Every person who considers himself a noble gardener dreams of growing a watermelon or melon on his plot at least once in his life, or better both. And many manage to do this, even in the region where the summer is not so hot and long. Nevertheless, melon is a rather heat-loving plant, adapted more to the southern climate. Therefore, if you do not live in the south, but still decide to try your luck and grow a melon with watermelon in the open ground in your garden, be sure to find out some secrets of this difficult task. Otherwise, even after spending a lot of effort, you may not get the desired result.

Is watermelon friendly with melon?

To begin with, let's figure it out, is it possible to plant these two crops side by side? Yes, they may well be neighbors, however, it must be clearly understood that they tend to grow very strongly, which means they must be planted at a certain distance from each other, for example, half a meter. Then melon and watermelon will not interfere with each other's development. Another important nuance is that diseases characteristic of melon can be transmitted from one fruit to another if they grow close. This is an additional reason not to plant melons and watermelons too close to each other. And, if you learn how to properly grow these crops, you can feast on them all autumn.

We grow seedlings

You can sow a watermelon with a melon immediately into the ground, or you can pre-grow seedlings - everyone chooses the most appropriate way for themselves. If you chose the first one, then do all the work about two months before the intended planting of it in the ground. Keep in mind that it is better to opt for hybrid varieties, as they are the most adapted to adverse conditions. For better germination, pour boiling water over the seeds before sowing.

Plant two seeds in each container in case one seed does not sprout. Lightly moisten the ground, cover with foil and leave in a warm, unventilated place. In order to grow seedlings of watermelon, it will take about forty days, and a melon will last a month. As soon as you see that the seeds have hatched, remove the film and transfer the sprouts closer to the light, on the windowsill. After some time, feed the plants with mineral, and then with superphosphate fertilizers. Plant the seeds germinated at home in separate peat pots. It is better if peat, humus and sawdust are added to the soil. It is unlikely that you will be able to prepare such a mixture yourself, so buy it already prepared in the store.

Planting in the ground

First of all, choose the right site for planting seedlings in the ground. The sun's rays should freely reach it. Remember, both melon and watermelon love rich soils that retain as much moisture as possible.

It is better to choose a plot for sowing in the fall in order to add all the necessary fertilizers there, such as humus, superphosphate, potassium and ammonium sulfate.

As soon as you notice 5-7 sheets of seedlings, you can safely transplant it. It is better to do this in late spring or early summer, but it is better to focus on the weather. After planting, pour the seedlings with warm water and cover from the sun for several days.

Watering the plants every day is not necessary, but you should not forget about top dressing. If you do everything right, expect a noble harvest. Sweet watermelons and melons, grown with their own hands without any chemicals, will especially delight children.