Planting and cultivation technology of loofah

Rural areas have unique geographical advantages, so they are suitable for growing various vegetables. Common vegetables such as loofah and cucumber are cultivated in many areas. If you want to make a profit by growing loofah, you must master the planting techniques more comprehensively. Let’s learn about the planting and cultivation techniques of loofah.

1. Planting time

The planting time of loofah is mainly concentrated in spring and autumn. If you want to put it on the market early in spring, it is recommended to use double film covering and early seedling raising methods to extend the growth cycle of loofah. When planting loofah in autumn, it is usually chosen to carry out delayed autumn cultivation during the period from the Beginning of Heat to the White Dew.

2. Choose the soil

Luffa prefers to grow in loose, fertile and deep soil with rich organic matter and a pH value maintained between 6-7. Before planting, the soil needs to be deep plowed about 30 centimeters, and farmyard manure and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium controlled-release fertilizers should be applied, with about 5,000 kilograms of fertilizer applied per mu of land.

3. Select seeds

It is crucial to choose loofah seeds that are plump and have a high germination rate. Seeds should meet the cultivation requirements of the season and be resistant to heat, cold, disease and adversity. The storage time and storage conditions of seeds will affect their germination rate, and their germination ability can be judged by observing the respiration of the seeds. The selected seeds need to be dried in the sun for three days, then soaked in red ink and rinsed with clean water to check whether the embryo has breathing function to ensure the germination ability of the seeds.

4. Soaking, disinfection and sowing

To eliminate the germs on the surface of the seeds, blanch the seeds in warm water for about 30 minutes. When the seeds turn white, it is the best time to sow. Sowing can be done by direct seeding or seedling transplanting. When transplanting seedlings, you need to choose large nutrient pots to ensure sufficient nutrients during the seedling stage and cultivate high-quality loofah seedlings .

5. Build and manage scaffolding

In order to improve ventilation and light transmission, the loofah needs to be supported by a trellis so that the fruit can grow vertically downward, so that the loofah grows straighter. The trellis material can be selected according to the actual situation, such as bamboo poles, wooden stakes, etc., to ensure that the loofah can climb in an orderly manner.

6. Scientific fertilization and watering

The temperature is low in the early stage of spring loofah, so watering should be done at noon on sunny days to maintain the temperature. During the flowering and fruiting period, adjust the amount of watering according to weather conditions. In summer and autumn, due to the high temperature and high water consumption, loofah needs to be watered frequently to keep the soil moist. In terms of fertilization, excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer should be avoided in the early growth stage, and topdressing should be increased after fruit setting. The amount of fertilizer and water required during the fruiting period increases, and irrigation and fertilization should be done in time to extend the fruiting period. During off-season cultivation, management measures such as tillage, soil cultivation, weeding and fertilization also need to be followed up in a timely manner.

The above is an introduction to the planting techniques and key points of loofah. In fact, there are many aspects of loofah planting that require attention in order to achieve a high yield. Of course, in the actual operation process, it is also necessary to combine the loofah planting varieties and the local environment for specific analysis.