How to grow tasty and sweet watermelons in open ground? Subtleties of caring for melons: growing watermelon in open ground. Melons: how to grow melon, pumpkin, watermelon Caring for melons and watermelons

Usually watermelons and melons are open ground grown in the southern regions of our country. These melons grown in the Astrakhan and Volgograd regions are considered the best, Krasnodar region and other regions with similar climatic conditions. After all, these plants are extremely sensitive to heat and daylight hours.

Grow melons in the beds garden plots and in central Russia, however, due to the shorter warm period in these regions, home-grown watermelon and melon seedlings are planted in open ground.

Main varieties for open ground

Variety name	Main characteristics	Fruit ripening time	Transportability
Watermelon varieties
Honey giant	Medium-climbing, large, elongated fruits, fruit weight 13 - 14 kg	Early ripening (fruit ripening time - up to 65 - 70 days)	Transports well, keeps well
Sugar Baby	Large fruits, with dense peel and juicy scarlet pulp, fruit weight up to 5 kg	Early ripening (about 70 days)	Tolerates transportation well
Gift of the sun	Drought-resistant variety with round fruits yellow color, scarlet pulp, sweet	Early ripening (62 - 71 days)	Transports well
Prince Arthur 1	Hybrid variety, fruits are oblong, light green with dark stripes, weighing up to 2 kg	Early ripening (about 70 days)	Transports well
Refined sugar	The fruits are round in shape, have a dense light green peel, weighing up to 5 kg	Early fruit ripening
Rosario F1	The fruits are large, the color of the peel is dark green, the peel is thin, weight is about 5 kg	Early ripening	Should be transported with care
Melon varieties
Cinderella	The color of the fruit is bright yellow, oval in shape, weight - up to 2 kg	Early fruit ripening	Tolerates transportation well
Fairy tale	The fruits are elongated in shape with a bright yellow peel, the flesh is soft cream in color, the weight of the fruit is up to 2 kg	Ripening is early, friendly (about 2 months)	Transports well
Galileo	The fruits are round, net-shaped, yellowish-orange in color, weighing about 1.5 kg	Refers to mid-season varieties	Tolerates transportation well
Assol	The fruits are round in shape, covered with a net, the color of the peel is orange-yellow, weight - up to 1 kg	Fruit ripening - early	Tolerates transportation well
Scythian gold	The fruits have a round shape, the color of the peel is bright yellow, the weight of the fruit is up to 1.5 kg	Refers to mid-season varieties (up to 80 days)	Tolerates transportation well

All of the above varieties of melons are suitable for growing in open ground.

Growing watermelon and melon seedlings

These Heat-loving plants need, first of all, good lighting during the day, as well as warmth. If these two conditions are not met, then healthy and strong seedlings are unlikely to grow.
Since the seedlings of these melon crops grow quite quickly - about a month passes from the moment the seeds are planted to the receipt of full-fledged seedlings - it is important to plant the seed on time. In the conditions of the central regions of Russia, melon seeds are planted for seedlings in the third ten days of March - in the first ten days of April.

It is better not to buy it secondhand from unknown manufacturers, but to buy it in specialized stores. These seeds must be zoned for the regions in which they will grow.
The soil mixture in which the seedlings will grow should consist of one part soil and three parts humus or compost. It is also necessary to add to this mixture a complex preparation, which includes fertilizers containing potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. However You can buy ready-made soil mixture for melons in a specialized store.
Since watermelon and melon seedlings are very tender, they should not be picked. That's why Seeds should be planted individually in peat pots. In addition, the finished seedlings will be quite large in volume, and if several of them are planted in a container, these melons will interfere with each other during the growth process. If there is no suitable container for planting seed material, the semblance of cups can be made by cutting off plastic bottles.

Seedlings need to be watered as the soil dries. During the growth of the seedlings, it can be watered with mullein solution a couple of times before planting in open ground.
A seedling is considered sufficiently grown if it has at least 5 true leaves.
In conditions middle zone In Russia, seedlings should be planted in open ground when the danger of spring frosts has passed - in the third ten days of May or in the first ten days of June.

Planting seedlings in a permanent place

Before planting seedlings, you need to choose a place where these melons will grow.

The beds should be located in a place where the sun will illuminate them throughout the day. The place should be protected from drafts and strong winds.

How to plant watermelons (video)

Usually watermelons and melons are planted using the square nesting method. The distance in the rows between them should be about 0.5 m, the row spacing should be at least 0.7 m. The soil should be light enough and at the same time retain moisture well enough.

After planting the seedlings in open ground, each plant is covered with a plastic bottle with the bottom cut off. This creates a greenhouse effect for melons so that they quickly acclimatize in a new place. In addition, this is a kind of precautionary measure so that the plants are not damaged if the night temperature drops below 15°C. After 7 - 9 days, when the plant begins to grow, the bottles can be removed.

Growing from seeds

Warmth arrives in the southern regions much earlier than in other regions of our country.. Therefore, melon crops can be grown there by seeds directly in open ground.

The planting site is selected in the same way as when planting seedlings of these heat-loving plants on the site - the main thing is that there is a lot of light.
Seeds should be soaked in warm water for several hours before planting., to which special growth stimulants should be added. Then they can be planted in the holes.

Two seeds should be planted in each hole.
When the shoots appear, they are carefully distributed in different directions so that the melon plants do not interfere with each other during their growth.

Care technology

These cultivated plants, like others vegetable crops, need regular watering, weeding, hilling and loosening. All these activities are very important for the normal growth of watermelons and melons.

Watermelons and melons need to be watered carefully so that moisture does not get on the foliage. If the weather is dry, then these plants are watered no more than once a week, but abundantly. When flowers appear on the vines, the amount of watering should be increased. But during the ripening of the fruits, there is no need to water the melons at all.

Also, watermelons and melons should be fed several times during the season during their growth.

The first time you need to apply fertilizer to these plants is immediately after they take root in the open ground. This feeding should include fertilizers containing P, K and N.
When the vines begin to grow, you should feed the melons again. This time you should use solutions based on organic fertilizers (chicken droppings, manure), to which superphosphate and potassium salts are added.
The third time plants require nutrients is when the ovaries begin to form. To do this, prepare a solution containing the following minerals: dissolve a teaspoon of superphosphate, a tablespoon of ammonium fertilizer and 1.5 tablespoons of any potassium salt in a bucket of water. 1.5 - 2 liters of such complex fertilizer should be poured under each bush. The solution is poured into circular grooves located at a distance of 16 - 18 cm from the stems.

Growing lashes should be distributed over the bed, removing weak shoots, as well as those on which flowers and ovaries do not appear. This is how the lashes of watermelons and melons are formed.

How to grow a melon (video)

It is possible to grow watermelons and melons in open ground both in the southern regions of our country and in the climatic conditions of central Russia. Plants are demanding of heat and light. Following all the rules for planting and caring for these melons, you can get good yields.

