When is the best time to plant loofah?

Loofah is loved for its bright green color and soft taste. It is rich in vitamins, saponins, plant gum and other ingredients, and has high nutritional value. Luffa tastes slightly bitter and is cool in nature, making it an ideal food for relieving heat and promoting intestinal health in summer. So when is the best time to plant loofah?

When is the best time to plant loofah?

Due to its strong adaptability, loofah can be grown all year round under suitable temperatures. In China, due to the huge difference in climate between the north and the south, the planting time of loofah is also different. Luffa is a short-day plant that prefers high temperature and humid environment. Its optimal growth temperature range is 20 to 30 degrees Celsius. In warm regions such as South China, loofah is usually sown and planted in spring, summer and autumn. Spring sowing usually takes place between February and April (the climate in the south is warmer, so sowing is mostly done in February; in the north, sowing is mostly done around Qingming Festival), summer sowing is from April to June, and autumn sowing is from July to September. For the colder areas north of the Yangtze River, usually only summer loofah is grown. Luffa is usually an annual crop that can be harvested continuously until the frost. When sowing loofah, try to avoid the period of seasonal change, especially spring sowing, because the climate change may be large, which may affect the germination of seeds.

What are the key points in growing loofah ?

Variety selection: When planting loofah, you should choose varieties with strong disease resistance, high yield and good quality. Long-stick varieties are recommended in spring, while short-stick varieties are suitable in summer and autumn. The optimal germination temperature for seeds is 28-35 degrees Celsius. Warm water soaking can be used to promote germination and eliminate pathogens on the seed surface.

Soil and Fertilization: Luffa prefers fertile, moist soil high in organic matter. Before planting, sufficient base fertilizer needs to be applied. 2,000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure and 20 kg of compound fertilizer can be applied per mu, and the soil should be deeply plowed and leveled. Due to the high temperature in summer, the base fertilizer can be reduced appropriately, and appropriate topdressing can be applied during the peak fruit-bearing period, with 20 kg of triple compound fertilizer per mu.

Water management: Loofah likes a humid environment, especially during the peak fruiting period. It is usually watered every 5 to 7 days to ensure normal flowering and fruiting. Pay special attention to keeping the soil moisture stable and avoid changes from dry to wet to prevent the loofah from becoming deformed and the fiber from aging, which will affect the quality.

Frame erection and vine pruning: When the loofah grows 5-6 true leaves and begins to sprout, a frame should be erected and the vines should be pruned in time when the vine length reaches 30 cm. Use a "human" shaped frame, tie the vines after putting them on the frame, and use a "Z" shape to guide the vine growth. Both the main and side vines can bloom and bear fruit. To ensure the growth of the main vine, the side vines should be removed in time. After the main vine is put on the shelf, an appropriate amount of side vines can be retained. During the growth process, it is necessary to pinch off the top and cut off excess male flowers and old leaves in time to reduce nutrient consumption.

Harvesting time: It takes about 10 days for loofah to grow from flowering to maturity. It should be harvested in time after maturity to avoid late harvesting which will cause fiber aging and affect quality.

The above is an introduction to the planting time and key points of loofah. The planting time needs to be determined based on the specific local temperature, and the later plan needs to be formulated based on the actual growth conditions.