Is black-skinned winter melon profitable? 2019 planting techniques and benefit analysis

Black-skinned winter melon is the “black pearl” among winter melons; the young fruit is green, and the mature fruit is black and cannonball-shaped. So, can planting black-skinned winter melon in 2019 make money? What is the yield per mu of black-skinned winter melon? What planting techniques are there?

1. Can planting black-skinned winter melon in 2019 make money?

Black-skinned winter melon has relatively good economic benefits. After deducting fertilizer, pesticides, seeds, plastic mulch, bamboo frames, labor, land rent and other miscellaneous expenses, the net income is generally several thousand yuan per 667 sq m, but it takes at least 4 months from sowing to harvest, and management at each stage must be reasonable and in place to achieve the expected harvest.

When the melon skin turns dark green and the melon leaves turn yellow, it can be harvested. Generally, the first crop of melons matures and is harvested for market in mid-May, and the second crop of melons matures and is harvested for market at the end of November.

For black-skinned winter melon grown using the two-crops-per-year technical model, the yield per mu for a single crop reaches 6000-9000 kg. When market conditions are good, the annual output value per mu is more than 10,000 yuan. Black-skinned winter melon not only has high planting benefits, but also has relatively broad planting prospects.

2. What is the yield per mu of black-skinned winter melon?

The yield per mu of black-skinned winter melon is generally more than 5000 kg, and high-yielding plants can reach more than 10000 kg. The best growing areas for black-skinned winter melon are Hainan and Guangxi, where yields will be somewhat higher.

3. What planting techniques are there for black-skinned winter melon?

(1) Sowing period. Sow during the period from “Minor Cold” to “Major Cold” (that is, January 5-20), and no later than the Beginning of Spring (that is, February 6).

(2) Land selection and preparation. Choose a field with convenient drainage and irrigation and fertile soil. After raking it fine and level, form ridges every 1.9 m.

(3) Apply sufficient base fertilizer. Apply 1000-1500 kg of decomposed pig manure per mu, preferably by band application. The method is to open furrows on both sides of the prepared ridges, apply the pig manure into the furrows, cover with soil, and sow the seeds on top.

(4) Keep warm and promote germination. Soak black-skinned winter melon seeds in warm water at 40°C for 4 hours, then disinfect with potassium permanganate solution (standard is light red) for 3 minutes. Remove the seeds, wrap them in clean white cloth, and place them in a washed aluminum pot to keep warm and promote germination. The aluminum pot holds 2.5 kg of water, a wooden rack is placed in the pot, and the seeds are placed on the wooden rack. Keep the temperature in the pot at about 35°C, not exceeding 40°C at most, and not lower than 30°C. After 36-48 hours of warmth, the seeds begin to show white and germinate, and then they can be sown.

(5) Sowing. Use double-row sowing, with a plant spacing of 85-90 cm, sowing about 900 hills per mu, with 3 seeds per hill. Later, when the melon seedlings grow to the two-leaf stage, keep 2 seedlings per hill, and at the five-leaf stage keep 1 seedling per hill for final planting. Note that the seeds must not be sown directly on the pig manure; it is best to keep 10 cm away from the pig manure, so as to avoid the pig manure fermenting and burning the seeds and affecting the germination rate.

(6) Water management. Winter melon has a well-developed root system and large leaf area, and evaporates a lot of water. Therefore, winter melon has higher water requirements than other cucurbits. In sunny and warm weather, when the soil is dry, water in the morning and evening. After the vines are trained onto the trellis, the water requirement gradually increases, reaching a peak during flowering and fruiting. During this period, water should be applied frequently to keep the soil moist. On sunny days, water thoroughly at least once a day (never water in the afternoon). During rainy periods, pay attention to draining accumulated water to prevent diseases. 10-15 d before harvest, reduce water use and drain the accumulated water in the ditches to improve the storage and transportation performance of winter melon.

(7) Pest and disease control

The main insect pest of winter melon is thrips, which can be controlled by spraying 20% acetamiprid wettable powder at 5000 times dilution, or 10% Jinyongan at 2000 times dilution, or 90% methomyl wettable powder at 1500 times dilution, or 10% imidacloprid wettable powder at 3000 times dilution. Use the pesticides alternately, spraying the underside and upper side of leaves and the vines and fruits every 5-7 days.

The main disease is phytophthora blight. Control methods: first, adhere to crop rotation; second, strengthen field management; third, chemical control measures: chemical control starts when winter melon has 10 leaves, spraying once every 7-10 d. You can choose 58% Ridomil wettable powder at 600 times dilution, or 77% Kocide at 600 times dilution, or 0.6-0.8°bé Bordeaux mixture (prepare and use immediately). Choose any 1 of the above formulas and spray alternately on the underside of leaves, upper side of leaves, vines, fruits, and ground.