Role of nutrients by melon growth stage
Find out which nutrients are most important at different growth stages.
Pre-Planting
- Nitrogen and Potassium - promote strong early growth
- Phosphorus - maximize root development
- Calcium - boost root and leaf growth
- Boron, Zinc, Manganese and Molybdenum - ensure good shoot growth
Vegetative Growth
- Nitrogen and Phosphorus - ensure continued growth
- Potassium and Magnesium - maximize concentrations in leaf tissue prior to flowering
- Calcium - maintain vigorous plant growth
- Boron - ensure good flowering and fruit set
- Sulfur - essential for protein synthesis to ensure good leaf quality and that growth in not limited
- Other micronutrients - ensure good leaf quality and that growth is not limiting
Flowering
- Potassium - maintain plant growth and maximize flower numbers
- Phosphorus - fruit development
- Calcium - maximize crop reproductive development and to ensure good supplies during early fruiting
- Magnesium - improve flowering and crop production
- Boron and Zinc - maximize flower set, development and fruiting
- Manganese, Molybdenum and Zinc - support good growth
Fruit Set
- Nitrogen - in reduced amounts to maintain fruit fill
- Potassium - to minimize fruit disorders
- Calcium - maintain good rind, pulp firmness and quality and reduce BER risks
- Magnesium - maximum requirements for quality fruit production are at this stage
- Boron - ensure good skin finish and to aid calcium mobility
Fruit Fill
- Nitrogen - in reduced amounts to maintain fruit fill and high sugars; excess can lead to rots and skin blemishes
- Potassium - maximize high potassium levels in the fruit and minimize disorders
- Calcium - maintain good fruit firmness and quality and reduce BER risks
- Boron - ensure even ripening and good calcium supply to the fruit
- Magnesium, Iron, Manganese and Zinc - promote healthy fruit-fill
