The chemical composition of pumpkin is rich in vitamins and minerals that are useful for the normal functioning of human organs. This explains the popularity of growing vegetables in the garden beds. Culture enjoys success among farmers for industrial cultivation... In this review, we will talk about the features of planting pumpkin seeds and seedlings in open ground and further care.
Terms for planting pumpkins in Belarus, Ukraine, Leningrad region and other regions
A crop is planted after the soil is completely warmed up, and the average daily temperature does not fall below + 10 ° C. If, when sowing in the spring, the temperature is below + 13 ° C, then the germination process slows down, which threatens seed rot. In the middle lane, the best dates for planting seeds fall in the second decade of May. According to folk traditions, the sowing day coincides with the church holiday - St. George's Day, but you should not rely on the landmark date without taking into account the weather conditions.
In the southern regions, as well as in Belarus, Ukraine, Donbass, where weather conditions permit, pumpkin can be planted at the end of April. According to the lunar calendar, this period coincides with the growing moon, which is favorable for the development of fruit-tops.
Most popular varieties
For the Moscow region
Premiere
Cold-hardy crop with a sprawling long lash and sweet-tasting large fruits hanging over mature up to 6 kg. The culture is unpretentious to the type of soil, its fertility.
Dachnaya
Culture with an early ripening period (75-85 days). The vegetable is characterized by a sweetish taste with hints of vanilla. Ripe pumpkin weighs 3-4 kg. Duration of storage of fruits is more than 4 months.
For the Urals
Russian woman
The plant is resistant to garden diseases and frost. The pulp is juicy and sugar, for which it is appreciated by culinary experts. The mass of the Russian pumpkin exceeds 2.7 kg. The ripening period of the crop is 110-130 days. The ripe fruit is orange.
Pearl nutmeg
Butternut squash ripens in 100 days the weight of the pumpkins is about 5-7 kg. The taste is full-bodied with a nutmeg note. The plant is cold-resistant, tolerates drought and heavy rainfall, has strong immunity.
The best varieties of Siberia
Freckle
Plant with vegetation days. The pulp is very juicy and sweet, tastes like a melon. Even after heat treatment it retains a crispy texture. Pumpkin weight does not exceed 3 kg.
Smile
Shrub variety. The culture easily tolerates temperature extremes and withstands frost, shows resistance to a humid environment. The variety is distinguished by excellent taste and long shelf life (up to the next season). The duration of the growing season is 90-110 days, fruit weight - 2.1-3 kg.
Correct planting in open ground
The key to yield is correct planting, which includes the preparation of seeds and soil, as well as the process of laying planting material in the hole.
Seed preparation: check for germination and germination
Seed material must first be checked for germination and sorted, leaving only healthy specimens. 3 days before the start of sowing work, the grains must be germinated in wet gauze or sawdust. To speed up the germination of seeds at home, they are placed in a solution of sodium or potassium humate for 2 days. The container should be kept in a room all this time, where the temperature regime is 20 ° C.
The soil
The soil must be prepared before planting. To do this, they dig it up, apply fertilizers: potash, phosphorus, compost or manure. It is better to use complex ones, they enrich the soil with various nutrients. For example, 2 buckets of humus, ½ bucket of sawdust, 1 kg of ash, 1 glass of nitrophoska are introduced per 1 m2.
The depth of digging the soil should be at least 35-50 cm. To disinfect the site, it is necessary to pour hot water over it.
Where to plant a pumpkin in the country? A place for landing is chosen sunny, well-ventilated. Precursors such as potatoes, sunflowers, melons, and watermelon will not work. But after legumes, tomatoes and beets, the plant will feel great. The same site should not be used for disembarkation either; the break should be 4-5 years.
Planting seeds and seedlings in the country
The distance between the holes should be at least 60 cm, because the lash of the plant is actively developing and spreading over a large space. When determining the scheme, it is better to be guided by the characteristics of the variety. More often, gardeners use this planting option:
- embedment depth seeds - 8-10 cm (on light soils), 5-6 cm (on loams) with the sharp side down;
- interval between holes in a row - 60-80 cm;
- distance between rows - 1 m.
For spreading lashes, the scheme is used: 1x1.5 m. To protect the planting from spring frosts, it is recommended to cover the bed with a film.
