Watermelon Chill

Watermelon Chill: description and general characteristics

Watermelon Chill: photo of the variety

Watermelon Chill is a variety native to the Volgograd region. This is a mid-late variety, from the moment the seeds are planted in open ground and until the first fruits are obtained, it takes about 12 weeks, that is, about three months. Nevertheless, the Chill watermelon is famous for its high yield, since only one hectare can be harvested at least 30 tons. But it should be borne in mind that for this there must be suitable weather conditions, and the most suitable care must also be organized, and this already depends solely on the gardener himself. From one square meter of the plot where the plantings are located, the gardener can get about seven kilograms of watermelon, which is a very high and decent figure.

The Kholodok watermelon variety is equally suitable for growing it both in greenhouse conditions and in the open field. But you should not allocate limited space for planting, since, as it grows and develops, a watermelon can branch very actively and indefinitely, grow in length, and for this it needs a maximum of open space. It is worth remembering that the longest shoot of this watermelon variety can reach almost five meters.

The leaves are bright green, and the fruits are slightly elongated in shape, their weight varies from four to 4.5 kilograms. The color is green, mesh, the thickness of the crust is moderate. If you cut a watermelon, you will notice a rather juicy grainy bright pulp, which has a very rich sweet taste and a slightly pinkish tint. If a watermelon is grown in the middle zone of our country, then it gives a fairly good intensive harvest. Planting is generally recommended in regions such as the Volga region, the South Urals, Astrakhan, and the Volgograd region. In general, they are the ideal places to grow Chill watermelon on the most extensive, industrial scale.

Astrakhan is a city (and the surrounding regions), which as a whole has become a real Watermelon industry. This happened not only due to the fact that this area is especially suitable for growing watermelons: even on an official scale, the Minister of Agriculture Alexei Gordeev signed an agreement.

Despite the fact that the Chill watermelon variety is quite resistant to low temperatures and temperature extremes, it is still best to grow it in regions where there is a warm climate and long summers. During this time, the watermelon is saturated with all useful substances and components, and at the end of August, you can collect juicy and ripe fruits that are quite loyal to storage and transportation, which should also be remembered by gardeners who grow the variety not only for their own use, but also in order to then display the fruits of the Kholodok watermelon for sale.

The most widespread variety of watermelon Kholodok received not only in the middle and southern regions of Russia, but also practically throughout the territory of the Commonwealth of Independent States. This is due to the fact that Chill watermelon is a variety that has some positive characteristics and advantages. Among them, the following are worth highlighting:

• this is an early ripening variety, despite the fact that it takes almost three months to develop and ripen the crop;
• watermelon pulp Chill is very sweet and juicy;
• not only internal taste matters: watermelon has an attractive appearance;
• a high level of productivity - from one square meter, taking into account the growth of bushes, about seven kilograms of the crop can be harvested;
• the shelf life is very long - watermelons in a dark dry place can be stored from three to five months;
• transportation is not at all an obstacle for this variety, it is very resistant to them, even when it comes to long distances;
• The Chill watermelon variety tolerates sharp drops in air temperatures very well, and in general it is loyal to a sharp change in weather.

Nevertheless, no matter how many advantages we list, the variety also has some disadvantages. Basically, these are such as: demanding for vast open spaces, since cucumber shoots can be up to five meters long; side shoots are formed very often, and therefore the gardener is forced to constantly monitor them and remove unnecessary ones; the watermelon is very picky about heat and light, it is necessary to plant the variety in such conditions, otherwise the yield indicators will be much lower than those originally declared, and this will be a huge disadvantage for the gardener himself, who is counting on large juicy ripe fruits.

Watermelon Chill: planting and growing conditions

To obtain a high-quality and plentiful harvest of Chill watermelons, you must have a high-quality planting crop. They prefer to grow watermelons from seeds, they are very responsible for the choice of materials. The seeds of the Kholodok watermelon are large enough, slightly rough if you feel them. Usually they are either light brown or speckled, which should also be noted. Of all the seeds, it is best to choose the strongest. It is recommended to lightly salt the water in which the watermelon seeds are soaked. Seeds that have floated to the surface can be removed immediately - they are empty, and you should definitely not expect a harvest from them.

The next stage is the disinfection of the planting material. For this, the seeds are sent directly to the sun for about a week. They can also be warmed up on a battery or dryer, the temperature of which does not exceed 55 degrees. Drying takes about two hours. It is recommended to place the seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for several hours, and then rinse them with water. Before planting in open ground, the seeds should be soaked for about 24 hours. Of course, when preparing planting material, one should take into account the specifics of the climatic conditions in which the fruits will be grown. The closer to the northern part of the country, the later the disembarkation takes place. There are also several conditions to consider:

• in the northern regions, disembarkation should be carried out no earlier than mid-May (around the 15th);
• in the southern regions, as well as in the forest-steppes, it is always better to land in open ground on May 5-6;
• if we are talking about steppe regions, then the landing is carried out at the end of April.

