Fertilizers for gourds. What and how to properly feed watermelons

Watermelon is not only tasty, but also useful berry. The main task of a watermelon gardener is to get a rich harvest of sweet, juicy berries. As practice shows, it is impossible to do this without observing the rules of agricultural technology, even if you have chosen the most high-yielding varieties for planting.

big role in proper care they play feeding watermelons, but, alas, not everyone knows what they should be and how to make them correctly. In addition, plants consume nutrients unevenly, much depends on the phase of their development.

So, let's take a closer look at what the nutrition of this culture should be.

Stages of top dressing

1. Spring feed. Organics, or phosphorus and nitrogen are applied before sowing.
2. Fertilizers can be applied at the time of sowing. Having made a hole, a recess of about 8 cm is made in it and fertilizer is applied. This method of feeding will contribute to the development of the plant, accelerate the growth of the root, stem and leaves.
3. Top dressing is carried out during the growing season, until the first days of September.
4. Autumn feeding. Fertilizers are applied while digging the soil. This is convenient, since you can forget about fertilizing in the summer. For 1 sq. m area you need to add superphosphate and azophoska as much as indicated in the instructions, as well as about 1 liter wood ash, and about 5 liters of humus.

Is supplementation always effective?

Perhaps someone may have a question: is top dressing always effective? And is it worth it to attach so much attention? It would seem that it is complicated here, fertilizer was applied, and that's it. In fact, not everything is so simple. Nutrients can be not only beneficial, but also harmful to plants if they are applied without following the recommendations.

Nutrients can have different effects on plants, so when applying them, you need to consider such factors:

• natural conditions of the area (for example, the composition of the soil, weather, etc.);
• it is necessary to strictly follow the recommendations for the introduction of a particular drug (exceeding the indicated dosage leads to the opposite result);
• it is necessary to take into account the form and type of composition;
• at different stages of growing watermelons, fertilizers are applied in different ways;
• nutritional components can complement each other, or vice versa - then their tandem will not affect the growth of the culture in the best way.

Organics - what you need to know

Organic fertilizers are of different origin - it is plant food and animal. Both types provide the supply of nutrients - phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, vitamin, etc., but in order to get the maximum result, you need to know and remember some nuances.

• Humus

There is more humus in fertile soils, but, unfortunately, fertile chernozems are not common. Humus is formed in the process of decomposition of the remains of plants and animals. The components contained in humus provide watermelons with all the necessary nutrients, so humus is the most valuable and effective fertilizer. But you need to remember that first it must be diluted with water, otherwise root system may get hurt. But one humus should not be introduced, top dressing should be alternated.

• Manure

A good fertilizer is bird or cow dung. But it is brought in in a rotted form, diluted with water before feeding (1: 5). An excess of the components contained in it can adversely affect the growth and development of plants. The immunity of the plant will weaken, the growing season will be prolonged, the berries will be small and not sweet.

It must be remembered that top dressing must be combined with abundant watering, otherwise the content of nitrates in the berries will exceed the maximum allowable concentration.

• Vegetable fertilizers

This group includes such plants: rapeseed, mustard, oats, legumes. Most often, such dressings are used if melons are grown on poor soils. Plants need to be mowed and dug up, mixing with top layer soil.

• Biohumus "Ecochudo"

This natural composition is considered environmentally friendly. Top dressing is applied before planting seedlings. It is added to the soil, mixed with it, after which it is watered and the seedlings are planted. Two top dressings are enough, repeated is carried out in two weeks.

Every gardener wants to grow sweet watermelons. This result can be obtained by adding wood ash to top dressing.

mineral nutrition

Mineral fertilizers are simple and complex. In the first, there is one element, for example, potassium, phosphorus or nitrogen. The complex contains several elements necessary for nutrition.

In order for the berries to grow large, sweet and juicy, potassium, calcium, sulfur, magnesium, nitrogen and phosphorus must be present in sufficient quantities in the soil. But, unfortunately, their content does not always meet the needs of crops, therefore, when growing watermelons, it is recommended to make such mineral compositions: "Terraflex", "Master", "Kristallon", "Novofert", "Nutriflex" and others. The first two drugs, as well as Nutriflex, are used for root and foliar feeding. Them and others complex fertilizers bring in according to the instructions. It is necessary to take into account the phases of plant development. A good result is the use of the water-soluble preparation "Green - Go", it is used for root dressing. This composition most often used during drip irrigation, while no sediment remains on the dropper, even if the water is hard. For one ton of water, you need about 1.5 kg of the drug. Drip irrigation is not only effective watering, but also The best way top dressing. Watering crops in this way is recommended twice a day - early in the morning and in the evening, after sunset, including the irrigation system for an hour.

Each of these drugs is used according to the instructions, without exceeding the indicated doses and terms of application, only under this condition will the benefit be maximum.

You can use simple fertilizers, for example, add 45-50 g of superphosphate under the root, 10 g ammonium nitrate and 30 g of potassium chloride. But first, all this must be dissolved in 10 liters of water.

