How to Cultivate Watermelon Plants
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Watermelon is a fruit plant form of herbs that grow vines. Watermelon, which is usually a fresh fruit, becomes a dish on the dinner table, but some use the leaves and young watermelons for vegetables.
Watermelon is cultivated for its seeds, which have a fresh aroma and taste, the seeds are processed into a snack called "kuwaci" (popularly preferred as a snack). Watermelon rind is also made pickled / pickled like cucumbers or other types of pumpkins.
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How to Cultivate Watermelon Plants
Growth Conditions
1. Climate
- Theoretically the ideal rainfall for watermelon planting areas is 40-50 mm/month.
- The entire watermelon planting area needs sunlight from sunrise to sunset. Lack of sunlight causes a decline in harvest time.
- Watermelon plants will be able to grow and bear fruit optimally at a temperature of 25 degrees C (during the day).
- The ideal air temperature for watermelon plant growth is an average daily temperature of 20-30 mm.
- Air humidity tends to be low when the sun shines on the planting area, meaning dry air that is poor in moisture. Such conditions are suitable for the growth of watermelon plants, because in the area of origin, watermelon plants live in a dry desert environment. Conversely, humidity that is too high will encourage the growth of plant-destroying fungi.
2. Growing media
Soil conditions that are suitable for watermelon plants are moderately loose soil, rich in organic matter, not acidic soil and drained garden/rice field soil. The required soil acidity (pH) is between 6-6.7. If the pH is < 5.5 (acidic soil) then liming is carried out with a dose adjusted to the level of soil acidity.
3. Altitude of Place
The ideal altitude for watermelon planting areas is: 100-300 m above sea level. In fact , watermelon can be planted in areas near the coast which have an altitude below 100 m above sea level and on hills with an altitude of more than 300 m above sea level.
Cultivation Technique
1. Nursery
> Seed Requirements
The selection of types of watermelon seeds to be sown are: Imported hybrids, especially triploid seeds (non-seeds) which have very hard seed coats and haploid types (seeds).
> Seed Preparation
Types of imported hybrid seeds, especially triploid seeds, after being selected, a tool is prepared to cut/stretch a little because without stretching the seeds are difficult to germinate, the tool is in the form of nail clippers which have a long triangular shape with small size and a small place with a wide surface is provided. Haploid species are easy to sow because the seeds are not hard so they are easy to divide when germinating.
> Seed Technique
The watermelon seed seeding technique is carried out through several stages, namely:
- Stretch the seeds of watermelon seeds first in order to facilitate the growth process
- Soaking the seeds in a unit of medicine mixed with the following ingredients: 1 liter of warm water at a temperature of 20-25 degrees C; 1 teaspoon of hormones (Atornik, Menedael, Abitonic); 1 tablespoon of fungicide (anti-fungal medication). After soaking for 10-30 minutes, remove and drain until the water no longer flows and the seeds are ready to be germinated.
> Nursery/Seeding Maintenance
Nursery bags are placed in a row so that they are exposed to full sun from sunrise to sunset. Covered with transparent plastic protection similar to a mini greenhouse and open at one end with exposed edges. Fertilization is done through the leaves to stimulate the development of seedlings mixed with medicine, done regularly every 3 days. At the age of 14 days, the seeds are transferred to a field that is ripe and ready to be planted.
> Seed Transfer
After germination, seedlings were seeded using plastic bags measuring: 12 cm x (0.2 - 0.3) mm. One bag is planted with one seed (the corner of the bag is cut sufficiently to reduce residual water) and filled with a soil mixture with organic fertilizer composition: 1 part garden soil, 1 part compost/humus, 1 part mature manure. After the seedlings are 12-14 days old and have 2-3 leaves, they are transferred to the planting area that has been processed.
2. Planting Media Processing
> Preparation
If the former garden area, it needs to be cleaned of previous plants that are still growing. If the former rice fields, dried for a few days until the soil is easy to hoe, then examined the pH of the soil.
> Land Clearing
The planted land is turned over to destroy the soil into even lumps. The former stem stump/root tissue of the previous plant is removed from the area, and also all types of rock that are present are removed, so as not to affect the development of watermelon plants to be planted in the area.
> Bed Formation
Watermelon plants need beds so that the water contained in the soil can easily flow out through the drainage channels made. The number of beds depends on the number of rows desired by the grower (the form of double row beds, transverse beds in the planting area). The width of the beds is 7-8 meters, depending on the thickness and height of the beds (minimum bed height is 20 cm).
> Liming
This is done by giving agricultural lime which contains elements of Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg) which neutralize soil acidity and neutralize toxins from metal ions contained in the soil. With Carbonate Lime/Dolomite Lime. The use of lime per 1000 m2 at a soil pH of 4-5 requires 150-200 kg of dolomite, between pH 5-6 it takes 75-150 kg of dolomite and pH >6 requires 50 kg of dolomite.
> Fertilization
The fertilizers used are organic fertilizers and artificial fertilizers. The manure used is manure derived from cattle/buffalo and selected manure that is ripe. Manure is useful to help restore infertile soil conditions, with a dose of 2 kg/bed. The trick, sprinkled around the rows of beds evenly.
3. Planting Technique
> Plant Pattern Determination
Watermelon is an annual plant with a monoculture cropping pattern.
> Plant Hole Making
Planting watermelon seeds in the field, after the nursery is 14 days old and has grown 2-3 leaves. While waiting for the seeds to be large enough, holes are made in the land with a depth of 8-10 cm. Preparation of planting holes is carried out 1 week before the seeds are transferred to land. It is 20-30 cm from the edge of the bed with the distance between the holes about 80-100 cm / depending on the thickness of the bed. The land is covered with plastic mulch, so a tool is needed from used paint cans measuring 1 kg which are given holes adjusted to the soil conditions of the beds with holes.