Everyone knows that today buying vegetables at the market from unknown people is quite risky for many reasons.

But there is a way out: grow vegetables on your own plot. However, in the middle zone, where the summer is short for ripening and melons, this is quite difficult to do. But probably!

Do you want an early harvest? Plant seedlings on the window!

Not everyone knows that melons, which are usually planted with seeds in the soil in central Russia at the beginning of June, can be started to grow already in March in your window.

Why don't people use this method so much? Yes, simply replanting seedlings of cucumbers, melons, and watermelons is very difficult - their roots are delicate and quite sensitive to various types of injuries.
It is for this purpose that melons are prepared in special peat pots, which are then planted directly into them.

And if you don’t have any, then you can make a container... from plain paper!
On a bottle of, for example, deodorant with a diameter of 3-4 cm, a strip of sheet 9-10 cm wide is wound so that about 4 cm is left free at the edge. This will be the bottom of the container. It needs to be crushed in such a way as to make a glass. Then the container is carefully removed from the template and filled with earth. The seed is planted there.

Ordinary seedling care: sunlight, regular watering. It’s just important not to fill the glass with water so that it doesn’t get wet right on the window.

At the end of May - beginning of June, seedlings can be planted in the ground directly in a cup. During watering, it will become soaked in the ground, and the roots will freely penetrate deep into the soil. This is especially useful because the paper (or a peat cup) protects the roots from the cold for some time. And the need to penetrate the walls of the container is some kind of “charging” for them. This way they will become stronger and stronger.

The sprout will be covered by a matryoshka greenhouse - let it not be afraid of frost at all!

You can plant seeds directly into the ground. This is also done at the end of May. And so that our seedlings do not freeze, they are covered plastic bottles. And there is one trick here.
A liter eggplant cut from the bottom is used to cover the seed or shoots, slightly recessing its edge into the ground. You can cover its edge with sand. It is best to remove the lid - it will interfere with watering.

On top, the second shelter will be a larger plastic container for 3 or 5 liters. It is also cut off from below and placed on top of the small one. The lid is left screwed on. And watering can be done through the neck of the bottles. Of course, during this procedure the lid is removed.
When the seedlings no longer fit under the bottom bottle, it is removed, leaving only the top one. It can be kept above the seedlings until mid-June.

Melon crops are very susceptible to heat and light - this is no secret. Therefore, they should be planted only in open space where there is no shade.

Although there are some difficulties here: in extreme heat, plants can burn out. Therefore, on such days it is better to cover the melons from the rays with burdock leaves and newspapers. If possible, you can even pull an awning over them to create shade.

My watermelon curls and curls - it will taste sweet!

To prevent the melon bushes from filling the ground around and interfering with weeding and watering, it is best for them to be supported - let them crawl up, clinging with their tendrils! This is aesthetically pleasing, convenient, and protects the shoots from rotting.

When watering, water, but don’t rot the entire crop!

Another problem for gardeners in central Russia - sometimes fruits lying on the ground rot, it’s just a disaster! Especially on cool and rainy days.
And to prevent this incident, experienced melon growers add a pile of sand at the root neck of the plant - a 2-3 cm heap. You can use hay or straw.

And many people place planks under the fruits. Others even put nets on them and hang them from supports - and it is not difficult for the bushes to hold them, and they do not come into contact with the ground, and worms and slugs will not reach the fruits.

And there are those who care about the convenience of storing melons. After all, round fruits have the ability to roll, which creates some inconvenience. And if the ovary is immediately placed in a transparent container with a flat bottom, for example, in a five-liter plastic eggplant, then the fruit will gradually fill it and take the shape of a rectangle. This is how you can kill two birds with one stone: you can protect the vegetable from rot and give it its original shape.

We water the melons aside - we will have a bountiful harvest!

In the northern regions groundwater often lie quite close to the surface. And the roots of melons grow vigorously in depth. But, reaching the aquifer, they begin to rot.
Cunning gardeners have figured out how to deceive nature. If you water the plant not at the roots, but somewhat to the side, you can avoid this trouble. In this case, the roots will begin to grow in width, sensing moisture.

We simply make a furrow along the bed and pour water there during watering. But do not forget to loosen and mulch the furrow the next day to avoid the formation of an earthen crust. And watering after the formation of ovaries should be reduced. It is only needed in hot weather.

We cut off the excess vines - we don’t interfere with the harvest!

To get the most delicious fruits already in August, you need to take care of this in advance. To do this, you need to trim off the extra vines - the plant spends its energy on them, and absolutely all the fruits set will not be able to ripen in the conditions of the middle zone, this is a proven fact.

Therefore, you need to cut out all the side vines of watermelons, leaving only the main one - female flowers form on it. Leave no more than 6 ovaries on one bush.
For melons, the main vine above the 6th leaf should be removed. Also, you should not allow the plant to “feed” more than 5-6 fruits.

Taking advantage useful tips that are shared experienced experts, even a novice gardener will be able to pamper his family with melons grown with his own hands.

Video about growing watermelons 20-35 kg.

Golden melons, pot-bellied pumpkins, sugar watermelons - all these are melons. They are all relatives, but each plant has its own growing secrets. How to get good harvest melon crops, the nuances of planting and care, agricultural techniques - so that “all the relatives of the garbuz are alive and well.”

It is traditionally and erroneously believed that good watermelons and melons grow only “in the south.” And we are in a hurry to buy imported fruits, but we don’t even buy watermelon and melon seeds. But in vain! Modern varieties and hybrids can be successfully grown in our gardens.

Watermelons, melons, and pumpkins grown with your own hands from seeds are not inferior in taste to those from the south. And nutritionists have long been talking about the benefits of these fruits. They contain a lot of carotene, potassium, phosphorus, organic acids, and iron salts. By useful qualities they are, in many ways, in no way inferior to fruits.

General rules for growing melons from seeds

All melon crops need a lot of light and heat, moisture in the soil and dry air.

The peculiarity of melon crops is their heat-loving nature and the need for direct sunlight, without shading.
The temperature at which pumpkin, watermelon, and melon from seeds develop best is above +20°C. For abundant flowering of female flowers and fruit set, the recommended temperature during the day is: +20°C - +25°C, and at night it does not fall below: +18°C - +20°C.
At a temperature of +12°C, the development of melon plants slows down significantly, and at +10°C and below, it stops altogether. When frosts occur, melon crops may die.
Root system melon crops are powerful and well developed, so pumpkins, watermelons, and melons successfully withstand drought. Hairy leaves - prevent the evaporation of moisture from the leaf plate.
In order for the harvest of melons and melons to be plentiful and the fruits to be tasty and large, it is necessary to ensure regular watering.
High air humidity in the place where melons and melons are grown from seeds must be excluded. At high humidity they can be affected by diseases. To keep the air dry, water at the root.
Melon seeds are sown in one place every 4-5 years. You should not sow melons in one place every year. Bad predecessors for watermelon, melon and pumpkin:,. Good: grains, cereals, potatoes, etc.
Melon crops respond well to fertilizing; the number of female flowers, ovary formation, fruit filling, their taste and quality increase.
From seeds, melons can also be grown through seedlings. It is better to grow only early and mid-season pumpkins and early watermelons and melons by direct sowing of seeds in the ground.
To get large fruits and more ovaries, pinch out pumpkin, watermelon, and melon vines. One way: by the end of August, pinch the tops of all shoots that have an ovary. The second method: pinch the plant above 4-5 true leaves so that side shoots appear, and then remove the tops after 2-3 ovaries appear on each.