When applying any fertilizer, the main thing is not to overdo it, since an excess of nutrients is no less dangerous than a deficiency.

Let's start feeding

The algorithm of actions can be as follows:

1. As a rule, sowing watermelon seeds for seedlings in pots begins in mid-April, although the timing depends on the climatic conditions of the area. At this time, it is recommended to carry out the first top dressing, the soil mixture can be prepared in the following way: mix the soil with humus in a ratio of 1: 3, add 3 tbsp. phosphate fertilizer, 1 tbsp. potash and nitrogen fertilizers.

Do not forget that before sowing, the seeds must be treated with potassium permanganate.

1. Seedlings grow for 30-35 days, during this period they need two top dressings. When 2-3 true leaves appear, mineral complex fertilizers are applied according to the instructions. They are also brought in again, about a week later. Do not forget to loosen the soil.

Seedlings can be fed with a solution of urea, since now the need for nitrogen in plants is especially high. A tablespoon of the drug is dissolved in a bucket of water and watering is started.

1. In May, seedlings are transplanted to permanent place growth, by this time she should already have 4-5 true leaves. As we have already said, compost or humus is added to the wells. Seedlings are planted not deep.
2. A week after planting, 2 liters of nitrogen fertilizer should be poured under each bush. To prepare it, you need to dissolve in a bucket warm water 20 g of ammonium nitrate.
3. In the future, once every 10-14 days, they are applied, alternating organic matter and green fertilizers. You can use an infusion of bird droppings, herbal infusions, an infusion of humus or mullein. Before watering, it is recommended to add wood ash.

Fertilizer compounds can be bought at a specialized store, or you can make it yourself, which is exactly what gardeners grow organic products.

The proposed scheme is not a dogma, it can and should be corrected. Plants need to be observed in order to understand what kind of nutrition they need at this stage of growth.

If the culture receives enough potassium, then its flowering will be active and stable, which means you will get good result. Potassium helps to increase yields, strengthens plant immunity, berries growing on soil with a high content of potassium contain a lot of ascorbic acid and other useful substances, they ripen faster. During weeks 4, 5 and 6, watermelons need additional intake of magnesium and calcium, after 10 weeks they need a lot of nitrogen, but the need for it decreases markedly after 12 weeks.

How to determine the lack of nutrients

1. Phosphorus is a very important element for the growth and development of watermelons. Even if it is present in the soil, this does not mean that the plants absorb it in sufficient quantities. When the fruits are tied, the need for it is especially great. Its deficiency can be recognized by the insufficient amount of ovary, weak roots, as well as by small, weak, yellowing leaves. If fertilizers containing phosphorus are not applied in a timely manner, the fruits will be tasteless, there will be few of them.
2. If the plants lack potassium, then the berries, like the lashes, will be lethargic. In this case, foliar feeding would be appropriate, but it is recommended to apply it before planting, which means that you will no longer be able to influence this year's harvest.
3. If the summer is hot but windy, most often watermelons lack calcium. Proximity may help groundwater or excess salt content in the soil. Foliar spraying would be appropriate, it is better to buy a ready-made preparation.
4. If you live in an area with excess moisture, high acidity of the soil, or sandy soils predominate, then this crop will need foliar feeding with magnesium nitrate. You can find out about this by yellowing leaves, on which, over time, you can see brown burns.

Folk dressing recipes

1. Watermelons can be watered with bread sourdough, this contributes rapid growth plants and fruit ripening. She prepares very simply. Dry bread crusts are poured into a bucket, poured with water, oppression is placed on top and placed in a warm place for 7-10 days for fermentation. Before use, it is diluted with water 1: 3, watered every 7-10 days, before harvesting.
2. 100 g of baker's yeast are diluted in 3 liters of water, ½ cup of sugar is added, mixed and left in a warm place for 7-10 days. A glass of infusion is poured into a bucket of warm water and watered (1 liter under a bush).
3. You can grind the dried shell, grind it into powder and apply when planting.

• Many prefer spring top dressing underestimating the value of autumn.
• Top dressing is best done after watering or after rain, after which the soil needs to be loosened.
• In cloudy weather, feeding watermelons is not recommended. Insufficient lighting hinders full assimilation nutrients.

Growing and caring for watermelons is not an easy, but rather exciting activity. And, if you really set yourself the task of growing southern exotics in unusual conditions for it, then try to collect as much information as possible on how to do it correctly so that your efforts are not in vain. It must be said that Russian summer residents do this quite well, tasty, sweet and healthy fruits grow from small seeds.

If you want to arrange a real holiday in the summer, grow a wonderful delicacy yourself. Probably there is not a single person who would not love juicy sweet watermelon. No wonder it is considered a berry. Sugar watermelon pulp contains 12% of valuable carbohydrate. And high taste qualities surpass many berry and fruit crops. Every gardener who sows watermelon seeds can increase productivity and enjoy the unique gift of nature. To do this, it is enough to carry out three top dressing. Find out what watermelons need for a high yield from the article.

