Sponge gourd cultivation technology

The cultivation of loofah also requires certain technical management, so today I will give you a detailed introduction:

Land preparation

The production land should be selected with deep soil layer, fertile soil, convenient drainage and irrigation, and neutral and slightly acidic PH value. The soil in Hainan is generally acidic, and the content of soil organic matter is low. When preparing the land, 50-100 kg of lime should be applied per mu to adjust the pH of the soil; the base fertilizer is mainly decomposed farmyard manure, supplemented by NPK compound fertilizer, urea, superphosphate, and cake fertilizer. Generally, 2000-3000 kg of farmyard manure, 50 kg of NPK compound fertilizer, 30 kg of urea, 40 kg of superphosphate, and 30 kg of cake fertilizer are applied per mu. It is best to mix and decompose them together before applying the base fertilizer. Generally, the amount of base fertilizer applied accounts for 2/3 of the total amount used during the production period of loofah. The width of the ridge is generally 1.40 meters (including the ditch), the width of the ridge is 30-35 cm, and the length is subject to the actual field. Loofah is not heat-resistant, so it is best to implement mulching cultivation. When covering the soil with film, choose a sunny and windless day as much as possible. The film should be close to the soil surface and sealed tightly on all sides. The choices of film are: white film has a better effect on soil warming; black film has a significant effect on inhibiting weed growth; silver-gray film can effectively prevent aphid damage.

sowing

1. Sowing period: Choose the appropriate sowing period according to the cultivation season, temperature conditions and market demand.

2. Seed quality: must meet the requirements of GB16715.1-1996, Grade 2 or above. Seed purity should be no less than 95%, cleanliness should be no less than 99%, germination rate should be no less than 90%, and moisture content should be no more than 8%.

3. Seeding amount: According to the planting density of loofah, generally 800-1200 plants are planted per acre of field, 2 seeds are sown in each hole, and the seed amount is about 350-500 grams.

4. Sowing method:

The survival rate of transplanting loofah is low, so direct seeding is generally adopted. Plant in single row, with a spacing of 30-50 cm, sow 2 seeds in each hole, with a depth of 1-2 cm, and place the seeds flat. The field water holding capacity of the soil should be 75%. If it is too dry, water it a little. Cover the hay after sowing to keep warm and moist.

It is best to choose a sunny day for sowing, and cover the film with cultivation. The holes should be as small as possible to avoid the film from being lifted when the wind is strong.

Field management

During the seedling stage, topdress once a week. During the fruiting stage, topdress once every 1-2 harvests, and the fertilizer is mainly human and animal feces and urine and compound fertilizer. During the entire growing period, inter-row cultivation, weeding, and ridge building are carried out frequently. Manual vine guidance and vine binding are carried out in a timely manner to assist them in getting on the shelf or shed. The shed is 2m high. The side vines before being put on the shed are removed, and the side vines after being put on the shed are generally not removed. During the peak fruiting period, remove the overcrowded old yellow leaves and excess male flowers, adjust the side young melons that are placed on the shelf or entangled by tendrils to hang in the shed for growth, and remove the deformed melons.