Pumpkin decorative planting and care in the open field

Any owner seeks to decorate his yard, garden, cottage or personal plot. This can be done not only with flowers, but also with a decorative pumpkin. Ornamental pumpkin can be similar to oranges, pears, apples, garlic, and other fruits and vegetables. Has different shapes and colors. Their appearance depends on the variety. You can use such plants not only for beauty, but also to create shade. In the article, we will consider the cultivation of decorative youThis melon culture is not capricious, it is rapidly growing. Has a mustache, with the help of which it rises to a height of 3-4 meters. You can decorate fences, walls of houses, gazebos, arches.

The most common varieties of decorative pumpkin

• Trombone. It has a long and curled shape. Bright orange pulp. Used for decoration and food.
• Crown. They have fruits of different colors and yellow flowers. Fruits in the form of crowns and umbrellas.

Crown shaped pumpkin suitable for making crafts with children

• Little Red Riding Hood. It is also called turban, because of its shape. The fruits are red-white, resembling a mushroom.
• Lagenaria. Such a pumpkin can be in the shape of a pear, a snake, or a mace. Flowers bloom at night.
• Orange. Has the shape of an orange. It can be orange, yellow or sandy in color.
• Warty. Various colors and shapes. There are nodules and bumps on its surface.
• Jack bee little. Bright orange pumpkin.
• Baby boo. White and smooth gourd that can be eaten.
• Sweet Dumpling. Has sweet pulp and pleasant aroma. White and orange and green stripes.

Preparing the soil before planting pumpkin and fertilizing it

For the pumpkin to grow normally, the soil must be breathable, full of nutrients and trace elements. Start working with soil in the fall. The main rules for gardeners:

1. Remove plant debris from the land.
2. Dig up all the soil.
3. Add organic matter and mineral fertilizers.

Fertilize the soil during autumn digging

Organic fertilization

Item No.	Fertilizer name	Dosage
1.	Manure	50 kg / 10 m 2
2.	Peat manure compost	40 kg / 10 m 2
3.	Humus	40 kg / 10 m 2

Nitrogen and potassium are applied when sowing seeds or when planting seedlings.Do not use too much nitrogen fertilizer, as the leaves will begin to grow strongly, and the fruits and flowers will be poorly formed. It is advisable to add phosphorus when digging a vegetable garden in the autumn. There are certain rates of fertilization, depending on the type of soil.

Item No.	Soil type	Fertilizer name	Application period	Dosage	Peculiarity
1.	Not very fertile soil. Sod-podzolic	Organic	In autumn	75 kg / 10 m 2	Introduced during digging
		Potassium sulphate		160 g
		Superphosphate		200 g
2.	Poor soils	Manure	Before boarding	5 l / well	Fertilizers are mixed with the soil at a depth of 20 cm
		Superphosphate		50 g / well
		Ash		100 g

How to protect a plant from harmful insects and diseases?

Both insects and diseases are capable of killing a decorative pumpkin. Protecting this culture from them is the direct responsibility of the gardener. The most dangerous are:

• aphid;
• bacteriosis;
• slugs;
• powdery mildew;
• white rot;
• root rot.

Powdery mildew appears as white and gray spots on the foliage or stem. Plants that grow in the shade or in a climatic zone with a sharp change in temperature are especially striking. If you do not start timely treatment with special chemicals, then the disease will affect all organs of the plant, as a result, it dries up and dies.

Spray on time to avoid powdery mildew on the leaves.

Root rot attacks the plant at the root. To avoid this, you need to treat the seeds before planting with disinfectants. If, nevertheless, the disease manifests itself, then you need to pour clean and new soil, peat and humus to the root of the plant. When affected by white rot, the plants are covered with neoplasms in the form of cotton wool and begin to get wet. All affected areas are removed and the pumpkin is sprinkled with chalk or charcoal. Slaked lime and ash will kill slugs, which are especially fond of eating pumpkin on rainy days.

Tip # 1. If brown spots are present on the leaves, then this is a bacteriosis phenomenon. Spray the plants with Bordeaux liquid to prevent it.

Growing a decorative pumpkin from seeds

If you plan to grow ornamental pumpkin, then the seeds should be prepared in the fall. They can be harvested from an existing crop, or purchased from specialized stores. When preparing on your own, let the seeds ripen well. The best place for storage is wet sand and a cool place, you can place them in the basement, on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator or on the balcony.

Before planting, disinfect the seeds with a special solution, you can treat them with a means to stimulate growth. Keep it in gauze in a warm place, moisten it regularly with water. Thanks to this, the seeds will germinate quickly.

Tip # 2. When planting a decorative pumpkin in the sun, avoid shaded areas.

You can sow seeds in mid-May, but be sure to make a shelter for them. Do not use cloth or film material for this. Take plastic bottles that are pre-cut. Plant one seed at a time, sprouting towards the top. Then regularly water, loosen the soil and apply fertilizers. Read also the article: → "How to properly fertilize pumpkin in the open field with ash, dung and mineral fertilizers?"

Warm the seeds after planting with a plastic container

Growing decorative pumpkin seedlings

You should not dive the pumpkin. She can't stand transplants. Seedlings are grown in peat pots or plastic cups. Then they are planted in the ground together with the ground in which the plant grew. Make sure the pots or glasses are deep, as the root system has a main vertical shaft that goes deep into the soil and grows strongly. They are planted when two sprouts have appeared. For a month, until sprouts appear, the pumpkin is fed with mineral fertilizers and organic matter. Watering should be done only with warm or room water.

In pots, mix peat, humus and river sand, in proportions 1: 1: 0.5. Nitroammofoska and lime are also added here. This composition will allow you to quickly grow healthy and strong seedlings. When planting seedlings, leave a meter or more between the plants. The depth of the hole is 30 cm, the width is 40 cm. Mulch the soil so that the liquid retains after watering.

Tip # 3. Before planting in open ground, seedlings must be hardened outdoors. First, it is taken out for 20-25 minutes and the time frame is gradually brought to three hours.

Growing a decorative pumpkin in the country in the open field

When planting a decorative pumpkin in a garden plot or summer cottage, you should not plant it after potatoes, watermelons, melons and sunflowers. The best place for her is sunny. Do not plant or sow this melon crop too early, as it does not like cold and generally low temperatures. The best temperature for her is 30 degrees.

Gardeners and gardeners play an important role in feeding plants and fertilizers. If this is done correctly and in a timely manner, then the yield will be excellent.Water thoroughly and do not allow the soil to dry out. The roots are extensive and love moisture. Watering should be done in the evening or in the morning, every day. In the heat, it requires more liquid, but remember that watering is prohibited during the peak of the heat.

It is sown with seeds if climatic temperatures reach +20 degrees. If the climatic zone differs from such indicators, then it is better to plant pumpkin seedlings. See also the article: → "Key points of planting pumpkin seeds in open ground." For sowing seeds, holes are made seven centimeters deep and one meter apart. Two seeds are placed in each hole. If two emerge, then the seedlings should be thinned out. If you want to keep the fruit longer, it should be cut with a five centimeters footboard.

Tip # 4. At + 6 degrees, the decorative pumpkin will lie until the spring. Such plantings can hide the old fence, destroyed walls and other structures.

Growing pumpkins on the balcony

If you want to decorate your balcony or loggia, then a decorative pumpkin is best suited for this. Varieties with a hard bark, small size and little weaving are in demand in growing by this method. They ripen faster than others.

For balcony cultivation, select a variety with small fruits.

The soil will be in equal amounts of humus, soil and peat, as well as some sawdust and river sand. Two weeks after planting, the pumpkin is fed. In the form of dressings, urea, superphosphate, potassium sulfate or any complex fertilizers are used. It is necessary to regularly loosen the soil and water the plants. Place planks under the fruits so that they do not rot. It is very important to maintain the required air temperature on the balcony.

Recommendations for preparing seeds for planting in the ground

A very important point is "sifting" the seeds. It is necessary to remove the small thing and too light. By adhering to the following manipulations, you can achieve the fastest germination and obtain healthy plants.

1. Soak the seeds in warm water for three hours.
2. Dilute the solution, which should not contain more than thirty percent salt. Fill them with seeds. Those that have sunk to the bottom and should be picked up.
3. Place them on a damp cloth, cheesecloth, or damp sawdust.
4. Leave in a cool place (refrigerator, basement) for four hours to harden the seeds.
5. After all the stages passed, the seeds are ready for sowing even in open ground.

Seeds must be carefully selected before planting.

Infographic tips for growing decorative pumpkin

Answers to questions about decorative pumpkin

Question number 1. Can decorative pumpkin be eaten?

Almost all ornamental pumpkin varieties are unsuitable for human consumption. Chalmoid varieties and baby boo pumpkin are edible while the fruits are immature.After that, they become coarse and cannot be eaten by either man or animal.

Question number 2. What temperature should be kept when growing seedlings?

After sowing seeds in pots, you need to adhere to temperatures between 19-24 degrees during the day and 14-19 degrees at night. When sprouts appear on the surface of the soil, the temperature should be reduced by 3-4 degrees, both at night and during the day. It takes about 7 days to adhere to such low temperatures. This must be done so that the seedlings are formed not only in height. After that, the degrees rise again.

Question number 3. How to properly cultivate the soil in spring?

The first step is to dig up the soil, remove the weed and loosen it. When digging, add ammonium nitrate. Form the holes for planting the pumpkin. Take it seriously, if the plant is cramped, then there will be no harvest. Pour compost (straw, dry leaves) into each hole.

Question number 4. How to form a pumpkin bush correctly?

