Which month is the best time to plant loofah?

Luffa is a vegetable with extremely high nutritional value and can be cooked in a variety of ways. The tender and smooth loofah is suitable for cold dishes, or it can be stir-fried alone or with eggs. In addition, it is also a good choice for making soup. Every summer is the peak season for loofahs to be on the market, so which month is the loofah planted ?

1. Variety selection

When choosing loofah varieties, you should look for those with excellent quality, high yield, good commercial properties and that meet market demand. When planting in winter and spring, it is suitable to choose long stick-shaped varieties.

2. Planting time

In terms of sowing time, winter and spring planting is generally carried out from November to January to February of the following year, and the harvest period is from December to April of the following year. Summer and autumn planting is sowing from June to September and harvesting from July to November.

3. Seed treatment

In seed treatment, in order to prevent seeds from being infected and to increase the germination rate, the seeds need to be treated before sowing. Sun-drying the seeds for 2-3 days helps promote seed ripening and increase germination rate. Soak the seeds in 10% trisodium phosphate solution for 20 minutes for disinfection, and then soak them in warm water at 60℃-70℃ for 10-15 minutes for germination. Keep stirring until the water temperature drops to 30°C, then continue soaking for 4-6 hours. Afterwards, place the seeds at 28℃-30℃ to germinate, rinse with clean water 1-2 times a day, and after about 3-4 days when the seeds turn white, they can be sown.

4. Sowing method

In terms of sowing methods, direct seeding is usually adopted because the survival rate of loofah transplanting is low. In March and April, the land is prepared and ridges are made with a width of about 3 meters. The seeds that have been soaked and germinated are sown in two rows on both sides of the bed, with a plant spacing of 35 cm and 3 seeds per hole. When planting in a single row, the plant spacing is 30-50 cm, 2 seeds are sown in each hole, and the sowing depth is 1-2 cm. The field water holding capacity of the soil should be 75%. If it is too dry, water it appropriately and cover it with hay after sowing to keep warm and moist.

5. Seedling management

In terms of seedling management, the daytime temperature should be maintained at 25℃-32℃ and the nighttime temperature at 18℃-20℃ to promote rapid emergence of seedlings. Generally, all seedlings will emerge in 4-6 days. After the seedlings emerge from the soil, the temperature should be lowered appropriately, controlled at 22℃-28℃ during the day and about 15℃ at night. If there is insufficient water during the seedling stage, water or spray appropriately and pay attention to disease and pest control. When the seedlings grow 2-3 true leaves, they can be transplanted in about 30-35 days.

6. Land preparation and fertilization

When preparing the land and applying fertilizer, you should choose sandy loam with deep, fertile soil, convenient drainage and irrigation, and a neutral or slightly acidic pH value, and avoid barren soil. When preparing the land, spread 50-100 kg of lime per mu to adjust the soil pH. The base fertilizer is mainly decomposed farmyard manure, combined with NPK compound fertilizer , urea, superphosphate, cake fertilizer, etc. 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 before application.

7. Planting

When transplanting, the loofah seedlings will emerge 4-5 days after sowing. When the seedlings have 4 leaves and 1 heart, choose a sunny day for transplanting. Apply sufficient base fertilizer before transplanting. Generally, use 5,000 kg of high-quality farmyard manure, 80 to 120 kg of superphosphate, and 25-30 kg of urea per mu. Then deep plow 20 cm, harrow and level the land, and build ridges. Plant about 2,800 seedlings per mu.

Regarding the construction of melon sheds, a shed must be built for field planting of loofahs. Bamboo, wood or cement poles should be used to make the stakes, and the height of the shed should be controlled at about 2 meters. The roof of the shed is tied into a square shape with small nylon ropes. It is strong and sturdy and can withstand the weight of fresh melons and typhoons and rainstorms.

8. Water and fertilizer management

In terms of fertilizer and water management, the first heavy fertilizer application is combined with soil cultivation during vine pulling. Use 1,000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer, 20 kg of cake fertilizer, and 20 kg of triple compound fertilizer per mu. Mix well and apply into the cultivation ditch. The second level of fertilizer is applied during the peak fruit-bearing period, with 20 kg of triple compound fertilizer and 10 kg of potassium chloride per mu. In the later stage of fruiting, apply appropriate fertilizer 3-4 times, applying 10 kg of triple compound fertilizer or 20 kg of cake fertilizer per mu.

9. Protect flowers and fruits

In terms of preserving flowers and fruits, when loofah is planted in winter and spring, the main vine will produce the first female flower at around the 10th node, and then female flowers will continue to be produced at multiple nodes. During cultivation, some female flowers should be thinned out. The female flowers on the first node are often deformed and should be removed in time. Artificial pollination can be used at 5-6 pm in the evening to increase the fruit setting rate. When the melon is about 30 cm long, pay attention to lifting the melon and straighten the melon strips manually.

10. Scientific harvesting

In terms of harvesting, the harvesting standards for loofah are that the fruit length reaches 20-30 cm, the fruit shape is round, the surface is not damaged, the fruit is soft, the fruit color is green, and the tender fruit surface is shiny. If not harvested in time, the loofah fibers will age, affecting their edible value and later fruit setting. Luffa has a strong continuous fruiting ability and the fruits grow fast during the peak fruiting period. They can be harvested every 2 to 3 days. The harvesting time should be done in the morning. Use tools to cut the luffa from the fruit stalk. It is not advisable to pull it by hand to avoid damaging the branches and vines. Generally, 50-70 kg of fresh melons can be harvested per acre per day.

The above is an introduction to the time and technology of loofah planting. Loofah planting needs to be considered in combination with local environmental conditions, and field management measures must be taken into account.