Watermelon "Sugar Baby": description of the variety and cultivation in the open field with a photo

Watermelon is a favorite berry of many people in our country, but the most popular variety, "Sugar Baby", is distinguished not only by its excellent taste and ease of care, but also by the ability to produce crops even in the cold regions of Russia. After reading the material, not only professional gardeners, but also ordinary amateurs, using the advice, will be able to easily grow sweet melons in their beds in a short time.

Description and characteristics

Few people know, but watermelon has a considerable amount of useful vitamins and minerals, such as:

1. Vitamins A, B, C.
2. Fiber.
3. Magnesium and phosphorus.
4. Potassium and iron.
5. Pectin.

Variety "Sweet Baby" is characterized by rapid maturation, after the appearance of the first shoots, after 70-90 days you can harvest. The berries do not differ in large weight, on average, about 6-8 kilograms. Ripe fruits have a dark green color, with pronounced stripes on the peel.

When you cut a watermelon, the core of the scarlet color, usually coarse-grained, sugary and quite juicy, is revealed to the eye.

Of the advantages of this variety can be distinguished:

1. Disease resistance.
2. Keeps well for long-term transportation.
3. Unpretentious care and high yields even in the coldest regions.

Features of growing in different regions

Shuga baby variety is planted not only in open areas of the post office, but also under the greenhouse canopy. Watermelon produces good yields mainly in well-drained, light and fertile soil, with sufficient sunlight.

Experienced gardeners know the peculiarities of sowing to get high-quality shoots from seeds, as well as a rich harvest:

1. In order for the seeds of the berry to germinate well, it is recommended to soak them in warm water of 45-65 degrees. Leave them there until the liquid has completely cooled, and then sow seedlings.
2. Sprouted seeds are planted in an open area of soil no earlier than 30 days later.
3. During the preparation of the soil for planting sprouts, it should be noted that the holes need to be dug at a distance of 2-2.5 meters from each other, since the length of the vine of this variety of gourds is quite large.
4. It is advisable to feed the soil before planting seedlings - pour ash, humus and sand into the hole.
5. Sprouted seeds are planted in warm soil, therefore, after fertilizing the holes, the soil is covered with a warm film.
6. In areas where the climate is quite warm, sowing can begin in the last weeks of April, early May. When the soil at a depth of 5-10 centimeters warms up to a temperature of 10-13 degrees.
7. Those who live mostly in dry regions plant seeds no more than 4-5 centimeters deep.

Optimal growing conditions in Siberia

A distinctive feature of the cold regions of Russia is a short summer period. In such climatic conditions, melons need to be grown quickly, so early-ripening varieties are selected. And the sowing method is only seedlings. After the grown seedlings have grown stronger, you can start planting on open areas of the soil.

Soil

"Sugar Baby" grows well in light soil, which is dominated by sand. Since the roots of the plant are thin and have many branches, well-drained soil is suitable. Watermelons are very fond of sunlight, in order to get a good harvest of sweet berries, you need to choose the sunniest place for planting. A favorable condition for a good harvest will be the soil on which black radish was grown the previous year.

Attention! You should not plant seedlings of small watermelons next to cucumbers, zucchini or pumpkins. Since in the process of growth these cultures will interfere with each other. The soil prepared for planting germinated seeds should warm up to at least 15 degrees Celsius. Given the cold climate of Siberia, "Shuga baby" is planted closer to mid-May.

Irrigation

You don't need to water the melon often, the berries do not like abundant moisture.It is good to fill seedlings once or twice a week will be enough. So that the roots of the watermelon do not freeze and rot, watering is carried out with warm water. It is recommended to carry out this procedure in the late afternoon, as active solar activity can burn the delicate leaves of the plant.

It is recommended to moisten the stems and leaves of the "Sugar Baby" during the flowering period and during the formation of the ovaries. Once the fruits begin to ripen, excess moisture will cause the berries to burst from an excess of water.

Fertilizers and top dressing

Top dressing for watermelons, in cold regions, is given once or twice a season: first in June, and then a month later. Gardeners recommend fertilizing with weed infusion or purchasing any mixture for gourds in a garden store.

How to grow Suga baby watermelon

The Sugar Baby watermelon variety is quite unpretentious in care and resistant to diseases and pests. Depending on the region and climatic conditions, gardeners grow berries not only in the open field, but also in a greenhouse. More about the differences in the care of melons in different conditions.

In the greenhouse

Growing sweet berries in a greenhouse differs only in that the fruits are tied to a trellis. All shrubs of the plant are formed in one lash. During flowering it is required to open door windows to attract insects for pollination. To draw the attention of bees, honey plants can be sown next to melon bushes.

When watermelon ovaries appear on each bush, and they grow to the size of a tennis ball, each berry must be placed in a net and tied to a trellis.

Outdoor

You can grow sweet watermelon outdoors by sowing seeds or seedlings, it all depends on the climate.After planting, it is not recommended to trample the soil unnecessarily and touch the sprouts. In conditions of elevated temperatures, water abundantly, but no more than 2 times a week. As soon as the fruits reach the size of an apple, you need to start forming whips.

To do this, pinch the lash, leaving 5-6 leaves above each ovary. In cold regions, 4 to 7 berries are left on one watermelon bush, all other flowers are removed. The fewer ovaries on the bush, the heavier and tastier the crop will grow.

Important! Considering the cold in Siberia, many watermelons will not grow anyway, so do not spare the extra set of fruits and leave them to ripen.

Rules for harvesting and storing crops

Toward the end of the warm summer months, preparations for harvesting begin, from time to time it is worth looking closely at the berry tails. When the tail is completely dry, the watermelon is ripe. To finally make sure that the crop is ripe, the fruits are not strongly squeezed with both hands.If a rattle is clearly audible, there is no doubt about the maturity of the watermelon. Harvesting should not be delayed, as an overripe berry may even ferment.

Attention! Most gardeners recommend cutting ripe fruits early in the morning, so their shelf life will be longer.

The stalks are cut with secateurs, after which the ripe berries are placed in a room with an air temperature of no more than 15 degrees Celsius. Ripe watermelons of the Shuga baby variety can be stored for up to 2 months. As long as they are kept cool and dark.

Recommended