Mulching cultivation is a common method for watermelon cultivation in China. Practical experience has shown that mulching watermelon cultivation generally increases yields by over 30% compared to unmulched ground cultivation. Therefore, the increase in production and income from this technique is very significant. So, what are the different methods of mulching for watermelon cultivation? Let's find out.
Methods of Mulching for Watermelon Cultivation
1. Types of Mulching Films for Watermelon
When choosing mulching films for watermelon cultivation, several options are available:
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Clear Plastic Film: This is the most common type of mulching film, with a light transmission rate of about 80%-94%. It can withstand wind and rain during the growing season and can increase soil temperature by 2°C-4°C. However, its light transmission rate decreases linearly after being contaminated by dust, and it is prone to weed growth.
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Silver-gray Film: This film has strong reflectivity, enhancing light reflection on the bed surface and repelling aphids, which can be used as an auxiliary measure for virus disease control. However, the cost of silver-gray film is higher, increasing production costs for farmers.
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Black Film: Adding 2%-3% carbon black to ordinary polyethylene resin can produce a black opaque film with extremely low light transmission. Black film has shading properties and is less effective in soil warming compared to clear film, but it can effectively prevent soil moisture evaporation and suppress weed growth.
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Weed-control Film: This is an agricultural mulch film made by adding black masterbatch or selective herbicides during production. It not only functions as a regular mulch film but also helps in weed control. However, weed-control film can affect soil ventilation and is difficult to recycle.
2. Methods of Mulching
There are several methods of mulching for watermelon cultivation:
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Flat-bed Mulching: Form the melon ridges into central raised turtleback-shaped ridges, then lay the mulch in a strip horizontally over the ridge surface. The height and width of the ridges vary by region.
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High-bed Mulching: The ridges are flat on top and raised 10-15 cm above the ground surface, with a width of 1.00-1.65 meters. The mulch is then laid flat on the surface of the raised beds.
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Arched Greenhouse Mulching: After forming the ridges, the mulch is directly folded upwards, and some bamboo strips are bent into semi-circular shapes to form a support structure, creating small arched greenhouses with a height of about 30-50 cm and a width of 40-50 cm. This method has the advantage of quick temperature rise.
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Hollow Mulching: Based on ordinary flat-bed mulching, small holes are dug at the seeding or transplanting sites to accommodate the short-term growth of seedlings, allowing for early planting 1-2 weeks before the planting season and further exploiting the early ripening effect of mulched watermelons.
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Improved Mulching: At the top of the ridge, a small ditch with a width and depth of 10-20 cm is dug, or holes with the same depth and width as the plant spacing are dug. Seeds or seedlings are planted in the ditch or hole, and then the mulch is covered on the ridge. When the watermelon seedlings grow to 4-8 true leaves, the mulch is cut into a "cross" shape, allowing the seedlings to emerge, and then the mulch is pressed onto the ground.
In summary, there are many methods of mulching for watermelon cultivation, and the specific method chosen should depend on the actual planting situation. Additionally, the selection of mulching film should complement the chosen mulching method to better exploit the advantages of the mulch.