How to feed watermelons to grow better?

organic food

All organic matter can be divided into two large groups- vegetable and animal. It is rich in micro and macro elements, vitamins. All these substances are contained in a form convenient for watermelons. Humus is the best delicacy food. If there is manure, use only rotted manure. To avoid burns and the introduction of pathogens. A liquid solution of mullein is diluted 1:5, brought in, combined with simultaneous abundant watering. This rule must be observed. So nitrates do not accumulate in the pulp above the maximum permissible limit.

Herbal infusions are no less important than fertilizers after animals. It is best to make them alternately, alternating watering with mullein, herbal dressings. From herbs for the preparation of green fuel, any are suitable. But studies have shown that nettle, plantain, alfalfa provide the most nutritious means. The ideal option will use mixed grass felling.

Wood ash has been used by people since the first fire was kindled by our primitive ancestors. It can also be mixed with humus, applied independently. Add to herbal nutrition.

mineral nutrition

Micro and macro elements are one of the most important substances for watermelons. For a high yield, they are needed in sufficient quantities. The phase of plant development is important, since, depending on it, different dressings. The quantity also varies.

Potassium in watermelon cultivation is of inestimable value. With its deficiency, few female flowers are tied, flowering is disturbed and ineffective. But with its optimal content, there are few barren flowers and many flowers with watermelons. Flowering is in full swing, many new ovaries are being formed. Watermelons become more resistant to pathogens: fungi and bacteria. Their taste qualities are significantly improved - there are more sugars and vitamin C in the fruits. Ripening takes place a couple of weeks faster.

Magnesium and calcium are needed as much as possible from 4 to 6 weeks, this time falls on the peak of vegetative development. From 10 to 12 weeks, it is time for nitrogen fertilizers. This is the period of formation and growth of fruits.

Basic rules for feeding watermelons:

1. All top dressing is carried out only after high-quality watering or sprinkling.
2. Minerals and organics are applied locally to the soil.
3. The most effective periods for fertilizing the soil are the time of sowing and planting seedlings, the growing season and ripening.
4. It is considered the best complex use fertilizers.
5. It is useful to alternate solid and liquid forms.

And don't forget important rule. When the berries reach the size required by this variety, all top dressing is completed! This is necessary to prevent excessive ingress of nitrates into the fetus.

Myths about watermelons

Beware of nitrates

To obtain a large and tasty harvest, timely feeding is the main condition. Absolutely all buyers are sure that without chemicals large and delicious watermelon you won't grow. Many go to the markets with dosimeters, trying to detect excesses allowable norms. And in vain. The nitrate legend about growing melons is greatly exaggerated. Few lovers, the whole velvet season feasting on juicy watermelons know the truth. The roots of the plant go 3-4 meters into the deep layers of the soil. Especially at the time of harvest. Nitrates practically do not get into them. And if there is, then in acceptable concentrations.

Where do watermelons come from

The flattened fruits are the most popular. The so-called "watermelons" are considered sweeter and tastier. In fact, in the course of numerous studies, it has been established that watermelons and watermelons have exactly the same composition of sugars and other valuable elements. Pollination with a defect is the main reason for the appearance of watermelons. It also contributes to the heavy clay soil. For plants, sandy and sandy loam is considered the most optimal. On heavy soils, watermelons receive less sugars. This can affect their taste and sweetness.

The right choice of drugs

Top dressing should begin in a timely manner, when the roots have just formed. The first sign, in favor of the start of the first fertilizer application, is the first 3 true leaves. It is from this moment that the installation for laying the crop is formed.

Nitrogen-phosphorus supplements are most valuable for growing plants. They are carried out in parallel when loosening the earth between rows. For this, fertilizer is spilled and planted to a depth of up to 12 cm. Watermelons love loosening, they respond to it much better than to watering. Therefore, agricultural technicians recommend arming yourself with a loosener or a flat cutter once a week. And loosen, loosen. But not too deep, so as not to damage the roots. Remember that watermelon loves phosphorus and potash fertilizers, better chlorine-free. Nitrogen substances he needs a little less.

• "Kemira";
• "Crystal";
• "Nitroammophoska";
• "Novofert";
• Nutritech.

After fertilization, small watermelons begin to grow rapidly and pour. Just not by the day, but by the hour. Feeding will come in handy as never before. It is recommended to do it weekly. Excellent proven drug - "Uniflor-micro". It is prepared simultaneously with other mineral components. The recipe is the following:

• "Uniflor-micro" - 2 tsp;
• superphosphate -1 tbsp;
• azophoska -1 tsp;
• potassium sulfate -1 tsp;
• water 10 liters.

Follow the following recommendation and you will see that your watermelons grow by leaps and bounds. Water the bed before fertilizing warm water. Pour 10 liters of liquid onto a 5-meter bed. And now it's time for food. Each plant needs 1 liter of nutrient solution.

