Watermelon Top Gan: description and cultivation technology, characteristics of variety F1

One can talk about the merits of watermelon for a long time, adults and children like the juicy sweet pulp, 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 not suitable for melon growing. In conditions of a not too long summer, the main thing is to choose the right material for planting. Top Gan watermelon combines speed of ripening with excellent taste, which is why it is very popular among gardeners.

Characteristic

Top Gan belongs to early ripening varieties, has time to ripen in 2 months, large fruits, with crispy sugary and surprisingly tasty pulp, slightly elongated shape, rich green color with pronounced stripes, have an average weight of 8 -10 kilograms.

Unpretentious in care and resistant to diseases, especially to Fusarium, has powerful roots that go into the ground per meter, and large leaves, provides excellent yields. Suitable for soil and greenhouse cultivation.

Key Benefits:

• great taste combined with high yield;
• unpretentiousness;
• good safety in transit;
• disease resistance.

The combination of these qualities has made Top Gun in demand among gardeners and farmers who grow watermelons for sale.

In what regions does it grow

On 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 seedlings in greenhouses or under film.A little experience and proper care allow residents of the Moscow region, the Southern Urals and even more northern regions to feast on home-grown watermelons.

The secrets of agricultural technology for a good harvest

Knowing planting and care techniques allows you to fully enjoy the results of your work.

Seed quality

Because Top Gan is a hybrid, there is no point in collecting seeds from it. The sown specimens of the second generation, if they germinate, differ significantly in quality. Therefore, watermelon seeds will have to be bought.

If the manufacturer warns on the package 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 ensure early friendly shoots and plant resistance to diseases. The soil for planting is pre-steamed.

Composition and structure of soil

Top Gun, like any watermelon, prefers neutral to slightly alkaline light soil. The best is a mixture of sand, turf and humus. Such soil does not retain moisture and perfectly passes air. In autumn, the site can be fertilized with manure and dug deep or, after harvesting, plant green manure (peas, winter wheat, lupins). 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 spring, the area for melons is harrowed.

Temperature and light conditions

Seeds or seedlings are planted in soil warmed up to +10 °C. The air temperature must be above +14 °С. For the beds, choose the sunniest and most well-drained area; if seedlings are planted in a greenhouse, daylight hours are increased with additional lighting.Seedlings of watermelons in the open field are covered with a film to protect them from temperature extremes.

Timely watering and fertilization

Watermelons do not respond well to excess moisture. Water melons after drying the topsoil. During flowering and ovary formation, a little more watering is provided, and during the period of active fruit growth, the plants are not watered at all. If the weather is rainy, the plants must be covered with a film, protecting from waterlogging.

After the seedlings have adapted to a permanent place in the open field or in a greenhouse, about 2 weeks after transplantation, the bed is fertilized with a solution of mullein or a complex mineral fertilizer for melons. After the appearance of the ovary, mineral dressing is carried out a second time. S altpeter ensures rapid growth of plants, but its excess significantly impairs the taste of watermelons.

Watermelon cultivation technology

Watermelon Top Gan is quite unpretentious, the sun is needed for the harvest, the absence of high humidity and wind.

In the greenhouse

For plants, you need a decent area and a two-meter height of the greenhouse. 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. In addition, they construct a trellis, to which they will be tied as they grow, this saves space and provides uniform coverage of plants. Grids with ripening fruits are also fixed there. The greenhouse is regularly ventilated.

Important: Don't forget to manually pollinate greenhouse plants!

Ripening striped berries should not touch the ground, watermelons of the lower tier are laid on a substrate (you can use a small bar or plank) and turn regularly.

Plants need systematic weeding and loosening of the soil, with a lack of sun they install additional lighting, because the sugar content of watermelon depends on the amount of heat and light.

Outdoor

In the garden, 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 with the help of folk remedies (potassium permanganate, laundry or tar soap, infusion of onion peel) or industrial preparations.

After the start of intensive growth of watermelons, watering and loosening is stopped - it is very easy to damage the fruits with garden tools. Plants, if necessary, cover with a film from rain and temperature extremes. Do not leave the film for a long time - the condensate accumulated under it will damage the plantings.Watermelons grow well after peas, tomatoes, they are not planted next to plants that love moisture (cucumbers, zucchini, bell peppers).

Watermelons are not planted in the same area more than once every 5-6 years.

A ripened watermelon is distinguished by its dry tail, glossy surface and dull sound when tapped. For long-term (more than a month) storage, they are freely laid out on shelves, not allowed to touch each other, or hung in nets in a dry, cool room.

Top Gun F1 hybrid: description and benefits

F1 on the packaging indicates that the hybrid has received the best qualities of crossed varietal plants. Hybrids are more productive and disease resistant, in addition, they are self-pollinating. The presentation of hybrids and the ability to transport is another plus of such plants, their fruits are more even and beautiful.

Of course, hybrid seeds are more expensive, but yields and other improved characteristics more than pay for the costs. Often people are wary of hybrids, believing that an outwardly beautiful fruit is less tasty - this is not always the case, but the choice is up to the buyer.

Hybrid Top Gan F1 is distinguished by excellent seed germination, large fruits of the correct shape, increased resistance to diseases. It is well transported and stored without problems for 2-3 months.

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