Here are details of the techniques for Cucurbits. Some are specifically outlined in instructions for growing specific variety of a hybrid melon (by which I mean the instructions may be tailored to the growth habits of the particular hybrid, and not universally applicable to the type of plant). Generally, the techniques appear to be in common use by Japanese market farmers, but there are regional differences, and I’ve basically compiled common methods and specifics that seem to apply to my growing conditions/climate….
Japanese Cucurbit pruning/training techniques:
MELON (trellis vs. ground)
1. Protect and maintain planted melon seedlings under vented plastic or garden fleece hot cap/tunnel (hot daytime and warm night time temps no lower than 60°F)
2. Pinch off/cut main (parent) vine after 5~6 leaves
3. Choose (THREE OR FOUR) side shoot (children) vines and remove rest *one of them will become Asobi zuru 遊びヅル — DON’T pinch growing tip; REMOVE all female flowers/ALLOW NO FRUIT — cucurbits need at least one uninterrupted growing tip to continue to grow
4. Remove all side shoots of side shoots (grandchildren vines) until there are (5~8) leaves on children vines
5. Once the children vines become unruly under the cover/tunnel (1.5~2ft) remove the cover/tunnel, guide the vines and provide supplemental fertilizer
6. Allow children vines to crawl and root, then guide up trellis if growing vertically, and pinch at shoulder height trellis rail (15~20 leaves)
7. Grandchild vines from 6th leaf node and rest should be guided with jute string to climb diagonally/zig-zag up the trellis (tie to child vine at base of grandchild — tie other end to shoulder height trellis rail) hirochan-noen https://youtu.be/fkv3Z48Fnrk
8. MELON VINES produce best quality fruits on the FEMALE BLOSSOMS ON GRANDCHILDREN VINES ELEVATED UP FROM THE GROUND LEVEL
WATERMELON
1. Cover with fleece tunnel to maintain high daytime temperature and warm nighttime temperature
2. Pinch main/parent vine growth point after 5 or 6 leaves
3. Allow children vines to grow quickly under the protected tunnel
4. At each leaf node, pinch/remove side shoot/grandchildren shoots and 1st female flower (watermelon’s 1st female fruit / fruit before 7th leaf is typically deformed/substandard) until SECOND FEMALE BLOSSOM OPENS (on 8th leaf node +), BUT PRESERVE MALE BLOSSOMS FOR HAND POLLINATING
5. Hand pollinate this 2nd blossom on the day it opens before 9AM
6. Once the children vines become unruly under the tunnel (1.5~2ft) remove the tunnel/cover, guide the vines and provide supplemental fertilizer
7. IF AND ONLY IF 2nd blossom pollination failed, hand pollinate the 3rd female blossom on the same vine (otherwise, 3rd is likely to be deformed, too — 2nd is best — and undesirable), or 4th, etc. until viable fruit development is achieved between 8th node~10th node (vine will be wasted without a fruit)
8. Wrap up to 4 children vine around string or net, slightly leaning or vertical trellis in zigzag/diagonal pattern
9. Remove ALL other children shoots/vines at base of plant
10. Remove lowest leaves that maybe yellowed or tends to get soil splashed up, but ONLY ONE LEAF every other day — removing more at once will cause stress Tsukaharanoen https://youtu.be/LULIdfNWwng
11. Further grandchildren side shoots can be allowed to grow IF the 2nd female blossom is successfully pollinated since the vine will pre-empt/concentrate nutrient supply to the fruit
CUCUMBER
1. Pinch side shoots (children vines) AND FLOWERS from first 5 true leaf nodes — allow fruits and children vines to develop from 6th to 15th nodes as described below
2. *select/allow (2~3 or 3~4) STRONG children vines to grow between 11th~15th nodes (knee to chest high) — some of them will become Asobizuru 遊びヅル (leisure vine) — DON’T pinch growing tip; REMOVE all female flowers/NO FRUIT — asobizuru is also called chikarazuru (power vine) — will be tucked inside the trellis to grow.
3. *As 1st fruit develops at 6th node and children vines begin to take off, pinch/cut 6th node to 10th node children vines after TWO leaves and allow just the one female blossom/fruit at base of 1st leaf to develop. Feed with supplemental fertilizer for bloom and fruit development (+PK, Dolomitic Lime=Magnesium+Calcium) at this time. *Tsukaharanoen https://youtu.be/a9dee0tjQ3M
4. When growing vertically on a trellis, pinch/cut main leader vine (parent vine) growth point at 15th node = eye level ~ head height and tie/secure to top of trellis
5. From 11th node, continue to pinch/cut off the children vines after 2 leaves and harvest the one fruit at 1st leaf node, BUT choose 2 or 3 moderately strong vines to become Asobizuru / Chikarazuru / Powervine
6. Set up a horizontal twine support for the Powervines and tie down to grow sideways WITHOUT PINCHING/cutting off the growing tip. — Powervines are like power generators for the main/parent vine. If parent vine leaves stops growing larger, assume another powervine is needed to generate supplemental energy. Up to 4 powervines.
7. As fruits are harvested from the 1st and possibly 2nd leafnodes of children vines, grandchildren vines will grow from the same 2 leafnodes. Continue to pinch/cut after 2 leaves for the grandchildren vines, and harvest the fruits that form from the leafnodes.
8. Remove yellowed lower leaves and keep up with fertilizing to maintain healthy growth
Tsukahara Noen https://youtu.be/RLOwmVCWVNg
SQUASH/pumpkin
1. Pinch/remove main vine after 5 true leaves
2. Keep TWO children vines that are strong, from leaf nodes on either side of the vine and growing in the right direction (not on underside)
3. Remove all other children vines but KEEP ALL MAIN LEAVES and male flowers
[not quite finished researching this one]
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— — added/reviewed for 2022 — —
CHAMOE / KOREAN MELON —
- Pinch main vine after 5~6 leaves
- Choose 2~4 children vines per plant to grow and cut off the rest. (1st node child is usually not a good choice and should be culled)
- Pinch children vines after ~20 leaf nodes
- Remove suckers on children vines from 1st~7th leaf nodes, then allow 8th~11th node grandchildren vines to set 1 fruit, and then grow 2 more leaves, then pinch.
- For each child vine, choose only 2 grandchildren vines with 1 fruit each to grow to maturity for best results.
- Grandchildren shoots from 12th~20th leafnodes should be pinched above 1st leaf node
WATERMELON— (review)
* Large fruited watermelons take approximately 50 days to mature after pollinating; and small fruited watermelons take approximately 35 days *
** Best watermelon fruits develop on children vines; grandchildren vine fruits are inferior **
- Pinch main vine after 5~6 leaves
- Choose 2~4 children vines to grow, and remove all suckers from the children vines up to 7th leafnode. Allow any male blossom to open.
- When first female blossom appears around 7th or 8th node, CULL. This one will tend not to develop into good fruit.
- Remove all grandchildren shoots that develop on leafnodes until SECOND FEMALE BLOSSOM (on 8th leaf node +), BUT PRESERVE MALE BLOSSOMS FOR HAND POLLINATING
- Hand pollinate this 2nd blossom on the day it opens before 9AM
Allow all grandchildren vines to grow beyond the 2nd blossom once the fruit has set.
- ONLY if the 2nd blossom fails to set, hand pollinate a 3rd blossom on same child vine. Limit to 1 fruit per child vine, and up to 4 children vines per plant.