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Knowing the agrotechnology of the thermophilic culture to grow a watermelon can be in any region of the country. But this does not mean that it will be easy. If you do not create the desired temperature, light, then irrigation and fertilizer can not replace them. Growing watermelons in Siberia is possible only in special conditions - in greenhouses, on warm beds, through seedlings.
Conditions for obtaining sweet watermelon
From the very beginning of development and before ripening, heat is one of the main conditions:
- Seeds germinate at a temperature not lower than 14 0.
- For roots, a temperature of 24-30 is favorable.
- The average daily temperature during flowering and formation of ovaries should not be below 18.
- A night air temperature in summer is needed above 15.
At the same time, day length and the production of solar energy of 10,000 lux per day plays a big role.
It is possible to create such conditions in Siberia, if grown in a seedling way in a protected ground, on high warm ridges. Refueled with plant debris and mullein, they create the right temperature for the roots.
Watermelon root branched, pivotal. The core goes deep, and the food is mainly delivered by the roots located in the upper fertile layer. In drought, taproot extracts water from the depths. Therefore, on a warm bed, watermelons do not pick up nitrates from manure, which at the time of loading turns into humus.
Thus, you can get a watermelon in Siberia, which is not inferior to the taste of the south, if you apply some of the techniques:
- rassadny method;
- cultivation in greenhouses;
- use warm high beds;
- use of early ripened varieties.
The main factor, the number of sunny days from Siberia meets the requirements. Irreplaceable solar energy is there, the other requirements are fulfilled in each locality in their own way. Siberia is big and Omsk and Ulan-Ude do not compare in climate. However, watermelons are grown everywhere.
Growing seedlings
Siberian summer is short. In the third decade of June frosts are still possible, and in the middle of August they are waiting for the first frost. Therefore, seedlings will help both grow watermelon in the greenhouse and in the open field. Therefore, the first month of watermelon grows on the windowsill. It is important at this time to create good lighting conditions, especially when the fifth leaf begins to appear. At the same time you need bright lighting, preferably with special lamps like "Diamond" for 10 hours a day. The seedling at a monthly age is planted in warm land. 
How to grow watermelon in a greenhouse?
The construction of greenhouses began near Moscow precisely in order to bring watermelons to the King’s table. But the result was not very good. There was no necessary lighting, and this is one of the main conditions for obtaining sweet fruits.
A greenhouse under watermelons should have good transparency of coverage and ventilation. Modern materials allow to fulfill this condition. To grow watermelons suitable for greenhouses for tomatoes. You can make them good neighbors. Lead watermelons with a vertical garter lash or flooring. You can part of the whips float, hang another.
Planted in a row with a distance of 70 cm between the holes. It is necessary to create a good illumination for each leaf. Therefore, plants are not placed more often. Seedlings are planted in late May, early June, when the earth is well warmed. The hole is made large, the plant is slightly buried, but around there should be clean sand in order to protect tender roots at first. Loose plants pritenyat for 2-3 days, until they take root.
The maintenance of watermelons in the greenhouse consists of timely watering with the use of low-concentration fertilizer mixtures in early summer. To prevent the appearance of rot and insects, spraying the EM-1 Baikal during the whole season is effective.
The watermelons will bloom at the end of June, first the male flowers, then the female ones will appear, which can be distinguished by the presence of a mini-fruit basket instead of a leg. Pollination is conducted in the morning. The male flower is cut off, the petals are removed and the stamens are leaning it against the pistil of the female plant.
This procedure is performed several times for warranty purposes. As soon as the ovary begins to grow, pollination occurred. After that, the whip growing above is cut off, leaving several sheets for pouring. Remove the side stepsons. For a greenhouse plant, it is enough to leave three fruits and remove the growing green mass in the future.
The increasing fruits of their weight pulled the whip from the suspension. Therefore, they need to be pre-hung in the "bag" with fastening on the trellis, regardless of the whip. When pouring watermelons demanding on soil moisture. But as soon as the filling is over, they do not need to be watered. Taproot will produce enough water, and watermelon will be sweet and sugary.
Clean watermelons when they mature. A sign of readiness of the fetus will be the dried up close mustache, a slight crunch when squeezing the fetus and the time elapsed from tying. It should be from 35 days to 45. The risk to remove not fully ripe fruit remains always.
Growing watermelons without a greenhouse
Remembering that the Siberian summer is unpredictable, that cooling is possible at any time, even in open ground for watermelons protection is provided. Usually they prepare for them high ridges, inside of which biofuel is laid. The ridge is covered with black film as mulch or geotextile. Arrange watermelons on a hill, closer to the sun and that the water when watering does not stagnate.
The holes are prepared in advance, a cut is made in the shelter for the plants, a protective cap is installed above it, in order to cover the covering material over it if it gets cold. Closed garden bed does not grow weeds and retains heat even in cold nights.
In the fresh air, pollination occurs naturally. Gardener need to monitor the formation of plants, preventing the overgrowth of whipping 3.4 orders. In the open ground, the watermelon itself regulates the load, the excess fruits fall off, reaching the size of a walnut.
How to harvest watermelon seeds?
You can buy seeds, but it is not always the sort that you like. Often the name of the variety on the package and its contents do not match. Therefore, the question of how to properly collect the seeds of watermelon and other crops, has become relevant. For all melons and gourds, the fruit core with seeds is taken, they are left for 3-4 days to ferment, covering the container with a rag on top. Later, the seeds are washed from the mucus, dried, placed in a box and sign the variety and year of harvest.
Seed can be used for sowing after two years. Fresh seeds give a lot of male flowers and very few ovaries. Shelf life of seeds 5-6 years under normal storage conditions.
