Detailed Explanation of the Key Management Techniques for Sparse Planting of Bitter Melon
What should be done if bitter melon seeds germinate slowly? Bitter melon seeds are relatively large, flat, and turtle-shell shaped, with a thick and hard seed coat. Bitter melon seeds germinate with difficulty, and after sowing they need a relatively long time to emerge. To promote seed germination so that seedlings emerge quickly, strongly, and evenly, seed soaking and sprouting must be carried out before sowing. The method of soaking and sprouting seeds is: use...
Bitter melon has particularly strong branching ability and many side vines, and some side vines bear fruit. In order to create a good growing environment with ventilation and light transmission and reduce nutrient consumption, side branches below 1 m should all be removed. Above 1 m, select 2-3 branch tips and use string to guide them onto the bamboo poles of the round trellis. After the mid stage, pruning is no longer done, but old leaves and yellow leaves at the base should be removed to facilitate ventilation and light transmission.Bitter melon likes moisture and avoids waterlogging. Usually attention should be paid to digging drainage ditches open, and if heavy rain occurs, field water should be drained promptly. Water use can be based on soil moisture conditions. Generally, on sunny days with strong sun and high evaporation, moisture disappears quickly, so watering should be done promptly to ensure its physiological water requirements and avoid drought wilting, which affects plant growth and development and flowering and fruiting. During the high-yield period, supplement sufficient nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers along with watering. A simple way is to broadcast various fertilizers in the bitter melon field. Fully decomposed farmyard manure can also be used. For the amount of fertilizer, pay attention to the principle of "small amounts, frequent applications." When bitter melon enters the peak growth period, fertilization should be sufficient. In high-temperature and dry seasons, water promptly, and it is best to spread wheat straw on the bed surface to retain moisture, while also paying attention to preventing waterlogging.
There must be no grass on the open ground of the bitter melon field, surrounding field ridges, or ditches, and glyphosate-type chemicals can be used to kill it. Pay attention to plant training, and promptly remove old, yellow, and diseased leaves from the lower part of the trellis, as well as fruitless branches hanging down to the lower part. If possible, branches in the upper part with no fruit or female flowers should also be removed. Diseased and insect-damaged fruits should also be removed promptly. All removed leaves, branches, and fruits must be bagged and transported away for disposal. Pay attention to promoting flowering, and frequently spray agents such as "Flowering Essence," "Fruit Promoter," "Spraying Treasure," "amino acids," brassinolide, borax, monopotassium phosphate, and calcium nitrate.
Common diseases of bitter melon include Fusarium wilt, anthracnose, and powdery mildew. The main insect pest is the melon fly. Powdery mildew occurs during the flowering and fruiting period, covering the leaves with white powdery material, causing the leaves to lose green color and turn yellow, resulting in premature aging of the plant. Control method: when white powdery material appears on the leaves, spray a cyproconazole aqueous solution, triadimefon aqueous solution, Cuibei, or sulfur suspension aqueous solution on the leaf surface once every 7-10 days for control, spraying continuously 2-3 times, and note that the amount of medicinal solution must be large.
Phytophthora blight mostly starts on the leaves from the leaf tip or leaf margin. The lesions are irregular in shape, with inconspicuous edges, initially dark green and water-soaked, then turning brown. The lesions can expand to the entire leaf or most of the leaf. When humid, a ring of white mold grows at the boundary of the lesions. Control agents: chlorothalonil, Yike, Bordeaux mixture, vinclozolin, Anke, dimethomorph, fosetyl-aluminum, WP dust, or Ridomil Gold for spraying, and diseased leaves should be removed and taken away for destruction.
To control borers, spray with triazophos, monosultap, bisultap, fipronil, chlorpyrifos, or Bt. To control aphids, spray with imidacloprid, acetamiprid, or abamectin. The method to control melon fly is, during the young fruit stage, spray the young fruits 2-3 times with fipronil aqueous solution, or Nongdile aqueous solution, or Kung Fu aqueous solution, once every 4-5 days, and promptly remove deformed fruits and burn them outside the garden or bury them deeply.