Description and technology of growing watermelon Top Gun, characteristics of the F1 species and yield
You can talk about the advantages of watermelon for a long time, the juicy sweet pulp is liked by adults and children, many dream of growing a plant on their own plot, and the warming and abundance of varieties allows you to get a harvest even in regions previously unsuitable for melon growing. In the conditions of not too long summer, the main thing is to choose the right material for planting. Top Gun watermelon combines ripening speed with excellent taste, which is why it is very popular among gardeners.
Characteristic
Top Gan belongs to early ripening varieties, manages to ripen in 2 months, large fruits, with crispy, sugary and surprisingly tasty pulp, slightly elongated, rich green color with pronounced stripes, have an average weight of 8-10 kilograms.
It is unpretentious in care and resistant to diseases, especially to fusarium, has powerful roots that extend into the ground per meter, and large leaves, provides excellent yields. Suitable for soil and greenhouse cultivation.
Main advantages:
- excellent taste combined with high yield;
- unpretentiousness;
- good safety during transportation;
- resistance to disease.
The combination of these qualities made Top Gun popular among gardeners and farmers, growing watermelons for sale.
In which regions does it grow
On the beds and melons, Top Gan grows well in the southern Russian regions, where the seeds are planted in the soil, the Middle Strip is suitable for growing in seedlings in greenhouses or under a film. A little experience and proper care allow residents of the Moscow region, the Southern Urals and even more northern regions to feast on their own-grown watermelons.
Agricultural Secrets to Get a Good Harvest
Knowledge of landing and grooming techniques allows you to fully enjoy the results of your labor.
Seed quality
Since Top Gun is a hybrid, it makes no sense to collect seeds from it. The sown specimens of the second generation, if they do sprout, differ significantly in quality. Therefore, you will have to buy watermelon seeds.
If the manufacturer warns on the bag that the seeds should not be further processed before planting, trust the instructions.
If there is no such information, the seeds are heated for an hour in water with a temperature of 50-55 ° C, then immersed in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour and, after washing, treated with a growth stimulator. This will provide early friendly shoots and plant resistance to diseases.The soil for planting plants is pre-steamed.
Composition and structure of soil
Top Gun, like any watermelon, prefers neutral or slightly alkaline light soil. A mixture of sand, turf and humus is optimal. Such soil does not retain moisture and is highly breathable. In the fall, the site can be fertilized with manure and dug deep or, after harvesting, plant green manure (peas, winter wheat, lupine). In this case, the bed is dug up, waiting for young shoots. The method saturates the soil with useful elements and improves its structure. In the spring, the area under the melon is harrowed.
Temperature and light conditions
Seeds or seedlings are planted in the soil warmed up to +10 ° C. The air temperature must be above +14 ° С. The sunniest and well-drained area is chosen for the garden; if the seedlings are planted in a greenhouse, daylight hours are increased using additional lighting. Seedlings of watermelons in open ground are covered with a film to protect them from temperature extremes.
Timely watering and fertilization
Watermelons react poorly to excess moisture. Water the melon after the topsoil dries. During flowering and formation of the ovary, they provide a little more watering, and during the period of active growth of fruits, the plants are not watered at all. If the weather is rainy, the plants must be covered with a film, protecting them from waterlogging.
After adaptation of the seedlings in a permanent place in the open ground or in a greenhouse, about 2 weeks after transplanting, the bed is fertilized with a mullein solution or a complex mineral fertilizer for melons and gourds. After the appearance of the ovary, mineral feeding is carried out a second time. Saltpeter ensures rapid growth of plants, but its excess significantly degrades the taste of watermelons.
Watermelon cultivation technology
Watermelon Top Gun is quite unpretentious, the sun is necessary for the harvest, the absence of high humidity and wind.
In the greenhouse
Plants need a decent area and a two-meter greenhouse height. Seedlings are planted at a distance of at least 70-80 centimeters from each other, with a similar row spacing. 2 sprouts are placed in one hole, then the lashes are carefully bred. Additionally, a trellis is built, to which they will be tied as they grow, this saves space and provides uniform illumination of the plants. The nets with ripening fruits are fixed there. The greenhouse is regularly ventilated.
Important: Don't forget to manually pollinate your greenhouse plants!
Ripening striped berries should not touch the ground, watermelons of the lower tier are placed on a substrate (you can use a small block or plank) and regularly turn over.
Plants need systematic weeding and loosening of the soil, with a lack of sun, additional lighting is mounted, because the sugar content of the watermelon depends on the amount of heat and light.
Outdoors
On the garden bed, watermelons are placed more spaciously, with a meter distance between holes and 110-120 centimeters between rows. Plants are often weeded, because they absolutely do not tolerate weeds, loosen and protect against pests and diseases using folk remedies (potassium permanganate, laundry or tar soap, infusion of onion husks) or industrial preparations.
After the beginning of the intensive growth of watermelons, watering and loosening is stopped - it is very easy to damage the fruits with garden tools. Plants, if necessary, are covered with a film from rain and temperature extremes. Do not leave the film for a long time - the condensation accumulated under it will damage the landings. Watermelons grow well after peas, tomatoes, they are not planted next to plants that love moisture (cucumbers, zucchini, bell peppers).
On the same site, watermelons are not planted more than once every 5-6 years.
A ripe watermelon is distinguished by a dry tail, a glossy surface and a dull sound when tapped. For long-term (more than a month) storage, they are freely laid out on shelves, not allowing them to come into contact with each other, or they are hung in nets in a cool dry room.
Top Gan F1 hybrid: description and advantages
F1 on the package indicates that the hybrid has received the best qualities of crossed varietal plants. The hybrids are more productive and resistant to diseases, in addition, they are self-pollinated. The presentation of the hybrids and the ability to transport is another plus of such plants, their fruits are smoother and more beautiful.
Of course, hybrid seeds are more expensive, but the yield and other improved characteristics are more than worth the cost. Often people are wary of hybrids, believing that outwardly beautiful fruit is less tasty - this is not always the case, but the choice remains with the buyer.
Hybrid Top Gun F1 is distinguished by excellent seed germination, large fruits of the correct shape, increased resistance to diseases. It is well transported and can be stored without problems for 2-3 months.
