Thursday, September 18, 2008

Bottle Gourd cultivation

Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is a widely grown tropical vegetable which has high carbohydrate content. oil can be extracted from the seed kernel and is used in hair care products. the hard shells of the bottle gourd can be used as utensils, or floats in fishing nets and even musical instruments, due to its resonating property.

soil and climate
bottle gourds require well drained and sandy loam soils for its good cultivation. it cannot tolerate higher amounts of acidity, alkalinity or salinity. pH range is between 5 to 5.5 . when soil conditions are not optimum, then production of female flowers is greately affected.
ten days after sowing. thinning out has to be done & min of 2 seeds must be retained in every bed

21 days after sowing.

it can be grown almost in all climates, however, too much rainfall is not good. optimum temperature range is between 30 to 35 degrees during day. if temperature is very high, then more number of male flowers are formed thereby decreasing yield.

LAND PREPARATION, IRRIGATION AND FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT

Since we are discussing monsoon techniques for growing bottle gourds, the land selected must have good drainage. to attain this at least 3 repeated ploughings must be done. raised seed beds are made up to height of 30 cm & distance between beds must be maintained at minimum 2 meters.
irregular leaf shape is due to heavy rainfall & pest attack. spraying with systemic insecticides like dimethoate @ 1 ml per litre every week till plant is healthy is done.
lush green leaves indicates good nitrogen in the soil

in the presence of optimum sunlight, the leaves are able to prepare their own food & the plants appear much more healthy

irrigation is not given during monsoon , but when there is dry spell, light irrigation must be done just to replenish soil moisture. in summer irrigation is carried out thrice a week. if proper mulching is done, irrigation can be reduced to twice weekly.

the 3 photos above show the crop development after a 35 days after sowing. care must be taken to see that the growing vines are free from developing weeds, or it will hinder harvesting.

development of fruits, fruit setting seen


requires good amounts of organic manure. since it is a long duration crop, it is highly beneficial to add manures in split doses. bulky organic manures can be added to the soil every 20 days, while it is good to add complex fertilizers at least once every month.
it responds great to foliar applications as well. the number of female flowers can be increased using plant hormones like NAA, naphthalene acetic acid @ 1 ml per litre, just during flowering stage.
a healthy bottle gourd plant, which seems to be climbing. the vines can grow up to 20 feet, if left unchecked & hence thinning out is done to avoid overcrowding. also distance is maintained between beds for this reason

flowering can be observed. the plant continues to grow & the vines cover the complete area giving a carpet like appearance.

fruit setting in the above 2 photos

the green carpet cover

HARVESTING
bottle gourds can be harvested after 55 to 75 days after sowing. care must be taken while harvesting to see that proper tender and ripe fruits must be harvested. the developing tender fruits will have green color & the seed coat & rind are tender. it is best to harvest at this stage. sometimes , harvesting is done depending on the size it attains. smaller fruits are in great demand as compared to bug sized fruits.
when the color changes from green to white, the seed coat and rind hardens & then it becomes over ripe & unfit for consumption. such fruits are kept for formation of seeds, which can be extracted once the fruit completely dries up.


some varieties can yield up to 20 tonnes per hectare.

NOTE
In many cases, especially during monsoon, the growing vines are pruned to allow more lateral branching. vines which are bit old & semi hard are pruned to get the desired result. in some other cases, the vines are allowed to train on coconut ropes grown on bower of bamboo sticks. this is done to prevent the developing fruits from coming in contact with soil & rotting.

Photos and content by Pritham 'Heavy metal farmer' denzil dsouza

52 comments:

  1. Hi,

    I am posting my query on tinda (Indian round gourd) here as I did not see a section on tinda.

    Attached are links to pictures of the plant.

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/aha52f6/n/DSCN0211_1_

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/aha52f0/n/DSCN0210_1_

    A few of the leaves have some spots. Nothing appears to be growing on the underside. Is this downy mildew and like in your comment for snake gourd, can be treated using milk sprays?

