Whole text about How to get the maximum out of your watermelon productio, from our dear friend and contributor Dipl. Ing. Miroslav Bedov, Nickerson-Zwaan Manager for south-east Europe, You can read Here.

For sucessful production it is very important to have healthy and well ''hardened'' young plants.Serious attention has to be focused towards tunnel construction where we will do young plant production. Construction of tunnels and north-south projection of them is important. Good ventilation, fogging, Microsprinklers, heaters and shading equipment have to be inside modern nursery. Most important is to provide sufficient temperature. Good quality plastic has to be a choice, also Before we start production we have to disinfect all surfaces in nursery. No weeds have to be around the production facilities.

Most of products we do are from grafted plants that sterile environment is required. Rootstock used is from special type of squash (Lagenaria vulgaris) which proved to be the best for the purpose of having higher yield. Root system of grafted plant is much stronger so penetrates deeper into the soil and production is much safer that way. Cold and disease tolerances (Fusarium) are also significantly better. Making of interspecies plant where squash provide water and minerals to WM stem and leafs have positive effect as we got perfect WM fruit with no change in taste. In few recent years we were experimenting with grafting method withoud removing side shouts. In practice it proved to be the best way.Rootstock is more ''in line'' of growth with scion. Callus (joint) is much stronger and healthier (e.g. to Alternaria attack). Second point is that plant is much stronger as it's not waisting energy on shouts and instead concentartes on root system.