How to Make Melons Sweeter? These Practical Methods Are Simple and Effective

Melon, also known as muskmelon and honeydew melon, has a sweet taste and high water content, is well loved by people, and sells well on the market, but there are also some problems in melon cultivation. Today, the editor will talk about how to make melons sweeter?

1. Reasonable fertilization

Reasonable fertilization can improve the quality of melons and increase the sugar content. Before planting, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied. Per mu, 2000-3000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure can be applied, together with 150-200 kg of potassium sulfate compound fertilizer. When the melon grows to the size of an egg, topdressing should be carried out in time. At this time, fruit-swelling fertilizer can be applied along with watering. Melon is a potassium-loving plant and has a relatively large demand for potassium in the later stage. Applying more potassium fertilizer can improve the variety and yield of melons. In addition, when the plant shows nutrient deficiency symptoms, its growth nodes are blocked, and both yield and quality will decline. At this time, spraying micro-fertilizer is needed to solve the problem. After fruit setting, a low-concentration mixed solution of calcium chloride and boric acid can be sprayed on the leaves once a week for 2-3 consecutive times to supplement the nutrients needed by the plant. In the later stage, spraying potassium dihydrogen phosphate foliar fertilizer can significantly increase yield and improve quality.

2. Increase the day-night temperature difference

When the fruit matures, it needs sufficient light and a relatively large day-night temperature difference, which is conducive to the accumulation of sugar in the fruit. During the fruiting period, ventilation should be reduced during the day to increase the room temperature. At 35 degrees, the sugar synthesis of the fruit is 1 times higher than at 10 degrees. At night, ventilation should be strengthened to lower the room temperature, thus artificially creating an environment with a day-night temperature difference. If the night temperature is too high, leaf respiration is high, carbohydrate consumption is relatively large, and sugar content will be reduced, resulting in unsweet melons.

3. Control water

During the normal growth of melons, after the fruit enters the maturity stage, water and nitrogen should be properly controlled. This is because when the fruit matures, if excessive nitrogen is absorbed, unstable intermediate products such as nitrates will accumulate in the plant, causing excessive vegetative growth and easily causing diseases. The same is true for water. When sugar is accumulating, watering too much will cause the fruit to expand rapidly and dilute the sugar, resulting in unsweet melons. Therefore, water intake should be well controlled during the melon growing period.

4. Harvest at proper maturity

The quality of melons is closely related to the maturity of the fruit. If picked when the fruit is not fully mature, the sugar in the fruit has not yet fully transformed, resulting in too low sweetness and insufficient aroma. If harvested too late, the storage substances in the fruit are exhausted, the fruit becomes overripe, and the cell tissues soften, resulting in poor taste. Therefore, melons should be harvested in time when they are ripe.

The above are the melon sweetening methods suggested by the editor. I hope they can help all growers!