What kind of square watermelons are they? Square watermelons. Forms for growing square watermelons
Watermelons are familiar to everyone since childhood. Every child, and even an adult, will tell you that watermelon is a round green fruit, or berry, with red juicy pulp. It turned out that everything is not so simple, and if you suddenly see a square miracle on the counter of the nearest supermarket, which in other respects looks like a watermelon, do not rush to sound the alarm, everything is fine with you.
One inquisitive breeder came up with how to grow a square watermelon, many years ago.
The whole secret of growing is that the watermelon ovaries are simply placed in square containers, after which the fruit takes the desired shape as it grows. The idea of such cultivation inspired Japanese students who began research and experimentation. After years of effort, the efforts were crowned with success and a special variety of cube fruit was developed. Cubic-shaped watermelons have pleased the owners of fruit shops; they fit neatly and compactly into display cases, which cannot be said about their round counterparts.
In addition to square watermelons, enterprising breeders tried to grow tomatoes of a similar shape. But they were not in demand. This experiment was especially successful with cucumbers; they lend themselves well to changing shape; thanks to this, cucumbers were grown in a square shape, and even in the shape of hearts.
How to grow cube fruit yourself?
It is recommended to grow cubic watermelons in the southern regions, which are most suitable for this plant in terms of climatic conditions. If you decide to grow such a fruit yourself, then the first thing you need to do is decide on the plant variety. Now there are varieties climatically adapted to colder territories, but, nevertheless, watermelons are middle lane rarely manage to grow large enough to allow themselves to be formed into a cubic shape.
Once the plant variety has been selected, the next step will be planting the seedlings. This must be done in early May, otherwise the fruits will not have time to grow and there will be practically no chance of getting a decent harvest.
Advice: before sowing, it is better to soak the seeds for a couple of days in a solution of growth stimulants, and then place them in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
Sowing seedlings
Seeds should be sown in structured soil with a high content of micronutrients. The soil should not be acidic, otherwise wood ash or lime should be added.
Fruit sprouts root system very fragile. Therefore, she does not tolerate transplants and other manipulations. To avoid this, the seeds are planted in peat cups, only half filled with soil. As the plant grows, the soil is added and gradually fills the entire glass. Usually two seeds are sown in one container; if both seedlings have grown, one of them is removed.
To maintain the required humidity, the pots are covered with film or placed in a bag and placed in a warm place. After a week, the first shoots appear and active plant growth begins.
Planting in open ground
About twenty days after sowing the seedlings, it is time to transplant them into open ground. Usually this is the end of May, and the likelihood of a sudden cold snap disappears. If your climatic conditions are still conducive to such phenomena, it is worth planting fruits in a greenhouse or under a covering structure.
Before planting, the area is thoroughly loosened and fertilizers are added. Not suitable for watering freshly planted plants cold water, this should be taken care of in advance. It is also necessary to provide the plant with abundant watering; this should be done in the first half of the day, because the evening procedure will lead to hypothermia of the roots at night. It is also necessary to create a flooring from fresh grass or sawdust, this has a beneficial effect on the root system.
Formation of cubic fruits
Most of the path has been completed, the seedlings have been planted in open ground, grown abundantly, bloomed, and the embryos of future square watermelons have formed.
When the fruit has grown to the size of a medium apple, it should be placed in an eraser container. the desired shape. It should be noted that square shape far from the limit. You can give your plant any shape you like.
After the ovary is placed in the container, the watermelon should continue to be watered abundantly to ensure active growth of the fruit. It is necessary to carefully monitor the plant. This fruit loves abundance sun rays and moisture, during threats of cold snap it should be covered with greenhouse film. So it is necessary that the container fits well in size, otherwise the watermelon will outgrow the limiter and either break it or burst itself.
How to choose a container
The container in which the fruit is placed must be made of transparent material. The container size is usually twenty by twenty centimeters. There must be holes in the top so that air gets to the fruit.
Collapsible forms for such purposes are sold in stores, but very rarely. Finding and buying such a form will be quite problematic. But if you are a jack of all trades, then there is an ideal solution for you. You can make the mold for the fruit yourself.
