When to Plant Gourds: Planting Time and Method Explained in Detail
The sowing time for gourds is usually chosen in spring, with the specific time preferably around Qingming Festival. Before sowing gourd seeds, soak them in warm water for about 20 minutes, then wrap the seeds in moist gauze or toilet paper and place them in a container, placing them in a warm environment, taking care to keep them moist; after about a week they will sprout. Then plant the seeds in previously prepared soil, water thoroughly, and after a week small seedlings will emerge.
1. Site Selection and Land Preparation
The first task in growing gourds is choosing the planting site. The planting site must have good drainage and irrigation, sufficient fertility, and must not be planted on hillsides or in low-lying hollow areas. The previous crop should preferably be grain crops such as wheat or corn; gourds must not be grown in continuous cropping with cucurbits such as watermelon, and they cannot be planted if residual herbicides remain in the soil. After choosing the site, carry out land preparation. Land preparation is essential because plowing and disinfecting the soil can eliminate pathogens in the soil and promote gourd growth. Then press and compact the soil to preserve moisture; while preparing the land, also make long furrow ridges, which helps with later weeding.
2. Seed Soaking and Sprouting
After land preparation, select superior seeds and soak them in 45-degree warm water for about a day. After soaking, take them out, wrap them in gauze, and open up the soaked seeds. Then prepare a sprouting shed: place disinfected sawdust in a basin and lay a layer of separation cloth on top. Place the seeds evenly in the basin, and cover the seeds with a dry towel and cotton quilt for insulation and sprouting. Add a small amount of water every day, paying attention to the amount to prevent water from accumulating inside the seeds, and keep the temperature at around 26 degrees; the temperature must not exceed 25-32 degrees.
3. Sowing and Raising Seedlings
During sprouting, prepare a seedling bed. Spread an appropriate amount of farmyard manure and straw at the bottom of the seedling bed, then spread soil over the fertilizer and tread it firmly. Then use chemicals such as Dexon for disinfection, mix nutrient soil, put the nutrient soil into bags, fill and pack them tightly, and poke holes at the bottom for water drainage. Place them on the seedling bed and water thoroughly, then sow the sprouted seeds with the sprout eye facing the soil, cover with soil and water. Finally wait for the seeds to sprout; after emergence, transplant appropriately according to the growth of the seedlings.
4. Field Management
After transplanting, the work to do well is field management. When applying topdressing, it should be combined with cultivation and weeding. And when the main vine of the gourd grows to about 0.5 m, do it together with watering. Urea can be used as fertilizer; when topdressing, pay attention to the topdressing position to prevent the roots and leaves from directly contacting the fertilizer and causing root and leaf burn. Control the growth of the plants, keep 1-2 main vines per vine, carry out one directional earthing up, and tilt them in the downwind direction to prevent the vines from being overturned by too strong wind. Observe the growth of the plants and do well in tasks such as pinching off tips, topping, and artificial pollination to promote plant growth.