今年我們分享了兩個篇章，跟大家講述農作物，尤其是瓜類的培苗和整蔓技巧。
來到第三章，我們一起看看瓜類的收成方法吧。
We shared two blog posts about how to cultivate seedlings, and trimming and fertilization before. Coming to our third blog of this series, let's look at how to harvest gourds.
瓜類的收成時機 When to Harvest Gourds
如何判斷瓜類的正確收成時機呢？
一般商業生產的種子包裝上，都會提供從播種到成熟的日數，也有一些會標示果實的大小、重量。例如我們的瓜類或茄科作物資訊，都可以在個別品種的頁面上找到。不過，種植過程始終存在很多外在因素，讓收成的日子可能有差別。例如：
- 瓜果的花期受日照影響
- 連續的雨天、缺乏昆蟲媒介可能影響授粉
- 受以上或其他因素影響，瓜果還來不及成長到相應的大小，便已經可能步入成熟期，而小的果實需要的成熟時間也短一點
You can normally find information about day of maturity from sow, and sometimes the size or weight of the fruit, on the package of the seeds you purchased. Just like our pages for gourds or solanceae. But it is worth noting that, there are many external factors that may affect this date. For example
- Sunlight is the key factor to blooming of gourd flowers
- Continuous rain, lack of pollinators
- Gourds mature before they grow to the right size due to the above factors or else. Smaller fruit requires shorter maturing time
所以，實際的收成時間，也需要顧及授粉後的天數，以及根據經驗查看果實的狀態等因素作爲收成的標準。以下是根據我們的種植經驗整理的資訊，或許大家也可以參考看看！
In practice, you may need to count the days after pollination, or check the fruits with some experience as your final goal. Here are some of our experience that you may find useful!
早熟品種，授粉後約35天。敲西瓜時，如果覺得西瓜裏面的水分很多，表示細胞液泡還不夠大，還未熟。如果覺得組織長得密實，表示糖分和有機物質隨著瓜熟而累積，可以收成
Approx. 35 days after pollination for early varieties. Lightly slap on your melon. If you feel that there are a lot of water inside the fruit, the vacuolum are too small. If you feel that it is firm, it is highly possible that carbohydrate and organic matter are formed. Now is your harvesting time!
授粉後約50-60天。瓜的表面會浮現白色粉末，瓜皮從綠色轉爲橙黃色，果柄呈木質化就可以收成。收成後不切開，可以存放長達半年以上
Approx. 50-60 days after pollination. White dust will appear, skin turns from green to orange-yellow, stem turns woody. Shelf life can last more than 6 months if the fruit is not cut open
授粉後約38天。與南瓜一樣，冬瓜也需要上粉。高華育種的冬瓜為早熟品種，一年可以有兩次播種期。跟南瓜一樣，可存放很久
Approx. 38 days after pollination. Like pumpkin, wax gourd also has white dust on its surface. Clover Seed's wax gourd has early maturity, which makes them suitable for sowing twice a year. And just like pumpkin, they have extensive shelf life
授粉后約10-14天。節瓜的毛還是刺手的狀態可收成
Approx. 10-14 days. Harvest when their hair is thorny
授粉後約7-14天。紋理及顔色變淺可收成。注意苦瓜會後熟
Approx. 7-14 days after pollination. When pattern and colour turn light. Note that they will continue to mature even on shelf
授粉後約7天。跟苦瓜相反，青瓜應該在顔色變深的時候收成
Approx. 7 days after pollincation. Unlike Bitter Gourd, cucumber should be harvested when their colour turn darker
授粉後約7-14天。顔色變深，觸感有彈性就可以收成
Approx. 7-14 days. When colour turn darker, touch should be bouncy
我的瓜是否可以留種？
Can I save seed from my gourds?
我們網店上的瓜類品種都是F1雜交種子(Filial 1 Hybrid)。以前在另一篇文章就提到，F1雜交種子不能留種是一個謬誤。事實上，很多被子植物在歷史上都是透過雜交演化而發展至今。種植上，F1雜交種子經過多年重複的篩選、培育、篩選、生產的過程，持續集合父母本的優勢，維持農作物的一致性，目的為省卻農夫在種植準備上的時間和空間。
就像我們跟父母不會完全一樣，F1種子的後代（F2, F3...)會出現分離，帶有「隔代遺傳」或新的演化。同時，也會浮現一些隱性基因裏的特性，對於以收成作爲目標的農夫可以是一種困擾。
因此，如果你希望種植的農作物跟預期中的結果是一致的，我們還是會建議你購買現成的種子。
All the gourds seeds on our online store are Filial 1 Hybrid (F1). It is a misunderstanding that F1 seeds cannot be saved. In fact, many angiospermae today are developed in hybrid processes. In agriculture, F1 is produced through year-long cyclical processes of selection, cultivation, selection, production, in order to maintain benefits from their parental line, so that crops can be uniform. This can save the preparation time for farmers in terms of time and space.
Just like how we differ from our parents, the next generation of F1 (F2, F3...) can be very different from F1. Characteristics from recessive gene may emerge, and this can be a bother for farmers who are aiming for harvest.
So, if harvesting what you've planned is the ultimate goal, we suggest you to buy seeds.
當然，以往農民祖先自家留種的「農家品種」（Heirloom Seed）對於農業的發展也非常重要。農家品種多為天然傳粉（Open Polliated, OP)，這些品種不追求一致，基因多樣，隨環境演化，潛藏著父母本的候選者。沒有父母本，將來也許就沒有辦法生產F1種子。
下一期，趁著夏天，跟大家分享瓜類的留種概念和條件。
記得繼續留意我們的種子部落啦！
Of course, heirloom seeds are very important. Heirloom seeds are open pollinated, produced without opting for uniformity. They change with the environment, and they are genetically diversified. They are potential parental line for F1 production too. If there is no parental material, there might as well be no F1 seed at all.
Stay with us in our next blog this Summer - we will share about gourds' seed saving on our SEED BLOG again!