Different melons have their own characteristics of growth, development, and care. Let's understand the nuances of agricultural technology and the choice of seeds different varieties and growing crops.

Features of growing melons

In the southern regions you can grow any varieties, and in cooler regions - the most the best varieties melons: super-early, reliable early, traditional, etc.

Soils and lighting.

Neutral or slightly alkaline cultivated soils without stagnant water are suitable for growing melons. Good melons will only grow in full sun. Seeds are sown in soil fertilized in the fall.

Preparing melon seeds for sowing.

Before sowing, dip the seeds in a 1%-2% salt solution. The best seeds will settle to the bottom. Rinse them with water and treat the sprouts.

Sowing melon seeds.

Sow seedlings in containers with a volume of 150 ml or more. Sow 3-4 seeds in each. Before planting in open ground, seedlings should be 25-35 days old. Shoots will appear within 6-10 days at a temperature of +25°C. Sowing depth 4cm - 7cm. In the garden, seeds are sown when the soil warms up to at least +12°C

Planting a melon.

Plant melons in nests of 3-4 plants in each hole. The distance between nests is 50 cm - 70 cm in a row. Row spacing - from 120 cm. When planting, add a complete complex to the planting site.

Melon care.

When 5-6 true leaves appear, remove the weakest plants from the hole, leave 1-2 of the strongest. Feed the plants several times a season. Water regularly, at the roots. 203 weeks before fruit ripening, stop watering. Then the melons will be sweeter.

When choosing watermelon seeds, please note that the most delicious are the mid-late and late varieties, and the earliest ones will definitely have time to fill and ripen, regardless of the weather. The most popular varieties: oval with light green skin, with bright yellow flesh - variety, etc.

Soils and lighting.

Watermelons love light sandy loam soil, enriched with compost or humus in the fall. And sunny places without the slightest shading.

Preparing watermelon seeds for sowing.

In a 3%-5% salt solution, the best seeds will sit at the bottom. Wash them, treat them with a stimulant and sow.

Sowing watermelon seeds.

The timing of sowing watermelon seeds for seedlings is determined as follows: the age of the plant for open ground is 30-35 days. Shoots appear within 10 days. When the soil warms up to +12°C, you can sow in open ground. Sowing depth: 4 cm - 6 cm.

Planting a watermelon.

Several sprouts or seeds - form 3-4 plants into holes. After a month, 1-2 of the strongest plants are left. The distance in a row between nests is from 50 cm. Between rows: from 150 cm.

Watermelon care.

Feeding is carried out regularly, like melon, once every 2 weeks, starting from the moment 3-4 true leaves are formed. To prevent the wind from blowing the lashes around, you can sprinkle them with peat or other mulch. Watermelons do not like their leaves to turn over and break. The ends of the lashes are pinched general rules for melons.

Of all the melons, pumpkin has one of the longest ripening periods. For most varieties it is 110-120 days from germination to harvest. There are seeds of early varieties of pumpkin, usually these are short-growing or bushy plants, with fruits weighing up to 2 kg (portioned). Pumpkin has the ability to ripen during storage and can be stored at room temperature for several months without loss of taste. And there is a pumpkin, the seeds of which are formed without a hard shell, they can be eaten without peeling -.

Soils and lighting.

The pumpkin plant itself is unpretentious and will survive in any soil. But in order for sweet, ripened fruits to grow from seeds, cultivated, light, nutritious soil is needed. You can plant a pumpkin in light partial shade, but the vines will rush towards the light and the best fruits will only be in a lighted, well-warmed place.

Preparing pumpkin seeds for sowing.

Choose the fullest and largest seeds, treat them with a stimulant before sowing.

Sowing pumpkin seeds.

In order to get larger and more mature fruits, and a richer harvest, grow seedlings. Sowing is done both in beds and containers to a depth of 4 cm - 6 cm.

Planting pumpkins.

Seedlings and seeds are planted in the garden bed when the temperature at night no longer drops below +12°C. Plants are planted in nests, holes with a diameter of up to 50 cm are made in advance, and they are filled with fertilizers. Large-fruited pumpkins are grown - 1 plant per nest, hard-bark and nutmeg - 2-3 plants.

Pumpkin care.

Regularly fertilize and water pumpkins, especially during fruiting period. While weeding and loosening, lightly hill up the bushes.

Grow melons - pumpkins, watermelons and melons good quality and sugar content is possible in any region of Ukraine. To do this, you just need to follow the growing recommendations and buy seeds of varieties suitable for you.

Watermelon and melon are associated with the taste of summer, and every gardener dreams of growing delicious fruits on his plot. Watermelon has long been used as a healing diuretic medicine to cleanse the body. Melon crops are thermophilic and grow in warm climates, so to grow them and plant watermelons in open ground you need to have special knowledge.

Be sure to find out in advance whether it is possible to plant melons if there are cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins or zucchini growing nearby.

Melons belong to the pumpkin family. The crops are very healthy and contain a huge amount of vitamins. If you learn how to grow these plants correctly, you can get a high yield of delicious fruits.

Melon is quite suitable for “neighborhood” with watermelon. Plants tend to grow. It is not recommended to plant them too close together.

Melons are prone to infection with various identical diseases. Therefore, if you plant nearby, you need to understand the risks of spreading diseases from one crop to another.

Proper sowing of seeds for seedlings at home

Seeds are planted for seedlings approximately 60 days before planting in open ground. This means that already in mid-March, the seeds should be purchased. You can purchase them at any specialized store or ask those who have already managed to grow a high-quality crop of watermelons and melons.

It is impossible to get a good harvest from last year's watermelon seeds. The best seeds to plant– 5 years ago. It is important to understand that only some early-ripening varieties with a ripening period of up to 70-85 days are suitable for our climate. It is better to give preference to hybrid varieties that are more adapted to unfavorable conditions.

When preparing seeds, you need to make sure that they are not empty. To do this, seeds are immersed in a container with water, everything that has surfaced can be safely thrown away. Watermelon seeds germinate more slowly than melon seeds. Therefore, it is recommended to scald watermelon seeds with boiling water for better germination and only then sow.

Preparation for planting and soaking

Soak. Every separate species seeds need to be wrapped and soaked in cloth rags and maintain in a humid environment until germination. You can also soak it in special napkins.
If the seeds have already hatched, but there is no way to plant them in a timely manner, you can leave the seeds in the refrigerator.

