Square watermelons in Japan - how they are grown and how much they cost

Thanks to the achievements of genetics and selection, developed countries are experimenting with cultivated plants, changing color, taste, and shape. But, of course, Japan is ahead of everyone with its know-how. One of the interesting finds is square watermelons, the place of birth of which is considered to be the island of Shikoku, and the year of birth is 1960. It turned out to be a poor harvest; in order to improve the situation, farmers offered a new product - cubic watermelons, which went with a bang. Now a watermelon berry of this configuration does not surprise the Japanese and has already gained admirers in other countries.

Making a square shape with your own hands

Don't waste money on a mold for growing watermelons, but create one yourself. To do this you will need the following tools and materials:

• main material of the box (polycarbonate, plexiglass or plywood) – 1 sheet (panel) with an approximate thickness of 12 mm;
• a metal corner with a width of at least 30 mm;
• door hinges – 4 pcs.;
• door latches – 2 pcs.;
• fastening elements – bolts with nuts, self-tapping screws;
• jigsaw;
• drill;
• screwdriver;
• feather drill with a diameter of 0.25 cm.

Container creation process:

• Cut 6 blanks from the main material of the box. At the same time, make one with dimensions of 25 × 25 cm, and the others a little larger. In this case, the diagonal of the container must be wider than the diagonal of the watermelon itself, otherwise it will not fit.

• Prepare the workpieces for assembly. On the workpiece that will be the top cover, drill a 2.5 cm hole. From it to the edge, cut a strip about 2 cm wide.

• Assemble the structure. Attach 2 door hinges to the side wall and lid. In this case, the ends of the walls on the sides should be covered with a lid. Next, connect the blanks with self-tapping screws with protruding caps. If necessary, reinforce the box joints with metal corners.

• Make the finishing touches. Attach the 2 remaining door hinges to the bottom of the frame to create a second door. It will be needed when removing the fruit from the mold. Place locks on both doors. And in the corners of the structure, cut several small ventilation holes. For better heat perception, make the box black or transparent.

Where is it grown?

Over time, this technology was mastered in other countries. Watermelons of unusual shape are grown in large quantities for export in China, Brazil, and the UAE. For this purpose, forms made from various materials are used: wood, plastic, glass.

The growing technology is quite simple, but requires a significant amount of physical effort, because each berry formed on the stem must be placed in a mold and the process of growth and ripening must be constantly monitored. Therefore, the cost of such watermelons is much higher than that of ordinary round ones.

But this does not mean that the average consumer does not have a chance to taste berries of such an unusual shape. Of course, watermelons grow best in southern latitudes. In our country they are successfully grown, for example, in the Astrakhan region and in other regions of the North Caucasus. But you can grow them in the middle zone on your own plot. You don’t even have to buy a special container for this; you can easily make it yourself from plywood, polycarbonate, or plexiglass. Square elements cut from them (approximately 25x25 cm) are connected using self-tapping screws. Two sides are made removable or opening, so that you can later remove the fruit without damaging the shape. To provide air access to the berries, you need to make several ventilation holes. Paint the container with black paint so that the container will be better illuminated by the sun's rays.

Pros and cons of growing unusual fruits

Square watermelons have certain advantages over round ones:

• low risk of fruit damage during transportation;
• the possibility of compact arrangement of berries during their storage;
• convenient form for cutting portions;
• long shelf life - as some sources say, such a watermelon can be stored for about a year without spoiling.

But this culture also has the following disadvantages:

• unripeness of fruits associated with the berries being in a container for shaping;
• the risk of being damaged upon contact with the container - if it is too tight, the berry, as it grows, becomes deformed;
• decreased taste.

Price policy

No more than 100 units of this cubic exotic are imported to Russia annually. The cost of one watermelon on the Russian market sometimes reaches $500 per piece, so the average domestic buyer does not show much interest in it.

And in general, given such a high price and low taste, the melon miracle is not so often popular. But despite the factors that do not speak in its favor, the demand remains at the same level and it continues to be actively used as a decorative and non-standard decoration for various celebrations.

Features of cultivation

In order for square-shaped watermelons to delight you with their harvest, you need to choose the right place to plant them. It should be sunny and unshaded. This melon crop does not like shade. The soil should be structured, rich in microelements and non-acidic.

If the soil does not meet these requirements, mix a little lime or wood ash into it. And add sand from the river to light and loose soil while digging.

Do not plant watermelons where other melons, cucumbers and cabbage previously grew. In this case, there is a risk of infecting the seeds with harmful viruses. Grow the crop where peas, potatoes, corn or sunflowers were.

Preparing and planting seeds

Most often, watermelons are grown from seedlings. The essence of this method is that in March the seeds are planted in small cups and after the sprouts appear, they are moved to open ground.

This method is applicable in those regions where the climate does not allow growing melons directly in the open air.

How to grow seedlings:

• soak the seeds for 3 days in a growth stimulator;
• put them in the refrigerator for 2 days;
• sow the prepared seeds in cups with fertile soil;
• cover the seedlings with film.

In order for the seeds to hatch on time and develop normally, water them regularly, ventilate them and maintain their optimal temperature of +25 degrees and above. Do not grow seedlings on a windowsill, as melons do not like temperature fluctuations.

After 1.5 weeks, watermelon sprouts will appear. Plant the crop in open ground at the end of the last spring month - beginning of summer. The seedlings should already have at least 5 leaves. The weather during planting should be warm and sunny. Add humus to the soil before planting.

