Not only does the Malabar gourd have certain preferences regarding how much water it receives, but it also cares deeply about how you provide that water. In fact, if you don't use the proper watering technique, you risk harming your tomatoes. The best way to water Malabar gourd is to apply the water directly to the soil in a slow and gentle manner. You should not pour all of the water into the soil at once, and you should not do overhead watering for your Malabar gourd. Although you should water slowly, you should also water deeply to ensure that all of the soil in which your Malabar gourd grows is sufficiently moist.

If you find that you have overwatered your Malabar gourd and you are concerned about the associated risk of disease, you should intervene immediately. Often the best approach for an overwatered Malabar gourd is to uproot it from its current growing location. Once the plant is out of the ground, you can allow its roots to dry a bit before planting it in a new growing location. Ensure that the new growing location has soil with good drainage. If you grow in pots, you may also want to move your plant to a pot with more or larger drainage holes. In the case of underwatering, all you will need to do is increase the frequency with which you supply water to your plant.

Overall, Malabar gourd requires a significant amount of water throughout the growing season. To meet that high water need, you'll need to water early and often throughout the spring and summer. During the earlier parts of the growing season, you should water your Malabar gourd about once or twice per week. As the season progresses, you should increase your watering frequency. You may need to water it twice per day or more during summer, depending on the weather. After your Malabar gourd have gone through their major seasonal growth phases, you can reduce the frequency of your watering to about once per week until the end of the growing season.

Since Malabar gourd are incredibly popular, with many professional and amateur gardeners growing them successfully, we have a pretty clear idea of how to care for these plants. That understanding includes specific knowledge about the precise volume of water an average Malabar gourd should receive. Generally, Malabar gourd will require about 1 - 1.5 inches of water per week. That volume should be dispersed evenly through your weekly watering. As the weather gets warmer, you may need to supply more water, but in most cases, two inches per week is a good baseline amount.

Underwatering and overwatering can both occur as problems for your Malabar gourd, and both these problems can manifest with similar symptoms. For example, foliage discoloration and wilting can both result from either overwatering or underwatering. When your Malabar gourd is underwatered, its leaves will be curling and drooping at the beginning. You will see a bunch of leaves turn less vigorous. Underwatering is also likely to cause stunted growth and poor overall development as both the flowers and this plant require a high amount of water. Overwatering is more likely to lead to disease, including rot. Overwatering may also lead to unpleasant smells rising from your plant's soil. The symptoms of underwatering will show up quicker than overwatering. Overwatering can also be evident in soil conditions. Mainly, if you notice a lot of standing water or waterlogged soils, overwatering is likely to occur.

As alluded to above, your Malabar gourd's water needs will repeatedly change throughout the seasons. During most of spring and summer, you should water your Malabar gourd about once every week. As the heat of summer arrives, you should plan to increase your watering frequency to once or twice per day. In the late summer and fall, towards the end of the harvest period, you can reduce your watering frequency to about once per week. After harvest has ended, you can cease watering as your Malabar gourd has reached the end of its life cycle and will require no further soil moisture. The maintenance schedule of Malabar gourd will require you to alter the amount of water you provide depending on the plant's current growth stage. Early on, especially if you grow your Malabar gourd from seeds, you'll need to provide water often enough to maintain consistent soil moisture, which encourages root development. When the plant becomes old enough to produce flowers, it will likely need even more water. During the fruit development growth stage, your Malabar gourd will likely need the most water out of any growth period, at times requiring water more than twice per day. Following that phase, the water needs of Malabar gourd will decline significantly.

Whether you grow Malabar gourd indoors or outdoors can also play a role in how you water them. Malabar gourd that grows outdoors may receive water from natural rainfall, which will reduce the amount of supplemental water you should supply. However, it is incredibly rare for rainfall to adequately replace your watering entirely. Plants that grow indoors, along with any Malabar gourd that grows in a container, will need to be watered more frequently than those that grow in the ground outdoors. If you choose this route, please make sure that the plant gets enough water by checking the soil moisture within your pot often to keep your Malabar gourd healthy.

Pruning is a very important maintenance task for anyone growing your Malabar gourd. Proper pruning promotes healthier growth, reduces the risk of disease, and enhances the quality of fruit harvests. Since pruning is so essential to this plant’s overall development, you should conduct pruning every year. If you decide not to prune your Malabar gourd, you cannot expect it to be as healthy as possible or produce an ample harvest. One of the main reasons for this is that there is a lack of pruning leaves with too much foliage on this plant. When your Malabar gourd has too many leaves, those leaves can shade other parts of the plant, which limits fruit production.

