Due to its small size, thin skin, tender meat and flavor characteristics, small watermelon is suitable for consumption by modern small families and is favored by the public. Due to the high economic benefits of small watermelons, they are also welcomed by the vast number of melon farmers, and the cultivated area has expanded year by year. However, small watermelon is a new type of watermelon. Its fertility characteristics have its particularity compared with ordinary watermelons. It also has its characteristics in cultivation. For this reason, this newspaper interviewed the vice president of the Provincial Horticultural Society and the western melon expert Wang Shekuan. Mr., please ask him to introduce a small watermelon cultivation technique for the reference of melon farmers.

1. Choose excellent varieties

At present, there are not many varieties of small watermelons in the world. The main ones are Huami Elf (Huaqi Huangqi) and Huami Palm Zhongbao (Hua Pihong) produced by Anhui Tianhe West Melon Seed Co., Ltd.

There are also early spring rubies produced in Japan and Te Xiaofeng made in Taiwan. From the perspective of the economic characteristics of varieties, domestic varieties are not worse than imports, but the price of imported seeds is several times higher than that of domestic seeds.

2, determine the cultivation time

Small watermelons can be cultivated in multiple seasons due to their short growing season. In view of the low yield of small watermelons, it is generally used to protect the early-maturing cultivation and post-expansion cultivation to obtain higher economic benefits. The specific cultivation season can be determined according to the local temperature and light resources and protection facilities. For example, the greenhouse cultivation method of Huaibei and Shandong can be planted in late December, planted in early February, harvested in mid-April, and plastic greenhouses are planted from late January to early February, and planted from late February to early March. It will be listed in mid-May. The greenhouse cultivation in the area south of the Huaihe River can be planted in mid-February in February, fixed in mid-March, and harvested in mid-May. After the autumn, the cultivation can be planted in the middle and late July, and planted in early August. It will be listed before and after the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival.

3, sowing seedlings

The seedlings are not less than 8 cm in diameter. The nutrient soil must be used after being piled up and cooked to achieve an organic-rich, water-preserving and fat-preserving standard. Seeds should be sun-dried before planting. The small watermelon seeds are small, and the 1000-grain weight is generally 30-40 g. The seed soaking time should not be too long, usually 2 hours. Before planting, the nutrient soil of the decoration is poured into the bottom water, and the planting is selected on a sunny day. Early maturing cultivation should immediately increase the temperature of the membrane. When most of the seeds are unearthed, the film should be cooled down, kept at around 25 °C during the day and around 18 °C during the night to prevent high seedlings. The first true leaf should be properly warmed after deployment to promote growth. 5 to 7 days before transplanting, the wind is refining and preparing for transplanting. The general seedling age is 30 to 35 days. After the autumn extension, the seedling stage is the high temperature period, and the sunshade should be cooled and kept warm. In this period, the seed germination is fast, the seedling grows fast, and the seedling age is not suitable. Generally, it is suitable for about 10 days.

4, colonization

The plots to be planted should be low groundwater level, convenient for irrigation and drainage, soft soil, and no plots of melon crops for more than 3 years. Before the fixed value, the base fertilizer should be applied, but the amount of fertilizer is only 70% of the ordinary watermelon. Generally, it is deep frozen before winter. Before the planting, it will apply about 2000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu, and then turn over the ground after 25 kg of superphosphate. After doing the sputum, apply 30 to 40 kg of compound fertilizer per mu of ditch. When planting in early spring, the soil temperature should be stable above 15 °C, and the temperature should be above 12 °C. Summer planting should be carried out in the evening, and the roots should be avoided as much as possible.

In the middle of the stand-type cultivation, the width is 80 cm, planted in two rows, and the width of the two sides is 120-150 cm. One line or one line is climbed, the plant spacing is 35-40 cm, and the three vines are finished, and 1,500-1800 plants per acre are planted. Climbing cultivation is 200-220 cm wide, with a plant spacing of 35-40 cm, three vines, and 700-750 plants per acre. If the plant spacing is 60 cm, four vines are used, and 500-550 plants per acre can be planted.