A Detailed Guide to the Latest Methods for Growing Loofah in Containers
Growing vegetables in containers is the first choice for many urban gardeners, but usually it is small vegetables like baby bok choy. Some people have also grown loofah in containers on their balconies with success. Growing loofah on a balcony not only provides a vegetable, but its vines can also beautify the balcony, truly killing two birds with one stone, and it is also very easy to grow. Below, let us take a look at how to grow loofah in containers!
Growing Container
Growing loofah in a container requires preparing a sufficiently large container. The larger the volume and depth of the growing container, the better. At minimum, you need to ensure a soil layer thickness of 15 cm and a soil capacity of more than 10 liters. Only in this way can you guarantee the later growth of the loofah. Then find suitable soil, add compound fertilizer and mix thoroughly, or directly buy nutrient soil. Because the flower pot is limited, fertile soil is a powerful factor in giving the loofah later strength.
⟦NL>Growing Space
Loofah is different from other vegetables in that it needs to climb vines, so before growing loofah you need to plan the balcony reasonably and prepare for guiding the loofah vines to climb. Because balcony layouts differ, gardening friends can freely use their creativity, as long as the loofah has somewhere to climb. In addition, pay attention to light and ventilation, which are very important.
Seedling Methods
1. Place the seeds in 60°C hot water and stir continuously to soak for 10 to 15 minutes, then soak the seeds in 30°C warm water for 2 to 5 hours. After washing, wrap them in a wet cloth (or paper towel) and germinate them at 25 to 30°C for 24 to 36 hours. Sow when 2/3 of the seeds have sprouted white.
2. Sow the seeds in individual disposable plastic cups, cover with 1 to 2 cm of soil, and water thoroughly. They can also be sown directly in the corresponding container, with 2 to 3 seeds per hole. At suitable temperatures they sprout in about 5 to 7 days. When temperatures are lower, cover with film to keep warm.
3. After sowing the seeds, water appropriately. When there are 4 to 6 true leaves, choose a sunny afternoon for transplanting. One week before transplanting, ventilate to harden the seedlings, apply sufficient base fertilizer (for summer sowing, apply less or none), remove old, weak, and diseased seedlings, and plant 1 plant per pot.
Daily Management
1. Loofah likes strong light and requires no less than 8 hours of light per day. It tolerates high temperatures and fears cold. The suitable growing temperature is 25 to 30°C, and the minimum temperature should not be lower than 12°C. At high temperatures, it still grows vigorously when water and fertilizer are not lacking. It tolerates moisture and needs sufficient water. When temperatures are low, water before noon on sunny days. In dry weather, water once every other day. During high summer temperatures, water once in the morning and once in the evening.
2. When the loofah plant is about 50 cm tall, earth up and press the vine once. When it is about 70 cm tall, earth up and press the vine again, coil the vine on the soil surface and remove side vines. Pruning should generally be done on sunny afternoons. When female flowers begin to appear, set up supports and guide the vine onto the trellis in a zigzag shape, tying it with string at intervals of about 20 cm to secure it.
3. Before the loofah sets its first fruit, all side vines should be removed. After that, if there are too many side vines for harvesting, remove some of the overly dense or weaker side vines. After side vines set 2 to 3 fruits, pinch off the growing tips. In the middle and later stages of growth, appropriately remove yellow leaves and old leaves, following the principle that leaves should not overlap and block light from each other. During growth, it is best to promptly remove tendrils, most male flowers, and poorly developed fruits. If necessary, hand pollination can be done, generally at 5 to 6 p.m. using male flowers that opened the same day for pollination.
4. Before the loofah sets fruit, apply decomposed organic fertilizer once every 10 days, for a total of 2 applications. Be careful to avoid applying too much nitrogen fertilizer. After fruit set, apply decomposed organic fertilizer once a week. It can be harvested 10 to 14 days after flowering, when the flower at the tip begins to dry up, the fruit skin color begins to darken, and the fruit feels elastic when held. If you want to save seeds, you can wait until the fruit skin turns yellow before harvesting.