Watermelon Skorik is an interesting variety, which is distinguished by both its great weight and its taste. It has a lot of advantages that are immediately visible. But despite them, it is not very popular in foreign countries.
Description and characteristics of watermelon Skorik
Watermelon Skorik was bred in 1997. He quickly ripens, and has large fruit sizes. Their taste vaguely resembles the sweetness of honey, and the flesh is juicy and soft. Now it is widely used in Russia and Ukraine.
Like all watermelons, Skorik has the shape of a ball, and the color of the fruit is in the form of long uneven stripes of black color. The ripening of watermelons in the fields takes place almost simultaneously, which allows you to quickly collect many sweet crops, and it can be stored for a long time. So, for example, it can be kept in the refrigerator for several months. From 1 ha, you can get up to 30 tons of the crop, while the weight of one watermelon is 3 kg.
Due to its persistence, you will not see painful diseases on the peel. Usually it is light or dark green in color, smooth and matte. The pulp inside is bright red, it clearly expresses the watermelon aroma.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Watermelon has many advantages. These include:
- precocity
- quality of taste, aroma and juiciness of the fruit;
- long-term storage;
- resistance to serious diseases;
- all fruits ripen almost simultaneously.
The disadvantages of Skorik are much less. Among them:
- high price for seeds;
- exactingness to weather.
Ripening dates and productivity
Watermelon Skorik belongs to the early ripening varieties. 65-90 days, so much time passes from the first seedlings to the complete ripening of the finished fruit. Sometimes, this happens earlier if fertile and high-quality soil has been selected for planting seeds.
If you planted seeds at the beginning of the ripening period - April, by the middle of it you will get full-fledged young shoots, and after a while, when you plant on open soil, the watermelons will ripen. On average, the weight of the fruit reaches 2-4 kg.
The largest weight of registered watermelon Skorik was 17 kg.
Features planting watermelon Skorik
Following the usual tips and tricks, it’s not difficult to grow suitable watermelons. In the case of the Skorik variety, you need light and fertile soil, as well as warm temperatures.
Seed preparation
It is necessary to carefully select the seeds, examine them for bodily and painful injuries. To find the best quality, inspect them for the following characteristics:
- very small size;
- shape is an oval;
- monotonous black color;
- light weight, 1000 - only 90 g.
Do not save on seeds, and buy only from trusted sellers in specialized stores.
You can store seeds long enough if you provide warm and dry conditions in the room. For maintenance, lightweight paper bags are suitable in which the seeds will have access to oxygen. But they should be changed at least once a year, for high-quality ripening of fruits.
Growing seedlings
Planting seeds takes place in early April. Plant seeds to a depth of 3 to 5 cm. In the first phase of growing watermelon, mineral fertilizers will be required, but not too frequent - Skorik watermelon is very sensitive to them. Instead of such fertilizing, it is possible to use nutrient pots that are suitable for automatic fertilizers. In a month, the grown shoots will be prepared for transplanting to a permanent place.
Planting seedlings in open ground
Seedlings are transplanted into open soil when the first young leaves appeared on the shoots - from 3 to 6 pieces. This happens about a month after planting the seeds, a maximum of one and a half. During the transplant process, do not forget to carefully treat the root, especially its neck - the watermelon Skorik is sensitive to the disease from a fungus.
It will be just fine if plants like potatoes, carrots or tomatoes grew in this soil before watermelons.
Colds after transplantation also will not have a favorable effect - the plant will die, provide it with maximum heat. After a couple of days have passed after planting, the side shoots will begin to grow, which will need to be cut immediately, since only one whole stem is needed to grow the fruit.
During ripening, the plant will need all the necessary procedures:
- regular watering;
- timely top dressing;
- pruning
- mandatory garter;
- weed cutting;
- loosening.
More about the features of growing watermelons in open ground is painted here.
The content will also facilitate the fact that the plant is as resistant to a serious disease as possible. Already 1.5 or 2 months after planting the seeds, the fruits ripen, and you can start harvesting.
Seedling care after planting
The plant does not require careful care, but even despite this, do not forget to conduct timely watering, if necessary, apply fertilizing and remove weeds.
Watering
Watermelon Skorik has strong roots, the core root system speaks about this. From the depths of the earth, he himself is capable of producing enough moisture for himself. Watering should not be done often - once every few days. But if you feel or see that the drought season is in the yard, you will need to carry out the procedures more often.
Too frequent watering will affect the excessive juiciness of the watermelon, as well as its taste, which will lose its aroma and honey flavor.
The most important nuance - two weeks before harvesting, watering is completely stopped.
Top dressing
The plant needs complex fertilizers in not too large quantities. Especially when it comes to potash dressings, then there should be very few. Fertilizing the soil and watermelon occurs both during the cultivation of shoots from seeds, and during the cultivation of the shoots themselves:
- Seed cultivation.
- Ripening fruits.
Mineral fertilizers will be more needed by the plant during the 1st period. Potash is great for ripening.
Harvesting and storage
After harvesting, it is put in one place, where it is left for several days. If you are going to store watermelons for a long time, then you need to cut them into pieces (quarters or half), and place in a cold room. Better use a freezer.
With this method of storage, watermelon will preserve its taste, juiciness and aromas, rather than if you store them in good condition, without slicing. So it can survive even until winter.
During storage, you can clear the lobes from the seeds, and collect them until the next planting. Although this is not desirable, they will not be as high-quality as those that you planted.
Gardeners reviews
Ira, 28 years old, gardener, Moscow region. I recently planted the Skorik watermelon, I really liked its taste and aroma. In weight, they have reached me differently - 3-4 kg. There was only one small problem - it has a thick peel.
Sveta, 37 years old, gardener, Moscow region.May 13, bought seeds, and planted them. The price of seeds was quite high, but the taste justified everything - the whole family liked it. But it’s better to buy them only in trusted stores. The first seeds you see will not work, you need to be more serious about this.
Galina Oryol
I’ve been setting Skorik for the third year already. Very tasty fruitful variety, the peel is thin, and the taste is excellent- sweet, juicy !!!
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Add your review
Watermelon Skorik has both positive and negative sides. There are disadvantages in it, but they are so insignificant that you can not pay attention to them. There are more pluses, and basically they consist of the speed of ripening and the unique taste of the fruit. Gardening experience is not required if you are planning to grow Skoryk, here success depends only on compliance with all the rules for care. If you use them, you get a huge harvest of juicy watermelons.