How to grow a pumpkin in the country in the open ground: directly into the ground or seedlings. Planting pumpkins in the ground How to plant pumpkin in open ground seedlings

The chemical composition of pumpkin is rich in vitamins and minerals useful for the normal functioning of human organs. This explains the popularity of growing vegetables on garden plots. Culture enjoys success among agrarians for industrial cultivation. In this review, we will talk about the features of planting pumpkin seeds and seedlings in open ground and further care.

Dates for planting pumpkins in Belarus, Ukraine, the Leningrad region and other regions

A crop is planted after the soil is fully warmed up, and the average daily temperature does not fall below + 10 ° С. If during sowing in spring the temperature is below + 13 ° C, the germination process slows down, which threatens to rot the seeds. In the middle lane, the best seed planting dates 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 a significant date without taking into account weather conditions.

Pumpkin planted in open ground in late spring

In the southern regions, as well as in Belarus, Ukraine, in the 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 the top fruits.

The most popular varieties

For Moscow region

Premiere

Pumpkin Dining Premiere

Cold-resistant culture with a spreading long lash and sweet-tasting large fruits, hanging in a mature form to 6 kg.  The culture is unpretentious to the type of soil, its fertility.

Country

Pumpkin grade Country

Culture with early ripening (75-85 days). The vegetable is characterized by a sweet taste with hints of vanilla. Pumpkin in mature form weighs 3-4 kg.  Duration of fruit storage for more than 4 months.

For the Urals

Russian woman

Pumpkin Russian

The plant is resistant to garden diseases and frost. The pulp is juicy and sugar, which is appreciated by the chefs. The weight of the Russian pumpkin exceeds 2.7 kg.  The ripening period of the crop is 110-130 days. The color of the ripened fruit is orange.

Nutmeg Pearl

Nutmeg Pumpkin Pearl

Harvesting nutmeg pumpkins ripens in 100 days, the weight of pumpkins is about 5-7 kg. The taste is saturated with a musky note. The plant is cold-resistant, tolerates drought and heavy rainfall, has strong immunity.

The best varieties of Siberia

Freckle

Pumpkin Variety Freckle

A plant with vegetation days. The pulp is very juicy and sweet, tasting like a melon. Even after heat treatment, it retains a crispy structure. Pumpkin weight does not exceed 3 kg.

Smile

Pumpkin Smile

Bush grade. The culture easily tolerates temperature changes and can withstand frosts, is resistant to humid environments. The variety is distinguished by excellent taste and a long shelf life (until the next season). The duration of the growing season is 90-110 days, fetal mass - 2.1-3 kg.

Proper planting in open ground

The key to productivity is the correct planting, which includes the preparation of seeds and soil, as well as the process of laying in the hole of planting material.

Seed Preparation: Germination and Germination Testing

Germinated Pumpkin Seeds

Seeds must first be checked for germination and sorted, leaving only healthy specimens. 3 days before the start of sowing, grains must be germinated in wet gauze or sawdust.  To accelerate the germination of seeds at home, they are placed for 2 days in a solution of sodium or potassium humate. The tank should be in the 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, make 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 buckets of sawdust, 1 kg of ash, 1 glass of nitrophoska are introduced per 1 m2.

The digging depth of the soil should be at least 35-50 cm. To disinfect the area, pour it with hot water.

Where to plant a pumpkin in the country? The landing place is selected sunny, well-ventilated. Such predecessors as potatoes, sunflowers, melons, 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; a 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 actively develops and spreads over a large space. In determining the scheme, it is better to be guided by the characteristics of the variety. More often gardeners use this option of planting:

• embedment depth sunflower seeds - 8-10 cm (on light soils), 5-6 cm (on loams) with the acute side down;
• interval  between holes in a row - 60-80 cm;
• distance  between rows - 1 m.

Pumpkin is not recommended to be planted next to potatoes

For spreading lashes, the following scheme is used: 1x1.5 m.  To protect the planting from spring frosts, it is recommended to cover the garden with a film.

Experienced gardeners use the lunar calendar when planning planting work in the garden. The dates indicated in it affect the rate of development of plants. It is recommended to plant a pumpkin on the growing moon:

• in March  begin to plant seeds on seedlings (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23);
• in April  seeding is permissible in open ground (17 - 22, 24 - 29 numbers);
• in May  (16-21, 23-28).

In addition to 3-4 seeds, organic fertilizers are added to each well: manure, humus or peat. To moisturize, use warm water (2 liters per hole).

In the Leningrad region, Moscow region, in the Urals, in Siberia, pumpkin is grown in seedlings. The technology of planting young plants in the soil does not differ from planting seeds.

But what if pumpkin seedlings are very long? In cases of excessive activity of seedling growth,  when the stem becomes thin and excessively long, the first thing to do is to transplant the plants into more spacious pots, providing the necessary space.

Cultivation at home and further care

At home, pumpkin can be grown on virtually any soil. The culture shows endurance to adverse weather conditions, even when it began to germinate. But these facts do not mean that culture does not need to be looked after.

How many seeds germinate?

The timing of seed germination depends solely on temperature conditions. If the night indicator does not fall below 12-14 °, the seeds will begin to germinate in a week.  Even if the weather is cool a month later, 2-3 leaves are already developing on the shoot.

Preplant seed soaking in growth stimulants will help speed up the germination process. In addition to special tools, aloe juice, infusion of wood ash, potato juice, honey solution are used.

Watering Rules

Watering pumpkin during flowering is especially important: moisture is necessary for the formation of female inflorescences

Pumpkin needs watering, but in moderation. Excess moisture will provoke stretching of the 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 central highway can be negative. Therefore, experts recommend using the settled fluid from the well.

Top dressing

The plant loves top dressing. A week after germination, the first lure is introduced. The plant receives ideal nutrition from a mullein solution.  Nitrofoska is considered equally effective (15 grams per bucket of water). It is followed by subsequent feeding with an interval of 10-14 days.

The correct formation of the seedling is expressed in a low but strong stalk, short internodes, the presence of 3 leaves after a month.

Pumpkin Formation

As soon as 2-3 real leaves appear on the shoots, you need to thin out the bed. When growing large-fruited pumpkins, they leave only one sprout, nutmeg and durum bark - 2 seedlings each.

A developing lash should also be formed by removing excess ovaries and lateral shoots.  They do this 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, 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 at risk from pests. Reduce productivity, and sometimes destroy young shoots can:

• slugs;
• gourd aphids.

When signs of an invasion of pests are detected, special preparations are used (Actellik, Fufanon, Citkor, etc.). Safer are products made from biological components. Folk methods are sometimes not inferior in effectiveness, among which deserve attention:

• decoctions and infusions from pharmaceutical chamomile;
• infusions on potato and tomato tops;
• decoctions of wormwood and other aromatic herbs;
• wood ash;
• tobacco dust;
• slaked lime, etc.

Working solutions are used to spray 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, one should make it a rule to conduct inspection of the beds with a regularity of 1 time in 3 days. Then you can localize the problem and save the crop.

Harvesting

The maturity of a pumpkin can be determined by the following criteria:

• the stalk becomes stiffer  the surface gets stuck, its stiffness occurs simultaneously with the stem supplying power;
• leaves on the whip drychange color to yellow;
• whatever the original skin color, after maturing, reflects the texture pattern brighter;
• if you run a fingernail over the crust, no trace;
• when you press your fingers on the fetus, hardness is felt;
• ripe product is covered matte coating;
• when tapping is heard sonorous knock;
• when harvesting the stalk is easy to remove.

It is necessary to harvest pumpkins before steady frosts

To ensure a long shelf life, it is necessary to pick the fruit carefully, being careful not to damage the peel. Scratches should be sealed with a bactericidal plaster so that microbes do not penetrate into the vegetable.

Harvested fruits from the beds are placed in a dry room, where they ripen for about another month.

The main guarantee of a good harvest are proper seed selection and timely care.  Hand-grown pumpkin diversifies the menu for households, enriches the body with nutrients.

The beloved golden fruit, whose birthplace is Mexico, has long taken root with us and is part of the culinary traditions. By the way, pumpkin sowing is also popular in China and India. What vegetable grower will miss the opportunity to grow such a beauty in his garden? But to do this, you need to know how to plant a pumpkin correctly, what factors should be considered if you are going to plant a pumpkin in open ground. About how to plant a pumpkin in open ground, and how to take care of the plant in the future, read below.

Landing time

The first question to understand: when to plant a pumpkin in open ground? The planting dates of pumpkins, like all melons, occur at the end of spring (at the same time, the sowing of all related crops begins). Therefore, you need to put seedlings in the ground in late May - early June. At a temperature of 25 degrees, the plant will actively develop, and at 14 it will stop growing and sowing will be in vain. Do not forget that if you want to get an early harvest, plant seeds for seedlings for a period of 25 days.

Seat selection

It’s clear that the pumpkin will grow well in the South. But in any case, place the seedlings in a sunny place. It is better to plant a pumpkin in place of onions, cabbage, carrots, beets, and legumes. Avoid places where potatoes, sunflowers, cucumbers, zucchini, and melons used to grow. Neighborhood plays a very important role. Some plants may harm the pumpkin, and some may harm itself. Therefore, the question will not be strange: what can be planted next to pumpkins?

