Features of growing pumpkins in open ground. Soil preparation for sowing

Most pumpkin varieties are sown when the soil at the seeding depth warms up to 12-13°C, since the seeds begin to germinate at this temperature. In cold soil, they can quickly rot.

The seeding depth for medium loamy soils is 5-6 cm, for light soils - 8-10 cm. The distance between the holes should be approximately 1 meter. To reduce the risk of damage to seedlings by night frosts, many gardeners sow the seeds thickly on different depth. If from finely planted seeds, early shoots fall under frost, then later shoots that appear will survive and time will not be lost. If there are no frosts, then late shoots are simply removed.

By the time the seeds are sown in the ground, there is often not enough moisture in the soil. This can lead to delayed germination and slow growth. Therefore, 1.5-2 liters of warm water with a temperature of at least 50 ° C should be poured into each well. After it is absorbed, seeds are placed in the ground and the holes are covered with a nutrient mixture. After sowing, the holes must be mulched with humus or peat chips. Due to this, the field germination of pumpkin seeds increases dramatically.

How to choose suitable variety pumpkins read in the article "".

In order for the seeds to germinate faster, gardeners often cover the holes with a film, sprinkling its edges with earth. When shoots appear, holes are cut in the film above the plants or pulled over a wire frame installed above the holes. Many gardeners remove the film when sprouts appear, but this should be done in warm weather.

Pumpkin sprouts under normal conditions appear 6-7 days after sowing. After the formation of one or two true leaves, the seedlings are thinned out, leaving one at a time. strong plant in large-fruited pumpkin and two plants each in hard-bark and nutmeg. After the appearance of 4-5 leaves and in these varieties, weaker plants are plucked. You should not dig them out, because. root system the remaining plants will be severely damaged.

There is one more original circuit pumpkin cultivation, in which the plants are grown in a cucumber greenhouse and harvested outdoors. To do this, two holes are made close to the wall in the southern end part of the greenhouse and filled with a nutrient mixture. In these wells, pumpkin seeds are sown. Pumpkin care - fertilization, watering, etc. - is carried out simultaneously with the care of cucumbers. When the plants reach a height of 50-60 cm, the film is lifted or cut and the whips are sent to an open ground area. Pumpkin roots (and they are located in the ground much lower than the roots of cucumbers) remain in the greenhouse, develop and supply nutrients to the plant. With this method of growing pumpkins can be cultivated in direct culture, and seeds can be sown 7-10 days earlier than in open ground.

When growing pumpkins in the Non-Black Earth Region, covering the soil with a film gives a great effect. After the emergence of shoots on each plant, cuts up to 10 cm long are made in the film to improve ventilation. At the end of the danger spring frosts the incisions are increased to 15 cm in diameter, through which the plants are released from under the film, and then they spread along the film. This creates extremely favorable conditions for the development of plants, since the soil temperature is 4-5 ° C higher than usual, and the evaporation of moisture from the soil is sharply reduced.

Cultivation, care

watering

Pumpkin is a moisture-loving plant. It has a large root system and "pumps out" a lot of water from the soil, which evaporates into the atmosphere through the leaves. It consumes a lot of water during all periods of growth, but especially needs it during the period mass flowering and fruit formation. Therefore, in prolonged dry and hot weather, before the start of blooming of female flowers and during the filling of fruits, plants should be watered abundantly with water at a temperature of at least 20 ° C. Take water for irrigation from a well or artesian well you can’t, because you will destroy the plants.

At the same time, thanks to their strong root system, pumpkins tolerate short dry periods more easily than cucumbers.

Irrigation is usually timed to remove weeds and loosen the soil. First, the soil is loosened by 8-10 cm, and then 5-6 cm, so as not to damage the roots of the plant.

top dressing

To get large fruits, plants need to be fed. The first time this is done when three to five leaves are formed, the second - at the beginning of the formation of lashes. It is best to use nitrophoska for this - for the first time, 10 g, the second - 15 g per plant. In wet weather, fertilizers can be applied dry, in dry weather - dissolved in water. Feeding with ash (1 glass per plant) and mullein solution (1:8, 1 bucket per 5 plants at the beginning of growth and 3 plants during the fruiting period) are very effective.

plant formation

To get a good harvest of pumpkin, the plants must be formed - usually in one or two stems.

