Scientifically called Lagenaria siceraria is a type of bottle gourd that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family (Cucumber family). Calabash is another name for it, and Lauki is the Indian name for it. It is a well-known and commonly grown fruiting vegetable on the Indian subcontinent and throughout the world.
The bottle gourd plant is a climber with tendrils that resemble springs. The milky green fruits with white meat come in a variety of forms and sizes; the most frequent is the long cylindrical and short circular variants.
The bottle gourd is one of the world’s oldest vegetables, having been cultivated by ancient human civilizations. The cultivation of bottle gourds has a long history dating back thousands of years.
Uses of Bottle Gourds:
Bottle gourd is a delicious soft vegetable with a delicate flavor that can be used in both sweet and spicy cuisines.
It’s cooked as a vegetable in India, and it’s used to make chops and koftas, as well as Halwa.
Bottle gourd is an excellent low-calorie health food that is high in vitamins, minerals, and water.
Calabash serves a cultural purpose in addition to being a dish. In India, calabash is used as a resonator in various string instruments.
Wooden instruments like the Sitar and Veena, for example, can include a calabash resonator called Toomba at the end of the strings table.
How to Grow Bottle Gourd from Seed
Bottle gourd can be grown year-round using the seed planting method. The optimal time to plant seeds is during the summer and monsoon seasons. Bottle gourd seeds are available to buy online.
Seeds are directly placed in shallow holes or raised beds, germinating in 7-8 days.
Bottle gourd seedlings grow quickly and develop a climbing habit rather fast.
For the climber to grow, robust trellis support should be placed. Many gardeners allow the plant to trail on the ground or climb on poles or the house’s roof.
To stimulate branching, pinch off the young plant’s growth tips.
In the second month, the side shoots will produce separate male and female flowers.
Female flowers contain little gourds beneath them after pollination. If there are a lot of male blooms, you can remove some of them.
How to Grow Bottle Gourd in Pots/Containers
Bottle gourds can be grown in 14-inch containers or large grow bags with ease.
Before sowing seeds, fill the container with a good-quality potting mixture.
One of the greatest growth supplements for bottle gourds is an organic vegetable mix.
Make sure that you grow only a single plant in each container.
Bottle Ground Plant Care
Bottle gourd should be grown in a sunny, open environment.
Apply a thick layer of coco peat and well-rotted manure on the top of the plant in equal parts. During the growing season, repeat this process 2-3 times.
Bottle gourd needs lots of water to grow well. It needs a constant supply of moisture to thrive.
Stopping and pinching the climber regularly ensures healthy produce and plants.
How to Harvest Bottle Gourd
After 2-3 months of seed sowing, the harvesting season begins and lasts roughly 6-8 weeks.
The best time to harvest is when the fruits have a soft, smooth surface and you can easily scrape or press your fingernail through the skin. You can remove the bottle gourd from the plant by snipping it with a pair of garden shears.