Leek, beans, peas or spinach can be planted nearby. It is not recommended to plant next to potatoes and radish. Near it is better not to place beets, carrots, garlic.

What is the reason for this? All gourds abundantly absorb nutrients from the earth, as a result of which they do not allow their neighbors to fully develop. Is it possible to plant a pumpkin next to corn? Necessary!

It is better not to place pumpkins in windy places, but if you don’t have any, then you can plant corn nearby - to create a kind of fence from the wind.

Interestingly, you can not plant the pumpkin itself after the pumpkin. This is due to soil diseases, the causative agents of which can survive and harm new related plants.

Soil preparation

In relation to the earth, this plant is not picky. But even good soil still needs to be cultivated in the fall. Dig a plot and mix the earth with organic fertilizers - potash and phosphorus. Already in the spring, after the snow melts, loosen the soil and clear the area of \u200b\u200bweeds. Before sowing a pumpkin, once again dig everything well and apply nitrogen fertilizers.

Garden beds do high. Standard sizes: up to 1.5 m in width, at least 20 cm in height, and a distance of half a meter. Sowing can be carried out in different ways, but the most popular is wide-row. The scheme for planting pumpkins in the open field differs depending on the variety. For example, bush pumpkin is usually planted 70 by 70 cm, and long-squash - 210 by 180 cm. The question "at what distance to plant a pumpkin" will not baffle you now.

How to choose a landing method

If the fruiting rate is important for you, then you will have to think about choosing a pumpkin planting method and further care. Planting usually occurs either by seeds in open ground, or by seeds for seedlings. The second method is relevant for those who are concerned about how to grow pumpkin in order to get fruits faster.

Features of planting seeds

How to plant pumpkin seeds properly? First of all, you need to get good seeds. But it is worth considering that not all varieties are sown in open ground. For this, for example, a nutmeg variety, to which all honey belongs, is not suitable. Planted seeds of this variety may simply not sprout. Be sure to pay attention to the freshness and germination of seeds. To do this, you can conduct a trial sowing on wet gauze.

When the seed check is done, you need to do their preparation. Warm them at 60 degrees for about 2 hours, and then dip them into a solution of potassium permanganate. After these measures, the seeds can be planted in the ground.

Features planting seedlings

If you will grow seeds for seedlings, then all of the above rules for preparing seeds are relevant in this case. Prepare a deep pallet with sawdust: pour wood with boiling water and cover with gauze. Lay out the seeds there. Then again fill with sawdust and cover with a film. Thus, you have a home greenhouse. Sprouts will begin to be seen already on the 3rd day. Grown seedlings for 25 days, then you need to move to open ground.

Further care

Planting pumpkins in open ground provides for further care of the plant. Caring for her, as well as for other melons, includes a number of measures:

• weed harvesting;
• stage-by-stage top dressing: the first - with the appearance of the first leaves, the second - after the formation of the ovaries;
• regular watering (especially at the flowering stage);
• pinching of long-varieties (on the shoot there should be no more than 3 fruits).

Now the question of how to properly plant a pumpkin in open ground will not bother young vegetable growers. After all, as it turned out, this business is not heavy and time-consuming. Planting a pumpkin and caring for it in the open ground can become not only a common household business, but also a favorite hobby.

Pumpkin is famous not only for its exquisite taste, but also for the content of the rare, but necessary for the human body vitamin T. Any housewife who planted this vegetable knows that you can feed a huge family with a couple of such fruits, because they make not only pumpkin cereals, but and preserves, marmalades, mashed potatoes, pies, side dishes.

Video "Planting pumpkins in the open ground"

In this video you will hear useful tips for planting pumpkins in the open ground.

Pumpkin is consumed fresh, stewed, in the form of mashed potatoes, porridge, and soup. It goes well with cereals and vegetables. From it you can make pancakes, stuff and bake in the oven, steam.

Pumpkin planting

In the global agricultural production, three types of pumpkins are common:

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

Numerous varieties of large-fruited pumpkins are used for livestock feed. The fruits of hard-boiled pumpkin - with a gray peel, sweet, well stored in apartment conditions. Their flesh is edible in its raw form.

In summer cottages, they often grow nutmeg pumpkin. Sweet and aromatic vegetable is suitable for eating raw. Of the varieties zoned for most regions for pumpkin planting, Almond 35 and Volzhskaya gray should be noted.

Pumpkins grow in any climate, because of this they give the impression of unpretentious plants growing in any gardens. But getting large and high-quality fruits by planting pumpkins in open ground is not easy. In our climate, pumpkins, like any southern plants, lack sunlight and the length of the growing season.

Pumpkin in a short time grows a giant vegetative mass, so the soil should contain a lot of nutrients. You can not plant a pumpkin in the shade. For rapid growth, she needs a lot of light.

Do not plant a pumpkin near raspberries - an aggressive shrub will leave the pumpkin without sunlight, and it will not set fruit.

Pumpkin can be planted with seeds on a bed. The best predecessors for pumpkin are nightshade and cabbage vegetables. Planting pumpkins in the ground near the south side of the buildings will protect against the cold northeast.

Large pumpkin leaves are easily damaged by the wind. When turning leaves, plants slow down growth and development. To avoid this, summer residents planted tall crops, for example, beans, sweet peppers or standard tomatoes, around the perimeter of the pumpkin patch. If the size of the plot allows, cereal crops can be sown between rows of pumpkins.

The soil will have to be prepared in the fall - to make holes and fill it with fallen leaves. In spring, the soil under the leaves will warm up quickly. It remains to fill a bucket of fertile soil in the pit and plant 3 seeds each. After the cotyledon leaves are opened, one seedling should be left (the strongest in appearance), and the rest should be removed. One month after sowing, each plant should have a minimum of three leaves.

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

Aloe juice will help young plants grow faster. To do this, cut 3 large leaves from homemade aloe, squeeze the juice into a five-liter bottle, fill it with rain water and leave it to infuse for several hours. It is enough only once at the beginning of the growing season to pour a 100-gram cup of solution under each bush, and then water the plants with water. Pumpkin will give large fruits and ripen earlier.

Pumpkin will thrive only on fertile soil with a pH of 6.0-7.5. An ordinary nettle will become an indicator of the land suitable for the pumpkin - if the weed grows well on the site, the pumpkin will feel great.

The acidic soil under the pumpkin has to be alkalinized. To do this, ordinary wood ash or lime fluff is suitable. They are added to each well in 3 glasses and dug.

When growing oil pumpkin, boron should be added to the soil - it increases the density of seeds and forms large kernels.

Pumpkin responds well to humic acids contained in manure. However, nitrogen is present in excess in manure, which leads to excessive growth of lashes to the detriment of fruit formation. Therefore, not fresh manure is brought under the pumpkin, but at least one winter that has lain in the heap, that is, humus - nitrogen partially eroded from this animal product.

To increase productivity in the hole, add phosphorus, which is not in humus.

Strictly observe the pumpkin planting dates. Plant seeds when the soil warms up above 15 degrees. There are studies proving that planting seedlings of pumpkin allows you to get a high yield, but seedlings need to be grown in separate cups, since pumpkin roots do not like damage during transplanting.

Culture loves warmth. At a temperature of 0 degrees, it dies, even if it is a short-term morning frost. Among melons, gourds are the most hygrophilous. It tolerates the proximity of soil waters. In dry years, in such areas you can get an excellent harvest.

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

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

In the middle lane, and especially in the south, there is no need to plant pumpkin seedlings. Seeds are sown in wells of 2-3 pieces. After the emergence of seedlings, the weak are removed, leaving one plant on each meter. Seeds of large-fruited varieties are buried by 10-12 centimeters, nutmegs are planted to a depth of 8 centimeters.

Before planting, superphosphate and half a bucket of compost are introduced into the hole, stirring with the soil. After care, it will only consist of weeding and watering. In a cold climate, gardeners will have to pinch and normalize the fruit so that the pumpkins that have begun can ripen.

Pumpkin Care

Taking a pumpkin for a secondary culture and allocating its place in the backyards, without watering or fertilizing, you will get an insignificant crop. Growing and caring for the pumpkin in the open ground, subject to the rules, makes it possible to obtain from large-fruited varieties, such as Volzhskaya Seraya, from 4 kg of fruits per square meter. In addition, each plant can occupy an area of \u200b\u200bup to 20 square meters.

For beginning gardeners, difficulties in growing pumpkins are caused by the formation. If you do not form the pumpkin correctly, you will not be able to get large fruits. Plants can be formed in one or two whips. In the first case, leave the only lash and remove all the side ones immediately as they appear. The first 3 ovaries are left on the whip. After the third leave three sheets, and everything else is removed.

Some gardeners form their pumpkins in 2 lashes - the crop manages to ripen. Forming a bush in two lianas, two fruits are left on the main lash, and one or, more rarely, two are left on the side. After the last ovary, three more leaves are left and the tops are pinched.

