Patola is a green gourd that is called Patola in the Philippines and can be grown for food or can be cut off and dried to be used as a luxury luffa sponge, so either way, it is a pretty useful plant to have in your garden.
In Asia, it is commercially grown on plantations, but it can also be grown at home in the garden or in containers. You may be surprised at just how easy and productive it is to grow Patola!
In This Grower’s Guide – We will take a peek at how to grow Patola for food for luffas. And if you can get some productive Patola plants, we will also share a few great Asian recipes for you to enjoy.
What is Patola?
Depending on where you are in the world (and how you use it) you may know this peculiar plant as:
- Luffa
- Loofah
- Sponge Gourd
- Gilki
- Chinese Okra
- Egyptian Cucumber
- Vietnamese Luffa
- Rag Gourd
- Dishrag Gourd
Patola’s botanical name is Luffa cylindrica and it is gourd producing in the same family as courgettes, cucumbers, and squash.
The ripe gourd can also be eaten in a variety of Asian and Southeast Asian dishes.
Where can I grow Patola?
This tropical vine is native to Asia, yet it can grow in temperate regions, tolerating what would be extremely cold temperatures.
However, it does not weather the cold well and will halt growth for weeks if the temperature dips.
Patola can grow outdoors in the USDA plant hardiness zone of 7 and above.
If you are growing Patola indoors, in a container, or using a glasshouse, you may be able to fruit it in zone 6 or zone 5.
How to grow Patola
This is a unique and exotic plant in the West and is usually grown from seed.
You can buy Patola seedlings from garden centers or specialist online retailers.
Your Choice – You can grow Patola from seed in containers, but if you have suitable weather you can also sow it directly into the ground.
Preparing Patola seeds
Patola seeds must be made ready to germinate.
This can be accomplished by scraping and thinning the seed coat with sandpaper. The seeds can then be placed in clean water for soaking for 24 hours..
Sowing Patola
Make an approximately 1-inch round hole using your finger, or dibber, for each seed that you are planting.
Once planted, cover it with potting compost and sog down the area with a good watering to get the seed started.
Then throughout the seed germination period, keep the soil moist. You should expect germination within 4-10 days.
Growing Patola in a container
When it comes to growing edible patola, look for a large container full of nutrient-rich soil/composed.
An appropriate growing container for Patola would be large and deep, at least 12 inches on each side.
You will more than likely find terracotta pots maintain heat well and are a good mainstream choice for growing these full-sun plants.
It’s important that your container has drainage holes, so buy a pot with drainage holes, and place some small stones or gravel in the bottom before you plant your Patola.
Patola outdoor growing conditions
Warmth
Warmth is a requirement for these tropical plants.
That is why container growing is a very useful way to maintain the warmth the plants need to thrive.
Works Best – A sunny location on a patio will work well. Make sure that your growing Patola gets at least 6 hours of sunlight per day.
Soil quality
Whether sowing Patola plants or transplanting seedlings or plants, make sure your soil has been prepped beforehand with a good layer of manure or compost in it.
Patola does better on loamy soils, with good drainage and neutral pH. For plants grown in pots, use a good quality multi-purpose potting compost.
Watering
With watering, daily watering is not necessary but the soil must be kept moist at all times.
Make sure container plants have adequate drainage. Additionally, mulching can help your plants hold onto the moisture they need and suppress weeds.
Support
Additionally, your Patola will require firm support in order to climb as it grows.
You can use any of these examples to provide support for the gourd: Trellis, pergolas, arbors or frames.
You may need a large support system, as vines are capable of being as long as 30 feet long (9.1 metres).
Feeding
Fertilize your Patolas with a slow-release fertilizer, or incorporate a diluted liquid fertilizer into your feeds.
As soon as it begins flowering, nutrient demands will increase. You may add additional well-rotted manure to support them as they fruit.
Pruning
This extremely healthy shrub requires a firm pruning to ensure that energy is directed toward flowers and fruit, rather than excessive length.
Also remember – prune it often as it grows aggressively. Remove damaged or dying stems or leaves or growth that is growing the plant out.
Patola pests and diseases to watch out for
Patola plants are vulnerable to a variety of gourd diseases.
Typically, these are associated with wet conditions and overwatering.
Some important diseases include:
- Powdery mildew – This fungal condition affects the leaves of the vine and produces powdery white spots and yellowing of the leaves.
- Alternaria leaf blight – This fungal disease causes the development of small yellowish-brown spots on leaves and is commonly associated with a green or yellow halo. Alternaria develops rapidly into large and coalescing lesions that become necrotic and cause leaves to curl.
- Scab – This fungal condition produces lesions on the fruit and leaves.
Just like you, pests will find patola fruit delectable! Pay attention to sap-suckers like aphids and mealybugs, burrowing pests which could be western spotted cucumber beetles, and, of course, your local slugs!
To help control pests, a simple spray down your plants with Neem oil, garlic juice, or adding some pest predators like wasps or ducks.
Harvesting your Patola
When you harvest Patola depends on what you will use it for.
If you want to eat the gourds, picking them early on will encourage further fruit to develop.
Harvesting Patola to eat
Patola has a growing period of approximately 60 to 70 days.
When you harvest matola you will need to pick the gourds when they are young and soft to eat or you will have loofah candidates as they become tough and fibrous once they have matured.
Harvesting Patola as a body sponge
To use Patola as a sponge, leave the fruit on the vine and watch it lose its green color.
When it is dried and fibrous, slice the skin off, and you have a loofah sponge!
Patola recipe ideas
Similar to zucchini, squash, and other favorite gourds, Patola is a healthful vegetable.
Not only does it have a lot of dietary fiber, but Patola also has several vitamins and minerals, such as:
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Riboflavin
- Zinc
- Thiamine
- Vitamins A and C
Try eating Patola in salads raw in the same way you would eat cucumber, or you can prepare it as you would okra or zucchini .
Now, here are a handful of delicious Patola recipes to enjoy:
- Stir-Fried Patola with Eggs
- Goan Sauteed Ridge Gourd Recipe
- Luffa and Shrimp curry
Rounding up
Patola is a high-yield, sustainable plant that is a perfect addition to anyone’s garden who wants to achieve self-reliance.
It is a delicious meal but also saves dollars on what would be pricey personal care products.