How to manage loofah during the flowering period? A detailed explanation of the latest technical key points

Field management after planting loofah is very important and is the best way to maintain growth, but the key point of field management is the management of loofah during the flowering period. Generally, flowering indicates that loofah has moved from vegetative growth to reproductive growth. Fertilization and water supply must begin to promote abundant flowering and high-quality flowers, and it is also necessary to avoid physiological flower drop, as well as to thin flowers and keep good flowers for fruiting. Now let us look at how to manage these aspects.

1. Sow at the right time

Loofah generally can flower and fruit well under short-day conditions, so it is best to sow in winter and transplant in early spring. At this time, the loofah flowering period can receive short-day conditions. If planted in summer, flowering will be delayed or it will be difficult to flower. Therefore, sowing and transplanting can be appropriately delayed or advanced according to the sunlight conditions in different regions.

2. Fertilizer and water

About half a month before flowering, start applying more quick-acting compound fertilizer, reduce the amount of nitrogen fertilizer, or apply about 200 jin of farmyard manure per mu to ensure a continuous supply of nutrients throughout the flowering period. In addition, foliar spraying of boron fertilizer and phosphorus fertilizer provides the nutrients needed for flowering. Loofah has a weak root system and poor water absorption, so irrigation can be concentrated during watering. Lack of water will cause flower rot, with the flower edges scorched, dehydrated, dry-rotted, and falling off. However, too much water may lead to infection with flower rot disease, causing dripping, odor, mold growth, and finally rotting and flower drop. In addition, boron deficiency in loofah. Calcium easily causes diseases such as style rot.

3. Protect flowers and promote fruit set

During flowering, loofah may experience physiological flower drop, that is, a sudden large amount of flower drop, which is unfavorable for fruit set. Therefore, during flowering, spray naphthaleneacetic acid or 2,4-D to protect the flowers and prevent them from dropping. However, the nutrients of the plant are limited. In order to set fruit as much as possible, it is necessary to thin flowers when there are too many flowers. It is enough to keep 5 to 8 flowers on each vine. In addition, thinning should be carried out for each batch of flowers. Thinning flowers is to concentrate nutrients, retain high-quality flowers, and concentrate the plant's nutrients to increase the fruit-setting rate and increase yield.

After flowering, some excess branches and vines can be pruned to save nutrients and ensure nutrients for flowering, but do not remove the two leaves at the top of the flower, otherwise it is easy to cause flower drop. It is best to remove the lower old leaves, excess tendrils, and dense branches and vines. This can improve the internal space, increase photosynthesis, reduce humidity to lessen disease occurrence, and avoid flower rot. During the flowering period, prevent insects from damaging the flowers and causing flower drop.

During the loofah flowering period, attention should be paid to some problems, and management in all aspects should also be carried out well. The main purpose is to protect flowers through management, select and retain high-quality flowers to promote fruit set, and improve fruit quality. Therefore, the flowering period is a key management period for loofah cultivation and management.