Grow yellow melons, harvest 'pure gold'.

HA TINH - In addition to the area of ​​yellow melons currently being harvested, Mr. Nguyen Van Truong (Vinh Thinh village, Thach Lac commune, Ha Tinh province) is preparing to harvest approximately 4,000 more Hami cantaloupe plants.

Amidst unpredictable weather patterns, intense heat, heavy rains, and increasingly difficult-to-control pests and diseases due to climate change, many farmers in Ha Tinh province have shifted to greenhouse farming to reduce risks and improve economic efficiency. The model of growing yellow melons by Mr. Nguyen Van Truong in Vinh Thinh village, Thach Lac commune, Ha Tinh province, clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of this production approach.

Thanks to the application of proper technical procedures, the melon garden is developing steadily. Photo: Anh Nguyet.

Amidst the scorching early summer heat, Mr. Truong is busy harvesting melons in his greenhouse, which spans thousands of square meters. The round, golden melons with their bright, beautiful skins are cut, packed into boxes, and shipped to distributors. Sweat trickles down his sun-tanned face, but Mr. Truong cannot hide his joy at the promising results of this year's melon harvest.

He said that in 2025, the impact of typhoons No. 5 and No. 10 severely damaged his family's entire greenhouse system, resulting in almost complete crop failure. After the natural disaster, the family had to invest in repairing and reinforcing the frame, netting, and irrigation equipment in order to plant the new crop in time.

"Nowadays, if you don't proactively apply technology, it's very difficult to stabilize production in agriculture . The weather is unpredictable, pests and diseases are numerous, and outdoor farming carries high risks, so my family has focused on investing in greenhouses to better control the farming environment," Mr. Truong shared.

Cantaloupes are grown on a substrate, which helps to reduce pests and diseases and improve fruit quality. Photo: Anh Nguyet.

This year, Mr. Truong planted over 4,000 VA74 yellow melon plants on substrates in a closed greenhouse system. Despite prolonged rainy and humid conditions at the beginning of the season, making care difficult, thanks to the correct application of technical procedures, the melon garden still developed steadily, yielding about 6 tons of fruit.

According to Mr. Truong, the VA74 yellow melon variety has good growth potential, is crispy and sweet, has firm flesh, a refreshing taste, and a natural sweetness, making it quite popular in the market. However, to ensure uniform plant growth, beautiful fruit, and high yields, growers must closely monitor the entire process from seedling cultivation to care.

The seeds are imported from a reputable supplier at a price of approximately 3,000 VND per seed. Before sowing, the seeds are treated to reduce fungal diseases, then germinated in trays for about 10 days. When the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, they are transplanted into the greenhouse.

Growing melons in greenhouses increases yield by approximately 20-30%, while significantly reducing pest and disease infestations and fruit damage due to weather conditions. Photo: Anh Nguyet.

The entire melon crop is grown on a substrate instead of directly in the soil. The substrate is a mixture of coconut fiber, burnt rice husk, and well-rotted, treated manure to increase porosity, retain moisture, and limit fungal diseases. According to Mr. Truong, growing on a substrate helps the root system develop healthily, makes nutrient control easier, and significantly reduces soil-borne diseases.

Furthermore, the model is produced organically, prioritizing the use of well-rotted manure and biological preparations instead of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. A synchronized drip irrigation system is installed to deliver water and nutrients directly to each plant, minimizing fertilizer loss and saving labor.

Controlling temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse and monitoring them regularly for timely intervention are crucial factors in the success of the production season. Photo: Anh Nguyet.

To ensure high-quality fruit, the trees require meticulous care. Once the trees are established, growers prune the branches, secure the vines, and select the fruit. Only one fruit is retained per tree to concentrate nutrients, promote uniform growth, increase sweetness, and enhance commercial value.

According to Mr. Truong's experience, the flowering and fruiting stage is the most crucial period. Cloudy weather and high humidity can easily lead to fungal diseases, affecting the fruit set rate. Therefore, controlling temperature and humidity in the greenhouse and monitoring regularly for timely treatment are key factors in the success of the crop.

Approximately 2.5 months after planting, the melons begin to yield fruit. The melons weigh an average of 1.5-2 kg each, are uniform in size, have firm flesh, and are very sweet. Compared to traditional open-field production, growing in greenhouses increases yield by about 20-30%, while significantly reducing pest and disease infestations and fruit damage due to weather conditions.

In addition to the area of ​​yellow melons currently being harvested, Mr. Truong is also preparing to harvest about 4,000 Hami cantaloupe plants, and is making preparations to plant another crop of melons to serve the market during the Mid-Autumn Festival in the seventh lunar month.

The watermelons grown by Mr. Truong's family are purchased directly from the farm by fruit shops and traders at prices ranging from 30,000 to 35,000 VND/kg. Photo: Anh Nguyet.

Mr. Tran Xuan Hoang, Chairman of the People's Committee of Thach Lac commune, assessed that Mr. Nguyen Van Truong's model of growing melons in greenhouses is a suitable production direction in increasingly extreme weather conditions. The application of greenhouses, water-saving irrigation systems, and growing on substrates helps to limit the impact of adverse weather, reduce pests and diseases, and improve productivity and product quality.

According to Mr. Hoang, the model not only brings economic benefits but also contributes to changing people's production mindset towards applying high technology, safe and sustainable production. This is a direction the locality is encouraging to replicate in order to increase production value per unit area and adapt to climate change.

Currently, the melons from Mr. Truong's family farm are mainly purchased directly from the farm by organic fruit stores and traders at prices ranging from 30,000 to 35,000 VND/kg. According to Mr. Truong, the market is relatively favorable because consumers are increasingly interested in safe agricultural products, produced organically.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/trong-dua-vang-thu-vang-rong-d814118.html