How not to feed a watermelon, but get a big one

If you are too lazy to feed all summer, you can use the experience of experienced gardeners. There is a universal tool for this. It is applied only once when planting seeds in the ground. Magic miracle drug - AVA. It is available in the form of granules and powder. 5 granules are added to the well when planting, and if you have powder, then half a teaspoon. Be sure not to forget about watering. Every week, each plant needs 2 liters of liquid.

Pre-sowing dressing

If you fertilize the soil well before planting, then this watermelon may well be enough for the season. Therefore, if you are a busy person, then this is a great way for you to spend the only top dressing. And then just water and enjoy the delicious sugary pulp. What is required for this:

• half a bucket of humus is brought in with digging, this is the amount per 1 m2;
• wood ash 250 g per 1 m2.

At the same time, when planting, useful minerals are added to the hole:

• superphosphate 1 tbsp;
• azophoska 1 tbsp;
• potassium sulfate 1 tsp

They are well mixed with the soil, and then poured with water. Now it's time for the seeds. Germinated or dry seeds are laid out on a moistened and fertilized bottom of the hole.

Feeding scheme

Seeds are treated with potassium permanganate before planting. Sown in specially prepared soil, consisting of:

• land - 1 part,
• humus -3 parts,
• superphosphate 3 tbsp. spoons,
• potash fertilizer -1 tbsp,
• ammonium nitrate -1 tsp

Watermelons at the seedling stage need 2 feedings:

• the first - at the exit of the first 3 true leaves;
• the second - a week after the first.

The seedling period lasts 35 days. When watermelons already have 5 leaves, they can be transplanted into a greenhouse or open beds. Organic matter must be added to the wells.

After 7 days, liquid nitrogen fertilizing is carried out, and after a week, another one.

Feeding schedules and doses are important to follow. The second feeding usually coincides with the period when the lashes begin to grow actively. The third important top dressing falls on the period of flowering and the formation of ovaries. But no less significant is the ability to observe and notice the symptoms of a mineral deficiency. And also an overabundance. Better watermelons slightly underfeed than overfeed.

Fertilizing watermelons with yeast

EM preparations have been mastered and used by almost all gardeners. But their price is not always affordable for everyone. Baker's yeast is in no way inferior in its properties of activating beneficial soil microflora. It stimulates root growth. As a result, the stem develops beautifully and many female flowers are formed. It is more correct to call yeast not a top dressing, but a biostimulant. And their use does not exclude the use of organics and minerals. Yeast accelerates the mineralization of organic matter, releasing nitrogen and phosphorus.

How to prepare a solution?

A pack of 500 g wet yeast is stirred in warm water in a 5-liter bucket. 500 ml of yeast solution is diluted with 10 liters of water. And you can water.

Dry yeast is prepared differently. To do this, 10 g of dry powder is placed in warm water. Add 2 tbsp. spoons of sugar. Two hours are allowed to brew. Half a liter of yeast solution is diluted in 10 liters of liquid. You need to dilute at least 5 times and you can water.

Proper use of yeast in watermelons

The soil where yeast fungi will be introduced must be fertilized with organic matter. The earth should be warm, well warmed by the sun. The same principle applies here as in the preparation of the dough. The warmer the better result. Fermentation requires a lot of potassium and calcium, so it would be good to add ash at the same time. Yeast is added twice. During the peak of vegetation, and after 2 weeks.

It also takes a lot of effort and time to grow watermelons to get really excellent harvest. The main rules for growing watermelons are the constant monitoring of the soil moisture index, the elimination of insect pests and correct application fertilizer into the soil.

To get a good crop yield, every gardener needs to know how to feed watermelons.

Watermelons are annual plants that prefer light, moisture and warmth. However, not all gardeners know what to do when the climate of the region is not suitable for growing gourds. This issue has long been resolved in the agricultural sector with the help of cultivation in greenhouses.

This requires the following conditions:

• optimal lighting system;
• air humidity 60–70%;
• note that the temperature during the day should be from 25 to 30 degrees, and at night up to 17 degrees.
• sowing and planting seedlings are carried out in fertile drainage soil;
• the depth of the root layer is not less than 30 cm.

The disadvantage of this or that useful element in the soil can be seen from the external state of the plant:

1. Phosphorus. Exhausted roots, inanimate-looking leaves of a dirty greenish color, small fruit ovaries, main leaves (located at the base of the process) of a bright yellowish color with brown spots.
2. Potassium. Fast drying, leaves are yellow and burns from the rays of the sun are visible, incorrectly developed.
3. Calcium. Coagulation of young leaves, flowers are barren, ovary is poorly created, small fruits without taste, which are often referred to as "herbaceous".
4. Magnesium. Yellowness of adult leaves, development brown spots after the burn.
5. Manganese. A dull greenish hue is the plane of the foliage, you can often see their yellowness.
6. Iron. It is expressed in young foliage in a variant of dull greenish chlorosis.

Would you like to get a wonderful harvest of gourds? You should carefully monitor the state of cultures. Timely detected signs of micronutrient deficiencies and fertilization are the key to an excellent harvest.

