How to Grow Muskmelon for High Yields? The Latest Cultivation Technique Tutorial

The muskmelon is the fleshy fruit of a plant in the gourd family, with multiple locules and many seeds, much like a berry, but in these fruits the receptacle and outer pericarp fuse together, often forming a thick outer rind, and in classification they are specially called “pepo” fruits; the muskmelon is a typical example.

Choose a suitable variety

Muskmelon varieties cultivated in plastic greenhouses must have such traits as tolerance to low temperatures in the early stage, tolerance to high temperatures in the late stage, good fruit set, early maturity, high yield and good quality. Several years of practice have proven that Qitian No. 1, Baitangguan, Longtian No. 1, Elizabeth and Huangdaozi can all be cultivated.

Seedling raising should be done in a solar greenhouse. Generally, raising seedlings around the lunar term “Start of Spring” is more suitable. First carry out seed treatment, removing impurities from the seeds. Sun them for 1-2 days, soak the seeds in warm water at 50°C for 10 minutes, stirring while pouring the water; when the water temperature drops to 30°C, soak the seeds for 4 hours, then drain off the water, put them in a clean wet cloth bag, place it in a basin to hasten germination; the germination temperature should be within the range of 250-30°C, wash them twice a day, and after 36 hours, once the seeds have sprouted, they can be sown directly into nutrient bags. If the seedlings are planned to be planted out in early March, hardening off should begin half a month before planting. The hardening method is to lower the temperature inside the greenhouse and increase ventilation. Generally the daytime temperature should be below 20°C, the nighttime temperature must not be above 10°C, and the temperature should also be gradually lowered.

Reasonable close planting

Generally, muskmelons grown in greenhouses should have a seedling age of about 55 days; seedlings raised around the Start of Spring are planted out around late March; half a month before planting out, first cover with plastic film to warm the soil, and at the same time carry out deep ploughing, apply 5000 kg of high-quality rotted base fertilizer and 10 kg of diammonium phosphate per mu, then make beds 0.65 m wide, planting two rows per bed with a plant spacing of 30 cm; you can also make 60 cm ridges and cover the ground between two ridges, keeping 2500 plants per mu. Because the outdoor temperature is relatively low at this time and cold waves often occur, it is best to cover with plastic film plus a small arch when planting out, and at night cover again with two layers of paper quilts.

Pruning and pinching

If greenhouse muskmelons are not trellised, the main pruning method is to keep vines on both sides; begin pinching when the seedlings have 2 true leaves unfolded. In order to bring them to market earlier, keep only one fruit per branch vine once a fruit is seen, pinch the vine 4 leaves above the fruit, and remove any shoots as soon as they appear.

Field management

1. Muskmelon fertilization is mainly based on base fertilizer; after pinching at 4 leaves, in order to promote the emergence of secondary vines and meet the needs of early fruit development, 15 kg of diammonium phosphate can be applied per mu as a top dressing, with 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate sprayed on the leaves. After the first fruit harvest, rotted manure water and potassium dihydrogen phosphate can be applied per mu as a top dressing.

2. In principle, muskmelon irrigation is mainly controlled, and no watering is done unless there is drought. The whole growth period can be watered four times. The first is after planting out and seedling recovery; the second is a pre-flowering watering before the first flower opens; the third is a fruit-swelling watering when the fruit grows to the size of an egg; the fourth is a leaf-surface watering 10 days before fruit harvest.

3. Pest and disease control. Following the principle of prevention first, at planting out use 70% dexon mixed with soil in a 1:5 ratio to make medicated soil, apply it into the ammonium [fertilizer], or drench the roots with the biological pesticide Nongkang 120 to prevent fusarium wilt and other root diseases. Grafting seedlings can also be used to prevent fusarium wilt, with Yunnan black-seeded pumpkin as the rootstock. For aphids, Xunya No. 2 developed by the Shenyang Academy of Agricultural Sciences can be used.

Timely harvest

Greenhouse muskmelons can be harvested as early as June 2; if they are grafted muskmelons, this can be about 1 week earlier; the first crop of fruit sets by June 20, and the yield per mu can reach 2500 kg. The early price is 10 yuan/kg, with an average price of 6 yuan/kg. The output value per mu can reach 7500 yuan, and the net income per mu is 6000 yuan.