How to Grow Potted Pepino Melon? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods
Pepino melon is a highly nutritious fruit, with fragrant and juicy flesh, no core inside, and a unique flavor. It has the characteristics of high protein, low fat, and low sugar, and is rich in vitamin C and various trace elements, among which zinc is the most abundant. The commonly referred to pepino melon is a fruit native to the Wuwei region of China, rich in protein, vitamins, and mineral elements, and possessing health benefits. When the fruit ripens, the skin turns golden yellow and the shape resembles a human heart. Its flesh has a unique taste, being crisp and juicy, and neither sour nor astringent, making it a relatively popular fruit.
Pepino melon is a plant whose fruit is not only attractive but also rich in nutrients, able to help people supplement the substances their bodies need. Originally, pepino melon was mostly grown in the ground, but because it has become widely loved by people in recent years, it has now gradually become one of the more mainstream ornamental potted plants for indoor spaces. The price of pepino melon was initially hyped up quite high, and has now begun to level off and decline.
Only by properly cultivating pepino melon and ensuring its fruit-setting rate and fruit quality can the value and price of pepino melon itself remain unaffected, so mastering some knowledge about growing pepino melon is quite necessary.
1. Preparing the potting soil and potting up: The potting soil should have good water retention, fertilizer retention, drainage, and aeration, and be rich in nutrients. A good and easy-to-mix nutrient soil should be prepared. Use 6 to 7 parts of fertile old vegetable garden soil or leaf mold, 1 to 2 parts of decomposed livestock and poultry manure or cake meal fertilizer, and 2 parts of yellow sand. The nutrient soil must be thoroughly mixed, and it is best to pile and ferment it in advance, turning the pile multiple times. Before arranging the flower pots, lay a layer of plastic film on the ground first, then place the pots, to prevent roots from growing out through the drainage holes and rooting into the soil, which would cause the plant to wilt or die when the pot is moved and the roots are broken. In order to increase the spacing between pots. During the growth cycle, the pots can be moved 2 to 3 times according to the plant's growth vigor, to avoid excessive density causing leggy growth, which could induce pests and diseases or affect ornamental value.
Potting soil: The potting soil should have good water retention, fertilizer retention, drainage, and aeration, and be rich in nutrients. Use 6 to 7 parts of fertile old vegetable garden soil or leaf mold, 1 to 2 parts of decomposed livestock and poultry manure or cake meal fertilizer, and 2 parts of yellow sand. The nutrient soil must be thoroughly mixed, and it is best to pile and ferment it in advance, turning the pile multiple times. Before arranging the flower pots, lay a layer of plastic film on the ground first, then place the pots, to prevent roots from growing out through the drainage holes and rooting into the soil, which would cause the plant to wilt or die when the pot is moved and the roots are broken.
Potting up: From the seedling bed or field seedlings, select healthy, short, and well-shaped seedlings, and transplant them into large clay pots or tile pots with good water permeability and aeration. When potting up, first use a piece of tile to cover half of the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot, then use another piece of tile to cover it diagonally. Alternatively, place some crushed stone at the bottom of the pot, cover it with some coarse-grained soil, and finally fill in the nutrient soil. When planting, place the seedling in the center of the pot, hold it upright, and fill nutrient soil around it. When the nutrient soil has been added to half, gently lift the seedling upward so the roots spread out, then press the potting soil firmly with your hand, leaving 2 cm to 3 cm from the pot rim. After planting, water thoroughly to settle the roots, and place in a cool place for 3 to 5 days to improve the survival rate.
2. Potting up seedlings: From the seedling bed or field seedlings, select healthy, short, and well-shaped seedlings, and transplant them into large clay pots or tile pots with good water permeability and aeration. When potting up, first use a piece of tile to cover half of the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot, then use another piece of tile to cover it diagonally. Alternatively, place some crushed stone at the bottom of the pot, cover it with some coarse-grained soil, and finally fill in the nutrient soil. When planting, place the seedling in the center of the pot, hold it upright, and fill nutrient soil around it. When the nutrient soil has been added to half, gently lift the seedling upward so the roots spread out, then press the potting soil firmly with your hand, leaving 2 cm to 3 cm from the pot rim. After planting, water thoroughly to settle the roots, and place in a cool place for 3 to 5 days to improve the survival rate.
