Watermelon is a berry that is usually sweet and round. But it can also be strange, unusual for a person. Not long ago, the world became interested in its cubic shape. How is this possible and is it possible to grow a cube berry yourself?
Cubic watermelon- a creation from Japan, which became known more than 30 years ago. This exclusive will cost more than the usual berries. Its main advantages:
It is possible to give a cubic shape to any type of berry. The main thing is to choose the option that is most suitable for your climate and soil. For example, varieties with short term maturation:“Sugar Baby”, “Spark”, “Gift to the North”, etc. At a certain stage, the berry is placed in a transparent box without being removed from the tops.
The process of growing a watermelon cube is no different from the usual one. The only thing you need is to place it in a special box at a certain stage of ripening. You can make a cube yourself at home.
Did you know? The largest watermelon in the world weighing 120 kg was grown in the USA in Arkansas.
To make a box, you will need:
Also, don't forget what you need to have to make a box electric jigsaw, a drill or a hole saw, a screwdriver and, of course, a feather drill (d=0.25 cm).
From a sheet of available material, for example, plexiglass, 6 blanks are cut out: one measuring 25 × 25 cm; the rest are a little more. Consider the fact that the diagonal box should be wider than the diagonal of the berry variety that you plan to grow.
On the top cover (on at this stage- workpiece) drill a hole with a diameter of 2.5 cm. To the edge of the lid from this hole you need to cut a rectangle (strip) 2 cm wide. This is done to preserve the integrity of the ovary. 2 door hinges are attached to the lid and side wall.
Important! The lid should cover the ends of the side walls.
Next, you can begin assembling the side walls and adjusting them to the size of the lid. The blanks are connected with self-tapping screws, the head of which protrudes. If necessary, the joints of the box are reinforced with metal corners.
Two door hinges, which remained, are necessary to make the bottom of the box opening, that is, the second door. This is done in order to simplify the process of removing the watermelon from it. Install latches on the top and bottom doors. Make several small holes in the corners of the box to provide ventilation.
If you have decided on the variety and made a box according to the size of the future watermelon, then you can try to grow a cubic berry. H For an attempt to be successful, it needs to create certain conditions.
Choose a sunny location on the south side of the nearest building for less shadow. It is also better to place the beds at a slope to the south so that the soil is evenly and deeply heated.
Seedlings are placed in open ground at the end of May, at a time when the risk of sudden frost (or cold snap) is minimized. The climate should be warm, moderately dry, and the weather should be sunny.
Melons love structured soil, which is rich in micronutrients. It shouldn't be sour. If this is not the case, then wood ash or lime should be added to the soil. In loose light soil During digging, river sand is added.
Planting berries can be done in several ways: seedlings or directly into open ground.
The seedling method involves planting seeds in peat cups and only after their germination, move the plants into open ground. It is used if climatic conditions in a given area do not allow growing melon culture straight to open ground. For example, in Siberia or other cold regions.
To get quality planting material(seedlings), it is necessary to inoculate previously soaked in a stimulant solution(for 3 days) and refrigerated (for 2 days) seeds in March. They are sown in peat cups with fertile soil and covered with film. For seed germination, certain climatic conditions must be provided:
Ready seedlings are placed in open ground at the end of May or beginning of June, when they already have at least 5 leaves. If you live in the northern region, plant it in high beds.
For the first 14 days after transplanting the seedlings into the soil outside, they need to be cared for in the same way as other melon crops: protected from the cold at night, watered with warm water and covered during cold snaps. As soon as the plant blooms and ovaries form, you should be more attentive to it.
Once the watermelon reaches the size of an apple, you can place it in the box you made. Then all that remains is to properly care for it: watering in moderation and caring for the soil.
Upon reaching maximum size(according to box parameters) The berry will begin to take on the shape of the container in which it is placed. The ripening period after planting in open ground- about 95 days. After the specified time, you can disassemble the box and carefully remove the watermelon from there.
