Bitter melon sowing and seedling raising method

Bitter melon prefers a warm environment, has a strong tolerance to high temperatures, does not like cold, needs moist soil but does not like too much water. In the north, bitter melon is usually grown in summer. In rural areas, many farmers have their own vegetable gardens where they grow a variety of home-cooked dishes to achieve self-sufficiency. As a popular vegetable , bitter melon is also included in the planting options of most farmers. However, there are some tips for growing bitter melon. Let’s learn how to sow and raise seedlings of bitter melon.

1. Suitable sowing period

Bitter melon is originally a tropical plant and has high temperature requirements. If bitter melons are grown outdoors and the germination is slow or non-existent, it may be because the seeds were sown too early.

The best temperature for bitter melon germination is 30-35℃. When the temperature is below 20℃, the germination speed will slow down; when the temperature is below 13℃, germination becomes difficult; and when the temperature is below 10℃, the seeds will not germinate. Therefore, when planting bitter melon in spring, you should wait until the average daily temperature stabilizes at above 15℃ before sowing.

Due to the vast territory of our country, the sowing time in different regions is also different. In South China and Southwest China, sowing can usually be done in late March; in Central China, it is necessary to wait until the Grain Rain season in mid-April, when the average daily temperature is stable above 15°C, to sow; in Northeast China, it is suitable to sow in late April or early May.

Note: Bitter melon should not be sown too early to avoid seed mildew and slow germination. It is recommended to use film to build a small arch shed when sowing, and cover it with plastic film or straw after sowing to maintain soil moisture, which will help speed up germination. After the seeds germinate, remove the plastic film or straw.

2. Germination before sowing

In addition to sowing at the right time, it is best to germinate bitter melon seeds before sowing to speed up germination and ensure faster emergence.

The seed coat of bitter melon seeds is thicker and germinates more slowly under natural conditions. Germination acceleration not only speeds up germination, but also helps to cultivate neat and complete seedlings.

Germination method: Put the seeds in hot water at about 55°C (the amount of water is about 5 to 6 times the volume of the seeds), and stir constantly to prevent scalding the seeds. When the water temperature drops to about 30°C, stop stirring and continue soaking for 8 hours. Afterwards, rinse with clean water three times, wrap with wet gauze and place in a warm place at about 30℃, keeping the gauze moist. Generally, most of the seeds will turn white after 3 to 4 days and can be sown.

Special note: For large-scale planting, it is best to disinfect seeds before germination to reduce the risk of disease. You can kill the pathogens on the seeds by soaking them in 1% copper sulfate solution, 0.1% potassium permanganate solution or 100 times formalin solution for 5 minutes.

3. Cultivate strong seedlings

During the germination process, seeds can be sown when 70% of them turn white. Using nutrient pots or paper cups for seedling cultivation is conducive to cultivating seedlings with thick stems and well-developed root systems.

When preparing nutrient soil, you can mix 7 parts of garden soil and 3 parts of decomposed farmyard manure evenly (a small amount of compound fertilizer can be added), put it into nutrient pots or paper boxes, put one seed in each pot, cover the soil to a depth of about 2 centimeters, and water it thoroughly. Water once every 3 days after germination, and transplant when the seedlings have 4 to 5 true leaves.

4. Site selection and reasonable planting density

Bitter melon is not very demanding on the soil, but it does not like stagnant water and darkness. Therefore, planting should be avoided in low-lying areas or areas with high groundwater levels, and it is not advisable to plant in shaded areas. To ensure yield, it is best to choose a plot with deep, loose soil, convenient drainage and irrigation, and rich in organic matter.

After selecting a plot of land, deep plow the soil, harrow it flat, and then dig planting holes with a row spacing of 80 cm and a plant spacing of 40 cm. Transplant the seedlings with soil clumps, and apply well-rotted farmyard manure and a small amount of compound fertilizer as base fertilizer. If the soil is dry, water the plants before transplanting, or choose to transplant after the rain.

Note: Bitter melon grows vigorously, and planting it too densely will reduce field ventilation and light transmission, increasing the risk of diseases and pests.

5. Water less during the seedling stage and water more after the melons are ripe

Although bitter melon likes moisture, it is not advisable to water it too much before it blooms and bears fruit, so as to avoid the seedlings growing too tall. Appropriate drought helps control excessive growth and promote root growth. The principle of watering bitter melon is: water less during the seedling stage, and do not water unless there is drought, once every 7 to 10 days; keep the soil moist after fruit setting, and water frequently with small amounts of water.

Special note: Bitter melon is not tolerant to waterlogging. Water is easily accumulated in rainy weather or after heavy rain, which affects its growth. Therefore, it is best to carry out high-bed cultivation, with the bed height more than 20 cm to prevent waterlogging.

6. Apply less fertilizer during the seedling stage and more fertilizer during the fruiting stage

Bitter melon likes fertilizer, but it is not advisable to apply too much fertilizer during the seedling stage to avoid excessive growth. You can water the seedlings 1 to 2 times with decomposed dilute manure or apply a small amount of urea at the seedling stage.

Bitter melon requires a large amount of fertilizer during the flowering and fruiting period. Insufficient nutrients will lead to premature aging and affect yield and quality. After flowering, 40 kg of triple compound fertilizer can be applied per mu to promote flowering and fruiting and fruit enlargement.

Note: Bitter melon has a high demand for phosphorus and potassium after flowering and fruiting. Phosphorus promotes flower development, and potassium promotes melon enlargement. During the flowering and fruiting period, you can spray 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate foliar fertilizer once every 7 to 10 days for 2 to 3 times to increase yield and quality.

7. Vine pruning

Bitter melon needs to be cultivated on a trellis. When the seedlings grow to 50 cm, lead the vines onto the trellis counterclockwise and tie them lightly every 30 cm. It is best to guide the vines on a sunny day.

During the growth process of bitter melon, side vines will grow. The side branches below 50 cm above the ground and the dense, aging, and diseased branches and leaves should be removed in time to increase ventilation and light transmission, reduce nutrient waste, and promote more flowering and more melons.

In general, bitter melon is rich in nutrients and is cultivated everywhere. To grow high-yield, high-quality bitter melon, the key is to cultivate strong seedlings, reasonably densely plant, guide vines and prune branches, strengthen water and fertilizer management, follow the principle of "light application in the seedling stage, heavy application in the flowering and fruiting stage", meet the nutrient needs of bitter melon for continuous flowering and fruiting, and achieve continuous fruiting.