You need to leave one or two stems. We form 3-4 leaves on the stem, the rest are removed. The top should be pinned.

Question number 5. What are the timing and signs of ripening for a decorative pumpkin?

The ripening time will depend on the variety and climate, the zone where the plant grows. If these are temperate latitudes, then at the beginning of October, southern latitudes - at the beginning of September. The first sign of maturity is the dryness of the footrest. If the variety is firm, then the structure, color and pattern of the bark change. Its excessive hardness indicates the ripening of the pumpkin. If you need the pumpkin to ripen not in the garden plot, then put it in a cold and ventilated place. From the moment of sowing and after about 90-115 days, the pumpkin ripens.

If the fruit becomes bright and the leaves are dry, then the pumpkin is ripe. If the fruits are very large, then they may not have time to ripen on the site. In such cases, they mature in a specially designated room. This process can take 14-26 days. Be sure to pick dry and good weather when harvesting.

Common mistakes gardeners make

1. Avoid planting or propping up the pumpkin close to walls and fences. Then there will be no access to the rear of the plants, for control, care and spraying from diseases and pests.
2. Be sure to sprinkle mulch on top of the ground. It retains moisture and heat well in the root system.
3. Fertilize in the fall, during planting and throughout the growth of the pumpkin. It is advisable to do top dressing regularly. If they are not carried out systematically, the pumpkin will not give yields.
4. Do not plant the pumpkin in a small container. Use large pots to grow seedlings to give the root system room.

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Most amateur gardeners are used to decorating their plots with a variety of flowers, but it is worth noting that original vegetables will do it just as well. So the decorative pumpkin grown from seeds is gaining more and more fans among gardeners. Its sprouts quickly form living green fences, and bizarre bright fruits adorn the site until late autumn.

Choosing a variety

In specialized stores and on the market, decorative pumpkin seeds are sold in the form of "assorted" different varieties, which makes it possible to get a lot of unusual fruits at once. The variety of shapes and colors is limitless. The most common and popular, among this relatively new culture in our area, are the following varieties:

1. pear-shaped. The name speaks for itself - the shape of the fruit is very reminiscent of a pear. The color palette of this type is not uniform - there are both monochromatic and two-color ones. Moreover, the latter have a clearly defined border between different colors;
2. tangerine. Distinctive features of this group are a very rich orange color, rounded shape, rather smooth peel, small size of pumpkins;
3. star-shaped.The fruits of this variety are similar to starfish and small squash. They have a slightly flattened oblong shape with unimaginable colors - green, white, yellow, or a combination of several colors at once. The maximum fruit size is 15 cm;
4. Warty. Pumpkins of this variety have a pear-like or round shape. They are covered with many bumps that resemble warts. And the variety of colors and their combinations can only be envied: yellow, white, fiery orange, green;
5. turban pumpkins (popular name - fungus or Turkish turban). The fruit of this variety often has a smooth skin of bright orange or green marbled color. The color of the main part of the pumpkin and the "turban" is different in most cases;
6. vicolis pumpkin is a typical decorative pumpkin. Its characteristic features are very beautiful lobed leaves and variegated green fruits with a white stripe or speck;
7. lagenaria (bottle, dish pumpkin, gourd) refers to a decorative type for its unusual shape and green marble color. This variety is used for decoration, cutting out dishes, original vases, boxes, etc.

Planting from seeds

In order for decorative pumpkins to please others with their beauty, not so much effort is needed. First of all, they should be planted in sunny areas or light shade on fertile soil. It is advisable to germinate the seeds just before sowing. This is best done in a warm, dark place (closet, closet, etc.). These ornamental crops can be grown both from seedlings and by sowing seeds directly into open ground.

For seedlings, seeds are sown in late April or early May. The seeds that have hatched are planted in deep peat pots and placed in a greenhouse or on a windowsill. Plants can be transferred to open ground in early June, when the probability of frost decreases. Sowing seeds directly into open ground is carried out at the end of May. It is also advisable to germinate them first. Slightly hatched seeds should be planted in shallow holes at a distance of about 30 cm.

Video "Collecting pumpkin seeds"

Care and cultivation

Most exotic pumpkin varieties are not demanding and do not need special care. It is quite enough to properly prepare the seeds, and then water the plants in time and fluff the soil around the root. Also, fertilizing plants with organic fertilizers will not be superfluous. Usually, the first feeding is carried out two weeks after germination, and the next one - during the formation of the ovary. To stimulate the growth of side shoots and form a more lush "hedge", you can pinch the one-meter shoots.

A strong support should also be provided for a decorative pumpkin, since most of its species are climbing plants, and during the period of active growth, the stems, leaves and fruits are quite heavy. Many gardeners grow this crop near gazebos, verandas, fences and other structures, thus providing natural support without the hassle of creating additional supports.

Protection from pests and diseases

If not cared for properly, this magnificent plant can be infested with diseases and pests. The most dangerous for pumpkin plants are slugs, aphids, powdery mildew, white and root rot, bacteriosis. At the first sign of illness, you need to take decisive action to keep the pumpkins healthy.

Powdery mildew - white or grayish powdery spots on the leaves and stem, which gradually grow over the entire surface of the affected plant and it dries up. The disease is actively developing with a lack of sunlight and sudden changes in temperature. To combat this disease, various chemicals are used, and the affected fruits and plants are necessarily destroyed.

White rot is extremely dangerous for both the plant and its fruits. The affected areas become wet, covered with a cotton-like neoplasm.High air humidity contributes to the development of this disease. If signs of white rot are found, all affected parts are carefully cut out and processed (sprinkled) with chalk or charcoal.

Root rot appears at the base of the stem and root. The disease is caused by soil fungi that attack the plant under poor plant growth conditions. You can prevent the development of this disease by disinfecting the seeds before planting. To save an already affected plant, and this is possible only at the initial stages of the disease, you need to add new soil, peat and humus.

Bacteriosis most often affects the leaves, but it is also dangerous for the stems and fruits. It appears as angular brown spots. Bacteriosis develops especially actively in a warm and humid environment. For the prevention and treatment of the disease, a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid is used. The leaves and stems of the pumpkin are treated with it.

Slugs are dangerous for almost all vegetables. They appear en masse in rainy years. Adults attack plants at night. To protect the pumpkin and other plants on the site, you can treat them with a mixture of slaked lime and ash (1: 1).

Video "Growing and caring for a pumpkin"

To understand how to care for, grow and harvest pumpkins, we recommend watching the following video clip. The most useful and up-to-date information is collected here.

A personal plot is a place where you want to relax in hot summer. Ornamental pumpkin shoots will decorate any garden. At the beginning of summer, bright flowers appear on them, and by mid-July, multi-colored fruits. There are many types of ornamental pumpkin, which can be grown from seed - and in the form of a mushroom, a climbing pear. In this article, we will look at one of the unusual varieties - the Turkish turban.

Description of the variety of decorative pumpkin Turkish turban

Turkish turban - a plant with beautiful faceted leaves up to 2.5 meters long... Pumpkin flowers are bell-like, bright yellow, rather large (10 cm in diameter).

The shape of the fruits resembles a headdress from Turkey, a turban or a turban. They are miniature and colorful. One plant can bring up to 30 fruits.

The Turkish turban is growing rapidly. Stems reach 6 m or more (if not pinched). They quickly climb the vertical support, decorating the garden and creating a cool shade on the site.

Ornamental gourd is drought tolerant and thermophilic. Reacts well to organic fertilizers. Shoots and fruits do not tolerate frost.

The fruits of the Turkish turban variety have an unusual turban shape.

Seedling

In the southern regions of Russia, pumpkin seeds in the middle of May planted in the ground. Decorative pumpkin grows quickly. In one season, she manages to grow and bear fruit with proper care.

At a temperature of -1, the sprouts die, therefore, in the regions to the north, the seeds are planted in seedlings. In addition, the seedling planting method will accelerate growth and maturation.

Before planting, the seeds are soaked for an hour in warm water or in a growth preparation. Then the seeds are transferred to cheesecloth and left warm for 2 days. There they germinate. The seeds are planted in separate containers of 500 ml each.

Seedling soil is needed fertile, loose and slightly acidic... To do this, take soil from the garden and mix it with:

• turf land
• sand
• humus

Before planting, the soil is disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate to avoid the development of fungal diseases in pumpkin.

Pumpkin Seeds Turkish Turban

For the first week and a half, the sprouts are actively stretched, and after that their growth slows down. Plants feed mineral fertilizers and manure, soil loosen and watered.

Transplanting a pumpkin is unacceptable, stress will destroy an immature plant.

Two weeks before disembarkation, seedlings tempered - taken out into the open air and left for 15-20 minutes. The time is gradually increased to 2-3 hours.

Landing in open ground

In a month, when the sprouts appear 2-3 leaves, seedlings are planted in open ground. IMPORTANT.There should be a solid vertical support near the sprouts, such as a wall or arch, along which they will grow.

Turkish turban - light-loving plant, variety requires a lot of sunlight... Before planting, the soil is dug up and fertilized with organic (manure or compost) fertilizers.

A hole is prepared for each sprout and watered abundantly with water. Sprouts from seedlings are planted in holes at a distance of half a meter from each other.

The Turkish turban cultivar requires a lot of light during cultivation.

Pumpkin care

Decorative pumpkin is an unpretentious plant. It requires constant abundant watering and loosening soil. When the first ovaries appear, the sprouts are generously fertilized.

