Correct watering of watermelons: how often to water in the open field

If you want to grow large and juicy watermelons, then you need to properly care for them. Despite the fact that, like all melons and gourds, watermelons are quite drought-resistant, it is still necessary to water them, especially in the early stages of development (before ripening).

Next, let's talk in more detail about when and how to properly water watermelons in the open field and in the greenhouse.

Do watermelons love watering or why is it important to do it on time and correctly?

Watermelons, like all melons and gourds, love the sun and heat, but watering is not so demanding, although, without watering at all, you will hardly be able to grow a rich harvest of large and tasty watermelons.

Important! It is especially important not to get carried away with excessive moisture and even more so by spraying the beds.

Of course, ideally, it is good to do drip irrigation for watermelons, but it is hardly needed in the country, especially in a greenhouse. Industrial scale is another matter.

Alternatively, in order to reduce the number of waterings to a minimum, you can plant the watermelons under a film or thoroughly mulch, then the evaporation will not be as intense.

Although, in principle, you can make homemade drip irrigation by digging plastic bottles into the ground next to the plants, having previously made small holes in them, from which nutritious moisture will gradually flow to the roots.

For more details, see the following video:

Features of watering watermelons in the open field and greenhouse

In general, caring for watermelons in a greenhouse does not differ much from growing in an open field, unless it is necessary tie up, i.e. grow like cucumbers = vertically (because space is limited), manually if necessary pollinate, well, water a little less often.

It makes sense that in a greenhouse it is much easier to create more suitable (= favorable) conditions for growing watermelons. Indeed, in a protected ground, you can independently control both the temperature regime and the humidity regime, adjusting them with the help of ventilation.

But if your watermelon melon is under the open sun, then everything here depends on the weather, which means that watering watermelons in the open field should be approached with much greater responsibility.

Thus, there are no distinctive features of watermelon watering in the greenhouse and in the open field - the rules are always the same, it is another matter that the greenhouse or outdoor growing conditions make their own adjustments.

By the way! About, how to properly grow watermelons in the open field and in a greenhouse, read in this detailed material.

How to properly water watermelons

Basic rules and tips for watering watermelons.

The following concise but powerful tips and tricks will help you water your watermelons properly:

• Best time days for watering - morning (default) or the period before lunchtime (if the weather is cloudy), or as a last resort - evening (but only with severe drought and high temperatures during the day, especially in hot southern regions).

Note! In cool northern regions, where there are frequent changes in nighttime temperatures, it is not recommended to water watermelons (like other thermophilic crops) in the evening.

• Watermelon needs warm water (room temperature) and preferably standing, cold can cause oppression of the plant and its poor pollination.

Worth knowing! When they say "warm", this does not at all mean that the water needs to be specially heated in some way: it is enough if your container (barrel, bath) will just stand outside (of course, ideally in the sun). And of course, watering is always better. separated water.

If your country water from a hose is + 20-22 degrees, then this is a perfectly suitable temperature.

Another thing is that for watering ice water pumped directly from the well is not suitable.

• Need to water not only at the root, but also throughout the site (garden), given over to melon, i.e. along the groove. In this case, in no case should the sprinkling method be used.

The fact is that the root system of watermelons is powerful and branched, there is a main taproot that goes down to 1 meter and lateral roots that grow almost horizontally at a depth of 20-30 cm.

• Need to water abundantly and infrequently. Of course, first of all it is worth navigate the weather... If it is dry and hot, then more often and more abundantly, and if cloudy and humid, sometimes less often.

By the way! Watering is very convenient to combine with liquid dressings.

Thus, the main thing to be guided by when watering watermelons is the principle of "abundant, but infrequently".  

Remember! Watermelons are more likely to survive prolonged drought than excessive moisture. It's no joke, but some farmers grow watermelons without watering ... Absolutely.

Watering and mulching

To reduce moisture evaporation, watermelon beds need to be mulched.Thanks to mulching, nutrient moisture will stay in the soil longer, and you will not have to frequently water the watermelons, which is especially important for open ground.

By the way! Another advantage of mulching is ridding the beds of weeds, those. you don't have to weed them.

As for whether than can mulch watermelons, then, as a rule, they use cut grass, i.e. straw or hay.

By the way! Many gardeners from the northern regions prefer grow watermelons under plastic, or rather, under a black or white non-woven material (spunbond or lutrasil), covering their melons with it.

A logical question: how to water watermelons planted under a film?

Alternatively, you can dig a groove along the holes before planting seeds or planting seedlings. You can also make layering from the main groove to the holes, so the water will get to the roots faster.

When and how often to water the watermelons

Typically, watermelons are watered as follows:

Naturally, the frequency of watering depends on the type of soil and weather conditions.

• The first time watermelons are usually watered after the young seedlings have formed 3-5 powerful true leaves.
• The next abundant watering is performed during budding and early flowering.

Advice! Before the onset of heat, after each watering, when the water is already absorbed into the ground and the soil dries up a little from above, shallow (1-2 cm) loosening should be done.

• Water abundantly next time at the beginning of ovary formation.
• When the fruits begin to gain weight, the frequency and volume of watering should be gradually reduced.

• And as soon as the growth stops (the fruits stop growing in size), and watermelons will begin to ripen (get sugar), watering must be stopped completely.

Important! If you continue to water the watermelons during the sugar collection period, this will certainly lead to their cracking, a decrease in sugar content and keeping quality.

Video: when to stop watering watermelons

Thus, now you know how often you need to water the watermelons, when the plants need moisture most of all, during what period watering should be significantly reduced, and when and when completely stopped.

Video: how often to water watermelons