Productivity is increased by using falling asleep on the ground. Scourges that have reached a length of a meter or more are untangled, stacked, directing growth in the right direction, and sprinkled with soil in two or three places. Admission makes it possible to fix the whips on the soil surface, which protects the plant from the wind and helps to form additional roots.

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

Seeds are extracted immediately from oilseeds, poured into a glass bowl and poured with cold water for a day. If the fruits are overripe, the seeds cannot be soaked to prevent their germination. After soaking, the seeds are washed, separated from the pulp and dried in the oven until the thin transparent film covering the surface of the seed falls off.

Vertical Pumpkin Care

There is an opinion that creeping plants spread southward, but this is not so. Pumpkin grows in all four directions, capturing the surrounding area. Under favorable conditions, pushy plants can climb up a vertical surface and braid a gazebo, barn or bush.

This can be used by summer residents who do not have enough space for pumpkins on the site. They need to plant not ordinary varieties, but curly ones, since the seeds are on sale. To make the lashes better climb up, for them you can pull the strings, as for cucumbers. For a "vertical garden" suitable varieties with large fruits - Spaghetti, Pearl, pumpkin Rossiyanka.

A new waxy pumpkin is well suited for vertical culture. It has elongated fruits with a dark green, dense crust that feels like wax. Initially, pumpkins were grown in China and southeastern countries, but now they are gaining popularity with us. The first grade of wax pumpkin, which has become famous in our country, is called Chardzhou.

The fruits of wax gourds are ready for harvesting 125-130 days after sowing, so in the northern regions you have to grow through seedlings. Plants form powerful long stems, elongated fruits, up to 50 centimeters in length, the weight of each fruit from six kilograms.

Wax pumpkin cannot be compared to nutmeg to taste, but it is a champion in storage. Fruits, not drying out and not decaying, can lie in the cellar for up to 3 years.

Another pumpkin we still have is rare - leafy. In the homeland of Peru, it is a perennial culture, we grow it as an annual. The name pumpkin received for the unusual shape of the leaves. She has an oval-shaped green fruit with a white pattern on the bark. The pulp is white or yellowish, sweet and tasty. Externally, the plant and fruits are like watermelons.

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

Pumpkin cultivation

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

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

Unusual butternut pumpkin seeds have recently appeared on the shelves of seed shops. The plant was bred in Israel, but they also learned to grow it in our country. Butternut pumpkin fruits are medium-sized (weighing up to 3 kilograms) and have a pear-shaped shape. The peel is even, not soft color. If you cut the pumpkin fruit along, then the shape of the slice resembles a mandolin.

The seed chamber is located only in the expanded part of the fruit; because of this pulp, the Butternut pumpkin gives more than ordinary hollow pumpkins and squash. The flesh of this pumpkin variety is sweet, dense with a fresh fruity smell. The variety is southern and in the middle zone, when sowing seeds in open ground, it may not gain the sweetness that is characteristic of it. It is better to grow pumpkin seedlings, and the seeds can be taken from a purchased vegetable.

Pinch the butternut pumpkin when the lashes grow by 1 meter. It is necessary to leave no more than 3 lashes on each plant and send in different directions. Pinching will help to get ripened, large and heavy fruits.

Pumpkins of all varieties are harvested when the stalks are corked and dried. By this moment, a pattern characteristic of the variety should have time to form on the peel. Before the first frost, fruits, even unripe ones, are harvested and transferred to ripen in a warmer place, for example, in a greenhouse. Frozen pumpkins will not be stored and will quickly rot.

Constantly, pumpkins can be stored in the cellar, hanging by the stem, or in an apartment on the floor in a dark corner, but you need to keep in mind that mice love pumpkins. Rodents gnaw flesh to get delicious pumpkin seeds.

When growing pumpkin seeds, special oilseeds are selected. The fruits of the varieties contain 1-2% of the seeds by weight of the pumpkin. Oil varieties include Bulgarian, Ladies' marigold, Kherson watermelon, Ukrainian multi-fruit, Muscat, Novelty, Polevichka, Valok. Varieties of oil direction have a lower yield than usual - no more than 800 kilograms are collected per hectare.

There are bare-grain varieties that produce seeds without husks. This is the Styrian holozero, Holozero round and Golosemyannaya. Seeds without husks are especially appreciated. In retail, they are 40% more expensive than ordinary ones, but it is more difficult to grow holozero varieties than ordinary ones, since the seed quickly rots in the soil and has an extremely low germination. Otherwise, caring for gymnospermous pumpkin is no different from caring for ordinary varieties.

Styrian oil pumpkin is an old variety designed to produce pumpkin oil. Pumpkin oil is used in cooking and cosmetology. The variety is appreciated for the high content of linoleic acid in the seeds, which gives the nut a nutty flavor and aroma. When growing pumpkins in open ground, the yield of the variety is 500-1500 kg per hectare, the weight of the fruit is up to 6 kilograms. The pulp of the Styrian oil pumpkin is coarse fiber, it is suitable only for livestock feed.

Planting pattern depends on the variety. When growing oil pumpkins per square meter, no more than one plant is left. A denser landing results in lower yields.

What makes a pumpkin good is that it drowns out any weed that has grown in the garden. This can be used during the introduction of fallow lands into the crop rotation. It is enough to plant a pumpkin on the abandoned site in the first year and it will clear the soil of weeds, blocking the light with powerful leaves. Without access to sunlight, many weeds will wither and die.

Weeding the garden with pumpkins is necessary at the first stage, when the plants sprout. When cultivated in the field, it is enough to walk the field walk-and-fro twice with the walk-behind tractor until the plants form lashes. Then the pumpkins will overtake and strangle the weeds.

When growing pumpkins without manure and humus, siderates can be used, the best of which is the oatmeal mixture. It is sown as soon as the soil is slightly warmed up. After the emergence of the pumpkin seedlings, the vetch and oats are cut with Folkina pololnik or plane cutter.

As a result, the soil is enriched with nutrients, especially nitrogen, and the bed remains covered with a layer of green mulch, which helps to preserve moisture. The vikoatsovatsy mixture, in addition, prevents the rooting of annual weeds.

Pumpkins should not be sown in the same area more than once every 4 years. Subject to crop rotation, plants do not suffer from diseases and pests. Of the pests, the melon aphid annoys more of the pumpkin.

There is an interesting way to protect plants from an insect. Aphids are afraid of shiny surfaces, so strips of aluminum foil are laid out between plants to scare away plantings - this helps to avoid insecticide spraying. Of the diseases, pumpkins are more often affected by powdery mildew.

If in doubt whether it is worth growing a pumpkin, then remember that the fruits of a healthy vegetable contain up to 6% carbohydrates (5% of them are in the form of sugar), there are no organic acids and little fiber (less than 1%). The chemical composition allows the use of pumpkin fruits in dietary and therapeutic nutrition for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including pancreatitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) and hepatitis.

Pumpkin contains more pectin than apples and beets, so it removes a lot of toxic substances and bad cholesterol from the body. It also has few sodium salts and a lot of potassium, so it can be used to nourish people with diseases of blood vessels, heart and kidneys.

Outdoor pumpkin cultivation

Pumpkin (lat. Cucurbita) is a vitamin-rich vegetable with a pleasant mild flavor and used in many dietary dishes. Cultivation requires compliance with certain conditions and rules, which we will consider in more detail.

Preparation and planting of pumpkins in open ground

Pumpkin cultivation is possible in two ways:

• Planting not dive seedlings;
• Sowing prepared seeds.

Presowing seed treatment

Growing pumpkin in the open ground begins with the preparation of seeds that are soaked in water, preferably in sodium humate or potassium humate, for a day. Having taken the seeds out of the water, they are covered with a damp cloth or gauze for two days, leaving them in a shaded place at a temperature of up to plus 23 g. Celsius. The fabric is constantly moisturized. It is not recommended to take seeds from the crop the year before last - there may be poor germination.

Pumpkin seeds after germination

For treatment from diseases, the seeds are immersed in a 30% solution of sodium chloride (2 tbsp.spoons of salt per 100 ml of water). Healthy and strong specimens will sink to the bottom, while weak ones will float and should be discarded.

After germination, the sprouts are placed in plastic cups or pots in diameter up to 10 cm, with prepared soil: a peat mixture mixed with sand and garden soil (1: 1: 1).

Growing and caring for pumpkin seedlings

Transplanting and growing pumpkins in open ground in the suburbs occurs after the appearance of three full leaves. On average, the age of seedlings should be about a month.

Site selection and soil preparation

The plot allocated for growing pumpkins is chosen away from the growing crops, with a flat surface and good access to sunlight. The land is pre-fertilized: per 1 sq.m. take 2 buckets of humus, 0.5 buckets of wood shavings, 1 liter of wood ash and 200 g of nitrofoska. The soil is dug in depth of 50 cm and form beds up to 70 cm wide.

Preparation of beds for planting pumpkins

Planted pumpkin seeds or seedlings in warm soil since mid-May, while the air temperature should exceed the average daily plus 10 g. Celsius. If the seeds are planted earlier, then they will not be able to develop properly and rot.