To make a container you will need:
- Polycarbonate with a thickness of eight millimeters and a side of twenty in the amount of 6 pieces;
- Gate hinges 4 pieces;
- Two loops with strands;
- Screws;
- Nuts;
- Steel corner with which the walls of the product are fixed;
- The screws are ordinary and thin.
A screwdriver, drill and jigsaw are the tools you will need to complete the work. The polycarbonate is connected together with loops to form a box. That's all the wisdom in making a container.
Why grow such a fruit at all?
The Japanese, who at one time were actively involved in the selection of this type of watermelon, claim that very often square watermelons do not ripen to the end. And due to the fact that such original exhibits are quite expensive on store shelves, these plants are most often used as decorative elements. A square fruit, if all storage conditions are met, can last about a year.
Such watermelons are often bought for major celebrations: anniversaries, weddings. Cubic fruits are not sold everywhere.
Square watermelons are very convenient for transportation. They can be placed quite compactly in the back of a car, with less chance of spoiling the goods while driving the car. The best thing about these berries is that they are grown in the usual way without the use of chemicals. Moreover, it is not even a genetically modified product. Square watermelon is the most common fruit with an unusual shape.
Tip: To determine that the fruit is ripe, do not rely on sound. A dull sound indicates that the watermelon has been despised. First of all, the stalk of a ripe fruit begins to dry out. The surface of the watermelon turns from glossy to matte and becomes dull. The peel hardens so much that it is difficult to pierce it with a fingernail. The part of the watermelon that comes into contact with the ground turns yellowish. If you find all these signs in your watermelon, you know that it is ripe, even if it rings in response to your knock.
A few facts about watermelon breeding:
- Japanese students have developed a variety of decorative watermelons that also have excellent taste. After this discovery was patented, and since 2007, square watermelons of the official trademark began to be sold in Japan.
- Chinese scientists have developed watermelons with golden-colored flesh. Gold is highly revered in this country and is a symbol of wealth and prosperity. In this regard, watermelon has become very popular.
- In Israel, breeders are trying to cultivate seedless watermelon.
- It is known that there are even low-calorie varieties of watermelon. With reduced sugar content and increased fructose content.
Growing watermelons is not easy. Requires endurance and a thorough approach. This applies to both cubic and ordinary plants. Starting from planting seedlings and ending with waiting for the formed fruits to ripen, the process requires complete dedication and optimism. But if you approach everything with the desire to achieve results, then excellent harvest provided for you.
Square watermelons were invented by the Japanese about forty years ago. More precisely, not square, but cubic. No, they didn't get paid for their discovery. Nobel Prize in biology. And it has nothing to do with selection. The cunning people figured out how to enclose a growing watermelon in a transparent container so that, as it grows, the fruit takes its shape. This way you can grow not only square watermelons, but also cylindrical zucchini and tetrahedron-shaped eggplants, if such a need arises.
What was the need for an unusual shape? Blame it all on the high cost retail space c How are these two things related? Yes, very simple.
Overcrowding in Japanese cities has caused high cost not only housing, but also any premises - industrial, office, retail. Owners of shops selling vegetables and fruits were forced to pay high prices, and in such conditions the shops had a small area in order to be affordable for poor tenants. And on small area and you can’t place a lot of goods, and watermelons of a regular, round shape tend to occupy large amounts of space precisely because of their non-compact configuration. Bringing watermelons every day is not a cheap task: its cost is low. So Japanese farmers decided to provide a service to fruit merchants.
They took it and came up with a shape so that they could be easily stored and occupy less space, and they didn’t even roll around on the counter.
The practicality and foresight of Japanese melon growers went so far as to grow square watermelons of such a size that they could easily fit on the shelves of Japanese refrigerators! The novelty immediately appealed to the taste (and shape) of the domestic Japanese consumer. And although the costs of growing them were slightly higher (due to the need to place them in transparent boxes), and the store price was three to four times higher than the price of regular products, square watermelons quickly gained popularity among the population. Many farmers from other countries began to adopt the “best practices” of the Japanese and also began to grow curly watermelons.
The farmer who was the first to think of growing non-standard fruits did not think of immediately patenting his invention, and long years The fruits (both literally and figuratively) of his ingenuity were enjoyed by many. True, in the end he did take out a patent, but how much money he lost over the past decades!
