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Cultivation Environment:
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Warm weather and wet soil are preferred. Grow well between 25and 30in thick sandy loam with good drainage, rich organic matter, and a pH value between 6.2 and 7.2.
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Warm climate is preferred. Can stand hot and humid weather. Grow well between 20and 30in rich humus loamy soil with good drainage and a pH value between 6.0 and 7.0.
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Planting and Spacing:
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Transplantation of seedlings is preferable. Germination takes about 10 to 15 days. The seedlings can be transplanted when coming into 4 to 6 true leaves (30 to 40 days after sowing).
Plant spacing should be about 60 cm x 150 cm. Cultivate in single rows.
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Transplantation of seedlings is preferable. Germination takes about 5 to 10 days. The seedlings can be transplanted when coming into 3 true leaves (15 to 20 days after sowing).
Best grown in a net house as the plants are vulnerable to flea beetles. Plant spacing should be about 12 cm x 25 cm.
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Fertiliser Application and Management:
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Basal Dressing: Apply about 1 000 kg of compost, 90 kg of both peanut cake and bone meal to each d.c..
Top Dressing: Apply 15g of organic fertiliser (N:P:K:MgO = 4:3:3:1) to each plant as top dressing 2 weeks after planting. After that, apply fertiliser once every 2 weeks until the first fruits appear. Apply 15 g of organic fertiliser (N:P:K= 9:3:7) to each plant every 2 weeks during the fruiting period until the plant withers. Spraying a suitable amount of liquid fertiliser on the leaves during the growth period may facilitate growth of the plants and fruits.
Irrigation: Maintain moderate moisture in the soil, and the soil should neither be too dry nor too wet.
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Basal Dressing: Apply about 1 000 kg of compost, 90 kg of both peanut cake and bone meal to each d.c..
Top Dressing: Apply organic liquid fertiliser with a higher content of nitrogenous fertiliser once after planting. Re-apply after 10 days.
Perform light ploughing, earthing-up and weeding to facilitate growth of the plants.
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Plant Adjustment and Fruit Retention:
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Train the plants by the two-stem or three-stem method to allow light penetration and good ventilation and thus facilitate fruit growth. Pluck fruits and lateral stems from the lower nodes. Retain only those fruits growing at the nodes at least 50 cm to 60 cm above the ground.
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Not applicable
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Harvesting:
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Start harvesting about 50 days after planting. Harvest the fruits when they are still lushly green, some 15 cm to 17 cm long and 3.5 cm to 5 cm wide.
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Ready for harvest when the plants come into 8 to 10 leaves. It takes about 45 to 55 days from sowing to harvesting.
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