Detailed Explanation of Field Management Techniques for Pumpkin Cultivation
Pumpkins have a long history of cultivation and are widely grown around the world, making them one of the earliest cultivated crops of humankind. After pumpkins emerge, strengthening field management is the only way to achieve high yields and increase returns. So how should pumpkins be managed during cultivation? Let's take a look together.
1. Seedling stage management
After the seedlings emerge, timely cultivating and loosening the soil should be carried out to promote root growth of the seedlings. When cultivating, be careful not to damage the roots. Weeding should also be done at the same time as cultivating, because weeds will seize the nutrients and growing space of the seedlings, and in severe cases can cause a weed infestation that affects the growth and development of the seedlings. Manual weeding is recommended; for large-scale planting, toxic pesticides can be chosen for weeding. In addition, when cultivating and weeding, thinning should be done according to the growth height and timing of the seedlings. During thinning, remove poorly growing and diseased or pest-damaged seedlings, and keep strong seedlings. After thinning, strengthen inspection to check the survival rate of the seedlings. Once dead seedlings are found, replant them promptly.
2. Pruning and vine pressing
When the pumpkin seedlings grow to 4-7 true leaves, pinch off the growing tips promptly to encourage the vines to spread and produce side vines. Generally, apart from the main vine, only 4-5 strong side vines are kept per plant, and all the rest should be removed. When the vines are 40-70 cm long, guide and press the vines once. Guiding the vines means directing them toward the middle of the wide rows, and pressing the vines means opening a trench in the ground 15 cm from the vine tip and pressing the vines into it. This can encourage adventitious roots to grow from the pumpkin stem nodes, increase the root absorption area, and also serve to anchor the plant.
3. Fertilizer and water management
After the seedlings recover, water according to soil moisture conditions and weather changes. Generally, water more on sunny days, and do not water or water less on cloudy days. Sandy soil has poor water and fertilizer retention, so water more; to prevent soil compaction in clay soil, water less. On rainy days, drain promptly to prevent root rot caused by water accumulation. When the plant has already set fruit, to promote fruit enlargement and more fruit set, water promptly if there is no rain. Pumpkin seedlings need little fertilizer. Topdressing is generally done one week after transplanting, and diluted manure water or urea solution can be applied with watering. After the plant sets fruit, apply swelling fertilizer promptly to promote fruit enlargement and more fruit set, applying 10 kg of ammonium bicarbonate and 10 kg of potassium fertilizer per mu. After the first harvest, apply 300 kg of fertilizer mixed with 20 kg of ammonium bicarbonate per mu, which can prevent premature aging of the plant and promote the growth of subsequent pumpkins.
4. Pest and disease control
In pumpkin cultivation and production, pests and diseases are the key factors harming pumpkin yield and quality. The main pumpkin diseases include damping-off and root rot, which can be controlled by spraying carbendazim. The main pests are mainly underground pests such as crickets and snails, which can be controlled with Chongkexing and Dichongsusha, while snails can be controlled with Wokexing and Meita.
The above is an introduction to field management techniques for pumpkins. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please follow us.