When forming in one stem all side shoots and excess ovaries are removed immediately after their appearance. Two or three ovaries are left on the whip. After the last ovary, 3-4 leaves are left and the growth point (apex) is immediately pinched. If you leave more ovaries or do not pinch the top, then you will not get large fruits. After that, it is necessary to mercilessly cut off all the flowers that have appeared - both male and female.

When forming in two stems two fruits should be left on the main lash, one on the side. On each lash after the last fruit, leave 3-4 leaves and pinch the tops.

An obligatory agricultural method for growing pumpkins is the powdering of lashes. When they reach a length of more than a meter, they are unraveled, laid in the right direction and sprinkled with earth in several places. If this is not done, then the wind easily turns and twists the whips, while the leaves break off, and this negatively affects the development of the plant. But the most important thing is not this. On all internodes of the lash, especially in places of powdering, strong roots are formed, which additionally nourish the plant. This should not be forgotten when watering plants.

Getting fruits

When growing pumpkins, you can often see rotting ovaries. This is due to the fact that female flowers not pollinated. The reasons can be very different, especially so often in inclement weather, when insects fly less. This is very disappointing, especially when growing large-fruited late-ripening pumpkins.

To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to do artificial pollination of flowers. To do this, early in the morning in the south and in the first half of the day for the middle and northern regions, when the female flowers bloom, the male flowers are collected, the petals are removed from them, and two or three anthers are alternately pressed against the stigma of the pistil of an open female flower.

Male pumpkin flowers. They bloom early in the morning, and by the evening they already fade.

Female pumpkin flowers. They have a pestle in the middle. Without pollination, they wither the next day.

If your pumpkin lashes have covered a fence or a gazebo, so that they do not tear under the weight of the crop, ordinary nets are hung from the fence and a growing fruit is placed in them.

Giant pumpkins must be protected from soil dampness, otherwise they may rot. To do this, you need to put four stones on the ground, on top - a wide board or slab, and on it - a pumpkin. But this must be done while it is small, because handling a giant fruit can break the stem.

Pumpkin is one of the most famous plants Russian fields and gardens. In most parts of the country, expensive greenhouses and special shelters are not being built for it. Growing pumpkins in open field requires minimal effort and mostly gives positive results.

pumpkin features

The pumpkin plant belongs to the gourd family, a genus of annuals. Stems spiky, well branched. The leaves are large, "five-legged", with a hard "pile". Most of the flowers are large, yellow or yellow- orange color. The length of the pedicel of female flowers is shorter. The root system is powerful. The main rod goes into the ground for 2 m or more. Active side shoots are located higher and grow up to 6 meters. Wide leaves evaporate a lot of moisture, so the pumpkin especially needs water. Common types of pumpkin: hard-barked, large-fruited, nutmeg (in the south). The average yield per 1 ha is 30 tons.

Main components successful cultivation: successful soil preparation, healthy seedlings, thoughtful formation of bushes, systematic care.

We sow and plant

Growing a strong pumpkin in the open field will equally work with seeds and seedlings. Seeds are better "settle down" in the southern regions of the country. Choose a site for cultivation and prepare the soil.

Land chores

Choose sites in the southern part of the garden, with good heating and lighting. Do not plant in the ground after melons, potatoes or sunflowers. After the pumpkin itself - after 5 years.

Soil preparation sequence:

• In autumn, the soil is shoveled half a meter.
• Fall asleep per square meter for 5-8 kg of compost or manure.
• Heavy soils with a high content of clay are “diluted” with sawdust sprayed with a solution of carbamide.
• Slaked lime is scattered into acidic soil.
• In the spring, 30 g of phosphorus-type fertilizers and 20 g of potash are added.
• Additionally, the soil for growing is enriched with a mixture: for 3 buckets of "organic" 2 cups of ash and 50 g of superphosphate.

It is important to understand that pumpkin will not grow on heavy, acidic and flooded soils. We need fertile medium loamy or light soils, "filled" with organic matter.

