When is the best time to plant watermelons?

Watermelon is widely grown in my country and has good economic benefits. However, due to the growth characteristics of watermelon itself, the planting time is different in different regions, and planting watermelon requires mastering the planting time. So when is the best time to plant watermelon? Let’s take a look below.

1. When is the best time to plant watermelons?

Watermelon is a tropical and subtropical plant that is well adapted to warm climates and sunny environments. Therefore, the best time to plant is in spring or summer when the temperature is steadily above 20 degrees Celsius. In the Northern Hemisphere, seeds are generally started between April and May and transplanted outdoors between May and June. In the Southern Hemisphere, the best time to plant is to start seeds between October and November and transplant outdoors between November and December. Make sure the soil temperature reaches above 15 degrees Celsius to promote seed germination and plant growth.

2. How to plant watermelon

1. Site selection

It is advisable to choose sandy loam with loose and fertile soil, deep soil layer, convenient irrigation and drainage, and cultivation in paddy fields that have not been planted with melon crops for less than 3 years or dry land for less than 5 years.

2. Germination and sowing

Air the watermelon seeds for 1 to 2 days, then soak and disinfect them in 55°C warm water for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly until the water temperature drops to around 30°C. Continue to soak the seeds for 6 to 8 hours. After taking them out, wrap them tightly with a wet towel and place them at about 30℃ to germinate. Rinse them with clean water 1 to 2 times a day. When the seeds slightly expose the radicle, they can be sown.

3. Sowing and seedling raising

Before sowing, water the seedbed sufficiently, place the germinated seeds flat in the nutrient pots, put one seed in each nutrient pot, then cover with 1 cm thick fine soil to cover the seeds, and cover with plastic film to keep warm and moist.

4. Land preparation and fertilization

Base fertilizer is mainly cake fertilizer and high-quality organic fertilizer, supplemented by inorganic fertilizer, which generally accounts for 60% to 70% of the total fertilizer application. Among them, phosphorus fertilizer is all used as base fertilizer, and nitrogen and potassium fertilizers are used as base fertilizer and topdressing respectively, accounting for 50%. Combined with deep plowing and land preparation, base fertilizer is applied. Generally, 40 kg of compound fertilizer , 100 kg of cake fertilizer, and 2500 to 3000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure are applied per mu.

5. Transplant at the right time

When the melon seedlings grow to 2 leaves and 1 heart, they can be transplanted. Harden the seedlings before transplanting. Choose a sunny afternoon to transplant. After planting, water enough to help the roots take root, and cover the ground with film to keep warm and moist.

6. Field management

During the seedling stage, watering should be controlled to promote root growth; during the vine extension stage, the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied should be controlled and water should be applied appropriately; during the fruit setting stage, water should be applied frequently with small amounts of water to keep the soil moist, and potassium dihydrogen phosphate should be sprayed on the leaves 2 to 3 times to promote fruit development and improve quality. At the same time, attention should also be paid to field management work such as weeding, insect control and pruning.

That’s it