How to Plant Winter Melon Seeds? A Detailed Guide to Cultivation Methods
Winter melon is an annual trailing or trellised herbaceous plant of the genus Benincasa in the Cucurbitaceae family, originating in China and the East Indies and widely distributed across the tropical, subtropical and temperate regions of Asia. Its cultivation costs are low, its yields are high, it is rich in nutrients, it stores and ships well, it is highly heat-tolerant, and its flesh is pure white, crisp and juicy, making it extremely valuable to grow. Let's take a look below at how to plant winter melon seeds!
Growth Habits of Winter Melon
1. Temperature: The suitable temperature for the growth and development of winter melon is 25-30°C, the suitable temperature for seed germination is 28-30°C, the minimum temperature for root growth is 12-16°C, the suitable temperature for pollination and fruit set is around 25°C, and temperatures below 20°C are unfavorable for fruit development.
2. Sunlight: Winter melon is a short-day crop; short daylight and low temperatures favor flower bud differentiation, but the entire growth period also requires long daylight and sufficient light. If the fruiting period encounters prolonged cloudy, rainy and low-temperature weather, flower drop, fruit abortion and fruit rot will occur.
3. Water: Winter melon has a large leaf area and strong transpiration, so it needs more water, but air humidity that is too high or too low is unfavorable for pollination, fruit set and fruit development.
4. Nutrition: Winter melon has a long growth period, and the plant's vegetative growth and fruit development and growth require sufficient soil nutrients. Fertilization should be based mainly on nitrogen fertilizer, appropriately combined with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, to enhance the plant's stress resistance and increase the seed production per fruit.
5. Soil: Winter melon is not strict about soil requirements; both sandy loam and loam can be used for cultivation, but continuous cropping must be avoided.
Growth Cycle of Winter Melon
1. Germination stage: The germination stage lasts from seed sprouting until the first true leaf appears, taking about 15 days. The outer seed coat of winter melon is thick and loosely organized, making it difficult for the seed to sink and absorb water, which causes the seeds to germinate slowly and with low germination vigor. Measures to promote germination should be taken so that the seeds absorb water normally and germinate quickly.
2. Seedling stage: The seedling stage lasts from the appearance of the first true leaf until the vines begin to extend, taking about 25-30 days. During this period vegetative growth is still relatively slow, so management should be strengthened to promote vigorous growth. Providing low night temperatures and short-day conditions can lower the node position of the first female flower and lay the foundation for early maturity.
3. Vine extension stage: The vine extension stage lasts from the beginning of stem and vine elongation until bud appearance, taking about 20-30 days. This is a period of gradually accelerating vegetative growth as well as flower bud differentiation and bud formation; measures that both promote and inhibit, combining promotion with inhibition, should be adopted to make the roots deep and the seedlings strong, thereby favoring flower bud differentiation and bud formation.
4. Fruiting stage: The fruiting stage lasts from bud appearance until harvest is complete, taking about 50-85 days. The stems and leaves continue to grow, but the growth center has shifted to reproductive growth. Fertilizer and water supply and plant training should be strengthened so that vegetative growth and reproductive growth proceed in a coordinated manner, achieving high yields.
Seed Treatment of Winter Melon
1. Cracking open the seeds: Winter melon seeds need to be sprouted. Before sprouting, crack open the seeds first, taking care not to damage the growing point, and place them in a sterilized towel, keeping appropriate moisture. Soaking is not necessary; at a constant temperature of 30°C they will basically germinate within 4 days, and quite uniformly.
2. Scalding seeds with boiling water: First soak the winter melon seeds in cold water for half an hour, then pour in hot water at 60-70°C and stir, and when the water temperature drops to 35°C stop stirring and soak them at 25-28°C for 20-30 hours. Then remove them, dry them, and place them at 26-30°C to sprout.
3. Water management: When winter melon seeds germinate, the carbon dioxide released under strong respiration accumulates in the seed pile, which can cause seed suffocation and poisoning, and even lead to the phenomenon of “retting seeds.” When soaking the seeds, they need to be pressed into water and soaked at a water temperature of 30°C for 12-16 hours.
4. Precautions: When sprouting winter melon seeds, suitable ventilation and temperature conditions must also be provided. During sprouting, the seeds should not be spread too thick, the ambient temperature should be controlled between 30-35°C, and after each rinsing of the seeds, excess surface moisture must be removed so that the seeds can separate well.
Planting Methods for Winter Melon
1. Cultivation season: Winter melon likes high temperatures and has strong heat resistance; within the suitable temperature range, the higher the temperature, the faster its growth and development. Therefore, its peak growth period must be arranged in the high-temperature season. In production, the planting period is generally scheduled after cucumbers.
2. Sowing time: Winter melon is generally grown from seedlings, with a seedling age of 40-50 days. The suitable sowing time can be determined according to local climate conditions, cultivation purpose and variety type. Small winter melons can be sown in early February, and large late-maturing winter melons can be sown in mid-to-late February.
3. Seed soaking and sprouting: Winter melon seeds germinate slowly and have relatively low germination vigor, so before sprouting, measures such as scalding the seeds with hot water should be used to make the seeds absorb water normally. Seeds sprout best at 25-30°C, and can germinate after about 4-5 days.
4. Seedling management: Winter melon seedlings grow slowly, and the seedling stage requires high temperatures. To raise the bed temperature, the seedbed should be prepared in advance and the soil turned and sunned. To meet its nutrient requirements, the bed soil should be prepared in advance and mixed with more decomposed organic fertilizer so that it is loose and fertile.
5. Timely planting: Winter melon has a well-developed root system, so before planting the soil should be deeply plowed and leveled and harrowed fine to prevent water accumulation that causes Fusarium wilt and root rot. At planting, decomposed organic fertilizer should also be applied locally at 3000-5000 jin/mu; the density varies with cultivation method, climate conditions and variety.
Field Management of Winter Melon
1. Plant training: Winter melon grows vigorously, and if allowed to grow freely it will delay flowering and fruiting, so vine pressing, pinching, side-shoot removal and fruit selection should be carried out in time to coordinate vegetative growth and reproductive growth, expand the root system's absorption area, improve its assimilation efficiency and promote flowering and fruiting.
2. Water and fertilizer management: Water and fertilizer management for winter melon varies with climate conditions and growth stages. From flowering to fruit setting, heavy fertilizer and heavy water must be avoided; during the rapid fruit enlargement period, the soil should be kept moist regularly; in hot, rainy seasons, winter melon vines often die and fruits rot, so drainage should be attended to.
3. Pest and disease control: For winter melon powdery mildew, spray with a 800-fold dilution of Ao'er or Qiansheng; for sunscald, cover the winter melon with melon leaves or other materials to reduce direct sunlight; for melon silk borer, spray with Shuangxing abamectin; for stink bugs, spray with 90% trichlorfon.
4. Trellising and vine tying: Trellising winter melon is done when the vines begin to extend. When the vines have 16-18 nodes, they can be trained onto the trellis. After trellising, tie the vines with string once every 20-30 cm, and while tying remove side branches, tendrils and excess female flowers.
5. Timely harvest: Winter melon takes about 9 days from bud appearance to flowering, and about 35-45 days from flowering to maturity. Small winter melons can be harvested when they reach eating maturity, and large winter melons can be harvested when they reach physiological maturity. Leave the fruit stalk on when harvesting to aid storage.