How many jin per mu is the usual yield of Honey Benincasa pumpkins?
AbstractThe yield of Honey pumpkin is around 2000 kg per mu, and the market price is around 6-8 yuan per jin. It is generally planted from January to March in spring, or from July to August in autumn, and can be harvested about 85-90 days after transplanting. Its leaves, flowers, and vines are all edible, and it stores well, is convenient to transport, and is in relatively high market demand.
I. Yield and price of Honey pumpkin
Honey pumpkin has relatively wide uses; its flowers, vines, and leaves are all edible, its quality is also relatively good, it stores relatively well, transports easily, and is in relatively high market demand. At present, the market price is around 6-8 yuan per jin, and the yield per mu is around 2000 kg.
II. Timing for Honey pumpkin
Honey pumpkin is generally planted from January to March in spring and from July to August in autumn, and can be harvested about 85-90 days after transplanting.
III. Transplanting and planting out
1. Generally, wait until the temperature rises above 15°C, about one month after sowing, when the seedlings have grown 2-3 true leaves, then transplant and plant them out together with the soil on a sunny day.
2. When transplanting, be sure not to let the pumpkin seedlings come into direct contact with the base fertilizer. You can plant 2 seedlings per hole, with a seedling spacing of about 25 cm, and a planting rate of about 300-400 plants per mu. After planting, water thoroughly to improve the survival rate.
IV. Rational fertilization
1. After the plants survive planting, topdress with fertilizer. About 750-1000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure can be applied per mu. After the pumpkins set fruit, when the young pumpkins grow to about 1 jin, in order to meet the plant's growth needs, about 15-20 kg of special compound fertilizer can be topdressed per mu.
2. Note that it is not suitable to apply nitrogen fertilizer alone, as this can easily affect the sugar content of the pumpkin fruit, thereby reducing quality and affecting returns.
V. Pruning and vine pressing
1. Honey pumpkin can be pruned using the three-vine system, or when the main vine grows 6-7 true leaves, pinch off the growing tip to let it send out side vines, keeping only 3 relatively strong side vines and removing all the remaining vines.
2. When the vines grow to 1 m, arrange the vines so they grow in one direction. In order to allow them to fully use soil fertility and light energy, keep a spacing of about 40-50 cm between vines so they are evenly distributed. In addition, in order to promote rooting at the nodes and keep the vines growing in a fixed position, press down a section of vine at the nodes every 3-4 nodes, pressing 2-3 sections in total. This also helps expand the absorption area, thereby increasing the plant's nutrition.
VI. Pollination
1. Generally, Honey pumpkin can rely on bees and other insects for pollination. If there are no insects for pollination during the flowering period, artificial assisted pollination is needed to increase the fruit-setting rate.
2. During the flowering period of Honey pumpkin, from 7-9 a.m., pollinate the opened male flowers onto the stigmas of the female flowers. Generally, 1 male flower can pollinate more than 2 female flowers, and keeping 1-2 pumpkins per vine is enough.
VII. Pest and disease control
The relatively common pests and diseases of Honey pumpkin include cutworms, yellow squash beetles, powdery mildew, whiteflies, damping-off, and so on. Pesticides such as decis, triadimefon, dimehypo, chlorothalonil, and so on can be used for control. When using them, be sure to apply them strictly according to the ratios in the instruction manual.