    Many thanks
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 3, 2009 at 5:10 AM

    first i would like to know which part of india are u living in... coz i have only heard of tinda.. but never grown/seen it....

    and the photos u showed me were close ups... and since all gourds have similar plant characteristics, its a bit difficult for me to check it out,,,

    from what u sent me. yes it seems to have DM problem, its not severe, and it generally happens when there is too much moisture content, sonce it is caused by a fungus & fungus thrives in moist conditions,.. u can try the milk sprays & let me know if it helps... it is a very safe method & works well in hydroponic gardens... however remove the infected leaves to prevent spread to other parts...
    cheers

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Morbidpitbull,

    Many thanks for your prompt feedback (as always) on my various queries.

    I am currently staying in Constanta, Romania (East European country). As there is no supply of Indian vegetables here, I am trying to grow them in my garden - hence the various queries!

    I will keep you posted on the effectiveness of the milk sprays. Thanks again for your feedback - it has been extremely useful.

    Take care
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  4. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 6, 2009 at 1:08 AM

    wow! Romania... so are u Indian or Romanian?
    i am a little familiar with the extreme underground brutal metal scene there, but this is not the blog to talk about it.. hah a... cheers

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes, I am Indian.
    I have no clue about the metal scene here!
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  6. I believe slugs and snails are not good for the plants. Is there an organic way to get rid of them? Thanks, AG

    ReplyDelete
  7. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 8, 2009 at 9:14 PM

    yes both snails and sluhs are bad for plants... since we had the problem earlier, we used to use checmical baits... but since u have a few plants, u can do the following...
    check the 2 sites i have mentioned here
    http://ezinearticles.com/?Organic-Methods-To-Stop-Slugs-and-Snails&id=1096943

    http://www.weekendgardener.net/how-to/snails-slugs.htm

    ReplyDelete
  8. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 9, 2009 at 4:42 AM

    ha ha not a problem.. i did get ur earlier post, dont expext u to be a metal head anyways.... cheers

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hello,

    Its me again with my endless questions - thanks in advance for your patience!

    I know you have not grown tinsa but was wondering if you could guide me based on your experience with other gourds.

    Couple of the gourd fruits have turned yellowish green - they have grown a bit after the female flower fell off (they were hand pollinated). This did not happen with the first gourd which is growing very well and is nearly ready for picking. Any ideas what could be the reason? I have attached links to the images of both the problem fruits and also the good fruit.

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahc8b7d/n/DSCN0218_1_

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahc8b62/n/DSCN0217_1_

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahc8b76/n/DSCN0219_1_

    Thanks again
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi morbidpitbull,

    Have I scared you away with my questions?? You usually are very prompt with the responses.

    Take care
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  11. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 14, 2009 at 11:10 AM

    ha ha... no u have not... thats coz i have not read ur questions... by mistake i deleted ur messages.... please post them again... thanks... cheers

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi,

    Here are the queries:

    I know you mentioned that you have not grown tinda but was wondering if you could guide me based on your experience with other gourds.

    The female flowers were hand pollinated. The fruits grew for a couple of days or more (it got a bit bigger), then turned yellow and fell off. Any idea why this is happening?

    Here's the file link to the normal fruit (for comparison)
    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahc8b76/n/DSCN0219_1_

    File link to the deformed fruits:
    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahc8b7d/n/DSCN0218_1_/

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahc8b62/n/DSCN0217_1_/

    Many thanks
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  13. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 15, 2009 at 2:10 AM

    hellllooo...

    i see ur problem... and i have covered yellowing and fruit dropping of young tender fruits in my ASH gourd post.
    the link is here
    http://padvalagriculture.blogspot.com/2009/02/pollination-fruiting-in-ash-gourd.html
    i have written the following there

    " in some cases, the developing fruit bud suddenly gets heavily discoloured & dies. there may be several reasons like fruit necrosis or fruit fly.

