How to Grow Luffa (Sponge Gourd)? Detailed Guide to Planting Methods and Key Techniques

Luffa is suitable for planting in neutral sandy loam soil with adequate fertility. Then deep-plow the soil, apply sufficient base fertilizer, dig the planting pits, and add base fertilizer at the bottom of the pits. In June or July, soak the seeds in warm water for 4 hours, then remove them and leave them for a day to sprout. After sprouting, sow the seeds into the pits on a sunny day, then cover with soil, set up a greenhouse and trellis, and with proper pest and disease control and water and fertilizer management, the plants will set fruit.

How are luffa seeds planted?

1. Field selection. Luffa is fond of fertilizer, so choose a field of loam or clay loam that faces the sun, is fertile and moist, has high organic matter content, and has strong water- and fertilizer-retention capacity.

2. Land preparation: Plant on raised beds. The bed surface is 1.2-1.5 m wide, the furrow is 30-40 cm wide, and the bed is 35 cm high. While preparing the land, apply sufficient base fertilizer: 2000 kg of farmyard manure per mu + 50 kg of Norway compound fertilizer or 50 kg of Xi Yang compound fertilizer.

3. Ground-creeping cultivation: The bed is 5—6 m wide, with 2 rows planted per bed, planted on both sides of the furrow, with a plant spacing of 0.4—0.5 m. This method is suitable for cultivating short-fruited varieties of common luffa. The fruiting period should preferably be in the dry season; if in the rainy season, the fruits tend to rot when they touch the ground, so melon pads should be used to cushion the fruits. If long-fruited varieties and ridged luffa are grown by ground-creeping cultivation, the fruits tend to bend and lack market value. Also, with ground-creeping cultivation, the fruits are easily hidden by the leaves, making harvesting rather troublesome.

The above is an introduction to how to grow luffa. We hope it is helpful to everyone.