What Is the Price of Loofah Seeds? A Detailed Guide to Growing Methods

Loofah, also known as sheng gua, cai gua, diao gua and so on, is an annual climbing vine of the genus Luffa in the Cucurbitaceae family. It is widely cultivated in temperate and tropical regions around the world, and is commonly grown throughout both northern and southern parts of China, with wild populations found in southern Yunnan. The fruit is a summer vegetable and can be served cold with dressing, stir-fried, braised, used in soups, or juiced. Let us take a look at loofah seed prices and growing methods below!

How much does a jin of loofah seeds cost?

The price of loofah seeds is roughly 40 to 150 yuan per jin, but prices vary greatly depending on the variety, quality, place of origin, season and market. Loofah can be planted in spring, summer, autumn and winter. For winter and spring cultivation, sow from November to January to February of the following year, and harvest for market from December to April of the following year; long club-shaped varieties are preferable, such as Bilu, Shuangqing and Lüwang. For summer and autumn cultivation, sow from June to September and harvest for market from July to November; short club-shaped varieties are preferable, such as Thai loofah.

Growing Conditions for Loofah

1. Light: Loofah is a short-day crop that prefers fairly strong sunlight and tolerates weak light relatively well. During the seedling stage, short days and large temperature differences favor female flower bud differentiation, while throughout the growth period, short days and high temperatures favor flowering and fruit set, young fruit development and increased yield.

2. Temperature: Loofah is a temperature-loving, heat-tolerant crop. The suitable temperature for growth and development is 20 to 30°C, the suitable temperature for seed germination is 28 to 30°C, and germination is rapid at 30 to 35°C.

3. Water: Loofah likes moisture and fears drought. It grows well when soil moisture is relatively high and water content is above 70%, and grows slowly when it is below 50%. Air humidity should not be less than 60%; at 75 to 85% it grows quickly and sets many fruits.

4. Soil: Loofah has strong adaptability and is not demanding about soil, and can be cultivated in all types of soil, but loam or sandy loam with deep soil layers, high organic matter content, good aeration and strong water- and fertilizer-retention capacity is preferable.

Planting Time for Loofah

1. Spring loofah: For spring loofah, in the north it is generally planted around Qingming Festival, while in the south the weather turns warm earlier and is suitable for loofah cultivation, so loofah can be planted as early as February.

2. Summer loofah: Summer loofah is planted from late April to early July and comes to market from June to October, but this time frame can be adjusted according to local conditions.

3. Autumn loofah: Autumn loofah is best planted in August to September. Ridged loofah varieties more suitable for autumn planting include Chunfeng loofah, Xiaxuan loofah and Yalü No. 1 loofah, while common loofah varieties include changdu shuigua and qingpi loofah.

4. Winter loofah: In winter, loofah is planted in greenhouses around November and can be harvested from February to March of the following year, but the greenhouse must have good lighting and heat retention to meet the growth requirements of winter loofah.

Seedling Raising Methods for Loofah

1. Seed soaking and disinfection: Before soaking loofah seeds, sun them for 2 to 3 days. For disinfection, soak the seeds in 10% trisodium phosphate for 20 minutes, then soak them in warm water at 60 to 70°C for 10 to 15 minutes while stirring constantly; when the water temperature drops to 30°C, continue soaking for 4 to 6 hours.

2. Germination method: After soaking and disinfection, remove the loofah seeds and place them under conditions of 28 to 30°C to germinate, rinsing with clean water 1 to 2 times a day, including the clean gauze used to wrap the seeds. After about 3 to 4 days, once the seeds show white sprouts, they can be sown.

3. Sowing method: Loofah has a relatively low survival rate when transplanted, so direct sowing is generally used, with 2 to 3 seeds per hole at a depth of 1 to 2 cm, the seeds placed flat. The field water-holding capacity of the soil should preferably be 75%; if too dry, water lightly. After sowing, cover with dry grass to keep warm and moist.

4. Seedling management: Loofah generally emerges fully in 4 to 6 days. After the seedlings emerge, the temperature should be lowered appropriately. If moisture is insufficient during the seedling stage, water or spray appropriately, and also pay attention to the prevention and control of pests and diseases. Once the seedlings have 2 to 3 true leaves, they can be transplanted.

Growing Methods for Loofah

1. Land selection and preparation: For loofah production, choose sandy loam with deep soil layers, fertile soil, convenient drainage and irrigation, and a neutral to slightly acidic pH. Poor, thin soil is not suitable. When preparing the land, generally spread 50 to 100 kg of lime per mu to adjust the soil's pH.

