How to Grow Bottle Gourds?

How to Grow Bottle Gourds? Scientifically The bottle gourd, Lagenaria siceraria, is a Cucurbitaceae plant (Cucumber family). Calabash is another name for it, and Lauki is a popular name in Pakistan. It is a well-known and commonly cultivated fruiting vegetable in Pakistan and throughout the world. The bottle gourd plant is a climber with tendrils that resemble spring. The milky green fruits with white flesh come in a variety of forms and sizes, with the most common being long cylindrical and short spherical variants.

Bottle Gourd Uses

1. Bottle gourd is a delicious soft vegetable with a delicate flavor that may be used to make both sweet and spicy meals.
2. In Pakistan, it is cooked as a vegetable and used to make chops and koftas, as well as Halwa.
3. Bottle gourd is a low-calorie health food that is high in vitamins, minerals, and water.
4. Calabash has a significant cultural use beyond food. Calabash is utilized as a resonator in several string instruments in Pakistan. Wooden instruments like as the Sitar, Veena, and others can have a calabash resonator at the end of the strings table called the Toomba.

How to Grow Bottle Gourds from Seed?

1. Throughout the year, seed sowing makes it simple to cultivate bottle gourd. Summer and monsoon seasons are ideal for seed planting.
2. Seeds are directly placed in small holes or raised beds and germinate in 7-8 days.
3. Bottle gourd seedlings grow quickly and quickly assume the habit of a climber.
4. For the climber to grow, a strong trellis support should be erected. Many gardeners allow the plant to trail on the ground or climb on poles or the top of the house.
5. To stimulate branching, pinch off the young plant’s growth tips.
6. In the second month, the side shoots will produce separate male and female flowers.
7. Female flowers contain little gourds beneath them after pollination. If there are a lot of male blooms, you can remove some of them.

Harvesting

1. The harvesting season begins around 2-3 months after seed sowing and lasts about 6-8 weeks.
2. Harvesting is best when the fruits have a soft, smooth surface and you can easily insert your fingernail through the skin or scrape it.

How to Grow Bottle Gourd in Pots?

Bottle gourds grow well in 14-inch containers or large grow bags. Before sowing seeds, fill the container with high-quality potting soil. One of the best-growing media for bottle gourds is an organic veggie mix. Grow only one plant in each container.

1. Bottle Gourd Plant Care to Grow Bottle Gourds

1. Bottle gourds should be planted in open, sunny areas.
2. Top treat the plant with an equal mix of coco peat and well-rotted manure. Repeat 2-3 times throughout the growing season.
3. Watering is essential for the growth of the bottle gourd plant. It requires a constant supply of moisture.
4. The constant stopping and pinching of the climber ensure a very faithful and sharply planted plant.

2. Bottle Gourd Plant Troubleshoots

1. Immature gourds are falling: This is a regular problem. Baby gourds remain motionless, gradually shriveling up and falling off. This is usually due to a lack of adequate food or irrigation. Provide liquid manure and allow it to reach the roots.
2. Gourds decay while they are small: Gourds turn yellow, rot at the end, and eventually fall off. This could be caused to waterlogging or poor pollination.

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