Is it possible to grow a square watermelon. How to grow a square watermelon. The latest tips from the section "House and cottage"

Watermelon is considered the most favorite delicacy of adults and children. We are looking forward to the middle of summer to enjoy the sugar pulp as soon as possible. In the view of many, this is a large and round berry, but Japanese breeders surprised the whole world by releasing square watermelons. Today we will tell you how they are grown and what is used for this.

Differences

People who see a square watermelon for the first time experience great surprise. Indeed, for our eyes, the spectacle is quite outlandish, but not new. The very first instance of a square berry was grown 30 years ago on a Japanese island. Within the territory of Russian Federation such a watermelon has gained popularity in the form of decor or original gift. Let's take a look at what the differences are:

to begin with, it is worth mentioning the form;
round watermelon is grown in open field, and square copies in special forms;
the outlandish berry requires delicate care.

This is where all the differences end. As for the taste, it is the same in both cases. A square watermelon has the same red and sugary flesh. So you don't have to worry about taste.

Where are they grown?

Square watermelons are popular in Japan. Here they are grown. Only one Japanese company is engaged in such an interesting business. Since the cultivation of such a crop is a delicate matter, their yield is no more than 400 pieces per year. If the season is less successful, then you can count on 200 berries. The Japanese company accepts orders for the cultivation and supply of square watermelons in advance. Probably, many are interested in how they get such exotic berry. Let's consider this question in more detail.

Growing principle

Unlike ordinary watermelon, the square representative is forcibly grown. If an ordinary round gourd can grow independently in open ground, then with a rare species everything is much more difficult. For this, the ovary is placed in special form which can be made of plastic or glass. For the entire period of growth, the plant is trying in every possible way to grow a fruit of a normal habitual form, but Japanese scientists carefully monitor this and remove round fruits. Thus, they are forced to take their square form. In Russia, no one yet grows square watermelons for mass consumption. But still, some gardeners are trying to repeat the experience of Japanese breeders and reproduce such a berry in their dachas.

We grow ourselves

Many people wonder how to grow a square watermelon. We will tell you about all the subtleties. For growing berries original form you will need:

seeds;
the form.

First of all, it is worth studying the last point. If you want to surprise your family and neighbors with such a harvest, we will help you with this.

Training

To start growing, you need to carefully consider the form. To make it, you need to prepare the following materials:

Polycarbonate. Any color will do. The main thing is that the width is at least 8 mm.
Gate hinges. Need details small size, which will carefully fasten all sides of our future form.
Screws. They must be at least 25 mm and not more than 40 mm in size.
Steel or aluminum corner. It is enough to purchase 90 cm.
Nuts, washers, flat head screws.

For the convenience of making a mold, prepare the following tools from the list:

drill;
jigsaw (if you don’t have such a tool, you can replace it with a hacksaw);
crosshead screwdriver;
ruler;
ring saw.

When you have prepared everything, you can proceed.

Master Class

Consider how the shapes for square watermelons are made:

All polycarbonate must be cut into pieces equal to each other.
We take the first sheet and cut a hole in it with a size of 25 mm. For convenience, you can use a hole saw. By using hand saw or a jigsaw, you need to make two parallel cuts from a round hole.
It is necessary to take the second piece of polycarbonate and connect it to the first part. In this case, it is necessary that the end face overlaps. Connect using gate hinges.
Based on the dimensions of the two connected parts, it is necessary to prepare another pair of sides that will serve as inserts.
They must be inserted inside the box and trimmed to size.
Fasten with screws. For more robust design it is recommended to screw two pieces into each end.
Now you need to install the bottom of our entire structure and secure it, also using hinges.

So our form is ready, in which you can grow square watermelons.

Landing

To date, there are more than 1000 varieties of watermelons and each of them can be square. Berries that are grown at home have the following characteristics:

precocity;
the size;
taste qualities;
the color of the rind and pulp.