Seeds sprouted at home are planted in separate small pots with a diameter of 10 cm, preferably peat ones. The soil should be a mixture of: humus, turf soil 3:1, add peat, sawdust, humus 3:1:0.5.

Planted in each pot 2 seeds each to depth 5 cm. Moisten the soil with a spray bottle. Cover the top of the container with cling film and place in a warm place +25 degrees.

It will take 40-45 days to grow watermelon seedlings, and 30 days for melon.

When the seeds germinate, transfer them to sunlight at a temperature +22 degrees. Remove the film;
the best place for seedlings is a window sill on the south side of the house;
a week after sowing, feed the seedlings mineral fertilizers, after another week - infusion of mullein with superphosphate.

Planting in open ground

When planting in open ground, you need to focus on climatic conditions, the selected crop variety, and the readiness of the seedlings.

Soil selection

Before planting melons in open ground, you need to choose a place for planting. Exotic plants love sunny places where there is no shade or wind.

Melons and watermelons need rich soils, as well as those that withstand moisture well. The ideal option is sandy and sandy loam soil with a hydrogen index of 6-7 units.

Site preparation is carried out in the fall. When digging, add 4-5 kg of manure per square meter, 40 grams of superphosphate, 30 grams of potassium salt. and ammonium sulfate.

Preparing watermelon seedlings

When will the seedlings appear? 5-7 leaves, it is ready to be transplanted into open ground. Best time – the end of May. However, you need to focus on weather conditions so that the air temperature remains +15 degrees at night.

A week before planting in open ground, seedlings should be hardened to a daytime temperature of +16+20 degrees.

Open ground planting scheme - depth and distance

To plant in open ground, you must adhere to the following rules:

Holes should be made in the garden bed at a distance 0.5-0.7 meters apart according to a checkerboard pattern. Leave 70cm gaps between rows.
Seedlings are placed in holes so that there is only a few top leaves. The soil should be flattened and sand should be sprinkled around it to protect the plant from rot.
After planting, the crop should be watered with summer or slightly warmed water.
To protect a young plant from the scorching sun, you need to cover the sprouts with moistened caps made of plastic or paper for 2-3 days.

10-14 days after planting, you need to feed the crop with a solution of ammonium nitrate 20 g per bucket of 2 liters for each bush. During the period when buds appear, you need to feed the melons with mullein infusion.

Features of growing melons

To ensure free access of oxygen to the roots, the soil needs to be constantly loosen to a depth of 10 cm. Hill up the crop as the side loops develop. To prevent the plant from spending all its energy on gaining mass during the growth period, you need to pinch the main stem. For full development of melons, three shoots are enough.

When fruit ovaries appear, 2-6 of the strongest and largest specimens are left on the bush. To reduce the load on the vine, it is recommended to tie the fruits in nets and hang on a support. The fruits are placed on foil linings to prevent rotting.

If watermelons will be used in the future for storage and transportation, then it is better to take the berry not fully ripe.

Advantages of planting in open ground:

in warm weather you can achieve maximum ripeness fruits;
daily watering of the crop is not necessary;
You can increase productivity by following the basic rules for selecting soil and planting seeds for seedlings.

Grow watermelons and melons on summer cottage is quite real. Some even grow them in bags or greenhouses. If you follow all the recommendations, then by the end of summer you can enjoy sweet, sugary fruits. The main advantage of growing melons in your garden is the absence of chemicals.

Growing early harvest melon crops is achieved by introducing early ripening varieties into the culture, using different ways pre-sowing preparation of seeds, placing crops on southern slopes, growing seedlings, mulching crops with synthetic materials, using temporary film covers, growing melons in closed ground.

Growing an early harvest in open ground using seedlings. This method makes it possible to grow ripe fruits in open ground 10 - 20 days earlier and increase their yield by 26 - 50%, especially in the first days of harvest.

The seedling method of growing melons and melons in open ground is effective in all zones of the country. In the south, this method makes it possible to obtain ripe fruits from open ground already in early July, and in the western regions and Polesie it is possible to successfully grow these crops, where when sowing seeds directly into the soil, watermelons and melons do not always ripen.

Growing melon seedlings for open ground. Melon seedlings are grown in greenhouses, which are vacated after seedlings of early cabbage, early green crops and in film greenhouses. Melon and melon plants are difficult to withstand transplantation, so seedlings are grown in pots, bulk containers or cassettes.

The composition of the soil mixture depends on the availability of local materials, which include humus, peat, turf soil, mullein, and sawdust. In the presence of peat, the components of the soil mixture are: three parts of peat, one part of sawdust, 0.5 parts of mullein, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:4. For 1 m 3 of soil mixture add 1 kg of ammonium nitrate, 1 kg of potassium chloride and 2 kg of superphosphate. Dolomite flour or chalk, in the case of using peat, is added to bring the pH to 6.5. In areas where there is no peat, a mixture of humus and turf soil in a 3:1 ratio is used to make pots. For 1 m 3 of the mixture add 5-10% mullein and mineral fertilizers - 3 kg of superphosphate, 1 kg of ammonium nitrate and 0.5 kg of potassium sulfate.

The highest yields of cheap early melon products are obtained by watermelon plants planted with 30-day-old seedlings, and melons with 20-day-old seedlings. Younger seedlings do not produce the expected effect, and 40- and 45-day-old seedlings are sick for a long time after transplantation. Pots should be 8 x 8 or 10 x 10 cm.

Seeds are sown in pots in such a way that when the plants are planted, the threat of frost has passed and warm weather has established with a soil temperature of about 14 °C. In the central part of the country, this period occurs on May 15 - 20, in the left bank of the Forest-Steppe - on May 20 - 25, in the south - on May 5 - 10. Therefore, the timing of sowing seeds, taking into account the germination period, respectively, falls on April 10-15, 15-20 and April 1-5. Shoots after sowing at optimal conditions appear on days 3-5. Before sowing, the seeds are carefully prepared and 2-3 sprouted or dry seeds are sown in each pot to a depth of 3-4 cm. After this, the pots are watered with warm water (24-25 °C). During seed germination, the temperature should be 25 - 30 °C. With the emergence of seedlings, it is reduced over 3-4 days to 16-18 °C. In the next period, the optimal temperature when growing watermelon and melon seedlings is 20-25 °C during the day, and 16-18 °C at night. The seedlings are watered with moderately warm water. Relative air humidity should be 60 - 70%. Sown seeds and seedlings can be damaged by mice, mole crickets and other pests. To combat them, poisoned baits are buried in the soil.

