What are the precautions for growing Oriental melon?
Oriental melon is actually a type of melon. It is a melon improved through biotechnology, with higher nutritional value than melon and better taste as well, so many people have given up growing the original melon and started growing Oriental melon. Below, Qinnong Network will walk you through some of the issues to pay attention to when growing Oriental melon.
1. Land preparation and fertilization
Oriental melon is generally grown on relatively flat plots with fairly abundant nutrients in the soil. During land preparation, deep plowing is required, and ditches should be made both around and within the field to facilitate irrigation and drainage. After land preparation is finished, apply base fertilizer. For the base fertilizer, use farmyard manure or already rotted dry grass and spread it evenly.
2. Seed treatment
To make the seeds sprout faster and reduce the harm of some diseases, we can first put the seeds in a relatively cold environment, generally cold water at four or five degrees, soak them for half a day, then take them out and keep them indoors to sprout. This can both speed up germination and enhance their ability to adapt to the environment. Finally, before sowing, the seeds can be mixed with some agents, and then they can be sown.
3. Sowing and raising seedlings
When raising seedlings, the moisture and temperature of the soil must be ensured, so sowing is generally done on rainy days. If there is no rain, water the soil thoroughly before sowing, then cover the seeds with soil, and finally put a layer of dry grass or a layer of plastic film on top. Once the seeds break through the soil, remove the film promptly, otherwise the seedlings will be burned.
4. Planting density
The planting density should not be too high. Oriental melon grows by creeping, so each plant should generally be spaced at least about one meter to one point five meters apart. Only then can it get enough light. If the density is too high, the Oriental melons grown will not get sufficient light, so they will have no sugar and be not tasty at all. Too high a density also often triggers some diseases, and in severe cases it can even cause the seedlings to rot and die.
5. Fertilizer and water management
During the entire growth process of Oriental melon, topdressing is generally applied three times. The first is about five days after planting out, to promote the growth rate of the melon seedlings. The second is around ten days before flowering, because the nutrient requirements during the flowering period are relatively high, and secondly to protect the flowers. The last is applied once after fruit set, mainly to protect the fruit and at the same time speed up the growth of the melon. During the growth period of Oriental melon, water is a relatively important factor. Once the water is not controlled well, the Oriental melon will either have low yield or poor quality. Therefore, before flowering, keep the soil moist, and after the melons have set, gradually stop watering to help accumulate sugar.
6. Prevention and control of fruit cracking
Fruit cracking in Oriental melon is very common, so we should pay extra attention during routine field management and water management. At the same time, when working in the field, we should also be especially careful and not move the Oriental melon easily. Finally, we can also use specialized agents for protection.
7. Timely harvesting
When the Oriental melon is ripe, the surface of the rind changes from white-green to yellow-green, and the end has a faint orange color, and if you bring it close there will also be a faint fragrance. At this point it can be harvested. When harvesting, be as careful as possible and do not use too much force. Generally, a small knife is used to cut it off or scissors are used to snip it off. After picking, do not handle it roughly; handle it gently to prevent the melon from cracking.