Experienced gardeners use the lunar calendar when planning planting work in the garden. The dates indicated in it affect the speed of plant development. It is recommended to plant a pumpkin on the growing moon:
- in March begin to plant seeds for seedlings (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 numbers);
- in April sowing is permissible in open ground (17-22, 24-29);
- in May (16 - 21, 23 - 28 numbers).
In addition to 3-4 seeds, organic fertilizers are introduced into each hole: manure, humus or peat. To moisturize, use warm water (2 liters per hole).
In the Leningrad region, Moscow region, the Urals, Siberia, pumpkin is grown in seedlings. The technology of planting young plants in the ground does not differ from planting seeds.
But what to do if the pumpkin seedlings are strongly elongated?In cases of excessive activity of seedling growth, when the stem becomes thin and unnecessarily long, the first thing to do is to transplant the plants into larger pots, providing the necessary space.
Growing at home and further care
At home, pumpkin can be grown on almost any soil. The culture shows tolerance to adverse weather conditions, even when it has begun to germinate. But these facts do not mean that the culture does not need to be cared for.
How many seeds germinate?
The timing of seed germination depends solely on the temperature regime. If the night indicator does not fall below 12-14 °, the seeds will begin to sprout in a week. Even if the weather is cool after a month, 2-3 leaves are already developing on the shoot.
Preplant soaking of seeds in growth stimulants will help speed up the germination process. In addition to special products, aloe juice, infusion of wood ash, potato juice, honey solution are used.
Watering rules
The pumpkin needs watering, but in moderation. Excessive moisture will provoke the pulling of seedlings. It is better to water the soil after loosening and weeding. The culture tolerates drought well, but the reaction to cold water from the main line can be negative. Therefore, experts recommend using the settled liquid from the well.
Top dressing
The plant is very fond of feeding. Already a week after germination of seedlings, the first complementary food is introduced. The plant gets ideal nutrition from the mullein solution. Nitrophoska is considered no less effective (15 grams per bucket of water). She and carry out subsequent feeding with an interval of 10-14 days.
The correct formation of the seedling is expressed in a low but strong stem, short internodes, the presence of 3 leaves after a month.
Forming pumpkins
As soon as 2-3 true leaves appear on the seedlings, you need to thin out the bed. When growing large-fruited pumpkin, only one sprout is left, nutmeg and hard bark - 2 seedlings each.
The developing lash should also be shaped by removing excess ovaries and side shoots. This is done in two ways: in one stem and in two. In the first case, it is recommended to leave only 2-3 ovaries, on which there are 3-4 leaves. In the second method, 2 fruits are left on the main stem, and one on the side shoot. Without such a procedure, the fruits will be small and not very tasty.
Pests and prevention
Pumpkin is considered an unpretentious plant, however, this culture is also threatened by pests. Reducing productivity, and sometimes destroying young shoots can:
- slugs;
- melon aphid.
When signs of an invasion of pests are detected, special preparations are used (Actellik, Fufanon, Citkor, etc.). Products made from biological components are safer. In efficiency, sometimes folk methods are not inferior, among which deserve attention:
- decoctions and infusions from pharmacy chamomile;
- infusions of potato and tomato tops;
- decoctions of wormwood and other aromatic herbs;
- wood ash;
- tobacco dust;
- slaked lime, etc.
Working solutions are used for spraying plants, and powders are used for dusting. The procedures are repeated 2-3 times at intervals of 7-10 days.
For an instant reaction to an invasion of pests, it is necessary to make it a rule to inspect the beds with a regularity of 1 every 3 days. Then you can localize the problem and save the harvest.
Harvesting
You can determine the maturity of a pumpkin by the following criteria:
- the peduncle becomes more rigid, the surface is corked, its woodiness occurs simultaneously with the stem supplying food;
- the leaves on the whip dry up, change color to yellow;
- whatever the original skin color, after ripening, reflects the texture pattern brighter;
- if you run your fingernail over the crust, no trace is formed;
- when you press your fingers on the fetus, feel hard;
- ripe product is covered matte bloom;
- audible when tapped ringing knock;
- when harvesting the peduncle is easy to remove.
To ensure the crop has a long shelf life, it is necessary to pluck the fruits carefully, taking care not to damage the rind. Scratches should be sealed with a bactericidal plaster so that microbes do not penetrate into the vegetable.
The fruits removed from the garden are placed in a dry room, where they ripen for about a month.
The main guarantee of a good harvest is correct selection of seeds and timely care. Self-grown pumpkin diversifies the menu for households, enriches the body with nutrients.