Description of the Aikido melon variety, features of cultivation and care
Melon Aikido belongs to the hybrid variety of the first generation, which is confirmed by the presence of the "F1" mark on the seed package. The plant is one of the few crops that can show good yields and mature without a hot climate. The variety is able to survive and withstand sudden temperature changes, therefore it has gained popularity and is successfully grown in Russian regions.
It is considered one of the best varieties for cultivation in temperate continental climates. Melon Aikido f1 has the following advantages:
- resistance to the most destructive melon diseases in the form of powdery mildew and fusarium;
- unpretentiousness to care;
- good taste;
- early maturity;
- stress resistance;
- good yield indicators.
Fruiting time, on average, occurs after 70 days from the moment of emergence. The fruit does not differ in large weight indicators, and the average mass of one melon reaches 2 kg. The ripe fruit is ball-shaped and has a bright yellow rind with a dense structure. The presence of an extraordinary sweetness and aroma in the fruit is confirmed by numerous reviews of gardeners. The pulp contains from 10 to 13% sugar.
How to care for seedlings?
Cultivation is carried out by seedling by sowing seeds, which depends on the climatic characteristics of a particular region. The latter method is permissible only in southern regions with hot weather. Sowing in the ground is carried out when the soil temperature reaches 20 ° C.
For Russian regions, it is recommended to plant seeds in the ground, followed by transplanting into greenhouse structures.
The time of working with the planting material is determined in such a way as to plant the seedlings a month after the emergence of the sprouts in a permanent place. When planting in peat containers, you will not need to transplant seedlings in the future, which significantly reduces the risk of damage to the plant during transplantation and its better survival rate when planting in a permanent place.
To increase the immune qualities of seedlings, it is preliminarily recommended to harden the seeds. Such actions contribute to the better well-being of the plant at the onset of low temperatures. It is recommended to soak large seeds for 12 hours in warm water before planting. This simple action improves the germination quality of the planting material, allowing the rejection of unusable and defective seeds.
If some of them surfaced, then this indicates that the seeds are unsuitable for growing seedlings and they must be thrown away. In order to harden the future plant, after the soaking procedure, the seed material is cooled to a temperature of 1-3 ° C.
Planting is recommended to be carried out in pots made of peat material.The soil for planting can be purchased at specialized stores or prepared by yourself. In the latter case, the earth is mixed with ash, humus, peat. The planting depth should not exceed 1 cm. Fertilization with humus and ash allows to improve the germination and further growth properties. The growth of seedlings is carried out at a temperature of 20-25 ⁰С.
Until the first sprout appears, the container is covered with a film. Watering is carried out once every 7 days. Work must be done carefully, since the probability of damage to the root system is very high. As the shoot grows, light hilling can be carried out, avoiding exposing the roots.
Features of planting in the ground
Melons are grown both in open ground and in greenhouse structures. In the first case, it is necessary to choose open sunny areas, since the plant loves sunlight and well-lit places. Landing in permanent soil is carried out from mid-May to early June after the onset of stable heat.
The following landing pattern is recommended:
- distance between rows - 3 m;
- the gap between the seeds is 15 cm.
Ash and humus are preliminarily placed in the place of the deepening. Today cultivation is practiced horizontally and vertically. In the first case, the shoots spread along the ground and after the ovary of the first fruits, plywood or cardboard is placed under them to prevent contact with the ground, otherwise the melons may begin to rot.
With the vertical method of cultivation, curly shoots are tied to a trellis or they are supported in the form of vertical wooden poles. Good support is provided by tying with horizontally installed and fixed wooden battens. With this method, the distance between bushes can be less than 3 meters. If desired, at the first stages of plant growth, you can always change the growing method by lifting the shoots from a horizontal to a vertical position.
At the planting site, the soil must be slightly compacted and watered with water at room temperature. In the first weeks, periodic watering of the soil is required, preventing excessive drying of the soil.
When the first flowers appear on climbing bushes, it is necessary to provide access to them for flying insects for pollination. When grown under a film, it is periodically opened; in greenhouse structures, the doors are kept open.
Care features
Care consists in timely pruning of excess leaves to eliminate thickening of the bushes and timely watering. The plant has large spreading leaves, an excessive amount of which will interfere with the penetration of sunlight. In the presence of a large amount of green mass, the plant also lacks nutrients for the formation of fruits. A large number of large leaves interferes with good airing of the shoots, which significantly increases the risk of plant disease.
After planting, when threats of frost appear, it is recommended to provide the plant with protection in the form of a film cover. After the appearance of the first 2 fruits on the shoot, pinch off the top. This action is necessary to stop the growth of the bush in order to redirect the movement of nutrients from the stem to the leaves. The disadvantage of this variety is the quality of the melons quickly overripe, therefore it is recommended to remove the fruits on time.
The time for removing the melon is determined quite easily, at this moment the fruit changes color from greenish to a bright saturated yellow color, and at the base the fruit becomes soft.
Watering is carried out twice a week. The plant does not tolerate an excess of moisture and is able to tolerate drought well. Every two weeks, fertilizing with mineral complexes is carried out.The work is recommended to be carried out once every 12 days. Every two weeks it is necessary to huddle the bushes.