Most of your Malabar gourd pruning should take place during late winter and early spring. Pruning earlier than that can cause growth issues. For example, pruning too early will make your plant vulnerable to late-season frosts. You can also perform additional pruning during the Summer. However, summer pruning should focus on thinning this plant rather than changing its overall form. You should also remove any unneeded shoots, such as those that grow from the base of the plant, as they do not contribute to this plant’s main form.

There are a few crucial tips to keep in mind when pruning your Malabar gourd. First, you should not be afraid of pruning too much of this plant, as Malabar gourd grows vigorously and responds quite well to heavy pruning. During pruning, you should focus on developing a single strong trunk and two to three main lateral branches. Cut those lateral branches so that each one has only three buds remaining on it. Removing all but the main trunk and a few main lateral branches allows your Malabar gourd to focus all of the season’s energy toward developing a healthy set of fruits. Each time you prune, you should use clean pruning tools and cut each branch cleanly at a 45-degree angle. Do not prune more than one-third of the plant size at once, as too much pruning may affect the plant's subsequent growth.

Malabar gourd typically needs at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight every day. If you are growing your plant outdoors, make sure to choose a spot that receives full sunlight throughout the day. If you are growing your Malabar gourd indoors, try to place it near a south-facing window or another location that receives plenty of sunlight. While Malabar gourd needs full sunlight to grow and thrive, it’s essential to avoid exposing them to direct sunlight during high temperatures, such as over 35°C(95℉) or during hot summer afternoons. If the sunlight is too intense, it can cause the leaves to become scorched or wilted. To avoid this, you can consider using sheer curtains or blinds to filter the sunlight or moving the plant to a shadier spot.

If your Malabar gourd doesn't receive enough sunlight, it may struggle to grow and may become weak and leggy. The leaves may also start to turn yellow, indicating that the plant is not getting enough sunlight to produce chlorophyll. In extreme cases, the plant may even die.

While Malabar gourd needs full sunlight, it’s crucial to avoid exposing it to too much direct sunlight. If the plant is exposed to intense sunlight for an extended period, it can start to show signs of sunburn, such as brown or scorched leaves. To avoid this, make sure to monitor the plant and move it to a shadier spot if necessary.

For this tropical plant to thrive, you’ll want to keep them between 75℉ and 90℉ (25-32℃). Each species can handle temperatures outside of this range, but keeping it within several degrees of these limits will ensure they grow to their maximum potential. As for its extreme temperature limits, any environment below 50℉ (10℃) or above 95℉ (35℃) will begin to hinder its growth and cause various aberrations to its leaves and stems. This is especially true with low temperatures; even a light frost can cause your tropical plants to perish. Cellular death can begin to happen at a rapid pace, with some species dying in as little as 12 to 24 hours.

While Malabar gourd doesn’t require any changes in temperature to enter different growing phases, it is important to stay consistent. Wild temperature fluctuations can slow down its growth regardless of its current phase, so it's always better to keep them in a controlled environment. That optimal temperature range of 75℉ and 90℉ (25-32℃) is vital to maintain, especially staying above the lower limit. Going above 90℉(32℃) isn’t ideal, but as tropical plant it won’t suffer too much. On the other hand, going below 50℉ (10℃) (and especially 40℉/5℃) will begin to directly damage this heat-loving plant species.

Malabar gourd does not need different temperatures for different growing seasons. The most important step in seasonal care is to keep the environment within the optimal temperature range. That's why it's always best to keep this plant indoors. That way, you can control the temperature no matter what the climate is like outside. Light is also important for tropical species, with all of these plants preferring a partial side level of sun exposure. This means any light they receive needs to be dappled or filtered, with bright but indirect light being the best option when growing your plants indoors. Too much direct sunlight can negatively affect your plant’s leaves, reducing its growth potential.

