Content
It is recommended to form a melon in a greenhouse according to a certain pattern. Melon is a heat-loving plant of southern latitudes that cannot tolerate low temperatures. To obtain a harvest in a polycarbonate greenhouse structure, it is necessary to create conditions that are as close as possible to the natural growing environment.
Is it possible to grow melons in a greenhouse?
Melon crops are grown in open ground only in warm climate zones. Transportation to regions with cold climates requires certain time and material costs. The fruits arrive on the shelves at a high price and are not always of good quality.
In temperate climates, it is advisable to grow the crop indoors. Polycarbonate structures are available to everyone: they are inexpensive and easy to assemble. Therefore, growing melons in the Urals and Moscow region is practiced in a greenhouse. To ensure that the pumpkins ripen and the plant does not die, agricultural practices appropriate to the crop are followed.
For cultivating melons in greenhouses (pictured) located on large farm areas or in private plots, the following conditions are created:
- Air circulation. The heat-resistant plant does not respond well to high humidity, so air ventilation is necessary. If the weather is warm, the greenhouses are opened during the day for ventilation. If it’s cold outside, ventilate only with the help of windows.
- During the period of fruit formation, the plant accumulates starch; by the time it ripens, sugar is obtained from it by splitting. In order for the fruits to be sweet, this process must occur at high temperatures.
- Melon photosynthesis requires a large amount of ultraviolet light; the crop requires a photoperiod of up to 16 hours, so care should be taken to install special lamps.
- The root system of the melon is deep; a large amount of nutrients is required for the formation of the bush, so the soil in the greenhouse must be nutritious.
Growing melons and melons in a temperate climate is possible, but requires certain physical and material costs. The plant cannot be called unpretentious in care. A big advantage of this cultivation is that the fruits can be obtained throughout the year; fruiting is not affected by weather conditions.
How to plant a melon in a greenhouse
Melon is grown in two ways: early varieties by sowing seeds in the ground, later varieties by seedlings. The second method is productive, but more labor-intensive. In spacious, well-heated farm greenhouses, seed planting is used. On a personal plot, for example, in the Moscow region, it is better to grow melons in a greenhouse using seedlings. Planting material is germinated in two ways:
- distribution of seeds on porous paper;
- in peat tablets.
The seeds are first disinfected in a manganese solution and then dried. The work is carried out in early April, after 30 days the material is ready for placement in the greenhouse.
Sequence of work for germination of material on paper:
- Unwind 1 m of toilet paper.
- Step back 2 cm from the edge, lay out the seeds so that they have enough space to form sprouts.
- A roll is made of paper and tied with thread.
- Place the indented side (without seeds) into the container and pour water so that it covers 1/3 of the package.
- Place for germination at a constant temperature of +260 C.
On the 4th day, sprouts appear, the material is carefully transplanted into peat glasses. Planting in tablets is carried out according to the same principle, only the peat base is laid out on a tray and filled with water, after the sprouts appear, they are placed in peat glasses. Pots for planting material are taken with a diameter of at least 15 cm. The melon does not tolerate handling well, the planting material is placed in the greenhouse together with the planting container.
Recommended timing
The time for planting melons in a greenhouse for cultivation in the Moscow region is chosen according to weather conditions. The soil layer 15 cm deep should warm up at least +180 C. Do not sow seeds in cold soil; they will not germinate, and the planting material may completely lose its viability. The conditions are the same for transferring seedlings. The temperature in the greenhouse must correspond to the norm necessary for the growing season of melon. Daily indicator not lower than +220 C, night +190 C. For temperate climates, this is any date in May.
Soil preparation
The melon crop is demanding on the composition of the soil; growing melon in a greenhouse without preparing the soil for planting will not give the desired result. The plant will not be able to fully form the root system, will slow down the growing season and will not bear fruit. The best composition for melon in a greenhouse is loam with a neutral reaction. Acidic soils are “corrected” by adding alkali.
The site is prepared in the fall, dug up, and plant fragments are removed. At 1 m2 beds you need:
- organic – 5 kg;
- urea – 20 g;
- potassium sulfate – 15 g;
- superphosphate – 30 g;
- nitrogen-containing agent – 35 g;
- dolomite flour – 200 g.
Organic matter can be replaced with peat mixed with coarse sand in a 3*1 ratio.
In the spring, in a greenhouse in a prepared bed, a trench 25 cm deep is dug, the top fertile layer is piled next to it:
- Drainage made of pebbles, expanded clay or crushed stone is placed at the bottom of the recess.
