Loofah planting and management techniques

During the loofah cultivation process, many farmers may face some challenges, such as the loofahs they grow are not growing well, the number of flowers and fruits are small and the size is small, or there are only flowers but no fruits, and the loofah fruits are bent and deformed, not straight enough, etc. These problems may affect the yield and quality of loofah and need to be solved through scientific management and technical measures. Let’s learn about eggplant planting techniques and management points together.

1. Land preparation and ridge making

Choose a suitable field for loofah planting , preferably one with fertile, moist, moderately sticky soil that is easy to irrigate and drain. After deep plowing the soil, make ridges with a height of about 35 cm and a width of 150 to 200 cm. It is best to run it from east to west to ensure that each ridge can get sufficient sunlight. At the same time, apply enough base fertilizer to ensure that the soil is loose and fertile. When planting loofah in spring, sufficient organic fertilizer and compound fertilizer need to be applied, while when planting loofah in summer, the temperature is high and it tends to grow too tall, so the use of base fertilizer should be reduced. For off-season cultivated loofah, since it grows in winter and early spring when the temperature is lower, more warm base fertilizers should be applied, such as chicken manure, cow manure, etc., to increase soil temperature and promote root development.

2. Seeding and seedling raising

Luffa grows best at higher temperatures, and low temperatures will slow down the growth of seedlings. Spring loofah is usually sown directly after soaking seeds for germination, or transplanted from seedlings. Germinate the seeds before sowing. Soak the seeds in clean water for 8 to 10 hours, then drain and wrap them in gauze and place them in a warm place to germinate. Most seeds can be sown after they sprout, with a seed rate of about 200 to 500 grams per acre. After sowing, cover the soil with 1.5 cm and water the soles of the seeds. Seedlings will emerge in 3 to 4 days. In early spring, using plastic film to cover the seeds to keep them warm and using nutrient cups to grow seedlings can increase the germination rate. During the growing season of summer loofah, due to high temperature and heavy rainfall, seedling transplanting can be used to prevent excessive growth. The pH value of the seedling medium should be between 6.0 and 7.5, and it can be made by mixing organic matter such as garden soil, coal slag, and bagasse with fertilizers. The substrate humidity during the seedling stage should be between 40% and 60%, and the air humidity should be between 60% and 70%.

3. Colonization

While ensuring that the seedlings do not grow too tall, apply appropriate topdressing to promote seedling growth and improve seedling quality. The seedlings can be transplanted when they have 2 to 3 true leaves. The planting density varies according to the season and planting method. The planting distance in spring is 20 to 25 cm, and the planting distance in autumn is 35 to 40 cm. When planting in a single row, the spacing between plants should be appropriately reduced, with 2,000 to 2,500 plants planted per acre.

4. Field management

Avoid excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer in the early growth stage, and increase topdressing after fruit setting. The first top dressing of spring loofah is done when the first female flower appears, and another top dressing is done after 1 to 2 harvests. The amount of fertilizer and water required during the fruiting period increases, and irrigation should be carried out in time to keep the soil moist. Summer loofah should be fertilized once when it first blooms and top-dressed every 2 to 3 harvests after the harvest period. Autumn loofah should be fertilized frequently and in small amounts with sufficient base fertilizer to meet the needs of growth and fruiting.

5. Harvest

It takes 40 to 60 days from sowing to first harvest of loofah. The fruits develop quickly and can be harvested 10 to 12 days after flowering. When harvesting, choose young melons with plump and symmetrical bodies, smooth fruit stalks, and fruit fibers that have not yet hardened. They should be sold immediately after harvesting to keep them fresh. The harvesting period generally lasts 30 to 60 days, and varies in different seasons.

The above is an introduction to the key points of loofah cultivation technology. If loofah is not grown well, it is very likely that the cultivation technology is not in place. Farmers must pay more attention to this.