The Latest Technical Methods and Tutorial for Watermelon Field Management

There are many varieties of watermelon, but the planting methods and field management techniques are basically similar. However, if you want a high yield of watermelons, you need to put a bit more care into field management. So what kind of field management approach can make the watermelons you grow big, sweet, and high-yielding? Now let Qinnong Web introduce the field management techniques for watermelons.

1. Watering

Watermelons need a large amount of water during their growth process. It is said that about eighty percent of a watermelon's content is water, and the rest is sugar, so watermelons are made of water, so to speak. During the entire growth process of watermelons, about five waterings are needed. The first is after sowing, the second is after the seedlings break through the soil, the third is when applying the seedling-strengthening fertilizer, that is, when the seedlings have grown to 40 to 50 cm long, and the fourth is during the flowering period. This watering is very important because it affects the success rate of fruit setting, so the soil should be watered thoroughly. The last time is when the watermelons have grown to the size of a palm. This watering must be sufficient to ensure that the moisture can supply the watermelons until they mature. At the same time, the last watering should not be too much, because watermelons need to accumulate sugar. If there is too much water, the mature watermelons will not be sweet.

2. Fertilizing

Watermelons need at least four fertilizer applications from planting to maturity. On average, one mu needs 2,000 jin of farmyard manure as base fertilizer. Second, if in rural areas, livestock manure or human excrement and urine water can be used for topdressing. Such fertilizers are best absorbed by watermelons, but if it is greenhouse cultivation or soilless cultivation and other methods, chemical fertilizers need to be used in appropriate amounts. For example, nitrogen fertilizer should not exceed ten jin each time, potassium fertilizer should not exceed one hundred jin, phosphate fertilizer should not exceed fifty jin, and compound fertilizer should not exceed forty-five jin. The nutrient solution for soilless cultivation also needs to be diluted or increased in concentration according to different growth stages.

3. Vine training

When the watermelon seedlings have grown to about 60 cm, we need to move the watermelon seedlings in one direction, then pinch off the tip of the main vine, and remove the weeds in the field. Generally, after about ten days, many side branches will grow. When the side branches have grown to a certain extent, pinch off the tips in the same way. Finally, when flowering, if more than one small melon has set on one node of the vine, then some need to be removed and only one retained. Next, if there are still flowers at the fruit-setting part, the flowers need to be removed to reduce unnecessary nutrient consumption. Only in this way can watermelons be high-yielding and grow quickly.

4. Pollination

Under normal circumstances, watermelons do not need artificial pollination. For example, on sunny days there are many insects, so pollination can be carried out by insects, and the efficiency is also very high. But if the flowering period encounters the rainy season, insects rarely come out to move around. If pollination is then carried out, the flowers will wither, and the phenomenon commonly described as vines flowering but not bearing fruit will appear. Artificial pollination is mainly done by collecting pollen, then spraying it or using a feather to apply it to the female flowers so that pollination is even.

5. Preventing cracked melons

The phenomenon of cracked watermelons is very common, and it often occurs when the watermelons are about to mature, so it is very annoying. Once a melon cracks, it means it cannot be sold and no money can be made. So how should cracked melons be prevented and controlled? First, when the watermelons have grown to the size of a palm, we need to place a layer of straw underneath the watermelons to keep the temperature unchanged. Second, because the light intensity is relatively strong, a layer of grass needs to be placed over the surface of the watermelons. Then, during field management, do not move the watermelons at will and do not touch the watermelons. Finally, the moisture in the field must be managed well. Too much or too little water will cause cracked melons.