    Management

    * fruit necrosis is caused by a virus transmitted by thrips & can be treated with dimethoate @ 2ml per litre at every 12 days interval.
    * fruit flies can be controlled by using pheromone baits,"

    to control the insects, since u dont use pesticides, suggest u use neem sprays... some people have even tried to use neem soap. they slice n dice a part of the neem soap (available in supermarket under cosmetics section), and use a potato peeler n grate the soap till bits of neem soap are formed. the same is then diluted in 1 litre of water and sprayed...
    cheers

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi there,

    Thanks for your response. Sorry I did not check out the ashgourd section.

    I do see small insects moving over the flowers - tried to take a picture but did not work out. Not sure if they are thrips.

    I do not have neem soap / oil but I do have neem leaves. I plan to boil it in water and spray the water once it cools. Will this be effective?

    Regards
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  15. Here's another question (stupid) perhaps:

    I just realised that I have the Neem & Turmeric face wash (soap-free) & soap from Himalaya Herbals. Can these be tried on the plant?

    Take care

    ReplyDelete
  16. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 15, 2009 at 4:16 AM

    yes... the himalaya herbals soap should do the trick...

    also when boiling neem leaves, it will be effective, but there are lot of cons as well.
    the active ingredient in neem is very effective when sprayed at cooler temps.... so either do the spraying in early morning or late evening, with bit of sunlight,.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi there,

    Wanted to update you : the neem spray appears to be working (almost instantly, I must say) as couple of fruits have grown bigger than they have since the infection set in.

    Many many thanks
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi there,

    Since my last update, the four gourds are growing very well. Unfortunately, in the last week, one fruit (ie, the 5th gourd) prematurely dropped and another one seems to be on the way. I have been spraying neem every 2-3 days. Not sure what is happening.

    Please help!
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  19. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 25, 2009 at 12:18 PM

    u dont have to worry about that.. its a process of natural selection... not all flowers that form undergo pollination, and not all pollinated flowers get good fruit growth.. u also should keep a chart n regularly moniter the nutrient supply to it...and also sometimes overdoing it will cause fruit dropping...


    so u dont have to freak out.. coz at least 4 are growing well.. and thats good... in our farm, when we harvest bottle gourds, we get weekly around 250 to 300 kgs, and the vine keeps giving good yield for the next 2 months. but every 15 to 20 days we replenish the soil with fresh organic nutrients, chicken manure etc etc... and watering everyday is a must, coz in mangalore, soil water evaporates at a very high rate, n hence even mulching much wont help... everyday watering is a must... cheers

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi there,

    I am not sure if the tinsa plant is coming to the end of its life. The vines do not seem to grow any further. The flowers are either really small (about the size of a corriander seed) or dry up instantly.

    Can anything be done to salvage the plant?

    Thanks
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  21. Question about the real bottle gourd :) - one female flower dropped off - natural process or some other kind of necrosis??

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahgeb4e/n/DSCN0243_JPG

    Pic link of the entire plant

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahgeb5a/n/DSCN0244_JPG

    Thanks
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  22. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 28, 2009 at 10:10 PM

    i need to see the photo for the tinsa plant... sometimes.. u have root n soil nematodes that destroy the plant from within overnight... so i cant tell unless i see a photo///

    cheers

    ReplyDelete
  23. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 28, 2009 at 10:17 PM

    firt thing i noticed in the bottle gourd pic.. is that there seems to be a attack on the bottle gourd young bud... if thats the case, u have problem of doralis fly, the single most destructive pest for all gourds...it makes an incision on the young tender growing bud, which is very very irritating...since u have to wait like for months for the plant to develop fruits, and it all seems a colossal waste when they are attacked!!!

