Detailed Explanation of Key Management Techniques for Melons During the Fruiting Period
When cultivating melons, continuous cropping is the greatest taboo. To ensure successful melon cultivation year after year, grafted seedlings are used for production in all regions, and the grafting method mostly used is the approach grafting method. Melon growers in Luannan County, Hebei Province, improved the approach grafting method and achieved very good results. Using pumpkins with strong disease resistance and cold resistance as rootstock gives high yields...
People customarily divide the fruiting period of melons into the fruit-setting period, the fruit enlargement period, and the fruit ripening period. The three different periods each require different management.1. Fruit-setting period: From female flower blooming and pollination to the young melon losing its fuzz, this is called the fruit-setting period. For ordinary varieties, this period generally lasts 6-8 days. One characteristic of this period is that the female flower becomes a small fruit, and the fruit undergoes rapid cell division. The second is that photosynthetic nutrients, which were mainly transported to stems and leaves, are now mainly supplied to the fruit. Therefore, during the fruit-setting period, the fruit's need for phosphorus fertilizer must be satisfied, ensuring that each secondary vine can set one melon, and that both the root system and the vines and leaves can grow vigorously.
2. Fruit enlargement period: From when the fruit is the size of an egg until it reaches its "fixed size," this period takes about 10-15 days and is the stage of most vigorous fruit growth. The large demand of the fruit for water and fertilizer during the enlargement period must be met promptly and fully, so that the fruit cells rapidly enlarge, and to prevent the "fixed size" stage from ending too early, which would affect fruit size. This period should be extended as much as possible to increase yield and quality. In addition, diseases are likely to occur during this period, so disease prevention must be carried out promptly.
3. Fruit ripening period: From when the fruit has grown to full size until physiological maturity, this is the fruit ripening period. This period takes about 6-7 days. Fruit growth slows or stops, saccharification intensifies, the peel color changes from dull to bright, the fruit texture changes from firm to loose, sweetness increases, and fragrance is released. In cultivation management, control water and fertilizer, prevent and control diseases, prevent stepping on and injuring the vines and plants when picking melons, prevent premature aging, extend the harvest period as much as possible, and strive to ensure that all the small melons set later can mature.