How to manage bitter melon cultivation to produce more melons?

Bitter melon is a widely grown vegetable and can be found in both the south and the north. This melon vegetable does not have different tastes due to different regions, and people's preferences for it are also different. Some people like bitter melon very much, while others may not be able to accept it. So how should bitter melon be managed to produce more melons?

1. Environmental requirements

Bitter melon prefers a warm and humid climate, and the most suitable growth temperature is 25~30℃. It does not have strict requirements for light, but when there is sufficient light, it blooms and sets fruits more frequently. It is a short-day plant, and the amount of fruits set increases after the beginning of autumn. It is not tolerant to barrenness and requires fertile soil, and is not drought-tolerant. The soil needs to be kept moist during the fruit-bearing period.

2. Planting time

The seed coat of bitter melon seeds is thick, which leads to slow germination. If direct sowing is used, it can be done around Qingming Festival, but the germination may not be ideal. It is usually recommended to raise seedlings first and then plant them. Grow seedlings in a warm environment such as indoors or in a small shed in mid-to-late March. The seeds should be processed before sowing, such as soaking for 72 hours or germinating in a 25℃ environment, and then sowing after the seeds turn white. When sowing dry seeds, gently cracking the seeds can speed up germination. Bitter melon seedlings are about thirty to forty days old and can be transplanted when they grow three or four true leaves.

3. Land preparation

Choose fertile soil to plant bitter melon, and apply sufficient organic fertilizer as base fertilizer, such as 1000 kg each of decomposed chicken manure and cow dung per mu, and deep plow the soil to mix the soil and fertilizer evenly. Before ridge formation and planting, spread 50 kg/mu of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer to concentrate the fertilizer on the planting ridges and improve the efficiency of fertilizer utilization by the plants.

4. Seedling stage

After planting, water thoroughly and allow the seedlings to grow slowly. If the plant does not grow vigorously, you can apply an appropriate amount of nitrogen fertilizer during the vine-forming period, such as 3 to 5 kilograms per mu, to promote vine-forming. Normal water and fertilizer management should be started after the fruits are ripe.

5. Fruiting period

After the fruits are ripe, water and fertilizer management needs to be strengthened, and more potassium fertilizer should be applied to promote fruiting and fruit enlargement. At the same time, attention should be paid to the appropriate application of nitrogen fertilizer. It is recommended to use nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer or a mixture of urea and potassium sulfate in equal proportions. If the planting density is low, hole-fertilization can be adopted, applying 10 to 15 kg of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer per mu, and applying fertilizer once in the early, peak and late stages of melon setting. If drip irrigation is used, water and fertilizer integration can be achieved, with small amounts of fertilizer applied multiple times, about 5 kilograms each time, and watering and topdressing once a week.

6. Pruning and pollination

Bitter melon has many branches, so proper vine hanging and pruning are needed to make the branches evenly distributed. Greenhouse bitter melon usually adopts single vine pruning, while open-field bitter melon requires more meticulous pruning management.

Bitter melon can bear fruit on all levels of branches, so all branches can be retained to produce fruit. If the plant does not grow vigorously, some branches can be removed to reduce the number of flowers and fruits.

Side vines below 50 cm produce fewer fruits, so they can be removed when putting them on the shelves. When there are too many side vines on the upper part, remove them appropriately to keep the branches and vines of the plant evenly distributed. The main vine needs to be pinched after it reaches the top of the frame. Usually 3 to 5 side vines are retained on each plant, and the tip is pinched after each vine produces 1 to 2 fruits. You can also pinch the tip of the main vine when it grows to 1 meter, leaving two strong side vines to continue growing. The side vines and their grandchildren can all bear fruit.

In the middle and late stages of growth, thin, dense and aging branches should be promptly pruned off to reduce nutrient consumption and mutual shading.

In general, growing bitter melon requires providing adequate water and fertilizer, and avoiding drought and poor soil conditions. Through reasonable vine guidance and plant management, high yield and long-term fruit bearing of bitter melon can be promoted.