5 - 6 days after the emergence of seedlings in the pots, remove excess plants, pinching them and leaving one of the most developed ones. Two weeks after emergence, the plants are fed with a solution of bird droppings (1:15) or mullein (2:10) with the addition of 30 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium sulfate per 10 liters of solution. 5-7 days before planting, seedlings are fed with a solution of mineral fertilizers (10-15 g of ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate and 40-50 g of superphosphate in 10 liters of water for 80-100 plants). In addition, 4-5 days before planting, the seedlings are hardened, gradually increasing ventilation, reducing watering and lowering the temperature to 17-18 °C. Seedlings are suitable for planting after the formation of 3 - 4 true leaves. Before planting, it is well watered, after which it is planted manually, with water added to the holes or furrows, or with SKN-6A transplanters according to the schemes adopted in the case of growing from seeds. Under irrigation conditions, 2-3 waterings are carried out after planting seedlings. Further care consists of loosening row spacing, weeding between plants and removing weeds, protecting plants from pests and diseases.

For growing melons in seedlings, the earliest ripening varieties are used.

Growing early products under temporary film shelters. An effective method for obtaining an early harvest of melons and melons is to mulch the crops with light or dark regular or perforated polyethylene film or agrofibre and the use of temporary small-sized frame and frameless shelters. Mulching with plastic film creates a favorable temperature regime in the soil and the subsoil layer of air, promotes the rapid and friendly emergence and development of plants, which ensures an increase in the overall and especially early yield. In addition, in areas mulched with film, weed control is facilitated, since it suppresses their development, and moisture loss from evaporation is significantly reduced.

Mulching is carried out after sowing. The film is spread over the sown rows, and the edges are sprinkled with earth. After the melon crop sprouts, holes are made in the film to allow the plants to reach the surface of the film. The film is left as mulch for the entire growing season and is removed after harvesting the crop. Sowing using mulch is carried out 2 - 3 weeks earlier than the accepted time for sowing in open ground.

The seedling method of growing melons with shelter contributed to the production of earlier production with a yield of 135 c/ha, which is 80 c/ha higher than without shelter, and 31 c/ha more than with the non-seedling growing method with shelter. The total yield in the variant of seedling cultivation with shelter was 174 c/ha, which was 42 c/ha higher than without shelter, and 53 c/ha higher than with the non-seedling method of cultivation.

At this same experimental station, I. S. Semchak and G. I. Kirilov studied the effect of the age of seedlings on the yield of melon variety Early 133. The seedlings were grown in peat pots measuring 8 x 8 cm, the soil mixture for filling in the pots consisted of humus, peat and turf soil in a ratio of 2:1:1. Seedlings were used aged 15, 25, 35 days, for the cultivation of which, respectively, for additional heating of film greenhouses (per 1000 pcs.) 432.5, 852.6, 1245.4 kWh of electricity were used.

To grow an early harvest, the plot was placed on a slope with fertile, light-textured soil. The predecessor is winter wheat. Tillage consisted of peeling the stubble in two directions with a heavy disc harrow BDT-3. After 2 - 3 weeks, 50 t/ha of organic fertilizers were applied and plowing was carried out to a depth of 27 - 30 cm with a plow with skimmers. After plowing the fields diagonally, they carried out planning, and a month later, across the plowing, they carried out non-moldboard plowing to a depth of 35 cm. In winter, snow retention was carried out. In early spring, the soil was harrowed, then cultivated to a depth of 12-14 cm, and before planting the seedlings, chiselled to a depth of 22 cm.

The day before planting the seedlings, earthen rolls 25–30 cm high were cut across the chisel with a special machine designed by NDIOG, with a distance between them of 140 cm. Near the base of the windrow, seedlings were planted using a hydraulic drill according to the scheme 1.4 + 0.6 x 0.7 m and mechanized, using a machine designed by NDIOG, covered it with plastic film. Film consumption per 1 ha was 550 kg. The film was used with a web width of 140-150 cm and a thickness of 0.08 - 0.1 mm

The seedlings were planted in the conditions of the Donetsk region in the third ten days of April - the first ten days of May. Seedlings, depending on age, had different biometric indicators (Table 15).

The root system of 15-day-old seedlings was inside the pot during the planting period, but for 35-day-old seedlings it went beyond its boundaries and was injured during the selection, transportation and planting of seedlings, which reduced its survival rate by 7%. Phenological observations showed that by the phase of mass flowering, 15-day-old seedlings were 2-3 days behind in development compared to 35-day-old seedlings, but the first harvest of fruits was simultaneous. Plants of 15-day-old seedlings had 1.5-2 times fewer shoots and leaves, and the length of each shoot and the assimilating surface of the leaves were 2-2.5 times larger compared to 35-day-old seedlings.

Seedlings 15 and 25 days old provided a greater increase in yield compared to seedlings 35 days old (Table 16).

The lowest cost of the harvest was when using 15-day-old seedlings.

Consequently, 15-day-old seedlings have a total yield that is not inferior to 25- and 35-day-old seedlings; their advantage also lies in the fact that 2-3 times less energy is spent on their cultivation.

Seedlings of watermelons and melons are grown for 30 - 35 days until the plants have 4 - 5 true leaves. The technology for growing seedlings is similar to that described in the section “Growing melons in open ground.” Growing seedlings for hydroponic greenhouses involves the use of polyethylene pots and fine fraction (3 - 5 mm) of granite crushed stone. For small-volume cultivation, mineral wool cubes are used. During the cultivation of seedlings intended for early dates landings, use additional artificial lighting.

High sensitivity to light determines the timing of growing watermelons and melons in winter greenhouses. In the third light zone they are planted in a permanent place at the end of February - early March, in the conditions of the fourth and fifth light zones - in mid-February, in the sixth light zone - in January.

To increase the resistance of melons and watermelons against diseases and increase productivity, they can be grafted onto pumpkins. The grafting is done in a split, and a few leaves are left on the rootstock, since after grafting the scion is not able to assimilate all the necessary substances in the first period. Watermelon is grafted onto pumpkin (Lagenaria), melon - onto large-fruited or fig pumpkin (C. figolia). Grafting watermelons and melons onto pumpkins speeds up fruiting in 3-4 weeks. At the same time, the sugar content of the fruit increases.

In block greenhouses with a link width of 6.4 m, melons are planted in six rows according to a 106 x 35 cm pattern, and watermelons in four rows according to a 160 x 50 cm pattern.

In the case of growing watermelons and melons in winter greenhouses, attention is focused on maintaining optimal temperatures in the root-containing environment of about 25 ° C. Optimal temperature air for melons during the day sundial should be 26 - 28 °C, cloudy - 22 - 24 °C, at night - 18 - 20 °C, relative air humidity - 60 - 70%. For watermelons, respectively, in sunny hours - 24 - 26 ° C, cloudy hours - 20-22, at night - 17-18 ° C, relative air humidity - 60-65%.

Before fruit setting, plants are watered moderately, due to the tendency of plants to grow rapidly to the detriment of fruiting. Watering is intensified only with the beginning of fruit filling, while fertilizing is carried out at the same time. Watermelons are watered more sparingly compared to melons.