Such watermelons can be grown in an average of 2.5 months. If you want to grow them outdoors, then best time when there is no threat of frost. At home, this can be done throughout the year. Just remember one condition - the temperature must be maintained at about 27-28 degrees. Before planting watermelons, seeds must be germinated in peat or flower soil. After that, you can transfer the seedlings to the holes and wait. But not everyone can determine when to harvest.

looking for ripe

Square watermelons have the same ripeness characteristics as round ones:

the stalk becomes dry;
the crust begins to fade and is difficult to pierce with a finger;
the part of the skin that lies on the ground begins to turn white.

If you prefer to choose a watermelon for a "deaf" sound, then you should abandon this method of verification. Basically, this indicates that the fruit is overripe.

Where to buy and how much?

If you want to buy a square watermelon, the price will surprise you. For one fruit, the cost increases to 20 thousand rubles and even more. There are only a couple of stores that provide such watermelons for purchase. Accordingly, not everyone can afford such an expensive purchase. The price includes the following:

uniqueness of copies;
transportation from Japan;
customs duties;
breeding services.

Based on the foregoing, one thing can be said that there is no difference between taste and color. Accordingly, it is up to you to buy a ready-made fruit or grow it yourself. And as they say, if there is no difference, why pay more.

Watermelons are familiar to everyone since childhood. Every child, and even an adult, will tell you that a watermelon is round. green fruit, well, or a berry, with red juicy pulp. It turned out that everything is not so simple, and if you suddenly see a square miracle on the counter of the nearest supermarket, which in other respects looks like a watermelon, do not rush to sound the alarm, everything is in order with you.

How to grow a square watermelon, one inquisitive breeder came up with many years ago.

The whole secret of growing is that watermelon ovaries simply fit into square containers, after which, as the fruit grows, it takes the desired shape. The idea of such cultivation inspired Japanese students who started researching and experimenting. After many years of effort, the efforts were crowned with success, and a special variety of cubic fruits was developed. Cubic-shaped watermelons pleased the owners of fruit shops, they neatly and compactly fit into shop windows, which cannot be said about their round counterparts.

In addition to square watermelons, entertainer breeders tried to grow tomatoes of a similar shape. But they were not in demand. Such an experiment with cucumbers was especially successful, they lend themselves well to changing shape, thanks to which they grew square-shaped cucumbers, and even in the shape of hearts.

How to grow a cubic fruit yourself?

It is advised to grow cubic watermelons in the southern regions that are most suitable for this plant in terms of climatic indicators. If you decide to grow such a fruit yourself, then the first thing to do is to decide on the plant variety. Now there are varieties climate-adapted to colder areas, but, nevertheless, watermelons in middle lane seldom have time to grow large enough to give the opportunity to form themselves into a cubic form.

Once the plant variety has been selected, the next step is to plant the seedlings. This must be done in early May, otherwise the fruit will not have time to grow and there will be practically no chance of getting a decent harvest.

Tip: before sowing, it is better to soak the seeds for a couple of days in a solution of growth stimulants, and then place them in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Sowing seedlings

Seeds should be sown in structured soil with high content micronutrients. The soil should not be acidic, otherwise add wood ash or notice.

At the fruit sprouts root system very fragile. Therefore, she does not tolerate transplants and other manipulations. To avoid this, the seeds are planted in peat cups only half filled with soil. As the plant grows, the earth is poured and gradually fills the entire cup. Usually two seeds are sown in one container, if both seedlings have grown, one of them is removed.

To maintain the required humidity, the pots are covered with a film, or placed in a bag and placed in a warm place. A week later, the first shoots appear, and begins active growth plants.

Landing in open ground

Approximately twenty days after sowing the seedlings, it is time to transplant them into open ground. Usually this is the end of May, and the likelihood of a sudden cold snap disappears. If your climatic conditions still favor such phenomena, it is worth planting fruits in a greenhouse or under a shelter.

