2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Melons and gourds are both healthy and tasty. But when watermelons start flaunting on market stalls in the early summer, doubts creep in that they will benefit your health. In order not to be afraid to get a dose of nitrates along with juicy sweet pulp, why not start growing this delicacy in your garden? We will find out what conditions are necessary for this
Watermelon temperature preferences
Watermelon is native to the countries of South Africa and it is not surprising that it is a very thermophilic crop. For germination, it needs a temperature not lower than + 14 ° C. And in order to confidently grow and develop, so that the fruits are poured and ripen, it should be about + 22 … + 30 ° С outside the window. It is dangerous when unexpected cold snaps occur. Especially during the flowering period of plants. If the thermometer goes below + 12 ° C, the pollen on the male inflorescences does not ripen, and the watermelon pumpkins do not tie well. When the temperature stays at + 3 … + 5 ° C, development is noticeably inhibited, and when the negative mark is reached, these melons and gourds completely die.
But such disadvantages are more than offset by the advantages of watermelon. In particular, it is renowned for its heat resistance. This is due to the peculiarities of the structure of the lacy foliage of the leaves of the plant and the ability of increased evaporation to avoid overheating in intense heat.
Demanding moisture
Watermelons are drought-resistant crops. However, at certain stages of development, they are in dire need of moisture. First of all, this concerns the time of seed germination and emergence of seedlings in the beds. But during the period when there is an active growth of shoots and the formation of the root system, plants are not so sensitive to drought.
During flowering, not only soil moisture matters, but also the level of dry air. When it is very high, pollen cannot germinate, and as a result, fertilization does not occur and the ovary will be absent. And, of course, watering is very much needed during the growth of pumpkins, otherwise the growth of fruits will stop.
At the same time, watermelon beds should not be allowed to become waterlogged. This affects both the quality of the fruit and the health of the plant as a whole. The sugar content of the pulp will decrease, and favorable conditions for the development of diseases will form around.
A place under the sun
Watermelon fruits contain up to 12% sugar. This figure depends on many factors during growth. The sugar content depends both on the sufficient amount of moisture and nutrients in the soil, and on the place of the watermelon in the sun. These are very light-loving plants, and they do not tolerate shading. And if the choice of a place in the garden entirely depends on the owner of the personal plot, then the weather is not in our power. And if the conditions are such that the formation of fruits mostly falls on cloudy weather, less sugar accumulates in the pumpkins.
Watermelon soil requirements
The optimal choice for melon planting will be areas with light sandy loam soils. It is important for a watermelon that the soil is well aerated. Therefore, you can use for planting and light loams, as well as sandy loam chernozems.
The watermelon has a powerful root system. The main root can penetrate deeply into the ground - depending on the type of soil. When the texture is light (sandy loam, light loam), the watermelon sinks vertically down to 1 m or more. And on heavy loams, it can be located only 25 cm deep. And this prevents you from extracting enough water from the soil.
Another feature of the watermelon is the ability to form powerful lateral shoots. They spread underground at a level of 10-30 cm from the surface. Therefore, in order not to damage these lateral roots, as the plant develops, the loosening is made smaller.
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