Winter melon is a high-yielding fruit vegetable that offers significant profits, and its cultivation techniques are not too difficult, making it a popular choice among farmers in various regions.
Guide to Growing Winter Melon
Winter melon, also known as winter gourd, white gourd, or hairy gourd, is not difficult to grow. The fruit serves as a staple green vegetable in households, and it is also a valuable ingredient for the confectionery and beverage industries, contributing significantly to export revenues.
The main crop of winter melon is typically planted from December of the previous year to early March of the following year. However, it can also be grown during the winter season from late September to early October. Although the yield of off-season winter melon is lower than that of the main season, it sells at a higher price, making it economically viable.
Winter melon cultivation is not difficult
Winter melon is a vegetable from the gourd family with robust growth, wide adaptability, and excellent resistance to pests and diseases. Farmers often use minimal pesticides, making winter melon production a clean product. Its thick, hard skin also enhances its storage and transport capabilities, helping to supply regions lacking fresh vegetables and providing vegetables during transitional periods. The yield can reach 35 to 50 tons per hectare, making it a highly profitable crop.
Cultivation Techniques
The autumn planting season occurs from August 20 to October 5, while the winter-spring season runs from December 1 to February 15. The quantity of seeds required for one hectare is approximately 0.9 to 1.1 kg. Seeds should be soaked for 4 to 6 hours before planting.
Seed Soaking
Farmers should sow the seeds in raised beds, covering them with a thin layer of soil to avoid excessive coverage that could hinder sprouting. When the seedlings are 7 to 8 days old (with two clear cotyledons), they can be transplanted into seedling pots, ideally sized at 7 x 10 cm, and transplanted when they have 2 to 3 true leaves (larger pots, 10 x 15 cm, can hold the seedlings until they have 4 to 5 true leaves).
Making Seedlings
The mixture for seedling pots consists of equal parts of soil and decomposed manure. Add 1 kg of urea, 1.5 kg of phosphorus, and 1.5 kg of potassium for every 1000 kg of the soil mixture. If possible, treat the mixture with fungicides about 10 days before adding the seeds.
Use nylon bags (with the two bottom corners cut for better drainage), banana leaves, or trays of appropriate size according to the time of planting to hold the seedling mixture. For larger plantings, farmers can make seedlings similarly to corn. After sowing, cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil, followed by a layer of decomposed rice husks or compost, and water evenly for 5-7 days to ensure uniform sprouting. The best time to transplant is when the seedlings begin to develop true leaves.
Soil Preparation
Select sandy loam or light soil with good irrigation capability. Maintain a distance of 1-2 km from industrial waste and hospitals. For urban waste, keep a distance of at least 200 m, and at least 100 m from national highways. Ensure no harmful chemical residues or significant heavy metal contamination to meet safety standards for consumers.
Winter melon can be intercropped or planted separately, thus soil preparation methods may vary. After harvesting companion crops, prepare the soil for the main winter melon beds. The bed size depends on whether a trellis is used. If using a trellis, prepare beds 1.2 to 1.4 m wide; if the plants are allowed to spread on the ground, the bed width should be 2.7 to 3 m.
Instead of growing in styrofoam boxes, farmers can grow in fields
If using a trellis, farmers should plant wide beds of 1.5 to 2.0 m, with a planting distance of 40 to 50 cm x 80 cm, where plants are spaced 40 to 50 cm apart and rows are 80 cm apart. If not using a trellis (with plants spreading on the ground), the beds should be over 3.5 m wide, planting two rows in the middle of the bed, with a spacing of 40 to 50 cm between plants, and 15 to 20 cm from the edge of the bed, resulting in a row spacing of 2.5 to 3 m.
Care and Maintenance
The amount of manure needed includes: 800 to 1000 kg per sao; Urea: 10 to 12 kg per sao; Super Phosphate: 15 to 18 kg per sao; Potassium: 10 to 12 kg per sao.
The amount of base fertilizer includes all the manure + Phosphate + 1/4 Potassium + 1/4 Urea. Farmers should apply the first top dressing when the plants begin to climb or spread (30 to 40 days after planting) with 1/4 Potassium + 1/4 Urea. The second top dressing should occur after the plants start fruiting, applying 1/3 Potassium + 1/3 Urea. The remaining fertilizer can be diluted with water and used for watering when plants show signs of poor growth.
The first cultivation should coincide with fertilization when the plants are 30 to 40 days old, and the second cultivation should coincide with fertilization when the plants bloom profusely (55 to 65 days after planting). Winter melon produces many branches; each plant should ideally have 1 to 2 branches, with each branch yielding 1 to 2 fruits. After the fruits set for 5 to 10 days, farmers should thin the fruits so that each plant only retains 1 to 2 fruits. If the plants are allowed to spread, when they reach 60 to 70 cm in length, growers should tie them with nylon strings to prevent damage from wind and encourage the development of secondary roots to enhance nutrient absorption.
Winter melon requires minimal pesticide application. When the plants have 2 to 10 true leaves, they are still young and soft, which makes them susceptible to pests like caterpillars and aphids. Farmers can use Ofatox 0.1% or Oncol 20EC for spraying. In case of downy mildew, farmers can apply Kasuzan or Zineb 80 WP, and for powdery mildew use Bavistyl at a concentration of 0.25%.
Boiled winter melon is a refreshing summer dish
Winter melon is very easy to sell. When the fruits reach 50 to 60 days old, they can be harvested as fresh vegetables. For mature winter melons intended for storage, it is best to harvest them in the morning when the white powder appears on the skin, keeping the stem intact, and storing them carefully in a cool place will allow them to be stored for 1 to 2 months without significant quality loss.
Pest and Disease Control
Winter melon is commonly affected by pests such as leaf miners, aphids, and caterpillars, as well as diseases like wilting, stem rot, downy mildew, and powdery mildew. Regular monitoring is essential for timely detection and control according to agricultural extension guidelines.
Harvesting
Fruits can be harvested when they are 50 to 60 days old. Young fruits can be harvested at 25 to 35 days old (after setting). It is best to harvest in the early morning, handling the fruits gently to avoid bruising. Mature fruits can be arranged in rows and stored in a cool place for preservation. They can be stored for about a month without significant impact on quality.
