Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria)
Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) gourd vine (Lagenaria siceraria) could be a very fashionable and healthy annual vegetable. It is a tall vine plant, its flowers are white, and the leaves are large. This popular vegetable has been cultivated in Asia, Europe, and America for thousands of years. It is also grown in large quantities in India and is produced throughout the year. Learn How to grow Bottle gourd | Growing Bottle gourd | Lauki and more about dudhi plant.
Lagenaria siceraria is an annual vegetable plant; plant leaves are large and lush. The gourd comes in many shapes and sizes. Being shaped like a bottle, Bottle Gourd is called a bottle gourd. It is known by many other names, gourd, lauki, ghiya, and dudhi in India.
Overview Bottle gourd
Scientific name Lagenaria sicerariamilk
Common name Bottle gourd, Lauki, ghiya, dudhi
Plant type Vegetable
Sun Full sun
Soil rich well-drainage soil
Soil pH 6.5 to 7.5Remove featured image
Zone 10-12
How to grow Bottle gourd
Which Soil and location are best?
This vegetable requires rich well-drainage soil. Growing Bottle gourd in garden soil adds organic matter (compost, manure, or leaf mold) to improve soil structure. Before planting, select such places where the plant can get full sun.
When to sow?
The appropriate time to plant seeds for gourd grow is from June to July. This is a monsoon or rainy season crop. for summer crop February is most suitable for summer crops.
Indoor Seedling
Indoor seedling start in those areas that affect late spring frost. For such parts, choose a place where the sunlight comes, the southern window can be a good choice. For this, sow 2 seeds per 4 inch Peat Pot. Then the seedling and apply it to a seed per pot, when seed germination starts. When the plants grow, transfer the seedlings outside.
How to pollinate?
Flowers come in about 40 days in bottle gourd plant. Where the bee is lacking, you can pollinate its flowers with hands. Both men and female plants of gourd make flowers. Take a paintbrush and collect male yellowish sticky pollen inside male flowers, then transfer it inside the female flowers.
Bottle gourd plant Care
- Mind it when the frost is over. Transfer these plants to the prepared soil by manure in late spring.
- This plant requires a lot of water, especially during the growing season, but hate the wet feet.
- When the main vine becomes 6 to 8 feet long, its growing tip is cut off, it strengthens the plant and helps encourage other branches. This helps in more stimulus of fruits and flowers.
- This plant grows well in sandy loam soil. By adding organic manure you can make the soil rich. To cultivate gourd, use well-prepared soil by mixing the organic manure. This will give you high-quality vegetables. For this soil pH Level, 6.5 to 7.5 are ideal.
- Gourd plant needs water in a uniform manner, its soil does not dry up. The abundant water in the growing season encourages plant flowers and fruit. Due to the state of drought, the tree will produce weak and less.
- Keep in mind that wherever this plant is available, there should be a good system of drainage.
- Use it spray seaweed solution or liquid fertilizer every 3 weeks.
- Lauki plants are vines and can be up to 15 feet long. To climb it, you can use lattice.
Harvesting
After getting the desired shape, you can cut dudhi fruit. The young gourd matures in about 60 days. It comes to the work of vegetables and juice. Some farmers leave them to harden the gourd on the vine during the fall and winter, which are later used for crafts or other projects.
Pests and diseases
Lauki is relatively free of problems, although slugs like their young plants. The leaves of the young plant have a special scent, which calls back the insecticide. Powdery Mildew is responsible for the damp heat conditions. This plant requires air circulation. Water drainage should also be well, otherwise, the roots should fear of rotting.
Read also:
how to grow Organic bottle gourd. Growing petunias in containers. gardenia plants Growing and care tips. Growing Garlic plants in pots. How to grow Calendula. Gladiolus frowers growing conditions. 5 Indoor succulents at your home. Fiddle leaf fig plants growing and care guide. Guduchi growing guide. Peperomia house plants care tips. Orchids growing and care guide.
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