How to fertilize winter melon effectively? A detailed guide to practical methods
Fertilization principles: Winter melon grows best in slightly sandy soil rich in organic matter. It tolerates heavy feeding but not poor, barren soil, and it has comprehensive requirements for nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium. Basal fertilizer should be applied heavily, with reasonable supplementary fertilization. Nutrient uptake is low at the seedling stage, greater at the bolting stage, and during flowering and fruiting, especially in the early and middle stages of fruit development, uptake is...
Fertilization principles: Winter melon grows best in slightly sandy soil rich in organic matter. It tolerates heavy feeding but not poor, barren soil, and it has comprehensive requirements for nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium. Basal fertilizer should be applied heavily, with reasonable supplementary fertilization. Nutrient uptake is low at the seedling stage, greater at the bolting stage, and during flowering and fruiting, especially in the early and middle stages of fruit development, uptake is greatest, then gradually decreases in the later stage. With increased nitrogen fertilizer, the main vine grows longer; with increased phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, the aging of early-maturing varieties can be delayed, the node position of female flowers can be lowered, and the weight of individual melons can be increased.
Basal fertilizer: Winter melon should receive sufficient basal fertilizer. Generally, apply 300-500 kg of refined commercial organic fertilizer per mu; if homemade organic fertilizer is used, it should be fully decomposed and the amount increased, applying 3000-5000 kg per mu. When applying organic fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer and potassium fertilizer should also be applied at the same time, with 20 kg each of diammonium phosphate and potassium chloride per mu. The phosphate fertilizer should be mixed evenly with the organic fertilizer and applied together, either in furrows or in holes.
Supplementary fertilization: After the seedlings survive transplanting, apply 8 kg of ammonium sulfate or 3 kg of urea per mu. After fruit set, apply 15 kg of urea and 20 kg of potassium sulfate per mu. After that, apply 10 kg of diammonium phosphate per mu 1-2 times.