Sowing work

Planting in open ground with seeds is carried out after May 15, when the earth becomes warm enough. When a few days remain before sowing, the seeds are dipped into water for about 50 degrees for 2 hours, then kept at room temperature until pecked in wet tissue. Planted at a soil temperature of 12 degrees Celsius. If the soil is damp and cold, the seeds will not sprout or grow sick.

Landing sequence:

There is an option for planting pumpkins in a greenhouse with seeds, when elongated lashes are brought out through a slightly raised film. This is a way to quickly grow without seedlings.

Planting pumpkin seedlings

Most of the pumpkin varieties are grown in the Moscow region and more northern territories. seedling way, which allows you to have time to harvest. It is also planted at the end of May. In order to have time to grow a full-fledged pumpkin, seedlings should not be kept at home for more than 1 month after the first sprouts “leave”.

Planted in the same way as the seeds. But 2 bushes of seedlings are determined in one recess. Seedlings do not like "movements", so they plant them in peat pots or take them out of seedling boxes with a wide clod of earth. In case of a threat of a cold snap, cover the plantings with a film, burlap or at least paper.

Without ridges, in areas prone to dampness, it is better to grow pumpkin seeds or seedlings in open ground on earthen "heaps" up to 15 cm high, so that the earth warms up more intensively. Mix the soil with peat and sod. This method is well suited for growing in the Urals or Siberia, where summer begins later.

In colder climates, outdoor squash thrives on piles of chopped weeds, damp sawdust, manure, and potato peels. The resulting substance is watered with a highly diluted composition of fertilizers and a layer of garden soil is scattered on top.

Maintaining the correct plant growth regime

For those wishing to grow a crop of large, ripe pumpkins in the country in the open field, it is important to observe the agricultural practices of the crop. Loosen and pull out weeds in time , do not shade ripening pumpkins.

Temperature regime. 25 degrees and above - for comfortable growing fruits. During the period active growth do not allow night values ​​to decrease to 14 degrees and below, otherwise the formation of pumpkins will slow down significantly. A missed frost is a death sentence for the whole plant.

thinning. It is carried out after the formation of the first two true leaves. Large-fruited pumpkins are left "alone". Muscat and hard-barked - 2 strong plants each. Weak specimens are not removed (in order to preserve the roots of all plants), but with the release of 4-5 leaves, they pinch off.

top dressing . They are carried out weekly, from the tenth day after the rooting of the seedlings. It is advisable to cook them in a liquid consistency, alternating mineral fertilizers with organic. Usually diluted in 10 liters of water. 1 dressing: as soon as the fifth sheet comes out. 1 liter of mullein and 50 g of superphosphate. 2 top dressing: mullein is mixed with a large spoonful of nitrophoska. 3 top dressing: with the onset of fruit ripening. Mullein mixed with two large spoons of potassium sulfate or a glass of ash. Usually 1 bucket is calculated for 5 bushes. When there is no "organics", you can use mineral fertilizers in dry or diluted form. During cloudy weather, it is permissible to spray the leaves with a solution of urea - 1 small spoon per bucket. During the entire growth of plants, it is useful to sprinkle with ashes, 1 glass per bush.

Watering . Must be frequent and plentiful. Watered with water not colder than 20 degrees. Before watering, it is desirable to carefully loosen to a depth of 10-12 cm and to get rid of weeds. When the pumpkin blooms, the volume of water is somewhat reduced in order to properly grow the fruits.

Pollination. Successful yields are best guaranteed by pollination. manually: With a soft brush, transfer pollen from the anther of one flower to the stigma of another, or gently bring the flowers together.

Creating supports for pumpkins. It is permissible to organize cultivation in open ground on trellises or simply on a fence. Ripening pumpkins are laid on nets or bags and tied to a support. On the ground, boards or cardboard should be placed under them so that the fruits do not rot.

Stem formation and maturation acceleration

For the speedy cultivation of pumpkins, correct formation bush. Leave no more than 3 shoots. When 5 ovaries with a diameter of up to 15 cm are formed or the stem simply grows up to one and a half meters, pinching is done on it. After the seventh leaf has grown, pinch after the last fruit. Formation by the second method: two fruits are left along the central lash, 1 each on the lateral ones. After waiting for the remaining ovaries on all lashes, 3-4 leaves are counted and the upper parts are pinched.

