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Bottle gourd has only recently appeared in Russian vegetable gardens and garden plots. But they became interested in it not for its tasty fruits and bountiful harvest. The shape of the fruits and their main purpose - making decorative crafts - attracted the attention of gardeners. The Russians wanted to grow such a pumpkin with their own hands, and then make a decoration from it for their home or a gift for friends.
Description of the variety
Bottle gourd with different names - Vietnamese squash, Indian cucumber, Gorlyanka, Calabash - comes from Africa, has up to 7 species, differing in leaves, seed color, fruit shape, flower size. It is an annual liana, as evidenced by the description of this tropical crop:
- the stem is faceted, covered with fluff, gives daily growth of up to 15-20 cm, grows up to 15 m long;
- leaves are large, pentagonal, with a wavy surface, slightly pubescent;
- the flowers are small, white, on long petioles, located in the axils of the leaves, bloom at night;
- fruits of unusual shape, can grow up to 2-2.5 m in length.
Bottle gourd is grown to produce fruits that have an unusual shape.When fully ripe, they do not rot, but dry out so that they can be used for various purposes.
Description of fruits
The fruits of bottle gourd are smooth and hard, at the beginning of ripening they look like long cucumbers, and then they can take on different shapes:
- flattened;
- serpentine;
- spherical;
- pear-shaped.
You can give the pumpkin a very specific look. To do this, the young ovary is placed in a wooden device, the shape of which is acquired by the fruit during the growth process.
Only young fruits of bottle gourd, 20-40 cm long, with a delicate pulp structure and a piquant taste, are used for food. It resembles the taste of zucchini and can be used to prepare the same dishes.
With further growth of the vegetable, the pulp dries out, the peel becomes dense, light and waterproof. Various decorative items are made from such fruits:
- all kinds of dishes;
- musical instruments;
- toys;
- caskets;
- candlesticks;
- smoking pipes.
You can weave baskets, rugs, and hats from the durable stems of bottle gourd.
Characteristics of the species
Since the bottle gourd is a tropical vegetable, and it only lives for one summer, it has not yet had time to adapt to frost and for its growth it requires a lot of heat, sun and does not tolerate cold drafts at all.
This crop is tolerant of drought, but to form a good harvest it needs to be watered as soon as the soil is dry.
But strong immunity helps to resist many diseases (powdery mildew, mosaic, anthracnose, etc.) and not be attacked by insect pests.
You can collect up to 10 fruits from one bush. Gardeners advise reducing their number by cutting off the ovaries in order to get fewer, but larger fruits.
The benefits and harms of bottle gourd
The rich vitamin and mineral composition and low calorie content of bottle gourd fruits make it recommended for many diets. Only very young pumpkins are eaten.
Seed oil is used in medicine and cosmetology. Infusions of leaves, fruits and stems, prepared according to traditional medicine recipes, help in:
- strengthening the immune system;
- normalization of metabolism;
- stabilization of heart function;
- lowering cholesterol levels;
- binding free radicals and removing them from the body.
The harm that consuming bottle gourd can cause to the body is due to individual intolerance to the product.
Growing bottle gourd
In the climatic conditions of central Russia, lagenaria can only be grown by seedlings and in a greenhouse or greenhouse.
First you need to prepare the soil in which the seeds will be planted and a container for seedlings. There is no exact recommendation on which soil is more suitable for growing Lagenaria bottle gourd seedlings. Gardeners have differing opinions on this issue. At your discretion, you can do one of the following:
- take land from your plot if it is considered sufficiently fertile;
- buy a balanced substrate in the store;
- make the mixture yourself by mixing turf soil, humus and sand with the addition of ash or charcoal.
Lagenaria bottle gourd seeds are large in size with a dense skin. Before planting, they should be soaked in hot water (+450C) for two days or put in a growth stimulator for a day. Then wrap it in wet gauze or put it in damp sawdust.The air temperature should be room temperature. After about a week, pipping will occur, which is a signal to plant bottle gourd seeds for seedlings.
