Spring bitter melon has few pests and diseases and high benefits; how can it be cultivated to achieve high yields?

    Bitter melon is rich in vitamin C and glycosides and has a distinctive bitter taste. Planting spring bitter melon results in mild diseases, low costs, high yields, and good benefits. The high-yield cultivation techniques for spring bitter melon are as follows:

Bitter melon

    Select good varieties and raise seedlings at the right time.Choose high-yield, high-efficiency, high-quality hybrid bitter melon varieties. Such as Changbai Gan Gua, Dabai Bitter Melon, Yuefeng No. 1, Bilu No. 2, Emerald, etc. When the daily average temperature stabilizes above 10°C, sow and raise seedlings. Aim to sow early at the right time to extend the vegetative growth period of bitter melon. Use nutrient cups (bags) to raise seedlings, and choose a seedbed in a garden plot that is sheltered from the wind, faces the sun, is near a water source, and is convenient to manage. First soak the bitter melon seeds in warm water at 50°C-60°C, sprout them until the white radicle shows, then sow them in holes, gently pressing the root tip downward into the nutrient soil, and set up 40-50cm arched bamboo frames, cover with plastic film, keep warm and moist, protect against cold and raise strong seedlings. Remove the film one week before transplanting the bitter melon to harden the seedlings.

    Apply sufficient base fertilizer and transplant at the right time.For base fertilizer, generally use 1500 kg of decomposed farmyard manure, 25 kg of phosphate fertilizer, and 10 kg of potassium fertilizer, mix them evenly, apply into the holes, and cover with a layer of thin fine soil. Before sowing, first prepare the land, with a bed width of 2 m, plant two rows per bed, with a row spacing of 120 cm and a hole spacing of 40 cm. Generally, about 1100-1400 bitter melon seedlings per mu is suitable. Transplant when the seedlings have 3-4 true leaves. 3-5 days after transplanting, apply "marriage fertilizer" —— made with dilute human manure and urine water.

    Set up trellises and guide the vines, and topdress at the right time.When the seedlings begin to send out vines, set up A-shaped bamboo trellises. When the vines begin to climb, tie them manually and guide them onto the trellis. After the vines are guided onto the trellis, remove the side vines emerging below 40cm on the vine stems, overly dense old leaves, and weak side vines on the upper part of the bitter melon plants, to improve ventilation and light penetration. For topdressing, water-soluble fertilizer is best, applied frequently and lightly, to promote early and rapid seedling growth. After flowering and setting fruit, topdress once, generally applying 20-25 kg of compound fertilizer per mu. During the bitter melon harvesting period, topdress once every 7 days, which can extend the fruit harvesting period.