Nghe An farmers' experience in growing off-season squash
Thanh Phuc•September 19, 2024 08:04
At this time, when green vegetables are scarce, the price of squash is pushed up, 4-5 times higher than in the main season. Many Nghe An farmers make a good profit from off-season squash.
Pumpkin crop is usually planted in June and harvested in September and lasts until the end of October and November every year. Photo: TPGrowing off-season squash is risky due to unfavorable weather conditions, making squash plants difficult to care for and reducing yield compared to the main season. Photo: TPMr. Le Luu Thang, a large pumpkin grower in Vien Thanh commune (Yen Thanh) with experience in growing off-season pumpkins, said: "Growing off-season pumpkins faces many difficulties: At the beginning of the season, there is severe drought, and when flowering and pollination occur, there is rain, so the fruit set rate is low. For many years, due to storms, the pumpkin plants cannot be harvested in time, and the pumpkin plants break down when the fruit is still young, resulting in a total loss." In the photo: Mr. Thang's area of green pumpkins being harvested. Photo: TPHowever, with many years of experience and a firm grasp of the growth cycle of squash plants, growers like Mr. Thang have their own secrets to having a "sure" squash crop. Photo: TPAccording to Mr. Thang, first of all, the pumpkin crop should be planted in high, less flooded areas; at the same time, irrigation water should be available; when planting, the seeds must be incubated in advance to shorten the growing period. The timing should be such that the pumpkin will be harvested before the storms come or at least, the fruit will be ripe to avoid damage. Photo: TPWhen making a trellis, instead of the traditional A-shape, make a U-shaped trellis, 2.2m apart, with fixed wire anchors at the beginning, middle and end of the bed, which can withstand rain and wind well. Photo: TPMany households also invest in concrete piles to make trellises, which can be reused many times and also create a strong tie to prevent the squash from breaking. Photo: TPCurrently, the pumpkin crop is in harvest season. The current pumpkin price is 18,000-20,000 VND/kg, 2.5 times higher than last year's pumpkin crop and 4-5 times higher than the price of the main pumpkin crop. Photo: TP“Green squash is very expensive at this time. Because it is summer-autumn squash, few people grow it due to the harsh climate. This is also the time of changing seasons, so green vegetables are scarce. In addition, this year, storms and floods hit the northern provinces, provinces with large areas of green squash such as Hoa Binh, Lao Cai, Bac Can... squash plants were flooded and died. Therefore, the price of squash has increased,” said a squash trader in Hoang Mai town. Photo: TP.Pumpkin is purchased and imported to wholesale markets in Hanoi, Vinh and the southern provinces. This type is easy to preserve and stays fresh for a long time, so it is very popular in the market during the rainy season. Photo: TP
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