How to Grow Ivy Gourd from Seed to Harvest
Ivy Gourd (Coccinia grandis) is one of the perennial vining vegetables that bear fruits almost throughout the year. Ivy Gourd vine bears fruit for 4-5 years after planting. Ivy gourd is cultivated in eastern and southern regions of the country.
Male and female plants are separate in the climber. Female flowers develop into fruits without pollination. So all female plants can be planted in the field. A wide variety of delicious dishes can be made with the tender Ivy gourd seeds. The leaves, stem, roots are used in naturopathic medicine for skin diseases, respiratory diseases and diabetes.
In this article I have explained How to Grow Ivy Gourd from Seed to Harvest, which helps every farmer and home gardener to gain the knowledge on
- Available verities of Ivy Gourd.
- Seed germination time.
- Suitable soil and weather conditions.
- Field preparation and planting distance.
- Fertilizer and Water Management.
- Required seed per acre and expected yield per acre.
Weather:
Ivy Gourd crop grows and bears fruits throughout the year in areas where the temperature is 200-300 centigrade and the air humidity is high. Cold regions are not suitable for Ivy gourd crop.
Soils:
Well-drained, fertile loamy, alluvial soils are suitable.
Varieties:
There are mainly two types of Ivy gourd. One is bitter and the other is sweet. The bitter variety has deeply cut leaves and fruits that are green in color with white markings on them. These are not suitable for curry. The sweet variety has five-lobed leaves and the fruits are pale green with white spots.
Planting Season:
Branches can be planted in June-July Or January-February-March.
Water management:
Irrigate the hole before planting the stem cuttings. Ensure that the pits are always moist for proper rooting of stem cuttings. Under no circumstances should water stand in pits.
Water should be given once a week and once in ten days as needed. Ivy gourd vines should not be watered during rainy season. If there is any waterlogging at the time of flowering and fruiting, not only the coating and fruiting, but also the yield will decrease.
Harvesting, yield:
The fruits should be harvested within a week when they are still tender. If the harvesting is delayed, the fruits will not ripen and become unsalable. Annual yield is 4.8 to 6 tons per acre. Harvesting can be done up to four to five years after planting.
Next the old plants should be removed and new plants should be planted. After harvesting, the ivy gourd can be kept for up to a week at normal temperature and sufficient humidity.
Follow WalPencil to get to know cultivation tips for other vegetable crops like Snake Gourd, Tomato, Chilli etc.