To grow a large pumpkin, 3 ovaries are developed on bush-type varieties, and two on climbing ones. You should not chase the "greatness" of the vegetable, since pumpkins of the usual volumes are tastier and easier to transport.

A way to accelerate the ripening of pumpkins: about 3 weeks before the cold snap, all flower stalks with ovaries are removed from the lashes and the upper parts of new shoots are pinched. At the same time, the plant will throw all its forces into the development of the fruits that have already begun.

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Pumpkin is a fairly common vegetable in our country. Many also love it because it is not so difficult to grow a good crop. She doesn't need special care. And the harvest is stored for a long time, so you can eat pumpkin pies even in spring.

Pumpkin is an unpretentious and high-yielding vegetable

Planting seeds in open ground

You can grow seedlings in advance, and when it is warm outside, plant them in the garden. But, if there was no time to mess with seedlings, seeds are grown immediately in open ground.

Landing Rules

First, the seeds are prepared for planting. As soon as the soil warms up (up to 13 ° C), the seeds can be planted. This temperature helps them germinate. If the soil is cold, the seeds will rot. Seeds are planted to a depth of 5-6 cm if the soils are loamy, and 8-10 cm in light soils. The distance between them is 1 m.

Experienced gardeners use one trick when planting seeds: they are planted densely, at different depths. If suddenly there are frosts, finely planted seedlings will freeze, and those that appear later will grow and produce a crop. When the weather is stable, without frost, the extra seedlings that have appeared from the "reserve" seeds are simply removed.

Planted Pumpkin Care

At the moment when the seeds are planted in the ground, the soil is often not sufficiently moistened. If there is not enough water, then seedlings appear much later than usual, and grow more slowly. Therefore, when planting pumpkins in open ground, the seeds must be watered: 1.5 - 2 liters of water, not cold. As soon as the water is absorbed, the seeds are planted, the nutrient mixture is poured from above. Do not forget about mulching with humus. Or use peat chips. You can cover the bed from above so that shoots appear faster. To do this, use the film. As soon as the plants hatch, the film can be removed. This can only be done in warm weather.

After planting the seeds, a week passes before the emergence of seedlings. As soon as the pumpkin has two true leaves, the plants are thinned out. If the pumpkin is large-fruited, then one plant is left, and if it is hard-barked or nutmeg, two. But two sprouts is also too much. When the pumpkin stretches and releases 4-5 leaves, a weak sprout is removed. It is not worth planting it in another place, because. then the roots of the main sprout will be damaged.

At favorable conditions pumpkin seeds will germinate a week after planting

Growing methods

Most often, pumpkin is grown in the garden, but this is the only way. How else does pumpkin grow? How can cultivation be an alternative? There are several of them: on a trellis, in a barrel, on compost, etc. These methods should not be ignored, because, growing in the garden, the plant takes up a lot of space, preventing other crops from developing. And these methods will help to place it so that it will not interfere with anyone.

On the trellis

This method is not suitable for varieties with large fruits. Then the trellis will not support the weight of the pumpkin.

Advantages of this method:

• Space saving. This method of growing pumpkins in open ground is convenient because it saves space. It will be of interest to those who have a small plot in the country or garden, but still want to harvest. If you are growing a pumpkin on a trellis, the distance between plants is reduced to 40 cm.
• Beautiful fruits. Besides, this good way get smooth fruits, distinguished by their special beauty.
• Ennobles appearance site. If you plant decorative varieties, and let them go along the trellis, it looks very attractive.

How to grow it on a trellis? First, install a trellis, up to 2 m high. Shoots start up along it. Their length will have to be adjusted. To do this, pinch the plants or remove the side shoots. Purchase strong hooks made of metal. They are attached where the ovary is visible. Later, the whip with a pumpkin is held on just such a hook, decorating the trellis. Sometimes the gourd grows too big and breaks the hook. Then the pumpkin is wrapped in a net and hung again from the trellis.

