Pumpkin - planting, growing and proper care. Rules for growing pumpkins in open ground, planting methods and care features Growing pumpkins in open ground in Siberia

Pumpkin is a vegetable that takes pride of place as the largest among melons. Juices and purees made from pumpkin are healthy and tasty. It is a dietary and low-calorie product. Pumpkin is widely used in the production of baby food and also as a feed crop.

Growing pumpkin is a simple and enjoyable activity; the plant easily adapts to local climatic and soil conditions.

Pumpkin has many varieties and varieties. Each of them is special in its own way; some varieties are distinguished by taste, others by size and shape. Each pumpkin variety is individual in its own way, demanding conditions for growing and storing ripe fruits.

Common pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo), or large-fruited pumpkin

The large-fruited pumpkin, or common pumpkin, is very famous among farmers and gardeners. Of all the representatives of the pumpkin genus, it is the most unpretentious species. A plant of climbing or bush type, with large dark green leaves. The fruits are more round or oval in shape. Hard-bark pumpkin varieties are popular due to their long shelf life.

Despite the main characteristic of the species - hard bark, there are varieties with a soft surface. The common pumpkin has soft, juicy pulp with many fibers, a sweet taste, and pale yellow seeds.

Amazon– a common pumpkin variety in Russia. The fruits are small in size, flattened, round in shape, bright orange in color with a smooth surface. Recommended for cultivation in central regions, as it is best adapted to a temperate climate. The fruits are suitable for transportation and long-term storage - up to 2 months; Amazon pumpkins have an aromatic and sweet taste, and a rich, bright color.

Aport. Pumpkin is more round in shape, the bark is orange-yellow, juicy, but dense in consistency, sugary pulp. The fruits weigh up to 6.5-7 kg. The average long-term shelf life is 1.5-2 months; they retain their appearance and quality during transportation.

Freckle– a variety of early-ripening pumpkin, grows in a bush form with the formation of up to 6 vines of medium length, the leaves are light green in color. Ripe fruits are greenish in color with small yellow spots. The weight of the freckle pumpkin variety is not large – from 1 to 3 kg. The peculiarity of freckle is its sweet taste with a delicate aroma of pear, soft and juicy pulp. It is considered a high-yielding variety; with proper care, the yield per 1 hectare is 365 centners. This pumpkin is not afraid of temperature changes. Long-term storage and transportation do not affect the integrity and quality of the fruit. Vulnerable to powdery mildew.

Gymnosemyanka. Mid-season pumpkin variety. It is not demanding for cultivation in open ground and is suitable for breeding in all regions of Russia. The lashes of the gymnosperm are long, with branches in different directions. The fruits are larger, oval-round in shape, with a smooth dark green bark with white patches. A mature fruit weighs up to 6 kg. It is not afraid of temperature changes, is well stored and transported. Holosemyanka is a high-yielding pumpkin; with proper care, the harvest can be from 1 hectare to 500 centners.

Gribovskaya bush 189. An early ripening pumpkin variety. The harvest should be harvested after 3.5 months. from the moment of planting, sometimes 10-15 days earlier. The fruits are oval and elongated, the skin is light orange with black and green splashes. The pulp is juicy, with an original and delicate taste. Ripe fruits reach up to 5 kg, the yield from 1 hectare is up to 400 centners. The variety has average resistance to diseases.

Hard-barked pumpkin is highly transportable and has a long shelf life.

Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata)

The most delicious type of pumpkin, the aroma of the fruit is determined by its name. Sugary, fibrous pumpkin with excellent flavor. This variety loves an abundance of sun and warmth, so it is recommended to grow in the southern regions, in areas with good sunlight.

Vitamin– the variety is truly replete with useful substances and acids. The fruits are dark green in color, closer to oval in shape. The flesh is rich red, fleshy, sweet. A mature pumpkin fruit reaches a weight of 7 kg. The ripening period is up to 3-3.5 months. The yield is average - from 1 hectare to 300 centners.

Honey Princess. This variety is truly the first-born in the category of sweetness and softness. The fruits reach small sizes up to 4 kg. Seeds planted in April will yield a harvest in early August. Transportation and storage of this variety is below average.

Butternut (or butternut) squash. The fruits and pulp are bright yellow, elongated in shape. Pumpkin has a sweet taste, fibrous and soft. Pumpkin weight reaches 3-4 kg. Storage and transportation are low.

Pearl. The variety was developed relatively recently. The fruits are slightly elongated and round in shape. The pulp inside is juicy and tasty, the fibers are rich in juice and sweetness. Ripens in a period of up to 3-3.5 months. On average, a mature fruit weighs about 5 kg.

Muscat de Provence. Bred in France. A high-yielding variety, fruit ripening takes up to 4 months. The fruits are distinguished by a rich, bright orange hue, both outside and inside. The pulp is dense, sweet, and moderately fibrous. Quite large sized pumpkin. This is one of the few varieties of nutmeg pumpkin that tolerates transportation well and has a long shelf life.

Butternut squash varieties have excellent taste, pleasant aroma and tender flesh. Basically, they are not stored for long and require processing within 1-1.5 months. after harvest.

Large-fruited pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima)

Large-fruited pumpkin is grown as a feed product, this is due to the large size of the fruits of the vegetable crop. This type of pumpkin ripens much longer. Large-fruited pumpkin loves an abundance of warmth and light. Thanks to its dense and thick bark, the species does not present great difficulties in transportation and long-term storage.

Smile. An early-ripening pumpkin variety that ripens in up to 85 days. Bush form of the plant. The fruits are round, not large in size, but with a fairly large radius of the circle. Bright orange bark and flesh. This variety has a melon aroma and fruits with sweet and crispy flesh. Smile is classified as an ornamental variety; a small area can be used to grow it. Smile pumpkin is a table variety.

Titanium. The variety received its name due to the unusually large size of the fruits. Mid-season pumpkin. Titanium pumpkin is cultivated in the central regions, in temperate climates in fertile soils. The large size of pumpkins is an advantage, the fruits reach a weight of up to 50-100 kg, the yield of the variety is the highest compared to others. A very good indicator of long-term storage (3-4 months) and transportation. Resistant to temperature changes within 5...7 degrees.

Paris red. A variety of pumpkin bred in France. The fruits are large in size, dark red in color, round in shape. The weight of one pumpkin reaches 20 kg. Medium late variety, ripens within 3-3.5 months. The pulp is light yellow, dense and sweet with a spicy aroma. The fruit bark is thin. Remains in good quality during storage and transportation. It is recommended to grow in the southern regions; Parisian red pumpkin loves sun and warmth.

