How to grow honeydew melons? The latest cultivation techniques and methods tutorial
The honeydew melon, also known as the Lanzhou honey melon, originally named Wallace, is native to the United States and is a type of melon. It has thick skin and sweet flesh, abundant juice and tender flesh, and is also rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron and a variety of vitamins. It stores well and is deeply loved by consumers. It is now widely cultivated nationwide. Below, the editor will introduce the cultivation techniques for honeydew melons.
1. Land preparation and fertilization
It is best to choose open, sandy land with favorable climate as the cultivation site, and cultivate it intensively. Apply 2000 kg of decomposed high-quality farmyard manure, 25 kg of diammonium phosphate, and 100 kg of oil residue or bean residue per mu as base fertilizer. After applying, level and firm the soil, cover it evenly with sand and gravel, then spray enough water and set aside for later use. If the double-cover cultivation technique of small row tunnels plus plastic greenhouses is adopted, it has the advantages of earlier marketing and better quality, and can also effectively avoid the peak period of disease, increasing economic benefits. The span and length of the greenhouse depend on the plot. Generally, the greenhouse is closed 7-10 days before sowing to help the low temperature rise.
2. Sowing and seedling raising
Sowing is best done in early March. First carry out seed soaking and germination. Wrap the seeds in gauze and soak them in warm water at 55 degrees. After they cool naturally in the warm water, soak them for another 12 hours. Then rinse them clean with clear water and place them at a constant temperature of 25-30 degrees for germination. Once the standard is reached, sowing can begin. Generally, sow two seeds per hole, with plant and row spacing controlled at 75×85 cm, and about 1300 plants per mu. Immediately after sowing, build small row tunnels in the greenhouse along the sowing rows, and pull the film tight and press it firmly. After emergence, as the seedlings grow, ventilate in time and control the temperature inside the small row tunnels at 30-32 degrees. When the seedlings grow to 5 true leaves, the small row tunnels can be gradually removed.
3. Field management
For greenhouse cultivation, adopt the 3—2—1 pruning method for secondary vines. During the flowering period, use artificial supplementary pollination to ensure normal fruit setting and increase the fruit-setting rate. Pollination is generally carried out in the morning. At this time, the daytime temperature should be controlled at 30-35 degrees, and the nighttime temperature should not be lower than 15 degrees. The timing of ventilation should be determined according to the growth stage of the honeydew melon and the weather. As the seedlings grow and the temperature rises, the ventilation volume can be increased and the ventilation time extended. After fruit setting, in order to promote fruit expansion and sugar accumulation, increase ventilation during the day and close it at night. In case of cloudy and rainy days, be sure to extend the ventilation time to reduce humidity inside the greenhouse.
4. Pest and disease control
Common diseases of honeydew melons include damping-off, gummy stem blight, and powdery mildew. Targeted control measures should be taken. For damping-off, the main goal is to cultivate strong seedlings and practice crop rotation to improve plant resistance. When the disease occurs, dexon solution can be sprayed at the roots for control. For gummy stem blight, when diseased plants are found, promptly spray the whole plant with mancozeb once every 5-7 days, or apply 100-fold formalin solution to the diseased areas, which gives a good effect. For powdery mildew, when found, promptly spray the whole area once with carbendazim or thiophanate-methyl solution, or spray with triadimefon for control. The main pest is aphids, which can be controlled with aphid smoke agents, or sprayed with 1000-fold dimethoate solution.
The above is an introduction to honeydew melon cultivation techniques. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.