How to do good field management when growing bitter melon

To increase bitter melon yields, field management is very important, and the following key techniques should be done well.

1. Cultivation, weeding and earthing up. Generally, after planting and watering to help the seedlings recover, carry out the first cultivation when the surface soil is slightly dry and no longer sticky. If there are strong winds or the soil is dry, water heavily once more before cultivating. The second cultivation can be carried out 10-15 days after the first cultivation; during this cultivation, take care to protect the new roots, and it is better to cultivate shallowly rather than deeply. Each cultivation can be combined with applying some high-quality farmyard manure, such as cake fertilizer, various types of poultry feathers, and decomposed chicken manure, pig manure, etc. After trellising, when the vines have extended to more than 50 cm, the root system has basically spread throughout the rows, so generally it is no longer suitable to cultivate. However, be sure to pull out weeds in time. During the first cultivation, if missing plants or weak, diseased seedlings are found, replant them in time to ensure a full stand.

2. Trellising and pruning. When the seedlings grow to about 20 cm, they need to be trellised and the vines guided. There are two trellising methods: the flat shed trellis and the A-frame trellis. The flat shed trellis has good ventilation and airflow, bears many fruits, and gives high yields. Flat shed trellises are further divided into connected multi-bay flat shed trellises and separate-bay flat shed trellises. For a connected multi-bay flat shed trellis, generally within the melon rows, a wooden stake is set every 3-4 m, and small bamboo, small wooden sticks or nylon netting are used on top to connect the stakes of the whole field into one piece, with the top of the shed about 2 m above the ground; for a separate-bay flat shed trellis, generally every two rows of melons form one shed, with a shed height of 1.5-2 m. Trellises must be built firmly to avoid being blown down by wind, which would damage the melon seedlings and affect yield. In the early stage, pay attention to manually tying the vines to help the melon vines climb onto the trellis. After bitter melon is on the trellis, no fruits should be kept on the main vine below 50 cm, and female flowers should be removed to benefit overall development. After the main vine has set 6-7 fruits steadily, pinch off the growing tip while leaving 5-6 leaves, and at the same time remove the remaining secondary and tertiary vines.

3. Fertilizer and water management. Bitter melon has a long growth period, and the harvest period lasts more than 3 months, so a sufficient supply of water and fertilizer must be ensured. Especially after entering the full fruiting stage, if there is drought, water once every 7 days. Before watering, apply urea or compound fertilizer in holes at 7 kg-10 kg per mu. If there is continuous rainy weather, pay attention to drainage; at the same time, spray potassium dihydrogen phosphate on the leaves 2-3 times.

4. Pest and disease control. The main disease of bitter melon is anthracnose, which mostly occurs in the middle and late stages. For control, promptly remove residual, rotten and diseased leaves. You can also use 50% thiophanate-methyl 800-1000 times liquid, or 70% chlorothalonil wettable powder 600 times liquid, sprayed daily in the early stage of disease for control. The main pests are aphids and cabbage caterpillars, which can be controlled by spraying the leaf surface with decis emulsion 1000-2000 times liquid or 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1500 times liquid.

5. Timely seed collection. The fruits on a single bitter melon plant mature one after another. During the peak fruiting period, pick mature seed melons once a day; use scissors when picking to avoid tearing the vines. At the same time, remove off-type plants and off-type melons, and select and keep seeds with consistent color and melon shape. Pick and wash the seeds the same day and dry them in the sun to ensure the seed germination rate.