How to do winter melon seedling raising well? The latest technical method tutorial is here

Winter melon is a very common vegetable; in rural areas, people often plant a few in the small garden in front of or behind the house. What is sold on the market is mostly grown on a large scale by plantations. Winter melon seed coats are relatively thick, and when planted on a large scale, direct sowing tends to result in uneven emergence and difficulty in sprouting. So generally it is necessary to raise seedlings uniformly before transplanting. Next, let's introduce how to carry out seedling raising.

1. Seed collection

For the first cultivation, you can buy seeds to plant. Bought seeds are generally already treated, and you only need to soak and sprout them yourself. But later you can also save your own seeds. During the maturity period, select and keep some large, healthy-growing winter melons and pick them only after they are fully mature. After picking, cut the winter melon open, take out the plump seed grains. Then put them in clean water to wash off the attached melon fiber, then soak them in water for one hour to wash off the seed mucus. After taking them out, dry them in the sun and store them in a sealed bag.

2. Seed soaking and sprouting

The seeds should first be stirred in 50-degree hot water for 10 minutes to disinfect. Then soak them in 30-degree warm water for one day. After that, take them out and dry them, and put them in an incubator to sprout. Generally the temperature is between 25 degrees and 30 degrees. After about three days, they will sprout. During sprouting, they must be rinsed once every morning and evening to avoid producing mucus.

3. Sowing and seedling raising

For greenhouse transplanting, seedlings can be raised at any time; for open-field cultivation, seedlings are generally raised in spring. Generally, container seedling raising or soil seedling raising can be used. Container seedling raising requires preparing culture soil, generally using sun-dried fine soil mixed with clean river sand, plus fertilizer, which can be farmyard manure or dissolved chemical fertilizer. After preparing it, spray and disinfect it together. Only then fill the trays. Sow one to two seeds per cell, cover with about two centimeters of soil, and press lightly. Finally, irrigate by misting or drip irrigation; do not flush directly, as it easily washes away the seeds. Open-field seedling raising requires land preparation and fertilization, and also disinfection, but the seeds can be directly broadcast evenly.

4. Seedling-stage management

During the seedling-raising period, move the seedling trays to a warm place, such as building a greenhouse to place them. In the open field, a small arched shed can be built to keep warm and retain moisture. Before the seeds emerge, water once a day to maintain 70% moisture content, creating a moist and warm environment to promote bud growth, but there should not be too much water, for fear of rotting the seeds.

The process of winter melon seedling raising is the above content. By maintaining a certain temperature and humidity, at the appropriate time, using good methods, and paying attention to management, you can complete the winter melon seedling-raising process with a high emergence rate.