Important! Do not plant watermelons in a place where other melons and melons have previously grown because of the risk of larvae or fungi inhabiting the soil that infect such plants.
In open ground, the berries are planted in a greenhouse 1.7 m high, in which only melons and melons are grown. Recommended humidity is less than 60%. Temperature - no higher than +30 °C.
Under such conditions, seeds of the selected variety of watermelon are sown in the soil. Don’t forget to water the plant and ventilate the greenhouse. As soon as the berry reaches 10 cm in diameter, it can be placed in a box. Water the crop generously.
If you did everything correctly, including guessing the box parameters, after 100 days the exclusive product can be served. You can determine readiness by the dried tail, dull bark and yellowish lower part of the watermelon. At this point, you can carefully remove the berry from the box.
Caring for watermelon is easy. In addition to placing and removing the berries from the box, it, like a regular one, needs to be watered, fertilized and loosened the soil.
After planting, the seedlings are immediately covered with film/agrofibre. The soil should be periodically loosened and ventilated, opening the film slightly, as well as thinning out thickened crops.
To ensure that moisture is well retained in the soil, the holes are mulched with straw (layer thickness - 10 cm). Don't forget about fertilizing and watering.
Watering must be done once every 7 days, if the climate is too hot - 1 time every 3 days. Use only warm water. Do not overwater the plants.
For experimental gardeners, there are many different “samples” that can be planted, but not all are acclimatized in Russia and can grow in the temperate climate zone. It is necessary to pay attention to the timing of ripening so that plants are planted at an average daily soil temperature above +12 degrees, otherwise the melon will sit in the ground and never come out of it. You should not give preference to plants whose ripening period exceeds 50 days after fertilization - there is a risk that they will not have time to ripen. Let's consider the most suitable options for our conditions.
These varieties of watermelons can be grown in the countryside and do not require special care. They are not very picky about their living conditions and are not subject to severe attacks by pests. Their main advantage is their excellent decorative appearance and unusual taste, which is what every lover of exotic plants needs.
Do you think you know everything or a lot about these plants? In fact, this berry is one of the most unusual in the world and can surprise everyone. Its size can range from a few millimeters to a meter in length or more, it grows on all continents and can take on a wide variety of forms.
The largest watermelon in the world was grown in Holland in 2007, then the weight of this wonderful fruit reached 145 kilograms! He was almost 35 kg heavier than the previous American record holder, who weighed 110.5 kg! Surprisingly, apart from the usual organic fertilizer, no growth stimulants, modifiers or other chemicals were used; it was edible, tasty, and healthy for humans. But if you want to try a truly sweet watermelon, the world's largest fruit won't please you.
For those with a sweet tooth, Korean breeders bred a special dwarf watermelon, which weighs only 50 grams. It contains more than 60% sugars, so it is almost impossible to eat it without a “snack”. This is the only melon that is eaten mainly with tea instead of sweets. It will be very expensive to own such a plant, since fans of the art of banzai sell it at the price of an elite bonsai and only wealthy gardeners can afford such fruits. The surprising thing is that this is a variety, not a hybrid, and is grown with ordinary seeds.
The smallest fruits are poisonous. The Vietnamese are the biggest fans of this berry; they simply cannot imagine the holidays without it. But love for this berry did not develop immediately. They were originally a method for killing. The local population collected dwarf fruits in the forest, more precisely, Hanu berries, which belong to this family. The weight of one fruit is 8-10 grams, and their venom is much stronger than that of the African cobra. This berry was recognized as the most poisonous on the continent.
We planted a good variety of watermelons, watered the plant abundantly, but it did not produce even half of what was written on the seed label. Did this happen often? Perhaps you did something wrong or don't know some tricks for growing watermelons? Now let's look at some advice from professionals who collect excellent harvests without much effort.
In August, the time comes for ripe and juicy watermelons. The pulp of the fruit contains a large amount of nutritional vitamins and microelements. Regular consumption of fruits will allow you to cleanse the body and, at the same time, lose weight. excess weight. Traditionally, everyone is accustomed to the fact that the berry has a round or oval shape. But more and more often in the markets you can see square watermelon.
