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Melon (Cucumis melo) is a melon culture of the cucumber genus, the Pumpkin family. Its fruit is a sweet, aromatic, round or cylindrical pumpkin of yellow, green, white or brown color. Melons are thermophilic, like well-prepared soil, a lot of sun, periodic watering and feeding. Growing them is not difficult if you take proper care of the plant and choose suitable neighbors.
Optimal conditions for planting melons
The melon will grow well and bear fruit in open sunny areas of the garden (it is very photophilous and does not react well even to slight shading), well warmed up, protected from cold winds. For this, the southern slopes are perfect: in the open sun, fruits ripen better and are less likely to be affected by diseases.
The soil loves light, sandy and sandy loam (such soil crumbles, it is not possible to roll a whole lump out of it) with a neutral pH.
Melon
Resistant to drought and soil salinization. But with acidification of soils and high humidity, the plant may die. In central Russia, it is recommended to grow them in seedlings with planting in open ground at the end of May.
On one bush, from 2 to 10 fruits ripen. Their ripening period is from 2 to 6 months.
To grow melons in a greenhouse, it is important that the plants in the greenhouse are compatible. It is far from always possible to grow vegetables in different greenhouses, so when planting them together, you need to take into account the microclimate requirements as much as possible. So, melon and cucumber can be grown in the same greenhouse in adjacent beds, and when growing melon with tomatoes in a greenhouse, you need to plan their location correctly.
Growing melon in a greenhouse
A well-chosen neighborhood of vegetable crops contributes to their better growth and fruiting. According to experienced gardeners, with a successful neighborhood, the yield increases to 25%.
Melon compatibility with other plants
Can melons be planted next to zucchini?
It is undesirable to plant melons next to some related crops, for example pumpkin, zucchini. It is highly recommended to avoid the cucumber neighborhood.
Greens and melon garden neighbors
It is useful to plant next to corn, radishes, legumes - beans, peas, greens - spinach, lettuce, dill. But the proximity of melon with parsley is highly undesirable. A good neighbor for her is nasturtium. It is believed that you can plant a black radish next to the melon. The phytoncides secreted by it scare away the spider mite. To scare off aphids, moths and sawflies, it is advised to plant tomatoes nearby.
Melons are advised to be planted next to tomatoes.
What can you plant a melon with in the same garden?
A watermelon can be planted on the same bed together with a melon (their requirements for moisture and soil composition are absolutely identical).
Which crops should not be planted near?
Melon does not like too moist soil, so you should not plant it next to strawberries. In addition, the neighborhood with potatoes is not recommended. Since melons absorb a lot of nutrients from the soil, it is not recommended to plant beets, carrots and garlic nearby.
Culture compatibility
Melon tips
- Before the start of the summer cottage season, make a plan of the site on which the melon ridge will be located in accordance with the Vegetable Compatibility Table.
- When planting, maintain a distance between the holes (about 80 cm).
- When planting seedlings, you need to try not to damage the roots of the plant.
- To prevent the appearance of a "black leg" around the stem, it is worth pouring sand.
- It is necessary to loosen, weed, water and huddle melon beds in a timely manner.
- Do not pour water on the leaves and stems of the plant when watering.
- It is important to correctly shape, pinch and remove excess ovaries in a timely manner.
- Carry out top dressing in a timely manner.
Melon feed
Unripe fruits will be able to ripen at home.
The process of growing melons is not very time consuming, they do not require complex care. But for a really tasty fragrant melon to grow, compatibility with other plants must be taken into account.
