How to manage watermelon for high yield
Today's experience sharing: How to manage watermelon for high yield and the explanation of green plant flowers regarding watermelon planting high yield tips, next, the editor will introduce.
Watermelon flesh is sweet and juicy, and it is very popular in the summer. Many farmers choose to plant watermelon. So, how to plant watermelon to achieve high yield? And how to manage it?
1. Choose good seeds and arrange varieties reasonably
Good seeds are the prerequisite for high yield. Reasonably arranging early, medium, and late-maturing varieties can improve economic benefits.
2. Key points of cultivation techniques
(1) Do not rush to plant in the early stage, just ensure there is no water shortage during the pollination period, avoid excessive watering, and prevent plant lodging.
(2) After the watermelon sets, water and fertilize in a timely manner.
(3) Watering after setting watermelons should not be too late, and the amount of water should be appropriate.
(4) During the watermelon expansion period, generous watering and fertilizing can help increase yield.
3. Clean ditches and drain water, prepare land and apply fertilizers
Dig drainage ditches around the perimeter to ensure that all ditches are connected and the water dries up after the rain.
4. Timely germinate seeds and plant carefully
(1) Planting period. According to weather conditions and the temperature required for watermelon growth, field planting is best done in mid-to-late April.
(2) Seed quantity. Use 1-1.5 pounds of seeds per mu of field, and for hybrid watermelon seeds, use 2-2.5 pounds per mu.
(3) Soak and germinate seeds. First, soak seeds in 50-55°C warm water for 15-20 minutes, then add a little cold water to lower the temperature, and let the water cool naturally for 2-3 hours.
(4) The suitable temperature for watermelon seed germination is 30-35°C.
5. Field planting
When the sprouts are 1-2 inches long, they can be selected for planting, with 2-3 seeds per hole. Remove the weaker plant from the double plants and promptly fill in the gaps.
6.保温育苗 (Preserve seedlings in a warm environment)
It can be sown as early as the end of March or early April. It has the advantages of saving seeds, ease of management, strong seedlings, early maturity, and high yield.
7. Reasonable density and scientific staging of fertilization
(1) The planting density of watermelon varies with the variety and soil fertility, with about 450 plants per mu being suitable.
(2) Till the soil, remove weeds promptly, and generally till 2-3 times.
(3) In terms of topdressing, follow the principle of less and more frequent meals, starting light and then heavy.
(4) When most of the melon bowls are large, use 15 pounds of urea + 5 pounds of potassium fertilizer per mu, diluted with water and applied near the melon plants.
(5) After the first batch of watermelons is harvested, to grow the second and third batches well and prevent early senescence, use 80 kilograms of active organic fertilizer + 15 kilograms of urea per mu underground.
8. Take various measures to improve fruit setting rate
(1) Prune and remove suckers. Watermelon has a strong branching ability, which can cause vigorous vine growth and a low fruit-setting rate. Pruning is to adjust the direction of nutrient distribution, maintain a certain leaf-fruit ratio, improve quality, and increase fruit size to promote fruit development.
(2) Artificial pollination. The method is: In the early morning, pick the day's open male flower buds and place them in a small basin to let them open naturally. After the female flowers open, remove the petals of the male flowers and apply the twisted anthers to the honeycomb-like stigma of the female flowers. Each male flower can pollinate 1-2 female flowers.
(3) Select and leave melons. Sometimes, a plant may have several melons, which significantly reduces fruit size. Remove the malformed young fruits and leave 1-2 to concentrate nutrients and increase fruit size.
(4) Protect young fruits. Use waste paper, straw, etc., to cover the young fruits to prevent damage from wind and rain.
(5) Prevent lodging. Mainly apply fertilizers reasonably, avoid excessive nitrogen fertilization, and if lodging occurs, take measures such as needling, breaking the heart, and bending the vines to stop it.
9. Timely irrigation
(1) In the rainy season, clear the ditches and drain the water to lower the groundwater level.
(2) In the hot and dry season, when the leaves of the watermelon plants show signs of wilting, water in the late night and quickly drain.
10. Control pests and diseases
(1) For the control of pests and diseases, agricultural control should be the main method, with comprehensive control.
(2) Methods such as "grafting to replace roots," soil disinfection, crop rotation, selecting disease-resistant varieties, and chemical agents can be used.
11. Harvest in time for high yield and quality
(1) It takes about 40 days from the flowering of the watermelon fruit to its maturity.
(2) Timely harvesting is both a measure to ensure quality and improve economic benefits and a key to cultivating the next batch of melons to increase total production.
The above content about how to manage watermelon for high yield and the related tips for high-yield watermelon planting, hope it is helpful to you!