Can melons be grown in the south? Read this article to understand
SummarySome melon varieties can be grown in the south, but thick-skinned melons cannot be grown in open fields. However, since melons are all sown in spring, and spring in southern China has more rain and temperatures that are not very high, with insufficient sunlight, melon growth will be affected to a certain extent, so when growing melons in the south, suitable varieties must be selected.
The main production areas for melons are in northern China, and some varieties can also be grown in the south, but melons from Northeast China are not suitable for growing in the south.
Distribution of Melons
Melons are divided into thin-skinned and thick-skinned melons.
North China and Northeast China are the main production areas for thin-skinned melons. Thin-skinned melons have very soft, thin skin and smaller fruits, and cannot be stored for long periods, but they have strong stress resistance. They are generally sown in spring and harvested in autumn. Spring in southern China has a lot of rainfall, lower temperatures and insufficient light, which is not conducive to the survival and growth of melons.
Xinjiang and Gansu in China are the main production areas for thick-skinned melons. Their growing environment requires a warm, dry climate and a large temperature difference between day and night. In Northeast China, North China and southern China, thick-skinned melons cannot be grown in open fields.
Thin-skinned melons are mainly grown in Northeast and East China, while thick-skinned melons are mainly grown in the arid regions of the northwest.
Common Melon Varieties
1. Changxiangyu: It belongs to the large-fruited netted orange-fleshed Hami melon. Its fruit is elongated oval, the rind is grayish green, and the netting on the rind is relatively fine and dense. The average single fruit weight is about 5 jin, the flesh is orange-red, and the taste is fragrant, delicate and soft. The sugar content of the flesh is about 16 degrees, and its growth period is about 90 days. It has strong resistance to fusarium wilt.
2. Chenglu: It is a new variety of high-grade greenhouse netted orange-fleshed melon. The fruit is spherical, the rind is grayish white-green, and the netting on the rind is relatively coarse. The single fruit weight is about 2-3 jin, the flesh is orange, and the taste is fresh, beautiful and tender. The sugar content of the flesh is about 14% or more, and it generally matures about 55 days after flowering. It has a low fruit-cracking rate, is convenient for storage and transportation, and does not drop from the stem.
3. Xiangfei: It is an improved variety of Xinjiang “Hongxincui”. The fruit is spindle-shaped, the rind is yellow-green, and the surface of the rind has sparse netting. The average single fruit weight is about 4 jin, the flesh is light orange, the flesh is relatively thick, and the taste is crisp and tender. The sugar content of the flesh is between 13-16%, and it generally matures about 40 days after flowering. It can be grown in various regions and is an early-maturing variety. It has strong disease resistance, a high fruiting rate, and can be stored and transported.
Reasons Melons Are Not Sweet
1. Different melon varieties have different sweetness levels, so high-quality melon varieties should be selected for planting.
2. If too much pruning is done, the proportion of mature leaves will decrease, causing the fruit to be unable to obtain sufficient nutrients during maturity and sugar accumulation. This makes the plant age prematurely, the leaves age faster, and the ability to produce nutrients declines or is even lost. To ensure its own growth and development, the fine tendrils on the rind will replace the leaves in producing nutrients. By the time the rind matures, the amount of chlorophyll decomposition on the rind surface will be less than the amount synthesized, causing the rind cells to contain a large amount of chlorophyll and be unable to turn yellow. Therefore, the rind color is poor and the sweetness of the flesh is also relatively low.
3. If too many leaves are removed from the whole plant, the fruit will be exposed outside and directly heated by direct sunlight, causing yellow lycopene to be unable to be synthesized. Direct sunlight promotes chlorophyll synthesis, while under scattered sunlight, yellow carotenoids are synthesized better. Therefore, fruit covered by an appropriate amount of leaves will color better.
4. Within 10 days before harvesting melons, if it is not very dry, it is best not to water, so as to avoid reducing the sweetness of the melons. During the process of growing melons, especially during the melon growth period, the amount of potassium fertilizer applied should be increased to improve the quality of the melons. In daily fertilization, the amount of nitrogen fertilizer should be controlled. Excessive nitrogen fertilizer will reduce the sweetness of melons and also cause excessive accumulation of nitrite, affecting human health.
When fertilizing melons, follow the principle of applying phosphorus, increasing potassium, and controlling nitrogen. Within 10 days before harvest, sweetening agents such as monopotassium phosphate or Baofengling can be sprayed on the leaves, and 10% concentration white sugar can also be sprayed to increase the sweetness of the melons.