The importance of watermelon and its benefits
Watermelon fruit contains carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins A – B1 – B2, as well as vitamin C and nicotine.
Some farmers and large traders also accept to export watermelon fruit to many countries around the world.
In particular, the Arab and European markets, where these exporters deliberately follow the latest storage methods to save watermelons from spoilage.
Climatic conditions necessary for Melon fruiting
Watermelon grows in the warm seasons of the year, with different temperatures necessary for the growth of watermelon fruit, where the average temperature for the growth of watermelon fruit should not be less than 20 degrees Celsius for four months.
Or between 21 – to 35 degrees Celsius, so the seeds grow faster than expected at 35 degrees Celsius.
And when the temperature drops below 15 degrees Celsius, the melon fruits do not grow.
Also, the temperature should not rise above 40 degrees Celsius, so as not to damage the melon fruit crop.
If the temperature is too low or too much than the required limit, this leads to a decrease in the efficiency of the roots in the absorption process.
Watermelon is one of the fruits that is least affected by atmospheric humidity.
Unlike cantaloupe fruit, which can grow in semi-humid or dry areas, cantaloupe fruit is more susceptible to diseases of the vegetative group.
Suitable soil for a melon growing agent
The cultivation of watermelon fruit needs light clay lands, or sandy lands, provided that the fertilization ratio in those lands is well taken into account.
And quite far from its thirst, especially sandy lands.
Knowing that watermelon fruits are not suitable for cultivation in lands, with heavy soils that retain large amounts of water, and far from lands with salt water.
The best lands suitable for growing watermelons are lands with clay soils, as well as the melon fruit is not affected by high calcium levels in calcareous lands.
But the farmer has to fertilize those lands with organic, potash and phosphorus fertilizers constantly with the addition of iron, manganese and zinc.
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The amount of vaccinations needed to grow watermelon fruits and the most suitable planting dates
An acre needs from one to one and a half kilograms of watermelon seeds, and the amount increases as the area of the agricultural land for watermelon fruits increases.
It is preferable to plant watermelons in early plantings, as the seeds are germinated by soaking them in water inside the bags, and the seeds are left for two days.
Melons are grown in the winter months, from November to December in warm regions.
As for the summer months, watermelons are planted during January and February, and in areas with sandy soils, they can be grown in greenhouses.
This is done by producing watermelon seedlings, and it may take three or four weeks to produce watermelon fruits inside those greenhouses.
As for the autumn seasons, this is done in May and June.
Methods of growing watermelons
The first melon cultivation process is known as mesqawi cultivation, or the traditional method of growing watermelon fruits.
It is preferable to use this method in the summer and autumn seasons and in particular in the months of February, March, September and October.
As for the method of recklessness, it is similar to the method of masqawi, in many operations or even the months of the year when melon fruits are grown.
The second method is the rain-fed planting method, this method is used in the months of December and the first of January.
Especially on lands with sandy soils, where a lot of ditches are dug so that those ditches are higher than the water level in the ground .
The third method is modern agriculture, in which drip irrigation technology is used in fields or open land.
Or inside greenhouses or agricultural pots in any of the seasons of the year, whether winter or summer.
Watering and fertilizing
Watermelon fruits are considered one of the most root crops, which withstands thirst in a large proportion because they have roots deep in the ground.
There are many methods that are used to irrigate watermelon fruits, the first is to delay watering until the melon root deepens, reaches the depths of the soil.
The second is completely dependent on irrigation in many ways, and the third method is drip irrigation.
As for fertilization, municipal manure can be used in a large way, many in the cultivation of watermelon fruits, where manure is added per acre during plowing, or in the soles of small trenches.
This is done in one of the methods of growing watermelons or in the hollow so that the fruits benefit as much as possible from the waste caused by birds and others.
How to grow watermelons in desert lands
It is preferable when growing watermelon fruits in desert lands, which are characterized by sandy soils and a dry climate, using the rain method of cultivation.
They are the work of trenches in the ground above the water level in the ground, and excess water is drained into drainage channels.
And those lands are fertilized with pigeon and bird droppings, backfilled and compacted well.
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