Name: Bottle gourd - Souq Garden
SKU: 21924
Availability: InStock

Scientific name	Lagenaria siceraria
Common name	Bottle gourd
Temperature requirement	25-35 °C
Humidity	40-50%
Light	Full sunlight
Watering	Water everyday &keep moist
Pests	Fungus, slug, mite, aphid
Pet friendliness	Raw bottle gourd contains toxic tetracyclic triterpenoid compounds called cucurbitacins which are responsible for the bitter taste and toxicity.
Maximum plant height	180-360 cm
Potting mix	Potting soil/red soil/manure/perlite
Pot requirement	Good drainage & repot every 1-2 years
Nutrition	Apply manure for first 15 days and npk for next 15 days
Pruning & training	Remove dead & diseased leaves with sterile shears
Common color & season
Description	Bottle gourd can be grown on all types of soils, but sandy loam soils with high organic matter content are considered best. Soil should be well drained and the ph between 6-7. The soil should be deep soil so that is can support the vine for a longer period. Soil – moisture is important for rapid growth and it should be at least 10-15% above the permanent wilting point.It can be raised successfully in riverbeds. The soils should not crack in summer and should not be water-logged in rainy season. The soil temperature for good crop growth should be 18°-22°C. Top dress the plant with a thick layer of coco peat and well-rotted manure in equal parts. Repeat this 2-3 times during the growing season.Apply 10 kg of fym (20 t/ha), 100 g of npk 6:12:12 mixture/pit as basal and 10 g of n/pit 30 days after sowing.Apply azospirillum and phosphobacteria 2 kg/ha and pseudomonas 2.5 Kg/ha along with fym 50 kg and neem cake @ 100 kg before last ploughing. After germination of seed the vine is to be trailed on bower wit h the help of jute string. The auxiliary buds are to be removed weekly till the vine attaining bower and finally the top of the vine is to be pruned 15cm below the bower allowing two auxiliary buds to grow which are later on trialed on the bower.