Ash Gourd is one of the most alkaline & detoxifying vegetables in nature. It is not only alkaline due to its high water content, but it is also high in energy and very beneficial in eliminating waste from the colon and cleansing the body in the process.
Ash Gourd juice is a must-have detox drink for anyone leading a satvic lifestyle, especially if they’re trying to heal a disease. When it enters our body, it starts to suck in all the toxins & when it leaves our body, it carries with it all the toxic waste. It is like a sponge in our digestive system. Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could grow this wonderful gift from Mother Nature in your backyard, home garden, or kitchen garden?
The Ash Gourd plant is simple to grow and spreads quickly. You won’t have to worry about much other than maintenance while growing an ash gourd plant. And with very few pests or diseases, what’s not to like? To know how to grow an ash gourd plant, read on.
Ash Gourd Quick Care Guide
Usage
Make highly detoxifying ash gourd juice as the pre-breakfast meal or add it to soups, curries & vegetable stews.
Common Name
White Gourd, Safed Petha, Winter Melon, Wax Gourd
Sowing Time
Feb-Mar & June-July
Sowing Depth
1/2″ to 1″”
Plant to Plant Spacing
40″
Germination Time
6 to 10 days6 to 10 days
Growing Type
Creeper
Ideal Planter Size
12″ to 14″ deep & 16″ to 24″ wide
Ideal Temperature
22°C to 35°C
Companion Plants
None
Antagonist Plants
None
Watering
Daily
Sunlight
Full Sunlight
Fertilizer
No need of much fertilizer, Organic liquid fertilizer before seeding & once in a few months
Harvest Time
100-145 days
All About Ash Gourd Plant
Ash Gourd plants (Benincasa hispida) are also called as white gourd, safed petha, winter melon, wax gourd. The plant is native to South and Southeast Asia, especially Japan, where it grows as an annual creeping vine. It is popularly cultivated in India also. Ash Gourd is popular in Indian cuisine mainly because of its medicinal properties and is also recommended in Ayurveda and Naturopathy. It can either climb structures or be allowed to spread out on the ground, which is a characteristic seen in most of the plants that belong to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae.
The plant has broad leaves with flowers in yellow color. It is a highly pranic vegetable containing 96% water, making it alkaline by nature, and is very large, usually oval in shape, with a white flesh & mildly sweet taste. Ripe ash gourd fruit can grow as big as 70 to 80 cm in length. When touched, the fruit leaves an ash-like residue on the hand. That’s the reason behind this interesting name.
In satvic lifestyle, ash gourd is used to make pre-breakfast juice, which is highly detoxifying. This juice pulls out the toxins in the colon like a magnet. It can also be added to soups, curries & vegetable stews.
Sowing Ash Gourd Seeds
We have made organic desi ash gourd seeds available on our website Satopradhan.com. These seeds are Open-Pollinated, Heirloom/Desi, Non-Hybrid, Non-GMO, and are free of chemicals and pesticides. The seeds can be sown from February to March & Jun. The best time to sow the seeds is from February to March and June to July. The seeds can be planted at 1/2″ to 1″ depth, with each seed placed 40 inches apart. If you’d like to give them room to spread out, provide more space than the recommended spacing. The germination time is 6 to 10 days.
You can sow them indoors in February in a seedling tray filled with cocopeat mix & transplant them after 15-20 days in a big container or you can directly sow them outdoors in March. Sow the seeds in well-draining, rich soil in line with full sunlight. If you don’t want to manage the fast spread of Ash Gourd creeper vine, you can grow them in containers. The ideal planter size is 12″ to 14″ deep & 16″ to 24″ wide.
Charging the Seeds
One of the most important steps in Yogic gardening is to charge your seeds! This might be the first time you are hearing about this. Before sowing your seeds, charge & empower your seeds with positive thoughts & the Supreme Soul’s blessings to enhance the potency of the seeds. How to do this? Place the seeds in your hands with lots of love and visualize Supreme Soul’s pure, positive and powerful vibrations charging the seeds. Now, these seeds are filled with energy and are ready to grow into very healthy, highly nutritious plants. Also, while these plants are growing, send positive vibrations toward them. There is power in our thoughts and our vibrations. Sending positive vibrations will positively impact the growth of the plants in our home garden.