Before planting, the place is carefully loosened and fertilizers are added. Not suitable for watering a freshly planted plant cold water, this should be taken care of in advance. It is also imperative to provide the plant with abundant watering, this should be done in the morning, because the evening procedure will lead to hypothermia of the roots at night. It is also necessary to create flooring from fresh grass or sawdust, this favorably affects the root system.

Formation of cubic fruits

Most of the path has been passed, the seedlings have been planted in open ground, have grown abundantly, bloomed, and the embryos of future square watermelons have formed.

When the fruits have grown to the size of an average apple, they must be placed in an eraser container of the desired shape. It should be noted that square shape far from the limit. You can give your plant any shape you like.

After the ovary is placed in the container, the watermelon should continue to be watered abundantly to ensure the active growth of the fetus. The plant must be carefully monitored. This fruit loves abundance sun rays and moisture, during the threat of a cold snap, it should be covered with a greenhouse film. So it is necessary that the container fits well in size, otherwise the watermelon outgrowing the limiter will either break it or burst itself.

How to choose a container

The container in which the fruit is placed must be made of transparent material. The size of the container is usually taken twenty centimeters by twenty. There must be holes in the upper part so that air enters the fetus.

Collapsible forms for such purposes are sold in stores, but very rarely. Finding and buying such a form will be quite problematic. But if you are a jack of all trades, then there is an ideal way out for you. You can make your own fruit mold.

To make a container you will need:

Polycarbonate with a thickness of eight millimeters and a side of twenty in the amount of 6 pieces;
Gate hinges 4 pieces;
Two loops with strands;
screws;
nuts;
Steel corner, with which the walls of the product are fixed;
Screws are ordinary and thin.

A screwdriver, a drill and a jigsaw are the tools that you will need to complete the job. The polycarbonate is looped together to form a box. That's the whole wisdom in the manufacture of the container.

And why grow such a fruit at all?

The Japanese, who at one time were actively engaged in the selection of this type of watermelon, argue that very often square watermelons do not ripen to the end. And due to the fact that such original exhibits are quite expensive on store shelves, these plants are most often used as decorative elements. A square fruit, subject to all storage conditions, can last about a year.

Such watermelons are often bought for major celebrations: anniversaries, weddings. Cubic fruits are not sold everywhere.

Square watermelons are very convenient for transportation. They can be quite compactly placed in the back of the car, while there is less chance of spoiling the goods while the car is driving. What is the most positive thing about these berries, they are grown in the usual way without the use of chemicals. Moreover, it is not even a genetically modified product. Square watermelon is the most common fruit of an unusual shape.

Tip: To determine that the fruit is ripe, do not rely on sound. A dull sound indicates that the watermelon has been despised. First of all, in a ripe fruit, the stalk begins to dry out. The surface of the watermelon from glossy becomes matte and tarnishes. The peel hardens so much that it is difficult to pierce it with a fingernail. The part of the watermelon that comes into contact with the ground becomes yellowish. If you find all these signs in your watermelon, know that it is ripe, even if it answers with a ring in response to your knock.

A few facts from the category of watermelon selection:

Japanese students have bred a variety of decorative watermelons that also have excellent taste qualities. After this discovery was patented, and since 2007, square watermelons of the official trademark began to be sold in Japan.
Chinese scientists have developed watermelons with golden flesh. Gold is highly revered in this country and is a symbol of wealth and prosperity. In this regard, watermelon has become very popular.
In Israel, breeders are trying to cultivate seedless watermelon.
It is known that there are even low-calorie varieties of watermelon. With low sugar content and high fructose content.

Growing watermelons is not easy. Requires endurance and a thorough approach. This applies to both cubic and ordinary plants. Starting from planting seedlings and ending with the expectation of ripening of the formed fruits, the process requires full dedication and optimism. But if you approach everything with a desire to achieve a result, then excellent harvest you are provided.

Watermelon is a berry that is usually sweet and round. But it can also be strange, unusual for a person. Not so long ago, the world was seized by interest in its cubic form. How is this possible and is it possible to grow a cube berry on your own?

