Growing organic melons in a greenhouse under the scorching sun still yields great results.

Several years ago, Mr. Chau advised on a greenhouse model covering approximately 800 square meters in Bac Nghia ward (Dong Hoi city, Quang Binh province). Later, the owner of the farm lacked manpower and ceased production. With a passion for producing clean agricultural products, Mr. Chau boldly invested in building this greenhouse complex to grow clean vegetables and fruits for the market.

"This model follows an organic production method, not using pesticides to create clean products for consumers," Mr. Chau said.

In his greenhouse, Mr. Chau divides the land into plots for growing different types of vegetables and fruits. In recent seasons, he has mainly grown cantaloupe, green honeydew melon, and cucumbers. "During the summer, the temperature rises, making it difficult to cultivate vegetables in the greenhouse," Mr. Chau said.

To create a growing medium for his plants, Mr. Chau buys coconut fiber, soaks it in water for treatment, and then mixes it with organic fertilizer. The organic fertilizer mainly consists of cow and chicken manure purchased from farms, mixed and fermented with biological enzymes for 45-90 days.

"The manure must be composted to decompose and eliminate pathogens before being used in seedbeds. Only then can we minimize pests, diseases, and weeds," Mr. Chau shared.

Throughout the growth process, Mr. Chau's garden does not use any pesticides or stimulants to encourage flowering and fruiting. When the weather changes, the plants are sprayed with biological preparations to prevent pests and diseases.

Mr. Chau filters the water used for irrigating his crops through a settling tank and pumps it through a drip irrigation system. This irrigation system is automated, spraying water at predetermined times or controlled via smartphone.

On average, Mr. Chau's greenhouse yields three harvests of vegetables and fruits per year. Cantaloupes are ready for harvest after about 70 days of planting. Each cantaloupe weighs an average of 2.2 - 2.5 kg, with some exceptional ones reaching over 5 kg.

Each harvest, the greenhouse yields an average of 3 tons of various types of melons, which are bought by traders directly from the farm at a price of about 40,000 VND/kg. "On average, each harvest brings in about 90-100 million VND in revenue, and after deducting expenses, I make a profit of about 50 million VND," Mr. Chau revealed.

This summer, while some farmers had to temporarily suspend cultivation due to the prolonged hot weather, Mr. Chau confidently continued growing cantaloupe and cucumbers in his greenhouse. On days with peak heat, the temperature inside the greenhouse consistently reached 45-50 degrees Celsius. On such days, he dedicated ample time to caring for his garden. In addition to increasing the number of fans to cool the air, he also sprayed water mist at the end of the day to quickly cool the plants.

“The high temperatures and erratic rainfall have led to an increase in pests and diseases, especially thrips that crawl through the netting and cause damage, and the melons are often affected by root rot… We have to use a combination of various biological products to control the pests and help the plants recover,” Mr. Chau added.

Not only did he create models for himself, but Mr. Chau was also invited by several establishments to be the "chief engineer" for greenhouse models for growing clean, organic vegetables and fruits in Dong Hoi city, Minh Hoa district, etc. In each model, Mr. Chau wholeheartedly guided the farmers on the organic farming techniques.

"Many models have been successful and continue to maintain production in subsequent years. I hope there will be more organic farming models in the area," said Mr. Chau.

Despite the prolonged heatwave, Mr. Chau's greenhouse still yielded a high-yield melon crop. The melons currently weigh over 2kg each. "The melons will be ready for harvest in about 10 days; traders have already placed orders. After this melon harvest, I will prepare supplies and renovate the greenhouse to get ready for the Tet (Lunar New Year) vegetable crop," Mr. Chau said.