2. Timely transplanting: Choose a sunny day to transplant loofah. Before transplanting, apply sufficient base fertilizer, generally using 5000 kg of high-quality farmyard manure, 80 to 120 kg of superphosphate and 25 to 30 kg of urea per mu, then plow deeply 20 cm, level with a rake and build beds, planting about 2800 seedlings per mu.

3. Trellis building: Loofah grown in the field must have a trellis. Bamboo, wood or cement poles can be used as posts, with the trellis about 2 m high. The top of the trellis should be tied crosswise with small nylon rope into squares and must be able to withstand the weight of fresh fruits as well as strong winds and rainstorms.

4. Fertilizer and water management: Loofah has a relatively high fertilizer requirement. When the vines begin to run, apply the first heavy fertilizer combined with earthing up; apply the second heavy fertilizer at the peak fruiting stage; and apply appropriate supplementary fertilizer 3 to 4 times in the late fruiting stage, applying 10 kg of ternary compound fertilizer or 20 kg of cake fertilizer per mu.

5. Preserving flowers and fruits: In loofah cultivation, some female flowers should be thinned out. Generally, the first node's female flower fruit is often deformed and should be removed promptly. From 5 to 6 in the evening, artificial supplementary pollination can be used to increase the fruit-setting rate. When the fruit is about 30 cm long, take care to hang the fruit and straighten the fruit body.

6. Timely harvesting: Loofah has strong continuous fruiting ability, and during the peak fruiting period the fruits grow quickly. If grown properly, it can be harvested every 2 to 3 days. Harvesting should be done in the morning, cutting from the fruit stalk with a tool; do not pull or pick by hand, so as not to break the branches and vines.

Pest and Disease Control for Loofah

1. Loofah cottony leak

[Harm] The harmful stages of loofah cottony leak are divided into the seedling stage and the fruiting stage, and after being affected it causes fruit rot.

[Control] Agricultural control is primary, focusing on a complete three-ditch system, reducing field humidity, balanced fertilization, and preventing excessive or one-sided application of nitrogen fertilizer. For chemical control, spray 1:2:200 Bordeaux mixture. When rainy weather and high humidity occur during the fruiting period, prevent and control early and frequently.

2. Loofah downy mildew

[Harm] When the disease occurs, large numbers of leaves wither and die, directly affecting the yield and quality of the loofah sponge.

[Control] For agricultural control, appropriately increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and promptly remove diseased leaves when the disease first appears. For chemical control, early root drenching with 500 times metalaxyl can be used, and at the initial onset of the disease, spray with 2000 times [product name unclear] for control, once every 7 days, for 1 to 2 consecutive treatments.

3. Loofah viral disease

[Harm] Loofah viral disease can be transmitted through aphids, farming operations and contact with sweat.

[Control] Choose disease-tolerant varieties, cultivate disease-free strong seedlings, transplant appropriately early, and control aphids in time. In the early stage of the disease, spray 500 times 20% virazole wettable powder or 500 times 5% [product name unclear] aqueous solution.

4. Loofah phytophthora blight

[Harm] The pathogen comes from seeds or soil and spreads through wind, rain and irrigation water.

[Control] Choose disease-resistant varieties, practice crop rotation, and select fields with moderate elevation and convenient drainage and irrigation. In the early stage of the disease, spray 200 times 40% phosethyl-Al or 500 times 75% chlorothalonil, once every 7 days, for 2 to 3 treatments.

5. Loofah powdery mildew

[Harm] The pathogen overwinters on diseased residues, and during the growing season large numbers of conidia are produced on the lesions, spreading by wind and rain. July to August is the peak period of the disease.

[Control] In late June, spray 1:1:200 Bordeaux mixture once for prevention. In early July, spray 500 times 25% triadimefon once every 5 to 8 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive treatments.

6. American leafminer

[Harm] The larvae mine and feed on the leaf mesophyll inside the leaves, forming curved white tunnels, affecting normal plant growth. In severe cases, it can cause large numbers of fallen leaves and flowers and premature plant decline.

[Control] Clean the field, and promptly remove leaves when scattered damage occurs in the field. Control agents include 1500 times 0.25% [product name unclear] or 1500 times 1.0% abamectin, and attention should be paid to rotating and alternating their use.