50+ WAX GOURD Winter Melon White Ash Benincasa Hispida Vegetable Seeds Bi Dao
Specifications
| Return Shipping Will Be Paid By | Seller |
| All Returns Accepted | Returns Accepted |
| Item Must Be Returned Within | 30 Days |
| Features | Fast Growing |
| Cultivating Difficulty | Easy |
| Season Of Interest | Spring |
| Country/Region Of Manufacture | United States |
| Growth Habit | Climbing |
| Climate | Humid Subtropical |
| Common Name | Gourd |
| Brand | Unbranded |
| Color | White |
| Life Cycle | Annual |
| Sunlight | Full Sun |
| Indoor/Outdoor | Outdoor |
| Type | Vegetable Seeds |
| Watering | Medium |
White Gourd / White Pumpkin / Tallow Gourd / Ash Gourd / Winter Melon / Gourd Melon / Chinese Watermelon / Chinese Preserving Melon/ Bi dao SCIENTIFIC NAME: Benincasa Hispida (Thunb) Cong. COLOR: Green Skin / White Flesh PLANT SEEDS: Outdoors after frost / Indoors weeks before last frost HARVEST: 80 Days PLANT HEIGHT: 6 - 12” PLANT SPACING: 15 - 20’ LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average About:The Wax gourd’s fruit has green skin that is covered with white waxy coating. They can grow up to 4’ long and 2’ around, weighing an average of 15-20 pounds. Their flesh is white, crisp, juicy, and mild flavored. They can be cooked like a vegetable and enjoyed in any number of dishes/soups. The Wax Gourd is also popular in Asian cuisine. The fruit is nutritious and even has some medicinal uses. The plants are vining in habit, and grow very similarly to watermelons. Wax gourds can be stored for 2-6 months after harvest. ***Note: It is normal for tropical seed germination to be sporadic from as little as 30 days to 6 months or more- so patience is required. Buyers should do their own research for plant uses if needed. Nick the Seed Coat Nick the hard seed coat at the wider, rounded end of the seed with a clean craft knife. Soak the Seeds Soak the seeds in a small bowl of hot water for up to 24 hours. Begin the sowing process 12 weeks before your last expected spring frost Prep the Planting Tray Fill a planting tray with moist seed-starting mix, usually a soil-less product that combines perlite, vermiculite and peat moss. Sow the Seeds Sow the seeds 1/4 inch deep, firming the moist seed-starting mix over the seed. Place one seed per plug if your seed tray has inserts that hold the mix in separate 1- to 2-inch compartments. Otherwise sow seeds a few inches apart so seedlings will be easy to remove later. Keep Them Warm Set the tray on a waterproof greenhouse heat mat set to 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit or in a room with the same temperature range. Conserve Moisture Cover the tray with its included clear plastic dome or with plastic wrap to keep moisture in. Check the Seed Tray Check the seed tray regularly over the one to three weeks it takes the seeds to germinate. Ensure the soil is moist but not soggy. Too-wet soil can cause the seeds to rot before they germinate. Remove the Plastic Remove the plastic when plants emerge and move the tray to a site where it receives bright, indirect sunlight. Apply Fertilizer Apply a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer mixed to half its recommended strength with every other watering after the seedlings produce their first true leaves – the first pair of leaves after the initial seed leaves that emerge at germination. Water enough to keep the potting soil evenly moist, never letting it dry out or become waterlogged. Transplant the Seedlings Transplant the seedlings to separate 1-gallon containers filled with standard potting soil when they have at least three sets of leaves. Allow them to grow in a sheltered area for several weeks before transitioning them to their permanent outdoor location when all danger of frost has passed.