What to Do When Marketed Melons Are Not Sweet? Six Measures to Increase Sweetness

    Greenhouse melons are already on the market, but consumers widely report that they cannot taste the melon flavor of the past. Technicians remind growers that to improve melon quality and sweetness, melon farmers must carry out six measures:

Melon

    First, widen the temperature difference between day and night.A larger temperature difference between day and night helps melons accumulate sugar. During the fruiting period of melons, the temperature difference between day and night should be widened as much as possible. During the day, the temperature inside the greenhouse should generally be maintained at 30°C-35°C, and at night at 13°C-14°C, giving a temperature difference of 16°C-18°C.

    Second, apply less chemical fertilizer and more organic fertilizer.Another effective measure to increase melon sweetness is to rely mainly on organic fertilizer and apply little or no chemical fertilizer. Organic fertilizer is generally based mainly on chicken manure and soybean cake. Per mu, apply 15 cubic meters of chicken manure and 100-150 kg of soybean cake as base fertilizer for melons.

    Third, increase potassium fertilizer during the fruiting period.Under conditions of high nitrogen and low potassium in the soil, melon sweetness decreases noticeably. Therefore, during the fruiting period, melons should be given as little nitrogen fertilizer as possible and more potassium fertilizer. In the early fruiting stage of melons, 8-10 kg of potassium fertilizer or 20 kg of high-potassium compound fertilizer can be applied per mu with irrigation water each time.

    Fourth, control water before melons mature.If the soil moisture around melons is too high during the ripening period, not only will melon sweetness decrease, but the melons may also rot. Especially in the 10 days before ripening, attention must be paid to water control for melons.

    Fifth, maintain sufficient light.The greenhouse film should be wiped frequently, and leaves shading the melons should be removed to increase light penetration among the melon plants.

    Sixth, harvest at the proper time.Melons generally need 30~35 days of development to fully mature, only then is the sugar content high and the flavor good. However, to market early, melon farmers often harvest prematurely, which severely reduces melon sweetness. Therefore, the most basic measure to ensure melon sweetness is to harvest at the proper time.