Do not forget that watermelons must be thoroughly watered in advance, and only after the water is completely absorbed into the soil, you can fertilize the plants. There is another way great opportunity cause plant roots to burn.

Growing watermelons in open ground

To get excellent watermelon sprouts, seeds should be sorted. One with simple methods 5% immersion of seeds in a mixture of water and edible salt is considered.

For sowing, it is necessary to use seeds that are in the liquid at the bottom, the so-called heavy seeds. It has been established that watermelon seeds differ in density. To soften the shell a little, the seeds need to be lowered into a container with water at a temperature of + 30-35 degrees.

Planting a watermelon must be carried out at a soil temperature of up to thirteen degrees, a depth of up to twelve centimeters is also provided. Moreover, the depth for seeds depends on the type of watermelon and the composition of the earth, as a rule, they are laid to a depth of four to seven centimeters.

Area for growing watermelons in open field should be well lit. Preferably, sands or a composition of sand and 3-10% clay are suitable for planting watermelon. In spring, the following fertilizers should be applied to the soil (proportion per hundred square meters):

• compost or humus (up to a kilogram);
• 4 kg of mineral phosphate fertilizer;
• 2.5 kg of potassium chloride - top dressing is carried out before digging the earth.

When growing watermelon and melon in open ground, seeds are planted in mid-May, when the crop was grown in seedlings, then at the end of May. In the second case, the holes must be irrigated with 2 liters of water; when planting, the plants are buried to the cotyledon.

When planting in rows of culture, 1-1.4 m are placed, a distance of 0.5 m is maintained between rows, placing plants in a checkerboard pattern. 3-4 seeds should be placed in the holes - after germination, 1-2 strong crops are retained.

After planting the seedlings, the plants must be shaded, in order for the seedlings to take root better in the new area, during the first 14 days the plants are watered with warm water (watering can be combined with top dressing).

The first time the plants need to be fed approximately a week after planting the seedlings or in the phase of 3-4 leaves. To do this, thirty grams of ammonium sulfate is dissolved in a bucket of water, mineral phosphate fertilizer forty grams and fifteen grams of potassium salt.

How can you feed watermelons after they are planted?

Feed the plant organic elements, using mullein in a ratio of 1:10 in relation to water or an infusion of bird droppings, 0.5 kg of this element per 10 liters of water.

During the formation of ovaries, the III final fertilization is performed. To do this, dissolve in a bucket of water: ammonium sulfate - 20 grams, superphosphate - 10 grams, potassium salt - 35 grams. Given two liters per plant.

In addition to the revised manipulations for the care of watermelons in open ground it is necessary to carry out constant loosening of row-spacings with the elimination of weeds and irrigation.

organic fertilizers

There are 2 types of fertilizers:

• vegetable fertilizer;
• animal fertilizer.

Two types are fully able to compensate for the number mineral nutrition required by plants. These are nitrogen, potassium salts, phosphorus, vitamin elements that are better absorbed by plants. Humus is an ideal fertilizer. It is formed as a result of the decomposition of fragments of plants and animals.

Cow and bird droppings are often used as fertilizer. However, it is necessary to use it only after the final overheating, otherwise, instead of being useful, it can be harmful: weaken the immunity of plants, stop growth, worsen the taste.

It is necessary to stir the humus for watering plants in water 1: 5, and after that you need to water the soil with fertilizers. This is necessary so that ripe watermelons do not absorb nitric acid salts.

It is necessary to replace the fertilizer with diluted humus and manure with irrigation herbal infusion, including bacteria that fight harmful microflora, and also lower the level of soil acidity. All kinds of herbs are suitable for this. And when a little wood ash is added to the solution, then in the future you will get very sweet fruits.

mineral fertilizer

They contain mineral salts that plants prefer. Such fertilizers are of two types - simple and multilateral. In accordance with this, simple ones consist of one component, and complex / multilateral ones, from several.

With any root dressing, simple mineral elements are introduced: fertilizer in the amount of 40-50 grams; ammonium nitrate, 10-15 grams; potassium chloride, about 30 grams. They are bred in a ten-liter bucket of water and the plants are watered every time with root fertilizer.

In the "diet" of plants should be the following mineral components: calcium, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus and nitrogen. It is necessary to introduce top dressing at a time when the earth is rather wet, that is, after a rain has passed or after watering.

After the introduction of top dressing, the soil should be loosened. As for the elements required for the excellent nutrition of watermelons and melons, potassium comes first. The activity of flowering of female flowers, the stability of plants to various diseases, ripening stability and yield intensity.

Taste qualities also directly depend on the amount of calcium: with sufficient calcium in the soil, the fruits are sweeter, include more ascorbic acid, and the ripening process takes place faster.

Most optimal time introduce fertilizers for watermelons, and also melons in the calcium and magnesium version - from 4 to 6 weeks, at the time of intensive vegetative growth. In the period of fetal development, from 10 to 12 weeks after planting seedlings, nitrogen fertilization will be effective.

