Melon Fruit Cultivation in Indonesia

On this occasion we will provide information for all of you about Melon Fruit Cultivation. Pay attention to the information we convey below for your knowledge in cultivation. Hopefully it can be useful and as a motivation for you in trying.

Melon is one of the most popular types of fruit crops, as are apples, oranges, grapes and some favorite fruits. Melon fruit is also a favorite fruit. This fruit is usually eaten directly or for a mixture of fruit ice. The relatively fast growing season of melons and market interest that seems to be increasing no doubt has made some farmers interested in switching to melons.

Also read: How to Grow Hydroponic Chili with Used Bottles

MELOON FRUIT CULTIVATION

Growing Conditions

1. Climate

• The wind is blowing quite hard, it can damage crops, can break leaf stalks, fruit stalks and even plant stems.
• Continuous rain will abort the fruit candidates that have been formed and can also create favorable environmental conditions for pathogens. When melons are close to harvest, rain can reduce the sugar content in the fruit.
• Plants need temperature for germination 250 - 350 C. For growth: 200 - 300 C. During fruit ripening process 260 C during the day, and 160 C at night. Plants cannot grow if the temperature is < 180 C. So plants need full sun 10 > 12 hours / day during their growth.
• Air humidity indirectly affects growth, at high humidity, melon plants are susceptible to disease. The ideal humidity is between 70% - 80%.

2. Altitude of Place

Melon plants can grow well at an altitude of 300 - 900 meters above sea level. Altitudes > 900 meters do not produce optimally.

3. Plant Media

• Good soil for melon cultivation is sandy loam that is rich in organic matter, with good drainage as well, because the plant does not like soil that is too wet. Basically it requires quite a lot of water, but preferably water from irrigation, not from rainwater.
• Good soil for growing melons is former rice, corn and sugar cane.
• Not good to be planted in acidic soil continuously. Melon will grow well at pH 5.8 - 7.2

Also read: How to Plant Kencur (Aromatic Ginger) In The Right Polybag So That The Results Are Abundant

Planting Preparation

1. Seed nursery

A. Method and time of seeding

• Seeds to be sown, soaked in water for 2 - 4 hours. Then the seeds are sown on plastic that has been filled with soil that has been mixed with manure (5:1)
• Seeds are sown in an upright position and the tip of the potential roots is facing downwards, then covered with a mixture of husk ash and soil (2 : 1 )
• To stimulate seed germination, by creating a warm atmosphere, cover the surface of the nursery with wet burlap sacks. If the sprouts have appeared on the surface of the seedling media (usually the 3rd or 4th day) then the burlap sack can be opened immediately.

B. Seedling media production

• Making seedling media by mixing soil, sand and manure in a ratio (1: 1: 1). 

2. Nursery maintenance

Seeds sown in polybags will grow into potential seedlings and must be maintained so that they become sturdy and healthy melon seeds.

A. Watering method and time

• Seedlings are watered every day, for watering a spray tank is used. If the true leaves come out, then watering can be done with a bang.
• When the weather is hot, the soil in polybags is dry, so watering needs to be done in the afternoon.

B. Thinning

• The purpose of thinning is to prepare healthy and stocky seedlings ready for planting.
• This is done 3 days before planting seedlings in the field.

C. Fertilizing in the nursery

• For vegetative growth, seedlings can be stimulated by spraying foliar fertilizers containing high nitrogen, when the seedlings are 7-9 days after sowing, with a concentration of 1 - 1.5 grams / liter of water. (just one time)
• Root fertilizer is not necessary, because the seedling medium is already quite fertile.

3. Transfer of seedlings

Melon seeds are transferred to the field when they have 4-5 leaves or the seedlings are 10-12 days old. The trick is to shave the plastic bag with a cutter, not to damage the roots, compact the soil slightly with a fist, then plant the seeds in the beds.

4. Planting media processing/ Land clearing

• Plowing: the land to be plowed must be filled with water, overnight, it is enough to plow once with a depth of 30 cm.
• After all the land is plowed, then planting beds are made.

5. Making planting beds

• Bed size is: width (100 - 110 cm ), Height (30 - 50 cm ), Maximum length (12 - 15 m ), width of ditch/canal (55 - 65 cm).
• In the rainy season, the height of the bed is 50 cm, so that the plant roots are not buried by rainwater, and in the dry season the height of the bed is 30 cm.
• After the beds are finished, sow manure, chemical fertilizers (Urea, SP-36, KCl) stirred evenly.

6. Liming

• Previously, the pH was measured using a pH meter. Take 10 dots as a sample and then calculate the average pH.
• After obtaining the average pH, liming is done with Dolomite (MgCO30 or plant lime (CaCO3) with the size:
• pH 5.4 : lime amount 3.60 ton/ha
• pH 5.6 : lime amount 2.65 ton/ha
• pH 6.1 - 6.4: lime amount < 0.75 ton/ha

Also read: How to Plant Peppers to Grow Optimal!