Growing pumpkins in open ground in the area where potatoes, melons, sunflowers or watermelons were previously grown is not recommended. In one place, a pumpkin is planted with an interval of five years. Sandy, light and medium loamy soils with neutral Ph 4,5-5 are most suitable for pumpkin cultivation.

Pumpkin planting technology

Wells for seeds or seedlings are made along the entire bed at a distance of 0.9-1 m from each other and to a depth of 5-7 cm. At least 2 liters of water are poured into each well, the temperature of which should not be lower than plus 50 g. Celsius, after which they begin to sow.

Sowing pumpkins in the open ground

Top mulch sawdust, straw or peat. Growing pumpkins in open ground in Siberia is slightly different: it is recommended to sow 2 seeds per hole. After germination, a weaker plant is selected and removed.

Pumpkin seedlings after planting in open ground

Agrotechnics for growing pumpkins in open ground includes an additional shelter of planted seeds with a film, which is carefully fixed along the perimeter of the bed. The covering material creates greenhouse conditions and helps protect seedlings from possible frost.

After the sprouts have reached 50 cm in height, the film is lifted by pulling it on a wire frame. In mid-June, the material is removed.

A film without a frame left on the bed can be used instead of mulch, which will help facilitate pumpkin care during growth. In this covering material, cross-shaped incisions are made for sprouts in this use.

Pumpkin Growing and Care - Film Mulching

Planting and growing pumpkins in the open ground video

Pumpkin Care Rules

Caring for a pumpkin in the open field does not cause difficulties, as it consists in timely watering and top dressing.

Fertilizer application

Feeding should be done no more than once every 2 weeks. Topping up pumpkin in the open ground with minerals is done twice: when five leaves appear (10 g of nitrophoska per 1 plant in dry form); when lashes appear (15 g of nitrophoska per 10 l of water under each bush).

Feeding pumpkin with wood ash (1 glass per 1 plant) and mullein (1 liter of mullein per 10 liters of water) is also effective. Mullein is introduced at the beginning of the growing season (1 bucket for 6 plants) and during fruiting (1 bucket for 3 bushes).

Pumpkin top dressing in the open ground

All top dressing is applied to the ring-shaped ditch, increasing the depth from 8 to 15 cm as the pumpkin grows. At the seedling stage, the recess is dug at a distance of 15 cm, after 2 weeks it is increased to 40 cm.

Watering pumpkin

Before irrigation, the soil is loosened 10 cm deep, trying not to hook the root, and cleaned of weeds. Watering pumpkins in the open ground is carried out only with warm water, 50 gr. Celsius, do not use cold artesian or water from wells.

Especially important is timely plentiful irrigation during flowering: moisture is necessary for the formation of female inflorescences. Water consumption during this period is about 30 liters per 1 plant.

During fruit ripening, the amount of water during irrigation is reduced, since excess moisture reduces the shelf life and reduces the sugar content of the fruit.

Pumpkin cultivation video

Pumpkin lash formation

The formation of pumpkins during cultivation allows you not to waste energy on extra ovaries and shoots, due to which larger fruits with better taste characteristics grow. While the main stem has reached a length of 1.5 m, it is pinched. Only 2 lateral shoots are left up to 70 cm long. On each of them the fruit ripens.

Pumpkin lash pattern

To accelerate the loading of fruits, the shoots are pressed to the ground, sprinkled with a small layer of soil at a distance of half a meter from the main shoot for rooting. A piece of plywood or glass is placed under each pumpkin that is being formed to protect against fungal diseases that begin to develop on the fruit from damp soil.

Pinching and caring for an outdoor pumpkin video

Protecting Pumpkins from Diseases and Pests

The most common pumpkin diseases are fruit rot, powdery mildew and mosaic. Most often manifested due to increased dampness - a favorable environment for the development of bacteria and fungi. Of the pests, the spider mite, as well as the aphid aphid, most often affects the pumpkin.

Powdery mildew

If the first symptoms of a fungal disease are detected on the leaves of a pumpkin, they are fought against by spraying with a solution of 3 g of potassium permanganate or 2 g of copper sulfate dissolved in 10 l of water. They will be treated with 1% Bordeaux liquid during the formation of ovaries and leaves. For prevention - carry out regular watering, observe crop rotation and destroy the remnants of diseased plants.

Powdery mildew on pumpkin leaves

Mosaic pumpkin

Mosaic of pumpkins in the initial stage

Fruit rot

The rotten areas are carefully removed with a knife and wiped with freshly squeezed aloe juice. The rubbing place dries up, and the pumpkin continues to develop.

Pumpkin Fruit Rot

Ways to protect against insects

They fight aphids by removing weeds, spraying with soapy water (200 g of grated soap per 10 liters of water) or 10% malathion in a proportion of 60 g per 10 liters of water.

From a spider mite, spraying with onion infusion from 200 g of husk per 10 l of water or 20% chloroethanol solution (20 g per 10 l of water) helps.

Harvesting and storage conditions for pumpkins

So that the pumpkin does not start to deteriorate in the garden, you need to harvest in time. The ripening moment can be recognized by the following signs:

• The peduncle becomes rough and rough;
• Foliage and lashes turn yellow and dry;
• The skin coarsens and acquires a typical sort of pattern.

It is necessary to harvest until stable frosts. Pruning of pumpkins occurs with a stalk up to 6 cm. Cut fruits are stacked in a dry, warm room. Pumpkins ripen in a week, and the stalk dries.

Pumpkin storage in a heated room

With the onset of frost, unripened not picked pumpkins are mulched with straw or agrofibre.

Total

Observance of all conditions and rules for pumpkin care will allow you to grow a rich harvest. Delicious and healthy vegetables are well stored until the New Year without any processing. Pumpkin can be used to prepare main dishes, desserts, soups, canned, or make a lantern for Halloween.

Pumpkin is an unpretentious, widespread and easily cultivated plant. Belongs to the genus of thermophilic herbaceous plants, distinguish between food and feed pumpkin. The plant is grown through seeds. In the article, we will consider how pumpkin seeds are planted in open ground, what factors should be taken into account to obtain a rich harvest in the country.

Factors Affecting Pumpkin Yields

Pumpkin is a plant for which the length of daylight plays a huge role. Short daylight hours for this vegetable crop is considered the main factor affecting yield. Consequently, a daylight shorter than 12 hours is a favorable factor for the intensive growth of the root system, leafy shoots, which leads to an early transition to fruiting and a rich harvest.

Pumpkin culture prefers peeled areas, so they plant seeds in open ground after preparatory and preventive measures:

• clean the soil by peeling from perennial weeds;
• after peeling, dig the soil to a depth of at least 30 cm;
• stabilize the soil Ph level to a neutral composition;
• to form loamy soil. Such soil easily passes and retains water, quickly warms up;
• to exclude the proximity to direct growing plants that can block sunlight.

For soil fertility is responsible not only fertilizer, but also the mechanical composition of the soil.

Sandy loam soil warms up well in sunlight, easily passes water, but poorly holds it, which leads to leaching of nutrients from the soil layers, in which the root ovary of the pumpkin is located. Such soil before planting pumpkins should be improved by increasing the ability to retain moisture.

   So that the soil retains moisture, it must be mixed with light loamy soil with a volume of 30-40% of the volume of improved soil.

Planting pumpkin seeds is carried out directly on the beds under the warm climatic conditions of a particular region. If the region is characterized by the absence of a prolonged warm climate, then planting pumpkins in open ground can be done in seedlings.

Preparation of pumpkin seeds for planting in open ground

Preparation is carried out with the selection of large and high-quality pumpkin seeds. Selected seeds must be processed to:

• disinfection
• increasing the immunity of seeds against diseases;
• accelerate growth and development.

To destroy pathogenic microflora on the surface of the seeds, several main methods are distinguished:

Substance name	Cooking method	Time of processing	Additional Information
Potassium Permanganate (potassium permanganate)	1 g of potassium permanganate mixed with 100 ml of warm water	Seeds are soaked in the solution for no more than 30 minutes.	The solution should have a bright red color.
Formalin 40%	3 g of formalin mixed with 300 ml of water at room temperature	Seeds in the bag are soaked for no more than 5 minutes	After soaking, the seeds are left in the bag for 2 hours. After being taken out and dried
Potassium humate	Dilute 0.5 g of potassium humate in a liter of water	Soak the seeds for 24 hours	After soaking, the seeds are covered with wet gauze for 2 days
Humate sodium	Dilute 1/3 tsp sodium humate in 2 liters of water	Soak the seeds for 2 days	At room temperature 20-22 ° С
Sun rays	Put the seeds in direct sunlight	Dried seeds in the sun for 5-7 days	Once a day, seeds must be turned over

Cleaning the surfaces of pumpkin seeds increases their germination capacity, improves the sowing quality of seeds, increases the growth rate of the plant, and increases resistance to diseases and pests.

Pumpkin seeds, before starting to plant them, experienced gardeners test them for germination. To test the seeds, as many seeds are selected as it is not a pity and germinate them. The more seeds were taken, the more accurate the germination percentage will be.