Mistakes when combining types of fertilizer when growing watermelons

Do not take into account the composition of the earth when calculating the required nutrient compositions for melons. For watermelons, poor land threatens with a sudden decrease in yield, crushing of fruits, deterioration in taste. In a good chernozem, an excess of nitrogen leads to an increase in leaf mass, and the fruits will receive less mineral elements.

Nutritional deficiency during seedling cultivation. Gardeners try to feed watermelons after planting, neglecting to fertilize the soil in the fall.

Do not alternate fertilizing with mineral and organic elements. If we are talking about organic substances, then it is necessary to alternate one type with another during vegetative growth.

They make top dressing in dry land and do not loosen after. You should wait for natural rain or water the soil before feeding watermelons.

The content of mineral elements of the soil is not taken into account. With a huge ratio of organics, more phosphorus and less nitrogen are needed. When there is not enough humus, nitrogen fertilizers will be needed.

Carry out top dressing at the time of prolonged cloudy weather. With a lack of lighting, watermelons do not absorb food well, and this leads to an overdose.

Advice! Apply fertilizer in accordance with the content of mineral components in the soil, in order not to overdose on nutrients.

Read more about nutrition here:

Many gardeners are engaged in the cultivation of gourds. However, not each of them manages to grow juicy fruits with good taste. In order for the harvest to be of high quality, it is necessary to regularly feed watermelons in the open field with mineral and organic fertilizers.

Some gardeners who are going to grow gourds do not know why they are being fed. Most often, fertilizers are used if the soil lacks nutrients. For example, when growing watermelons in the southern regions, it is not necessary to engage in top dressing, since this territory is dominated by fertile soils. Gardeners recommend feeding watermelon bushes to residents of the eastern and central regions. In these areas, growing gourds without regular top dressing of the soil is contraindicated, because due to the lack of micronutrients, the fruits will grow slowly.

Feed mixtures are added to the soil when the first signs of nitrogen deficiency appear. These include slow growth of seedlings, poor development of inflorescences, thin shoots and the appearance white plaque on the surface of the leaves. If you add a solution containing nitrogen to the ground, the bushes will begin to grow much faster. However, such dressings must be used very carefully, because sometimes, due to their overabundance, seedlings begin to grow worse. Therefore, gourds are fertilized in moderation so as not to oversaturate the soil with nutrients.

Feeding methods

There are two main methods by which plants are fertilized:

1. Root. When using this method, all feeding solutions are added to the soil so that they can be absorbed by the roots.
2. Foliar. A less common method, in which all fertilizers are injected directly into the stem or leaves.

Foliar

A characteristic feature of this method is that when it is used, it is necessary to fertilize the bushes by introducing nutrients through the leaves and stems. This contributes to a faster penetration of the components into the plants. It is necessary to fertilize plants foliarly very carefully, since the introduction of a large amount of the solution negatively affects the development of seedlings.

Using the foliar method, all leaves are carefully sprayed with a feeding solution, which may include organic or mineral substances. Spraying is carried out only in the evening or in the morning, when there is no sun.

Root

To improve the development of watermelon seedlings, gardeners fertilize them with the root method. For this, liquid solutions from manure and other organic components are used. Feeding solution is poured into each bush under the root.

At least five liters of liquid are consumed per square meter of land with planted watermelons.

It is best to fertilize the soil before watering seedlings or heavy rain, as organic matter is absorbed faster in moist soil.

Types of organic dressings

Many vegetable growers prefer to fertilize gourds at home with organic matter. To do this, use animals, vegetable dressings and other folk remedies from which a nutrient solution can be prepared.

vegetable

There are several plant components that can be used to feed grown watermelons:

1. Humus. When growing gourds, seedlings are often fertilized with humus, which is prepared from the soil and animal remains. For the preparation of such a fertilizer, it is recommended to use manure or bird droppings.
2. Ash. It is difficult to find a gardener who would never use wood ash. To create a nutrient mixture, mix the remains of burnt weeds, leaves, wood and straw. Regular application of ash will fill the soil with boron, calcium, phosphorus and sulfur.
3. Biohumus. Some gardeners use biohumus, for the preparation of which the rotted leaf mixture is mixed with yeast, soil and worms. If you periodically fertilize watermelons with biohumus, then the fruits of the plant will become larger and tastier.

Animals

When using organics, not only components are added to the soil plant origin but also an animal. These include:

1. Litter. Almost every gardener, when growing gourds, uses chicken manure. It contains nutrients such as potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. For fertilizer, only a weakly concentrated solution mixed with water is used.
2. Mullein. To feed watermelons, you can use mullein, the composition of which is very similar to urea. It contains a lot of potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus, which improve the growth of seedlings. The advantages of mullein include the fact that it is environmentally friendly, so it, even in large quantities, does not harm watermelons.

Mineral fertilizers

Sometimes, to increase the yield of gourds, it is not enough to use only organic matter, so they also use mineral supplements with iodine and other trace elements. Before you feed a watermelon, you need to familiarize yourself with the classification of such fertilizers.

