Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for High-Yield Hami Melon Cultivation

1. Timely sowing, cultivate strong seedlings

Sow and raise seedlings from the end of December to early January of the following year, with a seedling age of 30 days. Before sowing, disinfect the seeds, soak the seeds, and promote germination. For the nutrient soil, use soil that has not previously grown cucurbit crops or paddy field soil, and apply 2000 kg of decomposed manure and 10 kg of superphosphate per 667 sq m as base fertilizer. To prevent disease, apply 3 kg of 50% carbendazim per 667 sq m to disinfect the soil.

2. Timely transplanting, rational close planting. For planting Hami melons, build the greenhouse 15 days before transplanting, preferably a greenhouse 4-5 m wide. Inside the greenhouse, make raised high beds 2 m wide and 15 cm high, cover the beds with plastic film, and set the transplanting row in the middle of the bed. Transplant when the seedlings have 2 true leaves and 1 heart leaf, planting 600 plants per 667 sq m. Note that the soil temperature should be above 15°C when transplanting.

3. Fertilizer and water management

Apply sufficient base fertilizer: apply 50 kg of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compound fertilizer per 667 sq m, 15 kg of ammonium bicarbonate, or use 4000 kg of decomposed manure. Apply 2/3 of the base fertilizer deeply 15 days before transplanting, and apply the remaining 1/3 in a furrow 10 cm from the transplanting row, then cover with soil and film. Do not fertilize before fruit set; when the melon grows to the size of a duck egg, apply fruit-swelling fertilizer. Hami melons are very sensitive to water, and the soil should be dry rather than wet, but not excessively dry. 4. Temperature management. From transplanting to establishment, control the temperature above 18°C at night and 25-30°C during the day. From plant establishment to flowering, keep it above 15°C at night and 30°C during the day. The main measure for temperature control is timely ventilation: ventilate little when the seedlings are small, and ventilate more when the seedlings are large, especially at noon on sunny days when more ventilation should be given. During the fruit-setting period, keep the temperature at 25-28°C during the day and 15-18°C at night. After fruit set, maintain the greenhouse temperature at 30-35°C during the day and 15-18°C at night.

5. Pruning and pinching

Generally adopt the two-vine pruning method on secondary vines, that is, when the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, remove the growing point with a bamboo stick to promote the development of secondary vines from the two nodes below. Tertiary vines grow on the secondary vines; remove the tertiary vines below the 5th-6th nodes of the secondary vines, and use the middle tertiary vines above the 5th-6th nodes to set fruit. Tertiary vines generally produce female flowers at the 1st node; tertiary vines that produce female flowers late are prone to excessive vegetative growth and should be removed. At the same time, tertiary vines above the 12th node should also be removed, retaining tertiary vines from the 7th-12th nodes for fruit set. After a tertiary vine sets fruit, retain 1 leaf before the fruit and pinch the tip. For tertiary vines that do not set fruit, retain 2 leaves and pinch the tip. Pinch the secondary vines when they have 20 leaves. Pruning must be done promptly, preferably on sunny days, to help the wounds heal. 6. Artificial pollination

The time should preferably be before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m., or use kept bees for insect pollination, or use high-efficiency fruit-setting hormone to assist fruit set. 7. Pest and disease control. The main pests are aphids and red spider mites. Deltamethrin can be used for control. The main diseases include powdery mildew, anthracnose, gummy stem blight, downy mildew, and bacterial angular leaf spot, which can be controlled with triadimefon, chlorothalonil, metalaxyl mancozeb, agricultural streptomycin, and others respectively.