Pumpkins on the trellis look very impressive

On a barrel

For growing pumpkins in open ground, you can use a regular barrel. Well, if it is wooden. But metal is also suitable, the main thing is to wrap its edges with an edge. It is not difficult to make it: you need to cut rubber hose along and fasten it along the edge. Then the tender shoots will not be damaged by the rough edges of the barrel.

The advantages of this method:

• Space saving. Pumpkin lashes do not spread throughout the garden, which will give significant space savings.
• Decoration. A garden is needed not only to provide a family with vegetables and fruits. For many, it is a place of rest and relaxation. Therefore, it must also be beautiful. A barrel with a pumpkin can become its main decoration.
• Compost. Pumpkin shoots contribute to the rapid formation of compost. Then I use this soil, on which the pumpkin grew, for planting seedlings.

How to grow it in a barrel? It needs to be prepared from the fall. Set it up in a bright spot first.

Slowly decomposing organic matter is laid at the bottom: plant stems, small branches, etc. The second layer is grass and collected leaves. The entire contents of the barrel are tamped and watered. In the spring, as soon as the snow melts, special preparations are placed in the barrel. They will speed up the decomposition. After 1-1.5 months, the barrel for planting the pumpkin is ready. But it is too early to plant it, first a little earth and sand are added to the barrel, everything is thoroughly mixed. Only two plants can grow in one barrel. They are constantly watered. The fruits of such a pumpkin are very large, because. she has a lot nutrients. It is worth leaving 3-4 fruits on the stems, and pinch it.

Pumpkins in a barrel require abundant watering

On the compost heap

First done compost heap. In it, at a distance of up to 1 m, they dig large holes, so that 0.5 buckets of earth fit in. Seeds are planted in it and watered, covered with spunbond. After the appearance of the first shoots, the shelter must be removed.

Pumpkin on compost is not fertilized. An overgrown plant covers with its leaves a not very attractive compost heap.

In the cucumber greenhouse

Do you want to harvest a little ahead of schedule, but you cannot plant a pumpkin because is the soil still cold? There is another way. At the very edge of the greenhouse, on its south side, dig holes, fill them with nutrient mixture and sow the seeds. When the pumpkin shoots stretch to 50-60 cm, the film must be lifted and the shoots released into the street. The roots of the plant will be in the greenhouse, they need to be fertilized, watered, etc. And shoots - in the open field. Thanks to this method, you can sow the seeds a little earlier (7-10 days).

Growing pumpkins in a greenhouse allows you to get large-sized fruits

How to care

How to grow a pumpkin, to achieve large yields? She needs to be properly looked after.

Watering

Pumpkin loves water. She needs regular watering, but it should be especially frequent during flowering and fruit formation. If the weather is dry, it must be watered. But take not very cold water: from 20 degrees and above, otherwise the plant will die. If necessary, the pumpkin itself will find moisture, because. it has a powerful root system that goes 3 m deep.

Weeding and loosening

Constantly remove weeds, loosen the ground. But do it carefully so as not to damage the roots.

Top dressing. The pumpkin has long stems, many leaves, so it needs nutrients. Feed the plant frequently. This should be done when the first 3-5 leaves have appeared. 10 g of nitrophoska per 1 sprout. The second time - when loops are formed, but already 15 g each. If the weather is dry, fertilizer is added to the water.

In rainy weather, it can also be poured dry. You can feed with ashes - 1 glass each. Or prepare a solution of mullein. First, one bucket is enough for 5 plants, and later - 1 bucket for 3 sprouts.

Formation

We grow pumpkins for a rich harvest. To achieve this, it is necessary to remove the side shoots. There should be only 2-3 ovaries on the whip. After the last one is formed, they wait for another 3-4 leaves to grow, cut off the top. You can do without it, but then you should not hope to grow a large pumpkin. You can form not in one stem, but in two. Then 2 fruits are left on the main lash, and 1 on the side.

Loop powder

When the loops of the plant in the open field stretch for more than 1 m, they must be untangled and laid correctly. And then pour the earth. Otherwise, the wind will turn them over, breaking off the leaves. In the place where you sprinkled the loops, in the internodes, roots form. They will additionally nourish the plant. When watering a pumpkin, do not forget about additional roots.