Phosphate

To quickly improve the growth of watermelon seedlings, use soluble phosphates, which include:

1. Ammophos. This granular component is half phosphorus. The rest of the ammophos contains potassium, sulfur and nitrogen. If you use the component correctly, watermelons will increase immunity to diseases, increase productivity and improve the taste of berries.
2. Superphosphate. Superphosphate is one of the most common mineral supplements. Its main advantage is called a high degree of dissolution in water.

Nitrogen

Common nitrogen fertilizers include:

1. Urea. Such top dressing is used to accelerate photosynthesis and fruit growth. It is not recommended to fertilize the plants with urea too often, as this will reduce the number of flowers and worsen the yield.
2. Saltpeter. A third of the substance consists of nitrogen, therefore it is included in the group of nitrogen-containing components. Saltpeter cannot be added to the soil in large quantities, so that nitrates do not appear in watermelon fruits, which can harm human health.

Potash

Potassium has a positive effect on the growth of melons, so it is necessary to regularly water the soil with potash solutions. You can feed watermelon bushes with potassium chloride, which improves protective properties seedlings and helps them cope with sudden weather changes and diseases.

Differences in top dressing in the open field and in the greenhouse

Before growing watermelon, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the main differences between their fertilizer in a greenhouse and a vegetable garden. Growing watermelon bushes in greenhouse conditions, the soil is often fertilized with mineral components, which contain phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. To prepare the working mixture, 20 grams of the substance is added to 10-15 liters of water.

The resulting liquid is enough to water 4-5 bushes. When the first flowers appear on the seedlings, a superphosphate mixture is added to the ground. To prepare it, 50 grams of superphosphate are added to a ten-liter container with water. After that, the area with watermelons is sprayed with liquid.

Care for seedlings grown outdoors consists in the regular addition of organic matter. Solutions prepared from foliage, herbs and manure are periodically added to the ground. They not only enrich the soil with useful trace elements, but also cleanse it of bacteria and hazardous substances. Also, watermelons in gardens are periodically fertilized with wood ash to improve the taste of the fruit.

Watermelon feeding scheme

There are many techniques that help to evenly distribute top dressing throughout the cultivation of watermelons. However, the most effective is the scheme in which the plants are fertilized at each stage of their development.

When sowing seeds

The first feeding is carried out during the planting of watermelon seeds. Before applying top dressing, before planting the seed, determine the type of soil and its level of acidity. Plots with sandy soil fertilize with a solution of humus. Lime soils are fertilized with mineral trace elements.

Fertilizer when planting seedlings

Some gardeners grow seedlings in advance, which they transplant into the garden in the future. Before planting young seedlings, the entire area is sprayed with Fitosporin, which cleanses the soil of viruses and other pathogens. Then the ground is sprinkled with mustard, oats and other green manure, which contribute to the development of roots and green mass of watermelons.

During the flowering period

Before flowering gourds, it is recommended to enrich the soil with potassium, which improves the formation of flowers. To do this, the area is treated with a solution prepared from Nutrivant. To create a mixture in 20 liters of water, add 200-300 grams of the drug. Enough liquid to fertilize three square meters plot with watermelons.

At the beginning of fruiting

During the appearance of the first ovaries, the bushes need a component such as boron. It is necessary for the development of cells and the ripening of watermelon berries. In plants that lack boron, the leaves turn yellow and small stripes appear on the fruits. To saturate the soil with a component, it will be necessary to process the bushes with Megafol and Plantafol within two weeks.

Feeding for fetal growth

After the formation of ovaries on plants, the stage of growth of watermelon fruits begins. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the features of fertilizing watermelons during this period in order to increase productivity.

Every ten days, the bushes are watered with a Uniflorom solution, which contains components to accelerate the growth of berries.

To create a mixture for watering seedlings, 100 grams of the drug is added to ten liters of warm water. After that, the mixture is stirred and the soil is fertilized with it. To make the harvest juicier and tastier, the bushes are treated with a feed mixture prepared from Terraflex. To create a working fluid, add 50 grams of the drug to 20 liters of water.

How to identify overfeeding and underfeeding

It is quite easy to determine the deficiency or excess of nutrients in the soil. To do this, it is enough to monitor the condition of watermelon seedlings. If the bushes do not grow well, and weak shoots form on them, then they lack nitrogen. Also, the lack of this substance is evidenced by small yellow spots appearing on the surface of the sheets.

There are times when the bushes wither for a long time and weakly increase their green mass. Such signs indicate a lack of potash supplements that watermelons need. If there is too much potassium in the soil, they are imposed on plants side shoots, due to which the growth of berries worsens.

The death of flowers and ovaries is observed with calcium deficiency. Also, the lack of a component leads to the formation of small fruits and underdeveloped inflorescences.

Conclusion

When growing melons and gourds, it is imperative to deal with fertilization. Therefore, it is recommended to familiarize yourself in advance with the main methods of top dressing, their varieties and features of top dressing of watermelons with various mineral and organic fertilizers.

