Hami melon has long been known as the king of melons, so how do you grow it?
Hami melon is crisp and refreshing with a rich sweetness, a fruit that suits young and old alike, a fruit once offered as tribute to royalty in ancient times, and a specialty of Xinjiang, with the Hami melon from Hami, Xinjiang, being the most famous of all. So how do you grow the Hami melon known as the “king of melons”? Let's take a look together!
1. Growing habits
Hami melon is best grown in sandy loam soil with plenty of sunlight, a large temperature difference between day and night, fertile soil and good aeration. Plenty of sunlight during the day allows full photosynthesis, while the lower temperature at night means less respiration consumption, which favors the accumulation of nutrients. Hami melons grown in this environment therefore have a high sugar content and a sweet, fragrant flavor. Hami melon is mainly produced in Hami, Turpan, Shanshan and other places in Xinjiang, where rainfall is low and the temperature difference between day and night is large. It is highly renowned and sells in large volumes on the market.
2. Early preparation
Hami melon should not be grown continuously on the same land; it is best rotated with other crops, which gives both higher yield and better quality. Also note that cucurbit, legume and nightshade crops should not be planted around the growing site. The site requires loose soil of average fertility, rich in organic matter, ideally sandy loam, because sandy loam has better aeration. Before planting, carry out summer plowing and autumn plowing, with deep plowing of 25-30 cm, and also winter irrigation, which helps mature the soil and at the same time eliminates weeds and overwintering pests in the soil. During the final plowing, apply 2000-3000 kg of rotted organic fertilizer per mu along with an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer, spread it and mix it thoroughly into the soil, dig the planting holes, make drainage ditches, and irrigate the plot before sowing, which ensures uniform emergence of the Hami melon; be sure to water thoroughly and generously.
3. Sowing
Before sowing, select good varieties and treat the seeds properly. Seed selection should be based on a comprehensive assessment of the climate, soil, irrigation and other conditions of the growing site. After carefully selecting the seeds, soak them in 200-fold formalin for 2 hours, then rinse them with clean water 2-3 times, spread them flat on the ground to dry, and then sprout and sow them.
The sowing time must be chosen appropriately; it is best to sow when the underground soil temperature is stable at 14 degrees. Sowing can use the hole method, with a plant and row spacing generally between 45-60 cm; a plant spacing of 50 cm can be used. Sowing depth also depends on the soil conditions: if the soil is quite sandy, sow deep; if the soil is fairly deep and clayey, sow shallow. Generally use 2-3 seeds per hole and cover with 3-4 cm of soil.
4. Hoop house covering
The frame material for the hoop house can be bamboo strips, bamboo poles or cold-drawn wire; bamboo strips are usually chosen, with the arch height around 1 m. Sharpen both ends of the bamboo strips so they can be inserted into the ground, then use hemp rope and plastic rope to connect each arch, and finally cover with plastic film. The plastic film should be laid flat to maintain light transmission, and once covered, press it down firmly with clods of soil.
5. Field management
If the early preparation is done properly, seedlings generally emerge 3-5 days after sowing. At this point, open the film in good time and check the seedlings, replanting where needed. When the seedlings grow to 1-2 true leaves, begin thinning, removing diseased and weak seedlings; at 4-5 true leaves, finalize the seedlings, leaving one healthy plant per hole. During the seedling stage, carry out cultivation and weeding well. Cultivation loosens the soil, increases soil aeration and promotes root growth, while weeding prevents weeds from taking nutrients from the seedlings so they grow normally.
That is all for the sharing of Hami melon growing methods; we hope it helps you!