How should watermelons be grown to achieve high yields?
Because watermelon is affected by factors such as its own habits, product attributes and people's consumption habits, it has obvious seasonal characteristics in large-scale production. So how should it be grown to achieve high yields? The cultivation techniques are organized below:
High-yield watermelon cultivation techniques
Core tips: For land preparation and base fertilizer, deep-plow and sun-bleach the soil for half a month, broadcast 50~75 kg of quicklime per mu, then break up the soil and build beds, making continuous beds with trenches 2.5m, with one side of the bed 40cm high and the other side 20cm. Before sowing, sun-dry the seeds for 1—2 days to increase the physiological activity of the seeds. Manage early to promote early growth; after vines spread, control fertilizer and water to prevent excessive vegetative growth.
1. Land preparation and base fertilizer
Deep-plow and sun-bleach the soil for half a month, broadcast 50~75 kg of quicklime per mu, then break up the soil and build beds, making a slanted bed 2.5m with continuous beds and trenches, with one side of the bed 40cm high and the other side 20cm; on the side near the high bed, dig a planting trench 25cm deep and 40cm wide, and per mu apply 1000~1500 kg of decomposed farmyard manure, 25 kg of ternary compound fertilizer, 1.5~2 kg of borax, and 4 kg of magnesium sulfate in the trench; when applying in the trench, mix the fertilizer and the backfilled soil evenly.
2. Select good varieties
Good varieties are the prerequisite for high yield and good quality. A reasonable arrangement of early-, mid- and late-maturing varieties can extend the watermelon supply period and improve economic returns.
3. Seed treatment
Before sowing, sun-dry the seeds for 1—2 days to increase the physiological activity of the seeds. Soak the sun-dried seeds in warm water at about 55°C for 5—6 hours, pour off the water completely, then wash the seed coat with 5% lime water, gently rub with your hands until the seeds are no longer slippery, then rinse clean with clear water, and air-dry the surface moisture before sprouting.
4. Sprouting
Sprouting methods such as greenhouse sprouting, electric blanket sprouting, bedding sprouting and body-heat sprouting can be used. For large planting areas, greenhouse sprouting, electric blanket sprouting, or sprouting together with corn and rice can be used. Beginners growing melons can use body-heat sprouting and bedding warming sprouting. First, body-heat sprouting. Spread the treated seeds on a wet towel, then wrap them well with plastic film or a plastic bag and place them in an adult's underclothes; they can basically sprout within 24 hours. The amount of seed per package is best at 50 to 100 grams. Second, bedding warming sprouting. Add 5 to 10 times clean, moist sawdust or fine soil to the treated seeds and mix well, put them into a small paper box, then put that into a plastic bag without sealing it, and place it among the bedding on the bed; then fill 2 high-temperature glass bottles with boiling water and cap them tightly, place them beside the seeds in the bedding, and replace the boiling water once every 4 to 5 hours; maintained this way for 36 hours, the seeds will begin to sprout. Whichever method is used for sprouting, once the sprouts grow to the length of a grain of rice, they should be sown.
5. Sowing
Place the seeds that have sprouted to the length of a grain of rice flat on the nutrient soil in the prepared nutrient cups, with the sprout facing down (because the sprout is the root), put only one sprouted seed in each nutrient cup, then cover with 1 cm of nutrient soil, and sprinkle a little 1000-fold thiophanate water (or other fungicide). Insert bamboo strips, cover with plastic film, and press the edges of the film down well with fine mud. Then insert another layer of bamboo strips, about 15 cm apart from the first layer, cover with another layer of plastic film, and press the edges of the film down well with fine mud. During this period, the temperature inside the shed should be kept at 22—28°C; after the first true leaf grows out, the temperature can be gradually lowered. In the few days before emergence, lower the temperature by 1—2°C each day, and finally keep it consistent with the natural temperature, so as to adapt to the natural temperature after planting.
6. Field management
Watermelon seedlings grow slowly; manage early to promote early growth. After the vines spread, control fertilizer and water to prevent excessive vegetative growth, create conditions for fruit setting, and choose better node positions for artificial pollination.