Medical. Early ripening pumpkin, the harvest period is 95-100 days. Grown for table use. Medicinal pumpkin is a dietary variety. A plant with short branches, round, flattened fruits, weighing 3-5 kg. The bark is gray with dark mesh patches. The pulp of the fruit is orange, juicy and sweet. The medicinal pumpkin variety is resistant to low temperatures down to -2 degrees. The keeping quality of the fruit is good, more than 3 months, storage does not require additional measures. A high-yielding variety that grows well on low-sandy and low-clay soils.

Bush golden pumpkin. The variety has an average ripening period, within 98-105 days. Bush type plant. Pumpkins are round, flattened, mature fruits weighing from 3 to 5 kg. To obtain good yields, it is recommended to apply organic fertilizers. The skin of the fruit has a golden hue, hence the name. The pulp of the fruit is yellow, moderately crispy and sweet.

Large-fruited pumpkin is characterized by a long shelf life and good transportability.

Growing pumpkin in seedlings

Pumpkin is also grown in seedlings. To do this, you need to prepare the site and choose the right quality seeds. Sow them until shoots appear in a box or other container and transplant them to the site.

Soil for seedlings

Pumpkin is a sun-loving plant. Sowing seeds also means providing a warm microclimate and good lighting from the first day. The soil for planting seedlings should be moderately moist and aerated. A good environment for pumpkin growth is peat soil with humus. Before sowing, mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil; special peat cups are used for planting seeds, or cardboard cups with a cut out bottom. Such measures are taken to preserve the delicate and fragile roots of the young shoot. Damage to them is not acceptable, so the use of cups solves the problem with containers and does not cause difficulty in replanting the plant in open ground.

The place for future planting in open ground is chosen to be bright, sunny, sufficiently warm, but windless. It is important to avoid places with stagnant soil water.

The site must be prepared in advance. In the fall, dig up and apply mineral fertilizers and humus with peat per 1 sq.m. 2 kg each. fertilizers Before direct planting, repeated digging, loosening and watering are carried out. A moderate soil composition is suitable for pumpkins.

Sowing seeds

Sowing of seeds traditionally occurs in the spring, i.e. at the beginning of April and until May. Before planting, the seeds are selected and treated against fungal diseases.

To distinguish a good pumpkin seed from a bad one, you should pay attention to its integrity, dryness and the absence of frostbite and signs of fungal diseases. A good pumpkin seed is convex, with a smooth crust, uniform color and structure.

Before planting, you can check the seeds for germination in this way: wrap several seeds in a damp cloth and leave them in a warm place, maintaining the humidity with timely watering. The germination capacity of the seed material is determined by what percentage of seeds will germinate after 3-4 days.

To prevent fungal diseases, soak the seeds for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate, at the rate of 1 g/100 ml. warm water.

After disinfection, the seeds are placed on a damp cloth and germinated in a warm place for up to 3 days. After the sprouts appear, the seeds are planted in prepared containers or pots with peat soil. The plant stays in such conditions for up to 35 days. Fresh air and light are also important for seedlings, so it is recommended to place pots with seedlings on the south side on the windowsill, ventilate the room 2 times a day, expose the seedlings outside for 15 minutes at an air temperature of no more than +21 - +23 degrees. The air temperature requirements in the room itself are 25-27 degrees Celsius.

Before planting in open ground, the seedlings are hardened by gradually reducing the daytime temperature to +16, night temperature to +13 degrees for 10 days before the expected planting date.

When the seedlings have 3 true leaves, you can start replanting them in open ground.

Hardened seedlings have a better chance of survival in open areas.

Transplantation into open ground

It is possible to transplant seedlings into open soil only when it warms up at a depth of 10 cm to 12-14 degrees.

Immediately before transplanting into open ground and the previous autumn, the area is carefully dug up, humus and mineral fertilizers are added to the soil.

For pumpkin seedlings, holes are dug 20-25 cm deep. Up to 2 kg are first added to the hole. compost or humus so that the depth is reduced to 10 cm. Then pour with warm water in an amount of 1.5-2 liters.

One seedling is planted in one hole.

It is important to remember that the roots of pumpkin seedlings should not be subjected to mechanical stress or damage, so either the seedlings are carefully removed from the cups, or a special organic container is used to transplant the seedlings into the hole along with it.

The seedlings are placed in the hole and sprinkled with moist soil. The holes must have a distance between each other of at least 1 m, rows - at least 2 m. This is necessary for the further distribution of the wicker plant.

Also, in order to increase the survival rate of seedlings, greenhouse conditions are created for 5-7 days after planting in open ground, covered with polyethylene, or caps made of paper or plastic containers.

Predecessors of pumpkin

For good growth and productivity of pumpkin crops, it is important to follow simple rules. One of them is predecessor plants. Pumpkin will grow favorably in places where potatoes, legumes, tomatoes, onions, cabbage and other root vegetables previously grew.

Growing pumpkin without seedlings

Choose a place for planting pumpkins that is warm, abundantly warmed by sunlight, without gusty winds, and with moderate soil moisture.

To grow pumpkin without seedlings, you need to make sure that the ground has warmed up to +13 - +15 degrees at a depth of 10-12 cm. Typically, this period falls at the beginning of May.

The site is first dug up and a complex of mineral fertilizers and humus are applied in the fall. Before planting seeds in the soil, it is also necessary to dig up the future site.

Seed preparation

The seeds need to be selected as the most beautiful, smooth, convex, without visible deformed areas or surface roughness.

Preparing seeds involves disinfecting them by soaking them in potassium permanganate for 30 minutes (1 g per 100 ml). After this procedure, the seeds are placed on a damp cloth and germinated in a warm place, moisturizing as necessary. If desired, you can do with only a disinfection procedure, without additional germination.

Soil preparation and planting

To prepare the soil for planting pumpkins, you need to clear it of weeds and large stones or cobblestones. The soil is prepared in the fall by digging and loosening the soil.

2-3 days before planting the seeds, they dig again, adding humus. Afterwards the surface is loosened.

Small holes are dug for the pumpkin, up to 10 cm deep. The addition of compost or humus is encouraged. After fertilizing, you need to water 2 liters. warm water (50 degrees) each well. This is necessary for additional warming of the soil. Seeds are placed in a hole in the amount of 3-4 pieces. and sprinkle with soil.