  If 15-16 seeds sprouted from 18-20 seeds, then germination is considered fruitful

Germination and hardening of seeds

Experienced gardeners do not recommend planting seeds in open ground. It will be right to germinate the seeds first. To do this, the best seeds after processing from pathogenic microflora, soak the seeds for 2-3 hours in warm water, the water temperature should be 50-55 0 C. After the seeds should be wrapped in a damp thin cloth and placed in a warm place.

The procedure of soaking seeds is necessary for their rapid germination, as well as in order to prevent seeds from being eaten by pests, since the seeds lose their taste after soaking.

Hatching pumpkin seeds are recommended to be passed through the hardening procedure. Basically, hardening is necessary for such pumpkin varieties that are intended for cultivation in the southern regions of the country. For regions with cooler climates, such varieties are recommended to be quenched. The hardening procedure is carried out in two ways:

1. Swollen or already sprouted pumpkin seeds, without removing the moist tissue, are placed for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in the lower compartment, in which vegetables are stored.
2. Germination procedure is carried out with sharp temperature changes. For example, the seeds are kept in moist tissue for 10 consecutive hours at a temperature of + 18 +20 ° C., Then the seeds are cleaned for 2-3 hours in a cool place, the temperature of which is + 1 + 2 ° C.

It is known that pumpkin does not tolerate transplanting; therefore, it is recommended that the sprouted seeds be planted immediately in fertilized beds.

Tip # 1. For the northern regions, planting pumpkin seeds in open ground can be carried out on raised beds. Such beds are formed as follows: in the selected area, a soil layer is removed 25-30 cm deep. Organic fertilizer is laid in the trench formed by layers with soil. The bottom of the trench can be covered with branches, leaves, sawdust, and you can finish with a layer of compost. The finished form of the beds should be 30 cm above the soil level. The elevated bed is fenced with pieces of boards and slate and covered with a dense film.

  Under favorable conditions, the seeds germinate on the 3rd day.

Pre-sowing top dressing and term of sowing seeds

Sow seeds after soil treatment. It is important to sow the seeds the same day after tillage. For processing use:

• dung / litter;
• compost;
• mineral fertilizers;
• phosphoric fertilizers.

Tip # 2. To set an active growth and development, seeds need to be fertilized with each square meter of bed in the following composition: 2 buckets of humus mixed with half a bucket of sawdust shavings, add 1 liter of wood ash and a glass of mineral fertilizer called Nitrofoska.

  Before planting, the seeds are heated at a temperature of 40 degrees for 10 hours

Plant seeds in warm soil. The optimum temperature of the soil for sowing should correspond to at least 10-12 0 C, otherwise there is a risk that the seeds will begin to rot due to the high moisture content in the soil. Gardeners, before sowing pumpkin seeds, beds are watered with hot water.

The best time to plant a pumpkin in open ground seeds is the second half of May. This is the time when seeds and young shoots are no longer threatened with frost. The soil in this period contains less moisture and is warmed enough for planting seeds.

Bookmark pumpkin seeds in open ground

Seeds are sown in the morning, in moist, warm soil, enriched with fertilizers. Before laying the seeds in the soil, it is necessary to form holes at a distance of about 1 m from each other. As for row spacing, they are located at a distance of 1.5 - 2 m from each other.

The planting hole is abundantly watered with warm water. Seeds are laid in the wells as water is absorbed to a depth of 9-10 cm. 3-5 seeds are recommended to be sown in each well.  Sprinkle the topsoil with fertilizers such as peat or ordinary humus. The fertilizer layer should not exceed 2 cm, because the sprouts are very weak and may not break through a thick layer.

When planting seeds, a seed depth of less than 7-8 cm should be avoided. Shallow seed placement leads to seedlings in the shirt, along with the seed coat.

Pumpkin is very fond of fertilizers. During the growth and development period, feed the plant every two weeks. Pumpkin is planted away from upright plants, and beds are formed in open areas with direct access to sunlight.

We list the basic principles for caring for the growth and development of pumpkins:

• seed selection;
• seed disinfection;
• seed germination;
• hardening of seeds;
• when sowing, fertilize and pour wells with warm water;
• plant seeds to a depth of less than 7-8 cm;
• for optimal temperature conditions cover with a film;
• beds should be located on the sunny side.

The second stage of pumpkin cultivation is the proper care of the plant: in dressing every 2 weeks, watering and forming ovaries.

Care and formation of ovary pumpkin

The main care procedure is to form the proper growth and development of the plant. Pinch the main stem as soon as it reaches a length of 1.3-1.5 m and an ovary of 1-2 fruits is formed on it.

  Lateral processes leave a length of 50-60 cm, provided that they have formed ovaries

A timely pinching procedure of the plant helps to form 3 fruits on one plant: on the main stem and on two side shoots. The main objective of the plant formation procedure is the removal of excess shoots and shoots of the plant. If you do not form a pumpkin plant, then many small fruits will form on it, half of which die due to the lack of a sufficient amount of nutrients, the other half do not have time to ripen.

At the stage of ovary formation, the plant is watered only with warm water. At the time of the formation of the fetus, watering should be limited. Plant nutrition before ripening is required every two weeks. At the ripening stage, it is recommended to put glass under each ripening fruit so that it does not come into contact with the soil, and watering should be plentiful, once a week, 20-25 liters of water per plant.

During the period of pumpkin growth, the implementation of high-quality crop protection from pests is required. The following pest control methods are distinguished:

Pests	Lesion area	How amazing	Consequences of the defeat	Fight method	Processing method
	The aerial part of the plant	Sucks juice from shoots	Leaves, ovaries die	Soap solution: 100 g of grated soap mixed with warm water	Sprayed the ground part of the plant
Medvedka	The underground part of the plant	Nibbles the roots	Root rot	The drug "Medvedox"	Granules laid out in the holes
	Ground part	The stems, leaves	Leaves and ovaries die	Wet the fabric with a solution of wood ash	Wet rags are laid out

The following organic mixture is suitable as the main dressing for a ripening crop: add manure to hot water, the amount of manure is determined by eye until the mass acquires a creamy consistency. The mass should be insisted until the first signs of fermentation appear in it. Then 500 ml of the finished mixture is diluted with a bucket of warm water.

  The side lashes in places of contact with the soil are sprinkled to form several more root systems for additional plant nutrition

Types of Sweet Pumpkin Varieties

Grade "Baby"  - the fruits of this variety are small 2-3 kg. It has a gray color and a flattened shape. From planting to harvesting is 3 months.

Variety Atlant  refers to the late ripening variety, the fruits are characterized by large sizes, weight is 20 kg. From planting to harvesting is 4 months.

Variety "Big Max"  - refers to the late ripening variety, the fruits are characterized by large sizes, weight is 40 kg. From planting to harvesting is 5 months.

Grade "Almond"  - the fruits of this variety are small - 5-7 kg. From planting to harvesting is 4 months.

3 mistakes when planting pumpkin seeds

1. Many gardeners refuse to test the seeds for germination before sowing them in open ground. Old seeds are sown, but they do not receive the right amount of seedlings.
2. Seedlings can be weak if the seeds were sown in the soil after harvesting zucchini, squash and cucumbers.
3. If the ovary is small, it is better not to water the pumpkin, otherwise large lashes and leaves will grow, and the fruits will form small.

Answers to gardeners' frequently asked questions

Question number 1.  What kind of pumpkin is planted only with seedlings?

Only the nutmeg pumpkin variety is grown on open ground through seedlings.

Question number 2. How many plants can be left in one hole?

When the plants have risen and strengthened, the strongest 2 plants are left in the holes. The weak are pinched so as not to damage their common root system.

Question number 3.  In what cases are pumpkin seeds not planted in beds?

With light loamy soil.

Question number 4.  What vegetables are considered the forerunners of pumpkin?

The forerunners of the pumpkin plant are tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions and potatoes.

Question number 5. Is it possible to heat the seeds in the oven?

It is possible, but the temperature in the oven should be 30 ° C. After the oven, the seeds are wrapped in light tissue in 3-4 layers, and soak for 5 minutes in an ash solution. After the seeds are removed and placed on the windowsill for swelling.

The nutmeg pumpkin variety is considered useful, but it is difficult to grow it, since this variety is considered heat-loving and late ripening. But, don’t be upset, nutmeg pumpkin can be grown in the conditions of a short summer:

• Nutmeg pumpkin seeds can withstand in formalin solution for no more than 2 hours. Then I leave the seeds for drying in direct sunlight. Immerse dry seeds in warm water for 2-3 minutes, wrap them in a warm, thin cloth and put them in a warm place.
• After a day, I harden the seeds, put them on the balcony for the night. Shoots the strongest and healthiest transplanted into boxes with a depth of 40-50 cm with warm and insulated soil. I grow seedlings until July in greenhouse conditions until the seedlings finally get stronger.
• Seedlings are planted in open ground on raised insulated beds under the film in the first half of June.
• I remove the film in early July. If the weather is sunny, then the pumpkin ripens without a film until mid-August.
• In the second half of August, I harvest the crop in an unripe state and clean it in a warm room. Muscat pumpkin matures for 25-30 days at a temperature of + 24 + 26 ° C.

Habitual in garden space and culinary use pumpkin  It lends itself well to cultivation and care in various conditions, including open ground.