In addition to loosening and weeding, gardeners sprinkle the soil around the sprouts. sawdust or humus (mulch). It helps:

• ameliorate the soil
• retain moisture
• keep the soil loose
• prevent the spread of diseases from the soil to plants when watering or raining

The top fertile soil layer is important for the pumpkin due to the structure of its root system. It has a long main root and many small roots that grow closer to the surface.

Mulched plants bear fruit more abundantly and are less susceptible to disease.

To make a "lush hedge" from the Turkish turban, gardeners pinch the upper shootswhen they reach a length of one meter.

The fruits must be cut off together with the stalk before the onset of frost.

The fruits are cut along with the stalk before the first frost, in September... Frozen pumpkins are not stored for a long time. So that their bright color does not fade, after collecting them, they are stored away from direct sunlight.

Fruit application

From ripe fruits, skillful hands are able to make crafts for home decoration... Gardeners carve beautiful patterns and compositions on a pumpkin, varnish them. They are used to make jugs, cups and lamps.

Children are happy to paint on the crust. With the help of plasticine and old things, they make funny characters and cute animals.

Both adults and children can do creative work together and collect an autumn still life from pumpkins, spruce branches and fallen leaves, which will remind you of a productive year.

Is it possible to eat decorative pumpkins

The fruits of the Turkish turban are edible.

Turkish turban fruits are edible but tasteless

As long as the skin on them is not hardened, they can be eaten and given to animals. The upper part - a hat - is suitable for making soup or stews, it can be boiled. The lower part of the fruit is full of seeds and is therefore unsuitable for food.

Pumpkin fruit tasteless... They are more likely to delight the gardener as a decorative decoration for the home and garden than as a tasty treat on the table.

Diseases and pests

1. 1. Bacteriosis Is the most common pumpkin disease. Its main feature is the appearance of brown spots on the leaves. If the disease is left untreated, it will ulcerate the fruit. To prevent bacteriosis, gardeners spray plants with Bordeaux liquid. At the first signs of illness, the plants are sprayed with a mixture of lime and copper sulfate. Affected and dead shoots are removed from the garden so as not to infect healthy ones.
   2. White rot... The sprouts are affected by a white bloom, and then rot. This happens when there is excessive moisture. The source of white rot is a marsupial mushroom. Prevention of white rot - water the plants with warm water. The dead leaves are cut off, and the cut is sprinkled with activated carbon.

vRoot rot... Affects stems and roots. The reason for its occurrence is cold water and temperature drops. To avoid it, the sprouts are looked after, they are mulched. Affected plants are treated with a mixture of copper sulfate and zinc sulfate, dissolved in water.

• Melon aphid... Small (up to 2 mm) insect, due to which the leaves and flowers of the pumpkin fall off. They get rid of the melon aphids by spraying the affected plants with a decoction of wormwood or a solution of karbofos.

It is easy to grow a Turkish turban on a plot and does not take much time.The effort put into planting it will more than pay off. The variety is unpretentious. While it is growing, it will delight with beauty for more than one month. Its green massif will make the garden shady and cool in the heat. And the fruits of the Turkish turban are a source of beautiful handicrafts that will fill the house with comfort.

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With a pumpkin on "you"

Fruits and plants of pumpkin of different types and varieties are very different from each other - in shape, bark pattern and size, pulp density and fruit taste.

In summer cottages, pumpkins of three types are usually grown:

PUMPKIN FIRM

Zucchini and squash are varieties of hard-barked pumpkin. This plant is distinguished by high yields and the speed of fruit ripening. The fruits are valuable for their high sugar content, but the pulp is rich in coarse fibers and is inferior in taste to other types of pumpkin. But hard pumpkin is perfectly stored: even in an apartment for 4-5 months. The fruits are oval-cylindrical, with a smooth yellow-orange surface or yellow-green pattern. The flesh is ocher-orange or orange-red in color. The taste is sweet, there are many white large seeds inside the fruit. The most cold-resistant pumpkins related to the type "hard-barked".

PUMPKIN LARGE

Some varieties of this species give fruits of 80 or more kilograms! The species is distinguished by its yield, and the fruits are well stored and do not lose their taste for 9-10 months. Usually the fruit has the shape of a ball weighing up to 50 kg, the bark is quite soft, white or gray, the flesh is tender, with a small amount of fibers, orange.

PUMPKIN MUSKATNAYA

The most delicious pumpkins are nutmeg. They are also very useful due to the high content of vitamin A, and such pumpkin is stored without loss of taste for up to 12 or even 24 months! However, this is a late-ripening variety that is not always suitable for outdoor use in our climate. Fruits are usually round-compressed, sometimes elongated-cylindrical, less often round, and the stalk is thin, elongated, pentahedral. Mature pumpkins are bright orange, often streaked or spotted. But more often the bark of the fruit in autumn is green or beige with intermittent stripes. By themselves, they are very beautiful.

The flesh of such pumpkins is from light orange to pale cream, with a side rim. The bark is soft. There are varieties of butternut squash with club-shaped fruits, pinkish brown or yellow with different shades.

The flesh of butternut squash is usually pale in color, orange, beige, and slightly bland with a slight nutmeg aroma immediately after harvest. But as it is stored, the aroma increases, the sugar content of the pumpkin increases, and it becomes very tasty even raw. The pulp of ripe butternut squash contains a huge amount of carotene. But nutmeg pumpkin seeds are tasteless, and they are not eaten.

Aport	Mid-season variety. A small compact bush, the lashes are not long, the fruits are small (up to 7 kg). The bark is thin, bright orange, the flesh is yellow, rather sweet, crunches pleasantly. To the taste, the pumpkin pulp Aport resembles the Cinderella common in the dachas of the middle lane.
Roll	This pumpkin variety does not require a large area on the site. Refers to ultra-early maturing. The fruits have a gray bark and a dull flesh. The fruits are not large (about 10 kg), the pulp is not distinguished by high taste, but it has an exceptional antioxidant effect. The juice of this pumpkin variety is included in many therapeutic diets for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and lungs.
Chit	A variety of Russian selection, the length of the whips is medium, the shape of the fruits is flat-round. The fruits are very small for a pumpkin - no more than 3 kg. The peel is gray (sometimes white), the flesh is bright yellow, very juicy. Due to the high content of sucrose and fructose, it has an exceptional taste and can be used both raw and in various types of culinary processing. The fruits are perfectly stored.
Mirani Di Chioggia	An Italian variety for exotic lovers: pumpkins look unusual due to their pimply, corrugated bark surface and a flattened shape (reminiscent of a turban). Fruit weight - about 10 kg, flesh is reddish-yellow, sweet in taste.
"Palavkadu"	Refers to butternut squash. The skin and pulp are bright orange in color, the pulp is very juicy. The weight of such a pumpkin is no more than 10 kg. Fruits differ in keeping quality (up to 4-5 months). The juice of this pumpkin prevents the reproduction of the tubercle bacillus.
Paris red	French early ripening variety. The maximum fruit weight is up to 20 kg. The fruits are very beautiful, with red bark and yellowish-white flesh. The pulp is very sweet, juicy and suitable for fresh salads.
Titanium	The variety is known for the fact that its creators claimed: you can grow a Titan pumpkin weighing about 500 kg! In practice, the most experienced gardeners have managed to grow a fruit of about 150 kg. The record was achieved due to the high content of humus in the soil, and the fact that only one ovary is left on one plant. This variety is usually grown by the seedling method, moreover, it requires a lot of space: Titan pumpkins are planted according to the 2 x 2 m scheme. But this variety is great in fresh salads, raw. The pumpkin tastes exceptionally sweet.
Smile	Ultra-ripe pumpkin, bush form. The fruit has a very hard skin. Each plant gives 8-10 fruits, each pumpkin - one and a half kilograms. The pulp is juicy and very sweet, suitable for eating raw.
Centner	An early ripe variety, while, unlike most early ripening pumpkins, it has very large fruits. Despite the typical "Soviet" name, the variety is Italian. The bark is yellow, the flesh is white or creamy. Each fruit contains a huge number of seeds (up to 7-8 hundreds). Fruits reach 60 kg, there are giants of 90-100 kg, while one plant usually gives up to 7-8 fruits. It has a sweet flesh and is often grown as a crop for livestock feed.

MATURE TIME OF PUMPKIN OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES IN THE MIDDLE STRIP
EARLY RING Hard-barked pumpkin, varieties: Mozoleevskaya 49 Gymnosperm Biryuchekutskaya 27 Almond 35 Freckle Gribovskaya bush Jack Lantern Table King	Nutritional maturity is reached in late August - early September. Signs of maturity: stiffness of a thick ribbed peduncle; hardening of the pumpkin bark; discoloration of the fruit: it turns yellow, orange or brown. Hard-bore pumpkins do not differ in keeping quality. They can leave for a month to ripen, but do not overexpose (seeds may germinate).
MEDIUM MEL Large-fruited pumpkin, varieties and hybrids: Smile Winter sweet One hundred pound Chit Therapeutic Volga gray Winter dining room A-5 Russian woman Blue Hubbard Pink Banana Estamres	Ripen in mid-September. Take them away before the onset first frost. Signs of maturity: drying of the stalk; the fruit pulp becomes sweet. Depending on the variety acquires varietal qualities: it becomes crispy, soft, fibrous, starchy, etc. Large-fruited pumpkins pre- designated for long-term storage. Usually these pumpkins are given lie down for 15-30 days until fully ripe before eating.
LATE MATURE Butternut pumpkin, varieties: Muscat Pearl Interception Vita Vitamin Tes-in-law Delipe Butternat Ponca, etc.	In the middle lane, butternut squash is grown only in seedlings. Sowing for seedlings is carried out in the last week of April, seedlings are planted in the ground in early June. Harvest the butternut squash before frost, in mid or late September. When grown in the middle lane, these pumpkin varieties need ripening within a month or two after they are harvested. But it is also impossible to store the fruits of nutmeg pumpkin varieties for more than 6 months: the pulp loses its taste and breaks down into fibers. Signs of maturity: the bark becomes light brown; the bark hardens; the bark pattern becomes clear and noticeable.

