Annual planting of watermelons in the same place is not recommended. The soil for its cultivation should be prepared in advance. After the next harvest, it is fertilized with manure and left until the next year.
After preparing all the necessary conditions, you can proceed to the selection of varieties. For the northern regions and the middle zone, the best options are Spark and Sugar Baby.
Plant seeds immediately on the site - fraught with their freezing at night. The first month they should grow in pots. Before planting, the seeds are kept in warm water until they bend. As soon as this happens, watermelons are planted in small pots to a depth of 4-5 centimeters. Room temperature should be within 25 degrees. When the first shoots appear, the temperature drops to 18 degrees for several days.
After passing the May night frosts, you can plant our watermelons in the dug up soil to a depth of 10-15 centimeters. Under no circumstances should seeds come into contact with manure. It will kill them. 1 square meter should not have more than 3 landings.
Watermelons need abundant watering only in the first period after planting. As soon as their flowering begins, it is necessary, otherwise the berries will not grow sweet.
The formation of fruits occurs on the lashes. They need to be sprinkled with earth a little to avoid overturning by the wind. No more than 3 ovaries should grow on one lash.
Care for watermelons includes regular loosening of the soil, protecting the fruit from frost and 2 single top dressing. The first feeding occurs at the moment of formation of the first leaves, the second after the appearance of the ovaries. As fertilizer, slurry or bird droppings can be used.
Harvest time depends on weather conditions accompanying fruit growth. As a rule, it occurs in late July - early August.
