How to grow loofah in early spring? The latest planting techniques and method tutorial

Loofah is one of the common vegetables in our daily lives, and early spring loofah has excellent planting prospects, but its cultivation also has certain particularities, so how should early spring loofah be planted? Let's find out together with the editor.

1. Planting preparation

For early spring loofah, choose mainly early-maturing, disease-resistant, high-quality varieties. The suitable growth temperature for loofah is 25-35°C, so generally sow and raise seedlings in a greenhouse in March, transplant in April, and bring to market in July. First put the loofah seeds into warm water at 50-55°C, stir continuously for 10-15, until the water temperature cools to 40°C, then soak for one day, changing the water once every 10 hours. After soaking the seeds, rub and wash them clean, take them out, wrap them in gauze, and place them in a 25-28°C environment to promote germination. During germination promotion, rinse once a day with warm water, until they sprout white, then sow.

2. Sowing and seedling raising

When sowing, mix field soil and farmyard manure at a 1:1 ratio, then fill it into the seedbed. When filling the soil, the lower part should be compacted and the upper part loose. Water thoroughly once when sowing. Evenly sow the already germinated loofah seeds into the seedbed, cover with about 1.5 cm of soil, then cover with plastic film. If there is a cold wave, close the shed to keep warm. Use about 250-300 per mu of seed. After sowing, maintain the temperature at 25-30°C to facilitate emergence. Generally, seedlings emerge in 4-5 days. After emergence, keep the temperature between 15-25°C, and at the same time do a good job of watering, to promote their growth. Pay attention to the amount when watering, so as to avoid waterlogging and root rot.

3. Transplanting

Close the shed 20 days before transplanting, which helps the soil thaw. After thawing, apply sufficient decomposed organic fertilizer as base fertilizer. When the seedlings have 4 true leaves unfolded, choose robust seedlings and transplant them on a sunny morning. When transplanting, control the plant spacing at 35-40 cm. After transplanting, water thoroughly. Generally, plant about 200 plants per mu. After transplanting, maintain 30-35°C during the day and 20-25°C at night. When the daytime temperature exceeds 35°C, ventilate appropriately. When it is below 15°C, reduce ventilation.

4. Fertilizer and water management

Loofah likes a humid environment, so keep the soil moist throughout the growing period. After the early stage of seedling recovery, water once to help the seedlings recover. During flowering and fruiting, water once a week, and during the harvest period, water once every 3-4 days. Watering should preferably be done on a sunny morning, and watering should be even. Never flood irrigate. If loofah lacks water, it will lead to increased fiber, uneven fruit strips, and decreased quality. On the basis of applying sufficient base fertilizer, topdress multiple times. The first topdressing is after seedling recovery, applying 50-10 kg of compound fertilizer per mu. During the flowering and fruiting period, topdress once every 7-10 days, and during the harvest period, topdress once every 2-3 days. For topdressing, compound fertilizer or human manure and urine can be used. If loofah lacks fertilizer during the flowering and fruiting period, deformed fruits will form, seriously affecting quality.

The above is an introduction to early spring loofah planting techniques. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please follow us.