Pollination

In warm weather, bees or other insects will pollinate the flowers. But if the rains dragged on, and this did not happen, you will have to deal with pollination on your own. This is done in the morning. Collect male flowers, then press his anthers to the pistil. To make it more convenient, the petals male flower can be deleted. If you do not, the ovaries will simply rot.

pumpkin protection

On the site, the pumpkin may rot. To protect it, 4 stones are laid on the ground, a board is placed on them, and a pumpkin is placed on the board. They do this at a time when it is still small, the giant fruit is difficult to move, you can break its stem.

Pumpkin seeds and pulp have many useful properties, and the plant itself is unpretentious and grows well on any soil. At first glance, it is not difficult to grow it with your own hands, but some features still exist. Especially for those who are interested in unusual pumpkin varieties and the peculiarities of their cultivation, we have prepared this article. Detailed descriptions varieties with photos and videos will help you decide on the choice of seeds.

Below you will find many useful information about the features of sowing and caring for pumpkin, as well as practical advice storage of vegetables in winter.

Growing pumpkins in open ground and caring for them

Pumpkin is one of the extremely useful, but at the same time unpretentious crops. It is thanks to the latter feature of the plant that it is often planted in areas that, due to the characteristics of the soil, are not suitable for the cultivation of other, more demanding plants.

Of course, when growing pumpkins in open ground, the plant will still need some care. To get a truly rich harvest, after the first shoots appear, the pumpkin bed should be loosened regularly to remove weeds and saturate the soil with moisture and air. It is also recommended to feed vegetables several times a season, but without adding additional fertilizers The vegetable grows quickly enough. Next, we will consider the main nuances of growing pumpkins in more detail, so that even beginner gardeners can cope with the cultivation of this vegetable.

Pumpkin varieties with photos and descriptions

There are many types of pumpkins, but hard-skinned ones are considered the most common (Figure 1):

1. Acorn, or acorn, got its name because of the characteristic fruits that resemble acorns in shape. The flesh is orange-yellow, the peel is dark green or orange.
2. Aport- round, mid-ripening with orange-yellow flesh, weighing up to 7 kg. The peel is orange.
3. Smile- matures in 85 days. The fruits are bright orange light stripes weighing up to one and a half kilograms.
4. Freckle- early maturing appearance. The pulp is yellow-orange, fruits up to 3 kg. The peel is light green with light spots. Well kept.

Figure 1. Hard bark varieties: 1 - Acorn, 2 - Aport, 3 - Smile, 4 - Freckle

There are also large-fruited and cold-resistant species (Figure 2):

1. Russian woman- early ripe, climbing with orange flesh. Fruit weight 3-4 kg. Differs in cold resistance.
2. ordinary- fruits reach a weight of up to 25 kg. The smaller the fruit, the tastier.
3. Gribovskaya winter- late ripening, with bright yellow or red flesh. Fruits weighing more than 3 kg, flattened, gray.
4. Merchant's wife- fruits are light orange, flattened, weighing more than 15 kg. This species is mid-season, it is stored for a long time.
5. Volga gray- round, light gray fruits, weighing up to 8 kg, with yellow or orange flesh. Mid-season, drought tolerant.

Figure 2. Large-fruited and cold-resistant varieties: 1 - Rossiyanka, 2 - Ordinary, 3 - Gribovskaya winter, 4 - Merchant, 6 - Volzhskaya gray

When choosing a variety, you need to focus not only on the characteristics of the soil, but also on the climatic conditions in which the crop will be grown.

Muscat

These pumpkins have a great taste, they can even be eaten raw. In harsh climates, it can only be grown from seedlings.

Most Popular nutmeg varieties such(picture 3):

1. butternut- fruits weighing up to 1 kg with orange pulp, in the form of a pear. Contains a lot beneficial vitamins and minerals.
2. Bylinka- fruits with bright orange flesh and gray skin.
3. Vitamin- fruits are green, oval, weighing up to 6 kg with bright orange flesh. Holds in a large number of beta-carotene, very good for baby food and juicing.

