Content
If you plant melon seedlings correctly, you can achieve a good harvest not only in the south of the country, but also in the harsh climatic conditions of the Urals and Siberia. The benefits of this natural dessert are extremely high, and even a novice gardener can grow it on his own plot.
Rules for choosing a variety
The choice of variety largely depends on the climatic conditions of the region in which it is planned to grow the melon. For example, in Siberia the summer season is cool and short. Preference should be given to early ripening melon varieties intended for cultivation in similar climatic conditions:
- Lyubushka – one of the highest-yielding varieties with a ripening period of 1.5 months. The fruits are oval or ovoid, weighing from 1.5 to 2 kg;
- Altai early - another early-ripening, high-yielding melon variety intended for cultivation in Siberia. Golden, oval fruits weighing up to 1.5 kg ripen in about 70 days.
For Moscow and the Moscow region, where the weather is warmer in autumn and spring, the following early and mid-ripening melon varieties are suitable.
- Collective farmer – in central Russia, this melon can be safely planted in open ground through seedlings.The variety is considered mid-season, the growing season is 95 days. The fruits are slightly elongated, spherical in shape, orange in color, and weigh on average 1.5 kg;
- Princess Mary – early ripening melon, ripening in 60-70 days. Round fruits of gray-green color weighing 1.2 - 1.5 kg;
- Caramel – mid-season variety, distinguished by juicy sugar pulp. Melon ripens in 60 - 66 days when grown through seedlings. Fruits weighing up to 2.5 kg.
In the Urals, as in Siberia, early varieties of melon are very popular:
- Delano F1 – an early-ripening hybrid variety that produces oval-elongated fruits 60 days after the first shoots. The weight of the melon reaches 4 kg;
- A sybarite's dream – exotic small-fruited (up to 700 g) melon, resistant to frost and drought. The first harvest ripens after 60 - 70 days.
In southern regions with a warm and mild climate (Crimea, Krasnodar Territory, North Caucasus), both mid-season and late varieties can be grown:
- Lada – heat-loving mid-season melon. The shape of the fruit is oval, weight from 2.5 to 4 kg, the surface is painted yellow. Ripening takes about 72 – 96 days;
- Turkmen – late-ripening melon, the growing season of which ranges from 95 to 105 days. The fruits are oblong, oval, weighing 4 - 6 kg, colored yellow-green.
When to sow melon seeds for seedlings
The timing of sowing melon seeds for seedlings largely depends on the selected variety. You should proceed from the information about the early maturity of a particular variety indicated on the packaging by the seed manufacturer, and take into account that before transplanting into open ground, melon seedlings should develop from 25 to 30 days.
In the Moscow region and central Russia, melon seedlings can begin to be grown from mid-April, since planting in open ground is usually done at the end of May, and if there is a threat of return frosts, these dates may shift until the beginning of June.
In Siberia and the Urals, the end of April or the beginning of May is suitable for sowing seeds, since seedlings are transplanted into open ground in these regions only closer to the second half of June.
In regions with a warm climate, such as the Krasnodar Territory, Crimea and the North Caucasus, seedlings are grown starting in the middle or end of March, and seedlings are transplanted into open ground in the second half of April.
When to plant melon in 2019 according to the lunar calendar
When planting melon seedlings, many gardeners rely on the lunar calendar, which helps predict good and bad days for gardening work.
| Favorable days | Unfavorable days |
February | 15, 16, 17, 23, 24, 25; | 4, 5, 19; |
March | 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30; | 6, 7, 21; |
April | 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30; | 5, 19; |
May | 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 31; | 5, 19; |
June | 5, 6, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20; | 3, 4, 17. |
Rules for planting melon seedlings
Melon is a heat-loving plant that loves sunlight very much. It is resistant to drought and soil salinity, but categorically does not tolerate waterlogged and overly acidic soils. When planting seedlings, it is better to give preference to light soils with a neutral pH level.
It is also important to take into account that the melon root system is extremely fragile and weak, so the plant does not respond well to transplants. The seedlings are not planted, but are immediately planted in different pots.