In hydroponic greenhouses, before fruit setting, the substrate is moistened once or twice a day so as not to stimulate the formation of stems and leaves and delay the fruiting process. During fruit filling, the substrate is moistened with a nutrient solution more often - up to 3-4 times a day, and during the period of fruit ripening - 2-3 times. With moderate moisture supply, sweeter fruits are formed.

For better pollination of melons and melons, hives with bees are placed a week before the female flowers begin to bloom. Flowering begins 35 - 40 days after planting the seedlings. The period from flowering to the beginning of fruit ripening is 40 - 45 days, depending on the variety.

Third-order side shoots at a height of 80-100 cm are removed, thereby preventing the shoots from spreading on the soil surface.

After ovaries with a diameter of 3-4 cm are formed on the plants, some of them are removed, leaving one fruit per shoot for varieties with large fruits, and two fruits for small-fruited varieties. The fruits are left by those that are located closer to the main shoot. Weak, underdeveloped shoots are removed. The shoots on which the ovary is left are shortened above the fourth or fifth leaf above the ovary. To speed up fruit filling, it is recommended to stop the growth of young shoots by pinching their tops.

In watermelon plants, fruits begin to form on the main shoot, so during the seedling period the plants are not pinched and the main stem grows randomly along a vertical trellis. Subsequently, fruits are formed on shoots of the second and subsequent orders. During fruit rationing, 2-3 ovaries are left on one plant. The shoots on which the ovaries are left are pinched, leaving 4 - 5 leaves above each fruit and removing excess ovaries. The lower shoots, like those of Dini plants, are removed. Poorly developed shoots and those without ovaries are also removed.

The fruits of watermelons and melons that are already growing or already ripening are placed in nets made of polyethylene or cotton and hung from a trellis. The average yield of watermelons is 5 -6, and that of melons is 5 - 7 kg/m2.

In greenhouses, watermelons and melons are grown as tomato compactors. Plants are planted together with the main crop in five to six rows at a distance of 70 - 80 cm from one another. Then they are tied to a vertical trellis. After the required number of fruits have formed on the plants, the shoots are pinched, leaving 4 to 5 leaves above each fruit. The remaining ovaries and all non-fruiting shoots are removed. Fruits in nets are tied to a trellis (stretched wire). Shoots of watermelons and melons, which occupy space above the main crop, create favorable temperature conditions in the spring and summer months, protecting plants from overheating during high temperatures.

The yield of watermelons and melons as compaction plants is 0.6 - 0.8 kg/m2.

GROWING MELOON CROPS IN FILM GREENHOUSES

The use of film greenhouses makes it possible to grow in

an average of 5-6 kg/m2 of melons and melons before they begin to arrive from open ground. In some cases, up to 10-12 kg/m2 is obtained.

In the conditions of Ukraine, melon seedlings are planted in heated film greenhouses in March - early April, and in unheated greenhouses - in the second half of April. In Crimea, in a heated greenhouse, watermelon and melon seedlings are planted at the end of February - early March, in a greenhouse with emergency heating - in the second half of March, and in unheated ones - in the first - second decade of April. The cultivation of melons and melons in film greenhouses acquires particular importance when they are reused after growing seedlings. vegetable plants for open ground. Under these conditions, seedlings are planted in the second half of April - the first half of May.

Soil preparation. To grow watermelons and melons, as the main crop in film greenhouses, soil preparation begins with the addition of humus for watermelons at 100-150, and for melons at 150-200 t/ha (L. G. Shulgina). In order to improve physical properties soils add sawdust or straw chaff up to 25% of the volume of the soil mixture. Straw chaff is applied in several stages, after which it is buried to a depth of 25 cm. Straw activates microbiological processes in the soil and this can lead to its depletion of nutrients, especially nitrogen, so for 1 ton of straw you need to add 10 kg of the active substance nitrogen . If the straw rate is 3 kg/m2, an additional 86 g of ammonium nitrate is added per 1 m2 of the greenhouse.

Sawdust is also an effective loosening material. It is best to use pre-composted sawdust. During composting, 10 m 3 of sawdust is mixed from 1 ton of humus and 100 - 200 kg of bird droppings, filled with pus and composted for 4 months. in piles 80 cm high, breaking them every 2 months. If farms have peat, it is added to the soil mixture at the rate of 100-150 t/ha. By adding lime to the peat, the pH value is adjusted to 6.2 - 6.4.

In the autumn, in addition to organic fertilizers and loosening materials, 4-5 c/ha of superphosphate is applied for plowing, and in the spring, for milling, 1.5-2 c/ha of ammonium nitrate and 1-1.5 c/ha of potassium sulfate.

In the case of using greenhouses, after clearing them of seedlings for open ground, fertilizers are not applied.

Growing seedlings is carried out using the technology described in the section “Growing melons in open ground.” G. L. Borisova, V. Ya. Borisov and G. F. Peregudt in the conditions of the south of Ukraine recommend heating calibrated and disinfected seeds in a thermostat at a temperature of 58 - 60 ° C for 1.5 - 2 hours, then soaking at 0 01% solution of zinc sulfate, germinate and sow two seeds each in peat humus or plastic bulk pots measuring 10 x 10 x 8 or 12 x 12 x 8 cm. Weak plants are removed 4-5 days after emergence. Melon seedlings are grown within 12-14 days, watermelons - 18-20 days from the moment of emergence. The timing of sowing seeds for growing seedlings is determined based on the timing of the start of planting plants in a permanent place. The temperature in the greenhouse is maintained at 22-24 °C during the day and 17-19 °C at night. The seedlings are watered moderately, always with warm water, and after watering the greenhouse is ventilated. 5 - 7 days before planting seedlings in the soil, increase ventilation in the room and stop watering. On the eve of planting, water the plants until the entire volume of the soil mixture in the pot is completely moistened. With normal seedling development, phosphorus (45 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of water) and potassium (10 g of potassium salt per 10 liters of water) fertilizers are given only 1-2 days before planting it in a permanent place. In case of weak development of plants, they are fed at the beginning of the formation of the second or third leaf. In this case, complete mineral fertilizer is applied at the rate of 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 30 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium salt per 10 liters of water. At the time of planting seedlings in a permanent place, they should have two or three, but not more than four, true leaves.

Watermelon and melon seedlings are planted in heated greenhouses when the soil warms up to 20 - 22 °C. After planting the seedlings in a permanent place, the temperature in the greenhouse for the first 3-4 days is maintained at 20-22 °C in sunny weather, and 18-20 °C in cloudy weather and at night. If the plants take root and begin to grow, the temperature in the greenhouses on sunny days is maintained at 27 - 30 °C, and on cloudy days 22 -25 °C, at night - 20 - 22 °C. For melon, after the formation of the ovaries, the air temperature should be 30 -40 ° C. It should be noted that the level of optimal temperatures for watermelons is lower and their overheating is more dangerous compared to melons, therefore, proper ventilation is created in film greenhouses during the cultivation of watermelons. The optimal soil temperature during this period is 24 -26 °C. In solar-heated film greenhouses, seedlings are planted when the soil temperature at a depth of 10 cm in the morning is 14 °C. To increase the temperature of the soil, it is mulched with a transparent film. From the very beginning of planting seedlings, it is advisable to install tunnel shelters to improve the microclimate in greenhouses. If necessary (at night), a double layer of film is used on the tunnels.

