Watermelon splitting is a common occurrence during fruit development. This happens before harvest or during growth, when the watermelon naturally splits into multiple or two segments starting from the navel. What causes watermelons to split? Can they still grow properly? Let's take a look.
I. Causes of Watermelon Cracking
1. Improper water management
During the growth of watermelons, if the soil moisture changes drastically, especially during the fruit enlargement period, a sudden large amount of watering or a sudden watering after a long drought may cause the flesh and peel to grow at different rates, resulting in fruit cracking.
2. Uneven fertilization
Excessive nitrogen fertilizer can lead to excessively large leaves and vigorous plant growth, while fruit development is delayed, the peel becomes thinner, and the fruit is more prone to cracking. At the same time, a lack of micronutrients such as boron and calcium also increases the risk of fruit cracking.
3. Soil texture and structure
Soil that is too sandy or too sticky, has poor soil structure, and poor water and fertilizer retention capacity can all cause fruit cracking.
II. Preventive measures for watermelon cracking
1. Apply fertilizer appropriately
When fertilizing, it's crucial to maintain a balance of potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen, avoiding excessive nitrogen fertilizer. Excessive nitrogen can lead to thinner fruit rinds, excessive vegetative growth, and increased susceptibility to cracking. Simultaneously, it's essential to increase the application of micronutrient fertilizers and organic fertilizers to improve the soil's water and fertilizer retention capacity, providing ample nutrition for watermelon growth. During the fruit expansion stage, a high-nitrogen, high-potassium fertilizer (20-10-30) can be applied through fertigation. Regular foliar spraying with products like "Jili Taizong" and "Wuyuan Taizong" can also be beneficial, ensuring balanced nutrition and promoting uniform growth of the flesh and rind, while also improving fruit firmness and strength.
2. Control moisture levels appropriately.
During the watermelon's growth period, especially during the fruit enlargement stage, it's crucial to keep the soil moist, avoiding both excessive drought and excessive moisture. Excessive drought can cause the rind to harden, making it prone to cracking as the flesh grows rapidly; conversely, excessive moisture will soften the rind, making it unable to withstand the pressure of the flesh. Therefore, watering should be done appropriately and in a timely manner, depending on the weather and soil conditions, to maintain moderate soil moisture.
3. Reasonable planting density and pruning
Properly spaced planting can fully utilize light energy, improve photosynthetic efficiency, and promote watermelon growth. Pruning, on the other hand, can regulate the plant's growth vigor, preventing the watermelon rind from cracking due to excessive pressure during growth and maintaining a reasonable spatial distribution.