Benefits of square watermelons

cubic watermelon- a creation from Japan, which became known more than 30 years ago. This exclusive will cost more than the usual berry. Its main advantages:

minimizing the risk of damage during product transportation;
efficient use of space for storing berries.

By the way, the taste of such a product is no different from a round-shaped watermelon of the same variety.

What kind of square watermelon

It is possible to give a cubic shape to a berry of any variety. The main thing is to choose the option that is most suitable for your climate and soil. For example, varieties with short term ripening:“Sugar Baby”, “Spark”, “Gift to the North”, etc. At a certain stage, the berry, without tearing it off the tops, is placed in a transparent box.

How to make a watermelon square: making a box with your own hands

The process of growing a watermelon cube is no different from the usual. The only thing you need is to place it in a special box at a certain stage of maturation. The cube can be made independently at home.

Did you know? The largest watermelon in the world weighing 120 kg was grown in the USA in the state of Arkansas.

Necessary materials and tools

To make a box, you will need:

Also, don't forget that to make a box you need to have an electric jigsaw, a drill or a hole saw, a screwdriver and, of course, drill bit(d=0.25 cm).

Manufacturing process

From a sheet of existing material, for example, plexiglass, 6 blanks are cut out: one measuring 25 × 25 cm; the rest are a little more. Learn the fact that the diagonal box should be wider than the diagonal of the berry variety you plan to grow.

On the top cover (at this stage - the 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 cover and side wall.

Important! The cover should overlap the ends of the side walls.

Next, you can start assembling the side walls and fitting them to the size of the cover. The blanks are connected with self-tapping screws, the cap of which protrudes. If necessary, the joints of the box are reinforced with metal corners.

Two door hinges that remain are needed to make the bottom of the box open, that is, the second door. This is done in order to simplify the process of extracting watermelon from it. Install the latches on the top and bottom doors. Poke a few small holes in the corners of the box for ventilation.

Conditions and rules for growing square watermelons

If you have decided on the variety, made a box according to the size of the future watermelon, then you can try to grow a cubic berry. H In order for an attempt to be successful, it needs to create certain conditions.

Place and lighting for culture

Pick a sunny spot south side from the nearest building so that the shadows are smaller. It is also better to place the beds on a slope to the south so that the soil warms up evenly and deeply.

Climatic conditions

Seedlings are placed in open ground at the end of May, at a time when the risk of a sudden onset of frost (or cold snap) is minimized. The climate should be warm, moderately dry, the weather should be sunny.

Soil Requirements

Gourds 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. River sand is added to loose light soil during digging.

Planting a watermelon

Planting berries can be done in several ways: seedlings or directly in open ground.

seedling method

The seedling method involves planting seeds in peat cups and only after their germination, moving the plants into open ground. It is used if the climatic conditions in the area do not allow growing gourds immediately in the open field. For example, in Siberia or other cold regions.

To get quality planting material(seedlings), it is necessary to inoculate pre-soaked in a stimulant solution(within 3 days) and refrigerated (within 2 days) seeds in March. They are sown in peat cups with fertile soil and covered with a film. For seed germination, certain climatic conditions must be provided:

regular watering;
periodic ventilation;
temperature conditions (above +25 °C).

Do not keep seedlings on the windowsill, watermelon does not like temperature changes. As a rule, after 10 days of compliance with these conditions, the first shoots appear. Further, as the sprouts are drawn out, soil is added to the cups until they are filled to the top.

Ready seedlings are placed in open ground in late May or early June, when it already has at least 5 leaves. If you live in the northern region, plant it in high beds.

The first 14 days after transferring the seedlings to the soil outside, you need to take care of it in the same way as for other gourds: protect from the cold at night, water with warm water and cover during cold snaps. As soon as the plant blooms and ovaries form, you should be more attentive to it.

After the watermelon reaches the size of an apple, you can place it in the box you made. Then it remains only to properly care for him: watering in moderation and caring for the soil.

