How to Plant Winter Melon Seeds? Latest Planting Methods Shared

Winter melon is an annual trailing or trellised herbaceous plant of the genus Benincasa in the Cucurbitaceae family. It originated in China and the East Indies and is widely distributed in the tropical, subtropical and temperate regions of Asia. Its cultivation cost is low, its yield is high, its nutritional content is rich, it stores and transports well, it has strong heat tolerance, its flesh is pure white, crisp, refreshing and juicy, and its cultivation value is very high. Now let us take a look at how to plant winter melon seeds!

Growth Habits of Winter Melon

1. Temperature: The suitable temperature for the growth and development of winter melon is 25-30°C, the suitable temperature for seed germination is 28-30°C, the minimum temperature for root growth is 12-16°C, the suitable air temperature for pollination and fruit setting is around 25°C, and temperatures below 20°C are not conducive to fruit development.

2. Sunlight: Winter melon is a short-day crop. Short-day conditions and low temperatures are conducive to flower bud differentiation, but throughout the entire growth period it also requires long-day conditions and sufficient light. If the fruiting period encounters prolonged cloudy, rainy and low-temperature weather, flower drop, fruit abortion and fruit rot will occur.

3. Water: Winter melon has a large leaf area and strong transpiration, so it needs more water, but air humidity that is too high or too low is unfavorable for pollination, fruit setting and fruit development.

4. Nutrition: Winter melon has a long growth period, and the plant's vegetative growth and fruit development require sufficient soil nutrients. Fertilization should be mainly nitrogen fertilizer, appropriately combined with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, to enhance the plant's stress resistance and increase the seed production per fruit.

5. Soil: Winter melon is not strict about soil requirements. Both sandy loam and loam can be used for cultivation, but continuous cropping should be avoided.

Growth Cycle of Winter Melon

1. Germination stage: The germination stage lasts from the beginning of seed sprouting until the appearance of the first true leaf, requiring about 15 days. The outer seed coat of winter melon is thick and the tissue is relatively loose, making it difficult for the seed to sink and absorb water, which causes the seeds to germinate slowly and with relatively low germination vigor. Measures to promote germination should be taken so that the seeds can absorb water normally and germinate quickly.

2. Seedling stage: The seedling stage lasts from the appearance of the first true leaf until the beginning of vine elongation, requiring about 25-30 days. During this period, vegetative growth is still relatively slow, and management should be strengthened so that the seedlings grow strong and healthy. Providing low night temperatures and short-day conditions can lower the node position of the first female flower and lay the foundation for early maturity.

3. Vine elongation stage: The vine elongation stage lasts from the beginning of stem and vine elongation until bud appearance, requiring about 20-30 days. This is a period of gradually accelerating vegetative growth as well as flower bud differentiation and bud formation. Measures that both promote and suppress, combining promotion and suppression, should be adopted so that the roots are deep and the seedlings are strong, which is beneficial for flower bud differentiation and bud formation.

4. Fruiting stage: The fruiting stage lasts from bud appearance until the completion of harvest, requiring about 50-85 days. The stems and leaves continue to grow, but the growth center has shifted to reproductive growth. Fertilizer and water supply and plant adjustment work should be strengthened so that vegetative growth and reproductive growth proceed in a coordinated manner to obtain a high yield.

Seed Treatment of Winter Melon

1. Cracking open the seeds: Winter melon seeds need germination promotion. Before germination promotion, first crack open the seeds, being careful not to damage the growing point, and place them in a sterilized towel while maintaining appropriate moisture. There is no need to soak the seeds. At a constant temperature of 30°C, they will basically germinate in 4 days, and relatively uniformly.

2. Scalding seeds with boiling water: First soak the winter melon seeds in cold water for half an hour, then pour in hot water at 60-70°C while stirring. When the water temperature drops to 35°C, stop stirring, and soak them in a place at 25-28°C for 20-30 hours. Then remove them, air-dry them, and place them at 26-30°C for germination promotion.