Growing watermelons and melons is considered a difficult but exciting process. Planting, growing southern exotics in conditions that are unconventional for it is a real miracle, which is subject only to the enthusiastic, caring hands of gardeners.

To obtain high yield watermelons and melons, it will be necessary to fertilize plants at least 2 times during the summer bird droppings or slurry, etc.

The correct technology for feeding gourds in greenhouse conditions- one of the secrets of the mastery of cultivation. Top dressing is the introduction of missing nutrients in a specific period of plant development. For its competent implementation and cultivation of a tasty fruit from seeds, you need to know the main features, the conditions for the growth of gourds.

All growth conditions

Both watermelon and melon are annual plants with male and female flowers on the plant. So, female flowers with the ovary, they create branched stems that rise along the trellis in the greenhouse, clinging with antennae.

As you know, gourds are very capricious, warmth and light for them is an indispensable condition. For growing plants under conditions middle lane in Russia, it is sown seedling way, which you want to plant in a greenhouse, providing support high temperature air (25-30 degrees during the day, 17 degrees at night) and its optimal humidity(60-70%). In the greenhouse, the soil should be drainage, fertile, the depth of the root layer should be 30 cm.

Protection of crops and seedlings from spring frosts, timely pinching plants during the formation of a bush and competent feeding - this is the “secret” care required for both watermelon and melon.

mineral nutrition

The nutrients of melons, watermelons, which are part of the soil in the greenhouse, are potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus and nitrogen. In order to ensure high yield, melon and watermelon should consume these elements in in large numbers, and this is facilitated by organic, mineral fertilizers, which should be applied to the soil on time for sowing. Depending on the growth phase, melons and gourds consume nutrients unevenly.

Potassium is of great importance in the direct nutrition of plants: if there is a sufficient amount of it in the soil, then female flowers bloom actively and stably, productivity increases, and melon and watermelon become more resistant to diseases, the fruit contains large quantity sugars and vitamin C (ascorbic acid), matures faster. The plant consumes magnesium and calcium more from 4 to 6 weeks, during vegetative growth, nitrogen - from 10 to 12 weeks, during fruit formation. Top dressing is necessary, and also effective during such periods.

Top dressing is done after rain or after watering, after which the soil is loosened.

All nutrients for watermelons and melons are delivered to the soil locally when sowing seeds and planting seedlings in a greenhouse, or directly under the roots of melons.

The technology of growing melon and watermelon in greenhouse conditions (sowing, planting seedlings, the process of forming a bush) includes the combined use of mineral and organic, as well as solid and liquid fertilizers.

Fertilizers organic

Origin organic fertilizers are both animal and vegetable. They contain nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, trace elements and vitamins in required quantity for plants.

Humus for melon and watermelon will be the best option fertilizers. After all, this is part of the soil, which is formed due to decay, decomposition of animals, as well as plant residues. And the black soil contains more humus.

For melons and gourds from fertilizers of animal origin, manure occupies a leading position. Manure should be used only in a rotted form, otherwise it will weaken the plant's resistance to diseases, delay vegetation and make the fruit less tasty.

A solution of humus and manure should be diluted with water in a ratio of 1/5, it must be applied with abundant watering so that the fruit of a watermelon or melon does not accumulate nitrates that are harmful to the body.

Herbal infusion in feeding melons and watermelons is alternated with solutions of humus, manure. It includes microorganisms, deoxidizes the soil when watering, destroys harmful microflora. In order to prepare herbal infusion, you can use any herbs.

Wood ash as a fertilizer has been known to people since time immemorial. So, in alternating infusions, you need to add a little wood ash, which makes the fruit of watermelon, melon sweet.

Mineral fertilizers

The composition of mineral fertilizers includes various mineral salts, which are nutrients for plants. These fertilizers are divided into simple and complex. Simple fertilizers include any one nutrient: nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus. Complex ones consist of several batteries.

Feeding scheme

Having treated the seeds with potassium permanganate in mid-April, they are sown in pots with soil mixture, consisting of: 1 part of the earth, 3 parts of humus, 3 tbsp. spoons of phosphorus mineral fertilizer, 1 tbsp. spoons of potash mineral fertilizer, 1 tbsp. spoons of nitrogen mineral fertilizer.

Seedlings of watermelons and melons grow within 31-35 days, their care is as follows: watering should be done with warm water and two top dressings should be carried out mineral fertilizers.
The first dressing should be carried out when the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, the second - 5-7 days after the first.

With the formation of 4-5 leaves in mid-May, it is time to transplant seedlings into a greenhouse. Organic fertilizers are applied to the formed holes in the greenhouse, and seedlings should be planted in them to a depth of a small size.

After 7-10 days, each well with seedlings should be carefully poured with warm water with nitrogen fertilizers. So, at intervals of 1-2 weeks, two top dressings are carried out.

The feeding scheme is averaged. It is necessary to carefully monitor the state of plant growth, determining when they have enough nutrition, when they do not, since it is important not to overdo it with top dressing.