LIGHT, HEAT AND MOISTURE

The pumpkin needs a lot of light, so it is usually planted in the sunniest place in the summer cottage. But even a little shading will not harm this plant.

It is best to plant the pumpkin along the walls of the house (outbuildings) on the south side. Warming up during the day, the walls give off heat and become protection from the cold wind. Climbing varieties are grown by directing the whips to the fence, wall, roof.

Pumpkin needs fertile soil, which is well warmed up by the sun's rays, with a deep arable layer. On rich soils, pumpkins grow to large sizes. Raw, heavy clay soils are not suitable for growing pumpkin, it does not grow on acidic soils. Such soils require liming, but pumpkin does not like fresh liming.

For good growth, pumpkin needs high air temperatures: + 25-30 ° C. At + 8 ° C, the growth and development of this culture stops. Pumpkin seeds germinate at a minimum temperature of + 12 ° C.

The pumpkin has large leaves, and this plant is very moisture-loving. For the fruits to be large, regular abundant watering is needed. True, pumpkin tolerates short droughts much easier than cucumbers. The deep taproot system allows the pumpkin to be sufficiently drought tolerant. But if the lack of water occurs during flowering and fruit setting, the plant will drop the ovaries.

See also: Pumpkin and pumpkin varieties (photo)

PUMPKIN NEIGHBORS AND PRECEDORS

Pumpkin is very demanding about which plants were the predecessors in the area where it is grown. And also to the neighboring plants.

The best precursors for pumpkin are onions, cabbage, potatoes, legumes, herbs, and root vegetables. In no case should it be cucumbers, zucchini, squash - these crops close to pumpkin suffer from the same diseases as pumpkin, and are damaged by the same pests. But squash, zucchini, cucumbers and squash can be neighbors in the greenhouse. These crops require similar maintenance, and the roots of the pumpkin are deeper than the root system of the cucumber, and these pumpkin crops do not have competition for nutrients. But pumpkin develops best in the vicinity of potato plantings. Often summer residents plant a pumpkin along with potato bushes, placing it along the edges of the site or scatter between potato bushes. It is very correct to grow this crop in combined plantings: throw pumpkin, beans and corn seeds into one hole. Beans enrich the soil with nitrogen, corn protects from the wind, and pumpkin, due to large leaves, from the scorching sun rays.

WE ARE PREPARING FROM AUTUMN

In autumn, under a deep digging along the entire length of the bayonet, the shovels bring in organic matter and mineral components: up to 5 kg of humus and peat compost, 30 g of superphosphate, 15 g of potassium chloride per square meter of the area of ​​the site. You can also add manure for the autumn digging - about 8 kg for the same area. If the site has heavy clay soil, 15-19 kg of coarse river sand and the same amount of peat are also introduced to improve its structure. For acidic soils, wood ash or lime must be added.

With the onset of warmth, when the snow melts and the earth dries up, it is leveled with a rake and weeds are removed. 5-7 days before planting the pumpkin, the site is again dug to a depth of 12-15 cm, and ammonium nitrate is added to the ground - 20 g per 1 sq. m.

Summer residents often grow pumpkins on a compost heap. But pumpkin depletes compost, because it consumes a lot of nutrients. It is best to plant the squash next to the ripening compost, with the whips aligned so that the wide leaves shade the pile. In this case, it is necessary from time to time to check the whips for the presence of young roots: it is better to cut them off.

PREPARATION OF PUMPKIN SEEDS FOR SOWING

Seed preparation begins with the rejection of small and low-quality seeds. Only the largest seeds are suitable for sowing. Sowing seeds that have hatched will give better germination, and such seeds are less likely to be destroyed by pests.To germinate seeds, they are poured with warm water at a temperature of about +50 ° C and left for 3-4 hours. Having taken out of the water, they are kept at room temperature in damp gauze until they bite. Then they can be sown.

HARDENING WILL NOT HARM

Pumpkin seeds of southern varieties (belonging to the type "butternut squash") need hardening. Naked seeds are placed directly in wet gauze for 2-4 days on the lower shelf of the refrigerator or in the vegetable storage compartment. Sometimes, when germinating seeds, vegetable growers reduce the temperature - the seeds are kept for about 10-12 hours at a temperature of +20 ° C, and for the next 12 hours at +2 ° C.

SEEDING PUMPKIN

Most pumpkin varieties are grown in a seedless way. The term for sowing seeds begins when, at a depth of planting seeds - 5-6 cm for heavy soils and 8-10 cm for light soils - the earth warms up to a temperature of + 12-15 ° C. If

Often, summer residents plant pumpkin seeds at different depths, while sowing the pumpkin quite densely. If frosts damage the seedlings of finely planted seeds, which will emerge first, then later sprouts of seeds that are planted deeper will remain intact. If there is no frost, and all the seeds sprout, the plantings are thinned out.

About 90 cm should be left between the holes. If the variety is characterized by long lashes, the distance is doubled. If mineral fertilizers and organic matter were not applied for digging, they must be added to the holes before planting. For one well - a bucket of compost, about 15-20 g of superphosphate, 10 g of ammonium nitrate and fertilizer containing potassium, a glass of ash. Fertilizers are mixed with the ground and poured abundantly with warm water - in each hole 1.5-2 liters of water at a temperature of + 45-55 ° C. The seeds are placed in the hole when the water is completely absorbed.

Seeds are sealed to the desired depth and food is sprinkled on top

body mixture. The holes are mulched with humus, fine peat and covered with plastic wrap. When the seedlings hatch after 7-10 days, the film is pulled over the frame over the holes.

Seedlings are thinned when young plants have 4 true leaves. Removing the extra shoots, they are simply pinched off, because if you pull them out by the roots, this can damage the roots of the pumpkins remaining in the ground.

THIS IS CORRECT

On heavy soils

If the soils are heavy, clayey, which are often found in the gardens of the middle lane, they are not very suitable for growing pumpkin. This plant loves light soils. The technology for sowing pumpkin in such conditions is as follows: it is not necessary to dig holes, but planting holes measuring 40 x 40 cm and at least 40 cm deep. In such pits, compost and 2 buckets of leaf litter are laid. The level of this mixture should be 15-20 cm above the level of the garden - the pumpkin will grow on mounds that are better warmed up by the sun. Up to half of such a hole can be filled with biofuel, filling it on top with a mixture of compost and fertile soil.

Pumpkin under the film

When growing pumpkin in a seedless way, it is not necessary to stretch the film over the frame. You can simply stretch the film by sprinkling it around the edges with earth. But after the emergence of seedlings in the film, cuts should be made about 10 cm in diameter. This will give the young plants and their root systems an influx of oxygen, but the ground temperature will still be about 5 ° C higher than without the film, and moisture will not evaporate from the ground. When the return frosts pass, the cuts in the film are made larger - up to 15-20 cm in diameter. The grown plants are released through such holes from under the polyethylene, and simply spread over the film. The root system of pumpkins receives very favorable conditions: high humidity and heat, since pumpkin roots like more heat than the aboveground part, and the fruits do not rot, since they do not come into contact with the ground.

Pumpkin in the greenhouse

Pumpkin is thermophilic, and often summer residents sow pumpkin seeds in hotbeds and greenhouses. This allows you to grow pumpkin in a direct culture, and sow seeds two weeks earlier than in open ground.There is a way to make sure that the pumpkin does not take up much space in the greenhouse: the plant is grown in a greenhouse with cucumbers, and the crop is harvested in the open air. The holes are made from the southern end of the greenhouse, right next to the wall, just like when sowing pumpkin in open ground. They sow the hatched pumpkin seeds in them. When young pumpkins reach 50 cm in height, the film is lifted and the whips are released. In this case, those leaves that remain inside are removed so that they do not crowd the cucumbers. Thus, the growing season of the pumpkin can be extended by 25-30 days. The roots of the plant are in favorable conditions and do not interfere with the roots of cucumber plants (the root system of a pumpkin lies much deeper than the roots of cucumbers). Pumpkin care (watering, loosening, fertilizing) is carried out simultaneously with the care of cucumbers and according to the same scheme.

IF THE METHOD IS SEEDLESS

The seedling method grows those pumpkin varieties that take more time to ripen. You can grow seedlings both at home on the windowsill, on the lightest window on the south side, and in greenhouses or under a film stretched over the frame.

Most often, pumpkin seedlings are grown in an apartment using plastic pots or paper containers measuring 10 x 10 x 10 cm or seed boxes, which are filled with peat soil. At the bottom, it is imperative to make a drainage layer up to 4 cm thick. But the pumpkin does not like transplanting, and it is better to sow pumpkin seeds on seedlings in peat pots. It is also better to germinate the seeds before sowing on seedlings. Sow pumpkin for seedlings about 20 days before transplanting seedlings into the ground.

Before the emergence of shoots, in the daytime, an air temperature of + 18-25 ° С is needed, at night - + 15-18 ° С. After the emergence of seedlings, the daytime temperature is gradually reduced to + 15 + 18 ° C, the night temperature - to + 12-13 ° C. At this temperature, the seedlings will not stretch. 10 days after the emergence of seedlings, the temperature is again raised to + 18-22 ° C during the day and + 13-15 ° C at night. So the seedlings will be strong and healthy.