But, apparently, the square watermelon, the photo of which adorns many exhibitions and the pages of Internet portals, is successful only in Japan and the countries closest to it. In other places, where everything is in order with the size of retail space in vegetable stores, they decided to trade “the old fashioned way.” In addition, they say that the taste of a square watermelon is still lower than that of a round one.
Human imagination is truly inexhaustible and sometimes capable of shocking even where, it would seem, everything is unshakable and familiar. This can easily be seen in the example of watermelon. About what he has round shape, probably even those who have never seen him know, and to tell someone that watermelons come in other shapes - for example, square - at least means giving reason to suspect that you are a person with oddities.
Nevertheless, there really are square watermelons in the world (or “quarmelons”, as they are also called), and their creators claim that anyone can grow such a miracle. Is it so?
How square watermelons are born
For the first time, people started talking about quarrels, grown by Japanese breeders in Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, at the turn of the 80s - 90s of the 20th century, and these conversations were tinged with condescending surprise - they say, what can people come up with. But gradually other countries around the world became interested in square watermelons, and now they are successfully grown not only in the Land of the Rising Sun, but also in Brazil and even in the UAE. And in Moscow you can already see such berries, which in turn causes a wave of genuine interest, a considerable amount of rumors and gossip, and a variety of questions - from “how much does it cost” to “how to grow it.”
To grow a square (or, more correctly, cubic) watermelon, you need little: at a certain moment, just place the developing ovary in a special container. The shape should be rigid plastic, plastic or glass cubic; you can also use, following the example of the Japanese, special steel blocks connected to each other. There are several methods for making such a form - for example, this:
- Prepare 6 strong polycarbonate sheets about 20 cm long and at least 8 mm thick. Drill a hole with a diameter of about 25 mm in one of the sheets - the future lid, then cut a piece of the sheet to the size of the hole from it to the edge and remove the sawn part.
- Attach the side sheets to the lid so that their ends overlap, and connect them with gate hinges.
- Measure the inside lengths of the sides, cut two insert sheets to these dimensions and, if necessary, adjust them so that they fit snugly in the container.
- Fasten them with screws (at least two at each end of the insert) to the sides of the box through the holes made in them. If the sheets are too thin, you can use a rectangular steel or aluminum corner cut into four pieces for fastening.
- Connect the bottom with gate hinges in the same way as you attached the walls to the lid.
- Opposite the gate hinges on the lid and on the bottom, fasten one loop with buckles.
This container can be used several times, but if you just want to experiment, you can create a simple disposable mold. To do this you need:
- Made from boards or plywood no more than 5 mm thick. knock down a box, a square box measuring 20x20x20 cm with one removable wall.
- Make a slot about 3 cm wide on one side and sand all sharp corners.
- Make holes in the corners for ventilation with a diameter of 5-8 mm.
- Paint the box black to help it trap heat (though this is not necessary).
You can prepare the form both in advance and after you plant your melon.
At first, the future square specimen is grown like the most ordinary watermelon in the most ordinary beds by sowing healthy seeds those varieties that are adapted to a specific climatic zone, or seedling method followed by planting seedlings in open ground. The terms, conditions and requirements for growing quarmelons at this stage are exactly the same as if you were growing the usual watermelons on your melon patch. round shape. The unusual begins when an ovary about the size of a tennis ball is formed on the watermelon loop (that is, up to 6 cm in height, sometimes up to 10). It should be removed from the bed and carefully placed in a box, threading a loop through the hole. Next, you just need to monitor how the berry grows, but this is not as simple as it looks at first glance. If you look at the experience of Japanese breeders in growing such berries, you will notice that they adjust the watermelon so that the stripes are positioned strictly vertically along the edges, and monitor watering and fertilizers to adjust the size. In addition, you need to remember that watermelon is a sunny berry, so it must be grown in a brightly lit place.
It is equally important not to miss the moment when the berry is ripe, but not too big, otherwise it will tear the box. When it reaches this size, you can disassemble the box (you can simply remove the lid from the reusable polycarbonate mold) and remove the quarrel by twisting the stalk three or four times. If you miss this time, all your hard work will be in vain.
It often happens that after removing the quark from the container, it is not bright enough in color. To restore it, it is enough to leave the berry in the sun for two to three days.
