Cultivation Techniques of Overwintering Cucumber and Balsam Pear

Here is a brief introduction to the cultivation techniques of interplanting bitter melon with cucumbers during winter:

Select good varieties:

Cucumbers should be high-yield and high-quality varieties that are resistant to low temperature and weak light, and highly resistant to downy mildew, wilt and other diseases. Such as Jinyou No. 32, Zhongnong No. 21, Jinlu No. 21-8, Jinwang No. 6, Bonai, Xingke No. 8, etc. Bitter melons should be medium-early and early-maturing high-yield and high-quality varieties that are resistant to low temperature and weak light during the seedling stage, high temperature and high humidity during the fruiting stage, and highly resistant to various diseases such as anthracnose and bacterial angular leaf spot. The fruit color should be oily green, the flesh should be thick, the melon strips should be straight, the melon should be 25-30 cm long, and it should be suitable for summer and autumn packaging and storage.

Sowing at the right time:

Calculation method of sowing period:

1. It takes about 92 days from sowing to the beginning of fruiting period for winter cucumbers. The sales volume has increased significantly and the price has also risen significantly in the 10 days before and after the heavy snow, that is, from December 2nd to 12th. Therefore, September 5th to 12th is the appropriate sowing period for winter cucumbers.

2. Bitter melon enters the peak period of fruiting 175 days after sowing; the sales price is 1 times higher than cucumber in previous years, and the period of significant increase in the wholesale sales of bitter melon is 10 days before and after the beginning of summer, that is, May 1-10. Therefore, October 17-27 of last year was the appropriate sowing period for interplanting summer bitter melon with winter cucumbers in the greenhouse.

Planting cucumbers and interplanting bitter melons:

10-12 days after grafting, 7-10 days after grafting, the cucumber seedlings are transplanted when they have 4-5 true leaves. Before transplanting, make ridges in the north-south direction with a ridge spacing of 120 cm. The furrows between ridges are "V" shaped, 35-40 cm wide and 25 cm deep, and the ridge surface is arched. Plant two rows per ridge, and dig shallow furrows about 15 cm wide and 8-10 cm deep on the ridge surface with a small row spacing of 40 cm, and water along the furrows. Plant the cucumber seedlings in the shallow furrows with a spacing of 33-37 cm, and make the grafting port higher than the ridge surface. Then cover with a 130 cm wide silver-white mulch, break the film to release the seedlings, and seal the film mouth with soil. From October 17th to 27th, dig holes 2-3 meters apart in the north-south rows of cucumber plants, and sow bitter melon after watering. 2-3 days before sowing, soak the seeds in 55℃-60℃ hot water for 30 minutes, then soak them in 25℃-30℃ warm water for 48-72 hours. Sow them directly after taking them out, 3-5 seeds per hole, and cover them with 2-2.5 cm thick soil. After germination, select one strong seedling in each hole.