When is the best time to grow watermelons in the south?

A few years ago, there was a large garden in my backyard. Later, because the area was too large, all the vegetables were planted, and the whole family could not finish eating them. Finally, rape was planted. Because of the small area, only 20 or 30 Jin of rapeseed is collected in a season, which is a loss-making business.

Later, at my suggestion, I planted watermelon for three years. In the past, my parents planted watermelons for many years, and the technology was naturally no problem. Watermelon had a bumper harvest in the first two years. In addition to eating by myself, I gave it away and sold it for nearly a thousand yuan. Everyone is still very happy about this, but in the third year, it is much worse. The continuous cropping problem of watermelon was exposed, which led to the decline of watermelon yield and quality.

When are watermelons planted? Let's take Hubei for example.

Watermelon likes warm climate by nature, and it is suitable for growing in places with a temperature of 25-30 degrees Celsius, and the lowest temperature is not lower than 12 degrees Celsius. If seedlings need to be transplanted, the preparation period will be earlier. Nursery plants in greenhouses germinate in early March, then plant them in nutrient cups in mid-March and transplant them to the ground, almost in mid-April. This time it is aimed at watermelons planted in the open air.

If you want to grow watermelons in a greenhouse, you have to go forward for about a month. Generally, germination is accelerated in early February, seedlings are raised in nutrient cups in mid-February, and transplanted to greenhouses in mid-March. Whether it is planting watermelon in greenhouse or in the open air, it is impossible to violate the temperature-loving characteristics of watermelon. It is very important to keep the temperature suitable for watermelon growth.

Since watermelon is very demanding on temperature, how to control the temperature generally?

First, grow watermelons in the greenhouse. Because the planting time of watermelon in greenhouse is usually one month earlier than that in open air, we must do a good job of heat preservation, otherwise it will affect the growth of watermelon seedlings at low temperature, thus affecting the pollination and fruit setting of flowers.

In some areas in the north, the temperature difference between morning and evening is large. In order to keep warm, watermelons will be planted in four-film greenhouses, but they are basically not needed here in Hubei. Generally, two films: the outer film of the greenhouse and the plastic film are enough.

Second, grow watermelons in the open air. For many self-sufficient growers, it is best to grow watermelons in the open air, just for the whole family. However, if it is planted in the open air, and it is an early-maturing watermelon variety, it is still necessary to carry out plastic film insulation to prevent low temperature at night.

The temperature in the south is generally higher than that in Hubei. Watermelon can be planted as long as the lowest outdoor temperature is higher than 12 degrees Celsius.