> Planting Method
After the holes are made, the planting area is watered en masse so that the soil is ready to accept planting the seedlings until it inundates the area around the height of the bed, and is left until the water seeps in. Before planting the seedling stems, soaking is done, so that it is easy to release the seeds using the existing plastic bags.
4. Plant Maintenance
> Thin and Embroidery
Watermelon plants that are 3-5 days old need to be considered, if they grow too thick / dead plants, replant / replace them with new seeds that have been prepared from spare seeds. Thinning is done if the plant is too dense by trimming the leaves and stems that are not needed, because they block the sunlight that helps plant growth.
> Weeding
Watermelon plants only have two fruits, with primary branch arrangements that tend to be many. Maintain 2-3 branches without cutting secondary twigs. Need weeding on branches that are not useful, the ends of the secondary branches are trimmed and 2 leaves are left. Secondary branches that grow on internodes with fruit are cut down because they interfere with fruit growth. Arrangement of the main branch and primary branch so that all the leaves on each branch do not cover each other, so that the distribution of light is evenly distributed, which affects the growth of both the tree/fruit.
> hoarding
Watermelon planting land is filled with soil so that the roots absorb food optimally and do it after a few days of planting.
> fornication
This is done through sorting and taking young shoots that are not useful because they affect the growth of developing watermelon trees/fruits. Perempelan is done to reduce plants that are too dense due to many young shoots that are less useful.
> Fertilization
The application of organic fertilizer before planting will not all be absorbed, then follow-up fertilization is carried out according to the growth phase. In vegetative growth, foliar fertilizer (Tossil D) is needed, during the fruit formation and ripening phases, Topsis B fertilization is needed to improve the quality of the fruit produced. The application of foliar fertilizers is mixed with insecticides and fungicides which are sprayed together on a regular basis.
> Watering
The irrigation system used is the Farrow Irrigation system: water is flowed through channels between the beds, the frequency of giving water in the dry season is 4-6 days with not excessive irrigation volume. If with a well water pump (diesel water) watering is done with the help of a large enough plastic hose so that it is faster. Watermelon plants need water continuously and do not lack water.
> Pesticide Spraying Time
In addition to foliar fertilizers, insecticides and fungicides, there are other drugs, namely ZPZ (plant stimulant); material for leveling and adhesive macro fertilizer (Pm) in liquid form. ZPT dose: 7.5 cc, Agricultural: 7.5 cc and Metallic (Pm): 10 cc for every 17 liters of solvent. The drug mixture was sprayed after the plants were >20 days old in the field. Then every 5 days until the age of 70 days. Spraying is done with a sprayer for areas that are not too large and using a diesel-powered engine if the land area is thousands of hectares. Spraying is carried out in the morning and evening depending on the needs and weather conditions.
> Other Maintenance
Selection of prospective fruit is an important job to obtain good quality (fruit weight is quite large, located between 1.0-1.5 m from plant roots), prospective fruit close to roots are small because the plant is relatively young (size of an egg). chicken in good shape and not deformed). Each plant requires 1-2 fruit candidates, the rest are pruned. Each 2 kg fruit candidate is often turned over to avoid poor coloration due to uneven exposure to sunlight, making the color less attractive and lowering the selling price of the fruit itself.
5. Harvest
> Characteristics and Harvest Age
Harvest age after 70-100 days after planting. Characteristics: after a change in fruit color, and the fruit stems begin to shrink, the fruit can be picked (harvested). The harvest period is influenced by the weather, and the type of seed (hybrid type / triploid type, as well as the type of seed fruit).
> How to Harvest
In picking the fruit to be harvested, it should be done when the weather is sunny and not cloudy so that the fruit is in a dry condition on the surface of the skin, and lasts for storage or in the hands of retailers. It is better if the watermelon is cut along with the stem.
> Harvest Period
Harvesting is done in several periods. If the fruit can be harvested simultaneously, but if not simultaneously, it can be done 2 times. First the ripe fruit is picked, the second all the rest are picked all at once. Third, after the leaves have started to dry because the fruit can no longer grow, the fruit must be picked immediately.
6. Post Harvest
> Collection
Collecting the harvest until it is ready to be marketed, must be endeavored as best as possible so that there is no damage to the fruit, so that it will affect the quality of the fruit and its selling price. Fruit quality is influenced by the right degree of ripeness, because it will affect the quality of taste, aroma and appearance of fruit flesh, with perfect moisture content.
> Sorting
This classification usually depends on monitoring and market demand. Sorting and classifying watermelons are carried out in several classes, including:
- Class A: weight = 4 kg, perfect physical condition, not too ripe.
- Class B: weight = 2-4 kg, perfect physical condition, not too ripe.
- Class C: weight = 2 kg, perfect physical condition, not too ripe.
> Storage
Storage of watermelons at wholesaler level (while waiting for better prices) is carried out as follows:
- Storage at a low temperature of about 4.4 degrees C, and air humidity between 80-85%;
- Storage in a controlled atmosphere (a way of regulating O2 and levels) CO2 levels assuming oxygen or increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, can reduce the process of respiration;
- Indoor storage without temperature control: is long term storage short by giving a base of dry straw 10-15 cm thick with arranged in 4-5 layers and each layer is given dry straw.
> Packaging and Transport
In maintaining the quality of the fruit so that the condition is always good until the final destination, packaging is carried out with the correct and careful packaging process.
- Using standard fruit holder for easy transportation.
- Protect the fruit during transportation from mechanical damage can be avoided.
- Labeled on the container, especially regarding the quality and weight of the fruit.
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