Key Points of Watermelon Cultivation Techniques and a Detailed Guide to Growing Methods

Watermelon cultivation includes site selection, land preparation and fertilization, transplanting, pruning and vine training, fruit setting, topdressing, irrigation and harvesting. Among these, transplanting should be determined according to the variety; for example, mid-season watermelons are transplanted at a seedling age of 20-25 days, and late-season watermelons at a seedling age of 7-10 days.

Field management for growing watermelon:

1. Cultivation

Cultivation begins after full emergence from sowing or after transplanted seedlings have recovered. Thinning, loosening the soil and earthing up are carried out together, with 2-3 cultivations.

2. Irrigation

Watermelon is a drought-tolerant crop, resistant to drought but afraid of waterlogging. However, this does not mean it needs no irrigation; rather, it should be watered at the right time and in the right amount. Watering should be carried out according to different stages, for example:

1. Water to promote vine growth: when watermelon enters the vine-running stage, water in combination with the first topdressing. The water amount should be moderate, watering only the sowing bed, in order to promote seedling growth, expand leaf area, and then cultivate to conserve soil moisture and promote root growth;

2. Water for fruit swelling: after the watermelon fruit loses its fuzz, it enters the peak fruit-swelling stage, and water demand increases. At this time temperatures rise and evaporation increases. To promote fruit swelling and prevent excessive vine growth, water for fruit swelling should be applied in combination with the second topdressing. The water amount should be appropriately increased, watering thoroughly, and afterward watering according to soil conditions and rainfall. From fuzz loss to fruit setting, several rounds of fruit-swelling water should be applied, and water supply should be balanced to prevent fruit cracking;

3. Topdressing

The basic principles of topdressing in watermelon fields are: apply seedling fertilizer lightly, first promoting then controlling, apply vine-extension fertilizer skillfully, and after young fruit sets, apply fruit-swelling fertilizer heavily; different fertilizers should also be used at different stages, for example:

1. Seedling-promoting fertilizer: seedling-promoting fertilizer should preferably be applied within one week after transplanting the watermelon seedlings, with 8-12 grams of urea or 15-20 grams of ammonium sulfate per plant, applied in furrows and then covered with soil;

2. Vine-promoting fertilizer: applied before and after vine extension. When the watermelon seedlings have grown to 40-60 cm, apply 10-15 kg of urea, 5-10 kg of superphosphate and 10-15 kg of potassium sulfate per mu, placed in furrows 25-30 cm from the watermelon roots or between two plants, with a furrow depth of 10-15 cm. After application, cover with soil and water to promote fertilizer absorption;

3. Fruit-swelling fertilizer: the fruit-swelling period is the time of greatest fertilizer demand in the entire life of the watermelon. At 30-45 cm around the base of the watermelon roots, apply per mu 8-10 kg of 45% ternary compound fertilizer, 4-6 kg of urea and 3-5 kg of potassium sulfate, dissolved and mixed with water for application; later, foliar spraying is carried out using a 0.4% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution sprayed once every 7-10 days, for a total of 2-3 sprays.

Field management is an important part of watermelon cultivation, and melon growers must pay close attention to it, as it affects the yield and quality of the melon field.