How to plant August melon for the best results
This article provides a detailed explanation of how to plant August melon effectively and an introduction to the cultivation techniques of green plants and flowers. Let's take a look together!
August melon is the fruit of Akebia trifoliata, commonly known as ox kidney fruit, dog kidney fruit, August cracked fruit, September cracked fruit, etc., named for its fruit ripening and cracking in August. It is a pollution-free green food, also known as "earth banana," and is currently listed as a key development project by relevant departments due to its high cultivation value. Let's take a look at the cultivation techniques of August melon below!
Growth habits of August melon
August melon prefers shady and moist conditions and is relatively cold-resistant. It often grows in low-altitude mountainous areas, under forest grass, in slightly acidic, humus-rich yellow soil, and can also adapt to neutral soil. The vines often creep on the ground, with associated plants including Davidia involucrata, light pole tree, lacquer tree, large-leafed Daphniphyllum, Kirengeshoma palmata, Viburnum plicatum, Momordica cochinchinensis, catharsius fruit, and bladder fruit, distributed in Guizhou, Hunan, and other areas, with a higher concentration in the Tongren area of Guizhou and the Zhangjiajie Tianzi Mountain Scenic Area in Hunan. The fruit ripens and opens in the eighth lunar month, and there are abundant wild resources in the mountainous areas, gullies, and forest edges.
Propagation techniques of August melon
1. Seed propagation: In September to October when the fruit is mature, pick the fruit, eat the flesh, and save the seeds for autumn sowing. The seeds are first rubbed with alkali water, then washed clean with water, drained, dried, and stored in sand for 50-70 days in the eleventh lunar month. In the following spring, they are sown in a prepared seedbed in early February. Seed propagation is simple and easy but results in delayed fruiting, usually taking three years to bear fruit, so it is generally not used in production.
2. Trenching propagation: The vines of August melon have strong germination power. Select 1-2-year-old branches and bury them in the soil. They can take root after one month, and propagation can be carried out throughout the year. Generally, flowering and fruiting can occur in the second year after planting.
3. Root division propagation: Root division propagation of August melon is carried out before the early spring germination. August melon with multiple plants can be divided into multiple plants from the root. Without cutting the vines, the plants can be planted and bear fruit in the same year.
4. Cutting propagation: August melon can be propagated by cuttings throughout the year. Select healthy, disease-free 1-2-year-old branches, cut them into 10 cm long sections, and plant them in a prepared seedbed, taking care to prevent waterlogging, shading, and drought. If conditions allow, soak the cuttings in ABT2 rooting powder to increase the survival rate to 100%.
Seedling management of August melon
1. Planting time: Plant according to the root growth of seedlings obtained from different propagation methods. After planting, water thoroughly. Cuttings and layering seedlings should be planted in spring and winter. Spring planting should be done before germination, and winter planting should be done after defoliation. Seedlings can be transplanted in December or early March, and seedling transplanting can be done throughout the year.
2. Planting techniques: The distance between the planting points and the vertical projection of the trellis wire is 15-20 cm. Dig planting holes 30-40 cm in diameter and 25-30 cm deep. Mix the excavated soil with decomposed manure and fill half of the hole with it. Create a mound of soil at the bottom of the hole, place the seedlings in the hole, spread the roots, then fill the remaining soil. The spacing should be 90×130 cm, and planting must be standardized.
3. Seedling management: If using cutting propagation, after the cuttings have germinated but before they have roots, they rely on the moisture within the cutting. Shading and watering should be done to prevent the cuttings from drying out due to leaf moisture evaporation, especially during the high-temperature period from April to May in the south. Layering propagation is less affected by external conditions and is relatively simple to manage. Sexual propagation mainly uses seedlings, which is mainly carried out in a greenhouse. Management is simple, requiring only regular watering, but attention should be paid to ventilation in high-temperature seasons to prevent scorching.
4. Management of young plants: For seedlings obtained from seed propagation, the main task during the seedling stage is weeding. When transplanting, a small amount of base fertilizer should be applied in the planting hole, mixed evenly with soil to prevent concentrated fertilizer from affecting root growth. After planting, the seedlings enter the rapid growth stage, requiring high water and fertilizer. Base fertilizer should be applied before germination, mainly with manure, supplemented with compound fertilizer rich in nitrogen and potassium.
Field management of August melon
1. Rational fertilization: Conducted before germination in early March and during the plant growth period (fruit expansion period) in June to July. After planting, the first top dressing is done with quick-release nitrogen and potassium fertilizer on both sides of the plant, within 30 cm of the plant. Use a hoe or spade to dig a shallow trench, spread the fertilizer in the trench, and immediately water to deliver the fertilizer. Top dressing with quick-release phosphorus and potassium fertilizer.
2. Rational irrigation: When August melon shows signs of water deficiency, artificial irrigation should be carried out. Before the summer rainy season, the drainage ditches in the planting area should be cleaned promptly, and standing water should be drained.
3. Tillage and weeding: Keep the soil loose and free of weeds within the planting area of August melon. The depth of tillage and weeding should be 10-15 cm. Hand weeding is generally used, and herbicides should not be used. Weeding should be done before the August melon germinates, removing all weeds by hand. Two weeks later, tillage and weeding should be done again, and other times according to the growth of weeds, usually in mid-May and early July, to keep the ridge free of weeds.
4. Trellising and pruning: Secure the August melon vines on the trellis with palm leaves, keeping 2-4 main vines per plant. Like grapes and other fruit trees, regular tree management is required. The shaping differs depending on the trellis style, and pruning is mainly done to thin out the vines. The pruning time is from 2-3 weeks after defoliation to before the start of sap flow in the following year. Winter pruning should be completed by mid-February. When pruning, the cut should be 2-3 cm from the bud eye and no side branches should be left within 30 cm of the ground.
5. Pest and disease control: The control of pests harmful to Akebia trifoliata mainly involves cleaning the garden in winter to eliminate overwintering larvae and eggs. The orchard should be sprayed with pesticides to control pests at the right time, or manual capture can be used. Biological integrated control can also be employed, with particular attention to the application of agents in spring to prevent the damage of young vines by insects such as the red leafhopper, aphids, spicy caterpillars, white fluff scale insects, and red spiders. Physical and chemical methods can also be used, but only within the scope allowed by GAP.
6. Harvesting and root retention: Harvest on sunny days, after the dew has disappeared in the morning, using pruning shears or a sharp knife. Cut about 20 cm above the base of the stem, but do not damage the mother plant base and roots, leaving the base as a foundation for the next year's propagation. The mother plant of August melon will grow a large number of new shoots from the base the following year. After selection, retain 2-3 shoots, tie them to the square trellis, and they will become new plants.
The above is the specific content on how to plant August melon effectively and understand its cultivation techniques. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited!