Latest Key Cultivation and Management Techniques for Open-Field Luffa
Luffa is a common cucurbit vegetable in our daily life, with very large market demand, and its planting area in our country is also very extensive. When growing luffa, management work is very important, and the quality of management directly affects the yield and quality of luffa. So how should open-field luffa be managed? Below, the editor brings you the key cultivation and management points for open-field luffa. Let's take a look!
1. Build the trellis
Because luffa is a climbing vegetable, we must do a good job of building the trellis when planting. To satisfy the climbing growth habit of luffa, when building the trellis, first build the foundation with cement and control the height of the trellis well. It should not be too low, because if it is too low, it easily leads to reduced field ventilation and light penetration. According to the climbing habit of luffa, the trellis should be controlled at two meters or more. Then control the shape of the trellis according to your own planting habits, mainly semicircular. The trellis must not only ensure it can bear the fruit load of luffa, but also ensure a certain ability to resist wind and rain.
2. Land selection and planting
Luffa has a relatively large demand for nutrients, so the soil for planting luffa should be selected as a plot with sufficient fertility and normal drainage and irrigation. Before planting, scatter an appropriate amount of lime powder into the soil to adjust the soil pH. Planting should not be done on cloudy and rainy days, otherwise it will be affected and the survival rate will be reduced. Before sowing, first deep-plow the soil about 25 cm, then apply sufficient base fertilizer. Control the fertilization amount according to the planting area. Usually, apply 3000 kg of farmyard manure and about 150 kg of compound fertilizer per mu, then make beds and plant.
3. Water and fertilizer management
As just mentioned, luffa's nutrient demand is very large, so sufficient base fertilizer must first be applied. Then do a good job of topdressing according to the growth stage of luffa. The first topdressing should be carried out at the initial fruiting stage to meet the nutritional needs of luffa fruiting. Then topdress again at the full fruiting stage to increase the fruiting rate. The fertilizers for topdressing are mainly farmyard manure and compound fertilizer. Also, according to the nutritional needs of luffa, appropriately supplement some micro-fertilizers. Finally, control watering well and keep the soil moist to provide sufficient water for luffa growth. However, water should not be too much. When watering too much or encountering cloudy and rainy days, drainage work should be done well to avoid root rot and reduce the fruiting rate.
4. Reasonable harvesting
Luffa has a relatively strong fruiting ability. One planting can be harvested multiple times, especially in summer, when the yield of each crop is very high. Therefore, we must do a good job of harvesting. The harvest time of luffa depends on the variety, generally about one week after fruit development. When the fruit stalk is not rough, the color becomes darker, and the fuzz gradually decreases, it can be harvested. The harvest time should not be too early or too late. If too early, the luffa is not mature enough, affecting quality. If too late, the luffa gradually ages, fiber increases, and the eating texture becomes worse.
The above is a brief introduction to the cultivation and management of open-field luffa. When harvesting luffa, note that it should not be pulled by hand; it should be cut with scissors, otherwise it easily affects healing and causes disease infection. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you for your reading and support.