Cultivation technology of loofah

What problems should we pay attention to when cultivating loofah, and how to cultivate it? Here I will tell you about the cultivation technology of loofah:

1. Sowing and seedling raising

Sponge gourd can be cultivated by raising seedlings in advance and planting them on the balcony immediately after the last frost. Balconies generally use trellises for cultivation (such as flat trellises and semicircular tunnel trellises). Seed disinfection and soaking for germination before sowing. The treatment methods, seedbed preparation, sowing, and seedling management can all refer to the seedling raising methods of cucumbers. The soaking time is generally 8 to 10 hours, and the germination can germinate and sow after 2 to 3 days. Because the seeds are large, the soil should be covered to about 1.5 cm when sowing.

The best age for loofah seedlings is about 40 days. When the seedlings grow 3 to 4 true leaves, they can be transplanted. Loofah has a well-developed root system. In order to reduce the damage to the root system during transplantation and facilitate timely recovery of growth, it is best to use root protection methods such as nutrient pots to grow loofah seedlings.

2. Planting on the balcony

Applying enough basal fertilizer is the key to high-quality and high-yield loofah. You can apply 50 grams of fully decomposed organic fertilizer per kilogram of soil. Since the spacing between loofahs is relatively large (especially the trellis cultivation on southern balconies), the best effect is to apply basal fertilizer in furrows or holes. The spacing between plants is about 30 to 50 cm. The period suitable for the growth of loofah in the south is relatively long, and trellis cultivation is often used, with a row spacing of about 2 to 3 meters and a plant spacing of 30 to 100 cm. When planting, the seedlings must be covered with complete soil to protect the root system and help the seedlings to grow slowly. When planting is completed, water the roots in time, and then water the seedlings to grow slowly according to the soil moisture and weather conditions.

3. Timely cultivation and weed control

After watering the seedlings, new leaves of the seedlings begin to appear, but the scaffolding has not been set up yet and the seedlings are still small. The first intertillage and loosening of the soil should be carried out in time, with the principle of not damaging the root system of the seedlings and not loosening the base of the seedlings. During the second intertillage, the soil between each row of the scaffold should be properly cultivated to the roots of the plants on both sides, so that the flat ridges become ridges, promote the occurrence of adventitious roots, expand the area for the plants to absorb nutrients, and enhance the absorption capacity of the loofah. When the plants grow up and the branches and leaves climb all over the scaffolding, the soil surface is shaded and it is not suitable to intertillage again. At this time, if there are weeds, they should be removed. When the loofah is just planted in early spring, the temperature is low, so watering should be properly controlled, intertillage management should be strengthened, and the growth of the loofah root system should be promoted.

4. Scaffolding

After the second deep tillage, the scaffolding should be set up in time. The way of scaffolding should be determined according to the specific situation. Generally, for varieties with long vines, vigorous growth, strong branching ability, and a long local suitable growth period, it is better to set up scaffolding (such as flat scaffolding, semi-arched circular scaffolding, etc.). For early-maturing varieties with weak growth potential and short vines, and a short local suitable growth season, it is better to set up a "human" scaffolding or flower scaffolding. Before the loofah vines are put on the scaffolding, pay attention to removing the side buds at any time and artificially guide the vines; when guiding the vines, you can combine the "Z" shaped vine guidance according to the growth of the plant, so that the vines of the plant are evenly distributed and the growth points are at the same level. The vines should be tied and fixed in time. When the vines of the plant climb to the upper part of the scaffolding, especially for scaffolding cultivation, the vines will no longer be tied or guided. The scaffolding must be built firmly to prevent the scaffolding from collapsing during operation and wind. The lateral vines of the variety are no longer removed, but the side branches, weak branches and seriously overlapping or diseased lateral vines in the dense vines should be removed. You can also leave 1 to 2 melons on the strong side vines and then pinch off the top.

5. Fertilizer and water management

Although the loofah is relatively resistant to poor soil, it can grow robustly, with deep roots and lush leaves, many flowers and fruits, and thick and straight melons under the condition of sufficient fertilizer and water. Therefore, in addition to applying sufficient basal fertilizer, a small amount of fertilizer can be applied when watering the roots during planting to promote the growth of the seedlings. Topdressing can be applied during watering in the future. The loofah can also tolerate high concentrations of fertilizers, and it is not easy to grow too long when there is sufficient fertilizer. During the entire cultivation process of the loofah, the number of topdressing times and the amount of topdressing should be more than that of other melons.

If fertilization is not timely, it is easy to lose fertilizer, causing the female flowers to wilt and fall off, and the growing fruits will develop deformities, affecting the yield and quality. In actual cultivation, every 1-2 harvests, it is necessary to apply fertilizer once, and each time you can apply 0.5 g/kg of ammonium sulfate or 0.5 g/kg of urea, or 0.5 g/kg of chlorine-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer. It is best to bury the fertilizer in the soil (compound fertilizer must be buried in the soil), dig a hole about 10 cm deep about 12 cm away from the root of the plant, bury the fertilizer, and water it after fertilization. Luffa can also be foliar fertilized in combination with spraying, such as spraying 0.4% urea solution.

6. Harvest

Generally, it takes about 50 to 60 days from planting to harvesting of loofah. 7 to 10 days after the female flowers open, the fruit stalk becomes smooth, the color of the melon skin turns dark green, the hair on the fruit surface decreases, and the skin feels soft when touched by hand, then it can be harvested. Angular loofahs are more prone to aging, and the general harvesting period is 1 to 2 days earlier than ordinary loofahs. When fertilizer and water are insufficient, the fruit is easy to age, so it should be harvested earlier; when fertilizer and water are sufficient, the harvesting can be appropriately delayed.

7. Save seeds

It is better to keep loofahs for seed. Root melons bloom and bear fruit early, have a long growth period, and have full seeds. Their offspring have strong vitality, good character, and produce more and earlier melons. When the fruit is fully ripe, the peel is hardened, and the skin color turns yellow, it can be harvested. When harvesting, choose the fruit shape that meets the characteristics of this variety, with thick and straight melon strips, large melon stalks, fast growth and development, and no diseases and insect pests as seed melons. After harvesting the seed melons, cut off the top, or make a few small holes on the top of the melon, and hang it in a well-ventilated room to allow the water in the melon to dry fully, so as to facilitate the removal of seeds. When removing the seeds, tear off the outer skin, cut the melon network longitudinally, and pat it hard, and the seeds will fall out, and then dry and store.