- Â Kantola (Hindi, Marathi)
- Spiny Gourd
- Spine Gourd
- Bristly Balsam Pear
- Prickly Carolaho
- Karkol vegetable
- Kheksha
- Agakara
- Boda Karakaya
- Teasel Gourds
- Kakara
- Parora
- Kartoli (Bengali)
- Â Katwal (Gujrati)
- Batkarela (Assame)
- Bharkarela (Punjabi)
- Paalupaikka (Tamil)
- Karkotaki (Telugu)
How to differentiate between male and female Spiny Gourd Plants?
There are two easy ways gardeners can differentiate between male and female Kantola plants without using any advanced technology or testing.
- First, in my observation, female plants have tubers bigger and thicker compared to that of male plants.
- But how to identify the male and female plants when the plants are already growing?- The easiest way is to look at flowers. Like cucumbers, zucchini, and several other gourds; Spiny gourd female flowers have a tiny unfertilized fruit at the base of the flower. If the flower is fertilized, this tiny fruit matures into a proper fruit. But, if it doesn’t fertilize then it turns yellow and falls off.
Growing Spiny Gourd or Kantola From Seeds and Tubers General Information
Whether you grow spiny gourd from seeds or from tubers, the plants perform best in hot humid climates with temperatures ranging between 25-40°C or 77-104°F. Kantola is not choosy about the type of soil and grows well in all types of soil including clay, loamy, or sandy in the wild. However, to prevent the roots from getting infected due to excess moisture, it is better to use sandy or loamy soil. The optimal pH ranges between 6-7.
In the initial growing period, you can use any high-nitrogen fertilizer for the first 4-6 weeks. After about a month you can feed these plants with any balanced all-purpose fertilizer or a mixture of blood and bone meal.
How to Grow Kantola From Seeds?
First of all, whether you grow Kantola from seeds or tubers, you have to grow more plants. Growing Spiny Gourd or Kantola from seeds is very easy. You can sow the seeds 1/2-1 inch deep. Germination time is 3-10 days. You can direct sow the seeds in early spring or start them indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. Since the plants are going to develop tubers, it is good to keep at least 8 inches of spacing between two plants. You can grow them in containers or directly in the ground. It takes approximately two-three months for the plants to reach maturity.
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