Features of growing watermelons in Belarus

Growing conditions

Watermelon is a rather thermophilic cultivated plant. Many gardeners grow it and get a good harvest. But it cannot be said that this statement is typical for Belarus. Usually, planting this berry here is a very troublesome business, which does not always end with an excellent harvest.

To get sweet and large fruits, you need a combination of the following parameters:

• warm climate;
• good lighting;
• moderate humidity.

Therefore, watermelons are often grown in the southern regions of our country. But Belarus was not very lucky in this regard, because it is located to the north, therefore, its climate is not very suitable for growing this crop. Geographic location in latitudes farther north than Russia and Ukraine has led to a more severe climate on the territory of Belarus. As a result, out of ten years, only two years have the weather conditions that are necessary in order to grow a high-quality and tasty harvest of watermelons. Therefore, there are difficulties in growing with these plants.
But there is also a way out here, since the necessary conditions for the growth of a high-quality and large crop can be easily recreated in greenhouses and hotbeds. Such structures can be easily erected with your own hands, and using their various modifications, you can grow with their help a wide variety of cultivated plants, not only heat-loving watermelons. It can be either an ordinary summer greenhouse or a heated winter greenhouse. As a result, even in Belarus it is possible to grow watermelons and other thermophilic cultivated plants without any problems.

In addition, the use of special modern technologies by farmers can, to a certain extent, simplify the care of the plant. For example, the planting cover method can be used here. It can also be used for seedlings of varieties that are more adapted to these growing conditions and have a shorter growing season.

On the territory of Belarus, the cultivation of watermelons is possible in the central and southern parts of the country. Using the above agricultural methods will allow you to get a high-quality harvest, while avoiding many problems. Thanks to the necessary techniques, planting berries is possible even in the Vitebsk region, which is located in the north of the country.

We select a variety

If you decide to grow watermelons in Belarus, you should start by choosing the most suitable variety. Choosing the right variety will allow you to simplify the care of plants in the process of fruit ripening.

Experts recommend choosing early maturing varieties for seedlings. Close attention should be paid to how many days elapse from fruit set to full ripeness. In this situation, the fewer days there are between setting and ripening, the more chances you have to get a high-quality and sweet harvest.

Of the varieties that can give excellent results on the territory of Belarus, professional gardeners recommend choosing "Gift to the North" and "Pink Champagne".Moreover, it is necessary to buy seeds of the "Russian Garden" series.

Also, among the mid-ripening and early-ripening varieties, Garny, Borchansky, Knyazhich, Zoryany, Legin, etc. will show themselves well. In addition to these varieties, hybrid varieties with a growing season of 70-75 days are suitable for growing in Belarus. This parameter can be read from the back of the seed package. Here you should be aware that plants with a growing season of more than 80 days in this region will not have time to ripen.

From hybrids for cultivation in this country are suitable "Romanza F1", "Ogonyok", "Trophy F1", "Garny", "Eureka F1", "Farao F1" and "Top gun F1".

It is worth noting that you can use the seeds of those varieties that gave a good harvest in the previous year. However, in this situation, planting them can lead to the appearance of watermelons that are somewhat smaller than their predecessors. At the same time, their taste is preserved. Therefore, if you want to get not small fruits, but large watermelons, you must give preference to planting branded purchased seeds.

Using the above varieties for seedling and growing in a greenhouse, you will definitely get a bountiful harvest of large and very tasty watermelons.

We grow seedlings

The seedling method of growing watermelons is used for the northern regions of our country. Therefore, it is perfect for Belarus, because its location falls just on the northern latitudes. Using seedlings allows you to get an earlier harvest, and when growing early maturing varieties, harvesting will be even earlier.

The time of planting seeds for seedlings must be calculated in such a way that its planting occurs at the end of May (early June is allowed).

Watermelon seedlings are grown in special cassettes or pots. To obtain strong seedlings, a specially prepared soil mixture should be used, which consists of woody soil (50%), river sand (20%) and humus (30%). When the soil mixture is ready, you need to add wood ash to it, based on the proportion of one glass per bucket of prepared soil.

Also, as a soil, you can use a mixture of humus, turf and peat in equal proportions. After preparing the soil mixture, 30 g of superphosphate and 10 g of wood ash are added to it (the calculation is given for 1 kg). After preparation, the repair mixture is thoroughly mixed and scattered into pots or cassettes. The container for seedlings should be 3-4 cm deep, and 8-10 cm in diameter.

Many experts recommend germinating seeds before sowing seedlings. To do this, they need to be soaked in warm water (its temperature should be about 50 ° C). Soaking takes 10 minutes. Then we immerse the seeds in water until the sprouts appear. When the first shoots appear, they are placed in the prepared soil mixture. Seeds are planted to a depth of 4-6 cm. After planting, the seeds need to be watered. Then the sown seeds should be kept in a dark place for ten days. In this case, the temperature of a dark place should not be lower than + 25–30 ° С. Some gardeners are advised to additionally cover the seed pots with foil.

At the end of the ten-day period of staying seeds in the dark, they are transferred to a well-lit place for 20 days. During this period, the film is removed from the pots, and the temperature drops to 16-18 ° C (for the first 10 days, otherwise the seedlings will be greatly extended). Then it is grown for 10 days at a temperature of 20-25 ° C. After that, they are hardened for five days.

Cultivation of watermelon seedlings in pots occurs within 25-30 days after the first shoots appear. In cassettes, seedlings are grown for 15 days.

It must be remembered that the seedlings after the shadow period should be in a well-lit place and watered abundantly (but not often) only with warm water.Experts point out that to a certain extent, the development of plants can be improved by grafting it on a pumpkin.

Before planting, especially in the territory of Belarus, it is necessary to harden the seedlings. To do this, she is placed in a greenhouse for 10 days. During this period, the greenhouse is opened for ventilation for 1-2 hours, in the middle of hardening - for 5-6 hours, and before direct planting - for a day.

Disembarkation and leaving

After hardening, the watermelon seedlings are planted in the greenhouse soil. The best landing time is the end of May. It was during this period that the threat of a nighttime cold snap completely disappears.

It is best to prepare the soil in the fall. During this period, it is well fertilized with cut grass and manure. The site itself must be well protected from cold winds. Therefore, avoid the northeastern and northern parts of your backyard or vegetable garden. Of the soils, sandy loam, sandy or loamy soils, but with a sufficient humus content, are better suited for growing watermelons. In this case, the pH of the soil should be in the range of 5.5-7.0. Waterlogged and clayey soils are unsuitable for cultivation.

Annual legumes (beans, peas, vetch), corn, perennial grasses, and winter wheat are suitable as precursors for watermelons. The worst predecessors will also be pumpkins, zucchini, cucumbers. For a permanent place of growth, we choose the most illuminated place and plant the seedlings. Here it is necessary to ensure that the root collar is not very deep. Otherwise, in the future, the plant may undergo various diseases.

Planting is carried out according to the scheme 140x60 (70) cm (for open ground) and 100x50 (60) cm (for a greenhouse).

After planting, we provide the following care:

• watering;
• loosening;
• weed removal;
• top dressing. The first - after the appearance of the 4th leaf, and the second - when the ovary appears.

Guided by these recommendations, you can grow watermelons without any problems even in Belarus.

Video "Secrets of growing watermelons"

By watching the video, you will learn about the basic principles of caring for watermelons and learn how to grow them yourself.