A practical guide to the cultivation of melons

By: PERTANIAN MODERD
A practical guide to the cultivation of melons
Melon (Cucumis melo) is included in the rate-timunan cucumber. Still a relative with watermelon, cantaloupe and cucumber. As with other tribes cucumber-timunan, melon vines grow but can not climb. If not supported, it will grow creeping plants above the soil surface.
The place is ideal for the cultivation of melons in the range of 250-700 meters above sea level altitude. If the height is less than 250 meters, melon plants tend to produce small fruit. While on the plateau with temperatures below 18oC, this plant is difficult to grow.
Melon plants require humidity level of 50-70%. The average temperature suitable for melon cultivation ranges from 25-30oC with rainfall 1500-2500 mm / year. Melon fruit quality will be even better if there is a difference of day and night temperature is quite significant.
Type melon
Very diverse types of melon. However, only three popular cultivars cultivated, namely reticalatus, inodorus and cantalupensis.
Reticalatus. This type of melon is the most popular cultivar. Rounded shape with green rind and texture berjala, such as coated webs. Fruit flesh colored light green to orange.
Inodorus. This type has a smooth rind not berjala. Rounded to oval shape. Fruit skin color pale yellow to greenish yellow. No flesh color is green, orange to white. The meat was not flavorful fruit.
Cantalupensis. This species has a bumpy rind like pumpkin, or called berjuring. Fruit flesh is yellow or orange, very strong aroma. Included in this type of cantaloupe.
Melon plant nursery
Melon crops for cultivation generative usually propagated from seed or seeds. For the cultivation of one hectare required melon plant seeds around 16000-20000 trees, equivalent to 500-700 grams of melon seeds.



Before planting the seeds should germinate first. You do this by soaking the seeds in warm water for 6-8 hours. If the seed is not containing fungicides, fungicides can be added to the soaking water as prescribed.
Once drained and soaked seeds sown on a damp cloth or paper that has been moistened newspaper. Leave for 1-2 days until the seeds germinate. Keep the humidity of the cloth or newsprint. If looks dry enough water splash.


Then prepare a small polybag or tray nursery. Fill the planting medium soil mix with compost or manure in the ratio of 2:1, see how to create a media hotbed. Immerse melon seeds 1-2 cm deep into the planting medium.
Nursery places should be protected with a clear plastic roof or lid. This is necessary so that seedlings are protected from excessive sun and direct rain water running. Media nursery should continue to be controlled and observed that the humidity up. Watering it regularly but not too wet.
Seeding process typically takes up to 10-14 days. Or marked by the growth of 2-3 leaves. In this phase the seedlings are ready to be moved to the planting site.
cultivation of melon
Land preparation and planting
The land for the cultivation of melons should be plowed prior to smooth chunk of land. Then form beds with a width of 100-120 cm, 30-50 cm tall, 10-15 meters long and 50-60 cm spacing between beds.
After that give a basic fertilizer or manure compost as much as 20 kg / ha. Add also ZA, KCl and SP-36, respectively 375 kg, 375 kg and 250 kg for each hectare. Mix the fertilizer on the beds and mix well with the soil beds. Let the land for 2-4 days.
When the pH of the soil to be used for the cultivation of melons is less than 5, dolomite or agricultural lime give as much as 2 tons per hectare. Combine the seedbed soil at least 2-3 days before fertilization basis.
Furthermore, closed beds with black plastic mulch silver. Facing the black color and the color of silver to the ground outside. Make the planting hole at the top of the mulch. There are two beds in each planting hole with a line spacing of 60 cm between rows and the distance between holes in a row 50-60 cm. Closure mulch should be done at least 2 days prior to planting.
The next step of planting seeds that have been prepared. The seeds for each planting hole. Then flush so as not to wilt due to drought. Planting should be done in the afternoon when the sun is not too hot.
Melon cultivation treatments
a. marker installation
To produce good fruit, the plants must be supported with stakes or sticks of bamboo. Functions that are not produced fruit in contact with the soil surface. In addition to enable the penetration of sunlight to all parts of the plant.
Marker installation should be done before the plants grow larger. Usually before the age of 3 days from the plants first planted. This meant that the stakes are plugged do not injure plant roots.
Prepare marker over 1.5 meters. Plug the marker in the planting hole is menyerong, leaning towards the upper end of the bed. So that the marker-marker intersect, forming the letter X. Then prepare bamboo longer horizontally and place the marker-marker crosses among these, tie with raffia.
b. sprinkling
Regular watering is needed in the cultivation of melons. Watering should be done every evening until the age of the plant one week. Further watering is carried out every two days.
When the rainy season drainage must be functioning properly. Do not let the waterlogged land. Melon plants do not require soil that is too wet.
c. fertilization aftershocks
Subsequent fertilization takes from one week old plants. Fertilizer should be given liquid. Solid fertilizer can be dissolved first. Fertilizer that can be used organic liquid fertilizer or artificial chemical fertilizers.
Supplementary fertilizer with artificial chemical fertilizers are given as much as 6 times. Fertilizer dissolved in water and sprayed on the plants. Fertilizer dose of 200-250 ml / plant. The following table fertilizer requirements for the cultivation of melons:
A practical guide to the cultivation of melons
d. artificial pollination
In the dry season pollination carried out by insects pollinators. However, during the rainy season usually decreases the intensity of insect pollinators. To get a good quality artificial pollination done.
Artificial pollination is done in the morning, before 10 o'clock. Too late When the flower buds are a little wilted or close. Perform artificial pollination of female flowers at 4 weeks to every tree. So that the tree will produce fruit melon 4.
e. Pests and diseases
Melon cultivation in tropical areas such as Indonesia are vulnerable to pests and diseases. Pests that attack melon cultivation include aphids, fruit flies, leaf caterpillars, thrips, mites. While the disease affecting among other anthracnose, fruit rot, stem rot and mosaic.
To avoid pests and disease do agronomic such as crop rotation, balanced fertilization and maintain field sanitation. When pests and diseases have attacked spray with appropriate pesticides. Pesticides can be organic or synthetic pesticides. Spray according to the recommended dosage.
harvesting
Usually cultivated melon is harvested after 3 months old. The characteristics of the melon is ready to harvest reticalatus among other types of fiber mesh on the surface of the skin looks clear and rough, the surface of the skin around the stem looks cracked, yellowish-green color and has issued a scent.
Melon fruit should be picked on the maturity level of 90% or approximately 3-7 days before fully ripe. It is useful to give more time to the distribution.
Plucking is done by cutting the fruit stalk with a knife or scissors. Stalk is cut like the letter T, so that part is cut that leads to the leaves rather than the fruit. Harvesting should be in the morning at around 8-11 and be done gradually. Choose fruit that is truly ready to be harvested.
reference:
Sobir and Firman. , 2014. Superior Gardening melon. Self spreader.
Lazarus, Agricultural Extension Center. How melon crop fertilization.