To do this proceed as follows:
- Place drainage and prepared soil in the seedling container.
- The seeds are immersed to a depth of 4 cm with the sprout down and lightly watered.
- Create a greenhouse effect by covering it with film or glass until full sprouts appear.
Next, the film is removed, and when strong seedlings grow, they are planted in open ground. It takes approximately one month to grow bottle gourd seedlings from seeds. At the end of May, the lagenaria should be transplanted to a permanent place where it will produce its bottle fruits.
It is better to choose a place for planting near a fence or wall, which in the future will serve as a support for the stems of lagenaria. It should be remembered that bottle gourd loves the sun and warmth. Feeding must be done every 10 days. And when the stems reach 3 m in length, you need to stop fertilizing the bush.
How to dry bottle gourd
If bottle gourd was grown for crafts, as in the photo below, then it needs to be dried properly. To do this proceed as follows:
- The fruits are cut off, leaving only the tail.
- Wash well to remove dust and dirt with soap and wipe dry.
- Leave in the fresh air or in a room with good ventilation, but without direct sunlight.
- After a week, the fruits are checked: they should change color and become firm.
- Now they are transferred for a long period (up to six months) to a dark room for final drying.
Fruits need to be turned over once every 3-4 days for uniform drying and checked in order to remove spoiled ones and traces of mold in a timely manner. Confirmation that the bottle gourd has dried is the sound of dry seeds when you shake it.When the seeds have rumbled, cut off the top, take out the insides and leave until final drying.
How to cook bottle gourd
In terms of its qualities, bottle gourd resembles the zucchini common in Russian regions. It is usually prepared like zucchini, and in dishes it behaves in much the same way. Here are some proven recipes.
Lagenaria caviar
For preparation you need:
- bottle gourd – 1 kg;
- onions – 300 g;
- tomatoes – 400 g;
- vegetable oil – 150 g;
- salt, pepper - to taste.
Preparation:
- Peel pumpkin, tomatoes, onions and cut into small cubes.
- First, sauté the onions in hot oil.
- Then add tomatoes to the onions and fry over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Pieces of pumpkin are combined with the resulting mass, spices are added and simmered until the desired consistency. Usually the result is a mass similar to caviar.
This dish is served cold, spread on pieces of bread.
Pancakes
This dish is prepared in much the same way as zucchini pancakes. But whether they are similar to each other, everyone can determine according to their own taste.
Required Products:
- bottle gourd – 400 g;
- celery – 100 g;
- flour – 1 tbsp.;
- raw egg – 1 pc.;
- refined oil – 3 tbsp. l.;
- salt - on the tip of the knife.
Preparation:
- Vegetables are washed, peeled and grated on a coarse grater.
- Add egg, flour, salt and mix everything.
- Fry on both sides in a heated frying pan with oil, turning over.
The pancakes turn out very tender and have a slightly savory taste.
Hungarian recipe
What do you need:
- lagenaria fruits – 0.5 kg;
- red sweet pepper – 100 g;
- bulbs – 2 pcs.;
- pork lard – 50 g;
- sour cream – 2 tbsp. l.;
- broth - 1 tbsp.;
- sunflower oil – 50 g;
- flour – 2 tbsp. l.;
- spices - to taste.
How to cook:
- Vegetables are cut into pieces and fried with lard.
- Add the broth and simmer until the liquid evaporates.
- The flour is separately fried in oil and mixed with vegetables.
- Add sour cream and spices, cover with a lid and simmer until done.
The result is a vegetable gravy, which can be served as a separate dish with breadcrumbs or added to main courses.
Conclusion
Bottle gourd is conquering not only areas with temperate climates, but also the hearts of gardeners. For those who love to create with their own hands, this tropical vegetable is a gift from nature to express their creativity with the application of agricultural skills to it.