Sometimes gardeners plant seeds at different depths, this is explained by the possibility of unexpected temperature drops or frosts. Thus, seeds that are not planted deeply will germinate earlier, and if they die from frost, then seeds that are planted deeper will germinate later.

If there were no frosts, late shoots are removed.

The first shoots appear 6-7 days after planting. Depending on the quality and quantity of seedlings, they need to be thinned out. Rarely do all the seeds in a hole grow, but if they all sprouted, thinning means removing the thinner and weaker seedlings. 1-2 of the strongest plants are left in one hole.

Pumpkin care

Caring for a pumpkin is not difficult. The main measure is timely watering. The pumpkin root system is quite large; it feeds on all the nutrients and moisture from the soil during all stages of growth. Water the pumpkin at the base of the plant, under the root. When the weather is hot or dry outside, the pumpkin especially needs moisture.

During the ripening period of pumpkins, watering should be moderate, since at this time the fruits ripen under the sun and gain sugar content.

An important step in plant care is removing weeds.

Feed the pumpkin in several stages. The first feeding occurs during the period when the seedling has 3 pairs of leaves, and the second during the formation of lashes.

To do this, use nitrophoska, for the first feeding in the amount of 10 g, for the second - 15 g. For one pumpkin bush.

Loosening the soil

Loosening is an important technique in cultivating crops, including pumpkin. It is recommended to avoid the formation of a crust of soil under the plant. Maintain looseness of the soil and thereby ensure aeration of the rhizome.

Forming a pumpkin into one or several stems

Pumpkin grows quite quickly at the beginning. Since this is a spreading plant, the territorial boundaries of the crop must be respected. To do this, pumpkin bushes are formed while the vines are blooming. Before the first inflorescences appear, it is necessary to pinch the bud at the top of the shoot. This is done to allow side shoots to grow.

You should also remove young shoots growing “in the bosom” that have reached 5-7 cm.

Such measures prevent the plant from wasting vital forces on extra leaves and vines, directing them to the formation and cultivation of pumpkin fruits themselves.

One ovary should be left on each branch.

Pumpkin collection and storage

The ripening of pumpkin fruits depends on a number of factors, including the variety - early ripening, medium or late ripening, and the climatic conditions of growing the vegetable crop.

You can tell that a pumpkin is ripe by paying attention to its stalk; if it is dry and hard, the fruit is ready for harvesting. The leaves of the bush are already less viable, withered and half dry.

The fruit of a ripe pumpkin has a rich color and a dense, hard bark.

1. An early ripening pumpkin variety ripens in 90-104 days. Cleaning takes place in the month of August. Since the fruits are maximally ripened in the warmest time of the year, their flesh is softer, more fibrous, and juicy.
2. Early varieties of pumpkin can be stored for no more than 30 days, so growing such varieties means speedy processing of the crop.
3. Medium-ripening varieties produce a harvest in late August - mid-September. Mid-season pumpkin varieties have a longer shelf life, 1.5-2.5 months. The consistency of the pulp in mid-ripening pumpkin is denser than that of early-ripening varieties.
4. Later varieties have a long shelf life, 3-4 months. Denser pulp and less sugar content.

They are harvested at the end of September; sometimes the fruits do not have time to ripen due to the early onset of cold weather. They withstand temperature changes, are excellently transported and stored without harming quality.

Store pumpkin fruits in cool, dark places, with air humidity of 70-78%, room temperature from 2 to 7 degrees Celsius.

Suitable for storing pumpkin fruits in a basement, pantry, warehouse. An important criterion for storage is dryness and the absence of sudden temperature changes.

Pests or diseases of pumpkin

The pumpkin plant and fruits are also susceptible to the harmful effects of pathogens, fungal diseases and pests. Control methods certainly help, but it is still better to prevent the danger than to fight it for the harvest.

Pumpkin is an unpretentious vegetable that requires minimal care. The culture is adapted to temperate and warm climates and grows well in sunny and warm areas. By observing the minimum requirements for plant maintenance and nutrition, you can achieve high yield results.

Pumpkin

We eat pumpkin, we heal with pumpkin...

Common pumpkin (Cu-curbita rero) is a well-known annual herbaceous cultivated plant from the pumpkin family. There are a huge number of varieties of it. Origin - the mysterious and wonderful country of Mexico. In America, pumpkin was cultivated 5000 BC. The ancient Egyptians also grew the plant, considering it a delicacy.

The ancient aesthetes the Romans made various vessels of outlandish shapes and sizes from pumpkins (calabasas intended for tea drinking are more than 8 thousand years old).

And in ancient China, festive bowls were made from it, which were used only on the tables of the imperial family. The gourd pumpkin in this country is considered a symbol of prosperity, fertility, rebirth and health.

Pumpkin came to Europe in the 16th century, but only in the 19th century. she gets full recognition. In Ukraine, the beautiful pumpkin at first served as the main object in many rituals. During religious holidays, a hollowed out pumpkin with a lit candle inside was carried around the villages. They also gave a pumpkin to an unlucky groom in the house of a girl who wanted to refuse him marriage. And the famous Halloween would be incomprehensible without pumpkins.

The sizes of pumpkin fruits are very diverse. Since the end of the 19th century. Every year in Paris there is a competition for the largest pumpkin. Until 2010, the record holder was a pumpkin weighing 676 kg.

The plant enjoys great prestige as a valuable vegetable crop; it is used raw, fried, baked, pickled and other forms. Scientists have found that the largest number of long-livers is observed where they eat a lot of pumpkin.

In the old days, people offered their enemies to drink pumpkin juice to relieve aggression and pacify belligerence.

To change the atmosphere in the family towards friendliness, it was recommended to consume pumpkin porridge, jelly or pumpkin juice. She also helps in love affairs. By unobtrusively feeding the “object of love” dried, baked pumpkin or porridge from it, you significantly increase the chance of awakening interest in yourself.

Pumpkin is very valuable as a medicinal product. She is a real pharmacy in miniature. It contains a lot of pectin and soft fiber, and in orange-yellow forms - carotenoids, B vitamins (B1, B2), C, PP, F, minerals, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorus, cobalt, molybdenum; proteins, lecithin, phytosterols, cucurbigol, organic acids, enzymes, etc. It is invaluable in correcting metabolism, atherosclerosis (as a mild anti-inflammatory, anti-cholesterol agent), hypertension, diseases of the liver, gallbladder, large intestine, prostate gland (especially adenoma).

