 40 cm on one side and a slope of 20 cm on the other. Dig a 25 cm deep and 40 cm wide planting ditch on one side of the high ridge, and apply 1,000 to 1,500 kg of decomposed farmyard manure, 25 kg of triple compound fertilizer , 1.5 to 2 kg of borax and 4 kg of magnesium sulfate in the ditch. When applying, the fertilizer must be thoroughly mixed with the backfill soil.

Selection of superior varieties: Selection of superior varieties is the key to achieving high yield and quality. A reasonable combination of early-maturing, mid-maturing and late-maturing varieties can extend the market supply period of watermelon and thus improve economic benefits.

Seed treatment: Before sowing, air the seeds for 1 to 2 days to enhance their physiological activity. Then soak the seeds in warm water at about 55°C for 5 to 6 hours. After pouring out the water, wash the surface of the seeds with 5% lime water, gently rub until it is no longer greasy, rinse with clean water and dry, ready for germination.

Germination method: Germination can be carried out using greenhouse, electric blanket, bedding or body temperature. For large-scale planting, it is recommended to use a greenhouse or electric heating blanket to germinate, or to do it at the same time as corn and rice. For beginners, you can use body temperature or bedding to warm the seeds for germination. Body temperature germination is to place the treated seeds on a wet towel, then wrap them with film or plastic bags, put them in underwear and keep them for 24 hours, and they will usually germinate. The bedding heating method for germination is to mix the treated seeds with moist sawdust or fine soil, put them into a paper box, put them in a plastic bag, place them next to the bedding, and use a high-temperature glass bottle filled with boiling water to maintain the temperature. Change the water every 4 to 5 hours. After 36 hours, the seeds will begin to germinate. Regardless of the method used, sowing can be done when the sprouts are about a meter long.

Sowing: Place the germinated seeds flat in the nutrient cup with the buds facing downwards (because the buds are the roots). Put only one seed in each nutrient cup, cover with 1 cm thick nutrient soil, and spray with a small amount of 1000 times thiophanate-methyl water (or other fungicides ). Then insert the bamboo blocks, cover with film, and secure all around with fine mud. Insert another layer of bamboo blocks, about 15 cm apart from the first layer, cover with another layer of film and secure with fine mud. The temperature in the greenhouse should be maintained at 22 to 28 degrees Celsius. After the first true leaf grows, the temperature should be gradually lowered. A few days before emergence, the temperature should be lowered by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius every day until it is consistent with the natural temperature.

Fertilizer and water management: Watermelon needs to be watered at least 2 to 3 times during its growth period. After the vine extension period, the water requirement increases due to the increase in leaves and longer sunshine hours, so a "vine extension water" should be applied. When the young melons grow to the size of a fist, water them once to ensure yield and quality. After that, decide whether to water based on the climate and soil moisture, and stop watering one week before harvest. In terms of topdressing, watermelons like fertilizer, and reasonable fertilization is the key to ensure high yield. The principle is to apply fertilizers for promoting seedling growth cautiously, apply fertilizers for extending vines skillfully, and focus on applying fertilizers for swelling melons. Top dressing should mainly be quick-acting fertilizer. If there is sufficient base fertilizer, seedling-promoting fertilizer is usually not applied in non-sandy soil. Mainly two top dressing operations are carried out. The vine-stretching fertilizer is mainly nitrogen fertilizer, supplemented with potassium fertilizer, to promote nutritional growth and ensure the root system and leaf area. Generally, 8 kg of urea and 5 kg of potassium sulfate are applied per mu. The second top dressing is before the fruit expansion period, mainly potassium and nitrogen fertilizers, which is beneficial to yield and quality. Generally, 20 to 25 kg of urea and 10 to 15 kg of potassium sulfate are applied per mu. Water and fertilizer management should be reasonably controlled according to local conditions and the growth of melon vines, so as to achieve a combination of topdressing and fertilizer control, irrigation and drainage.

The above is an introduction to the time and key points of watermelon planting . Watermelon is a fruit that likes warm and dry environment, so it is not cold-resistant or moisture-resistant.