Watermelons are grown as a commercial crop in many parts of the world with temperate climates. This product provides people with activities to do and thus provides them with income from the fields of production to consumption. Watermelons are one of the creeping fruits or vegetables. These plants are found in a group that includes other plants such as cucumbers, pumpkins and maskwash. Watermelon crop is one of the crop that is very profitable compared to other crops in a short period of time.
In a farm of the size of one acre (1.acre) that is well prepared, planted and well maintained, the farmer has the ability to harvest 15-36 TONS, which will help him get money that will help him in his various needs and get rid of poverty.
CLIMATE
These plants thrive in areas with moderate temperatures, that is, they do not tolerate very hot conditions, extreme cold, heavy rains and waterlogged soil, fungal diseases and pests. Watermelons grow well in areas with average temperatures between 21-30 degrees Celsius. If watermelons are planted in areas with temperatures below 15 degrees centigrade, they are late to germinate.
Rain : in terms of rain, watermelons need an amount of rain between 400-600 millimeters per season. Too much rain causes the presence of fungal and bacterial diseases that affect the harvest.
Soil Condition
It needs well-drained soil with nutrients. Likewise, it does not require soil with a large amount of acidity and alkalinity. The soil pH should be between 6.0 and 7.0. Although the plant has the same ability to withstand soil with a pH of 5.0
SUITABLE AREAS FOR CULTIVATION OF WATERMELONS TANZANIA.
On the Tanzanian side, it thrives well on the coast and low elevations like DSM, Tanga, Morogoro, Mtwara, Lindi and Pwani where there is enough sun. The best time to plant is the winter period from the third to the ninth month.
PREPARATION OF THE FIELD
Before transplanting, the soil should be thoroughly washed and the leaves removed completely. The field should be properly prepared by cleaning to remove other plants that may be the source of diseases.
PLANTING
In a field of one hectare, 3-4 kg of seeds can be used. Plant 2 or 3 seeds directly in each hole. Do not plant in a nursery because watermelon seedlings are very weak during transplanting if they are planted in a nursery, thus leading to the death of the seedlings. Plant 2 centimeters below the soil at a distance of 30 centimeters from stem to stem and 1.5 - 2 meters from row to row. Be careful not to use the seeds of the watermelon you raised because it may be a hybrid (Hybrid) which leads to lowering the quantity and quality of watermelons that will be born because they will be the second generation (F2)
In the two seeds you planted, cut one and let the healthier seedling continue to grow.
Be careful not to uproot the seedling but cut it to avoid disturbing the roots of the remaining seedling. In addition, you can fertilize the soil on the stems to help reduce water stagnation in your plants, you can also put manure instead of fertilizing the soil with the same intention of preventing water stagnation and increasing fertility.
If you have a small plot of land, you can put a wire fence for the melons, but you have to be strong because of the weight of the fruit.
When the plants start to crawl on the wire you have to teach them (direct them) to the wire and lock it.
MULCHES
Mulching means using grass and the remains of other plants to cover the land. After the seedlings have crawled to a certain extent, you can put mulches (mulches) which can be dry grass on the soil to prevent the loss of moisture as well as reduce the germination of weeds in your field. In the same way, decomposing mulch adds fertility to the soil and protects the soil against soil erosion.
FERTILIZER APPLICATION
NPK type industrial fertilizers or fertilizers containing nitrogen amounting to 10 to 20 grams should be applied when the plants are small until the female flowers begin to appear. Likewise, manure can be placed when the plants are young. After the plants produce fruits, apply urea and potassium fertilizers up to 2 or 3 times a week until the fruits are mature.
IRRIGATION
The field should be irrigated regularly when there is no rain or when there is little rain. Important period the most where these plants need water is during seed germination, when they flower and about ten days before harvesting. If there is a lack of water, it will cause the formation of fruits that are not good and have a bad shape during the production of fruits, also a decrease in the size of the fruit.
Attention; Do not water watermelons late in the evening or at night because it can cause leaf diseases due to the moisture staying for a long time. Similarly, do not water on flowers in the morning or join because you can prevent insects like bees which are very important during pollination.
FLOWERS AND FRUITS
Watermelons produce male and female flowers on the same branch. Male flowers are usually smaller and come out earlier followed by female flowers which are larger. Flowers may not appear or not appear if a small amount of water is irrigated, lack of nutrients in the soil and hot/cold weather etc.
Pollination is done by insects and if no insects appear you can pollinate by hand.
This is done by cutting the male flowers with a knife and pollinating the female flowers, the first female flowers on the branch are the ones with the best growth, you can cut the branch so that it does not continue to grow after the fruit is produced, this leads to bigger fruits. This can be done mostly in the Morning.
DISEASES AND INSECTS
Your melons have different types of insects that attack parts that attack leaves and flowers, and some attack fruits, there are also fungal diseases that attack plants. Diseases such as powdery mildew and downy mildew and others should be confirmed before they cause harm to the plants. To know the medicines for diseases, it is good to take samples and take them to the pharmacy and agricultural inputs to get the right medicine. Mancozeb can be used to treat the above diseases.
Watermelons are also attacked by insects that live in leaves, flowers and fruits.
KARATE type medicine will help to kill insects of leaves, flowers and fruits.
HARVESTING OF WATERMELONS
Before harvesting the fruits, it is good to know that watermelons take about three to five months from planting to maturity. This depends on the type of watermelon itself. A mature ticket is required and its appearance is as follows;
The color of the shine disappears.
The underside of the fruit starts to have a yellow color.
Also, the skin on the fruit dries completely and becomes gray.
But the best way is to hit it with the palm of your hand and listen to its sound like the sound of a drum.
Use a knife when harvesting watermelons, they should be transported and stored well in boxes ready for sale or for personal use
Watermelon market
The size of the watermelon and its appearance are some of the characteristics that are looked at by buyers. Very small watermelons are not very popular with buyers. In Tanzania, many farmers sell watermelons in local markets found almost all over the country. For several years, one ticket has been sold at an average of 1000 shillings for a small ticket to 3000 for a large ticket in the markets.
Harvest
The harvest of watermelons depends on the services of the farm as well as the weather. Watermelons also vary in yield depending on the type of watermelon. On average, watermelons can yield between 15-36 TONS per hectare.
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