High-quality and high-yield cultivation technology of loofah

In rural areas, at the turn of summer and autumn, loofah vines often climb under the eaves and bear abundant fruits, which can be picked fresh almost every day. Now, many vegetable farmers have started large-scale cultivation of loofah and have gained considerable profits from it. However, growing loofah is not as simple as it seems. If not managed properly, problems such as early flower and fruit drop, fruit shrinkage, and disease may occur, all of which will lead to reduced yields. Let’s learn about the high-quality and high-yield cultivation technology of loofah.

1. Variety selection and seed quality

When loofah is planted in spring, it is a season with large temperature fluctuations, so the local climate, planting environment and sowing habits should be considered when choosing varieties. Priority should be given to varieties that are cold-resistant, disease-resistant, early-maturing, high-yielding and commercially viable. If planted in facilities in early spring, the variety's tolerance to low light also needs to be considered. After selecting the variety, you should choose high-quality seeds that are fresh, mature, have full grains, are free of pests and diseases, mildew, and damage. Avoid using seeds that are old, immature, shriveled, diseased, moldy or damaged.

2. Seed treatment

After the seeds are selected, they should be placed in the sun for 2 to 3 days to awaken the seed vitality and increase the germination rate. Drying in the sun can also help disinfect using ultraviolet rays. After that, soak the seeds in warm water at 50℃ for 30 minutes, stirring constantly to sterilize them. Then, transfer the seeds to warm water at 30℃ and soak them for 3 hours. During this time, you can rub the seeds to remove the sticky substance on the seed shell to facilitate water absorption. Finally, place the seeds in a moist gauze bag and germinate them in a constant temperature environment of 25 to 30°C away from light. Rinse with clean water 1 to 2 times a day until more than 70% of the seeds turn white, then they can be sown. Luffa is a taproot plant and is not suitable for transplanting. It should be sown directly during the suitable temperature period. For loofahs planted in facilities in early spring, seedlings need to be raised after germination to shorten the time to market.

3. Seedling cultivation

Place the germinated seeds in the prepared seedling tray or nutrient pot. Nutrient soil can be prepared in proportion by garden soil, decomposed farmyard manure and cake fertilizer, and adding appropriate amounts of urea and potassium sulfate. After disinfecting with carbendazim solution, put the nutrient soil into the seedling tray or nutrient pot. Sow 2 to 3 seeds in each hole and cover with 1 to 2 cm of soil. If the soil is moist, you can grow seedlings directly; if it is dry, you can water it after covering the soil. Maintain suitable temperature and humidity, and seedlings will emerge in about 7 to 9 days. After emergence, keep the soil moist and gradually lower the seedling temperature to around 25°C to enhance the adaptability and disease resistance of the seedlings. Before planting, cultivate strong seedlings by controlling water, fertilizer, temperature and other measures. The loofahs planted in protective facilities in early spring can be transplanted when the seedlings grow to 35 cm in height and have 7 to 8 leaves.

4. Transplanting and Planting

Before planting, the planting site should be deeply plowed and leveled, and sufficient base fertilizer should be applied, such as decomposed farmyard manure, urea, potassium sulfate and superphosphate. If conditions permit, applying wood ash can help increase the growth and yield of loofah. After the base fertilizer is evenly spread on the surface, deep plowing is carried out to a depth of 20 to 30 cm and then raking is performed. Before planting, water the seedlings moderately to avoid damaging the roots. When planting, water first, and after the water has penetrated, place the seedlings in the hole, with the thickness of the covering soil 2 to 3 cm higher than the seedling ball.

5. Seedling Management

After planting, if it is planted in a facility, close the greenhouse immediately and increase the temperature to promote rooting and seedling growth. Adjust the temperature in the greenhouse, maintain it for 3 to 4 days, and then gradually adjust it to normal management temperature. For loofahs planted in the open field, ensure that the local temperature is stable, there is no late frost, the ground temperature is above 15℃ for five consecutive days, and the average daily temperature is above 18℃. During the seedling-acclimatizing period, apply water appropriately to prevent the soil from becoming compacted. From the time the seedlings have grown to the time before they start to flower, control the amount of water and fertilizer to promote the development of the root system and avoid excessive growth. If wilting occurs, add water in appropriate amounts in the morning and evening to avoid flooding.

6. Build a trellis to guide vines

When the loofah grows to 50 to 60 cm, guide the vines onto the rack. Before guiding the vines, press them down once to promote the development of the root system. Build a herringbone frame and tie and guide the vines every 2 to 3 days. Adjust the plants in time, thin out the leaves, trim the side vines, and remove the vines if necessary. Thin out the overly dense vines and leaves in the middle and lower parts to reduce nutrient consumption and improve fruit setting rate and quality. Limit the number and length of side vines, thin out the side vines around the stem base, and manage by pinching the top. When the loofah grown in facilities grows to the ceiling, the vines can be dropped once. If there are signs of excessive growth, chemical control measures can be used.

7. Pollination and melon retention

Luffa is a monoecious, cross-pollinated plant with more male flowers than female flowers. Remove excess male flowers and retain 20% healthy male flowers. Artificial assisted pollination can improve the success rate of pollination. Appropriately thin out some melon embryos or small melons to avoid premature aging of the plants. Pick the mature loofahs in time to free up nutrients.

8. Water and fertilizer management

Water and fertilizer management is the key to high quality and high yield of spring loofah. Avoid watering during flowering to prevent flowers from falling. Water in time according to the weather, soil moisture content and fruit setting conditions. During the peak period of fruit setting, maintain the soil moisture content at 70% to 80% and water frequently with small amounts of water. Apply fertilizer multiple times to maintain the potential of loofah to produce fruit continuously. After the vines are set, apply the first top dressing, and then apply top dressing every 10 to 15 days depending on the number of fruits.

The above is an introduction to the key points of loofah cultivation technology, which is mainly aimed at spring loofah planting. You can consider the actual situation and master the above management points to improve the yield and quality of loofah.