According to research by S. A. Bondarenko and L. M. Shulgina (IOB UAAS), melons respond positively to an increase in air volume in buildings, which helps to equalize the temperature regime.

In film greenhouses, where there is more than 2 m 3 of air per 1 m 2 of area, melon plants have a larger vegetative mass and produce a 14% higher yield than in greenhouses, where there is 1.5 m 3 of air per 1 m 2. In small-sized film greenhouses, the optimal density is 2-3 plants per 1 m2 with 2-3 main shoots on each. Plants are placed according to the scheme 70 x 70 or 55 x 65 cm. When planting two tall plants per 1 m2 when forming a bush, the first pinching is carried out after the plants have taken root behind the third true leaf. If 7-8 leaves are formed on the side shoots of the first order, the second pinching is done above the sixth leaf. The shoots on which ovaries have formed and have reached a diameter of 5 cm are shortened, leaving 4 - 5 leaves above the ovary. Unfruitful shoots are shortened above the third to fifth leaf. In large-sized film greenhouses, the optimal density is two plants per 1 m2 with random formation of a bush without pinching at seedling age.

Watermelon seedlings in large greenhouses are planted according to a 70 x 70 cm pattern. The plants are tied to a trellis. At an early age, they are not pinched, but only weak shoots are removed. With this planting scheme, 2-3 fruits are left on one plant. This operation is carried out when the ovary reaches a diameter of 5 - 7 cm. To speed up the growth of the fruit, the shoots are pinched, leaving five leaves above the fruit.

As noted by R.L. Borisova and others, in film greenhouses in the south of Ukraine and in the Crimea, the apical growth point of melon and watermelon seedlings is not pinched. Seedlings are planted according to a 70 x 70 cm pattern. At the planting sites, deep holes are made into which peat, humus or a compost mixture of peat with humus is added. Then they fill it with water and, as soon as it is absorbed by the soil, a pot with seedlings is placed at the bottom of the hole, which is covered with soil 1.5 - 2 cm above the soil level, forming a mound near the stem that will protect it from water during watering. If the peat pots are dense, then before planting they are well moistened, and during the planting process they are slightly squeezed by hand to make cracks in the pots through which the roots can easily penetrate into the soil. After the plants have taken root, they are tied to a trellis with twine and, as the vegetative mass grows, they are formed. The main shoot, as noted, is not pinched, but the two lower side shoots of the first order are removed, since female flowers appear on them late. The next 3 - 4 shoots are spread over the surface of the soil and each one is pinched 2 - 3 leaves after the appearance of the female flower. I remove the shoots on which female flowers have not formed by the sixth or seventh node, and regularly tie the central stem to twine as it grows, without pinching it. Side shoots of the first order of the middle
and the upper tiers of the trellis are pinched 2-3 leaves above the female flower. Standardization of ovaries accelerates the formation of the first fruits and improves their marketability and taste. A normal load on a plant is 4-5 fruits weighing 0.8-1.2 kg. When growing varieties with smaller fruits, the load of plants with ovaries is increased to 14-16 pcs. The fruits that form on the central stem, middle and upper side shoots are enclosed in mesh bags, which are suspended from the upper horizontal wire of the trellis or greenhouse frame. Pieces of glass are placed under the fruits that form on shoots spreading along the surface of the soil in order to prevent them from rotting and damage by various pests.

Plants are watered moderately at first, and then the watering rate is gradually increased. Melons are watered first after 3-4 days at the rate of 10 liters of water per 1 m2, less often in cloudy weather, more often in sunny weather. You need to water it carefully with warm water, wetting only the soil and leaving the stem and leaves dry. Therefore, watering is carried out along the furrows. After each watering, the soil is loosened. Optimal relative
air humidity 60 - 70%. Air humidity during flowering
slightly increased by refreshing watering. In hot weather
It is advisable to carry them out every other day. Fruits ripen better
in dry air. Watermelons are watered less frequently than melons because
excessive watering reduces sugar content and promotes thickening
bark and the appearance of fungal diseases. Relative air humidity during the formation of watermelon fruits is maintained at the level
about 70%, and during the period of their growth and maturation - 60%.

During the growing season, watermelon and melon plants are fed 2-3 times with an interval of 8-10 days. The composition and dose of fertilizers depend on the content of mineral nutrition elements in the soil. Composition of the mixture for feeding melons: for 10 liters of water take 25 g of ammonium nitrate, 50 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium sulfate; for feeding watermelons, 10, 50 and 30 g, respectively.

According to L.G. Shulgina, during the first feeding, 1 liter of solution is consumed per plant, and during the next - 1.5 liters.

For pollination, hives with bees are brought into the greenhouse 10-15 days before the plants bloom.

Ripe melon fruits are recognized by the color change from green to yellow, the appearance of a characteristic aroma and the ease with which the fruit separates from the stem. A watermelon that has a dull sound after lightly tapping it with a finger and a matte coating is considered ripe. Watermelon fruits are cut, not picked, so as not to damage the tops of the plant.

GROWING MELOON CROPS IN GREENHOUSES

In greenhouses, watermelons, melons and zucchini are most often grown as a second crop after growing seedlings of early and middle cabbage. Previously, in greenhouses or greenhouses, 25-30-day-old seedlings are grown in humus-earth (humus to soil ratio 3: 1) or peat-humus (ratio - 3 parts of peat, 1 part of sawdust and 0.5 part of liquid cow pus diluted in ratio 1:4) in pots The pots are 8x8 or 10x10 cm in size, and one plant is left in them. Planting of seedlings in a permanent place is carried out at the rate of two plants under a greenhouse frame. The soil layer in a greenhouse must be at least 25 cm. In greenhouses with electric and water heating, this layer is created without adding soil mixture. When using greenhouses with biological heating, in the middle of the greenhouse frame where the plants will be planted, remove the soil mixture to a width of 30 - 35 cm and place it next to it in the greenhouse, then in the groove I select biofuel to a depth of 10-15 cm, laying it on the paths, and fill the groove soil mixture. The total thickness of the soil mixture in the ditch area should be 25 - 30 cm. Towards the northern and southern parubnya, the thickness of the soil mixture is 10-12 cm. If there is a shortage of soil mixture, freshly prepared soil is added to it. The best soil mixture for growing melons is humus-earth: add 1 part of humus to 2 parts of fresh turf soil and add 5-10% river sand and mineral fertilizers to the mixture. After planting the seedlings, the temperature is maintained at 25-30 °C during the day, and 18-20 °C at night. Water moderately with warm water, avoiding over-wetting the soil, after 2-3 days, 4-5 liters, and in dry and hot weather, 8-12 liters. Water should be poured between the tops, avoiding soaking the root collar of the plants. During the flowering period, watering is temporarily limited for better formation of ovaries.

