Watermelon Ataman: variety description and cultivation features with photo

Watermelon is one of the brightest and favorite berries of the summer season. Ataman watermelon is popular among gardeners, as it combines productivity, disease resistance and excellent taste.

Characteristics and description of watermelons Ataman and Ataman F1

Watermelon Ataman is one of the modern hybrids of early ripening. The fruits ripen when seeds are directly sown in the soil 55-65 days after germination, and when erected by seedlings, after 40-45 days. The plant is a powerful shrub, characterized by intensive growth force and developed leaf apparatus.

Comfortable conditions contribute to the formation of 4-5 fruits with a weight of 12-16 kg each.Smooth oval-shaped berries are dark green with light stripes. Under the strong springy bark is a granular bright red flesh with a sweet, excellent taste, good texture. The sugar content of the berry is about 7%.

The watermelon variety Ataman F1 is a Dutch hybrid. It takes 55-65 days to mature. The plant forms a powerful bush that can bear up to five ovaries. The fruits are spherical or slightly flattened. The rind is moderately thick. The flesh is juicy and the grains are small.

Sugar accumulation depends on weather conditions and is about 6.5%.

The description of the culture involves the designation of the pros and cons of the watermelon variety Ataman and Ataman F1. The main advantages due to which the plant has earned its place in the garden include:

high yield, which, under favorable conditions, is 215 centners per 1 ha;
excellent taste and technological characteristics;
resistance to such common diseases / as fusarium, anthracosis;
possibility of growing both in greenhouse conditions and in open ground;
good transportability due to the thick and strong skin of the fruit;
preservation of the harvest for a month without loss of taste.

Slight disadvantages are dependence on weather conditions and regular demands for watering.

What is the difference

The variety Ataman retains all the qualities of the plant in the next offspring. You can collect seeds in your garden and boldly plant them next year.Ataman F1 is characterized by a more friendly emergence, leveled plants, high quality and uniformity of fruits and genetic resistance to diseases. But unlike Ataman with Ataman F1, you cannot harvest seeds, as there is a risk of being left without a crop. Therefore, seeds of this variety will need to be bought at the store every year.

Providing conditions for good yields

Watermelons Ataman prefers bright sun during the day, warmth at night and loose sandy soil in the root zone and in the area of the root collar.

Soil composition

Ataman watermelon needs sandy, well aerated soil. In the presence of heavy soil, it is necessary to perform high-quality preparation by deep plowing to increase productivity. Flooded, clayey and poorly heated areas should be avoided.

Moisture and watering

When growing, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for watermelons, among which watering takes the first place. Bushes that are deficient in moisture will develop worse, and excessive watering will provoke rotting of the lashes, and the berries themselves will lose their sugar content. Accordingly, it is required to organize proper watering, which should be carried out under the root and using warm water. In the case of long rainy days, plantings should be covered using a film, as the crop reacts painfully to high humidity.

For 2 weeks before harvesting, you need to stop watering so that the berries can gain the right amount of sugars and the pulp does not become watery.

Feeding

Ataman watermelon is responsive to feeding. Nutrients should be applied when the first true leaves are formed, using fertilizers that have nitrogen and phosphorus in their composition.Then you need to saturate with minerals and organic matter. Feeding schedule needs to be adjusted. Most often, the frequency of application with fertilizer solutions is 14 days.

At the moment of mass flowering, the plant needs compounds based on potassium and phosphorus. It is recommended to finish top dressing at the first sign of berry ripening.

Agrotechnical features of cultivation

Seeds of the Ataman watermelon variety are sown in the ground or seedlings are grown from them, followed by planting with mulching of plantings and shelter through arcs with a synthetic film.

In the greenhouse

The first condition for growing watermelon in a greenhouse is a well-prepared room. In a heated greenhouse, seedlings or seeds can be planted in the last days of February and until mid-March.

The soil should be nutritious, saturated with minerals. Humus with superphosphate will serve as a fertilizer. In advance, you should take care of the presence of a protective film in case of extreme cold.

Having prepared everything you need for growing, you can start the process itself:

Sow the seeds in separate containers with a diameter of 10 cm, after soaking them in warm water with a growth stimulator.
During growth, water, cover with foil and maintain the temperature at 25 °C.
Apply fertilizer on the 10th day after sowing, using complex mineral formulations.
At the end of May, transplant the seedlings into well-heated soil, keeping a distance of 50-70 cm, and keep the temperature in the greenhouse from 20 to 25 °C, and the humidity is not higher than 60%.

Further care comes down to airing and watering, as well as maintaining the temperature in the greenhouse at 20-25 ° C and humidity - 60%.

Outdoor

Before planting the Ataman watermelon, you need to choose the right area, which should be spacious and well-lit by the sun.Planting in a seedless way at the first stage includes loosening and fertilizing the soil on the site. Also, the seed material must be moistened in warm water, and then sown in grooves 4-7 cm deep.

The distance between planted units should be from 0.7 to 2 meters, and between rows - 1.5 meters.

Seedling method of growing requires the following actions:

Take separate containers measuring 10 cm in diameter and 12 cm in height and fill them with soil containing peat and humus in equal proportions.
Place two seeds in each container to a depth of 3 cm. When the seedlings are formed, the weak must be removed.
Grow the plant at 20-25 C during the day and 18-20 C at night for 3 weeks. Also provide the necessary amount of light, regularly ventilate and protect from drafts.
When warm weather sets in, transplant seedlings into open soil, sheltering them from the wind, watering and feeding.

After planting, you need to surround the plants with care: water, fertilize, loosen the soil, removing weeds, and also protect against diseases and pests.

Diseases and pests. Ways to deal with them

Watermelon Ataman is not immune from the appearance of diseases and pests. The culture is prone to fungal and bacterial diseases. Especially this situation worsens in the rainy period, with a decrease in temperature indicators. The fungus affects the greenery of bushes, roots and fruits. Anthracosis, powdery mildew, root rot, bacterial spot, Fusarium wilt are considered dangerous for watermelon.

Insects such as wireworms, spider mites, melon aphids, thrips also pose a threat to crops. They ruthlessly destroy culture, feeding on roots, foliage, and many of them are not averse to eating fruits.

To protect a crop from diseases and pests, the main thing is not only to create and maintain an optimal microclimate and a minimal infectious environment. This requires:

destroy weeds in the area, remove plant debris;
alternate crops;
regularly inspect the bushes for signs of diseases and pests, and in case of a problem, promptly take appropriate measures by treating with specially designed preparations, observing the dosage recommended by the manufacturer when preparing protective equipment.

Harvest

The signal for harvesting the Ataman watermelon variety will be external indicators that indicate maturity:

discoloration or waxy coating on the skin;
deep yellow soil stain;
resonating when tapped, although this is not always considered an indicator that the watermelon has reached its maximum flavor;
dry tendril at the stem.

Harvesting must be done with extreme care to avoid beating and breaking the skin. It is better to cut the fruits from the stem, and not to tear off and unscrew. During the tearing process, there is a risk of bacteria getting into the watermelon, which can cause the pulp to rot.

Ataman watermelon should be used within 2-3 weeks after picking, as the flesh will lose its crunchiness. You need to store in a room with an optimal temperature of 10-15 ° C and at a relative humidity of 85-90%.

Conclusion

The key to successful cultivation of Ataman watermelon is sunny warm weather, when pollination and the development of sugary juicy fruits are actively taking place. To get high-quality products, you need to make some efforts, as well as take into account some of the features of this culture. The main thing is to provide the plant with favorable conditions and enjoy the exquisite taste of he althy and sweet berries.