Watering the seedlings should be regular, but not plentiful - 5-6 liters per 1 sq. m. Too abundant watering, as well as too high a temperature, promotes the elongation of seedlings. By the way, pumpkin does not like high humidity.

Top dressing of seedlings is carried out a week after the seedlings hatch above the ground. It can be organic feeding: an aqueous solution of mullein in a ratio of 1:10, 300 ml per plant. It is possible, instead of organic, to carry out mineral dressing: nitrofoskoy at the rate of 10-15 g per 10 liters of water.

Seedlings, ready for transplanting to a permanent place, have a strong low stem, short internodes, 3-4 well-developed dark green leaves.

The preparation of planting holes is carried out in the same way as when sowing seeds. Holes are best done on mounds about 12 cm high. This will contribute to better warming up of the earth by the sun and will not allow the pumpkin to come into contact with damp soil and rot. It is important not to damage the root system when transplanting seedlings to a permanent place. After planting, the seedlings should be watered abundantly with warm water. The best time to transplant young plants is in the evening or on a cloudy day. After transplanting, stretch polyethylene over the seedlings or place each young plant under a protective cap. The base of the mound is mulched with a layer of compost.

Pumpkins need proper watering and regular feeding.

Pumpkin needs a lot of moisture at all stages of growth and development. But the most important thing is abundant watering for this plant at the stage of flowering and fruit setting. It is better to water the pumpkin with warm water: the water temperature for irrigation should not be lower than +20 ° C. Watering with warm water is especially important at the stage of the beginning of the blooming of female flowers. Loosening and weeding are usually done at the same time as watering. The soil is loosened shallowly - by 5-10 cm, so as not to damage the root system.

Mineral fertilizers for pumpkin are applied in the form of an aqueous solution if the weather is dry. If the weather is wet, fertilizers are used dry.

The first feeding of the pumpkin is carried out after the plant has formed from 3 to 5 true leaves.

The second feeding is when the whips begin to form.

Most often, nitrophoska is used (about 10 g per plant in the first feeding, up to 15 g in the second). Wood ash is applied under the pumpkin at the rate of 100 g (glass) for each plant. Organic matter (mullein) is used twice during the growing season - at the initial stage of growth and at the stage of fruiting. The mullein is diluted with water according to the formula 1: 8. For the first time, a bucket of mullein water solution is used for five bushes, the second for three plants.

FORMING A PUMPKIN

The pumpkin is formed into either one stem or two stems. It depends solely on the personal preference of the gardener.

One stem

With this method of formation, unnecessary ovaries and lateral shoots are removed immediately after their appearance. Only 2, rarely 3, ovaries should remain on the lash. After the last ovary, three or four more leaves should remain. After them, the growth point should be pinched. This method of plant formation is aimed at obtaining large fruits.

Two stems

In this case, there should be two fruits on the main whip and one on the side. Also, after the ovary, we leave 3-4 leaves and pinch the growth points.

FOR THE PLANT TO BE STRONG

One of the ways to get a strong plant with a high yield is to sprinkle the lashes with earth. It is especially effective for long-growing varieties.

When the lashes reach a length of 100 cm, they, having previously untangled, are carefully laid on the ground and sprinkled with earth in the internodes. On the one hand, this will help protect the plant from the wind, which twists the whips, breaking and tearing the leaves. On the other hand, in places covered with earth, young roots are formed - the plant will receive more nutrients, and this will have a positive effect on the harvest. When watering a pumpkin, attention should also be paid to those places in the internodes of the lashes, where "additional" roots have formed.

PUMPKIN POLLINATION

Pumpkin is an insect pollinated plant, and if the summer is rainy and there are not enough pollinating insects, artificial pollination is necessary to obtain a crop.

If the summer is rainy, bees, bumblebees and other insects rarely fly. It may also happen that at the time of the departure of insects, the summer resident had to treat his garden with insecticides. If you do not resort to artificial pollination of female flowers in this case, the pumpkin ovaries will simply rot. It is easy to distinguish female pumpkin flowers from male ones: they have a pistil. If pollination does not occur, male flowers live for 24 hours and wither. Male pumpkin flowers open early in the morning and wither by the evening, so it's important not to miss the moment.

Artificial pollination of pumpkin is usually carried out in the middle lane before noon, around 10-11 am, after the blooming of the female flowers. Male flowers are plucked from the plant and the petals are cut off from them. After that, in turn, the anthers of the male flower are applied to the stigma of the female pistil.

What a large-fruited pumpkin needs

When growing large-fruited pumpkins in our climatic conditions, it often happens before the arrival of frost.

Therefore, experienced summer residents remove some of the fruits from the plant before they ripen. The remaining pumpkins will ripen faster, because the plant will direct all its energy into them, and the unripe pumpkins removed earlier can ripen during storage.

Often long-leaved pumpkin varieties are "allowed" on the gazebo, wall, fence. If the variety is large-fruited, the lashes can damage the weight of the fruit. So that the lashes do not break, that the fruits do not have time to ripen, the fruit is placed in a net, which is suspended from the fence, fixed on the wall of the gazebo or building. The harvest of large-fruited late-ripening pumpkins rots on the bush, constantly in contact with damp soil. To prevent this from happening, a wide board, plywood sheet or plate is placed under the still small fruits. Turning over the fruit that has already gained weight, you can break the whip.But it is more effective to place such a slab on 4 bricks or flat stones in order to completely exclude contact with wet soil. It is important that your "liner" is strong enough to support the weight of the pumpkin.

HOW TO GROW MUSKY PUMPKIN

This thermophilic plant with a long growing season in our climatic conditions can only be grown by seedlings. If done correctly, the harvest will delight.

For seedlings, seeds are sown on April 20-25 in 0.5 liter pots, watered with warm water, and fed twice with complex mineral fertilizer. Seedlings are planted in the ground in late May - early June under a film shelter, with a distance between plants of 90-100 cm.

The place for nutmeg pumpkin varieties should be the warmest and sunniest part of the garden. The plant needs fertile, organic-rich soil and protection from the wind. Inadmissibly close occurrence of groundwater.

On one bush, no more than two or three ovaries are left, the stem is pinched half a meter above the fruit.

Watering butternut squash - at least 5 liters of warm water per plant.

Nutmeg gourd feeding:

Before flowering: infusion of mullein (1:10), to which 40 g of superphosphate and 25 g of potassium sulfate are added per 10 liters of water.

During flowering: 20 g of nitrophoska plus 250 ml (glass) of ash (you can replace 50 g of potassium sulfate) for 10 liters of water.

Butternut pumpkins in the middle lane are unsuitable for food immediately (they do not have time to ripen), they must be ripened within two months. Their reaching maturity is indicated by the light brown color and clear pattern of the bark, its hardening.

Collect and save

In our latitudes, pumpkins are harvested in September, without expecting the leaves to die completely. The pumpkin is harvested not as it ripens, when its stalk dries out, but even unripe fruits before the first autumn frosts. Sort by size and quality immediately after harvest. Damaged fruits are used for food, undamaged ones are sent for storage.

The ripe pumpkin is cut with a stalk about 3-4 cm long, so as not to damage the fruit. If the pumpkin is damaged during cutting, it will not be stored. When harvesting pumpkins, you cannot take up the stalk, especially in large-fruited varieties: if the stalk falls off, the pumpkin will rot during storage.

Late-ripening varieties, as well as varieties of earlier ripening periods, if the summer was rainy, can be removed unripe - they are ripened during storage.

The pumpkin is harvested on a fine, clear day. If the nights are already cold, cover the pumpkin overnight with straw. If the weather is humid and cloudy, the removed pumpkins are dried under a canopy - this way the bark hardens faster, and the pumpkins will be well stored. In order for the fruits to be well stored and not to rot, it is necessary to warm them well under the rays of the sun, for a week or more, if the weather permits.

If the skins of the storage pumpkins have small scratches or cracks. you can grease them with an antiseptic (brilliant green) or seal them with a bactericidal plaster.

• Pumpkins of any varieties are stored for 40-65 days. Ripe winter pumpkins can be stored for six months without losing their taste.
• Large-fruited late-ripening varieties are intended for long-term storage. But giant pumpkins are not recommended to be stored for more than a month or a month and a half, they will rot.
• Pumpkins ripen at room temperature for 60 days, by which time the seeds ripen in them.
• Storage conditions for pumpkins, away from sunlight, at room temperature. Do not store pumpkins in high humidity and low temperatures.
• During storage, the pumpkin loses moisture and its weight decreases.
• Pumpkins that are sent for storage should be inspected regularly. Having found an area of ​​rot, it is cut out to healthy tissue and burned with a candle flame.

Fancy pumpkins

There are a huge variety of pumpkins - with smooth, corrugated or ribbed skin, one-color, striped, "speckled", round, cylindrical, bottle-shaped, crown-shaped, turban-shaped, pear-like ...

The color palette of peel coloring is also rich - from green and gray, white and yellow to red and bright orange pumpkins. The taste and use of different pumpkins also differ.

See also: Growing unusual, exotic plants (pumpkin)

BENINKAZA

Benincasa is still rarely found in our summer cottages. The homeland of the wax gourd (aka benincasa) is tropical Southeast Asia. It can be grown in our latitudes only through seedlings, and preferably not in the open field, since for the growth and development of this tropical pumpkin, a temperature of about + 30 ° C is needed.