Everyone is accustomed to the fact that watermelon is a round berry or, in extreme cases, oval. But in the last few years, you can see cubic watermelons on the market. According to the characteristics, this is the same berry, only of a different shape. There are no differences between cubic and round berries, except for the shape.
Square watermelons have been around for several years. For the first time, the Japanese managed to give the fruit a square shape. The advantages of such berries are that in this form the fruits are easier to transport. They occupy less space during transportation. This is the only advantage of square watermelons compared to round ones.
Growing watermelons in open ground is not difficult. The only limitation is that this crop does not grow in every climate. More precisely, berries can only be grown in the southern regions, where summers are hot and long. Even in the central parts it will not be possible to grow large fruits.
One of the most expensive watermelons is the Densuke variety. This berry is distinguished by an unusual dark green tint of the peel, which appears black from a distance. Before planting watermelons, you need to choose the right variety.
If the variety has to be grown in the central regions, then preference should be given to zoned varieties. These seeds are adapted to climatic conditions and give a good harvest.
In the southern regions, any varieties are grown. Early varieties Watermelons have watery flesh. They don't taste very sweet. There are only sugar late varieties berries. In the south, seeds are immediately planted in open ground. In other regions, they first grow seedlings at home and then transplant them to a permanent place.
Since square watermelons are no different from regular ones, they are grown in the same way. Special attention devoted to sowing seeds. First, the seeds are germinated.
In a saucer you need to dilute a weak solution of potassium permanganate and transfer the seeds there. Place the saucer in a plastic bag, fill it with some air and tie it. After a few days, shoots begin to appear. After this, the seeds are planted.
Each seed is placed in a separate container. To prepare the soil you need to take:
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and pour into glasses. Plant the seeds. The first shoots appear after a few weeks. Planting melons in open ground is carried out after the street has established warm weather, and there will be no frost at night.
After planting in open ground and during the period of active growth, melons and melons require a large amount of liquid. Preferred view watering - rain, that is, using a hose. They also install an automatic sprinkler and turn it on for 3-4 hours in the evenings. Watering should be done only in the evening.
The amount of watering is reduced after the flowering period. Then they switch to drip irrigation.
Fertilizers are applied at the root of watermelons. One bush requires 300-500 milliliters of fertilizing. Afterwards the soil is watered with warm water. From organic fertilizers use mullein and chicken droppings. As for mineral ones, you need to use complex ones, which contain all the necessary elements.
Mixtures prepared according to traditional methods. For example, yeast-based feeding is considered the most effective. To prepare yeast-based fertilizer, you need to take 3 liters of water, 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar and a package of yeast. Mix all ingredients and leave to ferment for 3-5 days. Before watering, dilute 200 milliliters of fertilizer with 1 liter of water and water the plants at the roots. Such fertilizing promotes the growth of bushes and abundant formation of ovaries.
You can grow a square watermelon only in the southern regions, where summer comes early and ends late, and the whole season stands hot weather. The technology for growing a square watermelon is quite simple, and such fruits can be obtained even at home. Those summer residents who live in the south can experiment and grow square fruits.
Preparing a mold for a watermelon at home is not difficult. The main thing is to have it on hand necessary materials. This is the only difficulty that summer residents face in the process of growing a square fruit.
In order to make a structure for forming berries, you will need the following devices and materials:
Once all the materials have been prepared, you can begin assembling the form.
Making a square shape for a watermelon with your own hands:
The main thing that plastic box was strong enough and able to withstand the pressure of a watermelon growing inside. Fruits should be placed in prepared boxes after they reach the size of an apple.
There are several ways to determine the ripeness of a watermelon:
After the melon crop has been harvested, the berries must be properly stored so that they remain intact longer. They should be stored in a dark room where open Sun rays. For long-term storage Only late varieties of melons are suitable.
