How to Grow Melons? Detailed Explanation of Planting Methods and Key Technical Points
AbstractTo grow melons, you first need to prepare the land and apply fertilizer, then sow seeds and raise seedlings, and finally carry out field management. The most important things for planting and cultivating melons are suitable soil and sufficient space, and you also need to choose the melon variety to plant according to the local soil and climate, which is also the most important factor for a high yield.
I. Land Preparation and Application of Base Fertilizer
Before planting melons, the land must be cultivated in advance. Fields in the south generally have standing water, so before planting, perimeter ditches and bed ditches should first be prepared to prevent water from flowing in. Next, prepare the fertilizer. Melons mainly rely on base fertilizer. Generally, per mu of land, the amount of urea is about 30 jin, superphosphate 100 jin, potassium sulfate 40 jin, manganese sulfate 4 jin, boron-magnesium fertilizer 10 jin, borax 2 jin, zinc sulfate 2 jin. If organic fertilizer such as poultry and livestock manure is used, the fertilizer application per mu should be about 8000 jin.
10 days before planting melons, spread the farmyard manure evenly over the field, plow the soil deeply about 30 cm, and let the fertilizer penetrate into the ground. Mix the previously prepared fertilizers evenly and place them in the ditch where the melon seedlings will be planted. The melon seedlings should not be planted directly on top of the fertilizer; keep a distance of about 15 cm. This is to prevent too much fertilizer from burning the roots of the melon seedlings.
II. Sowing and Raising Seedlings
1. Prepare nutrient soil. In a garden field where no melon crops have been planted, prepare 50% mature soil and 50% decomposed farmyard manure, use a sieve to remove excess debris, add plant ash or sawdust, then add 2 jin of calcium phosphate, 1 jin of potassium sulfate, 200 g of 50% carbendazim, 200 g of 75% metalaxyl mancozeb, and 5 g of 95% hymexazol to the nutrient soil. Mix these evenly and make nutrient pots for later use.
2. Seed treatment. Before soaking the seeds, sun-dry the seeds for half a day in advance, then put the seeds into a gauze bag about 5 times their volume, seal the opening, and then place them in a 1% potassium permanganate solution or a 500-fold thiophanate-methyl solution to soak the seeds for about 20 minutes. After taking them out
rinse them clean with clear water, then soak the seeds in warm water at about 30°C for 5 hours. The soaking time must not be too long, otherwise it will affect the germination rate of the seeds.
3. Promoting germination and sowing. After soaking, dry the surface moisture of the seeds, put them in a moist mesh gauze bag and place it in a plastic bag, then place it at 30°C to promote germination. After about 20 hours, sprouts can grow. When the radicle grows to 2 mm, sowing can be carried out. One day before sowing, water the nutrient pots thoroughly, put about 2 sprouted seeds in each pot. After sowing, cover the seeds with 1 cm of nutrient soil. The soil in the pots should preferably be moist. When the humidity is insufficient, some water needs to be sprinkled. When the temperature is low, cover with film to preserve moisture and heat. When 80% of the seeds have pushed through the soil, the plastic film needs to be removed.
4. Seedbed management. Before the seeds emerge, the film does not need to be removed. The temperature inside should be maintained at about 30 degrees during the day and about 20 degrees at night. When 80% of the melon seedlings have grown out of the soil surface, ventilate to lower the temperature, keeping the daytime temperature at about 20 degrees and the nighttime temperature at about 15 degrees. Before transplanting, the melon seedlings should be hardened off so that they can quickly adapt to the open-field climate environment.
III. Field Management
1. Timely transplanting. Before transplanting, the melon seedling field should be well covered with plastic mulch, and water should be applied to settle the roots. When the true leaves reach 2 leaves and 1 heart or 5 leaves, transplanting can be carried out, depending on the size of the nutrient pots. The temperature requirement for transplanting is that the outdoor temperature is stably above 15°C; at this time, it is suitable for transplanting.
2. Timely vine training. When the main vine of the melon grows to 4 true leaves, select about 3 robust secondary vines to bear melons, and the others can be removed. When the secondary vines begin to set fruit, pinch off the growing tip after leaving 3 leaves in front of the fruit. When tertiary vines grow, keep only one, and remove all the rest. If female flowers do not set fruit or are not pollinated due to climate and other reasons, the secondary vines must be pinched off immediately when they grow to 5 leaves, so that tertiary vines grow and bear fruit. All branches that have not produced fruit should be removed.
3. Fertilizer and water management. When melons are flowering and setting fruit, they are suitable for growing in soil that is dry-wet alternating. During the period when the fruit is enlarging, the water amount needs to be increased. When a melon grows to the size of a table tennis ball, it needs to be watered together with fertilizer. When the melons are about to mature, the supply of fertilizer and water should be stopped to ensure the taste and quality of the melons. On rainy days, drainage should be done well. If waterlogging occurs, it should be drained promptly.
4. Timely harvesting. Melons generally mature about 30 days after flowering. When the melon begins to have fragrance, sweetness, and the seeds inside are plump, it means the melon has matured, and it can be picked at this time. After the first batch of melons is harvested, apply fertilizer and water once more to ensure the rapid growth of the later melons, and timely remove the old leaves and weak branches and leaves of the plants.