Outstanding Russian therapists S.S. Zimnitsky, D.M. Rossiysky introduced a pumpkin diet into the treatment regimen for heart, liver, and kidney diseases. Many scientists point to the antitumor effect of pumpkin. Pumpkin fruits and its juice remove excess fluid and salts from the body and, unlike diuretics, do not harm the kidney parenchyma. Pumpkin juice is taken 30-50 ml 4 times a day after meals for a month, or raw grated pumpkin pulp up to 0.5 kg per day, or boiled up to 2 kg per day for a long time (3-4 months with breaks after 1 month of taking for 7-10 days).

A glass of pumpkin juice drunk at night calms the nervous system and promotes healthy sleep. If you are depressed, eat a piece of pumpkin.

Pumpkin seed oil contains deltasitosterol, due to which it has anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects. In addition, the oil affects the metabolism of the important hormone dihydrotestosterone, contains eicosapentothenic and alphalinolenic acids - stabilizers of cell membranes, especially skin cells, which reduces the process of desquamation of the epithelium. This property is used for skin diseases (seborrhea, psoriasis, acne). Place one or two drops of oil on the bread; eat 3-4 times a day during or after meals.

For exudative diathesis in children and allergic rashes, 3 tbsp is recommended. spoons of string grass pour 500 ml of water, cook for 5 minutes, pour into a bath of water before bathing the child. After bathing, lubricate the skin with pumpkin juice or apply its pulp for 20-40 minutes...

Lidia Evdokimova

Her Majesty Pumpkin

Pumpkin is one of the most common vegetable crops in the Russian garden from the large pumpkin family. The homeland of pumpkin is Mexico and the countries of Central America, where they were grown 2000 BC. e.

Pumpkin- annual plant with a powerful root system. The main tap root penetrates the ground to a depth of 2 m or more. But the most active part of the roots is in the topsoil.

The stem of the pumpkin is creeping, branched, consists of the main and lateral shoots, which can reach a length of 6-7 m or more. It has a huge leaf evaporating surface and is very demanding of moisture, especially in the first half of the growing season. The leaf surface of large plants can reach 25 m2.

Three types of pumpkin grow in Russia- hard-barked and large-fruited- most cold-resistant), and in the south of the country -- butternut squash.

Pumpkin- heat-loving plant. In cold soil, its seeds simply rot. The minimum soil temperature for seed germination is 12°C, optimal 25...30°C. A decrease in temperature to 14°C or lower, especially at night, has a dramatic effect on the formation of fruits, since they mainly grow at night. At the slightest frost the plant dies.

Pumpkin is photophilous and does not tolerate shading and thickening. In this case, the plants are inhibited, the ripening of fruits is delayed, the yield and taste of the pumpkin are reduced. Plants need the most intense light during flowering and fruit ripening.

Pumpkin has valuable nutritional, dietary and medicinal properties. It is nutritionally superior to most vegetables. Pumpkin pulp contains up to 20% starch and from 2 to 18% sugars. It contains little fiber, but a lot of pectin.

Pumpkin contains carotene from 2 to 20 mg/%. In terms of carotene yield per unit area, brightly colored pumpkin varieties are far superior to carrots. Pumpkin contains a lot of folic acid, vitamin C, potassium, iron, etc.

Pumpkin is useful for diseases of the cardiovascular system and blood vessels, kidney diseases, atherosclerosis, intestinal disorders, chronic diseases of the gallbladder, kidneys, pancreas, stomach diseases with high acidity, metabolic diseases. Pumpkin seeds have long been considered a strong anthelmintic.

Agrotechnics of cultivation

To obtain a high pumpkin yield, the choice of site, type of soil, compliance with crop rotation, fertilizer system, and compliance with plant care requirements are important.

Pumpkin is grown both by seedlings and without seedlings. For good plant development, the most suitable are fertile, light and medium loamy soils, rich in organic matter and non-acidic. Pumpkin grows poorly in damp, heavy and acidic soils.

The area should be well lit by the sun and protected from cold winds. Therefore, in personal plots it is often planted on the south side of buildings, where it is less harmed by cold mornings. The best predecessors for pumpkin- potatoes, onions, cabbage, root vegetables, legumes, perennial herbs. In gardens, it is often planted together with potatoes as a compactor.

The soil for pumpkin must be carefully prepared by adding 1 bucket of rotted manure per 1 m2 for digging. On heavy clay soils, it is advisable to put an additional bucket of rotted compost and a quarter of a bucket of rotted sawdust treated with a urea solution into the hole.

In addition, you need to add 1 tbsp. l. phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. In spring it is better to add only humus, and in its absence- 1 tsp each urea per 1 m2 of area. On acidic soils, you need to add lime, or even better, 1.5-2 cups of ash per 1 m2.

In the spring, as soon as the soil allows, it must be harrowed to lock up moisture, and before planting, dig up heavy soil to a depth of 10-12 cm, and loosen light soil with a cultivator or flat cutter to the same depth.

Large seeds are selected for sowing. The best way to prepare them- germinate until pricking. To do this, 2-3 days before sowing, they are immersed for 2-3 hours in warm water at a temperature of 5°C, and then soaked in a damp cloth at room temperature.

To increase cold resistance, it is advisable to harden the seeds by placing them in a damp cloth for two days in the refrigerator at a temperature of about 0°C.

You must be careful when choosing the timing of sowing seeds. Pumpkin is sown in the ground when the soil at a depth of 10 cm steadily warms up to a temperature above 12°C. Sowing too early in damp, unheated soil leads to reduced germination and plant disease.

Seed placement depth on medium loamy soils- 3-4 cm, on light soils- 6--7 cm. To reduce the likelihood of seedlings being damaged by frost, many gardeners sow seeds at different depths or, in addition to sprouted ones, also sow dry seeds. If there are no frosts, then the late shoots are then removed. Holes for sowing are made every 1 m for bush pumpkins, and for climbing pumpkins- after 1.3 m.

To protect against frost, do not forget to make holes on mounds 10-15 cm high so that the earth warms up better, covering them on top with protective caps or a film cover.

Some gardeners plant pumpkins in a greenhouse, taking the whip outside. To do this, holes are made at the southern end of the greenhouse close to the wall and pumpkin seeds are planted in them. When the plant reaches a height of 60 cm, the film is lifted and the whip is directed to the open area.

At the same time, the pumpkins remain in the greenhouse in warmer soil and do not interfere with the cucumbers, since their roots are located in the soil much lower than the roots of the cucumbers. This method allows you to grow pumpkin in a non-transplant crop 8-10 days earlier than is usually customary.

