SEED TYPE : Open Pollinated, Traditional

PLANT TYPE : Annual

FRUIT COLOR :  White

SOWING TIME : All Season

SOWING METHOD : Directly from seed / Transplanting

GERMINATION TIME : 4 – 6 Days

GROWING CONTAINER : 12 inch Pot / Garden Bed

GROWING MEDIA : 2 part  Garden soil 1 part Cocopeat 1 part Vermicompost.

HARVESTING : 90 – 100 Days after sowing.

DESCRIPTION :

Ash gourd or winter melon is a popular vegetable used across all cuisines in the world. It is also known by different names like white gourd, winter gourd and tallow gourd. Plants belong to vine category and bear fruits of large size when matured eaten as vegetables.

Winter melon in its young days will be a fuzzy fruit with white flesh and light sweet taste. Matured fruits lose its hairs and coats itself with a waxy medium which gives them an improved shelf life.  It requires  loamy well-drained soil is best suited for Ash Guards.  Although it tolerates so many ranges of soil. Which is most suitable for the tropical or sub-tropical region. This is the appropriate result in the soil pH 5 -7.5.

Ash Gourd is grown throughout the year, though the ideal time to sow is from January to March and from September to December. North India, it is recommended to sow from October to November. You sow its seeds in October, then you can avoid the mosaic virus infection.Seeds must be soaked in water before use, which can speed up germination.  Sow 4-5 seeds in a pit, after about 2 weeks remove weak plants and allow healthy plants to grow.

After 45 to 100 days of seeding, the fruit of Ash Guard is harvested, the fruit is harvested in an immature state and you can harvest the ripe fruits according to your need. About 1 week after the flowers appeared the fruit starts for the picking. Matured fruits are stored for about 6 months in a cool and dry place. The ripe fruit is used for seed. Wash the fruit thoroughly before storing it.

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