Pumpkin: a description of the garden culture

The smooth, hilly, or warty pumpkin fruits obtained as a result of natural farming are very diverse in shape, color, and mass. The latter ranges from tens of grams to a centner. Growing pumpkin in the open ground is facilitated by the features of its root system - the depth (up to 3 m) of the main root and the active part, spread widely (up to 10 sq. M), located in arable land 20-25 cm from the surface.

  This gives a solid resistance to drought. Although varieties in the form of bushes have already become known in garden practice, the classic stem of a pumpkin spreads (creeps) along the ground, stretching up to four or more meters. The enormous leaf surface consists of large, with elongated stalks of pumpkin leaves that do not have stipules. Each of the plants is a common home for male and female flowers.

The same-sex flowers with the same red-orange color differ:

• flowering sequence (the first appear male);
• place on the stem (female - higher);
• pedicels (for men - longer);
• the presence of sometimes inflorescences (only for men).

In addition, un dusted female flowers last longer. Pollination is carried out by insects (due to the natural severity of pollen that the wind is not able to tolerate) or manually by a person. The most favorable for natural pollination are the morning hours of the first days after watering or rain.

The absence of bees due to cold, heat or prolonged rainfall leads to the fall of un dusted flowers.  Ellipses of pumpkin seeds, rounded and pointed at different ends, are well-known to many lovers to feast on. Germination lasts up to four years.

In connection with the latter circumstance, one can give an answer to the question of whether it is possible to sow pumpkin with fresh seeds: there should be more than the usual amount (after all, germination is slightly worse), and if we are talking about only a few seeds, it is recommended to cut them with sharp hand, since a strong fresh shell prevents penetration of the sprout.

Did you know?  Of the eight hundred known pumpkin varieties in the world, only 200 are edible.

Features of growing pumpkins, how to choose a site for planting

In addition to the natural attention to the light and temperature conditions and the soil structure of the area where the pumpkin will grow, one must also take into account the features of its root system, which actively removes nutrients from the earth, and broad foliage that can drown out neighboring plantings.

Lighting requirements

Ideally, a pumpkin needs lighting, as gardeners say, with full sun, that is, it should have at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. The result of this effect will be increased productivity and improved fruit quality.

  But she will tolerate the penumbra with dignity. This is used to maximize the exploitation of the available land, compacting plantings of long-growing varieties of corn by planting pumpkins. The shadow of the pumpkin itself makes it difficult for weeds to grow. In this sense, it can be used as a means to cleanse the soil.

Optimum temperature for seedlings or seeds

The general rule requires that the extreme limit of daily air temperature when planting pumpkins, seedlings were not lower than + 8 ° С  (for seed planting - from + 13 ° C and above) subject to its night decrease not lower than + 3 ° С.  In other cases, it’s not worth the risk.

What should be the soil for planting

Growing well on any soil, pumpkin prefers soil that is saturated with humus, moist, but not too damp, with good drainage. To get this, before planting (sowing) the soil is mixed with a lot of compost.

The soil for pumpkin can be both slightly acidic and slightly alkaline, but acidity (pH) of 6.5 is recognized as optimal. You should not plant a pumpkin in the area where its relatives (cucumbers, zucchini, squash) grew up before that.

  After other crops, pumpkin soil is suitable, and planting after potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, onions, carrots, winter grains (corn and wheat), a variety of legumes and herbaceous perennials is very favorable.

Important!  Do not be afraid of groundwater close to the surface of the earth (0.6 - 0.7 m) - they will not affect the yield of the pumpkin.

Planting pumpkins in the garden (planting dates, sowing technology, picking seedlings, seed preparation, etc.)

What is the best way to do this, determining whether to plant a pumpkin with seeds or seedlings, the owner should be prompted by the climate of the area in which his plot is located. That is, before planting a pumpkin directly in open ground or for seedlings, you need to devote some time to studying and evaluating natural factors. Geographic latitude also determines what month of the year gardeners will plant pumpkin. In particular, for the middle band this is the end of April.

Sowing seeds in open ground

  Directly in the open ground, pumpkin seeds are planted in gardens where the July air temperature does not drop below 18 degrees. Before this, you need to make sure, having studied the forecast of meteorologists, that there is no threat of a quiet disaster, as return frosts are sometimes called. After this danger has passed, sowing is carried out. If the weather deteriorates, it is better to cover the crops with non-woven textiles.

Important!  The day before planting, the seeds are heated and soaked in water with dissolved ash.

Once you have opted for the seedling method, you need to take care to properly sprout pumpkin seeds for seedlings. In order for the roots to be undamaged when they are moved to the open ground, planting pumpkin seeds for seedlings is done immediately in peat pots or simply in paper cups.

When using seed boxes at their bottom, under a substrate of a mixture of peat and soil, a layer of wood sawdust is poured into several centimeters. Sowing is carried out three weeks before moving to the open ground. In order for the pumpkin seeds to sprout well, the germination temperature in the first three days can be brought to 25 degrees, reducing it at night to a maximum of +15.

Planting pumpkin seedlings involves a number of prerequisites.  When the prepared soil has not yet been warmed up, pumpkin seedlings should not be planted. You can determine the optimum (12 degrees) temperature of the soil by simply inserting an ordinary household thermometer into it for 10 minutes. If it is lower, then make a blanket for the soil from a polyethylene (preferably black) film. If time does not tolerate or there is no other case for planting, then in the planting holes you can pre-fill three (or more) liters of hot water.

Seedlings grown in peat pots are planted with them, buried 3 cm deeper than in greenhouse soil. Seedlings from the boxes are placed in holes filled with water, so that, being located in the soil, the roots avoid unnecessary bends.

How to care for a pumpkin

Pumpkin care begins with watering it immediately after planting. About a week after that, it is advisable to mulch the soil surface with compost containing effective microorganisms, placing chopped nettles over its layer. Peat, humus, pine needles and even dry land are also suitable as mulch.

An essential aspect of the maintenance is the support tillage of the soil, which must be done at least every two weeks. This procedure is almost always combined with weeding. Immediately after planting, the depth of cultivation can be up to 12 cm, and by the end of the first month it should be reduced to 5-8 cm in order to avoid damage to the root system. In the absence of natural (insects) pollination, you must use the manual method - otherwise the decay of unbound fruit occurs.

The operation, which should be carried out before noon, is quite simple: with the anthers of each torn male flower with the removed petals, you need to carefully touch the pistils of one or two female flowers. When the weather improves, then to attract insects as pollinators, you can spray a flowering pumpkin with honey water on a weekly basis (one teaspoon of sweetness per 10 liters of water).

Important!  So that the fruits do not decay, do the pollination yourself.

How to properly form a plant

Pumpkin seedlings quickly become sprawling plants with long stems and large leaves. So that a powerful plant does not violate the boundaries of its growing area, it is necessary to produce pumpkins, which is easy to do in open ground. For this, the pumpkin pinching technology is used, and it must be done while the plant is young. Pinching occurs by removing the apical kidney (it is possible with part of the shoot).

  Her goal is the accelerated development of side shoots that carry a larger number of female flowers. In addition, excess young axillary shoots that have reached 5-7 cm are removed - this procedure is called pinching. It is carried out on open ground simultaneously with the removal of excess leaves and the direction of all processed pumpkin lashes in one direction. At the same time, leaving one ovary on each lash, at the harvesting stage, excellent fruit sizes are obtained.

Watering and fertilizing pumpkins

The irrigation period for a pumpkin is the time of its flowering, the emergence and development of the ovaries. At the beginning of fruit setting, the plant is watered sparingly so that they do not grow too small. Then the volume of moisture, and warm (at least +20 degrees), increase.

Warm significant watering contributes to the formation of female flowers. Cold watering with well or artesian water is able to ruin the landing. When a real foliage appears on a growing pumpkin, it begins to be fed with dry nitrophos (10 g per plant) and 15 grams of nitrophosk diluted with water is given to each vegetable during lash formation.

• - ash at the rate of 1 glass / 1 plant;
• - a solution (1: 8) of mullein in the calculation of 10 liters per six plants when the vegetation began, and three - during fruiting;
• - humus, rotten chicken droppings or manure, humus - it is possible by eye.

How to protect pumpkin from pests and diseases

Pests and diseases	Manifestations	Protection methods
Gourd aphids	Twisting leaves, falling flowers	Spraying with infusion of celandine (or garlic, or onion peel) or with a chemical solution (kemifos, actellik, fufanon). Autumn collection and elimination of plant debris, deep digging of the soil
Slug	Damage to young leaves (round holes and silver stripes), later - ovaries	Soil loosening, thinning, weeding. Traps of cabbage leaves, watermelon peels, soaked rags, followed by the destruction of pests in concentrated saline. Superphosphate and other chemical protective bands around plants. Spraying with a solution of creocide
Powdery mildew	Drying of diseased leaves covered with copious white coating extending to stems and petioles	Timely weeding. Warm watering. Removing diseased leaves. Spraying with chemicals (gates, topaz) and cultivating the soil three weeks before harvesting
Peronosporosis (downy mildew)	Growing and drying light yellow spots and gray-purple plaque on the leaves	Warming up the seeds before sowing. Chemical spraying (strobe, carcidide, copper oxychloride, cuproxate)
Anthracnose	Drying and forming holes on the leaves, indented spots with pink coating. Appear also on cotyledons and petioles.	Removing diseased plants. Spraying (Bordeaux liquid, copper oxychloride, abigalik)

In general, pumpkin is not very susceptible to harmful influences, but the basic methods of protection are useful in case of negative manifestations.