Winter wax gourd looks very impressive. She has fluffy whips, heart-like leaves with a sinuous leaf surface and a jagged edge. Unripe fruits are covered with stiff bristles and a sticky waxy coating. Upon reaching maturity, they become smooth, and a bright white waxy coating gives them the appearance of being dusted with flour. These pumpkins have white flesh with a pleasant unusual aroma and sour taste. It is delicate and has no coarse fibers. The variety of benincasa, which is most often grown by exotic gardeners, is Akulina.

Seedlings are sown for seedlings at the end of April. The beninkase root system does not suffer damage during transplantation. As a safety net, 2 seeds are sown in each peat-baked glass with a diameter of about 10 cm. If both seedlings sprout, the weaker sprout is removed without pulling it out, but simply pinching it off. Seedlings feel good on a light southern windowsill.

Beninka-zu is planted in a film greenhouse in late May - early June. Benincasa is a small enough plant for a pumpkin, and only 50 cm can be left between the plants. Seedlings transplanted into a greenhouse need daily watering. It is better to grow the plant on a trellis, this will provide it with better lighting. Benincasa is formed into one stem - all lateral shoots should be removed.

Benincasa is an insect pollinated plant with dioecious flowers. When grown in a greenhouse, it needs additional artificial pollination: you can transfer pollen from male flowers to the pistil of female flowers using a soft brush. The main shoot should be pinched when 10 to 12 ovaries appear on it.

Beninkaza agrotechnology practically does not differ from the cultivation of nutmeg gourd. Water this plant every 3-7 days, 5-8 liters per plant, the water temperature for irrigation should be about + 40-50 ° С. A large amount of light is very important, the thickening of the plantings is unacceptable. Organic matter and mineral fertilizers are applied in the same way as under the butternut squash, up to three times during the warm season.

This crop is harvested before frost. Benincase fruits are small - from 3 to 5 kg, they are very well stored due to the wax bloom on the peel, provided there is no damage. Benincasa is stored indoors without access to direct sunlight, so it can retain its taste for a whole year. Benincase fruits that have not reached maturity will not be stored; it is better to eat them immediately.

Wax pumpkin is used in cooking in the same way as any other: it is stewed, fried, pickled, used to make mashed soups and cereals, and candied fruits are made. Lightly fried in olive oil, this pumpkin tastes like fish. Benincasa is very useful: it contains a large amount of vitamin C. The juice of this pumpkin has a wound healing and antipyretic effect.

DECORATIVE PUMPKINS

There is a wide variety of "decorative pumpkins". They are practically not used in food: such pumpkins can only be eaten unripe, and even then they are bitter, and when they ripen, only coarse bark and seeds remain in them. But they can become an excellent element of the decor of a country house, apartment or suburban area.

The decorative pumpkin has a climbing and bush shape. For landscaping gazebos and verandas, climbing types of decorative pumpkins, characterized by very rapid growth, are suitable.

Climbing varieties of decorative pumpkins are planted near gazebos and fences, throwing whips on the wall or roof, like on a trellis.As a soil-covering plant, decorative pumpkins are planted along curbs and for decorating lawns, often placed in tubs on flower beds. Having planted various decorative pumpkins nearby, you will be surprised at the different shapes and colors of the fruits: plants of the same species will be pollinated among themselves.

VARIETIES OF DECORATIVE PUMPKIN

The most popular varieties of decorative pumpkins among summer residents are Jack Bee Little, Baby Boo, Sweet Dumpling.

Jack Bee Little	The pumpkins are bright yellow and sunny. When ripe, they take on an intense orange color. Round, segmented, they resemble a fabulous carriage for Cinderella, only miniature. Such pumpkins are very popular with children.
Baby Boo	The fruits weigh about 250 g, they are snow-white in color, similar to round barrels (or a head of garlic), segmented, very attractive in appearance.
Sweet Dumpling	The largest of the decorative pumpkins (pumpkins weigh about 500-600 g). Striped and spotted, they are very beautiful due to the alternation of white and green longitudinal stripes.

Ornamental pumpkins do not shape. If the plant is overgrowing, the side branches can be pruned. The fruits are harvested before frost and dried at room temperature.

Caring for decorative pumpkins is absolutely the same as for ordinary hard-barked ones. These plants need a light, loose, organic-rich fertile soil with good air and water permeability and a neutral pH reaction.

Ornamental pumpkin varieties are grown by seedling, seedlings are planted in open ground in early June. Plants need regular watering and feeding every three weeks. The fruits of decorative pumpkins are small, and there are many of them - about four dozen pumpkins per plant. Their flowers are very beautiful - large, bright yellow.

Lignified fruits are used as elements of room decor, material for crafts. They are varnished, painted with paints, used as part of phytocompositions.

See also: The best pumpkin varieties and their cultivation

PUMPKIN: DISEASES AND PESTS

The most harmful for pumpkin are bacteriosis, white and root rot, powdery mildew. Of the pests, spider mites and melon aphids harm this culture most of all.

BACTERIOSIS

The disease is spread by insects, as well as by water droplets.

The source of infection is plant debris, as well as seeds infected with bacteriosis. That is, effective prevention of pumpkin bacteriosis is the use of high-quality, healthy planting material, as well as the removal and burning of plant residues and compliance with other agrotechnical requirements.

Prevention of bacteriosis - observance of crop rotation: where pumpkin crops grew, pumpkin can be planted only after 4 years.

Concomitant factors of the rapid development of the disease are high air and soil humidity, as well as sharp drops in night and day air temperatures.

Symptoms

The first signs of the disease are the appearance of small brown sores on the cotyledons. In the future, spots of an angular shape of brown appear on the leaves and fruits. At first, in the morning they have a dark green color, they acquire a brownish tint only in the evening. However, later the spots grow, acquire a persistent brown color, dry out and fall through, leaving angular holes on the leaves and fruits.

Control methods

Diseased plants at the stage of rapid development of the disease should be immediately removed and burned, it is impossible to save them. If the plant has only the first symptoms, they are treated with a Bordeaux mixture (10 g of lime and 10 g of copper sulfate per liter of water). For prophylactic purposes, healthy plants are treated with 0.4 percent copper oxychloride or one percent Bordeaux mixture.

In order to prevent bacteriosis, pumpkin seeds are treated with 0.02% zinc sulfate solution before sowing. The seeds are placed in the preparation for 24 hours, after which they are dried until they flow.

WHITE ROT (SCLEROTHENIA)

This is a fungal disease. The pathogen lives in soil and plant debris.Infection occurs by air, as well as through mechanical damage: 8 wounds caused by careless care, microscopic spores of the fungus and pieces of mycelium get into. The causative agent of sclerotinia affects all parts of the plant: both fruits and leaves, stems, whips. The plant is most susceptible to disease at the fruiting stage.

The concomitant factors of the rapid development of the disease are the thickening of the plantings, as well as sharp drops in night and day temperatures and too high humidity - both soil and air.

Symptoms

At first, white fruit can be seen on the affected areas.

body sclerotia. The affected tissue becomes slimy and soft. Later, the white mycelium becomes covered with black dots, and the spots become black. Plants affected in the root part wither and dry out.

Control methods

The affected areas should be immediately sprinkled with fluff lime or charcoal. With a strong defeat in the hottest time of a dry warm day, the leaves are removed - this will dry out the wounds on the stem faster. The cut points are sprinkled with crushed coal (you can wipe them with a 0.5% solution of copper sulfate).

Prevention is, first of all, the immediate collection and destruction of all plant residues and timely weeding. It is also necessary to observe the crop rotation. You can only water the pumpkin with warm water. An effective measure against sclerotinia is foliar dressing of the following composition: zinc sulfate (1 g), copper sulfate (2 g), urea (10 g) per 10 liters of water.

ROOT ROT

Also a fungal disease, the causative agent of which lives in the soil and plant debris. Root rot is mainly affected by plants that have been weakened by improper agricultural techniques during changes in night and day temperatures and watering the pumpkin with cold water. The disease is very dangerous because it leads to the rapid death of the plant.

Symptoms

The disease begins with the formation of "constrictions" on the affected tissue. Stems and roots affected by spores of the pathogen fungus acquire a brown tint, and the lower leaves turn yellow. Gradually, the stems lose strength and "grind". The plant stops growing.

If signs of root rot are found, it is necessary to add fertile soil to the stems - this will contribute to the appearance of additional roots and improve the nutrition of the plant. The plant will also be supported by foliar feeding of the following composition: zinc sulfate (1 g), copper sulfate (2 g), urea (10 g) per ten-liter volume of water.

It is necessary to immediately eliminate the flaws of agricultural technology: maintain the soil moisture necessary for the pumpkin, irrigate only with warm water (with a temperature of at least +20 ° C).

Prevention - timely weeding and elimination of plant residues, as well as maintaining the correct crop rotation when planting pumpkin. For prophylactic purposes, pumpkins are watered under the root with a solution of previcur (at the rate of 40 g of the drug per 100 sq. M). Watering is done twice, with an interval of two weeks.

Mealy dew

This is a disease that gardeners and gardeners face when growing a wide variety of crops. The causative fungus hibernates in plant residues of a wide variety of weeds (sow thistle, nettle, plantain, etc.). During the growing season, spores are carried by wind, water and with the help of agricultural tools from a diseased plant to a healthy one. The most harmful disease is with excessive air humidity, irregular or insufficient watering, and also if you are fond of nitrogen fertilizers when growing pumpkin. Sporulation of the fungus, which appears on various parts of the plant in the form of spots, leads to a suspension of plant growth, a decrease in productivity, and a disruption in the process of photosynthesis. The fungus absorbs nutrients from the affected tissues.