Another trick gives the same effect. After sowing the seeds, the beds are tightly covered with film. With the emergence of seedlings, cuts are made in it, through which the plants gradually come out and spread along the film. At the same time, the soil temperature rises by 4...5°C, and the loss of seedlings is sharply reduced.

But to get a good harvest, it is better to use the seedling method of growing pumpkin. Since pumpkin does not tolerate replanting well, this should be done in peat pots measuring at least 10x10x10 cm. It is best to use a light soil mixture of low-lying peat, humus, turf soil and mullein (5:3; 1:1).

Seedlings should be grown in maximum light. In warm weather, it should be taken out to a greenhouse or loggia for the day, and brought into the house at night. If this is not possible, it should be placed on the most illuminated windowsill.

The most important thing when growing seedlings- This is temperature control. Before the emergence of seedlings, the air temperature must be maintained during the day at 20...25°C, at night 15...18°C, and with the emergence of seedlings during the day 15...20, and at night 13...15°C. In the future, the daytime temperature should be 18...22, and the night temperature 15...18°C.

At the time of planting, seedlings should have 2-3 true, well-developed leaves and a low, stocky stem with short internodes. Planting seedlings must be done together with a pot so as not to disturb the root system of the pumpkin.

When the threat of frost has passed and warm weather sets in, the seedlings are planted in holes pre-watered with warm water according to the same pattern as when sowing seeds. Immediately after planting, a temporary protective structure must be erected over the plants to protect them from wind and possible frosts.

Plant care includes loosening the soil, weed control, thinning plants, watering, fertilizing, proper formation, sprinkling of stems, and pollination of flowers.

The first loosening of the soil is carried out immediately after the appearance of clearly marked rows. This must be done carefully so as not to cover the young plants with soil. The second loosening is carried out in the phase of 4-5 true leaves to a depth of no more than 8-10 cm, since by this time the plants have a developed root system. Simultaneously with loosening, weeds are removed and plants are thinned out.

The pumpkin is watered abundantly, because it “pumps” a lot of moisture out of the soil, evaporating it through the leaves, and requires a large amount of water, especially before flowering and with intensive fruit growth.

The first watering is carried out 7-10 days after planting the seedlings, the second 2-3 weeks after the first, 1-2 buckets per plant. Removal of weeds and loosening of the soil are timed to coincide with watering.

And with sharp fluctuations in soil moisture, the hard bark of the pumpkin cannot withstand it and the fruit bursts. To avoid this, fill a plastic bottle with water, poke holes in the lid with a needle, turn it over and place it next to the plant. The water from the bottle will flow out gradually, and the fruit- extract moisture evenly.

To get large fruits, plants need to be fed. The first time this is done when 3-5 leaves appear. It is best to use mullein (1:10), spending 1 bucket per 5 plants. The second feeding is done at the beginning of the formation of lashes, using the same mullein infusion (1: 10), adding 1 tbsp per bucket of solution. l. nitrophoska.

The third feeding is done during the period of fruit formation with a solution of mullein with the addition of potassium sulfate (2 tablespoons) or ash (1 glass) per 1 bucket of solution, spending it on 5 plants. In the absence of organic fertilizers, mineral fertilizers can be used, adding them dry to moist soil or in the form of a solution- dry.

Foliar feeding with a urea solution (1 tsp per 10 liters of water) is very effective, especially after prolonged cloudy weather. In order to stimulate the development of plants, it is advisable to spray them with the growth stimulator Epin or other biological products 2-3 times per season.

To get a good pumpkin harvest, the plant must be shaped. The best way to do this is to pinch the main stem above 4-5 leaves of long-climbing pumpkins. It is optimal to form the plant into two stems, leaving only 3-4 fruits on them. After each fruit, 4-5 leaves are left, then the growing points are pinched, and all female flowers that form are removed.

Attention! The pumpkin vine must be positioned so that its top is always in the sun. Scourges whose tops are in the shade will never produce a good harvest.

A mandatory technique is to sprinkle the lashes. When they reach a length of 1 m, they are laid in the desired direction and sprinkled with loose soil in several places. Strong roots quickly form here, which additionally nourish the plant. These roots should not be forgotten when watering.

When growing pumpkins, you can often see rotting ovaries, because the female flowers are not pollinated. The reasons can be very different, most often the lack of flight of insects in inclement weather.

To prevent this from happening, artificial pollination of flowers must be done. To do this, in the first half of the day, when female flowers bloom, male flowers are collected, their petals are removed, and two or three anthers are alternately pressed against the stigma of an open female flower, preferably from another plant. It is advisable to repeat artificial pollination later.

Giant pumpkins must be protected from soil dampness. To do this, place a wide board or plywood on the ground and- pumpkin But this must be done while she is small, because... Handling a giant fruit can easily break the fragile stem.

And when the pumpkin fruits noticeably increase in size, you need to open them to the rays of the sun, breaking off 1-2 leaves located nearby. This will speed up the ripening of the fruits and protect them from spoilage. At the same time, the bark of the fruit will be stronger.

Pumpkins are harvested when they reach maturity. Only late-ripening varieties are harvested unripe, and they ripen during storage. In temperate latitudes this is done in mid-September before frost sets in.

The biological ripeness of a large-fruited pumpkin can be easily determined by the suberized stem, while in hard-barked and nutmeg pumpkins the bark pattern becomes appropriate to the variety.

The fruits are cut off together with the stalk, otherwise they get sick and do not tolerate storage well. Then they are dried for 7-10 days to evaporate excess moisture and increase the strength of the bark.

Ripe pumpkins of all varieties are suitable for storage for 1-2 months. But table varieties of large-fruited pumpkins, whose blood tissues are dense and strong, and whose pulp contains a lot of dry matter, are stored especially long.

For long-term storage, pumpkins are placed on the floor so that they do not touch each other, with dry straw underneath them. They are best stored at a temperature of 6...8°C in dry, ventilated basements with a relative humidity of 70-75%. Under such conditions, winter pumpkin varieties can be stored for up to a year. In a comfortable city apartment, mature pumpkins can be stored for up to 5 months.

V. Shafransky

Source:http://www.gazetasadovod.ru

Pumpkin: hit of the season

Pumpkin pulp contains 5-7% sugar, 5% minerals and three times more provitamin A than tomatoes.- carotene (in some varieties it reaches 38 mg/%). Among mineral substances, the main place is occupied by salts of phosphoric acid. Sweet porridges are cooked from pumpkin along with millet or rice. Pumpkin is baked, soups, purees, compotes, candied fruits are prepared from it, and it is eaten raw. Young pumpkins, like squash, up to 5 cm in diameter, are suitable for pickling.

