How to grow bitter melon to achieve high yield?

There are many kinds of vegetables in our life, and melon and fruit vegetables are one of the more common ones, such as bitter gourd , loofah, cucumber , etc., which are widely grown in rural areas. After variety selection and breeding, bitter melon can be planted in spring, summer and autumn, becoming one of the main melon crops. To achieve high-quality and high-yield bitter melon, let’s learn how to grow high-yield bitter melon.

1. Choose good varieties

Choose bitter melon varieties that are resistant to fertilizer, heat, storage and transportation, have large shape, thick flesh, high yield and excellent quality, such as Zaofeng No. 3, Cuilv No. 1, Suiyou, Emerald, Big Top Bitter Melon, Jiangmen Bitter Melon, Slippery Bitter Melon, Xiafeng No. 2, Qingyu Bitter Melon, and Xinlv No. 2 Long Body Oil Melon.

2. Intertillage and weeding

Bitter melon is a vine vegetable and is usually grown on trellises. In the early stage, the soil should be loosened by tillage , and in the later stage, attention should be paid to weeding. After transplanting, water the seedlings to help them grow. When the soil surface is dry but not sticky, carry out the first inter-row cultivation to avoid loosening the base of the seedlings. Deep tillage can be done in the distance to increase soil permeability. The second tillage should be carried out 10-15 days after the first one. It should not be too deep to protect the new roots. After that, no more tillage is required, but weeding should be done in time to improve field ventilation and light conditions and reduce pests and diseases.

3. Reasonable density planting

Bitter melon can be planted in the field in single row with two plants or single row with one plant, with plant spacing of 60-70 cm and 28-30 cm respectively. When planting in double rows with one plant, the plant spacing is 40-50 cm and the row spacing is 40-50 cm. Water the roots after transplanting.

4. Water and fertilizer management

Bitter melon has many female flowers, can bloom and bear fruit continuously, and consumes a lot of water. In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer, top dressing should be carried out in time when the fruiting period comes. If it is dry and there is no rain, water the land every 2-3 days, and apply fertilizer after every watering, such as 15kg/mu of urea, 20kg/mu of ammonium sulfate, or 40kg/mu of compound fertilizer . During the peak fruit-bearing period, apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizers 3-4 times, 15kg of general calcium and 20-25kg of potassium sulfate each time. In the early stage of fruiting, potassium dihydrogen phosphate can be used for foliar spraying, 100g mixed with 50kg of water. It is not suitable to use diluted manure water for bitter melon in summer and autumn, as high temperature can easily cause problems. In the middle and late stages of fruiting, if there is insufficient fertilizer and water, the plant will become weak, there will be few flowers and fruits, the fruits will be small, the bitterness will increase, and the quality will decline, which should be avoided.

5. Pruning and vine pulling

When bitter gourd grows and shoots out threads, insert a herringbone trellis to guide the vines onto the trellis to prevent the vines and leaves from getting entangled, and cross-tie the top of the trellis tightly. Bitter melon has strong branching ability, so you need to guide the vines diligently in the early stage, especially in the afternoon on sunny days, to prevent the vines from breaking. After the main vine fruits are harvested and the side branches bear fruit, the vines are led to the shelves. Remove the side branches below 40-50 cm of the main vine stem, as well as the densely grown old leaves and the thin and weak side vines on the upper part, to improve field ventilation and light transmission, reduce diseases and increase the fruit set rate.

6. Harvest at the right time

It is advisable to harvest young bitter melons in time to ensure quality and increase later fruiting. The fruit is of moderate length, with enlarged warty protrusions on the shoulder, shallower wart grooves, a round top, shiny fruit, and green color. It should be harvested and put on the market in time.

The above is an introduction to the key points of bitter melon cultivation . In fact, bitter melon cultivation is not difficult. You just need to choose the appropriate variety according to the local climate and environmental conditions, and do a good job of field management.