Growing melon in a greenhouse made of polycarbonate. Planting and care

Although the melon is a southern plant, it is often grown in the middle zone of Russia. However, of course, it is so rare, so sweet, large and fragrant as, say, in the Kuban or in Uzbekistan, it rarely grows. The situation can be tried to fix by planting a melon in the greenhouse. Of course, when growing this plant in a similar way it is necessary to adhere to certain technologies.

In which greenhouse can be planted

Grow melons are allowed in a greenhouse made of any material. It can be glass, film or geotextile. But the best solution is, of course, growing melons in a glasshouse made of polycarbonate. This material well passes the sun's rays and does not grow turbid with time.

Dimensions of a greenhouse for melons can also have any. The main thing is that its height should be at least two meters. After all, the melon - the plant is lianate, and it needs a lot of vertical space.

To produce melon growing in a greenhouse heated or unheated - it's up to the owners themselves to solve the problem. Get a good harvest with proper care can be in either case.

Together with cucumbers and other pumpkin melons can not be grown. Due to the over-pollination, the fruits of this plant can completely lose their taste qualities. Solanaceae are usually grown with melon. It can be, for example, tomatoes, peppers or eggplants.

Which grade to choose

The best for greenhouses come early melons. A very good option may be, for example, such varieties as Dessert, Prestige or Titovka. Taking into account the early planting, the harvest from such melons can be removed in July.

A very good choice may also be early maturing hybrids. Just fine for the greenhouse will suit the same Roksolana F1 or Goldie F1. With the use of these hybrids, a very tasty and aromatic melon in the greenhouse can be grown. In the suburbs, the Leningrad region, the Volga region, etc., they are ideal for cultivation. You can land them also in the Urals or in Siberia.

Seed preparation

Because of the high humidity in the greenhouses very quickly and easily develop all sorts of fungi and bacteria. To reduce the risk of further diseases, melon seeds should be disinfected. To do this, they are lowered into a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour. You can also additionally hold the planting material in a 1% solution of baking soda (day).

Planting seedlings

Disinfected seeds should be soaked in warm water for germination for 12 hours. For every 4 hours they must be ventilated. Under the seedling take a sufficiently large capacity. In any case, their diameter should not be less than 8 cm. The soft plastic cups are best for a melon. When using them in the future, it will be easier to transfer seedlings to a greenhouse.

Fill the tank with either ordinary nutritious garden soil or a mixture of soil, peat, humus and sand. In each glass is planted for two or three seeds. In the future, you can leave the strongest germ.

Install containers with seedlings on the windowsill. Too close to each other they should not be placed. Young plants should not touch the leaves. It's best to land in mid-April. This is one of the main conditions for the success of such an enterprise, as growing melons in a greenhouse made of polycarbonate. Early planting guarantees an early harvest.

After five real leaves appear on the plants, they can be transferred to a greenhouse. Before landing on a permanent place, each melon should be pinched off the tip.

Care of young plants

The seated method is simply an excellent answer to the question of how to grow a melon in the Urals in a greenhouse, or even in Siberia. If in the European part of Russia the seeds can still be planted under polycarbonate directly into the soil, then in the cold regions it is better to use this method. But, of course, good results can be achieved only with the proper care of the seedlings.

Pour young melon moderately. The plant is drought-resistant, it is very afraid of waterlogging. When overflowing, seedlings can get sick or rot. In the event that the seeds were planted in ordinary garden land, the seedlings need to be fertilized twice. In this case, you can use universal mineral fertilizing.

What should I do first?

Growing melons in a greenhouse made of polycarbonate will be successful only if you first properly prepare the soil. You can plant a melon just like, for example, cucumbers. However, it is better to arrange a warm "bed" for her. In this case, the harvest will be more abundant. To arrange biopreheating in the greenhouse make deep grooves at a distance of at least 40 cm from each other. They put a mixture mixed with humus with a layer of hay in 20 cm. Then, according to the instructions, some nitrogen fertilizer is poured on top. Further, the litter is covered with a layer of earth. At the top of the groove should be tightened with a black film.

After the earth warms up, you can start planting seedlings. The day before the procedure, the plants are carefully filled with warm water. The transplant is performed as follows:

• A small hole is made in the soil.
• The glass is warmed up and turned over. After that, a clod of earth easily falls on the hand.
• The melting snow melts into the ground. Its roots should be at the same depth as in the glass.
• At a distance of at least 40 cm, the next melon is planted.
• After the series has been passed, the plants should be thoroughly poured with warm water.

