How to choose the time and when to plant melon seedlings in 2025
Content
What does the choice of time depend on?
Choosing the right time for planting involves many nuances, as this plant has many agronomic characteristics, including:
- love of warmth (the optimal temperature range is from fifteen to thirty degrees);
- poor tolerance to temperature drops (when the temperature drops below ten degrees Celsius, maturation and growth slow down noticeably);
- photophilous (sun rays, illuminated spaces with open terrain);
- poor drought tolerance (during the ripening and flowering of the melon crop, moisture should be increased);
- The soil must contain nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, and have the correct air-gas characteristics (loose, warm soil).
There is an opinion that seedlings are ready for planting in the ground or greenhouse after twenty-five to thirty days. During this period, recurrent frosts should end, and a period of absolutely warm weather will begin. Only such conditions provide normal development conditions for seedlings, which will lead to a good harvest.
When is the best time to plant?
Crops that thrive in abundant warmth are planted during the day in late May and early June. This means melons are sown around the twenties of April.
The lunar calendar will tell you when to plant. It highlights the best times to plant melons, taking into account the moon's phases and its passage through all the zodiac signs. For melon seedlings in 2025, we'll plant them according to favorable planting days.
The most favorable days for sowing, transplanting and planting melons are:
- In March – 3, 7, 9, 12, 17;
- In April – 17–19;
- In May – 13, 18, 25;
- In June – 14, 28.
Days prohibited for transplanting and sowing melon crops:
- In March – 2, 15, 16;
- In April – 30;
- In May – 1, 4–8;
- In June – 15, 16, 18, 27.
Gardener's recommendations
Gardeners who have been growing melons for years recommend planting seeds only according to the waxing moon. Also, avoid new and full moons to avoid losing the harvest. It has been observed that the stems will not grow to their full length if the plants are planted during the approaching new moon. Importantly, young seedlings root successfully in open soil if transparent polyethylene film is briefly used to create a greenhouse effect in the bed.
Seeds must develop resistance to unexpected weather changes. To do this, you need to:
- Harden the seeds. Place the seeds in ice or snow for about ten hours. A refrigerator can be used for this purpose.
- Develop tolerance to extreme temperatures. The seeds are placed in water at 30–35 degrees Celsius and left in a damp cloth for 24 hours. After this, the process is alternated with freezing about three times.
- Prepare the soil thoroughly. It's recommended to plant in a mixture of turf, peat, and humus. Add one teaspoon of potassium and urea and the same amount of ash.
The plant must be protected from pests, so preventative measures are essential. The greenhouse or open-air area must be kept clean. Bleach, formalin, and table salt are the best solutions for soaking a sawdust mat at the greenhouse entrance. The film used to create the greenhouse effect should be treated with a 5% potassium permanganate solution. Affected shoots and leaves must be removed, as they will spread the disease to the entire plant. They should be collected and burned.
Melons can be grown almost anywhere in the world, including the North, the Urals, and other cold regions. All you need is a greenhouse, which doesn't require any special conditions. Just try and make the effort, following all the tips above.
Video "Melon Seedlings"
This video will teach you how to properly plant and care for melon seedlings.