Late watermelon "Chill": what did the farmers love and how to grow it correctly

Watermelon is 92% water, rich in vitamins A and E, refreshing on the hottest day. The homeland of watermelons is South Africa. In Russia, they are grown mainly in the south: the melon culture loves warmth, sun, temperate climate and warm rains. Among the variety of varieties, summer residents distinguish the Kholodok watermelon, which was bred by Russian agronomists.

Let's consider in detail the cultivation technology and the characteristics of the variety.

Description of the watermelon variety

Medium late variety, ripens in 85–95 days from the moment of planting. It is unpretentious in care, grown by seedlings or seeds in open ground.

Distinctive features

Bushes are powerful, spreading. Scourges reach 4-5 m in length. Leaves are dark green, drooping.

The bushes show stable yields both in the greenhouse and in the open air.

Composition, properties, calorie content

There are only 25 kcal per 100 g of red pulp. The fruits contain dietary fiber that activates metabolism. Watermelon juice contains fructose, which is absorbed many times faster than sugar.

Watermelon fruits - a popular diuretic folk remedy - relieve swelling, remove excess fluid from the body. Watermelons are a source of trace elements. They contain calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc.

Important! People with diabetes or kidney stones should not eat a lot of pulp.

Fruit characteristics and yield

Up to 4–7 large, heavy fruits ripen on one bush at the same time. Watermelon weight: 4 to 6 kg.

The peel is slightly segmented, light green. The shape is spherical, the flesh is sugary and sweet, bright red in color.

Seeds of watermelon

The seeds are heavy, large, up to 2 cm in length. They are 35% protein, contain amino acids and B vitamins. The shell is dense, rough, brown in color.

How to grow a variety yourself

It is recommended to plant Chill in seedlings. Seedlings are prepared in mid or late March.

Growing seedlings

For this, a convenient and environmentally friendly container is prepared. Suitable for the Cholodok variety, a plastic container with a pallet. It is easy to use, inexpensive, and has drain holes. Purchase a container in a shop for a vegetable garden. They also buy ready-made soil for seedlings. Such land has already been disinfected, saturated with vitamins for the development of culture. It is recommended to purchase “Universal”, “Ogorodny” or “Krepysh” soil.

The next step is seed preparation. They are disinfected using the drug "Fitosporin M", Bordeaux liquid or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The seeds are soaked for a day, wrapped in damp gauze for several days. Only after these procedures will the material be ready for planting.

Earth is poured into the container, grooves are made at a distance of 30 cm from each other. The depth of the hole is about 5 cm. A seed is placed in each, covered with a layer of soil on top, gently slapping. Seedlings are stored in a warm place, watered every 4 days, fertilized with liquid droppings or mullein. Chill is planted in the beds in mid-May.

Landing in the garden

The soil in the beds should be light, loose. The land is carefully dug up, cleaned of weeds and debris. Watermelon planting scheme - 70x150. They make holes in the ground with a depth of 10 cm, pour water into them. Seedlings are moved into each, the base of the stem is sprinkled with earth and straw to retain moisture.When grown in a greenhouse, the structure is ventilated, the walls are wiped with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Important! The predecessors of watermelon are cabbage, carrots, potatoes, herbs, onions. Do not plant Chill after pumpkins and melons.

Variety care

The chill does not like an excess of moisture, so the beds are watered as they dry. About 1.5 liters of water are consumed per bush, directing the stream directly under the root, and not on the leaves. If the summer is rainy, then the amount of watering is reduced. Moisten the watermelon in the early morning or evening, after sunset. Otherwise, the water will quickly evaporate and sunburn will appear on the bushes.

A month after planting, the plant forms the main stem. Lateral shoots are removed, leaving only 3-4 lashes. Long lashes are untangled, sprinkled with earth in several places so that the wind does not cut them off.

Watermelon is fed with organic and mineral substances. They improve the taste and appearance of fruits, accelerate development, and protect against diseases and pests.

The following substances are used:

• humus;
• manure;
• bread leaven;
• eggshells;
• "Nutriflex";
• "Master";
• "Gringo".