Pumpkin salad

Pumpkin- 300 g, boiled water- 0.5 cups, vinegar- 0.5 cups, sugar- 0.5 cups, cinnamon, cloves.

Cut the pumpkin into cubes and boil in a marinade of water, vinegar, sugar, and spices. Cool and serve with meat and fish dishes.

Oriental pumpkin soup

Ground meat- 200 g, vegetable oil- 2 tbsp. l., onion- 1 piece, cube broth- 2 l, starch- 2 tsp, dried mushrooms- 1 package (or fresh- 2-3 pcs.), pumpkin (cubes)- 2 cups soy sauce- 1 tbsp. l., ginger, salt.

Fry the minced meat with chopped onion in butter, add broth, add mushrooms and cook for 30 minutes. Then add pumpkin, ginger, sauce, starch diluted with water, and add salt if desired. Cook for 15 minutes. You can add lemon juice, pepper, and wine to taste.

Canadian pumpkin soup

Pumpkin- 400 g, water- 3 cups, onion- 1 piece, milk- 1 cup, ground red pepper, salt.

Peel the pumpkin, cut into pieces, add water, add finely chopped onion, boil for 30-40 minutes and rub through a sieve. Add milk, pepper and salt to taste, boil and serve with slices of toasted bread spread with butter.

Pumpkin in sour cream

Cut the pumpkin into pieces, roll in flour and fry in oil. Then put it in layers in a pan, coated with butter and sprinkled with breadcrumbs, sprinkling each layer with sugar, and add a little salt. Pour sour cream over everything and place in a preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Pumpkins stuffed with pork

Meat- 500 g, chopped greens- 1 handful, onion- 2-3 pcs., rice- 150 g, eggs- 1 pc., lemon- 1 pc., small pumpkins - 500 g, cheese - 50 g, sour cream- 100 g, ground black pepper, salt.

Finely chop the meat (or pass through a meat grinder), simmer with onions, herbs, salt, and pepper. Then cool, add boiled rice, egg, lemon juice. Fill the pumpkin halves, peeled inside and boiled in salted water, with this mixture, place them in a greased pan, add the pulp, put a piece of butter on top and bake. 10 minutes before readiness, add grated cheese mixed with sour cream.

Pumpkin with meat

Pumpkin- 1 kg, meat- 0.5 kg, onion- 100 g, flour-- 2 tbsp. l., butter, ground black pepper, salt.

Chop the meat and fry in oil in a deep frying pan, add salt and pepper, add chopped pumpkin and onion, lightly fry, and then bake in the oven until the juice appears. Sprinkle with onions, gently shake the pan and bake until golden brown. Serve with grated horseradish.

Pumpkin and apple pudding

For 200 g peeled pumpkin- 200 g apples, 1 glass of milk, 40 g sugar, 1 tbsp. l. semolina, 2 eggs, 30 g butter.

Chop the pumpkin, put it in a saucepan, add milk and simmer until half cooked. Finely chop the apples, mix with pumpkin and sugar, simmer for another 5 minutes. Then add semolina, mix everything and keep on low heat for 5-10 minutes. Add 2 yolks, stir, add whipped whites, butter and mix everything well from bottom to top. Place the mixture in a greased frying pan and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Serve pudding with sour cream.

Pumpkin baked with tomatoes

For 500 g pumpkin- 300 g tomatoes.

Cut the pumpkin into slices, add salt and pepper, roll in flour and fry until golden brown on both sides in heated oil over moderate heat. Place the pumpkin slices on a greased baking sheet, put the tomatoes cut into slices on top, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with a layer of grated cheese and bake in the oven.

Porridge with fried pumpkin

Pumpkin- 300 g. rice- 1 glass, milk- 0.5 l, butter- 25 g, sugar, salt.

Fry the pumpkin in oil. Boil the rice, rinse. Place the pumpkin and rice in a saucepan, add sugar, salt, add milk, put in the oven, add butter and simmer until done.

Pumpkin and apple jelly

Pumpkin- 400 g, apples- 2-3 pcs., water- 8 glasses, sugar- 1 cup, starch- 3 tbsp. l.

Cut apples and pumpkin into pieces, add 2 cups of boiling water, cook until soft and puree with the broth. Add the rest of the water, add sugar, boil, add starch previously diluted with cooled broth, bring to a boil again and cool.

Pumpkin "New"

Pour 1 liter of water, 0.2 liters of vinegar (9%), 150 g of vegetable oil into a clean bowl, add 350 g of sugar, 5 g of salt, finely chopped clove of garlic and parsley rhizome. Bring to a boil and add 4 kg of peeled and chopped pumpkin to the marinade. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 minutes. Then place it hot in dry, sterilized jars and seal immediately.

I. Steblova

Pumpkin - best vegetable for slim people

Pumpkin- One of the few vegetables that only becomes tastier when stored. And that's why. Starch gradually turns into sugar, and it becomes sweet. In addition to sugars, the pulp of large-fruited pumpkin contains carotenes, organic acids, potassium salts, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, iodine, cobalt, manganese, fluorine, various vitamins (C, group B, pantothenic and folic acids).

Do you want to lose fat?

Pumpkin is perfect as a dietary food for obesity. On a fasting day, you can eat exclusively boiled pulp. And when grated raw, it stimulates bile secretion. Half a glass of juice or 0.5 kg of pulp will relieve constipation. The juice and boiled pulp have a wonderful diuretic effect and will help with swelling.

A small amount of fiber and organic acids make it possible to include this vegetable in the diet for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and the high content of pectin has a positive effect on inflammatory processes in the large intestine.

Since pumpkin contains a significant amount of potassium, dishes made from it are useful for heart and vascular diseases. Due to the presence of iron, it can also be recommended for anemia.

The pumpkin diet is used for atherosclerosis and gout. The diet includes large portions of this boiled vegetable twice a day.

Drank a glass - pulled me to sleep

Pumpkin in winter- an accessible source of vitamins. But remember that carotene is most absorbed from boiled or steamed vegetables, especially if flavored with oil.

A glass of pumpkin broth with honey will help with insomnia and restless sleep.

A paste of crushed pulp is used for burns and eczema, and is also used as a cosmetic product. A face mask is made from pumpkin pulp. 30-40 g of pulp is poured with half a glass of cream and boiled for 10 minutes. The resulting gruel, warm (not hot!), is applied evenly to the face and washed off after 20-30 minutes.