3. Water management: During the strong respiration of winter melon seeds at germination, the carbon dioxide released accumulates in the seed pile and can cause seed suffocation and poisoning, and may even cause the phenomenon of “seed rotting”. During seed soaking, the seeds need to be pressed into water and soaked at a water temperature of 30°C for 12-16 hours.

4. Precautions: When promoting germination of winter melon seeds, suitable aeration and temperature conditions also need to be provided. During germination promotion, the seeds should not be spread too thickly, the ambient temperature should be controlled between 30-35°C, and after each rinsing of the seeds, excess surface moisture should be removed so that the seeds can separate well.

Planting Methods of Winter Melon

1. Cultivation season: Winter melon likes high temperatures and has strong heat resistance. Within the suitable temperature range, the higher the temperature, the faster the growth and development. Therefore, its peak growth period must be arranged in the high-temperature season. In production, the transplanting period is generally arranged after that of cucumbers.

2. Sowing time: Winter melon generally needs to be raised as seedlings for cultivation, with a seedling age of 40-50 days. The suitable sowing period can be determined according to local climatic conditions, cultivation purpose and variety type. Small-fruited winter melon can be sown in early February, and large-fruited late-maturing winter melon can be sown in mid-to-late February.

3. Seed soaking and germination promotion: Winter melon seeds germinate slowly and have relatively low germination vigor. Before germination promotion, measures such as scalding the seeds at high temperature should be adopted so that the seeds can absorb water normally. Seeds germinate suitably at 25-30°C, and can sprout after about 4-5 days.

4. Seedling management: Winter melon seedlings grow slowly, and the seedling stage requires high temperatures. To increase the bed temperature, the seedbed should be prepared in advance and the soil turned and sun-dried. To meet its nutrient requirements, the bed soil should be prepared in advance and mixed with more decomposed organic fertilizer so that it is loose and fertile.

5. Timely transplanting: Winter melon has a well-developed root system. Before planting, the soil should be deeply plowed and leveled and raked fine to prevent water accumulation that could cause fusarium wilt and root rotting. When transplanting, decomposed organic fertilizer should also be applied locally at 3000-5000 jin per mu. The density varies depending on the cultivation method, climatic conditions and variety.

Field Management of Winter Melon

1. Plant adjustment: Winter melon grows vigorously. If allowed to grow freely, it will delay flowering and fruiting. Vine pressing, pinching, side-shoot removal and fruit setting should be carried out in a timely manner so that vegetative growth and reproductive growth coordinate with each other, the root absorption area is expanded, its assimilation efficiency is improved, and flowering and fruiting are promoted.

2. Water and fertilizer management: The water and fertilizer management of winter melon varies with climatic conditions and growth stages. From flowering to fruit setting, heavy fertilizer and heavy water must be avoided. During the rapid fruit swelling period, the soil should be kept moist frequently. In hot and rainy seasons, winter melon may suffer dead vines and rotten fruits, so drainage should be paid attention to.

3. Pest and disease control: For winter melon powdery mildew, spray with Or or Qiansheng at 800 times dilution. For sunscald, cover the winter melon with melon leaves or other materials to reduce direct sunlight. For melon silk borer, spray with Shuangxing abamectin. For stink bugs, spray with 90% trichlorfon.

4. Trellising and vine tying: Trellising of winter melon is carried out when the vines begin to extend. When the vines have 16-18 nodes, they can be guided onto the trellis. After trellising, tie the vines with rope once every 20-30 cm, and remove side branches, tendrils and excess female flowers while tying the vines.

5. Timely harvest: It takes about 9 days from bud appearance to flowering in winter melon, and about 35-45 days from flowering to maturity. Small-fruited winter melon can be harvested when it reaches edible maturity, and large-fruited winter melon can be harvested when it reaches physiological maturity. Leave the fruit stalk when harvesting to facilitate storage.