The soil must be warm enough, otherwise the seeds will not grow, but simply rot. If watermelon seeds are planted Chill not in the ground, but on seedlings, then it is best to do this in a container filled with a special soil mixture, the approximate period is the end of April. The seedling, which is obtained as a result of planting, should be transplanted into the hole and covered with a film. In this case, the timing should be shifted by about three weeks.

Within one month, three or four full-fledged leaves must necessarily appear and form on the seedlings. After that, they can be planted with confidence in open ground. For planting seedlings, it is best to choose an area that will be well protected from sudden gusts of wind, and also which will be constantly illuminated. It is good if before that potatoes, tomatoes or cabbage were planted in the same soil in the same place.

Basically, watermelons of the Kholodok variety prefer light ventilated soil, but if the soil is sandy or sandy loam, then it is best to add a little humus to it, so the soil will become more suitable for planting watermelons, saturated and fertile. Between the seedlings, it is best to maintain a distance of 70 centimeters, and between the rows it is generally best to leave about one and a half meters, so that the watermelon has more space for the development and growth of their shoots. The seedlings should be covered with a film; during watering, they use warm water at a comfortable temperature.

If we talk about leaving, then the Kholodok watermelon (however, like other watermelon varieties) is very afraid of a huge number of weeds. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly control them both by hand and by applying some chemicals and weed control products. The soil around the seedling must necessarily succumb to constant loosening, you should not assume that lateral shoots form around the plant, it is better to remove them immediately after detection.

The question of feeding is also no less relevant: it is best to do exactly three feeding during the entire period of growth and development of the watermelon. The first feeding is necessary approximately 10-14 days after planting the plant in the ground. The gardener prepares a mixture that includes water, potassium salt, ammonium sulfate, superphosphate. All these components help the plant adapt to new conditions, gain vitality. The second feeding is during the period of active plant growth. It is necessary to prepare a similar composition, but in a lower concentration. The third feeding is organized when the first ovaries have just formed. The same composition is taken, it is introduced not just into the hole itself, but about 20 centimeters from the plant itself.

Features of the watermelon variety Chill

The Chill watermelon variety has its own characteristics. When creating ideal conditions for growing fruits of the Kholodok variety, as well as creating ideal storage conditions, the fruits can be enjoyed even on New Year's holidays. The fruit of this variety is 92% water. Not so long ago, the variety was entered in the register of State Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation, it is known almost all over the world, and it has already managed to establish itself and its ideal qualities.

Pests and diseases characteristic of the watermelon variety Chill

Of course, one cannot fail to mention that very often the crop is attacked by various pests, as well as carriers of diseases, which makes it even more difficult to harvest a rich crop. Watermelon of the Kholodok variety has a fairly high level of resistance if we are talking about diseases and fungi such as powdery mildew, fusarium, anthracnose. Nevertheless, there is a whole list of pests that can simply destroy entire crop plantations if they are not detected in time. These pests include the following:

• melon aphid;
• sprout fly - mainly its larvae;
• spider mite;
• sclerotinia (in other words, it is also called white rot);
• bacteriosis - angular spot);
• fusarium wilting caused by the corresponding fungus;
• powdery mildew;
• root rot.

As a rule, pests that are localized on watermelons of the Kholodok variety are fought with quite common means - the affected areas are most often removed, the plant is sprayed with a specially purchased or prepared solution, or with various decoctions that are prepared at home, and they are based on onion peels or tar soap.

If pests can be dealt with in 1-2 stages, then the fight against diseases becomes more complicated. The entire shoot after defeat will simply need to be pulled out and immediately destroyed, and the place where it grew should be treated with a weak solution, which includes water and manganese. Therefore, in order not to start before this, it is best to carry out some preventive measures before the seeds are planted in the ground:

• the ground should be slightly sprinkled with lime;
• the soil before planting is watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
• you can treat the soil with chemicals such as fentiuram or karatan suspension;
• watermelon seeds Chill must also be processed immediately before planting: warm them up and soak for 24 hours in a manganese solution.

Thus, it is quite easy to grow a good harvest of the Chill watermelon variety. It is only important to adhere to the simplest rules in the preparation of seed, as well as in soil cultivation.The ripeness of the fruit is determined by tapping: if a dull sound comes out, then you can safely remove the watermelon and enjoy its taste. Of course, you must also remember that the variety is stored for a long time and is quite transportable, so it can be stored in dry, cool conditions, in a dark place. Storage can take up to five months, so you can enjoy your own fruits right up to the New Year holidays.