TheNaturePlanet

Want to grow watermelons on your balcony? It's completely achievable as long as you master the right methods.


### I. Variety Selection
Due to limited balcony space, prioritize small-fruited and early-maturing varieties:
- **Black Beauty**: Classic black rind with red flesh, high sweetness, good storage tolerance, strong disease resistance—ideal for beginners.
- **Yellow Xiaoyu**: Stunning golden flesh, crisp and juicy texture, perfect for both ornamental and edible purposes.
- **Early Spring Hongyu**: Thin rind, tender flesh, single fruit weight 1.5–2 kg, suitable for family consumption.

**Caution**: Avoid large watermelon varieties, as they occupy more space and are harder to bear fruit.


### II. Pot and Tools
- **Pot Size**: Diameter ≥ 40 cm, depth 30–40 cm to ensure sufficient root growth space.
- **Material Options**:
- Ceramic pots: Excellent ventilation but heavy, suitable for fixed placement.
- Gallon pots/青山盆 (Qingshan pots): Lightweight, durable, with multiple drainage holes—high cost-performance.
- **Essential Tools**: Small shovel, gardening scissors, bamboo poles/climbing nets for trellising, watering sprayer.


### III. Soil Mix and Base Fertilizer
- **Formula Ratio**: 3 parts peat moss + 2 parts decomposed garden soil + 1 part rice husk charcoal/perlite + appropriate decomposed organic fertilizer (chicken manure or sheep manure is best, add 1–2 handfuls per pot).
- **Key Steps**: Mix all materials thoroughly, sun-expose for 3 days to sterilize; lay a layer of ceramsite at the pot bottom before filling with soil, leaving a 5 cm edge for watering.


### IV. Planting Process
#### Method 1: Seed Sowing
1. **Seed Soaking & Germination**: Soak seeds in 55℃ water for 15 min to sterilize, then in room-temperature water for 6–8 hr. Wrap in a damp paper towel at 25–30℃ to germinate, sow after white tips appear.
2. **Sowing**: Plant 2–3 seeds per pot, cover with 1 cm soil, water thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap for moisture, and remove once sprouted.

#### Method 2: Purchasing Seedlings
Buy seedlings with 2–3 true leaves online or from a flower market. Transplant with soil clumps, water with root-fixing solution, and acclimate for 3–5 days before normal care.


### V. Daily Maintenance
- **Light**: 6–8 hr daily direct sunlight, south-facing balcony is optimal. Use a sunshade net at noon in summer to prevent leaf scorching; rotate the pot regularly for even lighting.
- **Temperature**: Optimal growth 20–32℃. Below 15℃, growth stalls; below 10℃, move indoors for warmth. Enhance ventilation in high temperatures to avoid root suffocation.
- **Watering**: Follow "water when dry, water thoroughly". Less water in the seedling stage (keep soil slightly moist); increase during vine elongation; most water during flowering-fruiting (keep soil moist); reduce watering 7–10 days before maturity to enhance sweetness.
- **Fertilization**: Organic fertilizer added during potting. Apply thin compound fertilizer (e.g., Huaduoduo No.1) every 10 days during the growing period; switch to phosphorus-potassium fertilizer during flowering to promote fruiting.
- **Trellising & Pruning**:
1. Trellising: When vines reach 30 cm, build a "人"-shaped bamboo trellis or climbing net to guide growth.
2. Pruning: Single-vine pruning (keep only the main vine) for small spaces; double-vine pruning (main vine + 1 strong side vine), remove excess side shoots and tendrils to reduce nutrient consumption.


### VI. Manual Pollination
- **Best Time**: 8–10 AM when flowers are fully open.
- **Method**: Find当天开放的雄花 (male flowers with slender stamens under petals), remove petals; gently rub the anther on the stigma of female flowers (with small fruit buds under petals). One male flower can pollinate 2–3 female flowers. Mark the date after pollination to calculate maturity.


### VII. Pest and Disease Control
- **Powdery Mildew**: White powdery spots on leaves. Spray 800x diluted carbendazim/metalaxyl-mancozeb weekly.
- **Aphids**: Curled leaves with honeydew. Use soapy water, hang yellow sticky traps, or apply imidacloprid.
- **Spider Mites**: Yellow-white spots with webbing. Spray 1500x abamectin, focusing on leaf undersides.

**Tip**: Maintain ventilation, avoid high temperature and humidity; remove and destroy diseased leaves immediately!


#BalconyGardening #WatermelonGrowing #HomeFarmingTips