    do u have any fruit bearing trees in ur garden or surrounding areas?? coz they are attracted to that at first, and if u are growing vegs in ur backyard u gonna get attacked on a regular basis.
    i seriously recommend u do a bit of searching for this insect bait company called 'chemtica' which is the biggest company that makes insect baits based on pheromones.

    i use their products, n it should be available in romania, since its based somewhere in europe...will send u a pic of the insect n the bait...

    another thing i noticed, u have trained the bottle gourd vines to grow on a pendal/trellis... i do not recommend that, since the crops is a creeper & not a climber like ridge gourd... which means u need to allow them to grow on the ground... and it runs in several meters length so it needs all the space it can crawl...

    cheers

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hello,

    Thanks for your response.

    Attached are the pics links of the tinsa plant

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahg0e2a/n/Tinsa_Plant_1_JPG

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahg0e1g/n/Tinsa_Plant_2_JPG

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahg0e0g/n/Tinsa_Plant_3_JPG

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahg0eh0/n/Tinsa_Plant_4_JPG

    Regards
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  25. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 29, 2009 at 5:45 AM

    i have seen the photos and need u to answer some questions.

    1. do u remember the date of sowing? as in how many weeks old is the plant? or how old is the plant in days?
    2. how many plants do u have in that container?
    3. does the container have a drain hole for excess water to drain out?
    4. have u added any nutrients to the soil?
    5. have u added or changed the contents of the container?

    based on ur reply i will tell u

    ReplyDelete
  26. 1. The seeds were sown on 31st Mar. So, it is 120 days old. A bit of history on the plant. The seedling growth was very gradual, infact even stunted because of weak sunlight during winter. Artificial light did not help.

    In the 3rd week of April because of a severe spider mite attack, the plant (pale and leggy) was hosed down with soap water and then moved outdoors. During this period max day temp ~20C and min night temp ~10C.

    2. None

    3. Yes

    4. Fortnightly water with rice / dal water. About two weeks ago, I added a mixture of crushed egg shells, tea leaves and horse manure.

    5. I have not move the plant from the pot after sowing it. Changed the contents to the extent of (4) above.

    Thanks
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  27. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 29, 2009 at 7:32 AM

    make sure when u add water to the plant, it drains properly. coz if there is too much moisture in the soil, it will cause the roots to rot. and weak roots means, weak plant & hence all the problems.

    also make sure there is good pore space in the soil, for aeration. if the soil is hard, n compacted, it will suffocate the roots from getting air. use any small tool to loosen the soil.

    also it could be that the soil has tiny microscopic nematodes, that wreck havoc to the plants as it damages the conducting tissues of the roots & stem & hence poor plant growth

    the other thing could be the plant is not getting enough nutrients, however i doubt that, since the plant looks quite healthy, just no growth, coz u are not giving it micronutrients.

    so its mostly got to be the above... lets see

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hello,

    Assuming that the dorsali fly looks similar to the fruit fly, I have been doing some fly gazing at the gourd plant to see if I could spot any.

    Am not doubting your diagnosis but do these pests attack the plant at night as I could not spot them during day.

    Since I have not had any luck with the local horticulturist, I have placed some red wine outside (apparently quite useful as per several articles online) to see if I could trap some.

    Take care
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  29. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 30, 2009 at 10:33 PM

    the dorsalis fly looks like a small honey bee... more colorful n not drak n ugly like a normal house fly...

    its got nice yellow n brown alternate bands color on their body n abdomen.... and they have a sting at the end of their abdomen, which they use to bore the young tender fruits... the first few days, after boring the fruit, a very sweet liquid oozes out and this attracts fungus... so by the end of the week u have insects attacking it & fungus growing as well... what a sad way to die..

    and they are active early morning & late evenings... some also seen during regular day time..

    which wine are u using? red? yummy..

    ReplyDelete
  30. Hello,

    I certainly have not seen anything fitting that description.

    Yes, red wine :) I checked the bottle this am and absolutely no bugs - maybe the bugs here are choosy!