Upon reaching maximum size(according to the parameters of the box) the berry will begin to take the shape of the container in which it is placed. 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 have previously grown due to the risk of larvae or fungi that infect such plants in the soil.

Landing in open ground

In open ground, the berries are planted in a greenhouse 1.7 m high, in which only gourds are grown.. The recommended humidity is less than 60%. Temperature - not higher than +30 °C.

Under such conditions, the seeds of the selected variety of watermelon are sown in the soil. Do not forget to water the plant and ventilate the greenhouse. As soon as the berry reaches 10 cm in diameter, it can be enclosed in a box. Water the crop generously.

If you did everything right, including guessing the parameters of the box, after 100 days the exclusive product can be served on the table. Readiness can be determined by the dried tail, dull bark and yellowish bottom of the watermelon. At this point, you can carefully remove the berry from the box.

watermelon care

Watermelon care is easy. In addition to placing and removing the berry from the box, it, like the usual one, needs to be watered, fertilized and loosened the soil.

soil care

After planting, the seedlings are immediately covered with a film / agrofiber. The soil should be periodically loosened and ventilated, slightly opening the film, as well as thinning out thickened crops.

In order for moisture to be well retained in the soil, the holes are mulched with straw (layer thickness - 10 cm). Don't forget to feed and water.

How to water watermelons

Watering must be carried out 1 time in 7 days, if the climate is too hot - 1 time in 3 days. Use only warm water. Do not flood plants.

Square watermelons were invented by the Japanese about forty years ago. More precisely, not square, but cubic. No, they did not receive the Nobel Prize in Biology for their discovery. And selection has nothing to do with it. The tricksters guessed to enclose the growing watermelon in a transparent container, so that, growing, the fruit would take its shape. So you can grow not only square watermelons, but also cylindrical zucchini, and eggplant in the shape of a tetrahedron, if such a need arises.

What was the need for an unusual shape? The fault is the high cost of retail space in How are these two things related? Yes, very simple.

The overcrowding of Japanese megacities has caused the high cost of not only housing, but also any premises - industrial, office, retail. The owners of shops selling vegetables and fruits were forced to pay high prices, and in such conditions the shops had a small area to be affordable for poor tenants. And you can’t place a lot of goods in a small area, and watermelons of a regular, round shape tend to occupy large amounts of space precisely because of their non-compact configuration. Importing watermelons every day is not a cheap occupation: its cost is low. So the Japanese farmers decided to provide a service to the fruit merchants.

They took and came up with such a form that they could be easily stored, occupied less space, and even did not ride on the counter.

The practicality and foresight of Japanese melon growers went so far that they grew square watermelons of such dimensions that they easily fit on the shelves of Japanese refrigerators! The novelty immediately fell in love (and in form) with the domestic Japanese consumer. And although the cost of growing them was somewhat higher (due to the need to place them in transparent boxes), and the store price was three to four times higher than the price of ordinary products, square watermelons quickly gained popularity among the population. Many farmers from other countries began to adopt the "best practices" of the Japanese and also began to grow curly watermelons.

The farmer, who was the first to come up with the idea of growing non-standard fruits, did not immediately think of patenting his invention, and for many years the fruits (both directly and in figurative sense) his ingenuity was used by many. True, in the end he nevertheless took out a patent, but how much money he lost over the past decades!

But, apparently, the square watermelon, whose photos adorn many exhibitions and pages of Internet portals, is a success only in Japan and the countries closest to it. In other places, where everything is in order with the size of retail space in vegetable shops, they decided to trade “the old fashioned way”. In addition, they say that the taste of a square watermelon is still lower than that of a round one.

