Luffa planting time and planting method

Loofah is widely cultivated in the south and has important economic value and market prospects. It is not only a delicious vegetable, but also valued for its medicinal value. Let’s learn about the planting time and method of loofah below.

1. Determine the appropriate sowing period

Before planting loofah, you need to understand its growth habits. Loofah prefers warmth, so choosing the right time to sow is crucial. Luffa seeds can only germinate successfully at a temperature of about 30℃. It is recommended to sow them when the average daily temperature reaches about 25℃.

In order to harvest the loofah in advance, some people may sow the seeds in advance, but if the average daily temperature is lower than 15℃, the seeds will germinate very slowly, causing the loofah seedlings to grow weakly, which is not conducive to high yield.

Therefore, the sowing time of loofah should not be too early, so as not to prolong the germination time or suffer from cold damage after germination. In North China, it is best to plant loofah outdoors during the period from Grain Rain to Beginning of Summer, and then sow after the temperature stabilizes to avoid blindly sowing in advance in pursuit of an early market launch.

2. Soil Preparation and Seedling Management

Luffa does not have high requirements for the growing environment, but in order to achieve high yields, loose, well-drained and fertile soil should be selected. Luffa is heat-resistant but not water-resistant, so it is recommended to plant it in high ridges to facilitate irrigation and drainage.

Loofah can be raised in advance and then transplanted, but direct seeding is usually more suitable. Before sowing, soak the seeds in room temperature water for 4 hours, drain and sow. When sowing, keep the row spacing at about 1 meter, sow 2 to 3 seeds in each hole, and cover the soil 2 to 3 cm deep. After germination, thin out the seedlings when they have 3 to 4 leaves, leaving 1 to 2 healthy seedlings in each hole.

3. Reasonable irrigation and fertilization

1. Irrigation

Loofah needs plenty of water to grow, but irrigation should be adjusted according to its growth stage. Luffa likes moisture but cannot tolerate waterlogging, so watering should be controlled before fruiting. If the soil is moist, no watering is needed to prevent excessive growth of seedlings. After fruiting, the water supply needs to be increased, but water should not accumulate for a long time after watering.

2. Fertilization

Luffa needs sufficient nutrients to grow. Sufficient base fertilizer should be applied from the early stage of planting. It is recommended to use decomposed organic fertilizer and add an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer. In the early stage of flowering and fruiting of loofah, it is necessary to increase the supply of fertilizer . 60 to 80 kilograms of ternary compound fertilizer can be applied per mu, and potassium dihydrogen phosphate foliar fertilizer can be sprayed once every half a month. If it can be sprayed 2 to 3 times, it will have a significant effect on increasing yield.

4. Loofah vine management

The loofah vines grow in a messy way, but it is necessary to distinguish the primary and secondary ones and prune them properly to reduce nutrient loss. Each loofah plant can retain 2 to 3 side vines, and the excess side vines should be cut off to facilitate ventilation and light transmission. For vines that grow too vigorously, they should be "pinched" to promote increased yield.

Through the above steps, the yield of loofah can be effectively increased. The height of the loofah rack should not be less than 2 meters to promote vertical growth. For bent loofahs, you can straighten them by hanging them, that is, tie a rope around the bottom of the loofah and tie a heavy object to the other end. The above is the planting method of loofah, I hope it will be helpful to you.