Interesting! Seaweed is used for feeding melons. They are saturated with potassium and decompose quickly.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

Gardeners often face the problem of an oversupply of fertilizers. To make the food balanced and healthy, Chill is fed every 2 weeks, alternating organic matter and minerals. It is not recommended to add nitrogen and potassium at the same time: this will lead to an increase in green mass, and not to the development of fruits. Before fertilizing, the beds are watered so that the plant does not receive chemical burns.

As soon as the fruits become the size of an apple, pinch the bush. The watermelons are tied to a support, so that the crop does not come into contact with the ground and does not rot. Use wooden pegs or trellises for the garter, as well as stockings, old T-shirts, and other scraps of fabric. If the bush is not tied up in time, the stems will break under the weight of the heavy fruits and they will end up on the ground.

Diseases and pests

Despite the immunity and cold resistance, with improper care, Chill gets sick. Anthracnose, a fungal disease, is found on the beds. It occurs due to an excess of moisture, with improper care. A brown pattern appears on the leaves and stems, the fruits lose their shape and taste. Anthracnose is treated with Ordan or Acrobat drugs. For prevention, the bushes are sprayed with iodine.

Another disease, ascochitis, is a frequent visitor to greenhouses and hotbeds. The stems become soft and brittle, the bushes die. Occurs due to stuffiness, humidity. As a preventive measure, the structure is regularly ventilated, the landing pattern is observed. A fungal disease is treated with the drug "HOM" or a solution of copper sulfate.

Of the pests, melon aphids are noted. The insect appears on the leaves, feeds on plant sap. If it is not found in time, the bushes will begin to shed flowers and lose leaves. An ash solution helps to fight aphids: 200 g of ash and 50 g of laundry soap are taken for 10 liters of water. The mixture is sprayed with watermelons from a spray bottle.

Harvesting and application of the crop

Gather Chill in September, when the peel becomes shiny and the stalk dries up... A ripe watermelon is hard; a dull sound is heard when tapped.

Store the crop in a cold dark basement or cellar. Air humidity must be at least 75%. If these conditions are met, the chill will lie until winter without losing its taste.

Delicious fruit baskets, salads, and refreshing snacks are made from watermelon. The fruits are combined with strawberries, melon, mint. They are used to prepare smoothies, cocktails, jellies, and preserves. Watermelon is also used for winter preparations: pickled watermelons tasty and healthy.

Interesting! In Vietnam, it is customary to serve watermelon during the New Year celebrations. Red symbolizes good luck. Fruit seeds eaten as a snack.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Summer residents love Chill for simplicity in care and versatility in use. In addition, the variety has the following advantages:

• sweet, sugary and juicy pulp;
• large seeds;
• good keeping quality, transportability;
• long shelf life.

However, it will be possible to get a rich harvest only in the southern regions. In the north, the Chill will not have time to ripen in the short and cool summer.

Reviews

Gardeners share with each other not only the secrets of growing, but also opinions about the variety:

Olga, Voronezh: «I plant a watermelon Chill for the third season in a row. I use the seedling method, I have been preparing seedlings since March. The variety does not cause trouble in care, the harvest is always rich. We collect 5 large watermelons from the bush. "

Sergey, Moscow region: “For the first time my choice fell on the variety Holodok 5 years ago. I plant it in a greenhouse. I buy seeds on the market, soak them in boric acid at home and only then use them. The taste of the variety is excellent: sweet and juicy. We eat the entire crop in a week. "

Galina, Krasnodar: “The chill did not take root in my area. What is the matter, I do not know, perhaps in acidic soil. The harvest is late, the fruits were set slowly, the taste was unsweetened. "

Conclusion

Ripening of the Kholodok variety takes 90 days. The culture is planted on loose, well-heated soils. For protection from the cold, film shelters are built, which are removed after 10-15 days. Care consists in timely watering, fertilization and bush formation. The color of the fruit and the dry stalk will help determine the ripeness of the watermelon.

The cut should be bright red and the flesh should be juicy. Delicious fruits are added to compotes, smoothies, jams, salads and autumn preparations.