• In folk medicine, pumpkin seeds are dried, then oil is made from them. Pumpkin seeds are rich in glycosides and steroids, vitamin E, trace elements potassium, copper, zinc, manganese, selenium, etc., plant proteins and sugars.
• The pumpkin pulp contains peptide fibers that contribute to the normalization of the stomach and the removal of toxins from the intestines.
• It is recommended to use pumpkin for overweight people: low-calorie vegetable; Vitamin T contained in pumpkin helps to speed up metabolism and the rapid absorption of food; The diuretic property of pumpkin ensures the removal of excess fluid from the body.
• For kidney diseases, pumpkin is recommended as a diuretic.
• Pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene and lutein, which have beneficial effects on human vision.

Pumpkin can be sown immediately in the soil, or can be planted through seedlings. It grows best in well-heated sunny areas. Preparation of soil for planting pumpkins begins in the fall. After harvesting the precursors of pumpkin, the soil is freed from weeds and plant debris.

After the soil is loosened with a mill or a hoe, after two to three weeks they dig up to 25-30 cm to a depth. During digging, dandelion roots, sow thistle, wheatgrass, larvae of the May beetle and wireworm should be carefully removed from the site.

Fertilizers are introduced into the soil simultaneously with its digging. Due to the high rate of growth of aboveground and underground organs, pumpkins have an increased need for nutrients.

The best fertilizer for pumpkin is manure. It is advisable to use rotted compost, as there are many weeds in fresh manure. 5-10 kg of manure is applied per 1 square meter of the plot.

Organic fertilizers (on heavy soils) or 15-20 cm (on light soils) are planted to a depth of 10-15 cm. With a limited amount of organic fertilizers, they can be applied immediately before planting the crop directly into the hole.

The day before sowing the pumpkin, the soil is dug up, nitrogen fertilizers are applied for digging at the rate of 15-20 grams of fertilizer per 1 square meter of the plot. After digging, the site is leveled with a rake and begin to plant seedlings or sowing seeds.

Plant pumpkin seeds

For planting pumpkin seeds, it is best to select full-bodied seeds that need to be warmed up at a temperature of 60 degrees (2-3 hours). It is necessary for the friendly germination of seedlings. To ensure early germination, in order to acquire a culture resistance to adverse environmental conditions, the seeds are placed for one day in a solution of one of the growth stimulators before sowing:

• crezacin solution - one tablet of the stimulant is diluted in 100 ml of water;
• potassium humate solution - 4 ml of stimulant are diluted in 200 ml of water;
• epin solution - 2-7 drops of the stimulant are diluted in 100 ml of water.

If you do not have these preparations, you can use wood ash for processing pumpkin seeds: 2 tablespoons of ash are taken per 1 liter of warm water, insisted for one day, while stirring the solution periodically, then filter and drop the seeds placed in a gauze bag into it. After that, the seeds are washed with water.

You can soak the seeds in warm water or in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

After the seeds are soaked, you can begin to sow them or to germinate. Germinating pumpkin seeds in an apartment is possible by wrapping them in a damp cloth and placing in a saucer.

On the plot, you can germinate pumpkin seeds in a box with scalded sawdust. On the sawdust spread paper napkins (wet) in 23 layers, on them - pumpkin seeds, then again napkins, then warm sawdust and cover everything with a film. The box is left in a warm place.

Pumpkin sowing time

Depending on the biological characteristics of the pumpkin variety, as well as on the climatic conditions of the region, there are different times for planting crops. Planting of hard-bark and large-fruited pumpkin begins when the soil has warmed up to 10 degrees (at a depth of 10-12 cm), and the air temperature is 15 degrees. At an earlier sowing time, the plant should be provided with heat from biofuel, as well as protection against frost from the film.

When planting hard-bark and large-fruited pumpkin seeds in open ground, they must be planted in the soil to a depth of 5-8 cm (on light soils) or 4-5 cm (on heavy).

The seeds of long-graded varieties of culture are sown in a row (the distance between the holes should be about 1.5-2 meters, and between rows - 1.4 - 2 meters).

Bush pumpkin varieties can be planted using the square-nesting method according to the scheme: 80 * 80 cm or 1.2 * 1.2 m. The distance between pumpkin seeds should be 3-4 cm. After the seeds are laid out in holes, they should be poured with a mixture humus and soil in equal amounts.

Planting pumpkin seedlings in open ground

The process of ripening pumpkin from the moment of sowing is quite lengthy, especially for late-ripening and heat-loving varieties of culture. The process lasts 120-140 days. In order to get an earlier harvest of pumpkin, you can grow its seedlings. Window sills in the apartment are suitable for this, it is desirable that the window sills are well-lit.

Seedlings are also grown in greenhouses, greenhouses or under a film frame. Seeding is best done in the last decade of April or early May. This ensures that the plant is ready for transplantation into the open ground.

As containers for seedlings, you can use packages of milk or peat hollow pots with a diameter of 10-15 cm. Ready peat soil is poured into the container. Self-preparation of nutrient soil: take humus and sod land in a ratio of 4: 1. 4 grams of potassium salt and ammonium nitrate, as well as 5 grams of superphosphate are added to the bucket of the mixture. After the mixture is moistened and thoroughly mixed (preferably 3-4 times). Such a mixture is poured into prepared containers and slightly compacted.

During sowing, the soil in the containers is poured with warm water, a 2-3 cm deepening is made in the center, in which one pumpkin seed is placed. The process of preparing seeds is the same as when sowing directly into the open ground. The pots on top are covered with plastic wrap and placed on a windowsill for germination.

After sowing pumpkins, you should maintain the air temperature within 18-25 degrees. As soon as the first shoots appear, the film is removed and the temperature is reduced by 3-5 degrees (this is done for 4-5 days). In an apartment this can be achieved by airing the room. This protects seedlings from stretching.

If the seedlings are nevertheless elongated, then on the eighth to tenth day after the emergence of seedlings, a sub-cotyledon knee should be rolled up with a ring and laid out on the soil, covered with earth to the cotyledonous leaves. The field of this pumpkin seedlings is grown at daytime air temperature of 20-22 degrees, and at night 15-18 degrees. Watering a pumpkin should not be plentiful and frequent. Excess moisture can lead to “pampering” the crop.

The plant should be fed twice. The first feeding is carried out on the eighth to tenth day after the emergence of seedlings. Growing seedlings in a greenhouse will be better if you take 100 ml of slurry, chicken droppings or mullein and 5 grams of garden mixture per 1 liter of water, mix everything thoroughly and pour the area with this solution.

The second top dressing is done by any complex mineral fertilizers at the rate of 3-4 grams of fertilizer per 1 liter of water. It must be done immediately before planting the plant in open ground.

A few days before transplanting, it should be hardened. In plants ready for transplantation, the stem is low and stocky with short internodes, and there are also 2-3 well-developed dark green leaves.

Planting seedlings in the soil is carried out a little deeper than she sat in a pot, sprinkling it with the cotyledonous leaves. This contributes to the formation of additional roots. The roots during planting are squeezed with soil, while not allowing the formation of voids.

Seedlings planted in the ground are abundantly watered. This is necessary for better contact of the plant with the soil, to enhance the flow of water to the leaves. The soil around the plants is sprinkled with mulching material or dry soil only after the water is absorbed. Mulch protects the plant from the formation of earth crust.

So that the resulting pumpkin fruits do not decay from soil dampness, they should be protected from this as follows: 4 stones are laid on the ground, on top of them is a wide plate or board on which the pumpkin is laid. Do this only while she is still small.

As the ripening of individual fruits produce harvest. Immediately before the onset of frost, all pumpkin fruits should be removed.

Pumpkin must be present in the diet of every person. Remember this! We hope that thanks to our advice you will grow a large and sweet pumpkin, from which you will prepare healthy dishes.

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It is difficult to imagine the garden beds of Russian households without such a culture as pumpkin. And in the fall of Moscow vegetable gardens, in the autumn, among the dead tops, bright spots of these fruits of very different shapes and colors are clearly visible.

It would seem that it is not difficult to grow a pumpkin in open ground in the Moscow Region, and many gardeners after planting are limited to minimal attention and care for the vegetable. Indeed, early, but not the sweetest and longest stored pumpkins can be removed already in the last days of August and in September. But orange large-fruited beauties and fragrant nutmeg pumpkins with a dismissive attitude to agricultural technology do not always ripen.

In order not to be left without the desired harvest, it is important to know how to approximate the harvest time, properly care for the pumpkin in the open ground and determine the ripeness of the fruit.

How and when to plant pumpkin seedlings?

