A Detailed Tutorial on the Latest Cultivation Techniques for the Color-Changing Gourd
The color-changing gourd, also known as the golden mango gourd, is a herbaceous edible vegetable gourd. The color-changing gourd comes in many different colors and looks like a mouse from a distance, which is why it is also called the mouse gourd. The color-changing gourd has a certain nutritional value and is a rather unusual vegetable gourd with a certain nutritional value, and a certain area is also cultivated in our country. So how should the color-changing gourd be cultivated? Below, the editor brings you the cultivation techniques for the color-changing gourd. Let's take a look!
1. Land Selection and Soil Preparation
The root system of the color-changing gourd is very well developed, so its requirements for soil are relatively low, and it can grow normally in most soils. However, if you want to increase the yield, it is still best to plant it in sandy soil, and it must have a good drainage and irrigation system. It is also not suitable for continuous cropping, and the previous crop should preferably be grain crops such as wheat and corn. After selecting the land, deep-plow the soil in autumn and winter, with a depth of no less than 20 cm, to mature the soil, increase the moisture content, and kill pathogens and insect eggs. Then apply sufficient base fertilizer, and do a good job of ridging and compacting in early spring. Pay attention to whether there are residual herbicides in the soil; if there are, remove them in time to prevent pesticide damage to the color-changing gourd during cultivation.
2. Seed Soaking and Sowing
Before sowing, first do a good job of soaking the seeds to promote germination. First put the seeds into warm water at about 50 degrees and stir for about 12 minutes. When the temperature drops to about 35 degrees, soak the seeds for about 7 hours. Then take them out with a wet cloth and place them in an environment at about 25 degrees to promote germination. They need to be washed once a day with warm water at about 30 degrees, until the germination rate reaches 85% and small sprouts have grown, only then can they be sown. When sowing, pay attention to the depth; it must not be too deep, keeping it at about 10 cm is enough, and the temperature must not be lower than 8 degrees or higher than 10 degrees. Control the sowing density well, dig the planting holes well, place the seeds flat to promote root growth, and after sowing cover with fine soil to retain water and fertilizer.
3. Trellising and Tying the Vines
Because the color-changing gourd is a vining plant, it needs trellising to help it grow. Start trellising when the seedlings of the color-changing gourd grow to about 24 cm. Before trellising, carry out one round of cultivating and weeding, and do it together with watering to help stabilize the trellis. Pay attention to the distance between the trellis poles and the seedlings; they should be at least 8 cm apart. Using the "人"-shaped trellising method is the most stable. After trellising, do a good job of tying the vines. When tying the vines, remove the tendrils of the gourd to reduce the height of the plant and prevent excessive vegetative growth. Proper vine tying can improve the growth of the color-changing gourd and ensure the yield.
4. Adjusting the Plant
Adjusting the plant of the color-changing gourd is essential work during the cultivation process, because proper adjustment can change the leaf area and growth space of the plant. It improves the growth of the color-changing gourd, reduces nutrient consumption, concentrates nutrients on the gourds, and helps enhance the quality and yield of the color-changing gourd. Thin flowers and fruits in time to ensure that the number of flowers and fruits does not exceed what the plant can bear, and when the leaves of the color-changing gourd increase, promptly remove the growing point of the main vine to prevent reproductive growth and promote vegetative growth. There are many methods for adjusting the plant, mainly determined according to the growth condition and tree shape of the plant
The above is the editor's brief introduction to the cultivation techniques for the color-changing gourd. Cultivating the color-changing gourd is actually not difficult. However, because there are not many people and not much area cultivating it in our country at present, there is not yet a fully mature cultivation technique. And during growth, management is also very important; these are all things everyone needs to pay special attention to before planting. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you all for reading and supporting.