3. Timely watering: Pepino melon is neither drought-tolerant nor waterlogging-tolerant. Potted pepino melon should keep the soil moist, and sufficient water should be supplied during the fruit enlargement period. Generally, water once a day in summer, preferably in the morning or evening; in spring and autumn, water every other day, either in the morning, evening, or at noon; in winter, water once every 3 to 4 days, preferably at noon. In terms of water management, water 1 to 2 times after planting to promote survival, then water in combination with fertilization, and water as appropriate under normal conditions. Pepino melon is afraid of both too much water and drought, and the soil should be kept moist during the fruit enlargement period.
4. Skillful application of topdressing: For fertilizing pepino melon, base fertilizer is the mainstay, and topdressing should be applied skillfully. Potted pepino melon is mostly placed in courtyards or on balconies, so topdressing should be hygienic. Decomposed cake meal, soybean cake water, rice washing water, fish washing water, and flower fertilizer can be used. Apply topdressing at least 3 times, namely the seedling-strengthening fertilizer, the fruit-promoting fertilizer, and the fruit-setting fertilizer. The stems and leaves of pepino melon have a strong ability to absorb fertilizer, so foliar spraying can be used, that is, spraying the stems and leaves 2 to 3 times with 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate or potassium nitrate. In terms of fertilizer application, before fruit setting, try to maintain steady growth of the plant to prevent leggy growth that makes fruit setting difficult. After the first fruit cluster sets fruit, apply fruit-enlarging fertilizer, with 30 kg of compound fertilizer per mu. After the second and third fruit clusters set fruit, also apply fruit-enlarging fertilizer according to growth vigor, to meet the needs of later fruit enlargement.
5. Staking and shaping: The stems of pepino melon are relatively soft, so special attention should be paid to staking and shaping for potted plants. Generally, use small bamboo poles or small branches about 60 cm long (both need to be smoothed) and insert them around the pot (10 cm into the soil). At the top, use wire or bamboo strips to form a circle, square, or oval, similar in size to the pot rim, and tie them firmly with rope or thin wire (for field cultivation, the four bamboo poles should be inserted near the roots so they can be moved into the pot together with the soil ball). Then use plastic strips, hemp strips, etc. to tie the stems to the support, keeping the stems straight and the tightness moderate. Note that on each flower cluster, only 4 to 6 healthy flowers should be retained, and all the rest should be removed. When the fruit grows to the size of a bean, retain 2 to 4 fruits on each side branch. At the same time, select and retain flowers and fruits distributed around the pot and around the top, evenly distributed, uniform in size, and attractive in shape, to improve their ornamental value.
6. Bud removal, pinching, and fruit thinning: Pepino melon has strong tillering ability, and bud removal is a routine task for potted pepino melon, generally once every 10 days or so. For each plant, select 4 healthy fruit-bearing branches close to the ground and reasonably distributed, and remove all the rest. After fruit setting, pinch the growing tip 2 to 3 leaves above the fruit cluster. When flower buds begin to form, the first fork below the flower bud is called the door fork, and its growth vigor is particularly strong. Six days after sprouting, it can surpass the terminal bud, causing the flower bud to drop. When flower buds are found, pinch the growing tip in time. After pinching, every 3-4 days, another shoot must be removed. Proper fruit thinning is an important measure to increase yield. After fruit setting, retain the large fruits with neat fruit shape; remove the rest, retaining 2 to 3 fruits per flower cluster.
7. Pests and diseases: The main pests and diseases of pepino melon are similar to those of Solanaceae vegetables. Common diseases include viral disease, Phytophthora blight, and gray mold. Viral disease is mainly controlled by planting virus-free seedlings, and other diseases can be controlled with metalaxyl, dimethomorph, etc. The main insect pests include white grubs, aphids, and red spider mites. They can be controlled with phoxim, imidacloprid, flufenoxuron, etc.