An early ripening sweet watermelon variety "Ogonyok" resistant to diseases and unpretentious in care
Watermelon Spark is grown in different climatic zones: in the north, south and in the middle lane. The variety is characterized by unpretentious care and cold resistance, shows a stable yield. The spark is suitable for fresh consumption and for preparing fruit snacks. The flesh of the watermelon is sweet and aromatic.
Let's take a closer look at the characteristics of the variety and find out the secrets of a rich harvest.
The content of the article
Description of the watermelon variety
Early ripening variety: ripens in 70–80 days from the moment the first shoots appear. It is recommended to plant seedlings.
Distinctive features
The twig has medium-sized bushes. There are many leaves, the color is dark green, uniform.
When growing the plant needs to form... Disease and pest resistance is excellent.
Composition, properties, calorie content
The pulp of watermelon is rich in antioxidants that remove toxins and toxins from the body... B vitamins and carotene have a positive effect on vision, vitamin C strengthens the immune system.
Folic acid prevents headaches, folacin regulates metabolism. Eating watermelon in moderation improves digestion and gives the skin a healthy color. 100 g of watermelon contains 30 kcal.
Important! Watermelon helps you lose weight. The fruit has a diuretic effect, removes excess fluid from the body and saturates well.
Fruit characteristics and yield
The shape of the fruit is spherical, slightly flattened. The rind is medium-dense, matte dark green. The pulp is deep red, grainy and sweet. The weight of one fruit is from 1.5 to 2.5 kg. The yield reaches 6 kg from 1 bush.
Seeds of watermelon
Sunflower seeds small black-brown.
They have valuable properties: they are used to prepare a healing tea to normalize kidney function. Add 30 crushed seeds to 2 liters of water.
How to grow a variety
Watermelon seedlings are prepared in mid-March. Let's consider what is its preparation and how to care for the plant on the site.
Seedling preparation
Watermelon seeds Ogonyok are purchased in specialized stores for gardeners. Pay attention to the packaging: it must be whole, with a valid expiration date.
The seeds are disinfected in one of the following ways:
- placed in a freezer for a day;
- soaked in aloe juice for 5 hours;
- treated with a solution of Bordeaux liquid.
After disinfection, the seed is germinated. It is wrapped in warm, damp gauze and placed on the windowsill. This improves seed germination and protects against possible diseases.
Watermelon is sown in seedling containers: cups, flower pots, cardboard boxes. The container is filled with earth and holes are made. 1-2 seeds are placed in each.
Important! For seedlings, use ready-made soil from the store. It is disinfected, does not contain larvae or weeds. It is recommended to add river sand or sawdust to the purchased soil. They will make the soil lighter and more loose.
Spark seedlings are placed in a warm and sunny place. The length of daylight hours for the healthy development of seedlings is at least 12 hours. If there is a shortage, phytolamps are additionally installed. Water the sprouts as the earth dries up, fertilize once every 15 days. They are fed with liquid organic matter: mullein, herbal solution, chicken droppings.
Planting in the garden and care
The culture is planted in open ground after spring frosts.Planting scheme Ogonyok - 60x100, row spacing - about 1.5 m. The beds should be heated, air-permeable.
Planting depth - 10 cm, the shoots are placed in the grooves and the base of the stem is sprinkled with earth. For 10 days, the bushes are covered with foil to protect them from wind and rain. After this film is removed.
Important! When growing, it is important to keep the beds clean: loosen the soil, remove weeds and debris. Weed grass shades the sun, which makes watermelons lack light and warmth.
Water the Spark every 4-5 days. About 1.5 liters of water are consumed per bush. During the period of fruit formation, the amount of moisture is reduced, since its excess leads to inhibition of growth. To increase the yield, the plant is fed with mineral and organic fertilizers: potassium chloride, manure, ammonium nitrate, ash, nettle infusion.
Features of cultivation and possible difficulties
To grow a rich harvest in the northern regions, the Ogonyok variety is grown in a greenhouse. In cloudy and cool weather, melons and gourds are poorly pollinated, and in such rooms it is always warm.
The design protects watermelons from high humidity, fog and dew. Before planting, the walls and doors of the greenhouse are wiped with a solution of potassium permanganate, the earth is dug up, cleaned of debris and weeds.
A month after planting, the plant is formed: long side lashes are removed, 2-3 central shoots are left. The top is pinched, the lashes are untangled and sprinkled with earth in several places. Formation increases productivity, protects against rot. If this is not done, many small fresh fruits are formed.
Diseases and pests
Wireworms are found in watermelon beds. It gnaws at the roots of plants, which disrupts metabolism. For preventive purposes, gardeners weed the beds, remove weeds and loosen the soil. Get rid of the wireworm using the drug "Decis".
Another pest -aphid... The miniature white midge lives on the leaves of plants, sucking nutritious juices from them. Get rid of insects by spraying with milk whey.
Bacteriosis is isolated from characteristic diseases.... The leaves are covered with oily light spots, the bushes wither. Watermelons lose their firmness, the taste becomes bland and watery. Bacteriosis appears due to high humidity or improper care. For prevention purposes, the culture is sprayed with copper sulfate. For treatment, purchase "Quadris" or "Maxim".
Important! With sudden changes in temperature, watermelon is affected by root rot. Bushes dry up, fruits deteriorate. Disease prevention - dusting the beds with wood ash once a week.
Harvesting and application of the crop
Precocious Spark is harvested at the end of August. Ripeness of fruits determined by uniform color and dense skin... The watermelon becomes hard, the stalk is dry.
After harvest, the fruits are wiped with clean napkins. Part of the crop is used immediately, part is removed to the basement for long-term storage (maximum period - 1 month)
Juice, jam is made from the pulp, compotes and jams... Watermelon is paired with lemon, melon, banana, mint and lime juice. It is impossible to imagine a picnic or a barbecue without it. The compact fruits of Ogonyok are convenient to take with you.
Apply sugary pulp and for the preparation of salads and side dishes. For example, a snack is made from slices of watermelon and feta cheese. The dish is seasoned with olive oil and served.
Interesting! Delicious sherbet is made from these fruits. It does not contain sugar and is refreshing in hot weather. The pulp of watermelon and lemon is mashed and frozen in the freezer. For piquancy, add a few drops of rum.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The advantages include the following:
- juicy and aromatic pulp;
- unpretentious care;
- cold resistance;
- immunity to diseases and pests;
- versatility in application.
Of the shortcomings, gardeners note a short shelf life.Due to its thin peel, the Spark is not transported over long distances: it is recommended to consume the crop as soon as possible.
Reviews
What do Russian gardeners say about the Ogonyok variety? Let's take a look at a few reviews from online forums:
Alexey, Moscow: “Watermelon Ogonyok is my favorite. Productivity is always at a height, I collect 8-10 fruits from the garden. The taste is excellent, very sweet. We eat the fruits with the whole family and distribute them to friends. "
Maria, Oryol: “I grow the variety in a seedling method in a greenhouse. I water only with warm water, fertilize with liquid organic matter and superphosphate. The variety was not sick with anything, there were no pests ”.
Nikita, Chelyabinsk: "The light disappointed me. In the Ural cool summer, the fruits were set slowly, the yield was average. I rated the taste as 3 out of 5 ".
Conclusion
Velvety watermelon Ogonyok is a favorite of gardeners. The variety is grown by the seedling method. In the north, greenhouses are used, in the south, the culture is placed in open ground. Care involves timely watering and feeding.
To protect against diseases and pests, the beds are loosened and cleaned of weeds. Harvested in August. The fragrant fruits are eaten fresh and made into refreshing fruit snacks.