Caring for seedlings before placing in mold

For the first 2 weeks after planting the sprouts outside, properly care for them:

• regularly water the seedlings with warm water - once a week or once every 3 days if it’s hot;
• cover them at night when the temperature drops;
• systematically loosen the soil and feed the melon with liquid organic fertilizers;
• ventilate the sprouts by lifting the film (if they are covered);
• get rid of emerging weeds;
• mulch the holes with a 10 cm layer of straw.

Growing in a greenhouse

If you live in a cold climate, grow watermelons in a greenhouse. The optimal height of such a greenhouse is approximately 1.7 m. At the same time, grow only melons and melons in it, since watermelons do not like other proximity in a confined space. The humidity in the greenhouse should not exceed 60%, and the temperature should not exceed +30 degrees.

Sow watermelon seeds, not seedlings, into the greenhouse soil. Water the crop regularly and ventilate the greenhouse. Despite the external protection, keep a watermelon cover at the ready in case the temperature drops at night.

When and how to put it in the mold and what to do next?

When the watermelon has grown to the size of a tennis ball (about 6-10 cm in diameter), place it in the container you made to give the fruit a square shape. Do this by threading the watermelon loop through the hole in the box.

What to do after placing the fruit in the container:

• straighten the watermelon so that its stripes are located clearly vertically along its edges;
• also water the crop abundantly;
• Cover the container on top to prevent overheating.

Once the watermelon reaches the size of the container, it will begin to take on its shape. Typically, the ripening period for a crop after planting in the open air is approximately 95-100 days. The main thing is not to miss the moment when the watermelon is already ripe, but not too big. This cannot be allowed, otherwise it will tear the box.

After the berry reaches its ripeness, remove it from the garden bed by twisting the stalk several times and remove it from the box. For a reusable container, simply remove the lid.

It happens that after removal from the container, the watermelon is not bright enough in color. To fix this, leave the berries in the sun for 2-3 days.

Preparation

To start growing, you need to carefully consider the shape. To make it you need to prepare the following materials:

1. Polycarbonate. Any color will do. The main thing is that the width is at least 8 mm.
2. Gate hinges. We need small parts that will carefully fasten all sides of our future form.
3. Screws. They must be no less than 25 mm and no more than 40 mm in size.
4. Steel or aluminum corner. It is enough to purchase 90 cm.
5. Nuts, washers, flat head screws.

For ease of making the mold, prepare the following tools according to the list:

• drill;
• jigsaw (if you don’t have such a tool, you can replace it with a hacksaw);
• crosshead screwdriver;
• ruler;
• hole saw.

When you have prepared everything, you can start.

Harvest and storage

Watermelons can be harvested 95-100 days after they are planted. If you are going to store the fruits for a long time, pick them during the first stage of ripeness. You can cut the fruits with a knife or pruning shears. In this case, leave the tail at least 5 cm long.

Store watermelons on a thin layer of straw in a dark place. Place the berries on racks or in earthen trenches. If the fruit has any damage, it will not be able to be stored for long.

Watch the video below on how to grow, select and store a square watermelon:

How to determine the degree of ripeness of cubic fruits

The fruits are removed from the vines at the initial stage of ripeness; fully ripened watermelons are not stored for a long time. Unripe berries also cannot be stored; after harvesting, they do not ripen.

Fruit maturity is determined by the following characteristics:

• peel strength - the surface should not be damaged by a fingernail;
• rind color – when ripe it has a glossy tint;
• sound - when tapped, ripe berries make a dull sound;
• spot on the surface - it appears in the area where the fruit comes into contact with the ground;
• stalk - it dries out when the fruit ripens.

Reviews from gardeners and consumers

★★★★★
Yuri, 49 years old, builder, Armavir. I tried to grow square watermelons - it didn’t work out very well.
Many of the containers I bought were deformed under the influence of the growth force of the berries, and the watermelons themselves cracked. The shape was still more round than square. Disappointed. ★★★★★
Victoria, 38 years old, manager, Dmitrov. I think that when growing such watermelons, you need to take the most rigid container possible.
For example, glass flasks. In this case, there is a chance that they will withstand the growth of fruits. I tried this watermelon - in principle, the taste is interesting, but for me, it’s a little dry. Hide

Add your review

The secret of the appearance of square watermelons turned out to be quite simple. However, without following the cultivation technology and proper care, an attempt to grow such a fruit on your home plot may not be entirely successful. Consider the climate of your region and be sure to choose a rigid container to create the mold.

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Is a square watermelon qualitatively different from a round one?

There is no difference in taste or quality. Interestingly, to grow berries, you can take seeds of any variety. Green, striped watermelons turn out to be square. The taste qualities depend on the chosen variety, growing conditions, and climate.

But this happens in Japan and the Arab Emirates, where high temperatures are maintained throughout the entire period of fruit ripening. In our area, ordinary watermelons do not always have time to ripen. When placing the ovary in a box, the amount of light and heat is reduced, so the pulp is not sweet enough, juicy and not always the appropriate color.

Master Class

Let's look at how shapes for square watermelons are made:

1. All polycarbonate must be cut into pieces equal to each other.
2. We take the first sheet and cut a hole in it measuring 25 mm. For convenience, you can use a hole saw. Using a hand saw or jigsaw, you need to make two parallel cuts from the round hole.
3. You need to take the second piece of polycarbonate and connect it to the first part. In this case, it is necessary that the end overlaps. Connect using gate hinges.
4. Based on the size of the two connected parts, it is necessary to prepare another pair of sides that will serve as inserts.
5. They need to be inserted inside the box and adjusted to size.
6. Secure with screws. For a more reliable design, it is recommended to screw two pieces into each end.
7. Now we need to install the bottom of our entire structure and secure it, also using loops.

So our form is ready, in which you can grow square watermelons.