- The top is covered with straw.
- Pour a layer of humus above sawdust or dry leaves.
- Fill the ditch with soil.
- Water with hot water and cover with black film.
By the time of planting, the bed will warm up, the seeds will sprout faster.
How to plant melons in a greenhouse
During the growing season in a greenhouse, melon needs the formation of a bush. By correctly distributing the crop, they provide free access to plants and save space. On one side of the greenhouse they make a wider bed; it occupies 2/3 of the territory. Melons are planted in a checkerboard pattern, with an interval of 40 cm. From the opposite side, retreat 20 cm, lay a trench, and plant the melon in one row with the same interval. Planting pattern:
- Mark the melon planting points.
- They make depressions and pour ash on the bottom. For seed propagation, a 5 cm deepening is sufficient; for seedling propagation, the depth of a peat cup is sufficient.
- The holes are filled, compacted, and watered.
If there is a threat of a drop in temperature, the seedlings are covered with spunbond.
Rules for growing melon in a polycarbonate greenhouse
Diagrams of melon formation in a greenhouse and videos will help you get a general idea of growing techniques. The crop requires constant care and monitoring of the growing season.
Watering schedule
Melon is a drought-resistant plant that can survive without watering for a long time. In the greenhouse, the melon is watered at the root, avoiding waterlogging of the soil and moisture getting on the root collar. The crop reacts quickly and negatively to high humidity, the root system rots, and fungal and bacterial infections develop.
Watering is carried out with water whose temperature is not lower than +35 0C, cold use is not recommended. In industrial greenhouses for watering melons, titans with a thermostat are installed. Watering is carried out if the top layer has dried up to 5 cm. During fruit ripening, watering is reduced to a minimum; two procedures per month are enough.
When caring for melons in a greenhouse, overhead irrigation (sprinkling) is not used, since the plant does not tolerate high air humidity. Periodically monitor to ensure that condensation does not accumulate on the walls, which gets onto the plant and contributes to the development of fungal diseases.
Pollination of melon in a polycarbonate greenhouse
Most varieties of melons of different ripening periods are not self-fertile. To form ovaries, they definitely need pollinators. In greenhouses, you will have to pollinate the plant yourself by hand. On large farms, mobile apiaries solve this problem.In a greenhouse on a personal plot, manual pollination is carried out as follows:
- find male flowers;
- collect pollen from them with a cotton swab;
- shaken into the middle of the women's.
The procedure is carried out 3 times at intervals of 24 hours.
How to pinch melons in a greenhouse
The formation of a melon in a polycarbonate greenhouse begins after four leaves appear. Pinch off the top of the central stem. The melon produces two side shoots, they are left, they are used to form a bush. During the growing season, stepsons grow, which are cut or broken. The number of ovaries is normalized in accordance with the variety; if the fruits are medium-sized, 4 are left on each shoot. After the outermost ovary, three leaves are left at the top, and the stem is pinched. The plant will not waste nutrients on the crown; they will be used for fruit growth.
Is it necessary to tie up a melon in a greenhouse?
Fixation of melon stems in the greenhouse begins immediately after planting. The twine is pulled and secured to the greenhouse structure. As the shoots grow, they are twisted along the support in the form of a spiral. During the ripening process, the weight of the fruit increases. In the greenhouse, a nylon net with large cells is put on each melon and tied to a trellis. If the first fruits lie on the ground, special material or boards are placed under them, the melons should not be allowed to come into contact with the ground.
When and what to feed
In the greenhouse, the melon is fed at the time of fruit formation with the Kemira complex fertilizer at intervals of 14 days for one month. At the same time, potassium or wood ash is added. Feeding is increased at the time of pumpkin ripening; the complex includes humates and the growth stimulator “Zircon”.To enrich the soil with microelements, fermented herbal infusion is added to the roots with each watering. Melon will not bear fruit in acidic soils, so the root circle should be constantly covered with ash.
You can feed with a mixture of NPK (potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen) 25 g of product are consumed per 20 liters of water. The solution is applied at the root once a week throughout the entire growth period.
Conclusion
Formation of a melon in a greenhouse begins after the formation of the fourth leaf by two lateral shoots. For the entire growing season, conditions are created that include: moderate watering, fertilizing, removing shoots, tying fruits and stems to a support. By installing lamps, increase daylight hours and monitor air humidity.
