Squash
The squash cultivation method is popular nowadays. Squash is an exotic vegetable, in nature. This vegetable is present in the Bangladesh climate. Agriculture is now practiced commercially. Local market demand for this squash is strong. This vegetable also has a wide range of nutritional value and good prices so many people are inclined to grow this vegetable now. Many who are new entrepreneurs do not know the specifics of how this vegetable should be grown. The post of today is pretty much for them.
Detailed cultivation methods of squash cultivation:-
Soil and weather:
Warm, plenty of sunlight, and low humidity are good for squash. The optimum temperature during cultivation is 20-250C. High temperatures and long days during cultivation increase the number of male flowers and decrease the number of female flowers. Organic rich loam or clay loam is good for the cultivation of soils but squash has a good yield in silt.
Variety Introduction:
Bari squash-1 variety has been released by Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute. It is a high yielding variety. Fruits can be collected only 15-16 days after pollination. Fruits of dark green tubular color. The weight of the fruit averages 1.05 kg. The average production per hectare is 45 tonnes.
Seed sowing and seedling production:
Seeds can be sown in October-December for winter cultivation. It is better to produce the seedlings in polybags in the nursery. Polybags of 8×10 cm or larger size can be used for sowing seeds. First mix half soil and half dung to make soil and fill it in a polybag. For easy germination, seeds are soaked overnight in clean water for 15-20 hours or in one percent potassium nitrate solution and then sown in polybags. We have to sow two seeds in each bag. Seeds should be sown twice as deep as the soil. Seeds are also sown directly in the female. In that case, 2-3 seeds can be sown in each female after 4-5 days of fertilizer application and female formation. After 10-12 days of seedling growth, 1 healthy and vigorous seedling should be left and the rest should be removed. If the seedlings are 16-18 days old, they should be planted in the field.
Seed rate:
2-4 kg of seed is required per hectare.
Making the bed:
The height of the bed should be 15-20 cm and the width should be 1-1.25 m and the length should be taken according to the length of the land. In this way, the beds have to be made one after the other. Besides, there will be 60 cm wide irrigation and drainage ditch between the two beds.
Made of planting space:
planting space width is 50-55 cm, 50-55 cm in-depth, and 40-50 cm in the bottom. Feeding should be performed in a row by removing 50 cm from the edge of the bed adjacent to the 60 cm deep irrigation and drainage ditch at intervals of 2 m from the center of the planting space. In-bed seedlings are to be planted in one row.
Age of seedlings:
It is best to plant 16-18 day old seedlings in the field after germination.
Sapling planting:
The soil in the field should be well turned upside down to make room for planting seedlings with one stroke. Then the polybag should be cut with a blade along the fold and the polybag should be removed. After planting the seedlings should be watered in the hole. Care should be taken while removing the polybag and planting the seedlings so that the roots of the seedlings are not damaged and the lumps of soil do not break. Otherwise, the germs of the disease (Fusarium wilt) will enter through the wound of the roots and if the roots are damaged, the growth of the plant will start late.
Interculture operation:
Irrigation:
The squash crop is very sensitive to water. Therefore, regular irrigation should be given as per the need through the irrigation ditch. Flood irrigation can never be done by wetting all the land. Only if it is blocked with water in the irrigation ditch, the tree will draw water. If necessary, some water can be irrigated from the irrigation ditch at the base of the tree with a small pot. After the dry season it is necessary to irrigate at intervals of 5-6 days.
Mulching:
After each irrigation, light straw mulch should be applied to break the soil at the base of the tree. Weeds are the habitat of many diseases. Weeds also absorb nutrients and sap. Therefore, from planting seedlings to collecting fruits, the land should always be kept free from weeds.
Special care:
Usually 180-250 sec for squash production. Temperature and dry environments are most suitable. Night temperature 180-210C. If it is more or less, the growth of the tree is disrupted, the flowers fall and the yield is reduced, in some cases the yield is not at all. Sowing the seeds in October and planting them in November shows that the night temperature drops drastically from the last week of November to January, disrupting the physical growth of the plant. Therefore, for normal growth of the tree, if the tree is planted in a polythene tent or glasshouse, the temperature inside at night is higher than outside.
Harvesting:
Fruits should be collected within 10-15 days of pollination. Even then the fruit will be green in color and the fruit will look smooth and bright. If you put pressure on the fruit with your nails, the nails will easily penetrate inside.