    Though 3-4 buds have dropped off before blossoming, another 7-8 are on their way, of which one should blossom today. I am keeping my fingers crossed!

    So far, no damage to the growing bottle gourd (18cm) - see pic link attached - more finger crossing!

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahg8ad4/n/DSCN0263_JPG

    How long should it get before I harvest it?

    I have been seeing several bird droppings on the bottle gourd for about a week or so. Today, I caught in action couple of sparrows pecking away at the vines / buds. Could they be causing the bud drop? See pics links.......

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahg8ad8/n/DSCN0266_JPG

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahg8aef/n/DSCN0267_JPG

    Take care
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  31. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJuly 31, 2009 at 4:21 AM

    he he the sparrow is cute...i cant believe u actually are so dedicated that u waited for them to come on the vines n u sneaked up on them n took their pics!!! u should join the paparazzi!!!!

    superb that the bottle gourd has no attack... generally the buds are attacked mostly when they are tender...i.e. when they are about 2 to 4 inches long..

    its rare(but not uncommon) that bigger fruits are attacked.. so keep a watch...

    if u keep a regular bottle gourd to grow, it can attain up to 4 to 6 kgs, depending on the variety.

    ideal weight is when the fruit has reached at least 2 kgs. it can be harvested even when its less than 1 kg, and it tastes just immaculate coz its very tender n cooks ultra fast, and has the best aroma... but that depends on one's taste...

    also another thing about the sparrows. we had several ones perching on top of our snake gourd plants & we thought they were attacking the vines coz there was bud shedding by the hundreds!!! on further examination, we found out that the flowers had several hundred worm larvae n they were responsible for the bud shedding. the sparrows were eating the worms, n thus helping us...

    so i dont think the sparrows are damaging ur crops... but u never know... racist sparrow perhaps..

    ReplyDelete
  32. Well, I can be quite dogged (I am sure you have figured that :)) especially when someone is screwing my happiness.

    I do like vegetables when they are tender. I recently picked a handful of tender okra (home grown!) and simply loved the taste and flavour.

    Ha, ha about the racism... :) Well I am absolutely baffled with the bud drop - cannot spot the fly, no bugs on the leaves or the buds & it seems the sparrows are not the problem.

    I will continue to look out.....
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hi there,

    I plucked my first ever bottle gourd - didn't expect it to grow so much in less than two weeks!

    http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahh3h5h/n/B_Gourd_Harvest_JPG

    Thanks for all your guidance and patience!

    Clarifications on your blog write-up: What does thinning out of plant mean? Also, how many gourds does the average plant yield?

    Take care
    AG

    ReplyDelete
  34. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaAugust 4, 2009 at 3:48 AM

    awweee... it looks sooo cute....he he not a single attack.. its very nice... great going.

    if the bottle gourd plant is looked after well, it will give yield for 3 months,,,,

    thinning out refers to maintaining plant density...
    at sowing time, in a pit, generally 4 seeds are placed, and if it all germinates, 2 seedlings are thinned out...so in every gourd pit u keep 2, max 3 seedlings... so they wont fight for space n nutrients...

    same principle applies to every other crop as well.,..cheers

    bottle gourd like i said can yield one gourd everyday for the next 3 months if its looked after well... i dunno how many plants u have, but if u have 2 or 3 plants, u have the potential of getting at least 50 kg for the next 3 months

    ReplyDelete
  35. I saw round bottle gourds in ur pictures, do u know how can I get hold of its seeds? can u send me some? how do I get it, contacted many seed company's but could not find a company that sells round bottle gourd. I love its taste, size ranging from 6" to 9", light green colour like the Indian Lauki, same skin texture, except that it grows round. I am so homesick for thses smal round gourds & want to grow them. please tell where did u find them. thanks thanks thanks

    ReplyDelete
  36. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaOctober 31, 2009 at 8:28 AM

    er... thanks for checking my blog... as for the round bottle gourd seeds... my dad got them from a friend who got them from another friend from Pakistan..... u can try other famous indian seed companies like mahyco, solar, indo american etc

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hi :

    I am back again with a few queries on Bottle gourd.