Conclusion
Square watermelons are a fairly rare occurrence, but they already have their fans and, most importantly, there is a demand for them, even despite their high cost. The undeniable advantages of such berries are:
- Ease of transportation.
- The possibility of growing any variety in such conditions in the traditional way, without the use of advances genetic engineering and without any chemical influence. At least, that’s what the creators of the kvarbuz claim.
- A convenient shape that allows you to place a large number of watermelons in the refrigerator or any other place without worrying about their integrity.
- Long shelf life (according to some sources, kvarbuz can be stored for a whole year without spoiling).
It was convenience that guided the Japanese breeders who once created the technology for growing such watermelons. However, according to experienced melon growers, these berries have several serious drawbacks, including the problem of full ripeness (however, the Japanese themselves note this). For example, it has been noticed that a box with dimensions 20x20x20 often turns out to be either too spacious or too cramped. In the first case, the kvarbuz turns out to be not quite square; in the second, it turns out to be slightly, or even very unripe, for the reason that it simply does not have time to ripen. Some experts claim that even the most durable containers are deformed by the force of berry growth, and the watermelons themselves crack and deteriorate. Finally, many see this as the most common violence against nature, which is reflected in the lack of juiciness and proper taste inherent in watermelon in the berry.
All this still gives rise to rumors that a regular variety cannot be grown like this in an unusual way and that the creators of kvarbuz still sin by using genetic modifications, but carefully hide it. It is extremely difficult to say whether this is true or not. Only one thing can be stated with certainty: there is indeed a demand for quarrel, but it is treated more as a decorative element and a way to make an impression than as a tasty, healthy and ripe fruit suitable for consumption. It is no coincidence that they are most often purchased for any celebrations, weddings, banquets or as a gift to someone. In the latter case, it turns out to be a truly original and expensive gift: it is known that the first quarboons, created back in the 80s, were sold at a price of $90 apiece. Nowadays, in Japanese supermarkets they are sold for 120-130 dollars apiece, and in some Moscow supermarkets one copy costs from 23 to 30 thousand rubles. rubles
Growing square watermelons is often seen as an innovative idea for a family business that can bring significant income at a relatively minimum costs. Whether this is true or not and whether such an idea is worth taking seriously - everyone, of course, decides for themselves. However, if you still decide to try your luck in this matter, remember that you need to grow several pieces at once in several forms - this will increase the chances that at least some quarrel will turn out more or less successful. And you shouldn’t count on too large batches: even in Japan, they grow about two hundred to three hundred pieces a year, and the first batch of the 80s, almost all of which were exported, consisted of only four hundred copies. However, such a small predicted quantity may well be compensated by the demand for such a melon crop, which is still unusual for the Slavic eye.
Watermelon is a berry that is usually sweet and round. But it can also be strange, unusual for a person. Not long ago, the world became interested in its cubic shape. How is this possible and is it possible to grow a cube berry yourself?
Benefits of square watermelons
Cubic watermelon - a creation from Japan, which became known more than 30 years ago. This exclusive will cost more than the usual berries. Its main advantages:
- minimizing the risk of damage during product transportation;
- efficient use of space for storing berries.
What type of square watermelon?
It is possible to give a cubic shape to any type of berry. The main thing is to choose the option that is most suitable for your climate and soil. For example, varieties with short term maturation:“Sugar Baby”, “Spark”, “Gift to the North”, etc. At a certain stage, the berry is placed in a transparent box without being removed from the tops.
How to make a watermelon square: making a box with your own hands
The process of growing a watermelon cube is no different from the usual one. The only thing you need is to place it in a special box at a certain stage of ripening. You can make a cube yourself at home.
Did you know? Most big watermelon in the world weighing 120 kg was grown in the USA in the state of Arkansas.
Required materials and tools
To make a box, you will need:
Also, don't forget what you need to have to make a box electric jigsaw, a drill or a hole saw, a screwdriver and, of course, a feather drill (d=0.25 cm).
Manufacturing process
From a sheet of available material, for example, plexiglass, 6 blanks are cut out: one measuring 25 × 25 cm; the rest are a little more. Consider the fact that the diagonal box should be wider than the diagonal of the berry variety that you plan to grow.
