Pumpkin is a healthy and beautiful garden crop. Fruits contain many useful substances, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fiber. There are several varieties of vegetables grown in garden beds. Today we will talk about the description of butternut squash, the sweetest and most delicious. Let's compare its two varieties: Vitamin and Pearl.
Description and characteristics of Vitamin pumpkin
Plants form lashes of considerable length - up to 6 meters, on which fruits are tied, usually 2-3. They are planted with seeds, 2-3 pieces per hole, embedded to a depth of 10 centimeters, or seedlings. In the middle lane, it is guaranteed to ripen if it is grown in seedlings. This culture loves sun and warmth. It is recommended to arrange plantings in rows.
The best soil for this pumpkin is light loamy and sandy loam.
Care includes pinching the lateral branches and the main stem. It also requires a full range of agrotechnical measures, consisting of watering, loosening, weeding, regular fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. The crop is harvested in September-October. The crop must be harvested before the first frost.
Pumpkin Vitamin - late ripening variety. Large, slightly ribbed, slightly elongated fruits ripen approximately 130 days after planting. The size of the fruit reaches a weight of 7 kilograms, and 5-kilogram specimens are common. The fruits are characterized by satisfactory keeping quality and transportability.
The light orange or yellowish thin bark hides the crunchy flesh of a dense but delicate consistency of rich orange color. The layer of fibrous pulp under the crust reaches 10 centimeters. Ripe fruits contain large amounts of carotene and sugars, and therefore they are used in baby food and therapeutic diets. Juice, mashed potatoes, pastries, and other vitamin dishes are prepared from the pulp. High palatability allows the pulp to be consumed raw.
Description and characteristics of the Pearl variety
Plants are distinguished by strong growth, each gives up to 6 shoots, each of which forms a fruit. The weight of oval cylindrical fruits can reach 6, sometimes 8 kilograms, but not less than 3 kilograms.
The bark is smooth, thin, orange in color. Under it is a thick layer of dark orange pulp. A small seed nest is formed in the upper third of the fruit, the rest is occupied by pulp.
The dense, fibrous pulp contains a lot of sugars and carotene, which are beneficial for growth and vision.
The cultivation technique is the same as for other butternut squash. The only remark, the name in mind the formation of a powerful bush, it is recommended to leave a space between the plants at least 60 cm. It tolerates a drop in temperature well. The harvest ripens in 100-120 days - this is a mid-season variety.
Pumpkin is well stored and even improves its taste during ripening, although after six months of storage, the quality of the fruit begins to deteriorate. From the pulp, rich in carbohydrates, carotene, vitamins and useful micro and macro elements, are prepared dishes for baby food, delicious low-calorie diet meals and drinks.
Comparison of two varieties of butternut squash
To compare two varieties - Vitamin and Pearl - let's draw up a visual table
Butternut pumpkin variety | Vitamin | Pearl |
Plant appearance | Long lashes up to 6 m | Several lashes |
Preferred soils | Light loamy and sandy loam | Light loamy and sandy loam |
Temperature regime | Heat-loving | Heat-loving |
Planting methods | Seeds in holes, seedlings | Seeds in holes, seedlings |
Number of fruits per plant | 2-3 | Until 6 |
Ripening terms | 125-130 days, late ripening | 100-120 days, mid-season |
Fruit shape | Slightly elongated, slightly ribbed | Oval, smooth |
Fruit weight | 5-7 kg | 3-6 kg, sometimes up to 8 kg |
Bark color | Light orange, yellowish | Orange |
Bark thickness | Thin | Thin |
Pulp color | Rich orange | Dark orange |
Pulp consistency | Dense tender crispy fibrous | Dense tender crispy fibrous |
Sugar content | High | High |
Carotene content | High | High |
Storage and portability | Satisfactory | Good ones |
Recommendations for use | Baby food, therapeutic diets. For the production of juices, purees, baked goods. Can be eaten raw. | Baby food, therapeutic diets. For the production of juices, purees, baked goods. |
Comparison of butternut squash Vitamin and Pearl did not reveal a striking advantage of one type over another. If the Pearl ripens a little earlier, then Vitamin Wins somewhat in its taste. The pearl is stored better and longer.
As for the yield and transportability, these indicators are almost the same for both varieties. Plants of both varieties require the same growing and care conditions, are thermophilic. Only the shape of the fruits and their sizes differ.
Butternut squash is distinguished by juicy orange fibrous pulp with a characteristic pleasant taste accent. Among pumpkin crops, musk varieties are particularly high in sugar content. Thanks to these undoubted advantages, butternut squash has gained popularity among gardeners.
The shape of the fruit can be very different, reach large sizes, but the taste of the fruit invariably remains at its height. Both Vitamin Musk Pumpkin and Pearl can be successfully grown both for personal consumption and for sale.
The wide variety of musk varieties makes it difficult to choose, and therefore the analysis of the features and advantages carried out in this article, comparing them with each other, will make it possible to decide for the new season.