Sahaja Ridge Gourd

This excellent open-pollinated variety is cultivated for its fruit, which has a tender texture and sweet flavor. The vigorous plant produces a heavy fruit set of ridged, dark green, club-shaped fruits. Ridge Gourd requires a long, warm growing season. It can be grown in a deep planter or over an archway for a stunning spectacle. The fruit can develop into a fibrous structure and be used for a shower or kitchen sponge.

How to Grow Ridge Gourd

1. Seed Preparation:

   – Increase germination rate by soaking seeds in warm water for 24 hours.

   – Optionally, clip the tip of the seed to aid germination.

2. Planting:

   – For hill planting: Mold soil into one-foot diameter piles, about 3.5 feet tall.

   – Space mounds 4-6 feet apart.

   – Sow two seeds in each mound.

   – For row planting, follow the spacing guidance in the attributes tab.

3. Support:

   – Grow Ridge Gourd next to an obelisk or trellis.

   – Vertical growth promotes air circulation, reduces diseases, and supports consistent fruiting.

   – Prune stems during the season to maintain a single vertical vine.

4. Pollination:

   – Hand pollination can aid fruit onset.

   – Provide extra time for development by removing the first few blooms in climates with a long growing season.

 Harvesting Ridge Gourd

– For cooking, harvest Ridge gourds when firm, uniformly green, about 18 inches long, and 2 inches in diameter.

– For obtaining shower loofa or sponge, leave gourds on the plant until brown and dry, then break open the skin and shake out the seeds.

 Culinary Tips

– Young edible gourds are best for cooking.

– Try stir-frying or deep-frying any part of the plant.

 Tips From Gardeners

– If you’ve successfully grown cucumbers, Gourd will be easy.

– The fruit is underutilized in Western cuisine, so give it a try!

 

Note: The information provided is based on the details given, and specific growing conditions may influence actual results.