What are the latest methods for increasing muskmelon yield?

There are quite a lot of muskmelons on the market now, and we simply cannot tell muskmelons and sweet melons apart. In fact, they are the same variety, and their taste is also very similar; it is just that sweet melons are a bit larger and sweeter than muskmelons, and their cultivation methods are also very similar. More and more people are growing muskmelons now, but many people say the yield is not high, so today Qinnongwang will teach everyone a few tricks to increase the yield of your muskmelons.

1. Variety selection

There are a great many varieties to consider, and we often come across many very strange names, such as Thai muskmelon, Taiwan muskmelon, Heixiuli, Cuiyu melon, Biyu melon and so on. In fact, they are all muskmelons; it is just that their resistance differs. For example, Heixiuli and Cuiyu melon have very strong disease resistance, while Thai muskmelon and Taiwan muskmelon have stronger drought resistance. So we can choose varieties with different resistance according to the local climate, and this is the foundation for increasing muskmelon yield.

2. Timely sowing

Different varieties and different regions have different planting times, so we must sow in a timely manner according to the local climate. The temperature suitable for muskmelon growth is basically around 15 to 25 degrees, so in most areas of our country muskmelons can be planted in both spring and autumn, and this is also a way to increase yield. Spring sowing is generally done from the end of February to mid-March, while autumn sowing is from the end of August to early October. Varieties with a relatively long growth cycle need to be sown as early as possible, such as Thai muskmelon, while those with a short growth cycle can be sown later, such as Cuiyu melon.

3. Pruning and pinching off the growing tip

During the growth of sweet melons, pruning is very necessary, because if pruning is not carried out, the vines will grow wildly in all directions and will not flower or set fruit; they will just keep growing vines. So when the vines grow to 40 cm, we need to move the vines in the same direction, which can promote the fruit-setting stage, and at the same time remove the tip of the main vine. Then after two or three times, four or five side branches will grow beside it, and this can also greatly increase the yield of muskmelons. If the side branches do not set fruit, we can continue pinching off the growing tip. If the side branches set fruit, we need to remove part of the surrounding branches and leaves to reduce nutrient consumption.

4. Vine grafting

We rarely hear that muskmelons can also be vine-grafted, but it is indeed a very feasible method. Many melon cultivations now use this technique to increase the fruit-setting rate, such as pumpkins, watermelons, winter melons and so on. When the muskmelon seedlings grow to about 60 cm, cut off the tips of two adjacent muskmelon seedlings at an angle, and the two cut surfaces must fit together. Then fix them firmly with grafting clips, and after three or four days new side vines will grow. Then when the side vines grow to a certain extent, grafting can continue, which can reduce disease, enhance resistance, and naturally the yield will also increase.

5. Artificial pollination

Muskmelons are generally pollinated by insects, but pollination in this way is not necessarily uniform, nor can it necessarily cover all of them, and some insects also carry diseases themselves, which has a great impact on the fruit-setting rate of muskmelons. So when necessary, artificial pollination can be carried out to increase the fruit-setting rate. The usual method of artificial pollination is to collect the pollen one day after the flowers bloom, and then go to the field to pollinate during the time period from 8 to 10 in the morning the next day. Pollination can be done by spraying or by smearing, depending on whether you pay more attention to efficiency or to effect.