How to Grow Watermelons? A Detailed Explanation of Planting Methods and Key Technical Points

The first step is to soak and sprout the seeds, while also preparing the seedbed; the second step is to select the site, then carry out land preparation and fertilization; the third step is to transplant the watermelon seedlings; the fourth step is to prune the vines, press the vines and set the fruit; the fifth step is to apply fertilizer and irrigate at the right time according to the growth condition; finally, just do a good job of pest and disease control.

Several common diseases in watermelon cultivation and their control:

1. Watermelon seedling damping-off. This disease occurs at the seedling stage, and is most likely to occur before the three-leaf stage; it is severe when the temperature is low and soil humidity is high. In the early stage of the disease, a small yellow water-soaked spot appears near the ground on the seedling, which then turns yellow-brown and shrinks and dries up; the disease develops very quickly, and before the cotyledons have wilted, the seedling suddenly collapses. When humidity is high, a layer of white cottony mycelium can appear on the diseased part and the soil surface around it. It is a fungus, and this fungus can overwinter in the soil; the disease is likely to occur when the soil is 10-16°C. Control method: 50% carbendazim can be used to mix with soil or to make seedbed soil.

2. Keep watermelon blight under control: this disease occurs more often at the seedling stage, producing dark green water-soaked round irregular lesions that expand rapidly. When humidity is high it rots, and after drying it is light brown and easily broken; when the stems, leaves and base of the seedling are infected, they become water-soaked, dark green sunken spots appear, surrounding the stem and rotting it, and everything below the stem dies completely. The pathogen of this disease is a fungus. Disease-resistant varieties should be selected, seeds should be disinfected before planting, and spray disinfection should be carried out with daconil or phosethyl-Al.

3. Strictly prevent watermelon root rot: this disease also easily occurs at the seedling stage; the seedling grows slowly, the leaves shrink and wilt, the roots first become yellow-rust colored and do not send out new roots for a long time, becoming sticky and rotting, until the upper part of the seedling wilts and dies. This disease is mainly caused by excessive soil humidity and low soil temperature. Under conditions of low soil temperature and high humidity, root development is blocked, and the root's regeneration capacity, absorption function and respiration are severely inhibited, a large number of root hairs die, and the aboveground part wilts. When raising seedlings, try to use seedling bowls or nutritional pots, pay attention to humidity, and do not let the water be too much.

In addition, using grafted watermelon seedlings is also an efficient method to control some stubborn diseases, and farmers can learn about it.