How to manage bitter melon during high-temperature periods? These key points you need to master

Bitter melon is a vegetable that people love. Bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd, is a plant of the Cucurbitaceae family and an annual climbing herb. The stems, branches, leaf stalks and flower stalks are covered with soft hairs, with axillary tendrils. The leaves reach 3 to 12 cm in diameter, have 5 to 7 palmate deep lobes, the lobes are oval, and the outer edges are serrated. It blooms at the turn of spring and summer, monoecious, yellow. The fruit is oblong-oval, with many irregular wart-like protrusions on the surface. The seeds are hidden in the fleshy fruit, and when mature are wrapped in a red sac.

Bitter melon's temperature requirements: temperature control. Bitter melon likes warmth, is relatively heat-tolerant, and is not cold-tolerant. Seed germination is suitable at 30-35°C; when the temperature is below 20°C, germination is slow, and below 13°C germination is difficult. At around 25°C, about 15 days can produce seedlings with 4-5 true leaves; if at around 15°C, it takes 20-30 days. At 10-15°C, bitter melon plants grow slowly; below 10°C, growth is poor; when the temperature is below 5°C, the plants are significantly damaged. However, with slightly lower temperatures and short-day conditions, the node position where the first female flower appears is earlier. The flowering and fruiting period is suitable above 20°C, with around 25°C being optimal. Within the range of 15-30°C, the higher the temperature, the more favorable it is for bitter melon's growth——fruiting early, high yield, and good quality. Above 30°C and below 15°C are both unfavorable for bitter melon's growth and fruiting.

Since above 30°C and below 15°C are both unfavorable for bitter melon's growth and fruiting, management of bitter melon during high-temperature periods is especially important, so how should bitter melon be managed during high-temperature periods? Below is an introduction for everyone.

Bitter melon has particularly strong branching ability, with many side vines, and some side vines bear fruit. In order to create a good growth environment with ventilation and light transmission and reduce nutrient consumption, side branches below 1 m should all be removed, and above 1 m select 2-3 branch heads. After the middle stage, no more pruning is done, but old leaves and yellow leaves at the base, as well as fruitless branches hanging to the lower part, should be removed. If possible, branches in the upper part without fruit or female flowers should also be removed to facilitate ventilation and light transmission. Bitter melon likes moisture and avoids waterlogging; usually pay attention to timely draining field water. Water use can be based on soil moisture conditions. Generally, on sunny days with strong sun and high evaporation, water disappears quickly, so water promptly to ensure its physiological water requirements, avoid drought wilting, and prevent effects on plant growth and development and flowering and fruiting. During the high-yield period, supplement sufficient nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers along with watering. Fully decomposed farmyard manure can also be used for drenching. Pay attention to the principle of “small amounts, applied frequently” for fertilizer amount. When bitter melon enters the vigorous growth period, fertilization should be sufficient; in high-temperature and dry seasons, water promptly, and the bed surface is best covered with wheat straw to retain moisture, while also paying attention to preventing waterlogging. Pay attention to promoting flowers, and frequently spray nutrient solutions or agents such as “flowering essence”, “fruit-promoting spirit”, “amino acids”, borax, monopotassium phosphate, calcium nitrate, etc. Common diseases of bitter melon include fusarium wilt, anthracnose, powdery mildew, etc. The main pest is the melon fruit fly. Powdery mildew occurs during the flowering and fruiting period, covering the leaves with white powdery material, causing the leaves to lose green and turn yellow, resulting in premature aging of the plants. Control method: when white powdery material appears on the leaves, spray myclobutanil aqueous solution or triadimefon aqueous solution on the leaf surface once every 7-10 days for control, continuously spraying 2-3 times, and note that the amount of medicinal solution must be large. For epidemic disease, on the leaves it mostly starts from the leaf tip or leaf edge; the lesions are irregular in shape, with inconspicuous edges, initially dark green, water-soaked, then turning brown. The lesions can expand to the entire leaf or more than half of it; when humid, at the junction of the lesions, a ring of white mold grows. Control agents: chlorothalonil, Yike, Bordeaux mixture, vinclozolin, Anke or Jinlei Duomier spray, and diseased leaves should be removed and taken away for destruction. To control stem borers, spray with agents such as fipronil. To control aphids, spray with imidacloprid or acetamiprid. The method to control melon fruit fly is during the young fruit stage, spray the young fruits with fipronil aqueous solution, or Nongdile aqueous solution, or Kung Fu aqueous solution 2-3 times, once every 4-5 days, and promptly remove deformed fruits, concentrating them outside the garden to burn or bury deeply.