Many gardeners want to plant some marvelous plant on their site. To date, various innovations are appearing. But I want the plant not only pleasing to the eye, but also beneficial. One of these is lagenaria. His homeland is Africa. Since ancient times, people have used fruits not only for food, but also made various household objects, for example, dishes.
The manufacture of the latter, by the way, has survived to this day. Such an interesting lesson makes it possible to create amazing household items and decor.
Description of magnificent lagenaria
This plant is an annual and belongs to the pumpkin family. Outwardly, the fruit resembles a cross between a pumpkin and a zucchini. The plant itself is a creeping vine. The length of the lagenaria can reach 15 meters. The growth rate is very high. The leaves are rather large, rounded in shape with a velvet structure. The flowers are also large, usually open in the late afternoon. In the morning, they have a cream or pinkish color, in the evening the shade becomes paler.
The most unusual thing in this plant is the fruit, or rather, its shape. It can be varied: elongated, pear-shaped, rounded, serpentine or bottle-shaped. It depends on the variety of lagenaria. Young small fruits are used for food. They taste good and resemble our zucchini. Ideal for proper and dietary nutrition. They contain a lot of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
This plant has another incredible property. If there is no desire to pluck the whole fruit, then you can cut off from it the piece that is needed at the moment. The place of cut is rapidly being dragged onto the film. The lagenaria fruit continues to grow, despite the cut.
Popular varieties
There are several varieties of lagenaria. Some gardeners have a certain favorite variety, while others group several species. Thus, unique still lifes are created on the garden plot.
The most common of the varieties are the following.
- Lagenaria log-like. The cultivation of this species at the initial stage resembles a regular zucchini. But as the fruit ripens, it turns out to be very large. In length, it can reach 2 meters. And its maximum weight reaches 10 kg. Of course, in order to achieve such indicators, it is necessary to create extremely favorable conditions for the plant. And on average, the length of the fetus will be about a meter.
- The cultivation of the Lagenaria serpentine variety is popular. This plant is a bit like the previous one, but differs in a more sophisticated form. The length of the fruit is 40-50 cm. During the season, you can collect about 30 kg of vegetables from the bush.
- Grade Cobra. These fruits are round in shape with an elongated neck. And the part near the cut resembles the head of a cobra. The peel has a dark green color with light green specks.
- Goose in apples has a very decorative look. Fruits in shape are very similar to geese. In connection with such properties, lagenaria is widely used in landscaping.
- Very interesting is the cultivation of the Lagenaria bottle variety. The fruits are really very much like a bottle or a vase. These fruits look very attractive and unusual. The optimal length is 50 cm. During this period, the fruits are juicy, the pulp is soft, and the peel is very thin. After the fruit begins to harden and becomes unfit for food.
- The Lagenaria Kolebasa variety is shaped like a huge pear. The standard size of the fruit is considered to be 50 cm. This species is often used for decorative purposes. Amazing vessels and jugs are made from them.
And many gardeners are trying to experiment. When the fruits of lagenaria are still small, they are placed in objects of a certain shape: square, circle, rhombus, etc. Then the fruits will grow according to the scenario that the gardener conceived.
Cultivation methods
Growing lagenaria is not particularly difficult. However, there are still certain features. The plant belongs to thermophilic species, because it is southern. Therefore, in warm climatic zones, lagenaria is sown with seeds in open ground. But in the middle lane it is better to carry out a seedling planting. Some people prefer to plant a plant in a greenhouse. If you want to get the crop as early as possible, then in the first half of April, seeds are planted at home or in greenhouse conditions.
Basically there is no difficulty in growing lagenaria.
A photo of the plant creates a complete picture of the extraordinary nature of this species.
Growing lagenaria from seeds
Before sowing, it is better to soak the seeds first. To do this, take a piece of fabric and place the right amount of seeds there. Pour material with seeds inside with warm water and leave in it for a while. The ambient temperature should not be lower than room temperature.
As soon as the first sprouts appear on the surface, the seeds are placed in seedling containers. For the first time, it is necessary to create greenhouse conditions for them. This can be done with a film. But it is important to remember that as soon as the shoots come out, remove the film immediately, otherwise they will stretch out very much. Seedlings are planted in open ground in June, as soon as warm stable weather is established.
