How to Grow Trichosanthes kirilowii? Mastering Scientific Planting Techniques Is Key

Trichosanthes kirilowii, also known as lougua, gualou, lougua and so on, generally grows in Yunnan, Guizhou and other places. The economic value of Trichosanthes kirilowii is very great; not only does its flesh have high edible value, but its peel, seeds, shell and rhizome are all very good Chinese medicinal materials, and its planting prospects can be said to be a very broad planting project.

Scientific Planting Techniques for Trichosanthes kirilowii

1. Deep plowing of the land: The roots of Trichosanthes kirilowii can go 1-1.5 m deep into the ground, so the planting site needs deep plowing. Usually before the soil freezes, dig 1 ditch every 1.7 m that is 0.5 m deep and 30 cm wide, so that the soil undergoes a full winter of weathering and loosening and pests and diseases are eliminated.

2. Land preparation and fertilization: Before “Qingming” in the second year, apply 0.5 wan kg of farmyard manure per mu at the Trichosanthes kirilowii planting site, mix it evenly with the soil and fill the ditches level, then run water along the ditches to soak thoroughly; after 2-3 days, level the ditches again and hoe once to loosen the soil, and once the moisture is suitable it can be planted.

3. Timely loosening of the soil: About half a month after planting Trichosanthes kirilowii, dig open the soil mound to check. If the seed roots have sprouted and the soil is not dry, the soil mound can be leveled to help the seedlings emerge. If heavy rain falls before emergence and the soil surface is slightly dry after the rain, loosen the soil gently, but not too deep.

4. Drainage and irrigation: After planting Trichosanthes kirilowii, if the soil is dry, open a ditch 9-12 cm away from one side of the seed root and water it. After each fertilization, make a field ridge 30 cm away from the plants and irrigate by running water. Throughout the whole growth period, attention must be paid to irrigation.

5. Removing vines and building trellises: When the stems of Trichosanthes kirilowii are about 30 cm long, remove excess stems and vines, leaving only 2-3 thick, strong vines per plant; generally build one trellis between every 2-3 rows. When building the trellis, use poles 1.5 m long. Bury 1 pole every 2-2.4 [m], burying 3 rows in total, thus forming 1 row of Trichosanthes kirilowii and one row of poles.

6. Guiding seedlings onto the trellis: When the stems of Trichosanthes kirilowii are about 30 cm long, insert 1 sorghum stalk beside each plant so as to guide the stems and vines to climb onto the trellis. Select 2-3 healthy stems per plant to extend toward the middle, and promptly remove excessive branches and axillary buds on top of the trellis.

Propagation Methods

1. Seed propagation: When the fruit is ripe, select orange-yellow, healthy, plump, short-stalked mature fruits, split them into two halves from the fruit stalk, take out the pulp, rinse out the seeds, dry them and store them. In March-April of the following spring, select plump seeds free of pests and diseases, soak them in warm water at 40C-50C for 24 hours, take them out and cool them slightly, mix them evenly with 3 times their volume of wet sand, and place them at 20C-30C to promote germination. When most of the seeds have cracked open, sow them in holes at a hole spacing of 1.5 m-2 m, with holes 5 cm-6 cm deep, sowing 5-6 seeds per hole, covering with 3 cm-4 cm of soil, and watering to keep the soil moist; seedlings will emerge in 15-20 days.

2. Root division propagation: In the north, carry out in March-April; in the south, from October to late December. Dig up 3-5 year old, healthy, pest- and disease-free Trichosanthes kirilowii roots with a diameter of 3 cm-5 cm and a fresh white cross-section, cut them into small sections 6 cm-10 cm long, and sow them in holes at a plant spacing of 30 cm and row spacing of 1.5 m-2 m, with holes 10 cm-12 cm deep, placing one section of seed root per hole, covering with 4 cm-5 cm of soil, pressing firmly by hand, then earthing up 10 cm-15 cm to form a small soil mound to help preserve soil moisture. About 20 days after planting, when sprouting begins, remove the soil mulch above. Every 1000 sq m requires 50 kg-60 kg of seed roots. With this method, note that seed roots should mostly be selected from female plants, with an appropriate mix of some male plant roots to facilitate pollination. In addition, old roots with yellow fibers in the cross-section are not easy to survive and sprout, and are not suitable as seed roots.

Field Management

1. Cultivation and weeding: Carry out cultivation and weeding once each in spring and winter every year. During the growth period, weed promptly according to the growth of weeds.

2. Topdressing and irrigation: Carry out together with cultivation and weeding, mainly applying human and livestock manure water as topdressing, and in winter increase the application of superphosphate. Water promptly in dry conditions.

3. Trellising: When the stems and vines grow to more than 30 cm, bamboo poles and the like can be used as supports to build a trellis, with the trellis about 1.5 m high. They can also be guided toward nearby trees, ditch slopes or intercropped tall crops to facilitate climbing.

4. Pruning and removing branches: While trellising and guiding the vines, remove excess stems and vines, leaving only 2-3 strong vines per plant. When the main vine grows to 4 m-5 m, remove the terminal bud to encourage more side branches. The stems and vines on the trellis should be arranged promptly so that they are distributed evenly.

5. Artificial pollination: The natural fruit-setting rate of Trichosanthes kirilowii is relatively low. Using artificial pollination is simple and convenient and can greatly increase yield. The method is: use a writing brush to collect pollen from male flowers into a culture dish, then use the writing brush to dip up the pollen and apply it one by one to the stigmas of the female flowers.

Pest and Disease Control

1. Clearwing moth: It begins to appear in July and is more common in the north, with larvae damaging the aboveground parts. Control method: In the early stage of occurrence, spray with 80% dichlorvos emulsion at 1000 times dilution.

2. Yellow squash beetle: It damages the leaves, and the larvae can also bore into the main root. Control method: Spray with 90% trichlorfon at 1000 times dilution; during the larval stage, use rotenone 1000 times dilution or 30 times dilution nicotine water to drench the roots.

Through the above content, I believe everyone has a deeper understanding of the planting methods for Trichosanthes kirilowii. Although Trichosanthes kirilowii has broad prospects and can be profitable, you must also pay attention to planting methods and techniques. Remember not to plant blindly; mastering scientific planting methods is important, so that you can grow high-quality, high-yield Trichosanthes kirilowii!