    I've two plants, about 6 ft high, growing on my terrace. I am using trellis. The initial growth was healthy and I noticed male flowers blooming in the night and the onset of female flowers. I pruned the top so as to promote lateral growth.

    The plants have stopped flowering, the leaves have developerd burnt, brown patches on them. I noticed caterpillars eating the leaves, and hence, I used garlic+chilli spray (with mild detergennt, ezee, used as emulsifying agent) to control the caterpillars and the brown patches occurred after the spray. I also later tried neem oil(5 ml) spray, and after a week , neem +punga(mia) oil (5 ml each). The leaves otherwise are lush green in color. Every 15 days, I have been applying vermicompost to the soil.

    I'm wondering whether I have done over-spraying! Could you help me to spot the problem?

    Regards
    Meena K

    Regards
    Meena K

    ReplyDelete
  38. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaFebruary 20, 2010 at 7:46 AM

    ok first.... u never prune plants that are growing.. u need to prune them once they have already started yielding... is the pruned plant old or new??? if its old... then dont worry... lateral growth will take time, but it will happen...as for blooming and pollination, leave that to the insects... nothing to worry about
    now for the more serious query of worms/caterpillars... that is very common esp in bottle gourd...remember...spraying can be done at 2 stages. one, before the attack is seen, and two, after the attack is seen. since the pest incidence increases after flowering, which means u need to stand guard and increase ur spraying intervals... also using amway product called APSA really helps...it is a wetting agent.. which means it makes whatever solution u are using, more wet and hence more available for the plant. and its 100 percent organic... u can also use other locally available wetting agents... just ask your horticulture expert...cheers...

    p2

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hi:

    Thanks for the usual prompt response from your end. Perhaps, I should have checked with you about the timing of the pruning rather than just taking off! I must have given a shock to my plants. Yes ,I will definitely try and get the wetting agent you have suggested...

    Thanks and Regards
    Meena K

    ReplyDelete
  40. Dear Sir,
    I live in the first floor and have a roof top garden. I had stored a few sacks of red soil in the passage of the ground floor. Now I have discovered a lauki plant growing in it. Is it a creeper or a climber? Can I tie a string and help it grow up to my
    rooftop garden where there is plenty of space to spread around.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaMarch 15, 2010 at 12:34 AM

    thanks for checking my blog... if its lauki or bottle gourd.. its a creeper as it creeps on the ground... but u can definitely give it all support u want and tie it using a piece of string or rope and make it creep on the floor of your terrace.... creepers require a lot of space and hence its not practical to give it vertical support which will be several meters tall.

    ReplyDelete
  42. hi i have planted few creepers of bottle gourd in ny kitchen garden. theses have started dying from the root side.
    it mat be some disease. Any one may please help

    ReplyDelete
  43. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJune 19, 2010 at 12:34 AM

    dear friend
    please send me photos of the creeper to my email id prithamdsouza@gmail.com

    there can be several reasons why the creeper died... if i get to see the plant by photo i could evaluate better

    ReplyDelete
  44. Hi there ..
    It is wonderful how you take time out to reply to and educate people. Really good work.
    I have bottle gourd growing in very large pots on my terrace. The plants seems to be growing well and thriving. However, i see a lot of ants being attracted to the vines. Is this a problem for the plant? Also, what would be a good natural insecticide to spray on.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaAugust 7, 2010 at 3:53 AM

    thanks for checking my blog. the ants are not really a problem, as it is also good for pollination. but the main reason there are ants present on the vines is because u might have a problem with aphids.

    aphids are tiny black, soft bodied insects that if not checked properly can severly damage the plants. they secrete a sweet substance which attracts the ants in large numbers.

    the aphids keep secreting the sweet nectar and in turn the ants protect them and keey away natural enemies.

    so in order to get rid of the ants, u have to get rid of the aphids first. best organic insecticide is neem sprays that are available. thats what i use all the time and its very effective , no toxicity and diesnt affect benificial insects. spray 5ml per litre water, twice weekly at first and then weekly once.