Such fruits are cut with a sharp knife or pruning shears. In this case, the stalk must be left at least 5 centimeters long.
The harvested crop is placed on a thin layer of straw. Only healthy fruits without mechanical damage are suitable for long-term storage. If there are cracks in the peel, then the fruit will not be stored for a long time.
Square berries are often kept in earthen trenches. The recess is covered with straw or hay, then the crop is laid out. After this, they are covered with straw again and covered with soil on top.
" Watermelon
Summer season People associate it with fresh vegetables and berries. But experienced gardeners and summer residents were interested in tests conducted in Japan more than 20 years ago. These figures brought out watermelons interesting shape– square. And this is not only decoration, but a completely edible berry that brings in considerable income. We’ll talk about how to make and grow such fruits in this article.
For the first time, the mystery of Japanese farmers was unraveled by Oktyabrina Ganichkina, who had the status of a candidate of agricultural sciences and the author of books on gardening and horticulture. She believes that the Japanese tried to solve transportation problems, but the results obtained exceeded all results and wealthy citizens became interested in the square berry.
The first experiments began to be carried out in the city of Centxu. Farmers placed watermelon buds in individual square containers, and the berries took their shape.
It turned out that such a product is easier to stack, store and transport, as well as transport in large volumes. And the high demand for the product inspired farmers to make further discoveries. And soon the light saw square melons and tomatoes.
All farmers and industrialists immediately appreciated the value of the discovery.
Firstly, this is convenience and economy of transportation, as well as storage. Secondly, this fruit is convenient to place on a plate and cut into standard, neat pieces.
Thirdly, prices are significantly higher than for standard round or oval watermelons. Therefore, the secrets of growing such watermelons began to leak out and spread throughout the world.
The internal contents of a watermelon are no different from the standard shaped mouth of berries. True, they may be inferior in taste standards. But such berries have a number of distinctive features:
But the transformation affected only the external forms of the berry and did not affect the taste characteristics. For inexperienced farmers, the berries ripen unevenly or do not have time to ripen, therefore, in terms of sweetness and richness of taste, they are inferior to their oval counterparts.
And also, each striped berry needs to be observed and cared for daily so as not to spoil appearance and commercial attractiveness.
These two factors can be safely attributed to the disadvantages, which prevent the process of large-scale production from starting and displacing watermelons of the usual shape.
Cultivation will give positive results only in southern regions with a stable warm climate. To implement the plan, you will need to choose the right variety of watermelon. It is better to give preference to hybrids with a short growing season.
All activities should be divided into stages.
Watermelon seeds will sprout within a week and a half after placing them in a comfortable environment. To increase germination seed material, it is recommended to place it in water heated to 50 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Until seedlings emerge, seedling containers should be kept at room temperature, and with the emergence of seedlings, move to a cooler place where the air temperature will not exceed 17 degrees.
The appearance of the fifth full-fledged leaf serves as a signal for transplanting seedlings into open ground.
To make molds, you need a number of materials and tools.
When all the tools and materials are prepared, you can begin the process of assembling the watermelon mold.
The finished form is reliable and durable and is able to withstand the pressure of the growing berry, forcing it to take the desired shape.
Watermelons should be picked from the vine at the first stage of removable ripeness., because fully ripened berries are not intended for long-term storage. Unripe fruits will also not be stored, because they cannot ripen after harvesting.
You can determine the degree of ripeness of watermelons by pink color pulp and dark color of seeds. N There are several ways to determine the ripeness of watermelons “on the vine”:
Late-ripening watermelons with thick skin and genetic resistance to damage are suitable for long-term storage. Such fruits are removed from the vine using pruning shears or a knife, leaving a stalk at least 5 cm long.
Only healthy watermelons, without mechanical damage, are stored. Fruits should be placed on racks with soft straw bedding. During storage, you need to regularly inspect watermelons and remove spoiled ones.
Square watermelons can also be stored in earthen trenches. In this case, each layer must be covered with straw or shavings, and a layer of soil at least 35 cm thick must be poured on top.
