Watermelon - a berry, as a rule, sweet and round. But he, too, can be strange, unusual for a person. Not so long ago, the world embraced an interest in its cubic form. How is this possible and is it possible to grow a cube berry on its own?
The advantages of square watermelons
Cubic watermelon - A creation from Japan, which became known more than 30 years ago. This exclusive will cost more than the usual berries. Its main advantages:
- minimizing the risk of damage during transportation of the product;
- efficient use of storage space for berries.
Learn what to look for when choosing a watermelon.
What kind of square watermelon
It is possible to give a cubic shape to any sort of berry. The main thing - to choose the most suitable for your climate and soil option. For example, varieties with a short maturity are ideal for our territory: "Sugar Kid", "Light", "Gift to the North", etc. At a certain stage, the berry, without tearing it from the leaf, is placed in a transparent box.
How to make a watermelon square: making a box with your own hands
The process of growing a watermelon cube is no different from the usual. The only thing you need is to place it in a special box at a certain stage of maturation. The cube can be made independently at home.
Did you know? The largest watermelon in the world weighing 120 kg was raised in the USA in Arkansas.
Required materials and tools
In order to make a box, you will need:
- plexiglass (polycarbonate, plywood) - 1 sheet 12 mm thick;
- metal corner, width less than 30 mm;
- bolts and nuts;
- self-tapping screws;
- door hinges - 4 things.;
- door lock - 2 pcs.
Also, don't forget that for the manufacture of the box you need to have an electric jigsaw, a drill or a hole saw, a screwdriver and, of course, a feather drill (d = 0.25 cm).
You will probably be interested to read about the cultivation of watermelon Chill, "Astrakhan" and yellow watermelon.
Manufacturing process
From the sheet of available material, for example, Plexiglas, cut 6 blanks: one 25 × 25 cm; the rest are a bit more. Learn the fact that the box diagonally should be wider than the diagonal of the variety of berries that you plan to grow.
On the top cover (at this stage - the workpiece), drill a hole with a diameter of 2.5 cm. To the edge of the lid from this hole you need to cut a rectangle (strip) 2 cm wide. This is done to preserve the integrity of the ovary. 2 door hinges are attached to the cover and side wall.
Important! The cover should overlap the ends of the side walls.
Then you can proceed to the assembly of the side walls and fitting them to the size of the cover. Combined billet screws, hat which stands. If necessary, the joints of the box strengthened with metal corners.
The two door hinges that remain are needed to make the bottom of the box open, that is, the second door. This is done in order to simplify the process of cutting watermelon from it. On the upper and lower doors, install the clips. In the corners of the box, make several small holes for ventilation.
Terms and conditions for growing square watermelons
If you have decided on a grade, have made a box according to the size of the future watermelon, then you can try to grow a cubic berry. HTo try was successful, it needs to create certain conditions.
Place and lighting for culture
Pick a sunny place on the south side of the nearest building so that the shadow is smaller. The beds are also better positioned on a slope to the south, so that the ground warms evenly and deeply.
The best place is the one where the sunflower, pea or lupine used to live, as well as potatoes and corn. Watermelon sprouts will develop badly after melons, cucumbers, pumpkins, cabbage.
Climatic conditions
In open ground, seedlings are placed at the end of May, at that moment when the risk of a sudden onset of frosts (or cooling) is minimized. The climate should be warm, moderately dry, the weather - sunny.
Soil requirements
Gourds like structured soil, in which a lot of micronutrients. It should not be sour. If this is not the case, then wood ash or lime should be added to the soil. During the digging, river sand is added to the loose, light soil.
Watermelon planting
Planting berries can be done in several ways: seedlings either directly to open ground.
Learn more about the varieties of watermelon and what benefits it brings to the human body.
Seedling method
The seedling method involves planting seeds in peat cups and only after their germination does the plants move to open ground. It is used if the climatic conditions in this area do not allow growing the melon crop immediately in open ground. For example, in Siberia or other cold regions.
