The Latest Watermelon Planting Methods and Key Technical Points

Watermelon is a very common bulk fruit in our daily lives, and it is also the favorite of many people. Watermelon has a relatively high sugar content, and there are quite a few people for whom it is not suitable, but this does not affect watermelon sales. Watermelon can be grown in most regions of our country, so how should watermelon be planted for better results? Below, let us take a look at the watermelon planting methods.

1. Site selection and land preparation

The soil of the watermelon planting site is generally on the looser side, and at the same time there should be a relatively sufficient water source near the planting site to make irrigation convenient. Next, plots with relatively sufficient soil fertility and good permeability and drainage are all quite suitable for planting watermelon. In addition, land that has been used to grow melons, fruits, or similar crops within the past three to five years must not be chosen for planting watermelon. Land preparation is generally completed before the onset of winter, then in spring sufficient organic fertilizer, cake fertilizer, and an appropriate amount of chemical fertilizer are spread and the land is turned over once more, and finally trenches are opened and beds are made, with the bed width generally around two meters to five meters.

2. Sowing and raising seedlings

The temperature for seed germination is around twenty-eight to three degrees, and the temperature suitable for watermelon growth is between eighteen and thirty degrees. Watermelon is generally sown around March and April each year, but sowing at this time requires the seeds to be sprouted first, and after sowing they need to be covered with plastic film for insulation. Seed treatment generally uses warm water soaking, or soaking with carbendazim. After the seeds grow sprouting points, evenly scatter them on the seedbed, carry out insulation treatment, and wait for the seedlings to emerge.

3. Transplanting and field planting

Generally, once the watermelon seedlings grow three to four true leaves, they can be transplanted and field planted. When planting, if the bed is four meters wide, then one bed can be planted with two rows of watermelon seedlings, while a bed only two meters wide can be planted with just one row. For trellis-style planting, on average one mu can plant about one thousand five hundred to one thousand eight hundred watermelon plants, while for creeping growth, on average one mu can plant only about six hundred to seven hundred fifty plants, and this also needs to be decided according to the fertility level of the soil.

4. Field management

In addition to the usual water and fertilizer management and intertillage weeding, the watermelon field also requires management such as vine training, leaf removal, pinching, and shading. Throughout the entire growth process of watermelon, topdressing is generally needed three to four times. The first topdressing is mainly about one week after field planting, mainly to promote the growth of the vines. The second is when the vines have grown to about eighty centimeters to one meter; this time not only topdressing is needed but also reasonable pinching to promote the growth of side branches. The third is at flowering time; what must be noted here is that after the watermelon sets fruit, some of the surrounding branches, leaves, and flower buds should be removed to avoid fruit drop and dead fruit, and at the same time foliar fertilizer needs to be sprayed. The last is when the watermelon is fattening, mainly to promote the growth of the watermelon.

5. Pest and disease control

The most common diseases of watermelon are anthracnose, fusarium wilt, viral disease, and powdery mildew, and so on. These diseases are all fungal diseases, so the control methods are actually much the same; generally carbendazim, Bordeaux mixture, or chlorothalonil can be used for treatment. The main pests of watermelon include cutworms, aphids, melon maggots, and so on. After sowing, we can use targeted agents to soak the seeds to improve the resistance of the watermelon, and then trichlorfon can be used for control. The last thing to note is the appearance of cracked melons, which is mainly addressed by strengthening the management of water and light.

The above is all the content on watermelon planting methods. The planting methods for watermelon look very simple, but if you want to obtain higher economic benefits, then it is not very easy either, and a certain amount of planting experience and planting techniques are still required. If there is anything else you would like to know about the planting industry, you can all consult us.