Ornamental cultures often coexist with edible beauty, which allows you to diversify landscape design to the maximum and create unique compositions. The edible exotic presented in this article is a relatively new culture that combines an attractive appearance and excellent flavors. The square watermelon first appeared many years ago as a result of the experiments of an ordinary breeder. The gardener simply laid the ovaries of the berries during their formation in plastic square containers. As it grew and developed, the cubic watermelon took on the required shape. Subsequently Plastic container was removed, and the berry continued to delight the eye with its unusual shape until the moment of full ripening. Students from Japan were impressed with the idea. And as a result of many years of research and experimentation, a special variety "Kaku-Melo" was bred. Currently, this is the only variety that does not require unnecessary gestures and tricks with plastic containers in order to get square berries. You can see cubic watermelons in the photo below, and also learn how to grow them with your own hands on personal plot in any region of the country:

How to grow and use quadrant watermelons (with photo)

There is a certain technology by which the cultivation of watermelon is carried out, its strict observance will allow you to get guaranteed high yields. The berry has a unique chemical composition The pulp is rich in vitamins and minerals. During the summer heat, it is a valuable source of liquid with high nutritional value. Everyone knows about these properties of watermelon. But few people thought about how this melon culture can be used in decorative purposes. How to grow square watermelons with your own hands - we will tell you further, but for now, look at this unusual culture in the photo in landscape design:

The cultivation process begins with the selection of a variety. It is selected taking into account the characteristics climate zone. Currently, there are varieties that are resistant to adverse climatic conditions- they are suitable for outdoor cultivation even in Siberia and the Urals. These are "Krimstar", "Suga baby", "Pink Champagne", "Spark" and many others.

Practiced exclusively seedling method cultivation. Otherwise get even minimum yield there is no chance left. Sowing for seedlings is done in early March. Pre-seeds are soaked for 2-3 days in a 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 stage of stratification. Sowing is carried out in well-structured soil with a high content of organic matter. About half of the soil volume is humus or compost. Sand and soddy (deciduous) earth are added to it in equal proportions. The reaction of the soil should be neutral, with an acidic reaction, 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, it can be decomposed into peat pots and plant 2 seeds in each to a depth of 1 cm. There are certain sowing tricks:

watermelon seedlings have a very fragile root system and do not tolerate transplanting and picking;
landing is carried out in peat cups, filled only half;
after the start rapid growth the soil is gradually poured to the edges of the pot;
if both seeds are included, then one seedling is removed.

After sowing, the containers are covered plastic wrap(it is advisable to put them in bags and tie tightly) to maintain the required level of soil moisture. It is desirable to place the pots where the temperature remains above 25 degrees Celsius for a day. Seedlings appear in about 7 - 10 days. This is followed by active growth and development. During the period of growing seedlings of square watermelon, you need to make liquid fertilizers once a week. mineral supplements, since culture has a rapid growth, it needs a large number of nutrients. The surface of the soil is loosened once a week to a depth of 1 cm. This increases the air permeability of the soil. Seedlings should not be kept on windowsills, which are very cool at night. This can cause root rot disease.

Growing an ornamental square watermelon in open ground is possible after the threat has completely passed. return frosts. Sometimes temporary film shelters are used. The planting dates for seedlings in the ground usually fall at the end of May or the beginning of June. At this time, the seedlings are already blooming and require preliminary hardening. To this end, they are taken out into the open air daily 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 laying. Usually, the top layer of soil is removed for this (about 30 cm or a shovel bayonet). Then old hay, straw, dry branches, cardboard, paper, cotton rags are laid in the trench. Fresh grass is laid on biofuel with a layer of up to 10 cm. Everything is covered with soil. It is necessary to shed the bed with boiling water and cover with tarpaulin for 7 days. All this will start the process of "burning" of biofuel, giving great amount carbon dioxide, stimulating the growth of decorative cubic watermelon in open ground. Abundant watering is required, but it can be carried out only in the morning. Evening watering leads to supercooling of the root system at night. This significantly slows down the growth of gourds. Top dressing with liquid mullein, mineral complexes - 1 time per 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 a decorative square watermelon in landscape design has no limits. It could be composition. rustic style, or perhaps an emphasis on unusual shape berries. Look at the photo for some ideas for using square watermelons in the design of the site - combine the benefits with aesthetic pleasure: