Tips for growing loofah: Three steps for growing loofah in spring

Planting loofah in spring also requires certain methods and techniques. Here I will tell you the three essential steps in planting loofah.

1. Sow seeds at the right time

Planting of loofah generally starts in March and no later than early April. For short-day varieties, sowing should be done in January or February. Due to the short daylight and low temperature, it is only suitable for development but not for growth. It will bloom and bear fruit after a few leaves, and the yield is low, so special attention should be paid.

2. Implement nutrient cup seedling cultivation

The method is to use a half-pound plastic bag or a nutrient cup made of straw, and fill the cup with nutrient soil (70% pond mud and 30% decomposed fertilizer), sow in early spring, which is good for cold protection and easy to manage. Generally, the seedling period is 30 to 40 days, and each nutrient cup can grow 2 seedlings. When planting, pay attention to the close contact between the nutrient cup and the soil, and prevent gaps, so as not to affect the growth of new roots.

3. Strengthen post-planting management

During planting, Honda applied 2,000 kg of soil and fertilizer per mu as base fertilizer, applied it in the middle of the ridge, and then put down the nutrient cup. If it is seedling planting or bud sowing, apply base fertilizer and cover with soil before planting. Apply thin topdressing in the early stage, once a week. Increase the amount of fertilizer after fruiting. After 1 to 2 harvests, apply topdressing once to promote growth. Loofah is a crop that likes warmth and humidity. It is suitable for growth in warm spring with a lot of rain. If there is drought, it should be irrigated or sprinkled, and timely management should be carried out, otherwise the thickness of the melon strips will be uneven. If the melon vine grows vigorously, use bamboo poles to build a human frame in time, lead the vine to the frame, and prevent lodging. In the peak fruiting period, if the stems and leaves are lush, it is easy to cause flowers and fruits to fall, and the dense old leaves can be removed. Pay special attention to the prevention and control of diseases in the late fruiting period. For common anthracnose and downy mildew, Bordeaux liquid with a ratio of 1:1:160 should be sprayed in time.

The above is a detailed introduction to the three steps of planting loofah in spring. You can take a good look at it, it is very good.