Interplanting winter melon in corn fields is very feasible. Generally, each acre of corn yields 400-500 kilograms, while winter melon can yield 4000 kilograms per acre, making it much more profitable than single-cropping corn. Below, we'll introduce the planting techniques for interplanting winter melon in corn fields.
Planting Techniques for Corn Interplanting with Winter Melon
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Variety Selection: For interplanting winter melon with corn, choose high-yielding, disease-resistant, and adaptable varieties of winter melon. The Black Skin Winter Melon variety is a good choice due to its high yield and ease of management.
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Planting Time: For spring corn, sow seeds from late April to early May, and harvest in late August. For autumn corn, sow seeds from mid to late July, and harvest in late October. For winter melon, spring planting can be done from December to March of the previous year for seedlings, and it's best to transplant them to prevent cold damage. For autumn planting, sow seeds from July to September using direct seeding.
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Land Preparation: In early spring, finely till the land and apply 2-3 cubic meters of high-quality farmyard manure and 15 kilograms of diammonium phosphate per 1/15 hectare. Create raised beds, with each bed being 4 meters wide and thoroughly disinfect the soil. Plant or transplant winter melon in three rows on the raised bed, with a row spacing of 1.2 meters and a plant spacing of 0.8 meters, leaving 0.2 meters on each side. Plant or transplant two rows of corn between the three rows of winter melon, with the same row spacing of 1.2 meters. Alternatively, wide-row corn and narrow-row winter melon planting methods can be adopted based on individual conditions.
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Field Management: During the hot summer season, weed control and maintenance should be carried out to ensure better nutrient absorption by winter melon. Drain excess water immediately after rainfall and irrigate promptly during droughts. Apply organic fertilizer on schedule to increase soil permeability and water retention, resulting in vigorous growth of winter melon plants and producing large, firm, and high-nutrient winter melons of good quality. Corn management is similar to conventional field management. Prune the winter melon vines when they reach the corn roots. When the corn reaches the tasseling stage, irrigate and fertilize once, and pay attention to timely control of pests such as stem borers and corn earworms.
Above are the planting techniques for interplanting winter melon in corn fields. By managing both corn and winter melon properly, high yields are achievable. If conditions permit, give it a try as the returns can be substantial.