The seeds deserve special praise. They contain fatty oil, almost half of which is linolenic acid, photosterol, cucursitol, vitamins C, B1, which is beneficial for our body. In many Mediterranean countries, the oil is very widely used in cooking for dressing salads. And vitamin E contained in the seeds and the fatty oil obtained from them delays aging and supports the reproductive functions of the body.

The seeds have been used by official medicine for about 150 years as an anthelmintic. And people have known about this property for almost a millennium. They are used against tapeworms, and less often roundworms. In terms of activity, pumpkin seeds are inferior to male fern preparations, but unlike the latter, they are low-toxic. Seeds (200 g) are pounded in a mortar and mixed with honey. After this, the patient is given small portions within an hour, and after about 3 hours- a laxative and then, half an hour later, they give an enema. The cucurbitin contained in the seeds only stuns the worms and makes them unable to adhere to the intestinal walls, and therefore they need to be removed from the body as quickly as possible. Children 3-4 years old need 71 g of seeds, 5-7 years old- 100 g, 8-10- 150 g, 10 years or more- 200-250 g.

A glass of seeds and exercise

Sigmund Freud also spoke about the effect of pumpkin seeds on the male body. As it turned out, they are really extremely useful for the stronger half of humanity, and especially for those over 50, as they are a good means of preventing and treating prostate hyperplasia, or more simply prostate adenoma. Doctors have noticed that on the Balkan Peninsula, where pumpkin and fatty oil from its seeds are widely used in cooking, this disease is relatively rare, while in other countries it is very common, and not only in old age. You need to eat up to 1 cup of unroasted and peeled seeds daily during the day. And if you grow a gymnospermous pumpkin, then you don’t have to peel the seeds. The course of treatment lasts several months, and it is advisable to combine it with physical therapy.

E. Malysheva , biologist

What can a pumpkin do?

Pumpkin is a very healthy product. Moreover, in all its forms: baked, pumpkin porridge, pumpkin juice and even pumpkin seeds prevent and relieve many diseases.

Pumpkin lowers blood pressure...

Pumpkin seeds, according to nutritionist S. Fus, due to their mineral content, strengthen arteries and normalize high blood pressure. Therefore, pumpkin seeds are useful for hypertensive patients.

...saves from swelling

Pumpkin juice, due to its content of potassium, magnesium, pectin, and fiber, helps remove excess water from the body, which leads to swelling.

...helps with gastritis and ulcers

Pumpkin oil is used both in medicine and in cooking. They season salads, meat, and legumes.

Pumpkin oil contains fatty acids and beta-carotene, so it is used as a prophylactic for liver cirrhosis, gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, hepatitis and hemorrhoids.

…improves the functioning of the stomach and intestines

Eating pumpkin seeds is very beneficial for the stomach and intestines: due to the fiber and fats, the seeds improve their functioning. “But don’t get carried away,” warns S. Fus, “otherwise you can, for example, provoke hepatic colic. 30 g of seeds per day is the optimal amount.”

Pumpkin juice also normalizes intestinal function - by the way, it can be diluted with any other juice. However, those who suffer from diseases of the intestines and pancreas should be careful with pumpkin: a large amount of sugar, fiber and fat increases the load on these organs.

...removes toxins from the body

Due to the content of fiber, pectin fibers and bioflavonoids, pumpkin helps eliminate toxins and excess cholesterol from the body.

In addition, it is recommended to use pumpkin for pyelonephritis (kidney disease) - the magnesium contained in it reduces the load on the kidneys.

...good for eyesight

Pumpkin helps nourish the eyes. It contains beta-carotene, which is necessary for good vision, as well as for even and smooth skin.

...helps you lose weight

Pumpkin is a great food option for those who want to lose weight. Pumpkin is a low-calorie product; 100 g of pulp contains only 25 calories.

Give yourself a pumpkin fasting day: eat pumpkin dishes - for example, baked or pumpkin porridge.

…helps with burns and skin diseases

Pounded pumpkin pulp in the form of compresses is applied to the affected areas of the skin for burns, as well as for eczema and rashes.

Pumpkin oil, which was already discussed above, is used as a prophylactic for dermatitis and psoriasis.

...saves from tuberculosis

Interesting fact: in India, pumpkin is used to prevent tuberculosis. It has been proven that an aqueous extract of the fruit in a ratio of 1:10,000 prevents the proliferation of tuberculosis bacillus.

...gives positivity

The last argument in favor of pumpkin is its cheerful orange color, which can lift your spirits.

Pumpkin lanterns, masks and pumpkin faces make you smile, and the process of making them drives away sad thoughts.

(Gardener No. 1, 2011)

Pumpkin is consumed fresh, stewed, in the form of puree, porridge, and soup. It goes well with cereals and vegetables. You can make pancakes from it, stuff it, bake it in the oven, or steam it.

Three types of pumpkins are common in global agricultural production:

• large-fruited;
• hard-barked;
• nutmeg.

Numerous varieties of large-fruited pumpkin are used as livestock feed. The fruits of hard-bark pumpkin are gray-skinned, sweet, and can be stored well in apartment conditions. Their flesh is edible raw.

In summer cottages, nutmeg pumpkin is often grown. The sweet and aromatic vegetable is suitable for eating raw. Of the varieties zoned for most regions for planting pumpkin, we should note Almond 35 and Volzhskaya Gray.

Pumpkins grow in any climate, making them an easy plant to grow in any garden. But it is not easy to get large and high-quality fruits by planting pumpkins in open ground. In our climate, pumpkins, like any southern plants, lack sunlight and the length of the growing season.

Pumpkin quickly grows a gigantic vegetative mass, so the soil must contain many nutrients. Pumpkins cannot be planted in the shade. She needs a lot of light to grow quickly.

Do not plant a pumpkin next to it - an aggressive bush will leave the pumpkin without sunlight and it will not set fruit.

Pumpkin can be planted from seeds in the garden. The best predecessors for pumpkin are nightshade and cabbage vegetables. Planting pumpkins in the ground near the south side of buildings will protect against the cold nor'easter.

Large pumpkin leaves are easily damaged by wind. When leaves turn over, plants slow down their growth and development. To avoid this, summer residents plant tall crops, such as beans, sweet peppers or standard tomatoes, around the perimeter of the pumpkin patch. If the size of the plot allows, grain crops can be sown between the pumpkin rows.

