Variety Selection:
Plant early-maturing watermelon varieties in autumn; avoid late-maturing ones. Otherwise, when the cold weather arrives, the watermelons may not be ripe, affecting yield and quality, and reducing profitability.
2. Sowing and Seedling Cultivation:
For autumn melon cultivation, two main aspects should be mastered in seedling production: the sowing period and the seedling method. Generally, sowing is conducted in the middle and late July. Due to the hot and dry weather during the sowing season, it is advisable to germinate seeds indoors in greenhouses using seedling pots. First, soak the seeds in room temperature water, and sow them once they have absorbed the moisture. Plant one seed per pot. Cover the sown area with shade netting to cool and retain moisture. Transplant the seedlings when the two leaves have unfolded.
3. Soil Preparation and Fertilization, followed by Planting
The method of land preparation and fertilization is roughly the same as spring cultivation. When using climbing cultivation, two rows are made in each standard greenhouse. However, it is important to carefully prepare the soil before planting, as the previous crop is often watermelon and melon. It is recommended to spray "Green King No. 1" for sterilization; if the soil is too dry, water and till after irrigation. After planting, water the roots immediately and cover the greenhouse top film and shading net.
Field Management:
Before seedling, cooling and moisture retention should be maintained. If there are frequent heavy rainfalls, the skirt edges around the greenhouse should be covered, and timely drainage should be ensured.
Following the germination of the melon seedlings, based on weather conditions, decide whether to remove the shading net, and cover the bed with straw to reduce soil temperature and prevent salt return.
Thirdly, branch thinning, vine leading, and vine pressing. When growing watermelons in autumn, their branching ability decreases, but it is still necessary to perform careful and timely branch thinning, using the same methods as in spring cultivation.
Fourth, control the fruiting position and perform artificial pollination. For autumn cultivation of watermelons, the flowering node of the female flowers is basically the same as in spring. In addition to removing one female flower, it is important to promptly pollinate two or three (one or two on the lateral vine) female flowers artificially. Otherwise, the fruiting will be too late (the node will be too high), delaying the maturation period of the watermelons. In extreme cases, they may not ripen even when the cold weather arrives, significantly reducing the benefits.
Fifthly, late-stage heat preservation. Starting from late October, heat preservation measures should be implemented based on weather conditions. This means closing the greenhouse in the evening and then opening it the next morning for ventilation and air exchange.
Harvesting:
When the watermelon products reach maturity, they should be harvested promptly. The method to determine ripeness is mainly based on the fruiting period, but it is important to note that for the same variety, the time from flowering to maturity for autumn cultivation is slightly longer than for spring cultivation.