Tip #1: Don’t Leave Your Plant Near Windows in Colder Months If you want to make sure your plant isn’t exposed to colder temperatures, you may want to keep them away from windows. In colder months like late fall and winter, even the smallest draft can leak cold air into your home through cracks in your windows. While this air usually dissipates and warms up as it travels throughout your home, any plants placed in close proximity to the window will be affected. Move your tropical plants into an area where they will still get bright but indirect light, while making sure they won’t be affected by potential drafts. Tip #2: If You Find Dry Patches, Your Plant May Be Getting Too Much Sunlight or Heat You may notice the leaves become white or even scorched on a sunny day. These discolorations and unusual markings usually indicate that a plant is getting too much heat or sunlight, and it may be dehydrated. Excess light and heat will dry out the soil, stopping plants from getting the moisture they need to support their cellular structure. It also slows down or stops the process of photosynthesis, further hindering growth. If ignored for too long, these dry spots can spread and eventually result in the death of your plants. Tip #3: Avoid Frost at All Costs Colder temperatures and frost can damage your plants by causing ice crystals or disrupt normal physiological activity. This makes it nearly impossible for water to move freely throughout plant tissue, creating a deficit of moisture in their stems and leaves. You can tell a plant has been damaged by frost if it begins to suffer from hydrosis (it will appear as though it's soaked with water.) If the problem persists, your plants may begin shriveling and turning a dark brown or black hue. After that, the plant will almost certainly die.

The best way to maintain the right temperature range for Malabar gourd is by keeping an eye on both the climate and humidity. You’ll want to try to keep each species in a room where you have access to climate control, keeping the heat in the temperature range best mimics its natural habitat. The humidity levels will also have a direct effect on temperature, so it's important to monitor these as well. You can artificially raise the humidity of your growing space by using a humidifier or lightly misting the leaves with water. If you intend to grow this species outside, you may find it difficult to maintain the right balance of temperature and humidity. If temperatures begin to drop or the air becomes too dry, your best option is to find room within your home and move your plant inside. An indoor growing space will allow you to control the climate more closely, helping your plant reach its full potential.

If the soil is rich in your area, it may not be totally necessary to fertilize. However, if the soil is lacking in nutrients, a Malabar gourd will not be able to produce enough leaves, flowers, and fruits. A soil test is the best way to determine what nutrients are plentiful in the soil and what may be lacking. Nutrient deficiency in Malabar gourd can cause small leaves and short branches, yellowing or bronze leaves, and more acidic (and therefore less delicious) fruits. Some types of nutrient deficiency can cause fruit to fall early or split.

Provide higher nitrogen and phospherus fertilizer to young Malabar gourd to support strong leaf and root development for future growth. The best time to use fertilizer is during the spring of the first growing season. It is a good idea to incorporate compost or another fertilizer into the soil prior to or immediately after planting. For mature plants, supplement every few years as needed throughout the spring and summer with a balanced fertilizer or a fertilizer that addresses specific deficiencies in the soil in your area. Avoid fertilizing Malabar gourd in the autumn or winter.

Avoid fertilizing Malabar gourd after pruning, when it has disease or insects, or is otherwise stressed. Fertilizer only helps treat insufficient nutrients in soil, but cannot fix other issues that could cause problems in a Malabar gourd. Proper diagnosis of the issue helps to avoid adding fertilizer when another cause may actually be responsible for the problem. Don't fertilize Malabar gourd during winter, or at times during the summer that are particularly hot and dry.

Most types of Malabar gourd grow in tropical locations that have a lot of decaying organic matter in the environment naturally. They can benefit from fertilizer to supplement their macronutrient and micronutrient needs. When growing Malabar gourd for fruit, a high-phosphorus organic fertilizer such as mushroom compost,, bone meal and poultry manure supports the development of delicious and well-formed fruits. When purchasing fertilizer, there will be a number (NPK) on the label with the ratio of the three macronutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Low nitrogen is the most common nutrient deficit in soil, but a soil test is the best way to know which types of nutrients might be lacking in your soil and require additional supplementation.

Follow any instructions on the fertilizer you choose. Using too little fertilizer is always preferable to using too much, so be conservative when adding fertilizers. This is especially important for chemical fertilizers, which are generally very concentrated compared with organic fertilizers. Liquid fertilizers are usually diluted with water which is then used to water the Malabar gourd. Granular or dry fertilizers can be spread around the base of the plant, making sure not to allow any fertilizer to come into direct contact with any part of the plant. The most common practice is to use it once every 2-3 weeks in the growing season. Organic fertilizers can be mixed into soil prior to planting or can be spread in a layer over the top of the soil for newly-planted or mature plants.

Too much fertilizer causes Malabar gourd to turn yellow and drop leaves. It could kill the Malabar gourd entirely in severe cases. Checking the soil before you fertilize helps to avoid this issue. Fertilizer applied too close to the base of the plant can burn it because of the salts it contains. The first sign of too much fertilizer is when leaves turn brown at the tips. This is a signal to stop applying fertilizer and flush the water with soil to dilute the accumulated salts. Do a soil test before the next application to see what is happening with the soil. You may need to choose a different type of fertilizer or it may not be needed.