Ivy gourd is a member of the cucumber family, and this fruit slightly relates cucumber in flavour. The sole variation is only in the size of the fruits, and they are nearly two inches high, much smaller than cucumbers.
The young leaves of the ivy gourd are also safe to eat and are regarded as an excellent substitute for spinach in Thailand. Ivy gourd native to the Indian subcontinent plus is generally raised as a vegetable in tropical and subtropical climates of Southeast Asia, South Asia plus Africa too.
In this write-up you’ll learn how to grow ivy gourd in more detail.
Classification
- Scientific name– Coccinia Grandis
- Common names in India– Ivy Gourd / Coccinia Grandis (English), Tindora / Tondli (Hindi), Dondakaya (Telugu), Kovaikkai (Tamil), Kovaykka (Malayalam, Tondekai (Kannada), Tendli (Marathi), Tendle (Konkani), Kundru (Oriya), and Telakucha (Bengali).
- Plant class– vegetation
- Required all-day sunlight and soil must be well-drained plus rich in organic.
How to Grow or Plant Ivy gourd?
It is simple to cultivate with the right knowledge about the environment, and also it needs proper care.
Soil and place
Ivy gourd best grows in well-drained, well-manure and sandy soils too. Be sure to avoid heavy soil, acidic plus alkaline soil. A soil pH of 6.0–6.5 gives an extraordinary production of Ivy gourd. This prioritizes the appearance of the full sunlight, and you must hold sufficient area for poles or trellis throughout the creeper.
Plant it near the support structure so that your cyphers can climb vertically. Ivy go grows in acidic, neutral or alkaline soil till it gets nutrients plus intense sunlight or you can keep it well in your open garden area and a wide container too.
Temperature and climate
Tindora is most preferred in humid weather situations. As of it, the ideal temperature is must be 20 ° to 32 ° C, as it can give you the best production and quality. You can do cultivation of this vegetable throughout the year. Although, the proper season for its fruiting is moderate rain and summer season. USDA hardiness zones can be grown well at nine or above.
Propagation
Ivy gourd (kundru,) can be simply propagated with the help of seeds or pruning too. If you want to make seeds from the fruit then, use ripe fruit which is red in colour in its entirety. Separate the seeds from the gelatinous centre, and spread it well on the paper in the dry hot sun. It might need some days to dry up correctly.
Separate the dried pulp plus clean the seeds well, and put them in a shaded and dry place. It is simple to propagate by cutting. Cut with a strong and 6-inches long from the climbing vine. Then keep it into a container and filled it with growing medium. Water it after planting, and your plant will grow within about a week.
How to harvest Ivy gourd?
- Under the right climatic situations, about 11-14 weeks after plantation, it starts producing determined fruits plus flowers. The production of fruits will be such high that you have to harvest them daily. You can either consider taking off the fruits or you can snipping off the fruits by making use of a sickle. Be assured you are not waiting too long for it. You must harvest the fruits when they are young, green and bulbous.
- The fruits of the ivy gourd plant usually harvest during they are young, while the fruits are crisp, firm and two inches in size. You can further taste them unprepared to know the best time for harvest. If you neglect them to over riping for a lengthy period, their condition will be fine, while the taste will be poor.
- Growing ivy gourd will not only give you fruit but, you will also be able to harvest leaves that are youth and supple. You can use them as a side dish with soup, bread, rice or naan and also it works well for an Indian curry or a gourmet Thai preparation.
How to grow ivy gourd from cutting, seeds?
You can easily purchase the seeds online or simply take a mature, scarlet-coloured Dondakaya(Ivy gourd) to extract seeds from it for sowing. You can begin with seeds anytime especially if you live in a tropical or subtropical atmosphere, besides in top summers. If you are growing ivy gourd from seeds in a cold climate, do so in the spring and summer, when the weather in your area is hot. The perfect germination temperature is within 60–80 F.
Planting seeds
- If you are living in a hot climate season, do transplant seeds when the temperature is maximum, besides in extreme summer. In colder areas, wait for the last frost to pass by before transplanting seeds.
- Select a place that gets complete sunlight. Add lots of manure or well rotten compost to the soil well and to the planting site too. Plant mature plants the way you do at your own. Each seed must be adequately separated. Fix a pole or frame near the plant at the moment of planting seeds.
Ivy Gourd growing from cuttings
Grow Ivy gourd from cutting is too simple and ensures you that your ivy gourd will give fruit, which is why it is often normal and successful too. You only need to cut semi-hardwood from the fresh stem of the individual-fertile plant, that is approximately eight inches long. Make assure you to go for a strong cutting that is well-trimmed.
Ivy gourd shortcomings growing from seed
The main disadvantage of growing ivy gourd from seeds is that it cannot grow quite well and begins as a dioecious plant. In this matter, it will nevermore produce fruit except you grow a male and a female plant mutually. It takes time for seed gourd-grown ivy gourd to begin production. It may take another year for this vegetable vine to bear fruit.
How to grow ivy gourd at home in pots?
If you live in a cold climate and want to grow Ivy gourd, then growing ivy gourd in pots or containers is the best opinion. If you want to grow it in your balcony in pots or containers, or you do not want to spread it in your yard, then plant it in pots.
- Begin growing Ivy gourd in a common-sized 5-gallon pot from 12-inches deep. Once it grows into something larger, it can grow with a rate of four inches a day and when this happens then, transfer it to a very large pot. Pick a sunlight area. The afternoon shade is good for this plant.
- Use a normal potting soil and add one-fourth manure or aged compost in it. Water it on daily basis and in the beginning stage, keep the soil evenly moist. It likes a somewhat moist growing medium. Sides dress the plant with manure or aged cow compost. If it is not performing properly, feed the plant with a stable liquid fertilizer.
- Furthermore, feed the plant infrequently with potassium-containing fertilizer. Give it proper care so that it can climb. This will use your vertical space. Maintain its height among 6-10 feet. All other growing suggestions are the same.
Ivy gourd plant care
Ivy gourd is a less carrying plant and does not require much maintenance. Nevertheless, pay attention to the points of care of these ivy gourd plants for a plentiful harvest of it in just a few points.
1. Pruning
The ivy gourd overgrows plus can become invasive if left neglected. Therefore, you must prune the stems of it that are growing out of bounds. Be assured of the pruning shear is sharp and properly-oiled. Following pruning, dispose of the fallen stems.
When the production of the ivy gourd plant stops following the fruiting season then, you can stop pruning it, left behind only three feet thick of its stem. The development will resume again. You can skip the pruning process of the plant if you living in a warm climate and let them grow.
2. Pests plus diseases
Ivy gourd is a hard and strong vegetable that is not influenced by any severe pests and diseases. However, maintain a close watch for general garden pests like aphids, mites, thrips plus whiteflies too. If the disease is severe, you can use pesticides to get rid of them or go for some medications too.