How to Grow Snake Gourd from Seed to Harvest
Snake gourd (Trichosanthes anguina L.) is one of the important climber vegetables cultivated in our state. It is a fast growing annual vine. Its fruits are 30 cm to 200 cm long depending on the variety. Some types of seeds have stripes.
In this article I have explained How to Grow Snake Gourd from Seed to Harvest, which helps every farmer and home gardener to gain the knowledge on
- Available verities of Snake 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:
Hot moist climate is suitable for its cultivation. If the temperature is 25-30° centigrade, the vine growth will be good and the flowering will washes well. If there is no rain at the time of flowering and fertilizing, good yields will be obtained.
Current Cultivation Issues:
- Non-availability of superior varieties
- Lack of hybrid varieties
- Lack of proper knowledge on pests
- Failure of farmers to follow comprehensive management and comprehensive crop protection measures
Soil:
Light clay soils that retain water, alluvial loam soils with Soils with a Soil PH levels 6.0–7.0 are suitable.
Varieties:
1Kg of seeds Contains approximately 2400 seeds
Snake Gourd Seed Germination time is 8 to 10 Days
Shwetha: It is released by Vegetable Research Station, Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticultural University, Rajendranagar. A variety suitable for cultivation in all regions of our state. Its fruits grow up to 180-200 cm and are white in color with light green stripes. It is a high yielding variety. Its harvesting period is 125-130 days. Yields 11-12 tones per acre and also suitable for summer crop.
Co-1: Its fruits are 160-180 cm long and dark green in color with white stripes. Harvesting period: 135 days. Yield : About 7 t/a.
Co-2: This variety can be grown without the need of a climber. The fruits are 30-35 cm long, plump, light green in color and without stripes. The fruits have a white flowering. Harvesting period is 120-130 days. Yield : 10-12 t/a.
MDU-1: This is a hybrid type of F-1. The fruits are about 60 cm long and green in color with white stripes.
Planting time:
This crop is sown in the months of June-July. As a summer crop it is better to sow in December-January months.
Soil Preparation:
The field should be plowed well 3-4 times and 6-8 tones of cattle manure per acre should be given. 60-80 cm wide drains should be laid with a width of 2.0m. 45x45x45 cm pits should be sown at a distance of 1.0-1.5 m between each step in the canal.
Seed Per Acre:
Seed rate: 0.6-0.8 kg of seed per acre is required.
Harvesting: 120- 135 days after sowing the seeds
Yield: 6-12 tones/acre
Planting Method:
Sow 3-5 seeds per pit at a depth of 1.2 cm. Seeds germinate in 8-10 days after sowing. Keep 2 strong plants and cut the rest.
If it is a rain dependent crop, it is better to sow 2-3 seeds each in 15X20 cm polythene bags in the 2nd week of may to get the crop early, let it grow for 15-20 days and plant it in the field at the two leaf stage. Plants will recover quickly if they are mulched at the time of planting.
Water Management:
The field should be watered before sowing the seed. After that water should be given once every 3-4 days. In this way, water should be given till sprouting and once a week after sprouting, water the fruits well once a week. Summer crop should be watered once in four to five days.
Yield:
6-9 t/a in summer and 7-12 t/a in kharif
Follow WalPencil to get to know cultivation tips for other vegetable crops like Bottle Gourd, Bitter Gourd, Ridge Gourd etc.
