Cultivation, Harvesting and Diseases of Ash Gourd (Safed Petha)

Cultivation of Safed Petha or Ash Gourd or Farming of Safed Petha or Ash Gourd:

Ash Gourd is also known as Wax Gourd, Winter Melon, Safed Petha. Here are some other names of Ash Gourd or Safed Petha in different languages:

• Ash Gourd in Hindi – Safed Petha/ Petha
• Ash Gourd in Sanskrit – Arkaru/ Koosmanda
• Ash Gourd in Telugu – Boodidi Gummadikaya
• Ash Gourd in Kerala – Kumbalanga/ Kooshmandam
• Ash Gourd in Tulu – Budu Kumbda/ Boldu Kumbda
• Ash Gourd in Kannada: Budi Kumblakayi
• Ash Gourd in Marathi – Kohalaa
• Ash Gourd in Gujrati – Kolu
• Ash Gourd in Bengali – ChaalKumaro
• Ash Gourd in Nepali – Kubhindo

The scientific name of Ash Gourd is Benincasa Hispida and commonly it is known as winter melon, wax gourd and Safed Petha.  It is a vegetable plant and for the growth of the Safed petha or Ash Gourd full sun is required.

Health Benefits of Ash Gourd or Safed Petha are as follows-

• Ash Gourd or Safe Petha is helpful in losing weight.
• Ash Gourd or Safe Petha is good for diabetics’ patients.
• Ash Gourd or Safe Petha is helpful to treat peptic ulcers.
• Ash Gourd or Safe Petha is good for digestive health.
• Ash Gourd or Safe Petha is helpful in treating constipation.
• Ash Gourd or Safe Petha is helpful in the treatment of the common cold.
• Ash Gourd or Safe Petha is useful in relieving gourd acidity.
• Ash Gourd or Safe Petha is good for the nervous system.

5 Health Benefits of Ash Gourd or Safed Petha

What kind of climate is required for the cultivation of the Safed Petha or Ash Gourd?

Ash Gourd or Safed Petha crop is a warm crop that required a temperature between 24-degree to 31-degree Celsius. Safed Petha crop can also in humid and heavy rainfall regions too. 

What kind of soil is required for the cultivation of the Safed Petha or Ash Gourd?

For ash gourd or safed petha plantation loamy and well-drained soil is required to get a good yield of safed petha or Ash gourd. The pH of the soil can be ranged in between 5 -7.5.  But for the pH range, 6-7 is considered best.

What is the best time for sowing the Ash Gourd or Safed Petha Seeds?

The best time of sowing Ash Gourd or safed petha seed is –

• In Northern Plains of India – February
• Northwestern India – June–July
• Southern India – June to August
• Hills of Northern India – April to May
• Overall, January to March and September to December

What are the different varieties of Ash Gourd or Safed Petha Seeds?

CO-1, CO-2, Pusa Ujwal, Mudliar, Indu, Kau Local, IVAG-502, IVAG-90, PAG-3, APAU Shakthi, Karikumbala.

Seed Rate for Sowing Ash Gourd or Safed Petha-

Around 2-2.5 kg Seeds are required to sow one-hectare land.

Seed Treatment for Safed Petha or Ash Gourd -

For better yield soak the seeds in the water and before sowing, the seeds should be treated with carbendazim 2gm/kg.

How to Prepare the land for the Ash Gourd Seed Sowing?

Before sowing the seeds land should be ploughed 3-4 times and well rotten organic manure should be added to the top layer. Afterwards, dig the pits of 30x30x30 cm in size having a space of 2x2 m and form a basin.

Delicious Recipe of Ash Gourd to Try at Home

Sowing of Seeds and Spacing between Ash Gourd Plants -

Initially, 5-6 seeds are sown in every pit and after their germination, there should be only 2-3 plants per pit. There are some methods of sowing the ash gourd or safed petha seeds-

• Shallow Pit Method or Flat-Bed Method
• Raised Bed Method
• Mound Method

Irrigation for the Growth of Ash Gourd or Safed Petha:

The field should be well irrigated before sowing the seeds so that better germination can be achieved. In the early stage, irrigation is required every 3-4 days until flowering and fruit development.

Weeding Process in Ash Gourd or Safed Petha Crop -

It is necessary to do weed controlling process from time to time to get better crop with hand or hoe weeding as per requirement. During fertilization ranking of the soil is necessary. At least 2-3 weeding are required in the whole season.

Mulching Process in Safed Petha or Ash Gourd Crop -

Mulching is generally done to increase or decrease the soil temperature in winter and summer respectively. An increase in temperature may affect flowering, pollination, vegetative growth, and fruit growth which ultimately gives us low yield.

Fertilizers and Manure requirement for the Ash Gourds or Safed Petha -

• As per Tandon -1987 has recommended that nitrogen 100 kg/hectare and 50 kg/hectare in Punjab and Karnataka respectively. Phosphorus is 50 kg/hectare in Punjab and Karnataka and Potash is 50 kg/hectare and 60 kg/hectare in Punjab and Karnataka respectively.
• One-third amount of Nitrogen is mixed with the total amount of Phosphorus and Potash to apply near the root zone at the time of pit preparations. The remaining 2/3 part of the Nitrogen is divided into two parts and used after 20 days and 40 days.

Harvesting of the Ash Gourd or Safed Petha Crop -

The Ash Gourd or Safes Petha crop fully matures in 100-140 days from the day of seed sowing. For harvesting the Ash Gourd, a sharp knife is used and Ash Gourd is detached from the plant with having a long peduncle attached with the fruit. Fully matured fruits after harvesting can be stored for 2-6 months at normal temperature whereas immature fruit after harvesting can be stored for only for 10-14 days.

Yielding of Ash Gourd or Safed Petha -

The Yield of Safed Petha or Ash Gourd is depending upon various factors like- season, soil, climate, variety of seeds etc. The average yield of Ash Gourd is between 20 to 40 tons/hectare depends upon the above-mentioned factors.

Disease that can cause damage to the Ash Gourd Plants -

Mainly pests like Leaf beetles, fruit fly and lead caterpillars are found on the Ash Gourd plants and diseases like powdery mildew and downy mildew are the most common diseases in the Ash Gourd crop. To save the Ash Gourds plants-

• Spray Malathion 50 EC 1ml/lit of water or Dimethoate 30 EC 1ml/lit of water to save Ash gourd plants from leaf beetles and leaf caterpillars.
• Use neem oil to save the Ash Gourd plant from fruit fly.
• Use 1 ml/lit of water Dinocap or 0.5 gm/lit of water Carbendazim Spray to save the ash gourd plant from powdery mildew disease.
• Use Chlorothalonil 2gm/lit of water to save ash gourd crop from downy mildew.