Sponge gourd sowing time and method

Luffa is a common vegetable with smooth texture and delicate taste. It is very nutritious and very popular. Regarding loofah planting, let’s learn about the sowing time and method of loofah.

Sponge gourd sowing time

Luffa can be planted in spring, summer, autumn and winter. It is usually planted in spring from February to April, in summer from May to July, in autumn from August to September, and in winter around November. Due to the difference in climate and temperature between the north and south of my country, spring loofah can be planted in the south around February, while in the north it is generally not until around Qingming Festival that suitable conditions for sowing are reached.

How to sow loofah

1. Digging a pit

Dig the planting pits for loofah as planned, with a depth of 45 cm. Pile the excavated soil aside for freeze-drying. After digging the pit, put 20 cm thick soil and fertilizer at the bottom of the pit, without filling soil on top, and let the soil and fertilizer decompose naturally in the pit. Twenty days before planting, fill the soil dug out from the planting pit to a thickness of 15 centimeters above the soil and fertilizer in the pit. Leave the remaining soil at the edge of the pit and keep it for later use in growing melon roots.

2. Planting

Plant the melons in the morning or evening, with two or three seeds in each hole, and the hole depth is 3-4 cm. Loofahs should be planted densely, with the spacing between plants controlled at about 30 cm. The row spacing varies depending on the variety, usually 40 cm for wide rows and 20-30 cm for narrow rows.

3. Fertilization

During the growth process, top dressing should be carried out regularly according to the growth and nutritional needs of the loofah. You can use chemical fertilizers such as urea, potassium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, or compound fertilizers containing trace elements, organic and inorganic compound fertilizers, etc. for fertilization. Regular foliar fertilization during the growing period can supplement certain elements that are not absorbed enough or cannot be absorbed during the growth of loofah. Commonly used foliar fertilizers include: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, trace element foliar fertilizers, amino acid fertilizers, water-soluble fertilizers , etc.

4. Watering

After the loofah seeds germinate, they should be watered thoroughly immediately to keep the soil moist to prevent the seedlings from shrinking due to drought. Later in the growing season, water every 1-2 days, depending on the weather and soil moisture. When watering, avoid watering the leaves of the loofah to prevent the leaves from rotting or the growth of diseases. In the hot weather during the dry season, the soil surface needs to be covered to keep it warm and moisturize it, effectively preventing the evaporation of soil moisture and preventing the loofah from being damaged by frost.

5. Pest and disease control

During the growth period, loofah may be attacked by pests and diseases, such as powdery mildew, gray mold, anthracnose, spot disease, aphids, leafhoppers, mites, etc. Different types of pests and diseases can be treated with corresponding biological and chemical agents, such as selective insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, etc.

That’s it