Ashgourd-Harvest and storage

Ash gourd takes around 60 days to reach fruiting stage. The fruit require 12 to 15 days after pollination to attain marketable size. The maturity is judged by the fruit size.

At harvest maturity, a gentle press of finger nails will easily penetrate the epidermis. Plugging the fruits will show fine tender flesh and quite immature seeds.

Mature fruits for storage, long distance transport and for seed extraction are harvested after full development of waxy coating on fruit surface.

The fruits are harvested manually by keeping a portion of stem attached. Harvesting is done at short intervals.