How to Grow Luffa or Ridge Gourd, its Nutrition & Care

Luffa is one of the most popular vegetable. In this content how to grow luffa or ridge gourd, its nutrition and care. It is also popular by the term “Ridge Gourd”. It is a seasonal vegetable available in summer. There are 0.5 gm. protein, 33.6 mg beta carotene, 5 mg vitamin C, 18 mg calcium and 27 mg phosphors in 100 consumable Ridge guard.

Climate and Soil Selection for Ridge Gourd

The land which is well warmed and having moderate moisture for a long, is suitable for Ridge Gourd farming. Well refined loamy soil having high organic elements is best suited for successful Ridge Gourd cultivation.

Quantity of Seeds

For Ridge Gourd farming, the amount of seeds will be 3-4 kg for per hector.

Selecting and Preparing the Land

The land having sufficient irrigation facilities and drainage system should be selected for farming. Also it must have moderate sunshine. The land will be prepared carefully to develop the growth of the plant and roots. For this, the land should be ploughed and made the soil shuffle with ladder. So that there should not find any big crank of soil and all the weeds die out.

Making the bed for Ridge Gourd

The height of bed will be 15-25 cm having the width of 1.2 m and the length should be long as the land stands on. beds should be in a row. There should have a drainage facility of 60 cm between two rows and to care the vegetable, a channel of 30 cm will be after every two beds.

Species of Ridge Gourd

• Seutangula (angled luffa, nidged luffa, vegetable gourd)
• Aegyptiptiaca/ luffa cylindrica (Smooth luffa, egyptian luffa, dishrage gourd, gourd loofa)
• Operculata (wild loofa, sponge cucumber)

Qualifications of Ridge Gourd

1. Ridge Gourd is an attractive green colored vegetable.
2. Having an average length of 27 cm and weight of 125 gm.
3. Production rate is about 10-15 ton (per hector)

Life time of Ridge Gourd

A Ridge Gourd plant starts giving vegetable after few weeks and continues the process till it dies having a life time of 120-140 days.

Sowing period of Ridge Gourd

For a successful Ridge Gourd farming, we need to complete the sowing process at the last days of winter. Though the climate is rough for the young plant. But successful germination will help us to get bumper production at the very beginning of summer.

Planting Seedlings

The diameter of each seed hole will be 50 cm having a depth of 50 cm. Plant seedlings of 15-17 days at a row in per bed.

Additional Care

There are several additional care for successful Ridge Gourd farming. They are as below:

Regular Irrigation

Ridge Gourd is a summer seasonal vegetable. As there are several down pour in summer, we need not to irrigate the land then. But during the hot and sunny days, the temperature becomes intolerable for the plants to be grown. Sometime there is no rainfall yet. On the appointed days, irrigation should be continued after every 6-7 days.

Roofing the bed

For a maximum production, we must manage a roof over the bed. If you farm the ridge gourd on the ground, the vegetable becomes fade, starts rotted. Also it hampers the natural pollination system. This also hampers the total production.

Provide Additional Fertilizer

After planting the trees, we must provide additional fertilizer to ensure the growth of plants and production.

Artificial Pollination for more Production

Ridge gourd is usually pollen by bees. For expected production, there should be three colonies of bees at per hector. Moreover, by artificial pollination, the production can be increased at 20-25%. The flower of ridge gourd blooms at afternoon. So, the pollination period lasts till evening and the early next morning. To get bumper production, artificial pollination has no exception.

Collecting the Harvest

1. The ridge gourd befits to collect after 8-10 days of pollination.
2. Ridge Gourd looks attractive and smooth.

Production

It is possible to get 10-15 tons of ridge gourd at per hector ensuring healthy seeds, fertile land and proper attendance.

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