How to Grow Seedless Watermelon? A Detailed Guide to Cultivation Techniques

The emergence of seedless watermelon has solved the trouble of many people who find spitting out seeds annoying when eating watermelon, and its cultivation in our country is also quite widespread. Below is an introduction to the high-yield cultivation techniques for seedless watermelon.

Cultivation techniques for seedless watermelon

1. Seed selection and sprouting

Select plump, healthy seeds free of pests and diseases, sun-dry them for 2-3 days, soak them in 55-60°C warm water (two parts boiling water to one part cold water) while stirring constantly; after the water temperature drops to room temperature, the warm water serves the dual purpose of soaking and sterilizing the seeds. Scoop out the soaked seeds and rub them clean, washing off the mucus on the seed surface until the seeds are no longer slippery. Generally, most seeds germinate after 24 hours; those that do not germinate have basically lost their vitality and can be discarded.

2. Sowing

Sow on a sunny morning. When sowing, use a thin stick to make a hole 0.5-1 cm deep in the center of each nutrient pot, place the germinated seed flat in the hole with the sprout pointing down, then cover with 1 cm of sifted fine soil. After sowing, lay a sheet of plastic film flat against the seedbed surface and set up a small arch shed over it. Before sowing, the seedbed should be leveled and fertilized, and 1-2 days before sowing, water thoroughly to moisten the bottom soil. Then set up the small arch shed to raise the temperature.

3. Transplanting

Seedless watermelon is best transplanted when the seedlings are about 30 days old and have 2-3 true leaves. Choose a windless, sunny day for transplanting, at a density of 500-700 plants per mu, watering as you plant. Use three-vine pruning, and it is best to let the 3rd female flower on the main vine set fruit, avoiding fruit set at low nodes.

4. Field management

Seedless watermelon seedlings grow slowly, so manage them early to promote early development; after the vines spread, control fertilizer and water to prevent excessive vegetative growth and create conditions for fruit set, and carry out hand pollination at better nodes. In addition, seedless watermelon takes about 35-40 days from flowering to fruit maturity; moderately ripe fruit has good flesh color, is juicy, sweet and refreshing, and should be harvested in time.