How to test the germination of melon seeds
To guarantee a good melon harvest, before planting it is necessary to test the seeds for germination. To do this you will need:
- prepare a saline solution in a small container from 250 ml of water and 1 tsp. salt;
- immerse the seeds in the solution, wait a few minutes;
- as a result, high-quality seeds will remain at the bottom, and empty ones will float to the surface;
- Unsuitable seeds must be removed, the remaining seeds must be washed and dried in a well-ventilated place.
How to germinate melon seeds
Before germinating melon seeds, they should be disinfected. To do this, prepare a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, immerse the seeds in it for 30 minutes and wash them thoroughly after the procedure.
The next step to obtain healthy seedlings is hardening:
- disinfected seeds should be wrapped in gauze and soaked in warm water so that the bundle is not completely immersed in it;
- place the package on a saucer and leave for a day, remembering to control its humidity;
- place in the refrigerator for 20 hours, keeping the temperature at 0 oC.
Sprout melon seeds using sawdust or a damp cloth until a small sprout forms. The room temperature should be from +20 to +25 oC. Sawdust must be steamed for 7 hours before the procedure.
Preparing containers and soil
To prepare the soil mixture, you should use turf soil, peat and humus, taken in equal proportions. Sometimes, instead of humus, ready-made home compost is added. River sand will help improve the permeability of air and water to the root system. You can enrich the soil mixture with potassium and phosphorus by adding ash at the rate of 1 cup per bucket of soil.
Additionally, it is necessary to subject the soil to disinfection.To do this, you can harvest it in the fall and store it in a cool room until the seedlings are planted. Freezing will ensure the destruction of pathogenic microorganisms and minimize the likelihood of annual germination weed. Another way to disinfect soil is to water it with a solution of potassium permanganate.
If soil for melon seedlings is purchased in a store, then preference should be given to a mixture for pumpkin crops, since it is optimally balanced in terms of acidity and nutritional value. Store soil has also already been treated with specialized antifungal agents, so it does not require additional disinfection.
Peat containers with a diameter of about 10 cm or plastic glasses with a volume of at least 0.5 liters are ideal as containers for seedlings. It is recommended to plant the seeds in separate containers from the very beginning, this will avoid damage to the roots during transplantation.
Landing algorithm
To grow a melon from a seed, you must adhere to the following algorithm for planting seedlings:
- Fill the planting container with the prepared soil mixture and moisten with settled water. The soil should be placed in the container in several layers, carefully pressing and compacting each layer with your hand. It is important not to forget to leave a space of 2 - 3 cm to the edge of the container in order to be able to subsequently add more earth on top.
- Prepare holes 2 - 3 cm deep and carefully immerse the sprouted seeds into them using tweezers. 1 seed is planted in 1 hole.
- Sprinkle with soil, lightly compacting the soil. Moisten with a spray bottle so as not to accidentally wash away the seeds.
- Cover the container with cling film or glass for 2 - 3 days, place in a warm place and remember to open afterwards.
At room temperature from +25 to +28 oC shoots will appear after 4 - 5 days. After the first shoots appear, the pots are moved to a well-lit windowsill.
How to grow melon seedlings
Comfortable temperature for melon seedlings is from +25 to +30 oC. Optimal air humidity for plants is 60%.
Daylight hours should last at least 14 hours. Melon seedlings should be placed on southern windowsills. If necessary, in cloudy weather, you can additionally illuminate the seedlings with fluorescent lamps. They must be installed close to the plants and turned on for a couple of hours in the morning and evening.
Subsequent care of melon seedlings includes fertilizing and watering. Water the seedlings moderately to avoid stagnant water, which is detrimental to the root system of the plant. The signal for watering is the drying out of the top layer of soil.
Fertilizing is carried out at least twice during the growing period of the melon at home. The first time the seedlings are fed with complex fertilizers without chlorine 2 weeks after planting. The second feeding is carried out 7 - 10 days before transplanting into open ground, after which the plants need hardening.
Plants are transplanted into open ground after 25 - 35 days. By this time, the temperature outside should be fairly warm.
Conclusion
Planting melon seedlings is not an easy process, but following certain rules can make it much easier. Choosing the right variety and creating comfortable conditions for the plant will ensure a rich, healthy and tasty harvest in the future.
