High-yield cultivation method of bitter melon

In the market, bitter melon is popular for its heat-clearing and summer-relief properties, but many vegetable farmers often face problems such as low yield, small fruit, poor quality and insect pests. In fact, in order to improve the yield and quality of bitter melon, it is necessary to master some key planting techniques. Let’s learn a high-yield cultivation method for bitter melon.

1. Planting season

Bitter melon is suitable for sowing in spring, summer and autumn when the temperature is above 25 degrees Celsius. When sowing, the soil temperature should be kept above 20 degrees Celsius to ensure that the seeds can germinate and emerge normally.

2. Seed treatment

Before sowing bitter melon, stir and blanch the seeds in warm water at about 55 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes to sterilize them, and then soak them in warm water at 28 to 30 degrees Celsius for 12 to 24 hours to promote germination. Afterwards, rinse with clean water, wrap with wet gauze and place in an environment of 30 to 32 degrees Celsius to keep moist and warm, and sow after most of the seeds turn white.

3. Transplanting and planting

The temperature of the bitter melon seedling bed should be kept between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius, and it can be covered with a film to keep warm when the temperature is low. When the seedlings have 4 to 6 true leaves or are about 15 cm tall, they can be transplanted. To increase the survival rate, seedlings should be hardened 2 to 3 days before transplanting. When transplanting, pay attention to lifting the seedlings and planting them with the soil clump, and water them thoroughly for transplanting.

4. Management after planting

2 to 3 days after planting, deep tillage should be carried out after the ground is slightly dry. After planting, the daytime temperature should be controlled at 25 to 28 degrees Celsius and the nighttime temperature should be 13 to 18 degrees Celsius, and the temperature difference should be appropriately increased. After transplanting, you can use carbendazim or microbial agents to dip or irrigate the roots to prevent dehydration, wilting and disease.

5. Scaffolding and vine guiding

When the bitter melon vines reach a height of 30 cm, set up a trellis, and when they are 40 to 45 cm high, guide the vines onto the trellis. When guiding vines, cut off weak and thin vines within 30 cm from the ground to reduce nutrient consumption and promote the growth of the main vine.

6. Water and fertilizer management

During the flowering and fruiting period of bitter gourd, top dressing and watering need to be applied in batches. If the seedlings grow normally during the seedling stage, no additional fertilizer is needed. If the growth is weak, a light application of nitrogen fertilizer can be applied. After the first melon sets, apply nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer or high-potassium water-soluble fertilizer of large amounts of elements in combination with watering, once every 10 to 15 days, for 2 to 3 times in a row.

7. Pest and disease control

Summer and autumn are the peak seasons for melon fruit flies, so prevention should be the focus. After the bitter melon flowers have faded and the young melons are 2 to 3 cm in size, they should be bagged to isolate the adult insects from laying eggs. Black light traps, yellow sticky oil insecticidal boards, sex attractants and other methods can be used during the peak period of adult insect incidence.

8. Harvest

When the bitter melon skin changes from light green to light green (green-skinned variety) or from white-green to bright white (white-skinned variety), it can be harvested.

The above is an introduction to the key points of high-yield cultivation of bitter melon. When cultivating bitter melon , you only need to pay attention to the above aspects and formulate a field management plan based on the actual situation, and it will be easier to achieve high yield.