High-yield planting and management of loofah

Luffa is a crop suitable for all seasons, especially in spring, summer and autumn, when it can grow freely outdoors. During the winter, they are usually grown in greenhouses. This vegetable has become a common choice among farmers and markets due to its widespread cultivation and popular demand among consumers. Let’s learn about the high-yield cultivation and management of loofah.

1. Soil conditions

Luffa has strong adaptability to soil conditions and can grow in a variety of soils, but in order to obtain high-yield and high-quality luffa, it is recommended to choose sandy loam or loam with good ventilation, sufficient sunlight, deep soil and rich in organic matter. The most suitable soil pH is close to neutral or slightly acidic.

2. Seed preparation

Before sowing, place the loofah seeds in the sun for 2-3 days to enhance germination ability. Then, place the seeds in warm water at 53-55 degrees Celsius and stir for 15 minutes for disinfection, then transfer to warm water at 28-32 degrees Celsius and soak for 2-4 hours, and wash off the mucus on the surface of the seeds to promote water absorption and softening. Finally, wrap the seeds with wet gauze, place them in an environment of 25-28 degrees Celsius for germination, and spray water 1-2 times a day. When more than 70% of the seeds appear white, they can be sown.

3. Seeding technology

After the seeds turn white, sow them directly into the seedbed or nutrient pots, 2-3 seeds per hole, and the sowing depth is about 1-2 cm. After sowing, keep the soil moist and maintain a temperature of 28-30 degrees Celsius to promote germination. The seeds usually germinate about a week after sowing.

4. Transplantation and colonization

When transplanting loofah seedlings , they should be watered in advance and transplanted with soil to protect the root system. Choose to transplant on a sunny afternoon to increase the survival rate. The planting density per mu varies depending on the maturity period of the variety. Early-maturing varieties are about 1,500-2,000 trees, mid-maturing varieties are about 800-1,200 trees, and late-maturing varieties are about 500-800 trees. Before transplanting, the planting site should be prepared and fertilized 7-15 days in advance, the soil should be deep turned 20-30 cm, and appropriate amounts of organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer should be applied.

5. Water and fertilizer management

After the first young melon is firmly planted on the loofah vine (the length of the young melon is about 3-4 cm) or when most of the vines are blooming and bearing fruit, start watering and applying fertilizer. For the first topdressing, apply about 15 kg of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium balanced compound fertilizer per mu. After that, every 15 days or so, apply about 15 kg of high-potassium compound fertilizer per mu in combination with watering. During the peak period of flowering and fruiting, keep the soil moist, avoid waterlogging, and maintain soil humidity at 70-80%. Depending on the weather and soil moisture, water every 5-7 days until 7-10 days before the loofah matures. During the flowering and fruiting period, potassium dihydrogen phosphate can be sprayed every 7-10 days to improve the flowering and fruiting rate and yield quality.

6. Vine Guidance

During the growth of loofah vines, the ineffective branches at the base should be cut off in time, and the tendrils should be removed every time the vines are tied to the racks, so as to reduce the consumption of ineffective nutrients and concentrate nutrients to promote flowering and fruiting.

The above is an introduction to the key points of high-yield loofah cultivation. If you want to achieve a high yield of loofah, you must do every step well starting from site selection and seed processing.