Next to each row in advance, you should set the trellis. Within seven days after planting, melons should not be watered, loosened or fed.

How to fertilize

Such an operation, as the feeding of melons in a greenhouse, is mandatory. Otherwise, the plants will develop very poorly. It is possible to fertilize melons, for example, with a solution of ammonium nitrate. To make this feeding should be a week after planting. In three weeks, a complex mineral fertilizer is poured under the melons. After 14 days, this operation is repeated.

In the event that the soil is poor, melon growing in a greenhouse made of polycarbonate is done a little differently. In this case, ammonium nitrate is applied to the plants every week.

After the appearance of the first flowers, feed the plants with liquid universal fertilizer. Use it before the appearance of the first ovaries. Since that time melons are starting to be fed with liquid fertilizer for tomatoes.

Care of melons in the greenhouse: watering

As under the seedlings, the soil under the big melons is moistened only as needed. Do not allow the soil to dry out. But too much moisture for melons will be very harmful. In order to prevent rotting of the roots or stems, two grooves should be dug along both sides of each row. In them, and starts up the water from the hose. Melon should be watered very carefully. Water should not fall on leaves and stems.

What else do you need?

Watering and feeding are not the only procedures necessary to get a good harvest. In addition, they should perform such operations as melon formation in the greenhouse, as well as artificial pollination. Ventilate the hotbed should be daily. For pollination of plants, you can try to attract bees. Very fond of these insects, for example, sugar syrup. It should be placed in small saucers throughout the greenhouse. However, to fully rely on bees, of course, is not worth it. It is necessary to conduct manual artificial pollination.

To do this, you can pick one flower and rub it in several circular motions. Sometimes, a soft brush is used to carry the pollen.

How to Patronize Melons in a Greenhouse

Allow that the melon grew as it is necessary, in a greenhouse it is impossible. After all, the place is limited. Molding is done in such a way that both the area is saved and the harvest is good. To do this, each melon leaves the main stem and two shoots. The remaining stepchildren should be removed.

Fruit-bearing strings of melons are plucked at a distance of one sheet from the top, "empty" - three sheets. On each whip should remain no more than 6 ovaries. The main stem is plucked after it reaches the top of the trellis or the ceiling of the greenhouse. When molding it should be remembered that female flowers of melon are formed mainly on the braids of the third order. Therefore, with their removal should be more careful.

This is how the melon is formed in the greenhouse. In addition to proper pinching, care must be taken to ensure that the whips grow not horizontally, but vertically. Growing stems should be wrapped around rope trellis by hand. As the mass is set, melons are placed in special nets attached to the support. The fruits of this plant weigh a lot. Therefore, they will not be able to keep their whips on their own.

Melons in Siberia

The above method is perfect for growing this plant, including in the cold regions of the country. Melon in a greenhouse in Siberia is more than possible. The only thing - in this case, you have to monitor the air temperature. In the daytime inside the greenhouse, it should be about 25-30 degrees, at night - not less than 18 degrees. Therefore, in Siberia for melons, most likely, you will have to arrange yet a heated greenhouse.

Harvesting melons

They tear fruit as they mature. In order to determine whether the melon is ready for cutting, it is examined in the vicinity of the "tail" contiguity. If the base of the latter was covered with ring-shaped cracks, the melon ripened. Cut the fruit carefully, trying not to damage the skin.

Store melons usually in the refrigerator, but not too long. Otherwise they just lose their taste. It is not necessary to frustrate a slightly immature melon. The fruits of this plant are able to ripen when stored in a warm room.

Seed procurement

If a hybrid was not grown in a greenhouse, planting material for the next year can be collected independently. Seeds are usually taken from the largest, sweet and fragrant melon. Extract them together with the pulp and allow to settle for several days. Then the seeds are washed under a stream of warm water and laid out on a flat plate for drying.

A beginner gardener should know that in the first year the material prepared in this way is not recommended for planting. The harvest from them will not be too big afterwards. Planting melons in a greenhouse or in the open field is usually performed using two-year seeds.

After the planting material dries, it needs to be wrapped in paper and stored in a dark, dry cool place. Seeds of melon can sustain their germination for seven years.

So, we have found out how the melon is handled in the greenhouse. The procedure is not complicated, but some rules are still necessary. Plants should be mildly watered, in time to make top dressing and pinch the bushes. In this case, you can get a very good harvest of delicious and aromatic melons.