What month is the best time to plant watermelons?

With its sweet taste and cooling properties, watermelon is an ideal choice for cooling off in the summer. As the demand for this delicious fruit increases, more and more farmers are engaging in watermelon cultivation . Since there are many varieties of watermelon, including early, mid-ripening and late-ripening, the best time to plant them also varies. Let’s learn together which month is the best time to plant watermelons?

What month is the best time to plant watermelons?

Watermelons can be divided into three types according to their maturity period: early-maturing, mid-maturing and late-maturing, which determines the difference in their planting time. Usually, early-maturing watermelons are planted around March each year, mid-maturing watermelons are suitable for sowing between April and June, and late-maturing watermelons need to wait until after July to start planting.

How to grow watermelon?

Soil preparation and basic fertilization: First, deep plow the soil and dry it for about half a month, then apply 50-75 kg of quicklime per mu. Next, the soil is broken up and leveled to form a 2.5-meter-wide ridge with one side 40 centimeters high and the other side 20 centimeters high, forming an inclined shape. Dig a 25 cm deep and 40 cm wide planting trench on one side of 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 into the trench. Make sure the fertilizer is evenly mixed with the backfill soil.

Choose excellent varieties: select high-yield and high-quality seed varieties, and reasonably match early-maturing, mid-maturing and late-maturing varieties to extend the supply period of watermelon and improve economic benefits.

Seed treatment: Before sowing, air the seeds for 1-2 days to enhance physiological activity. Then soak them in warm water at about 55℃ for 5-6 hours. After pouring out the water, clean the surface of the seeds with 5% lime water, rub them gently until they are no longer slippery, and finally rinse them with clean water and air dry them in preparation for germination.

Germination method: Greenhouse, electric blanket, bedding or body temperature can be used for germination. For large-scale cultivation, a greenhouse or electric heating blanket is recommended. For beginners, body temperature or bedding can be used to warm the seeds for germination. When germinating at body temperature, place the treated seeds on a wet towel, wrap them with film or plastic bag, and place them in underwear. They will germinate after 24 hours. The germination method of heating bedding is to mix the seeds with moist sawdust or fine soil, put them in a paper box, and then place it on the bed. Use a high-temperature glass bottle to maintain the temperature. After 36 hours, the seeds will begin to germinate. Regardless of the method used, once the sprouts grow to the size of a grain of rice, they can be sown.

Sowing: Place the germinated seeds flat on the nutrient soil in the nutrient cup with the buds facing down, put 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 ). Support it with bamboo blocks, cover it with film, and compact it with fine mud all around. Insert another layer of bamboo blocks about 15 cm above the first layer of bamboo blocks, cover with the second layer of film, and compact it as well. Keep the temperature in the greenhouse at 22-28℃, and gradually lower the temperature after the first true leaf grows. A few days before seedlings emerge, lower the temperature by 1-2℃ every day until it is consistent with the natural temperature.

Water and fertilizer management: Water the watermelon at least 2-3 times during the growing period. After the vine extension period, the water requirement increases and a "vine extension water" should be applied once. When the young melons grow to the size of a fist, water them to make them grow larger. Decide whether to water according to climate and soil conditions, and stop one week before harvest. When applying top dressing, be careful when applying fertilizer to promote seedling growth, skillfully apply fertilizer to stretch vines, and apply fertilizer heavily to expand melons. Top dressing is mainly quick-acting fertilizer, vine-stretching fertilizer is mainly nitrogen fertilizer, supplemented by potassium fertilizer, and melon-swelling fertilizer is mainly potassium and nitrogen fertilizer. Water and fertilizer management should be combined with local conditions, tracking and control, and irrigation and drainage.

Pruning and vine pressing: Use double or triple vine pruning, retain the main vine and one strong side vine, and remove the remaining side vines. Pressing down the vines can fix the melon vines, prevent them from being blown over by the wind, and control their growth. When the main vine grows to 30 cm, start pressing the vines, usually 2-3 times.

Artificial pollination: To ensure that the female flowers bear fruit, artificial pollination is performed. Select the third female flower on the main vine or the second female flower on the side vine, and do it between 7 and 10 am every day. After pollination, select fruits with good node position and correct fruit shape, and leave one fruit on each plant.

Harvest in time: Determine maturity based on variety and number of days after pollination, and harvest in time. Characteristics of a ripe watermelon include clear patterns, a glossy surface, a contracted navel and stem, and a dull sound when tapped. The harvesting standards are determined based on the transportation distance. For local sales, the fruits can be harvested when they are 90% to 100% ripe, while for out-of-town sales, they can be harvested when they are 80% to 90% ripe.

In general, watermelons prefer warm and dry climatic conditions and are sensitive to cold and humid environments, so special attention must be paid when cultivating them.