7. Installation of black-silver plastic mulch (PHP)

• Before installing PHP mulch, the beds are watered (dileb) so that the soil is soft. Mulch installation should be done during the day, so that the plastic is easily pulled and evenly distributed.
• The method: silver on the top and black on the bottom, it takes 2 people to install one bed. Pull both ends of the mulch on the bed, hook one end to the bed using mulch tongs from bamboo tutus to make it stronger. After the two ends of the mulch are linked, simultaneously pull the mulch on both sides of the bed every meter at the same time and continue to clamp it with bamboo tutus pegs.
• After completing the installation of mulch, the beds are left for 3-5 days before planting holes are made. The goal is that the given chemical fertilizer can be turned into a form available to plant roots.

8. Making planting holes

To make a planting hole using a special tool with a diameter of + 8 cm, made in such a way that the heat generated from the burning charcoal is able to perforate the mulch quickly. At the same time, the spacing of the holes is adjusted to the spacing of 70 x 60 or 80 x 60 cm.

9. How to plant

• After the seedlings in the nursery have 2 - 3 leaves, (age + 15 days) the seeds are ready to be planted.
• To facilitate planting, the channel between the beds is irrigated first.
• Seedlings are removed from the polybag by using a catter so that the roots are not damaged, placed in the holes that have been added, planting is done at a position of + 2 cm deeper than the original root neck.

Plant Maintenance

1. Embroidery

Embroidery is done within 2 weeks after planting, and done in the afternoon, for 3-5 days because it is possible that in the first week there are still plants that need to be embroidered. New embroidered seedlings should be watered so that the roots stick.

2. Weeding

In melon cultivation with a mulch system, weeding is done in the planting hole between the two beds. Weeds that are not cleaned cause the plant environment to become moist, thereby stimulating disease. Weeds can also host harmful pests and nematodes.

3. Fertilization

Fertilization is given three times, namely: first 20 days after planting, second 40 days after planting (when will do fruit thinning) third 60 days after planting.

4. Watering

• Melon plants require dry air for growth, but the soil must be moist. Watering is done in the afternoon or evening.
• Plants are watered from the time of growth until the plants will be picked fruit. When watering, do not let the water wet the leaves and fruit, to prevent the spread of diseases that come from splashes, especially fungi.
• The period of flowering and fruiting, watering is reduced (+ 2 weeks), but the drains / gutters should not be dry. Approaching fruit picking (2 weeks before harvest) watering is stopped.

5. Other maintenance

A. Stalk installation

• Melon plants have a number of branches between 15 - 20. So after the plant takes out the tendrils, it is immediately given a stake.
• Ajir or stick from bamboo slats, for vine propagation about 50 cm high. installed after finishing making hoarding. The height of the stake is 1.5 - 2 meters, with a distance of 25 cm from the edge of the right and left mounds. Penancapannya slightly crossed into (2 stakes rope) and clamped firmly.

B. Pruning

• After 7-8 leafy plants start pruning. Shoots that grow in the axils of the first to fifth leaves are pruned.
• Shoots that grow after the 8th segment are pruned while still leaving 2 leaves.
• When the main stem has reached 20 - 25 internodes, trim the shoots. The right time to do pruning is when the air is sunny and dry.

C. Fruit selection and packaging

• Keep 3-4 fruit candidates on each plant, especially those that grow on the 10th to 17th branches.
• After the prospective fruit is as big as a chicken egg, choose the 2 best fruit candidates, namely those that are round and slightly oval, while the rest are discarded.
• Then wrap the fruit in a transparent plastic bag, so as not to be attacked by fruit flies.
• When the fruit is as big as a tennis ball, the fruit branches are tied to the stake with raffia rope.

Also read: How to Plant Purslane in Fertile Pots and Flowering Fast

Harvest And Post Harvest

A.       Bread

Characteristics or signs of fruit that is ready to harvest or ripe:

• When the fruit is ripe, the skin color changes from light green to yellowish or depending on the type.
• In the type with net, the net is full and perfect, fragrant aroma with 90% maturity.
• A separating layer is formed on the fruit stalk or ring
• Around the stalk and petals begin to turn yellow, around when pressed a bit soft.
• Usually melons can be picked after 3 months after planting, depending on the type, and the height of the place.

B.       How to harvest

• Cut the melon stalk with a sharp knife, leaving at least 2 cm to extend the shelf life of the fruit.
• The stalk is cut in the shape of a T, meaning that the fruit stalk is intact and the top two sides are leaf stalks that have been cut.
• Harvesting is done in stages, by prioritizing fruit that is really ready to be harvested.

C.        Harvest period

1. If in the next 3 - 5 months the price of melon is predicted to fall, then the alternative for crop rotation of used melon utik is opened and fertilizing for chili can be done for planting chilies. Because the available land does not need to be changed, then mulch plas an.
2. If in the next 4 months the melon price forecast will increase, then the land used for planting rice is better, because it can break the cycle of pests and diseases in melon plants.

D.       Post-harvest

1. Melon fruit that has been harvested is collected in a dry, cool place and given a straw mat, and immediately sorted (grading). 
2. If it is to be transported long distances, the fruit needs to be covered with a box and box, in order to reduce the damage caused by impact, physical defects, for supermarket consumption.