Why does loofah bloom but not bear fruit?

Luffa is a common vegetable in summer. Whether it is stir-fried or made into soup, it is a delicious dish on the table. Luffa is not only nutritious, but also has high medicinal value. In rural areas, loofah is often planted in front of or behind houses, next to vegetable gardens or big trees. It is favored for its strong adaptability and abundant fruit-bearing ability. However, if not managed properly, the loofah may also have the problem of only blooming but not bearing fruit. Why does loofah bloom but not bear fruit?

1. Sow seeds at the right time and cultivate strong seedlings

Luffa likes warmth and is heat-resistant. It is usually sown in spring and harvested in summer. Almost every rural household grows a few loofah plants. Although some people think that the earlier the sowing, the better, this is not accurate because loofah seeds require suitable temperatures to germinate. If the temperature is too low, the seeds will have difficulty germinating. Therefore, choosing the right sowing time is crucial to the growth, flowering and fruiting of loofah.

As the saying goes, "Plant melons and beans around the time of Qingming Festival." During the Qingming Festival, the temperature has exceeded 10 degrees, which is suitable for planting most fruits and vegetables that prefer warmth. The best time to grow loofah in the open field is from Qingming to Guyu. If the temperature drops, you can cover it with plastic film to accelerate germination.

Timely sowing helps the loofah to germinate quickly and emerge evenly. As the temperature rises, the plants grow rapidly and the seedlings become strong, laying a good foundation for subsequent results. Therefore, it is not advisable to sow loofah too early or too late, so as not to affect the yield.

2. Reasonable density planting to enhance ventilation and light transmission

Luffa is highly adaptable and easy to grow. However, planting too densely will lead to competition for nutrients among plants. When there is insufficient nutrition, the growth will be weak and the flowering and fruiting will naturally decrease.

Under conditions of sufficient water and fertilizer, the plants may grow too tall and have dense branches and leaves, which will affect light transmission and ventilation, easily lead to diseases and insect pests, and then affect flowering and fruiting, and even produce deformed melons, reducing fruit quality. Therefore, when planting loofah, appropriate plant spacing should be maintained, generally 2-3 plants per square meter, to ensure nutrient supply and prevent excessive growth.

3. Control nitrogen fertilizer and apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer reasonably

When planting loofah in the vegetable garden, animal manure is often used as base fertilizer, supplemented with wood ash. These fertilizers are rich in nutrients and have long-lasting fertilizer effects. As the plant grows, top dressing needs to be applied in a timely manner.

The amount of nitrogen fertilizer should be controlled during topdressing. Too much nitrogen fertilizer will lead to vigorous growth of the plant, excessive nutrients will be supplied to the branches and leaves, reproductive growth will be weakened, and flowering and fruiting will naturally decrease. Before flowering, triple compound fertilizer should be added, and after flowering and fruiting, decomposed human manure or ammonium phosphate and wood ash should be applied every 15 days or so. When applying top dressing, use the hole-applying method. Dig holes 15 cm away from the root system and apply fertilizer. Cover the soil after watering to facilitate fertilizer absorption.

4. Reasonable watering and timely drainage

Luffa likes water but is afraid of drought. It should be watered thoroughly when planted, and then watered again and the soil loosened after a week to prevent the soil from becoming compacted. Water according to soil moisture, and do not water unless the soil is dry, so keep the soil moist. Combine top dressing with watering, especially during the fruiting period, to ensure sufficient water.

Although loofah likes water, it cannot be kept in a damp or waterlogged state for a long time, so as not to affect the root respiration, cause root rot, affect the absorption of water and nutrients, weaken the plant growth, and naturally reduce flowering and fruiting. When there is a lot of rain in summer, drainage should be carried out in time to avoid planting in low-lying areas.

5. Build the frame in time and remove the extra branches and leaves

Luffa is a climbing plant and is often planted near courtyard walls or fences to expand its growing space and promote growth and fruiting. If there is no climbing object, you need to build a frame for the loofah, usually when the vine grows to 30-60 cm. Building a trellis can improve ventilation and light transmission, prevent diseases and pests, and promote flowering and fruiting.

The leaves of loofah are large and numerous, so it is necessary to remove the old and yellow leaves at the bottom in time, and remove the dense branches appropriately. At the same time, top the loofah to control excessive growth, so as to improve ventilation and light transmission, save nutrients, and increase the rate of loofah setting.

6. Pick fruits in time to reduce nutrient waste

During the peak season of loofah, if there is sufficient water and fertilizer, it can be picked almost every day. If the loofah is not picked in time, it will quickly become old, affecting its edible quality, and wasting nutrients, affecting subsequent fruit setting, resulting in only flowering but no fruiting, or few flowers and fruits.

In summary, if you want to have more loofahs with better quality, it is not advisable to plant them too early. It is generally best to plant them from the end of March to the beginning of April, which is around the Qingming Festival. Loofahs should not be planted too densely. They need to be watered and fertilized properly, and racks should be set up and young melons harvested in time.