To obtain a friendly and maximum early harvest, which is very important when growing middle-season and late varieties pumpkins in the open ground near Moscow, planting is best done by the seedling method. To do this, large seeds filled for a couple of days before sowing are immersed in warm water and kept at a temperature of 45-50 ° C for about three hours. Then the seed is removed and at room temperature they are waiting for the seeds to bite between the layers of wet tissue. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the moisture does not evaporate, because the dried germ of the germ of the sprout can die quickly.

Once the flaps have opened, the seed can be planted in the soil.

But for pumpkins of late-ripening varieties and seedlings, which risk falling under spring frosts, it will be better to stratify the seeds in advance. For this reason, seeds that are stuck in the same humid environment are placed in the refrigerator. Here at a temperature of 2 to 5 ° C, planting material is quenched and spends 3-4 days.

It is optimal to plant pumpkin for seedlings three weeks before the moment when young plants get into the ground. That is, the use of such a method of growing at least 10-15 days brings the timing of pumpkin harvesting in the suburbs.

But it must be borne in mind that the vegetable seedlings can hardly tolerate transplantation and all the time gain can evaporate due to the long acclimatization of plants. Therefore, sowing is carried out in peaty 10-centimeter pots filled with a peat-humus mixture with the addition of sand and garden soil.

This will be enough for the development of the root system of seedlings. If the seeds are embedded in large sowing tanks, it is better to make a 3-centimer layer of aged sawdust at their bottom:

• Until seedlings appear, the pots are covered with a film and kept at a day temperature of 18–25 ° C. At night, the air can be 5–7 ° C cooler.
• When sprouts appear above the ground, pumpkin seedlings to further harden and prevent stretching further lower the temperature of the content, now to 15–18 ° C during the day and 12–13 ° C at night. In such conditions, the plants are about a week.
• With the beginning of the development of true leaves, the temperature rises by 3-5 ° C during the day, and at night the air can warm up to 15 ° C.

Pumpkin seedlings for cultivation in the open field near Moscow need moderate, but regular watering. If there is not enough natural light, an additional illumination is arranged, which will also prevent the sprouts from stretching and weakening excessively.

At a weekly age, the seedlings receive the first top dressing with nitrogen, for which 250-300 ml of mullein solution or nitrophosphate in a concentration specified by the manufacturer is used per plant.

By the time the pumpkin seedlings grown for open ground in the Moscow Region fall into the soil, it has several real leaves of saturated green color and a strong, upright trunk. It's time, when pumpkin seedlings are planted in open ground, comes with the departure of spring frosts from the suburbs.

Between the plants of bush varieties leave spaces of 70-100 cm, to ensure the nutrition of large plants that form powerful lashes, it is better to leave 1.5 meters.

Outdoor Pumpkin Care

If you want to get an early harvest, as well as in case of the danger of flooding the pumpkin plot is used.

The simplest way is to plant a pumpkin on an embankment about 10-15 cm high. In this case, the soil warms up better and faster, and the plant, which has appeared under the new conditions, can easily transfer the transplant. The soil should be moist, nutritious and loose, and the planted pumpkin seedlings must be watered and covered with a film or non-woven material.

Pumpkin care in the open field begins from the moment of planting and does not stop until the harvest. So that moisture evaporates more slowly from the soil surface, weeds do not grow, and the soil is warm, the beds around the sprouts are mulched with straw. In the summer months, if the weather is rainy, such protection will not rot the ovaries and already ripening fruits.

Equally important for getting an early harvest is the choice of a site for planting. Not only does the culture require nutritious, rich in organic matter loose soil, the ridges should be well lit and protected from the cold wind. For varieties that form powerful lashes, hedges and walls of buildings become such protection and a kind of trellis.

For active and rapid growth of pumpkin grown in the open ground of the Moscow region, you can not do without regular top dressing. Moreover, it is better to make fertilizers not under the root, but at a certain distance from the plant, in an annular groove. Its depth increases from 8 to 12 cm, as the bush develops. When the plant is still small, for the first feeding at the stage of several real leaves, such a deepening is done at a distance of 15–20 cm from the stem. Then the hole is made at a distance of 40 cm. So, all subsequent feeding is carried out with an interval of 7-10 days.

When applying fertilizers, you need to try so that the solution does not get on the flowers, leaves and other green parts of the plant, since this threatens with burns. At the end of the procedure, the gutter is sprinkled with soil. At the initial stages of pumpkin development in the open ground, organic fertilizing is included in the care, which provokes the rapid growth of greenery. A week after planting, the seedlings are watered with a solution:

• chicken litter at the rate of 1:16;
• diluted manure in a ratio of 1: 6;
• 1:10 herbal infusion, for example, on nettles;
• synthetic nitrogen-containing fertilizers in the proportion indicated on the product.

As they grow, they are introduced, and nitrogen harvesting is practically eliminated by the harvest and the proportion of potassium in fertilizers is increased. Such a measure will not allow the fruits to accumulate nitrates, but it will make it possible to form well and bring closer the moment when pumpkins ripen in the suburbs. Pumpkin also responds well to foliar top dressing, for which you can take ready-made means of universal action.

Caring for a pumpkin in the open field may not be effective if the plant is limited in receiving moisture. Watering, especially in the first time, before the pumpkin did not grow green mass, is extremely important. They may be rare, but not superficial. Roots located at a depth of up to 40 cm should receive as much moisture as possible to ensure the development of a large and abundant fruiting plant. At the same time, the water for irrigation is taken to stand and warm.

A month before the pumpkins in the open field ripen or are cut off due to the onset of cold weather, watering is gradually reduced, and then completely stopped.

Being in conditions of artificial drought, the plant will determine that it is time for the pumpkins to ripen. And by harvest, the fruit bark will be firmer, the stalk will dry out and lumber, the flesh will become dense, with a high sugar content.

Outdoor Pumpkin Formation

When growing pumpkins in the open ground of the Moscow region, it is difficult to get a decent, early harvest, if you do not form and limit the plants in growth. If for bush varieties it is possible to limit oneself to the removal of female flowers during the period when a sufficient amount of ovary has already formed on the plant, then with a pumpkin giving long powerful lashes it will be necessary to do otherwise.

At the moment when 5–6 true leaves are opened on the main shoot of a pumpkin, pinch the stem, which stimulates:

• development of the side lashes of the sinuses;
• an increase in the number of flowers, ovaries and ripe fruits.

This does not end the formation of the plant. When the number of ovaries with a diameter of about 12–15 cm reaches 3–5, depending on the variety, the growth point of this lash is removed, leaving 3 to 5 leaves above the last ovary. So that all the forces of the plant go to the already formed fruits, from this moment all the side shoots and flowers are removed. At the end of the article, in a detailed video on the formation of pumpkins in the open ground, the entire sequence of actions is considered.

Along with the formation of pumpkins in the open ground, you can use the simple method to provide the plant with additional nutrition. As the lashes grow, they are evenly laid out in the area reserved for pumpkins, and the stems are sprinkled with soil and watered at a distance of 50-60 cm from the root. As a result, additional roots are formed in these places to help nourish ripening pumpkins.

The number of fruits on pumpkins grown in open ground near Moscow is determined by:

• the maximum allowable load for the variety:
• time remaining until the end of the growing season;
• the degree of maturity of already set pumpkins.

When does a pumpkin ripen in the suburbs?

With proper care of pumpkins in the open ground, in the middle lane early and mid-ripening varieties mature well, yielding not too large fruits.

For gardeners, who are doing their best to grow large-fruited varieties and nutmeg pumpkins, famous for their delicious taste and aroma, it is important not to miss the moment of collection and know exactly how to determine that the pumpkin has ripened.

There are several signs of fetal readiness:

• By the time of ripening, the pumpkin coarsens and becomes like a dry cork of a stalk.
• Scourges and leaves begin to turn yellow and dry.
• The bark changes hue, a pattern characteristic of the variety appears on it. Although there are plants that produce gray, green, and cream pumpkins, most varieties produce orange or all yellow tinted fruits.
• Not only the skin color changes, but also its hardness. If the ovary of the bark can be easily damaged with a fingernail or a rough whip, then in a pumpkin ripened in the Moscow Region, the bark becomes extremely strong.

And although the most delicious fruits are those that have ripened in the sun, it is important to harvest before stable cold weather sets in.

Do not forget that autumn in the Moscow Region is insidious in that the sun shines during the daytime, and the temperature is quite comfortable for pumpkins, and at night on the soil September air cools to very low levels.

Therefore, no matter how the summer resident takes care of the pumpkin in the open ground, it is better to remove the ripened fruits at the first doubt in time for the first doubt. Frosts can cause serious damage even to mature fruits, reducing their quality and ability to be stored.

The pumpkins intended for storage are cut, leaving the stalk at least 4–6 cm long, sorted and left to dry. For 8-10 days in a dry, warm room or outside, under a canopy, if the weather permits, the fruits ripen, the bark hardens, the cut on the handle dries. If the nights are cold, as it happens when a pumpkin ripens in September or early October in the Moscow Region, the fruits are covered with hay or non-woven material. Unripe pumpkins are ripened at room temperature, which may take from 10 days to 1.5 months.

Planting pumpkin seedlings in open ground - video