The greenhouses are periodically ventilated, and with the onset of warm weather, when the threat of frost passes, they are opened by completely removing the frames. The frames are removed gradually so that the plants become accustomed to outside air and direct sunlight.

During the growing season, non-fruitful shoots of watermelon plants are cut out, and in fruitful ones, the growing point above the second or third leaf above the ovary is pinched. 2-3 formed ovaries are left on the watermelon plant, and the excess ones are removed. In melons, the main stem is pinched above the fourth or fifth leaf, the side shoots above the fifth to seventh leaf, and above the second or third leaf above the ovaries. 3-5 fruits are left on melon plants.

Melon plants respond very well to fertilizing. During the growing season, 3-4 fertilizing is carried out with organic and mineral fertilizers. Melons and zucchini are fed at the beginning of development with organic fertilizers, adding superphosphate and potassium chloride (Table 20). For optimal placement of the vegetative mass of plants and the formation of additional roots, when the shoots reach a length of 40 - 50 cm, they are pinned with wooden hooks 12-15 cm long at a distance of 25 - 30 cm from the root collar (necessarily near the petiole of the leaf). The pinning areas are sprinkled with moist soil mixture, which promotes the formation of additional roots. To prevent the fruits from rotting, pieces of glass or thin planks are placed under them.

For growing in greenhouses, the earliest ripening varieties of watermelons and melons are used. Before fruits begin to arrive from the field in greenhouses, 4-6 kg of harvest can be obtained from one frame.

GROWING MELOON CROPS IN WINTER GLASS GREENHOUSES

Growing watermelons and melons in winter glass greenhouses, despite their rather valuable properties, is carried out to a limited extent. The cultivation of watermelons and melons is possible both in ground and hydroponic greenhouses. Mostly watermelons and melons are grown in greenhouses as seals, sometimes as an independent crop.

Seedlings of watermelons and melons are grown for 30 - 35 days to produce 4 - 5 true leaves on the plants. The technology for growing seedlings is similar to that described in the section “Growing melons in open soil.” Growing seedlings for hydroponic greenhouses involves the use of polyethylene pots and fine fraction (3 - 5 mm) of granite crushed stone. For small-volume cultivation, mineral wool cubes are used. When growing seedlings intended for early planting, additional artificial lighting is used.

High requirements for light determine the timing of growing watermelons and melons in winter greenhouses. In the third light zone, they are blown up to a permanent place at the end of February - early March, in the conditions of the fourth and fifth light zones - in mid-February, in the sixth light zone - in secant ones.

To increase the resistance of melons and watermelons against diseases and increase productivity, they can be grafted onto pumpkins. The grafting is done in a split, and a few leaves are left on the scion, since after grafting the scion is not able to assimilate all the necessary substances during the featherbed period. Watermelon is grafted onto pumpkin (Lagenaria), melon - onto large-fruited or figleaf pumpkin (C. figolia). Grafting watermelons and melons onto pumpkins speeds up fruiting in 3-4 weeks. At the same time, the sugar content of the fruit increases.

In block greenhouses with a link width of 6.4 m, melons are blasted in six rows following a pattern of 106 x 35 cm, and watermelons in four rows following a pattern of 160 x 50 cm.

In the case of growing watermelons and melons in winter greenhouses, attention is focused on maintaining optimal temperatures in the root environment of about 25 ° C. The optimal air temperature for melons during the day during sunny hours should be 26 - 28 ° C, cloudy - 22 - 24 ° C, at night - 18 - 20 ° C, relative air humidity - 60 - 70%; For watermelons respectively 24 - 26 °C, 20-22, 17-18 °C, 60-65%.

Before fruit setting, plants are watered moderately, due to the tendency of plants to accelerate growth to the detriment of fruiting. Watering is intensified only with the beginning of fruit filling, and at the same time feeding is carried out. Watermelons are watered more sparingly compared to melons.

In hydroponic greenhouses, before fruit set, the substrate is moistened once or twice a day so as not to stimulate the formation of stems and leaves and delay the fruiting process. During fruit filling, the substrate is moistened with a nutrient solution more often - up to 3-4 times a day, and during the period of fruit ripening - 2-3 times. With moderate moisture supply, sweeter fruits are formed.

For better pollination of melons and melons, hives with bees are placed a week before the female flowers begin to bloom. Flowering begins 35 - 40 days after the explosion of seedlings. The period from flowering to the beginning of fruit ripening is 40 - 45 days, depending on the variety.

Melon plants are formed on a vertical trellis. The first pinching of melons is recommended to be done above the third leaf of the seedlings. After pinching, three shoots are formed on the plant, which, as they grow, are twisted around the twine, directing them to the upper horizontal wire. The second time, the tops of the shoots are pinched when the plants reach a height of 2-2.5 m. During this time, shoots of the third order are formed, and female flowers, as a rule, form on them. If their appearance is delayed, the tops of the second-order shoots and part of the third-order shoots are pinched again. This promotes the formation of fourth-order shoots, on which female flowers appear.

Side shoots of the third order to a height of 80-100 cm are removed, thereby preventing the spread of shoots on the soil surface.

After ovaries with a diameter of C -4 cm are formed on the plants, some of them are removed, leaving one fruit per shoot for varieties with large fruits, and two fruits for small-fruited varieties. The fruits are left by those that are located closer to the main shoot. Weak, underdeveloped shoots are removed. The shoots on which the ovary is left are shortened above the fourth or fifth leaf above the ovary. To speed up fruit filling, it is recommended to stop the growth of young shoots by pinching their tops.

In watermelon plants, fruits begin to form on the main shoot, so at seedling age the plants are not pinched and the main stem grows randomly along a vertical trellis. Subsequently, fruits are formed on shoots of the second and subsequent orders. During fruit rationing, 2-3 ovaries are left on one plant. The shoots on which the ovaries are left are pinched, leaving 4 - 5 leaves above each fruit and removing excess ovaries. The lower shoots, as in tall trees, are removed. Poorly developed shoots and those without ovaries are also removed.

In greenhouses, watermelons and melons are grown as tomato compactors. Plants are exploded together with the main crop in five to six rows at a distance of 70 - 80 cm from one another. Then they are tied to a vertical trellis. After the required number of fruits have formed on the plants, the shoots are pinched, leaving 4 to 5 leaves above each fruit. The rest and all non-fruitful shoots of the ovaries are removed. Fruits in nets are tied to a trellis - a stretched wire. Shoots of watermelons and melons, which occupy space above the main crop, create favorable temperature conditions in the spring and summer months, protecting plants from overheating during high temperatures.

The yield of watermelons and melons as compaction plants is 0.6 - 0.8 kg/m2.