What are the key points of fertilisation techniques for growing bottle gourd?

The “hu” gourd, also known as huzi, flat gourd, calabash, night-blooming flower, black gourd and so on, is a fairly common vegetable in the south, but it is also cultivated in the northern regions of our country, and is a variant plant of the Cucurbitaceae family. Bottle gourd has relatively strict requirements for light conditions, because only with sufficient light can the occurrence of pests and diseases be reduced, and only then can growers obtain bottle gourds of relatively good market quality and sell them for a good price. Growing bottle gourd is not that simple, because bottle gourd is not tolerant of poor soil, so fertilisation is a very important part; let us take a look together below.

1. Planting time for bottle gourd

In different regions, the planting time for bottle gourd differs slightly; generally it can be planted in both spring and summer, and in the north it is mostly sown in spring. At this time the huzi also begins to set fruit, with green fruits hanging on the vines like little ginseng fruits, very lovable. After the wheat is harvested in summer, bottle gourd can also be planted, and bottle gourd is a vine plant of the Cucurbitaceae family; it has good tolerance and toughness, it likes relatively [warm conditions], and it likes a warm environment. After the wheat harvest, sowing is carried out before the arrival of the summer solstice; huzi sprouts relatively quickly, and as the temperature rises, the growth of bottle gourd also gradually speeds up.

2. Bottle gourd growing techniques: key points of fertilisation

1. Base fertiliser

Bottle gourd likes places with plenty of sunlight, so when growing bottle gourd you should choose an open-air location, without any obstruction or shading. For the base fertiliser for growing bottle gourd, generally well-rotted organic fertiliser, superphosphate and a three-element compound fertiliser are chosen and applied in a mixture, then the land is ploughed and beds are made.

2. Top dressing

Bottle gourd has high requirements for water and fertiliser; moisture should be moderate, neither too much nor too little. Too much moisture easily causes poor growth, while too little moisture easily produces deformed gourds with poor appearance. If water is insufficient, deformed gourds are easily produced. Generally, after the plants are set in place, water once to help them recover from transplanting, and at the same time appropriately apply a small amount of biogas slurry.

To promote fruiting, from the recovery period to before flowering and fruiting, control should be moderate, and the land should be ploughed and the soil loosened to raise the ground temperature.

After the bottle gourd vines have set fruit, watering should also be done appropriately, and at the same time a three-element compound fertiliser should be added. As more fruit is set and the fruits grow larger, the demand for water also increases accordingly, so watering should be timely, and top dressing should be carried out once every 15 days. Foliar top dressing can also be done appropriately, generally using potassium dihydrogen phosphate.

3. Key points of fertilisation

When fertilising bottle gourd, nitrogen should be applied in moderation. If too much nitrogen fertiliser is applied, bottle gourd grows too fast and is more easily attacked by pests and diseases, thereby affecting fruit quality, and the fruit will develop a bitter taste.

Bottle gourd plants have many vines, branches and leaves, and also have a high demand for fertiliser. The fertiliser applied should be a reasonable combination of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which can increase yield and quality. For example, choosing organic fertiliser is fine, appropriately supplemented with compound fertiliser. After bottle gourd flowers and sets fruit, the amount of fertiliser applied should also be increased to meet the needs of the plants and fruits.