To get quality planting material (seedlings), it is necessary to sow pre-soaked in stimulator solution (for 3 days) and refrigerated (for 2 days) seeds in March. They are sown in peat cups with fertile soil and covered with foil. For seed germination it is necessary to provide certain climatic conditions:
- regular watering;
- periodic airing;
- temperature conditions (above +25 ° C).
Ready seedlings are placed in open ground in late May or early June, when there are already at least 5 leaves on it. If you live in the northern region, plant it in high beds.
It will be useful for you to learn how to properly plant and grow watermelons in your area.
The first 14 days after transferring the seedlings to the soil on the street, you need to care for it in the same way as for other melon crops: at night, keep away from cold, water with warm water and cover during cold snaps. As soon as the plant blooms and ovaries form, it is worth being more attentive to it.
After the watermelon reaches the size of an apple, you can put it in a box you have made. Then it remains only to properly care for him: watering in moderation and maintenance of the soil.
Upon reaching the maximum size (according to the box parameters) the berry will begin to acquire the shape of the container in which it is placed. The ripening period after planting in open soil is about 95 days. After a specified time, you can disassemble the box and carefully remove the watermelon from there.
Important! Do not plant watermelons in a place where other melons and gourds have previously grown because of the risk of soil habitat for the larvae or fungi that infect such plants.
Landing in open ground
In open ground, the berries are planted in a 1.7 m high greenhouse, in which only melons and gourds are grown.. Recommended humidity is less than 60%. Temperature - no higher than +30 ° C.
In such conditions, the seeds of the selected varieties of watermelon are sown in the soil. Do not forget to water the plant and air the greenhouse. Once the berry reaches 10 cm in diameter, it can be enclosed in a box. Drink plenty of water culture.
Tomatoes, leeks, radish, peas and spinach can be good neighbors for watermelons.
If you did everything correctly, including guessed with the parameters of the box, after 100 days an exclusive product can be served on the table. You can determine the readiness by dried-up tail, dull bark and yellowish bottom of the watermelon. At this point, you can gently remove the berry from the box.
Watermelon Care
Watermelon care is easy. In addition to placing and extracting berries from the box, it, like a regular one, needs to be watered, fertilized and the soil loosened.
Soil care
After planting, the seedlings are immediately covered with film / agrofibre. The soil should be periodically loosened and ventilated, opening the film, as well as thinning thickened crops.
To keep moisture well in the soil, the holes are mulched with straw (layer thickness - 10 cm). Do not forget about dressing and watering.
How to water the watermelons
Watering should be done 1 time in 7 days, if the climate is too hot - 1 time in 3 days. Use only warm water. Do not flood plants.
Feeding the berries
In the seedling method, the plants, together with loosening, are fed with liquid organic matter.. Before placing seedlings (or seeds, depending on the method) in open ground it is necessary to make humus in it.
If you want to enjoy the taste of watermelons not only in summer, but also in winter, learn how to save a watermelon before the New Year, preserve the watermelon in a jar, and cook watermelon honey.
Features of harvesting square watermelons
If long-term storage of watermelon is planned, it should be removed during the first stage of maturity (not earlier and not later). This moment can be determined by the brilliant durable peel, the dry stalk, the presence of a yellowish bedsore or by a deaf sound when tapping the berry.
Only fruit can be stored for a long time without damage and only in straw bedding. To do this, you can use racks or earth trenches. Watermelons can also be laid in the form of an eight-row pyramid.
More about watermelon forms
However, the shape of the berry can be any. It all depends on the flight of your imagination. The principle of obtaining one form or another is the corresponding box. As it grows, the fetus will take the form of the container in which it is located.
Did you know? Watermelon is 92% water and nourishes the body with 2 times more moisture than a glass of water.
The most common option after the cube is the pyramid. There are cases of growing berries in the shape of a human head with the preservation of all contours (eyes, nose, etc.). Most technologies are patented by the Japanese and inaccessible to gardeners.
Cubic watermelon is an unusual product. It is convenient to transport, store, and on the table it looks exotic. Any variety can be used to obtain this kind of exclusive. Care and technology of cultivation is almost identical to the usual. The only requirement is the availability of a special box of the appropriate form. Follow the rules of agricultural technology, and you can grow a cubic berry.
