Planting Methods and Technical Points to Promote Early Maturity of Winter Melon
Everyone is surely very familiar with winter melon, because in rural areas it is grown in almost every household. Whether it is home growing or large-scale commercial growing, its planting area is quite large. Although its market price may be relatively low, its market demand is still fairly big - as the saying goes, many a little makes a mickle. So during the growing process, how do we promote early maturity of winter melon so it can reach the market as soon as possible? Let's take a look together below!
1. Vine management
Topping the main vine in vine management can effectively enhance photosynthesis in winter melon. The more leaves there are, the more fruits it will set and the greater the number will be. Although fewer leaves will have a certain effect on photosynthesis in winter melon, the expansion of the fruit will not be affected. During the growing process, you should try different methods of adjusting the plant. Although there are many ways to manage the vines, experiments show that topping the main vine is the best. This is because it can not only increase the number of leaves, but also help raise the fruit-setting rate, so reasonable vine management for winter melon is greatly beneficial to its development.
2. Water and fertilizer management
After winter melon successfully sets fruit, this is the time of its fastest growth and development. During this period the stems and leaves will continue to grow rapidly, so at this stage you must ensure a sufficient supply of nutrients and water for the development of the winter melon. If the variety being grown is a large winter melon, then the 2-3 weeks after fruit set is the period of greatest growth. So at this time ensure enough fertilizer and water to provide conditions for later growth and development. If its fertilizer and water needs are not met, the development of the fruit will be hindered, and in severe cases the winter melon will form aborted fruit. Then supplement water and fertilizer appropriately according to each stage of growth.
3. Temperature management
Winter melon is a warmth-loving vegetable. If its temperature is not controlled well, it will have a fairly serious effect on the growth and development of the winter melon. The suitable growing temperature for winter melon is above 20-25 degrees, and the nighttime temperature needs to be 5-6 degrees lower than during the day. If the temperature is below 15 degrees, it will inhibit the growth rate of the winter melon, and later its expansion will be hindered. If you are growing autumn winter melon, then you must treat the seeds well before the temperature drops. If the sowing time is too late, the too-low temperature will affect germination of the winter melon and reduce yield.
4. Fruit-setting management
Fruit set is also very important for winter melon growing. Generally, the position for retaining fruit should be chosen around the fourth female flower on the main vine. Because the position of the female flower differs, the degree of nutrient absorption also differs, so the nutritional condition of the fruit will naturally vary, and the size and growth of the fruit are closely related to the fruit-setting position. So when growing winter melon, choosing the fruit-setting node well is very important for fruit quality. The most suitable position for retaining fruit is at the 3rd-5th female flower on the main vine.
The above four points are a brief introduction to how to promote early maturity of winter melon. Growing winter melon is relatively simple, but managing it is rather difficult. During the growing process you should strengthen the management of the vegetable garden. If you want to obtain large fruit or achieve high yield, the correct orchard management methods are indispensable. So everyone can learn a bit of management technique before planting to strengthen themselves. This article is for reference only, and I hope it is of some help to everyone.