It is believed that melon can only be grown in southern latitudes with a suitable climate - hot and dry.
However, varieties have now appeared that are quite frost-resistant, with a short ripening cycle, which is the best suited for the more northern parts of the country. So, let's try to sort out the question of how to grow a melon in a greenhouse and is it possible in the open field.
Choose a site
The area where the melon is planned to be planted should be well protected from cold winds and at the same time thoroughly warmed up by the sun. It is worth taking care of its preparation in advance, since the fall. The soil should be dug to a depth into the bayonet of a shovel and humus should be added in a proportion of 4 kilograms per square meter. If the soil in the area is loamy, then it should be slightly loosened with river sand. Half a bucket of sand per square meter of soil is usually sufficient. In early spring, the earth is again dug up and brought inpotash and phosphate fertilizers at a dosage corresponding to the instructions. Immediately before planting, you can additionally add manure or special nitrogen fertilizers to the soil. Such careful soil preparation is one of the secrets in answering the question: "How to grow a melon in mid-latitudes?".
Seed preparation
Experienced farmers who are familiar with how to grow a melon on a personal plot advise the seeds to be prepared in advance. To do this, they must be placed in a solution of sodium chloride. Unsuitable seeds will float to the surface, and good ones will remain at the bottom of the container. Selected seeds must be carefully heated for several days at a temperature of 40 degrees, or kept in warm water until they hatch.
Planting and growing
Planting seeds must be carried out at a depth of up to 6 centimeters. In the first weeks, the development of seedlings will be rather slow, since during this period the root system is formed. After the appearance of the first leaves, the top point should be pinched to activate the side shoots. With further growth, it is necessary to remove weak shoots, eventually leaving up to four branches on one bush. As the ovaries form, they also need to be thinned out to increase the yield and taste of the fruit.
Irrigation
Gardeners who know firsthand how to grow a melon in our latitudes recommend using abundant watering once every ten days. In this case, water should be poured under the root. This irrigation scheduleideal for a young plant. Along with watering during this period, you can apply fertilizer for melons. It can be specialized organics or ordinary slurry.
As the crop matures, watering should be limited, and two weeks before harvest, stop altogether. This is necessary in order not to spoil the taste and aroma of the melon.
Harvesting
Harvesting should be done when the fruits have a characteristic color and aroma. As a rule, cleaning falls on the period from August to September, depending on the area. Collect melons should be pointwise, as they ripen. The degree of ripeness of the fruit is easy to check, just lightly press the stalk - it will easily separate from a ripe melon.