Growing Ash Gourd
Propagation
Ash gourd is propagated via seeds in cow dung pots, ground, or seedling trays. Soaking the seeds overnight before sowing increases the chances of good germination. Cut out the weak leaves as soon as the young plants have 5-6 leaves. They’ll be ready to transplant in 10 to 15 days after seeding.
Propagation
Ash gourds need lots of water. You will need a large, 16-24 inches grow bag or pot with drainage holes. Do make sure that it is 10 to 12 inches deep.
The stepwise procedure of growing ash gourd indoors:
- Take a container of your choice with length and depth as mentioned above. The container should have good drainage holes.
- We have made Satopradhan 12″ to 14″ deep & 16″ to 24” fabric grow bags available on our website. Fill the grow bag with a well-balanced, compost-based potting medium by mixing equal parts of soilless potting mix into garden soil.
- Sow two seeds at the center of the pot. Directly sow the seeds 1/2″ to 1″ deep into the medium.
- Gently dab the soil to allow the seeds to get adequately covered.
- Use a watering can to gently water the planted seeds. Keep the soil hydrated until the seeds germinate. It usually takes 6 to 10 days for the seedlings to grow.
If growing them without containers; you can use coco coir pots, cow dung pots or a seedling trays for germinating the seeds initially. After germination, when the seedlings are 6” to 8” long or have developed four to six leaves; transplant them to their location. After transplant, keep them in shade for a day or two or cover them with a shade net, then after two days you can place them in full sun.
CARE
Once you have them sowed in your garden, ash gourd plants are easy to care for. The plant gives ash gourds most times, though not throughout the year.
Sun and Temperature
The ideal temperature is 22°C to 35°C, not too cold and not too warm. The plants grow well in full sunlight. There should be sunlight falling for 5 to 6 hours. It’s a warm-weather crop that flourishes in tropical climates. It’ll also grow well in areas with a lot of rain and humidity. Extreme cold and frost should be avoided; the ash gourd is sensitive to damage under such conditions. To protect the ashgourds from extreme temperatures it’s best to plant them under a shade net.
Right container size
Your plant’s health depends on the size of the container you have chosen. If you’re going to plant ash gourd seeds in a container, make sure you get the right size because ash gourd roots grow deep. You’ll need to grow in 14-18 inches deep bags. Premium quality, eco-friendly fabric grow bags 14″ to 18″ deep and 16″ to 24″ wide are available on Satopradhan.com.
Water and Humidity
Water every 3-4 days during the early stages of growth. Increase the frequency every other day as the plant begins to blossom and fruit. Keep the soil moist if you’re growing in a container, especially when the seeds are germinating. Don’t overwater the plant, as this might lead to root rot. To avoid putting too much pressure on the seedlings and to properly disperse water throughout the container, use a watering can with a sprinkler cap. Durable, Superior Quality, Leakage-Proof Watering Can with a 5-liter capacity is now available on Satopradhan.com.
Soil
Although it may grow in several soil types, it thrives in a well-drained, loamy soil. Enrich the soil with organic materials to ensure a plentiful harvest. As a potting medium, you can use compost-mixed garden soil. To make gardening easy for you, we have made organic soilless potting mix available on Satopradhan.com.
Fertilizing
There is no need for much fertilizer, but we can use Organic liquid fertilizer before seeding and after a few months. Neem oil can help in the event of a pest infestation. We have made organic plant nutrition mix & neem oil available on our website satopradhan.com
Support
While growing ash gourds, choosing a spot with full sunlight for optimum growth is best. Protect the plant from the afternoon sun during the hot summer months using a shade net. Because it’s a vining plant, you’ll need to give it enough room to spread out or place it near a fence or wall for support.
HARVEST AND STORAGE
Harvesting
Around 100-145 days after planting, the ash gourd can be harvested. Fruits will be available to harvest in 45 to 90 days. Depending on the variety and conditions, the time may vary slightly—harvest using scissors because the stem connecting to the fruit is exceptionally thick. When the fruit’s coating becomes waxy, it’s time to pick them up! Wash the fruits properly before storing them.
Storing
For short-term storage, ash gourds can be stored at room temperature. Otherwise, keep it refrigerated to last for weeks. Cover the open part of the sliced ash gourd with newspaper and refrigerate it if you wish to store it for 5 to 7 days.