With any method of storage, watermelons should not be overcooled - this will lead to spoilage of the pulp, loss of taste and spoilage of the fruit.
Growing square watermelons with your own hands is a troublesome, but profitable task. How much does one berry cost? The cost of one fruit on the market often reaches twenty thousand rubles. But not all stores in Russia are ready to sell these products. After all, they are significantly inferior in taste to standard berries and are best used as an entourage for holidays and celebrations.
Ornamental crops often coexist with edible beauty, allowing for maximum diversification of landscape design and the creation of unique compositions. The edible exotic presented in this article is a relatively new crop that combines an attractive appearance and excellent taste. The square watermelon first appeared many years ago as a result of the experiments of an ordinary breeder. The gardener simply placed the ovaries of the berries when they were being formed into plastic square containers. As it grew and developed, the cubic watermelon took on the necessary shape. Subsequently Plastic container was harvested, and the berry continued to delight the eye with its unusual shape until it was fully ripe. Students from Japan were impressed by the idea. And as a result of many years of research and experimentation, a special variety “Kaku-Melo” was developed. Currently, this is the only variety that does not require unnecessary movements and tricks with plastic containers in order to get square berries. You can see cube watermelons in the photo below, and also learn about how to grow them with your own hands. personal plot in any region of the country: 
The growing process begins with choosing a variety. It is selected taking into account the characteristics of the climate zone. Currently, there are varieties that are resistant to unfavorable climatic conditions - they are suitable for cultivation in open ground even in Siberia and the Urals. These are “Creamstar”, “Suga baby”, “Pink champagne”, “Ogonyok” and many others. 
Practiced exclusively seedling method cultivation. Otherwise you won't even get minimum harvest there is no chance left. Sowing of seedlings takes place in early March. The seeds are pre-soaked for 2-3 days in nutrient solution with the addition of growth stimulants. After soaking, the seeds are placed in the refrigerator on the top shelf for 48 hours. This is the stratification stage. Sowing is carried out in well-structured soil with a high content of organic matter. About half the volume of soil is occupied by humus or compost. Sand and turf (deciduous) soil are added to it in equal proportions. The soil reaction should be neutral; if the reaction is acidic, the addition of lime or wood ash is required. The soil is calcined in the oven for 3 hours. Then pour boiling water with the addition of potassium permanganate. After cooling, you can spread it out peat pots and plant 2 seeds in each to a depth of 1 cm. There are certain sowing tricks: 
Growing a decorative square watermelon in open ground is possible after the threat of return frosts has completely passed. Sometimes temporary film shelters are used. The timing of planting seedlings in the ground usually occurs at the end of May or beginning of June. At this time, the seedlings are already blooming and require preliminary hardening. For this purpose, they are taken out into the open air every day for 2-3 hours. 
In open ground it is necessary to create favorable conditions for development. The crop should be planted only on a previously prepared bed with biofuel. Usually this is removed upper layer soil (about 30 cm or the bayonet of a shovel). Then old hay, straw, dry branches, cardboard, paper, and cotton rags are placed in the trench. Fresh grass is added to the biofuel in a layer of up to 10 cm. Everything is covered with soil. You need to pour boiling water over the garden bed and cover it with tarpaulin for 7 days. All this will start the process of “burning” biofuel, which produces a huge amount carbon dioxide, stimulating the growth of decorative cubic watermelon in open ground. Abundant watering is required, but it can only be done in the first half of the day. Evening watering leads to overcooling of the root system at night. This significantly inhibits the growth of melon crops. Feeding with liquid mullein and mineral complexes - once a week. The soil surface should be regularly mulched with fresh green grass or rotted sawdust. This creates favorable conditions for the functioning of the root system. The use of decorative square watermelon in landscape design has no limits. This could be a composition rustic style, or maybe an emphasis on unusual shape berries. Look at the photo for some ideas for using square watermelons in the design of a site - combine the benefits with aesthetic pleasure: 
.jpg)
