Detailed tutorial on the latest cultivation techniques for the horned melon

The horned melon, also known as the African horned cucumber, kiwano, fire sky peach, Mars fruit, etc., is an annual trailing herbaceous plant of the genus Cucumis in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae. The oddly striking horned melon is a fruit cherished by many people, generally translated in Chinese as “African honeydew.” At its place of origin, because its root system can reach underground aquifers, let us take a look together below at the cultivation techniques for the horned melon!

Seed treatment

Before sowing horned melon seeds, simple disinfection treatment, low-temperature or variable-temperature treatment, and soaking in trace elements are required. After treatment, the seeds are placed under conditions of 28-30°C for germination, sprouting in about 24 hours. During this time the seeds should be washed 2-3 times to remove substances that inhibit germination and to promote gas exchange.

Seedbed preparation

The seedbed soil formula for the horned melon is 30% decomposed pig and cattle manure, 20% aged stove ash, 10% decomposed human manure, and 40% peat soil. Another formula is 50% decomposed animal manure, 10% aged stove ash, 20% decomposed human manure, and 20% peat ash. To each square meter of the above mixed nutrient soil, add 4 kg of superphosphate, 1 kg of plant ash, and 1 kg of ammonium nitrate.

Seedling stage management

Sow the pre-germinated horned melon seeds in a sand box, first watering thoroughly, then covering with 1 cm of sand after sowing, and covering with agricultural film or woven cloth to retain heat. Keep the temperature inside the sand box at 28-30°C; seedlings emerge successively after 24 hours. When 80% of the seeds have emerged, lower the temperature appropriately to prevent leggy growth, to 20-25°C during the day and 16-17°C at night. Another method is to sow the germinated horned melon seeds directly into seedbed soil prepared from peat soil and field soil inside a heated greenhouse, and transplant directly when the seedlings grow to 10-20 cm, with temperature control the same as the method above.

The best time to transplant horned melon seedlings into seedling nutrient pots is when the cotyledons have fully expanded, that is, on the 4th day after the cotyledons open; about the 8th day after sowing is the best time for transplanting. At this point the nutrients stored in the seed have been basically used up, and the plant begins to absorb nutrients through its roots to support growth. If transplanting is too late, the seedling-raising period is prolonged, and after the cotyledons have fully expanded the seedlings are prone to nutrient deficiency and tend to age, which is a phenomenon that often occurs in production today. At the same time, the number of times seedlings are raised should not be excessive; once is best. The germinated seeds can also be sown directly into seedling pots without transplanting, reducing root damage.