Key Technical Points for Winter Management of Bitter Melon and Its Planting Time

Bitter melon is a food we eat quite often in our daily lives. Because of its special taste, those who like it and those who do not are divided into two extremes. But there is truth in the saying that good medicine tastes bitter. Bitter melon itself contains a lot of nutrients, so the number of people growing it is also increasing. So what are the key technical points for winter management of bitter melon? And when is the planting time each year?

I. Key Technical Points for Winter Management of Bitter Melon

1. Temperature

Every winter the temperature is very low, and overwintering is a challenge for plants, so the primary management task for bitter melon in winter is certainly temperature control. Bitter melon likes warmth and light. During the fruit-setting stage, bitter melon is very sensitive to temperature changes. The daytime temperature should be kept at around 28 degrees, and the nighttime temperature should also be maintained at around 12 degrees.

2. Leaf Removal

After entering winter, the bitter melon has basically been fully harvested, and the main work we need to do is leaf removal. The first step is to remove the old leaves, diseased and pest-damaged leaves, and other leaves growing on the bitter melon vines, then clear away the fallen flowers and fallen fruits and take them out of the melon garden in a centralized manner for burning or deep burial. This controls the spread of pathogens and prevents pathogen activity in the following spring from causing diseases and pests. After this work is done, carry out disinfection, soil turning, and other activities. This is done to keep the overwintering environment of bitter melon in the best possible condition and reduce the occurrence of diseases and pests.

3. Watering and Fertilizing

When planting bitter melon in winter, try to cultivate it on ridges, as this can keep the bitter melon warm. After planting, cover with fine soil mulch to prevent the air humidity inside the shed from becoming too high. When watering, pay attention to the water temperature to prevent the water temperature from being too low and causing cold damage to the bitter melon, and mainly use small-drop drip irrigation, about once every three weeks.

4. Diseases and Pests

Because most areas have low temperatures in winter, pests are basically overwintering, so the harm to bitter melon is relatively small. But even so, everyone should not relax their vigilance, as improper management can also cause damage to bitter melon. The most common diseases of bitter melon in winter include spot disease and powdery mildew. We can regularly use the corresponding control agents for disinfection, eliminate pathogens, and cut off the transmission routes of pathogens. Then promptly clean up the yellowed and withered leaves, and do not let them absorb nutrients for a long time.

II. Planting Time of Bitter Melon

Bitter melon can generally be planted just as spring begins each year, with March being the most suitable. Some varieties are also raised as seedlings in greenhouses or plastic tunnels and then transplanted, which can be done a bit earlier, starting sowing in February each year. Depending on the differences in weather between the north and south, everyone should handle the planting time according to the situation. If measures are done well, it can also be cultivated in winter.

That is all we have summarized about bitter melon for everyone today, and we hope this article can also be helpful to you. Growing any plant requires slowly exploring and practicing, and even failure is valuable experience.