If the local climate is warm enough, then the seeds can be sown immediately in open ground. For this, a shallow groove is thinned out and filled with hot water. You can also use a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After the landing site is better to cover with polyethylene. This method helps plants to ascend faster.
Seedling Care
Seedlings are quite undemanding to care. But it is very important to provide her with good lighting. Watering is carried out as necessary. But the main thing here is not to overdo it. Excessive moisture will damage the young plant. But it is also not worth drying the soil. To avoid this, it is better to fill the ground near the trunk with mulch. The optimal temperature for growing lagenaria is 15-20 degrees Celsius.
Seedlings are ready for transplanting into the open ground no earlier than in a month. The height should be from 10 cm. A week before the transplantation, a hardening procedure should be carried out. Every day to take seedlings to the street, gradually increasing the time spent in the fresh air. Thus, the young plant will more easily tolerate the transplant and will soon begin to please its owners with a plentiful harvest.
Features of planting and plant care
You must choose the right place for landing. When growing lagenaria and caring for it, it is worth considering that it is a branching plant. Therefore, it must be located next to the support. For this purpose, you can use the subject of the decor of the site, gazebo, porch or part of the fence. The plant is growing very quickly. And the branchy flowering liana on the plot will look just great. But at the same time, it is worth considering that the landing site should be sunny.
The distance between the plants should be at least 70 cm. Wells for planting are dug 30 cm long and wide. The depth of the pit is about the same. Peat, compost or humus is placed at the bottom of the hole. It is also worth adding a little bit of ash. The root part is carefully instilled and watered abundantly with warm water.
As the shoots grow, you need to direct them along the support.
If the support is not provided, then the near-root space must be laid with boards. Otherwise, the fruits will simply begin to hurt or rot.
Watering and top dressing creepers
The plant likes good watering, but it is better not to allow excessive moisture. If there is no rain, it is enough to pamper the vine with 1-2 buckets of water twice a week.
Like any other plant, lagenaria loves top dressing. It is enough to spend them every two weeks. For this, chicken and mineral vegetable fertilizers are suitable. They are entered in turn.
Pollination Rules
An important feature of growing lagenaria is the pollination process. The plant has male flowers, or as they are also called, empty flowers. And, accordingly, women. Since the buds open late in the evening, there is no one to pollinate them. Therefore, to obtain a crop of pollination, you need to do it yourself. To do this, take a brush or cotton swab and transfer pollen from male inflorescences to female. The latter, as a rule, are closer to the lower part of the plant and have a short peduncle. In male flowers, she looks completely different. The leg is thin and elongated. Pollination can be done in the morning or in the evening.
Lagenaria propagation
Seeds can be collected independently from your vines. For these purposes, the first fruit is left. It matures throughout the season. It is cut off before the first frost. After that, the pumpkin is stored at home for a month. Then the fruit is cut, and seeds are extracted from it.
Seeds need to be dried a little, but only in a natural environment. Seeds are stored in a paper or woven bag. Shelf life is 7 years.
Growing lagenaria at home
Very surprisingly, many people grow such a plant at home. On the loggia or on the balcony, lagenaria feels no worse. If you decide, for example, to grow bottle lagenaria in your apartment, then you need to consider the following aspects:
- you need a pot with a volume of at least 10 liters, and preferably 15 (the vine has a rather powerful root system, so in a cramped container the plant will not develop and bear fruit);
- a layer of drainage material with a thickness of at least 3 cm is necessarily laid on the bottom of the pot;
- any soil can be used with humus in it.
The cultivation of serpentine lagenaria is not necessary to grow only in the summer. She feels great throughout the year. But with the onset of the cold of the year, the liana will need to be brought home. And it is advisable to place it near the window on the south side. So the plant will receive more sunlight.
The rest of the home cultivation is no different from the garden. Every two weeks, top dressing and timely watering is recommended. And, of course, to pollinate to form the ovaries.
Harvesting
When growing lagenaria in the suburbs, harvesting is carried out repeatedly. Usually the first crop appears 3 months after planting the seeds. But the timing depends on the purpose of the cultivation. For eating, fruits are cut earlier and more often. For the manufacture of decorative dishes and various crafts, the fruits ripen longer. Remove pumpkins when they grow to the right size.
Growing lagenaria is really interesting and practical. There are a large number of recipes whose ingredient is lagenaria. The fruits will not only play the role of food, but will also become a great decoration for the site. And if you show imagination, then with mature fruits you can decorate your home interior.