Symptoms

On the leaves, less often on the stems and petioles, you can see rounded small white spots and a mealy bloom. With the development of the disease, the spots increase in size, merge and completely cover the leaf with a white bloom. The plant turns yellow and dries up.

Control methods

Powdery mildew requires an immediate response. The foci of the spread of infection must be cut off to healthy tissue and destroyed, the wounds must be cauterized with ground sulfur.

When the first symptoms appear, spraying is necessary:

• Colloidal sulfur (80 percent granular or 70 percent paste at the rate of 20 g per 10 liters of water for open ground and 40 g for the same volume of water for greenhouses and greenhouses);
• Colloidal sulfur sulfaride (100 g per 10 l of water);
• Sodium phosphate (50 g per 10 liters of water);

Isophene 10 percent (60 g per 10 liters of water).

Spraying with mullein infusion is also effective against powdery mildew. A kilogram of mullein is infused in 3 liters of water for 72 hours, filtered. For spraying, a liter of infusion is diluted in three liters of water.

SPIDER MITE

This insect with an oval, oblong body is very small (only 0.3 mm in length), but it causes significant harm. Settling on the underside of the leaves, the insect braids the plant with a thin web. 0 tick lesions will be indicated by light yellow dots on the leaves. Gradually, the leaf becomes marbled, turns yellow and dries up. With a strong defeat, the plant dies.

Control methods

If the lesion is not severe, the tick can be defeated by constantly spraying the pumpkin with warm water for several days in the heat. Spraying with infusions of garlic and onion husks is also effective (for 10 liters of water - 200 g of husks). With a strong defeat, you can not do without special

special preparations: when grown in the open field, use a 20% celtan (20 g per 10 l of water), in a protected ground - 10% isophene (60 g per 10 l of water) and ground sulfur (at the rate of 3 g per 1 sq. m).

Melon aphid

A pest on a pumpkin is usually a pest (a dark green insect about 2 mm long, yellow larvae, with and without wings) moves from weeds, therefore weeding is the most important

a health condition of pumpkin seeds. Aphids also settle on the underside of the leaf, affecting shoots, flowers and ovaries. The leaves curl and fall off, growth and fruiting are suspended, and when severely damaged, the plants die.

Control methods

Spraying with 10 percent karbofos (60 g per 10-liter volume of water) will help, and in closed ground - 10 percent triphos (100 g for the same volume of water).

Growing pumpkin - planting and care: the experience of summer residents

How to grow huge pumpkins

There have been many published reviews of the pumpkin. And, it would seem, everything has already been said about her. And that's not all! Therefore, I decided to write, suddenly it will be useful to someone. Everyone knows that pumpkin loves space, plenty of sunshine and well-fertilized soil. I don't have such a place for it, so I have to plant it between the trees, near the fence itself in two different places. The sun illuminates it only an hour and a half a day, the rest of the time it is in partial shade and in the shade.

In the fall, I carefully prepare the soil: compost, ash, superphosphate, a little dry chicken droppings, rotted sawdust. I do not regret leaf humus. In the summer, I feed it several times with fermented grass, add ash. In the spring I soak my seeds and plant them with a sprout in the ground, covering them with cut-off five-liter containers from under the water on top. I close the lids first, and when several leaves appear, I open them. I completely remove the containers when the pumpkin gets cramped under them. As it grows, I direct the stem to a support attached to the fence.

The support can be made from two long bars intertwined with a wire, wire or rope that does not absorb water.

But a metal mesh is best suited for support. It easily bends in the desired direction and is attached to the fence with screws. You can save heavy, hanging pumpkin fruits by carefully placing them in store nets from under vegetables, or come up with other types of supports.

This year, the stem of one pumpkin left the support along with the fruit. I had to find a way to keep both the stem and the fruit on the fence. As a result, the pumpkin grew on a shelf made by my husband from thick plywood.

Unfortunately, they were able to take a picture only in the fall, after the removal of the fetus.

And the other pumpkin's stem went along the foundation of the fence. Fruit began to grow between the foundation and the lower horizontal plank. When she noticed that it was cramped for him there, she tried to pull him out (she even wanted to file the board). I somehow pulled it out, damaging the surface. And so I pulled him out twice, inflicting injuries. Well, I thought, that's it, the pumpkin will disappear, it will rot. However, each time juice was released from the wound and tightened the wound. It's amazing! Just like people. Apparently, it is not in vain that there is a way to treat burns by applying pumpkin pulp to them.

5 important pumpkin tips

To keep the pumpkin indoors (under the closet, on the bedside table, on the closet, in the wall), after removing it, it is necessary to warm it up in a warm place - near the boiler, stove, battery - for at least two weeks. The place of the cut of the stem must be powdered with ash.

If you've grown a large pumpkin and can't eat it in one go, you can keep it longer with a piece of cotton fabric. Dampen a cloth with strong saline, squeeze thoroughly and place over the cut. Store as such in a cool dry place. It is not allowed in the refrigerator! Rinse the fabric periodically, dampening it again with salt water, wringing out and applying to the cut.

Do not throw away the juicy pulp of pumpkin, from which you will choose seeds, wipe it on your face, neck, hands. When the juice dries on your skin, rinse it off with cool water. The skin on the eyes becomes soft, velvety, and even some wrinkles are smoothed out - checked!

When boiling millet, rice, or other porridge, do not put chopped pumpkin in it. Cook the porridge as you usually cook it, and boil the pumpkin pieces separately in another bowl. Then mix the porridge with pieces of boiled pumpkin right on the plate, adding pumpkin broth there.

It tastes much better this way, and vitamins are preserved better. After all, pieces of pumpkin are cooked faster than porridge.

Those who have gallstones should be careful with the amount of pumpkin eaten: pumpkin has choleretic properties.

I wish everyone a successful season! +

Melons on stones

Despite the fact that pumpkin is 90% water, it is an excellent source of carotene, vitamins and a whole complex of minerals involved in hematopoiesis (iron, copper, cobalt, zinc). Due to the low content of coarse fiber and organic acids, it is recommended even for inflammatory diseases of the stomach and intestines.

In the mid-70s, I left to work in the direction of Kamchatka, lived there for four years. Of these, he spent 12 months in the seas, without going ashore, twice for six months on the BMRT.

Then he pulled to the ground. Arriving in his hometown, he bought a small abandoned house 30 minutes from the city by train. He repaired the fence, hired a tractor, and dug a hole the size of a metal garage. Equipped it, bought three nutria and began to breed it. From the pit I made an inclined exit into the garden and fenced off the walk 8 × 8 m in size with a fence made of boards, but the floor was made of stone. I asked a neighbor (he worked on a dump truck) to bring granite from the quarry. He laid out the stones tightly to each other, and on top he made a thin screed of sand and cement. Our soil is like this: 25 centimeters sod land, and then clean white sand. I put stones on this sand.

I kept nutria for about 10 years. Then I abandoned all this, and a year ago I decided to grow pumpkins in large quantities, so that it would last for the whole winter. I read that pumpkin is a healing vegetable, and doctors found some kind of burn in my stomach.

Where there was a walk, raspberries began to grow rapidly, literally making their way through the stones. Nobody watered or bent it, but it grows and bears fruit. I removed these raspberries: I just cut them out, since there are enough of them in the garden. Then I lifted stones, made four strips 25-30 cm wide and 3-4 m long. From these strips I removed a layer of clean sand 25-30 cm deep and laid soddy soil with humus there.In the spring, I planted pumpkin seedlings (5 pcs.) On each strip and covered them with covering material.

He watered from a barrel, which he immediately put, welded on the valve and stretched out the hose. He fed him with nettle infusion: he collected the nettle in a bag of sugar and dipped it into a barrel. To prevent the bag from floating up, he pressed on it with a stick, and the other end rested against the edge of the barrel. From above, he must cover it with a film, which he tied with soft wire, so that it would not fly off. After 10 days, the infusion was ready. Added microbiological fertilizer, fish leftovers, yeast, if any.

And then my pumpkin began to grow. On July 24, each was the size of a watermelon. Then they grew, it turned out to be a real melon. Photo taken on July 24. I collected 40 pumpkins from my stones!

I think the whole point is that the stones heat up during the day, and at night, giving off heat, they create an excellent microclimate for the reproduction of microorganisms. In the fall, when I was removing the leaves and stems of pumpkins, I noticed that all the plants crawled over the stones to the next strip and gave roots. But I didn’t bend them down and didn’t add them.

Pumpkin and orange jam

For 1 pumpkin I take 2 oranges and 3 glasses of sugar. I grind the oranges with the peel in a blender, and pass the pumpkin through a vegetable cutter. I cook over low heat

20 minutes. I am preparing a 5-liter saucepan for a week. Every morning I put a mug of this jam, stir it with sour cream (you can add cottage cheese) and eat it instead of breakfast. The digestive tract began to work perfectly, I forgot about the burn of the stomach, and in fact it happened that the blood was coming.

In one of the magazines, a reader requested ginkgo biloba seeds to treat her husband after a stroke. I will share with readers my recipe for the prevention of stroke and noise in the head, tested on myself and on friends. We take a pine cone, it is possible from the ground (I took cones in the forest from small pines). Fill a liter jar tightly and fill it with vodka. We insist 12 days, sometimes shaking. We drink 1 tsp. in the morning on an empty stomach, washed down with tea. It contains the tannins that we need. Due to the fact that vodka has risen in price, and much more, you can insist on moonshine, which I do. I collected the fallen plum from the ground, added sugar, yeast and got the necessary product for making moonshine (brew) in 20 days. For distillation, I took a poznitsa (this is a saucepan on which a national Buryat dish is prepared - steamed poses, or, more simply, dumplings the size of a fist). How I did this, guess for yourself, as this will not be printed. As a result, in 40 minutes. from 1.5 liters of brew we get 250 g (full faceted glass) of moonshine, which lights up when a fire is brought to it.

