When is the best time to plant Hami melon?

Hami melon , also known as snow melon and tribute melon, is a type of excellent melon variety. It has a sweet taste and high nutritional value. It is very popular among consumers in the market and has promising planting prospects. So when is the best time to plant Hami melon? Let’s learn more about it below.

When is the best time to plant Hami melon?

Hami melons can generally be sown when the ground temperature 10 cm below the soil surface is stable at around 14°C, which is usually around April or May.

Key points of Hami melon planting technology

1. Select the site and apply fertilizer

Hami melon cultivation should avoid melon stubble and continuous cropping plots. Choose rice stubble fields that have not been planted with melons within 3 years, with high and cool terrain and good drainage, and sandy soil with rich organic matter and good permeability to grow Hami melon. After selecting the land, plow it in time, dig the matching ditches and apply enough base fertilizer at one time. Generally, 1000 kg of commercial organic fertilizer , 30 kg of potassium sulfate type triple compound fertilizer and 50 kg of superphosphate are used per mu.

2. Seed treatment

The seed amount per mu is about 150 grams. Before sowing, the seeds should be simply processed, dehydrated and soaked in 2% trisodium phosphate solution for 1 hour, then take out the seeds and rinse them once, soak the seeds in clean water for about 12 hours, take out the seeds and place them on moist gauze to start germination. The temperature is controlled at around 25℃, the seeds will germinate in about 2 days, and can be sown immediately.

3. Sowing method

Usually the seeds are sown directly through hole drilling. If the cultivated varieties are early or mid-maturing, single-vine pruning should be carried out at a plant spacing of 45 cm. If they are mid- to late-maturing or late-maturing varieties, double-vine pruning should be carried out at a plant spacing of 60 cm. The sowing depth can be about 3-4 cm.

4. Post-management

(1) Check seedlings and replant: Generally, seedlings will emerge 5-7 days after sowing. Seedlings should be checked and replanted within 3 days after emergence. The seeds for replanting should be disinfected and then soaked to germinate. Replanting can be done when the seeds turn white.

(2) Intertillage and weeding: The intertillage depth should be more than 20 cm. Intertillage and weeding should be carried out 2-3 times before the melon seedlings spread their vines. In combination with intertillage, weeds around the sowing holes should be removed and the hole openings should be sealed at all times.

(3) Water and fertilizer management: Depending on the growth of the plants, plant nutrient solution can be sprayed after the plants are established to promote growth. During the fruit enlargement period, top dressing should be carried out 1-2 times. It can be applied in holes 30 cm away from the roots. Use 10-15 kg of compound fertilizer per mu, combined with foliar spraying of potassium dihydrogen phosphate. Stop applying fertilizer and water 15 days before the melon matures to prevent fruit cracking.

(4) Prune the vines and leave the melons: Hami melons grow very vigorously during the growth period. At this time, we need to prune the side branches, leaving only two strong main vines on each plant and cutting off all the rest. The number of melons left depends on the variety, and generally the melons are left at the 4th node of the vine.

In general, growing Hami melon is not very difficult, but in order to achieve high quality and high yield, each step must be carefully managed. Not only does it have to be suitable for planting, but it also requires good management before and after sowing.