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General guidelines for the cultivation of sweet melon
Afrikaans | Xhosa
The sweet melon was originally a desert plant. This accounts for many of its reactions to certain cultivation practices. For example, the seed germinates better in soil that is merely moist than in soil that is wet. Sweet melon seed also germinates better in warm conditions.
Is it better to sow the seed or to plant seedlings?
Both methods have their pros and cons. If the seed is not very expensive and the soil temperature is favourable for germination, direct sowing will probably be better.
The seed is sown at a depth of about 2 cm and at a density of about 2,5 kg per ha.
A spacing of about 30 to 45 cm in the row, and 120 to 150 cm between the rows is recommended.
Flood irrigation is preferred because this limits leaf diseases to a minimum. Irrigation before planting time, to a depth of about 1 m is recommended. Except during the flowering stage, under-irrigation is less detrimental than over-irrigation. Under-irrigation results in smaller plants, earlier fruit set and smaller fruit, but the fruit have a higher sugar content. Over-irrigation results in root disease, lush growth, problems with fungus diseases, weak and late flower forming and large fruit with a low sugar content.
Fertilising guidelines:
Early cultivars like Early Sweet or Early Dawn, that have a short growing season, should receive about 500 kg of 2:3:4 (33) at planting time. About two weeks later they should receive 100 kg of 1:0:1 (36) and after a further two to three weeks, another 100 kg of 1:0:1 (36).
Discretion is important when organic fertiliser is applied. Heavy applications of chicken manure may result in very lush growth with very few female flowers.
Like all runner crops, sweet melon first forms male flowers, the female flowers following ten to 14 days later. Where too much nitrogen has been applied, the growth is very luxuriant, and only male flowers are formed. Most of the sweet-melon cultivars carry the female flowers only on the offshoots. If the growth is very lush, it may be necessary to prune the growth points of the runners to stimulate offshoot development. However, runners must not be topped unless this is necessary. Male flowers tend to form near the growth points, and unnecessary or too harsh topping can result in a pollen shortage. Normally, it would be sufficient to remove merely those growth points that are within easy reach.
Cutworms and cucurbit flies are the most common insect pests.
PP Brink
ELSENBURG / NORTH WEST ADC