    ReplyDelete
  46. I have gained a lot of information from your educative blog. I alos appreciate your patiecne in replying questions.

    Thanks and God bless

    Pattu

    ReplyDelete
  47. Thank you so much about the information on the ants. You were right. There were Aphids under some leaved. I will start with your suggested pest control method immediately.

    A couple of questions though ... when the plants start to flower, is it alright to spray the neem oil based pesticide on them? Will it not deter bees and other pollinating insect?

    Also, I live in Haryana, and we have a flying insect, red and black in colour, a large beetle that eats away the yellow flowers on my bitter gourd plant vines. Will the neem spray work on that too?

    Thank you in advance.

    Sameer Tripathi

    ReplyDelete
  48. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaAugust 9, 2010 at 7:35 AM

    thanks sameer
    u can email me here prithamdsouza@gmail.com
    dont worry about the neem sprays... they are non toxic and insect specific.. and will not hearm pollinators like bees and butterflies... but just to be on the safe side... spray the crops in the evenings , say after 4 pm when the temp is slightly cooler... do not spray early morning, coz thats when the flowers open up and pollination takes place.... also do not spray during the day as the temps can go high and it will neutralize the effect of neem... (make it inactive)

    regarding the beetle... how big is big???

    coz bottle gourds belong to cucurbits family and they all have one common pest called red pumpkin beetle... is it the same??? they feed on the young tender leaves of the plants by making a circular hole in them.. and also mostly feed on the white flowers...yes neem spray is very effective...spray in the evening after 4 pm.. cheers

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  49. We are in california and grow bottle gourd each year.We hardly get 2-3 bottle gourd and then eithr flowers come out and die or bottle gourd grow upto 2 inch length .lter on it dries and falls off.pls advise

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  50. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaOctober 19, 2010 at 10:28 PM

    hello recruiter... thanks for checking my blog... the problems with bottle gourd can be several and it will not be right on my part to siomply advise u unless i know for certin what the problem is.... are u still growing bottle gourds? do u gave any photos of the plant or creeper? that will be really helpful... meanwhile u can check my latest post on bottle gourd cultivation, gown in pits here http://www.padvalagriculture.com/2010/10/bottle-gourd-cultivation-in-pits-summer.html

    email me prithamdsouza@gmail.com
    cheers

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  51. Hello

    This is Harsha currently in Botswana Africa. other than Beef chicken and blooming Potatoes you dont get any thing else here. the few Indian home gardens sell a Kg of bitter gourd for Rs350. so you can see why i am asking my queries.

    im growing bottle gourd in my back yard. just planted 3 vines (imported seeds from India) for personal consumption (sambar and stuff and stuff). The plants have reached the stage where they have begun to produce tendrils.
    My question is. Do I let them creep on the ground like a creeper or should I provide them with a mesh to grow up wards as a Climber?
    Considering I also have Pumpkin and Water mellon growing in the same Beds.

    Cheers
    Harsha
    collection.harsha@gmail.com

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  52. Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'SouzaJanuary 13, 2011 at 11:31 PM

    thanks for stopping by Harsha,
    i suggest u leave it to grow on the ground coz its vines really grow very long ... if u provide it support and make it a climber then i will need a really big pendal /trellis...
    there is no problem if it grows on the same plot as the other veggies... just that.. while harvesting its going to be a pain...http://www.padvalagriculture.com/2010/10/bottle-gourd-cultivation-in-pits-summer.html

    see how long the vines grow in the field... this is a more recent post of mine...

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