Decorative pumpkins

Almost all decorative pumpkins grow in the form of a long liana, capable of being attached to a support using tendrils. Therefore, it makes sense to grow them not only to get funny fruits, but also as a beautiful vertical gardening, directing whips to fences, walls of buildings, garden pavilions, pergolas, arches, or lowering them from the support walls. The pumpkin grows quickly and will fill a large area in a month and a half. Large bright green leaves, large yellow or white flowers, scattering of fancy fruits look very elegant before the onset of cold weather.

When growing a pumpkin as a vine, there are 3 main points to consider.

The place must be sunny. In the shade, the lash will grow ankle, rarely leafy, flowering and fruiting will be weak. With a lack of sun, plants are more affected by diseases that spoil the appearance of the leaves.

For landscaping, the vine is practically not standardized, allowing it to branch magnificently, then the green wall will be more elegant. But she will also need a lot of nutrition, so you need to increase the dose of organic fertilizers when preparing the beds and feed them more often. You will also need regular abundant watering.

The pumpkin is not able to withstand even the slightest frost-morning performance, which will immediately destroy all beauty. That is, in areas with a short summer, the pumpkin trellis will be short-lived.

Of all the garden plants, the pumpkin family perhaps boasts the greatest variety of fruit shape, taste and size. A special place is occupied by decorative pumpkins, which, in principle, are grown not for food, but for beauty.

Family of cute crumbs

There are a great many varieties and varieties of decorative pumpkin, and amateurs often get new bizarre forms by growing seeds from free pollination of different varieties. Botanically, they can belong to different species of the vast family of cucurbits. So, part of the varieties with club-shaped or pitcher-shaped fruits is bottle pumpkin, or lagenaria. Its distinctive feature is its white flowers.

At the same time, fruits with a strongly curved neck are often kruknek - a type of zucchini.

Turbid pumpkin is a type of large-fruited pumpkin, the same one to which most table varieties belong. Her fruits are not only beautiful, but often delicious. Most of the decorative varieties are representatives of small-fruited pumpkin (or common curly pumpkin). It is thermophilic, therefore it is grown mainly in the southern regions.

When growing ornamental pumpkin, the same rules are used as for the cultivation of thermophilic varieties of vegetable pumpkin. The growing season is long, fruiting begins in 90-100 days, and in some varieties even 120 days after germination. In regions with a long summer and warm spring, sowing seeds can be carried out in May directly into the ground. They are pre-etched for several hours in a solution of potassium permanganate and germinated on wet moss or filter paper.

If a steady heat comes only by June, then you will have to grow seedlings with 1-2 leaves. Seedlings are not dived, the seeds are sown in containers of at least 1 liter one by one, since the root system of pumpkins is fragile and grows quickly. When landing in the ground, the earthen lump is very carefully transferred entirely.

Bush varieties are planted singly, leaving a distance of 70-100 cm between plants. Long-leaved pumpkins can be planted in a square-nesting way, 3-4 seeds per hole with a distance of about 1 m between holes. The main thing is that the feeding area as a whole is large and the soil - loose to a considerable depth.

Pumpkins grow wonderfully in warm beds, the base of which is laid with fresh, dying organic matter. Since fruits are usually not eaten, there is no need to fear the accumulation of nitrates in them. True, if you overfeed the plants, then the increase in green mass can go to the detriment of flowering and fruiting. So if the harvest of souvenir fruits is important, then the growth of the lashes should be normalized, pinching them after setting 3-4 fruits, and not overusing fertilizers.

How to make a souvenir

To keep fancy pumpkins and souvenirs made from them for a long time, the fruits are removed fully ripe. By this time, the stalks dry out and acquire a brown color, the whips and leaves begin to dry out. It is very important to harvest before frost. After collection, all fruits with spots and mold are discarded. If the damage is mechanical, then the seeds extracted from the pumpkins can be saved for sowing.

The next step is drying. The selected fruits are washed with warm water and soap and rubbed with alcohol. Before drying, the pumpkin is not opened, it is dried whole, with seeds inside.

Drying is carried out in a warm ventilated room with limited access to light (for example, in a closet or in a warm attic), placing the fruits on trellised trays so that air flows from all directions. From time to time, pumpkins should be checked and specimens showing signs of decay should be removed.

You can process pumpkins in a few months, when the peel stops scratching with a fingernail, and when shaken, the seeds will rattle inside. Some will retain their color; they can be treated with wax or clear varnish for brightness. For others, the top layer will peel off - it will have to be completely cleaned off with emery, but the surface will become suitable for painting.

Looking or eating?

To say that decorative pumpkins are edible is a big twist. Rather, they are not poisonous. In some varieties, very young embryos with barely fallen off flower are suitable for food.

They can, for example, be added to an assortment of pickled vegetables - not so much for taste as for originality. In other species, greens are very bitter.

There is simply nothing in mature pumpkins.

Under the hard skin is a large cavity with seeds and very little dry, sinewy, bitter pulp. Many varieties have such strong skin that a power tool must be used to open the fruit.

Perhaps only the Red Riding Hood variety combines a pleasant taste in a ripe state and an unusual shape of the fruit. But it is not suitable for decorative landscaping and for crafts.

WORTH TRYING!

Several varieties of bush ornamental pumpkin have been bred, growing well in a limited volume. They can be planted in flowerpots and containers. For example, Windsor forms a medium-sized bush with bright orange fruits about 20 cm in diameter.

GROUP	DESCRIPTION	VARIETIES
Chalmoid (or mushroom)	As if they consist of 2 parts: in place of a wilted flower, a rounded outgrowth protrudes from a round base, often of a lighter color. Ripe fruits look like a head in a turban or a mushroom with a bright cap.	Little Red Riding Hood, Large Fruit Turban, Oriental Turban
Mandarin (spherical)	They have small, 10-15 cm in diameter, fruits of a round or classic "pumpkin" shape, often with noticeable ribs. Coloring can be green, yellow, orange, striped, svetnsner	Baby Boo, Kleine Orange, Windsor FI, Orange, Sweet Slices, Jack Be Little j
Warty	They attract with numerous growths on the bark and unusual colors. The growths can be round, thorny, of different sizes.	Kleine Warzen, Surprise, Warty Mix
Star-shaped	Distantly similar to squash, often in the shape of a starfish with symmetrically located processes	Ten Commendments, Cronen, Starfall
Pear-shaped (club-shaped, bottle-shaped)	They have a rounded "body" and a thin "neck". Some exactly repeat the shape of a pear or a jug, while others have a strongly elongated neck and bizarrely curved. Often different parts of the fruit are colored differently	Pumpkin-vessels, Klein Bime Bicolor, Pear, Goose in apples, Rattle
Fantasy	It is difficult to refer to any group, their shape and color are so unusual. An elongated fruit with extensions and contractions can be covered with growths, thorns, bumps, ribs, painted with spots and stripes	Coutors Hative, seedlings from free pollination

Pumpkin replenishment

I have a garden of 35 acres - there is where to turn around. I grow a little bit of everything, I have an equal attitude to all vegetables, except for pumpkin - this is a real delicacy!

In May, when the ground warms up well, I plant pumpkin seeds immediately in open ground - 5-6 pcs. into the holes, which I dig in one row at a distance of 1 m from each other (in each before planting I bring in a handful of humus and ash). Would you say that I am too wasteful with the seeds? But I have a good safety net.

What if a seed doesn't sprout? And even if they all hatch, then in any case they do not develop in the same way, and I always have the opportunity to select only the strongest, which will give the best harvest.

And I make a selection when two leaves appear on the bushes - here, as they say, you can see with the naked eye which of the plants will be suitable for what. So I leave only two pieces in the holes, and delete the rest.

And from the fact that only the most worthy remain to live, they do not require special care for themselves (and, of course, a lot depends on the quality of the land - I am generously filling it with organic matter every autumn).

Over the summer, I fertilize the pumpkin plantings with a solution of chicken droppings only once, and if there is no rain for a long time, then I water it under the roots. I plant different varieties: Vitamin, Winter Sweet, Hundred Pound, Arabat. The last pumpkin is just lovely. Its flesh is orange, sweet, with a nutmeg aroma. It makes such delicious porridge that you won't find it in any restaurant for any money. Last year, after reading a lot of praise, I decided to try to plant a fig-leaved pumpkin (I was just given two of its black seeds). I planted them in one hole and looked after them like an ordinary pumpkin. The plant turned out to be very lashy and fruitful.

True, the first 15 fruits for some reason grew to the size of a large apple and fell off. I already thought that the end of my harvest, but by the fall, 23 strong and large pumpkins had grown on the lashes.

In appearance, they resemble a watermelon with green stripes, but you cut them, and there is a juicy white crumb with black seeds. The skin of the pumpkin is thin, but very strong. And most importantly, this pumpkin can withstand frosts down to -3 °, and the plucked fruits at room temperature remain fresh for two years (they can even be eaten raw, like the same watermelon). In my opinion, this is a very valuable addition to any garden collection. Moreover, fig-leaved gourd can be used to treat insomnia and cardiovascular diseases.

Anna Alexandrovna PYATIGOR

Growing pumpkin in the open field - video

All about growing pumpkins in your garden.

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