Detailed Explanation of Mouse Melon Planting Methods and Key Technical Points
We are all familiar with watermelons, but have you ever heard of the mouse melon? The mouse melon, also called the mini watermelon, is a wild fruit native to Mexico and the Americas, where it is widely cultivated. After coming onto the market, the mouse melon has been favored by consumers for its unique appearance and excellent taste, and it sells extremely well. So, do you know how to grow it? Let's take a look.
1. Site selection
Mouse melons can be cultivated in the open field in spring and summer, or grown year-round in greenhouses with ample light. When planting, choose a plot with loose, fertile soil and convenient drainage and irrigation. The soil should ideally be neutral or slightly acidic, which benefits the variety and yield. Before planting, apply fertilizer during land preparation, applying enough high-quality decomposed organic fertilizer per mu, then level the land and form ridges to facilitate drainage and irrigation.
2. Sowing and seedling raising
Sowing is generally done by raising seedlings in plug trays. First, mix peat soil and vermiculite in a 2:1 ratio with a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer to prepare the growing medium. When sowing, first moisten the medium and fill the trays. Place one seed in each cell, then cover with 1cm of medium after sowing. Maintain the temperature between 25-30 degrees, water frequently to keep the medium moist, and increase light exposure. Seedlings emerge in about 3-5 days. After emergence, strengthen the management of light and water. After about 25-35 days, when the plants have grown to the four-leaf-one-heart stage, they are ready to be transplanted.
3. Transplanting
When transplanting, clear weeds and crop residues from the field, and disinfect and sterilize the soil. Apply 5000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer, 80 kg of ternary compound fertilizer, and 40 kg each of diammonium phosphate 4 and potassium sulfate per mu. Deeply plow and harrow the soil level, then make beds and cover with plastic film. When transplanting, keep the plant and row spacing at 25×50-70cm, and transplant 4500-5000 plants per mu.
4. Field management
After transplanting, strengthen water and fertilizer management so the plants have enough nutrients to grow and develop. Water according to the plant growth conditions and the weather, using drip irrigation, generally once every 3-5 days; fertilization follows the same principle, applying 4-5 kg of compound fertilizer solution per mu each time, once every 10 days. In addition, pay attention to regulating temperature and light, keeping the daytime temperature at 25-30 degrees and the nighttime temperature at 15-20 degrees, maintaining a day-night temperature difference of more than 10 degrees to improve quality. As the plants grow, promptly hang strings to guide the vines, and combine this with pruning and shaping so they flower and set fruit normally. Also pay attention to pest and disease control to avoid unnecessary losses.
The above are mouse melon planting methods. We hope this helps you. For more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.