Since this season is the most suitable for growing vegetables, I have also introduced a variety of vegetables to you. Today I would like to introduce to you a special vegetable, if you are not a brave person, you really dare not grow it.
It's a little scary just by the name - snake gourd, do you know it? Let's find out and see what's so special about it.
What kind of melon is snake melon?
Although its name bears the word "melon", it is not a fruit, but a vegetable, just like plants such as cucumber, bitter gourd, and pumpkin. In some places, it is also called snake bean, or snake king gourd, soybean horn and so on.
The reason why this plant has such a peculiar and scary-sounding name is also related to its appearance. This vegetable looks like a snake fishing on vines, and not only does it look like a snake, but it also has a snake-like smell all over its body.
If you don't know this plant, you will probably be shocked when you see it for the first time. It is also for this reason that its name is mostly related to snakes.
Because of this, if you are not a brave person, you will not dare to plant it, on the one hand, you may scare yourself, and on the other hand, you may also scare children and others.
In addition, its taste is also very special, and the unique fishy smell has also dissuaded many people, so there are not many snake melons planted in China at present.
Snake gourd is an annual climbing vine of the genus Cucurbitaceae, just because its fruit is slender and curved and like a snake, it can grow to more than one meter, so it is named snake gourd.
It is native to India and Malaysia, and is a common vegetable widely distributed in Southeast Asian countries, West Africa, tropical America and the Caribbean.
However, it was introduced into China in the early years, but there are still only sporadic cultivation, of which a small amount is planted in Shandong, Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan provinces.
Is snake gourd delicious?
This is probably also a topic that many people are more concerned about, in fact, don't look at the snake gourd looks scary, but it tastes good, in the "Rare Vegetable Primary Color Illustrated" there is a record of snake gourd, and also pointed out that this vegetable is also very rich, not only snake gourd can be eaten, even its flowers, twigs can be eaten.
This is very similar to pumpkins, the fruits and flowers of pumpkins. The tips of the young vines are also edible.
Xiaobian has never eaten snake melon, because no one grows it in my local area, and it is not seen on the market. But according to people who have eaten snake gourd, the flesh of snake gourd is crisp and tender. It can be used for stir-frying or making soups, and the taste of cold salad is also good.
Moreover, the snake gourd is also very nutritious, rich in a variety of vitamins and amino acids, especially its young stems and leaves are also delicious, whether it is stir-fried or made into soup, it is unique.
In addition, even if the snake melon smells of a snake, after it is cooked, it becomes fragrant, so it will not affect the taste of eating at all. It's a bit like stinky tofu, it smells bad, but it tastes delicious.
In the eyes of some people, snake gourd is a scary vegetable, but in the eyes of others, it has a peculiar appearance and high ornamental value. It is planted in the yard and used for trellises and corridor cultivation and ornamentation, and it is a highly ornamental fruiting plant.
How are snake melons grown?
It is worth mentioning that snake gourd can actually be planted in most places in the mainland, just because snake gourd is very adaptable and does not have too high requirements for soil, and the soil for general cultivation of crops can be planted with snake gourd.
However, if you want it to grow well and have a high yield, it is recommended to plant it in a plot with loose and fertile soil and close to a water source.
The cultivation of snake gourd is also simple, it can be sown directly, and there is no need for seedlings at all. The growth temperature of snake melon is in the range of 18-30 °C, and it can be sown after the beginning of spring.
Put two seeds in each hole, wait until the seedlings emerge to leave the most robust one on the line, pay attention to the row spacing when planting, because its vines are developed, should not be too dense, generally the plant row spacing is 60-80 cm.
Because the growth rate of snake melon is fast, the vines are also developed, so in order to make it grow better, it is best to build a fence or scaffolding, when the melon vine is more than 30 cm long, it is necessary to tie the vine in time and lead the vine to the shelf.
And in the process of its growth, it is recommended to top dressing many times, so that it can grow fast, and it is best to use thin manure water, rotten cake fertilizer or N, P, K ternary compound fertilizer. Snake gourd is a moisture-loving plant and should be watered frequently during the summer heat to keep the soil moist, which is why it is recommended to plant it close to the water source.
The growth habit of the snake gourd is similar to that of the loofah, and it also has the characteristics of continuous gourd, so it should be harvested at the right time, generally when the corolla withers and the melon strips are no longer elongated.
Okay, that's all for snake melon, do you know snake melon? Do you like to eat it? This season is a good time to plant snake melon! #头条创作挑战赛#