Detailed Explanation of Key Production Techniques for Greenhouse Loofah

I. Land Preparation: Level with a height difference ratio of 0.2-0.3. After plowing, form ridges and irrigate heavily; once the moisture level is suitable, further level the surface.

II. Fertilization: Apply 10 cubic meters of farmyard manure (chicken and duck droppings, etc.) per mu, 500 kg of bio-organic fertilizer, 50-60 kg of compound fertilizer with an N-P-K content of 15-15-15, and 20-25 kg of the required medium and trace elements.

III. Ridge Formation: The most suitable spacing between two ridges is 140 cm. Plant on the lower half or bottom of the furrow slope, meaning the planting row is the furrow, with a furrow bottom width of 35-45 cm.

IV. Transplanting: Dig holes with a row spacing of 40-50 cm and a plant spacing of about 25 cm. Choose to transplant on days with clear weather forecast for the next few days. When pulling up seedlings, do not pinch the base of the stem, to avoid damaging the stem epidermis from excessive force and causing watery stem rot. Gently place the pulled seedlings into the prepared holes and gently cover with soil to prevent stem damage. Do not take too long to complete planting; water promptly after finishing, and pay attention to temperature control, around 30°C during the day and around 19°C at night, to ensure complete and strong seedlings.

V. Hoop-Style Plastic Film Mulching and Trellising: Use appropriately sized flexible strips or bamboo pieces within the planting row, arching them every 60-80 cm, connect them at the top with rope, then cover with plastic film, cut holes of suitable size above the vines to let them emerge above the film, and press down both sides firmly.

VI. Pinching the Growing Tip and Keeping the First Fruit: First assess the vine's growth vigor. Generally, for those transplanted in late September, early October, or late February, when both air and soil temperatures are still relatively suitable and growth is vigorous, you can keep a fruit at the 15th-18th leaf and pinch the growing tip (after pinching, hang the vine to a height of 150-160 cm, which is convenient for management); for those transplanted around New Year's Day, when air and soil temperatures are relatively low and growth is weaker, keeping a fruit at that time will not produce a marketable fruit, so it can only be delayed, and you can keep a fruit at the 20th-30th leaf and pinch the growing tip.

VII. Timely Watering and Rational Fertilization: Especially in winter, watering should also be done when the next few days are clear; the interval is not fixed and should be handled as appropriate. From May to September, when air and soil temperatures rise, heavy irrigation can be used, once every 7-10 days.

VIII. Timely Harvesting: Based on customer demand and price considerations, fruits can generally be harvested when they are 50-60 cm long and 3-5 cm in diameter. Choose morning for harvesting, finish picking when the greenhouse temperature rises, and place them in a cool place covered with a damp cloth, so that they store and transport well while also avoiding dried flowers, ready for boxing or crating for sale.

IX. Boxing: Generally, customers prefer foam boxes to pack them in one go for transport to the destination. From November to April, adding plastic wrap inside the box is sufficient; in the high-temperature season from May to October, ice can be added inside the box to keep them fresh according to customer needs. Hu Naiyi