Growing watermelons from seedlings can indeed result in a bountiful harvest of big and sweet fruits.

Here’s a guide to help you achieve success:

Variety Selection:

  • Choose early and weather-resistant varieties suitable for your climate. Look for varieties known for producing large, sweet fruits.

Sowing Timing:

  • In most regions, sow watermelon seeds for seedlings in April. Favorable days for sowing in 2024 include:
    • April: 9-15, 18-23, 25, 27-29
    • May: 2-4, 7, 10-12, 15, 16, 18-22, 25, 26, 30, 31
  • Avoid sowing on April 24, 30, May 1, 8, 23, 27-29.

Sowing Method:

  1. Prepare a suitable soil mixture consisting of peat (non-acidic), sod land, and sawdust in a ratio of 3:2:1.
  2. Optionally, add 2 tablespoons of wood ash per liter of soil mix.
  3. Sow watermelon seeds in separate containers with drainage holes, burying them up to 3 cm deep.
  4. Moisten the soil after sowing and place the containers in a warm location.

Seedling Care:

  • Maintain optimal temperatures for seedling growth: around +22°C during the day and +20°C at night.
  • Water seedlings moderately, ensuring the soil remains evenly moist but not waterlogged.
  • If seedling growth is slow, consider applying nitroammophoska fertilizer.
  • Address yellowing leaves by feeding seedlings with a solution of potassium sulfate (1 tablespoon per 5 liters of water).

Transplanting:

  • Transplant watermelon seedlings once they have produced 3-4 true leaves, usually around 35 days after sowing.
  • Ensure the soil temperature during transplanting remains above 16-18°C to promote successful establishment.

By following these steps and providing proper care to your watermelon seedlings, you increase the likelihood of achieving a successful harvest of large and sweet watermelons.

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