On the top cover (at this stage - the workpiece) drill a hole with a diameter of 2.5 cm. To the edge of the lid from this hole you need to cut a rectangle (strip) 2 cm wide. This is done to preserve the integrity of the ovary. 2 door hinges are attached to the lid and side wall.
Important! The lid should cover the ends of the side walls.
Next, you can begin assembling the side walls and adjusting them to the size of the lid. The blanks are connected with self-tapping screws, the head of which protrudes. If necessary, the joints of the box are reinforced with metal corners.
Two door hinges, which remained, are necessary to make the bottom of the box opening, that is, the second door.
This is done in order to simplify the process of removing the watermelon from it. Install latches on the upper and lower doors. Make several small holes in the corners of the box to provide ventilation.
Conditions and rules for growing square watermelons If you have decided on the variety and made a box according to the size of the future watermelon, then you can try to grow a cubic berry. H
For an attempt to be successful, it needs to create certain conditions.
Place and lighting for culture Pick up sunny place
on the south side of the nearest building so that there is less shadow. It is also better to place the beds at a slope to the south so that the soil is evenly and deeply heated.
Climatic conditions Seedlings are placed in open ground at the end of May,
at a time when the risk of sudden frost (or cold snap) is minimized. The climate should be warm, moderately dry, and the weather should be sunny.
Soil requirements Melons love structured soil, which is rich in micronutrients. It shouldn't be sour. If this is not the case, then it should be added to the soil. wood ash
or lime. River sand is added to the loose, light soil during digging.
Planting a watermelon Planting berries can be done in several ways:
seedlings or directly into open ground.
Seedling method
The seedling method involves planting seeds in peat cups and only after germination, moving the plants into open ground. It is used if the climatic conditions in a given area do not allow growing melons directly in open ground. For example, in Siberia or other cold regions.(seedlings), it is necessary to inoculate previously soaked in a stimulant solution(for 3 days) and refrigerated (for 2 days) seeds in March. They are sown in peat cups with fertile soil and cover with film. For seed germination, certain climatic conditions must be provided:
- regular watering;
- periodic ventilation;
- temperature regime (above +25 °C).
Ready seedlings are placed in open ground at the end of May or beginning of June, when they already have at least 5 leaves.
If you live in the northern region, plant it in high beds. For the first 14 days after transplanting the seedlings into the soil outside, you need to care for them in the same way as other melon crops: protect them from the cold at night, water warm water
and cover during cold spells. As soon as the plant blooms and ovaries form, you should be more attentive to it.
Once the watermelon reaches the size of an apple, you can place it in the box you made. Then all that remains is to properly care for it: watering in moderation and caring for the soil. Upon reaching maximum size (according to box parameters) The berry will begin to take on the shape of the container in which it is placed. The ripening period after planting in open ground
Important! - about 95 days. After the specified time, you can disassemble the box and carefully remove the watermelon from there. Do not plant watermelons in a place where others have previously grown. melons
Planting in open ground
due to the risk of larvae or fungi living in the soil that infect such plants. In open ground, the berries are planted in a greenhouse 1.7 m high, in which only melons and melons are grown
. Recommended humidity is less than 60%. Temperature - no higher than +30 °C.
Under such conditions, seeds of the selected variety of watermelon are sown in the soil. Don’t forget to water the plant and ventilate the greenhouse. As soon as the berry reaches 10 cm in diameter, it can be placed in a box. Water the crop generously.
If you did everything correctly, including guessing the box parameters, after 100 days the exclusive product can be served. You can determine readiness by the dried tail, dull bark and yellowish lower part of the watermelon. At this point, you can carefully remove the berry from the box.
Caring for watermelon is easy. In addition to placing and removing the berries from the box, it, like a regular one, needs to be watered, fertilized and loosened the soil.
Soil care
After planting, the seedlings are immediately covered with film/agrofibre. The soil should be periodically loosened and ventilated, opening the film slightly, as well as thinning out thickened crops.
To ensure that moisture is well retained in the soil, the holes are mulched with straw (layer thickness - 10 cm). Don't forget about fertilizing and watering.
How to water watermelons
Watering must be done once every 7 days, if the climate is too hot - 1 time every 3 days. Use only warm water. Do not overwater the plants.
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