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Watermelon Producer has gained popularity among farmers. This early variety is especially attractive in the southern regions, where it produces large juicy fruits up to 20 kg. Watermelon also demonstrates good yields in the conditions of a short but hot summer in the middle zone.
Watermelon Producer is a product of the selection of American scientists, intended for cultivation both on an industrial scale and in personal plots. According to experts, it is a modification of the popular American variety with improved characteristics.
Characteristics of the variety
Watermelon Producer, as the description suggests, produces round-oval berries with rich red, juicy pulp and a smooth striped surface. Among the characteristics of the fetus are:
- high seed germination - up to 99%;
- early maturity - fruits ripen 2-2.5 months after germination;
- good yield indicators - up to 8 kg / sq. m;
- excellent presentation and excellent taste - up to 12% sugar;
- excellent transportability and good keeping quality;
- resistance to fungal diseases;
- the possibility of growing in greenhouses and open beds.
The Producer variety also has some drawbacks, these include:
- dependence on temperature conditions;
- the need for regular watering and feeding;
- does not always have time to ripen to the end.
Seed preparation for sowing
If the Producer variety is grown in the southern regions, the seeds can be sown directly into the open ground. For the middle lane, the seedling method is more optimal, which brings fruiting closer by about half a month. In more northern regions and Siberia, the Producer variety is grown in greenhouses. The best germination is given by seeds of 3-4-year storage.
Seedling preparation begins with the correct selection of seeds. You can choose Producer hybrids that are more resistant to cold. To prepare for sowing, you should:
- dip the seeds in a 3% solution of table salt;
- all floating seeds must be discarded;
- specimens that have settled to the bottom, wrap in gauze and rinse under running water;
- after drying, warm it up for 2 hours at a temperature of about 60 degrees;
- place for disinfection in a solution of potassium permanganate;
- spread out on a plate and cover with a sprouting cloth.
Soil for sowing watermelon AU Producer can be purchased in a specialized store - in it the seed germination capacity is much higher. However, you can cook it yourself by mixing humus with turf or peat. You can add sawdust to the mixture.
Planting seeds
Sowing seeds is carried out around mid-April. It is better to plant them in peat pots so as not to damage the sprouted roots when transplanted into open ground. After sowing the seeds, the pots are watered and covered with foil for accelerated germination. In a warm place, they will quickly hatch and friendly shoots will appear. They need good lighting. The appearance of 3-5 leaves is a signal for transplanting seedlings into open beds.
When planting in open ground, small grooves up to 4-5 cm deep are prepared, into which the seeds are placed at intervals of 2 cm, and then sprinkled with earth. Crops are watered with warm water.
Transfer to the beds
The Producer Watermelon, as the variety description indicates, has an extensive root system that requires light, aerated soils.Therefore, to transfer seedlings to open ground, certain conditions must be prepared:
- sandy and sandy loam soils are most favorable - melons will not grow in acidified areas;
- the groundwater level should be low;
- the earth must first be dug up, removed weeds, fertilize with humus, sawdust;
- useful predecessors of the Producer variety are potatoes and legumes, and undesirable ones are melons;
- it is also not recommended to plant tomatoes or onions next to the seedlings of the Producer variety;
- an important factor affecting the effective growth and formation of the taste characteristics of the fruit is illumination;
- watermelon planting scheme Producer for open ground - 1.4x1.0 m, and for greenhouses - 0.7x0.7 m;
- the optimum temperature for intensive growth and rapid ripening is above 20 degrees.
It is good to plant a watermelon Producer in elevated places - they are more intensely illuminated and warmed up by the sun. Seedlings can be planted at an ambient temperature of 15 degrees, when the danger of return frosts is over.
Formation of stems
In greenhouse conditions, shoots are formed into one main stem, tying it to a support. From the side - shoots less than half a meter long are removed so that they do not shade the fruits. The more ovaries are formed on the shoots of Producer watermelon, the more time and effort they need to ripen. It is recommended to leave 3 ovaries on each of them, and remove the rest. Two stepsons are left on the main stem, the rest are trimmed. After the appearance of the ovary, after three leaves, the lash is pinched. Then you get just three fruits that will ripen almost simultaneously.
On open beds, Producer watermelons are formed into three stems, then pinch the tops. Although watermelons need a lot of sun when they begin to ripen, the fruits need to be shaded slightly. To do this, on especially hot days, each watermelon can be covered with large leaves, for example, burdock.
Organization of watering
Since watermelons are drought-resistant, watering should be moderate enough, depending on the stages of vegetative development of plants: in the initial period, when ovaries form, watermelons are watered in the morning and evening;
- during the flowering period, twice a week is enough;
- in a hot period - once every 7-8 days;
- at the stage of fruit formation, watering should be limited;
- at the ripening stage, irrigation of watermelons AU Producer, as the reviews recommend, stop.
Most often, farmers organize a drip irrigation system that is ideal for Producer watermelons in terms of increasing yields. Loosening is important for watermelons. It should be shallow so that the root system is not damaged, but weekly.
In northern regions, groundwater is often located close to the surface, and the roots of watermelons can rot. With a little trick, you can get the root shoots to spread not in depth, but in breadth. To do this, you need to dig small grooves between the rows, along which to organize watering.
Top dressing
After the formation of ovaries, the fruit begins to grow rapidly. During this period, the characteristics of watermelons The producer recommends a weekly fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. They should be produced after rain or watering. Regular feeding can be replaced by pre-sowing soil filling with ash and humus or by adding them to each hole before planting seedlings. Watermelon especially needs phosphorus and potassium compounds.
Watermelon is a thermophilic plant, so you need to provide it with a lot of heat. Many watermelon farmers in the middle lane resort to a little trick.After planting seedlings in open ground, a small greenhouse is built over it in the form of a film stretched over the supports. The film is removed only at the end of June, and this should be done in the evening or on a cloudy day, so that the sun does not burn the tender seedlings.
Fight disease
Although the Producer watermelon variety is resistant to anthracnose and stem rot, there are many other fungal diseases that require prophylactic treatments:
- if whitish spots of powdery mildew appear on the stems, you need to collect all the affected parts of the plant and burn;
- from infection with root rot, it is necessary to disinfect the soil before planting.
To protect watermelons of the Producer variety from contact with the soil and infection with root rot, many farmers put planks under each fruit and sprinkle the root collar with sand.
Of the common pests when growing watermelon, Producer can be distinguished:
- melon aphids, the signs of the appearance of which are expressed in black spots, twisting of the stems;
- spider mite, causing gradual drying of watermelon lashes.
All affected leaves and stems must be removed and destroyed. For preventive purposes, it is necessary to regularly inspect the bushes and carry out spraying.
Reviews of gardeners and farmers
Conclusion
Subject to the rules of agricultural technology, the Producer watermelon variety gives consistently high yields every year and is promising for industrial cultivation.
