Dongping Yang Melon

Dongping Yang Melon

　　Dongping Town, nestled against Baifo Mountain to the north and bordered by the Daqing River to the south, is the main production area of Yang melons in Dongping County. Since 1996, when Yang melons were first introduced and trial-planted in arched greenhouses, their cultivation scale has expanded year by year, and they have now become an important means for local farmers to increase income and achieve prosperity.

　　　 Yang melons, also known as thick-skinned sweet melons, belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, genus Cucumis. They are vining plants with thick, tough rinds that are resistant to storage and transport. The fruits are sweet, fragrant, tender, juicy, and pleasant to the palate. They are rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, aid in the digestion of proteins, and have particularly beneficial effects on the nutrition and treatment of kidney disease patients. In addition to being eaten fresh, they can be processed into dried melons, preserves, and other forms for long-term consumption.

　　　 The main varieties of Dongping Yang melons include: white-skinned types such as Xiboluotuo (Japan) and Baisswu (South Africa); yellow-skinned types such as Zhuangyuan (Taiwan) and Shabai (Japan); and netted types such as Kangbing No. 2 (Hong Kong) and Cuimi (Taiwan). Yang melons prefer sandy loam soil with good breathability, thriving in a pH range of 6 to 6.8. They are relatively drought-tolerant but not waterlogged, and can withstand high temperatures but not low ones—long-term exposure below 12°C is unsuitable, though they grow well at 35°C. The plants have monoecious flowers with separate male and female blooms, making them naturally cross-pollinated. Artificial pollination is required during early spring greenhouse cultivation. The sowing period is from early to late February, and transplanting takes place in late March. The growth cycle is about 110 days, with individual fruit weights ranging from 500 to 2000 grams depending on the variety. Greenhouse-protected cultivation leads to a large market supply starting in mid-April. In 2001, the planting area in Dongping Town was 2,700 mu, with a total yield of 8,000 tons. The produce was sold to over 20 major and medium-sized cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Tangshan, Shenyang, Changchun, Harbin, Inner Mongolia, Tongliao, Datong, Nanjing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Wuxi, where it was highly popular among local residents.