Organic Ash Gourd Seeds - Open Pollinated

The ash gourd is an annual spreading vine spread out on the ground or climbing structures. This plant has big, green leaves and thick, hairy stems. Early in the summer, the showy golden-yellow blooms emerge, and female flowers give way to round or spherical fruits. Ash gourds are coated in a soft down that gradually disappears as they mature. Fully matured gourds are covered in a white, waxy coating. The mature fruits weigh between 5 and 20 pounds but can reach up to 50 pounds under ideal growing conditions. Ash gourd is 96% water and is very low in calories, fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Despite this, it retains a high fiber content and contains trace quantities of a variety of nutrients.

Additionally, ash gourd contains trace amounts of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, and a variety of other B vitamins. Nonetheless, these levels rarely reach 3% of the nutrients. The optimal soil pH range is 6.0–6.7, but plants can tolerate soils as alkaline as pH 8.0.

BENEFITS/USES OF ASH GOURD SEEDS

• Consumption of ash gourd daily significantly increases your analytical capabilities.
• Consumption of ash gourd provides an immense amount of energy while also calming the nerves.
• Ash gourd is naturally high in Vitamin E, a skin-smoothing or emollient with antioxidant properties.
• Ash gourd contains a plethora of vitamins and minerals that nourish and revitalize hair strands.
• Additionally, it has the power to flush waste from the human body. It contains calcium, iron, phosphorus, and vitamin C.
• By acting as an antimicrobial agent, ash gourd aids in the elimination of all harmful bacteria in the stomach and intestine. This aids in the prevention of stomach infections and hence indigestion.
• Ash gourd is a natural anticoagulant, which aids in bleeding control, even though it is rarely used to treat external bleeding.

SPECIFICATIONS OF ASH GOURD SEEDS

PLANTING AND CARE FOR ASH GOURD SEEDS

SOWING ASH GOURD SEEDS

• It grows well in most soil types but performs best in sandy loam soils. The ideal pH range for soil is between 6 and 6.5.
• To protect seeds from soil-borne fungus, apply a chemical treatment to the seeds. Treat seeds with Trichoderma viride @4gm/kg of seeds or Pseudomonas fluorescens @10gm/kg of seeds following chemical treatment.
• Sow seeds in February-March for seed development. At the flowering, fruiting, and maturity stages, diseased or undesirable crops are removed.
• When the fruits and stems exhibit a white waxy look, they are ready to harvest.
• After separating the seeds, they are washed with water. Until storing seeds, rinse them thoroughly and then clean them.
• Seeds are stored at low temperatures and low relative humidity.
• To achieve a fine tilth, repeat the ploughing process three-fourths of the time. Before the final ploughing, incorporate well-decomposed cow dung at a rate of 20kg per acre, along with organic neem cake at a rate of 40kg per acre.
• It is cultivable twice. It is sown between February and March and also between June and July.
• Sow two seeds per hill on one side of a 3 m wide bed, using a 75-90 cm spacing.
• Seeds are sown 1-2 cm deep.
• On grow bags, seeds are directly sown.

GROWING ASH GOURD

• After about 4-6 weeks, we transplanted the seedlings.
• At this point, we added a complete fertilizer to the soil; however, you can substitute Compost, manure, or another form of fertilizer, preferably a vegetable and fruit mix.
• The plant started branching out and growing new shoots after two months.
• Ash gourds are low-maintenance plants that do not need much fertilizer.
• Additionally, they are drought-tolerant, which means you will only need to water your plants once every 5-6 days during periods of drought.
• Male flowers are the first to bloom, followed by female flowers. Following the female flowers is a small spherical fruit.
• The plant appears bushy, and four months after sowing, our first fruit has appeared.
• Ash gourds are creeping vines with tendrils that can be trained to climb adjacent structures, trellis, or can be allowed to spread naturally on grass.
• Immature gourds are covered in fine hair that eventually falls off as they grow.

HARVESTING ASH GOURD

• Six months after sowing, we will harvest our first gourd.
• The mature gourd's surface is covered with an ash-like powder, which gives it the name "Ash" gourd.

PRECAUTIONS WHILE GROWING ASH GOURD

When growing ash gourd, it is best to choose a location that receives full sun to ensure optimal growth. Cover the plant from the afternoon sun during the hot summer months. Given that it is a vining plant, you must either have sufficient room for it to sprawl or plant it near a fence or wall for support. Use of creeper net for additional support is recommended. When planting, thoroughly water the gourd seeds to minimize the chance of transplant shock. Gourds need plenty of moisture, so maintain moist soil by adding water daily if possible. Remove weeds as they sprout, as they deplete the gourds of vital nutrients and growing space. If you're using a trellis, you can use a bit of string to tie the gourds to the posts as they grow in size, giving them plenty of space to grow.

COMMON PROBLEMS AFFECTING ASH GOURD PLANTS AND SOLUTIONS

While ash gourds are tolerant to severe diseases, you should watch for powdery mildew, which exists as small white patches on the shoots and leaves.

No. of Ash Gourd Seeds - 15