The soil will have to be prepared in the fall - make holes and cover with fallen leaves. In spring, the soil under the leaves warms up quickly. All that remains is to fill the hole with a bucket of fertile soil and plant 3 seeds. After the cotyledon leaves open, you need to leave one seedling (the strongest in appearance) and remove the rest. A month after sowing, each plant should have at least three leaves.

Treating the seeds with aloe juice before sowing helps speed up the development of the pumpkin. You need to squeeze out a few drops of juice, dilute with water 1:5 and soak the seeds in the solution for one hour.

Culture loves warmth. At a temperature of 0 degrees it dies, even if it is a short-term morning frost. Among the melons, pumpkin is the most moisture-loving. It tolerates close proximity to soil water well. In dry years, such areas can yield excellent harvests.

Tilling the land in autumn and spring for pumpkin is similar to cultivating beds before planting other vegetables of the family. Anyone who has ever grown cucumbers, zucchini, watermelons or melons will be able to prepare the soil for pumpkins. Like cucumbers, pumpkins can be grown not only on the ground, but also on a pile of old humus.

In the south of Russia, seeds are sown in April, in the middle zone - at the end of May. In Siberia, pumpkin is sown at the end of May, but it is taken into account that, if necessary, the seedlings will have to be protected from frost, which is possible in the region until mid-June.

Pumpkins are harvested when the fruits acquire a characteristic color and pattern. Unripe nutmeg pumpkin can be ripened at home.

From oilseed varieties, the seeds are removed immediately, poured into a glass container and filled with cold water for a day. If the fruits are overripe, the seeds should not be soaked to prevent germination. After soaking, the seeds are washed, separated from the pulp and dried in the oven until the thin transparent film covering the surface of the seed falls off.

Caring for a vertical pumpkin

There is an opinion that creeping plants spread to the south, but this is not so. The pumpkin grows in all four directions, taking over the surrounding areas. In favorable conditions, persistent plants can climb up a vertical surface and weave through an arbor, shed or bush.

This can be used by summer residents who do not have enough space for pumpkins on their plot. They need to plant not ordinary varieties, but climbing varieties, fortunately the seeds have become available for sale. To make the lashes climb up better, you can stretch the twines for them, like for cucumbers. For a “vertical garden”, varieties with large fruits are suitable - Spaghetti, Zhemchuzhina, Russian pumpkin.

The new wax pumpkin is well suited for vertical culture. It has elongated fruits with a dark green, dense rind that feels like wax. Initially, pumpkins were grown in China and southeastern countries, but now they are gaining popularity here too. The first variety of wax gourd that became famous in our country is called Chardzhou.

The fruits of the wax gourd are ready for harvesting 125-130 days after sowing, so in the northern regions they have to be grown through seedlings. The plants form powerful long stems, elongated fruits, up to 50 centimeters in length, each fruit weighs from six kilograms.

Wax pumpkin cannot compare with nutmeg in taste, but it is a champion in storage. The fruits, without drying out or rotting, can lie in the cellar for up to 3 years.

Another pumpkin that is still rare in our country is the figleaf pumpkin. In its homeland in Peru it is a perennial crop, but in our country it is grown as an annual crop. The pumpkin got its name from the unusual shape of its leaves. It has oval-shaped green fruits with a white pattern on the bark. The pulp is white or yellowish, sweet and tasty. Externally, the plant and fruits look like watermelons.

The length of the shoots of the figoleaf pumpkin reaches 10 meters, and it is suitable for vertical gardening. Although the plant originates from the tropics, it grows in any region of the country where there is a pumpkin cultivation culture.

Growing pumpkin

Pumpkin loves feeding with ash. This natural fertilizer supplies the plant with potassium, of which there will be a lot of potassium in a properly grown pumpkin (see below for the chemical composition of pumpkin and its value for those who want to lose weight).

According to the pumpkin growing technology, you need to stop watering a month before harvest, then the fruits will become hard and will be well stored. If autumn is rainy, it is better to cover the plants with film or place an awning over them. The fruits ripen three and a half months after planting the seedlings in the ground. If they have not had time to acquire the golden or gray color characteristic of the variety, they will acquire it later, after lying in the room for several weeks.

How to plant pumpkins, and almost the same as cucumbers. In Ukraine there are many folk signs about this. For example, they plant a pumpkin on a special day, some kind of church holiday (I don’t remember which one, there are many of them), it must be planted at night, it must be done by a woman, and the woman must be plump, then the pumpkin will be big.

Well, this was a lyrical digression, I, so to speak, am not a plump woman, but my pumpkin always grows good. I know how valuable a pumpkin is for a person, how many dishes can be prepared from it. This is a very valuable vegetable for young children; pumpkin porridge is often present on our menu. In addition to planting table pumpkin, I also grow fodder pumpkin; all pets love it.

How to grow pumpkin.

This vegetable is quite heat-loving, so in the harsh Siberian climate it is better to grow it in seedlings. For this I use peat pots. The seedlings are ready for planting in open ground in 15-20 days. I plant at the end of May, at the beginning of June. The place should be sunny and well-fertilized soil. I make holes 70 by 70 cm from each other, and before planting, I carefully destroy the walls of the cups.

In the fall, before digging, I add compost to the future bed, then a couple of times during the summer I fertilize the crop with a garden mineral mixture, 10-15 grams in each hole. The conditions for growing pumpkins are the same as for cucumbers in open ground. I only water it once, before flowering it’s very good, the root system of this vegetable is very powerful, going to a depth of 3 meters.

It looks beautiful when the vines grow and begin to curl along the fences, but I always pinch the tops, leaving 2-3 fruits, then they ripen faster. I also remove side shoots and excess flowers. Pumpkin ripens unevenly, so I pick the fruits gradually and leave them in the garden to ripen. Then they can be transferred to a cool storage room; fruits can also be stored well indoors if they are ripe.

Often the crop is exposed to diseases such as fusarium, root rot, and powdery mildew. Pests are mainly spider mites, melon flies, melon aphids and mice.

The benefits of pumpkin.

Undoubted benefits for children's and dietary nutrition. Useful for patients with cholecystitis and hepatitis, for urolithiasis, and for colitis. Pumpkin juice improves sleep, and purulent wounds are treated with a decoction of pumpkin flowers. It has a good diuretic effect, useful for cardiovascular diseases and kidney diseases. The seeds have an anthelmintic effect.

To get good fruits, first of all you need to know how to plant a pumpkin; if you have any questions about this, ask, I will answer with pleasure.

Do you grow tomatoes on your plot? Do you know that you can significantly increase your yield?