Planting, cultivation and management techniques of bitter melon

Bitter melon has strong adaptability and is grown in all parts of my country. There are many bumps on the surface of bitter melon, so it is also known as "bitter melon" or "bitter grape". Although bitter melon tastes bitter, it does not pass the bitterness to other vegetables, so it is known as the "gentleman vegetable" among vegetables. To grow bitter melon well, careful management is required. Let’s learn about the planting, cultivation and management techniques of bitter melon.

1. Temperature and soil requirements

Bitter melon is native to the tropics, is heat-resistant and afraid of cold. The seeds need 30-35℃ to germinate, the suitable growth temperature is 10-35℃, and the optimal temperature is 25-30℃. Bitter melon is not very demanding on soil, but fertile and loose soil helps improve yield and quality. Bitter melon prefers short days, and sufficient sunlight is conducive to fruiting.

2. Fertilization

Bitter melon grows best in loose, fertile soil rich in organic matter and with convenient irrigation and drainage. Before planting, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied, such as well-rotted farmyard manure, potassium sulfate-type nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer , biological microbial organic fertilizer and superphosphate. Adequate fertilizer can reduce the bitterness of bitter melon, while insufficient fertilizer will result in low yield and increased bitterness.

3. Sowing time

Bitter melon seedlings are about 35 days old and can be transplanted when they have 3-4 true leaves. The seedling raising time should be from the vernal equinox to one week before Qingming Festival, using small arch sheds, sunny beds or large greenhouses. The bitter melon seed coat is thick, so you can first soak it in a 0.1% potassium permanganate aqueous solution for 3 days, then germinate it at 25-28℃, and then you can sow it after it turns white.

4. Management after planting

After planting, water thoroughly and maintain the temperature at 25-28℃ during the day and 13-17℃ at night. After the seedlings have recovered, they should be properly squatted and inter-cultivated to promote root development. During the vine-falling period, you can add an appropriate amount of nitrogen fertilizer and combine it with foliar fertilizer to promote growth.

5. Pruning and trellising

Bitter melon is usually cultivated by single vine pruning and hanging vine cultivation, leaving only the main vine to bear fruit. If you are building a climbing trellis, you can leave more vines because each vine can bear fruit. Remove weak side branches, leaving 4 side branches per plant and removing the rest. When the main vine is about 50 cm long, set up a trellis to guide the vine to climb and bear fruit.

6. Management during fruiting period

During the fruit-bearing period, it is necessary to increase fertilizer and water. Generally, no topdressing is required in the early stage. Topdressing should be done every 7-10 days during the peak fruit-bearing period. High-nitrogen and high-potassium fertilizers should be applied along the water, combined with spraying of potassium dihydrogen phosphate and urea aqueous solution to promote more fruit bearing.

The above are the key points of bitter melon cultivation. These management techniques can help improve the yield and quality of bitter melon. I hope these suggestions can help everyone grow high-quality bitter melon.