Sweet melons are fruits that belong to the same family as watermelons. This fruit is highly in demand in Kenya because it has several health benefits. The growing of this crop is not commonly done since many farmers are not familiar with it. This blog post explains how to grow sweet melons in Kenya.
Sweet melons can be grown by sowing the seeds and then transplanting them later, or by sowing the seeds directly on the prepared land. Since the seeds of sweet melons are big, direct sowing is the best way to grow them.
Sweet melons require warm conditions with loam or sandy soil that is well-drained and fertile to grow well. Also, growth involves plenty of sunshine; therefore, the land should meet these requirements.
Before starting to plant, you need to select a suitable variety. In Kenya, the common sweet melons Safari F1 and Galia F1 are green and turn light gray or yellow when ripe.
Land preparation and Planting
Three to four weeks before planting, prepare the land by removing all weeds and plowing to a fine tilth. After ploughing the land, apply well-rotten manure to improve the soil structure and fertility. This will encourage good growth, thus making production better.
During planting, dig holes 1 meter by 1 meter from one row to another. After making holes, apply DAP (10 grams per hole) and put one seed in each hole, then cover it with soil. After 7 to 10 days, the plants will germinate.
Farm Practices Management
For sweet melons to grow well and produce higher yields, the following four practices must be carried out on the farm:
1. Weed Control
Carry out proper weeding to prevent competition for nutrients and space. It would be best if you did this early enough during the development stage.
2. Application of Fertilizer
The application of fertilizer is vital because it adds nutrients to the soil. Therefore, during planting, apply DAP fertilizer. During topdressing, use NPK to encourage vegetative growth and fruit formation.
3. Irrigation
Irrigating sweet melons is good since it helps the fruits taste sweet. Therefore, watering should be done once a week if there is no rain. In the final stages, one to two weeks before you harvest, stop watering to improve the sweetness of the fruits.
4. Pest and Disease Control
This is another vital practice to prevent low yields and affect the plant. Some pests attack sweet melon plants, like aphids, cutworms, white flies, spiders, and mites. For instance, it is vital to control cutworms once the seeds germinate since they cut seedlings at the base of the plant. Marigold plants are also insect repellent and can be planted.
Also, during the ripening process, the plant is easily attacked by fruit flies. Using cultural and biological methods such as azadirachtin, you can control fruit flies, and chemicals with active ingredients like imidacloprid should be used in an alternate pattern.
Fusarium wilt, powdery mildew, and fungal diseases like Alternaria leaf spot, which causes small gray to brown spots on leaves, are among the diseases to be managed. It is prevented by avoiding long periods of leaf wetness. Also, you can practice mulching once the fruits have formed on the lower side to prevent fruit rot.
5. Harvesting of Sweet Melons
Depending on the type planted, it takes three to four months for sweet melons to be ready to pick. When a sweet melon ripens, it will change color from green to yellowish on the outside and have a faintly sweet smell. Moreover, mature fruit can be easily separated from the vine.
After harvesting your sweet melons, it is necessary to store them in excellent condition.
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