If there is a desire, then a fragrant melon is not too difficult to obtain even in the northern regions. Fruits of different taste and shape love to grow in hot and dry conditions, they do not need much moisture. But the sun's rays are very useful for her, so it turns out that the best melons can be grown in the south of our vast country. But the inhabitants of the middle lane should not be upset, they can also get tasty fruits in their dachas.
Site selection and preparation
Since the southern beauty prefers to grow in warm and fertile areas, hidden from gusts of cold wind, the site that suits her. Preparation should begin in the fall, dig up the soil on the bayonet of a shovel, while adding humus of 3-4 kg per 1 m2. On clay soil it is necessary to lighten it with coarse sand, introducing ½ bucket per m2.
So the bed goes into the winter, next spring, the beds are again dug up, adding fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium, how much it needs to be added is indicated on the package. Before planting seedlings in a permanent place, you need to add nitrogen fertilizers to the site.
Seed preparation
After the soil is prepared for seedlings, you need to prepare the seed. You can use your seeds, or you can buy them in a store. Melons are unusual plants in which it is best to plant fresh seeds obtained in the previous year. Strong and healthy seedlings will grow, but there will be practically no fruits from them. This is due to the reason that male inflorescences are formed on them, from which the fruits cannot grow. To get a normal crop, it is necessary to sow seeds that have lain for 3-4 years.
The largest seeds are selected for sowing, they must be treated with a special composition purchased in the store, or use your own solution - adding zinc sulfate to boric acid. It needs to withstand seeds for 12 hours.
To grow a melon in the middle lane and in the northern regions, its seeds must be seasoned, in the water heated to 35 degrees, the seeds are lowered for 5 minutes, then they are removed and kept at a temperature of 18-20 degrees for 24 hours. After this, it is necessary to gradually reduce the temperature to 0 degrees for 18-20 hours. This must be done 3 times before sowing seeds.
Melon seedlings
To get good seedlings, you need to purchase pots 10 cm in diameter. In them, pour purchased soil intended for garden crops or mix sand and peat chips in a 1: 9 ratio by adding a glass of wood ash to a bucket of soil.
Melon is sown in April, seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place, at the age of 25 days. Sow seeds, 2-3 pcs. to a depth of 4-5 centimeters, after which until the seedlings appear they are transferred to a room with a temperature of 18-20 degrees.
After about a week, you can notice the first shoots, they must be immediately broken through, leaving only 1 of the strongest sprout. After the appearance of 3-4 real leaflets, the plants pinch in order to provoke the growth of the side lashes. Care for seedlings is the same as for watermelons or cucumbers, only they need less moisture, and moisture must not be allowed to get on the stems and leaves. So that the plants do not get sick with a black leg, you need to pour dry river sand around the stalk.
Planting melon in a permanent place
In the prepared beds, they make holes in a square-nesting way through 70-80 cm. Before returning frosts pass, seedlings cannot be planted. In the middle zone of our country, this time begins in the first ten days of June.
When planting seedlings, the most important thing is not to injure the roots of the seedlings. It is advisable to transplant seedlings along with the soil that was in the pot. Pour a little humus into the hole and fill it with water. Seedlings need to be planted in such a way so as not to fall asleep plant stem. A lump of soil from a pot should slightly rise above the ground. After planting, the garden is well watered and sprinkled with mulch soil. The seedlings of the first two days must be protected from sunlight until it takes root. If a sharp drop in temperature at night is possible, then cover the film with immature plants.
Care
The entire period until the bushes of melons will develop on the beds, it is necessary to spud, water, weed as necessary and loosen the soil. In addition, you need to pinch the lashes of the plant on time.
Loosening. The first two times loosen the free space between rows no deeper than 15 centimeters, then no deeper than 10 centimeters, and you do not need to do this near the stalk of a melon. After the formation of the first lashes, the bushes spud, adding a roller of soil to the stem.
Watering. Melon is able to grow on the site almost without moisture, such conditions are useful to it, it needs to be watered as little as possible. If in the morning dew on the grass appears, then you must completely cancel the watering. It is necessary to supply water to the beds with melon carefully, watering the space between the rows, not allowing the water to moisten the lashes and leaves of plants.
Topping. It is necessary to begin to pincer a small bush of melon, when -4 of this leaf appears. After planting in a permanent place and rooting seedlings, you need to pinch the plants again. Shorten the main stem (above 7 leaflets). It is also necessary to do with lateral shoots, regularly cut off all the extra inflorescences, leaving no more than 3 good ovaries, at a distance from each other. Shoots without ovaries must be nibbled briefly (above 3-4 leaves) so that the bush does not waste strength on them.
Top dressing. Melons grown in open ground must be fed. The first time this work is performed 12-15 days after transplanting seedlings to a permanent place. To do this, use cow dung, bird droppings or a solution of nitrate. And then you need to feed the plants every 10 days. You can purchase complex fertilizers or use an infusion of chicken manure by adding wood ash to it. At that time, when the fruits are poured and begin to ripen, it is not necessary to feed the plants.
Weeding. To remove weeds in beds with melons, you need to regularly not allowing them to overgrow. It is necessary to adjust the location and length of the lashes, making sure that they do not fall between the rows. Under each fruit, it is necessary to lay boards or clippings of plywood to protect them from dampness and rot.
To grow a melon in the open ground and take care of it you need almost, as well as cucumbers. And your cucumbers grow well, and you take a decent crop from them, then you can grow melon without any problems. With timely planting and proper care, the fruits will have time to ripen. And if weather conditions make you harvest before the fruits fully ripen, then it will be great in a warm room.