Figure 3. Muscat varieties: 1 - Butternut, 2 - Bylinka, 3 - Vitamin

Varieties for the Moscow region

The variety is also selected depending on the climate of the region. This is the only way to get a good harvest.

For the Moscow region, these types are best suited(picture 4):

1. Therapeutic- flattened fruits, weighing 3-5 kg ​​with a thin peel. Harvested on the 90th day after the formation of the first shoots. The variety is early maturing and keeps well.
2. candied fruit- fruits weighing 5 kg, flat-round shape with yellow-orange pulp, which contains a lot of sugar and carotene.
3. Gribovskaya winter- a fruit with a gray color of a flattened shape, weighing 3-4 kg. The core is bright orange. This is late-ripening view, which is well stored until the new harvest. Grow through seedlings.

Figure 4. Varieties for the Moscow region: 1 - Medicinal, 2 - Candied fruit, 3 - Mushroom winter

Varieties for Siberia

When choosing a variety for the Urals and Siberia, it should be borne in mind that frosts there continue until mid-June. Therefore, the culture is resistant to cold and frost. The following species are considered suitable for a harsh climate (Figure 2):

1. Smile- grows in the form of a bush, gives high yield. Fruits weighing 3 kg with a thick orange peel. Long shelf life at room temperature.
2. Freckle- fruits weighing no more than 3 kg with a hard crust, taste like a melon. This variety tolerates temperature changes and is most suitable for growing in Siberia.
3. Russian woman- dark orange, taste qualities resemble a melon. At proper cultivation gives a high yield. Resistant to all diseases and pests, and suitable for planting in the Urals and Siberia.

Pumpkin seeds are gaining more and more popularity, as they have a number of healing and valuable taste qualities.

Here are a few varieties that produce tasty seeds and juicy pulp when grown.(picture 5):

1. Miranda- rounded flattened fruits of light green color, with yellow-orange pulp and olive-green seeds. Designed for direct consumption and processing. Sow in open ground at the end of April.
2. Sweet pie - fruits weighing 2-3 kg, rounded with orange-round skin. The variety is high-yielding and early ripe.
3. Premiere- fruits of an oblate shape with a dark green color and a coarse mesh. Weight 5-6 kg, flesh is bright orange. The species is mid-season, tolerates cold well and persists for a long time.
4. Spaghetti- in shape and color, the fruits resemble a melon. Unripe fruits are green in color.
5. Melon- yellow, rounded, large, slightly flattened, weighing 25-30 kg, with dark orange flesh. The variety is mid-season, productive. Recommended for baby and diet food, as well as for making juices.
6. golosemyanka- does not have a hard shell on the seeds. The yield is low, and the fruits are small, but at the same time the variety is valued precisely for unusual seeds. The gymnosperm pumpkin, like other species, loves warmth.

Figure 5. Varieties for seeds: 1 - Miranda, 2 - Sweet Pie, 3 - Premiere, 4 - Spaghetti, 5 - Melon, 6 - Golosemyanka

Seed preparation and planting

The area designated for cultivation is well fertilized. Make at least 2 buckets of humus, half a bucket sawdust, 1 liter jar wood ash and 1 glass of nitroammophoska. The bed is made 70 centimeters wide, dug deep and watered hot water(Figure 6).

Figure 6. Sowing seeds

To achieve rapid germination of seeds, they are dipped in a solution of liquid for a day. complex fertilizer, after which they cover with a damp cloth for 1-2 days, constantly wetting it with water.

For planting old seeds, they are checked for germination in a month. For this purpose, several seeds of each species are taken and soaked in a damp cloth until germination.

Sowing holes are made along the beds at a distance of 90 centimeters. Seeds are sown germinated, 2 seeds per hole, in warm, moist soil.

The author of the video will tell you how to properly land in open ground.

Features of pumpkin care

The best planting time is when the soil warms up well, at an air temperature of at least +13 degrees, since at lower rates the seeds rot.

Grow pumpkin in two ways. Seedlings grown at home using paper cups or in a greenhouse. Seedlings do not dive. Seeds that are sown in the ground no later than the end of May.

For the speedy germination of seeds, the bed is covered with a film, fixing along the edges. When shoots appear, the film is cut, a wire frame is installed and stretched for uniform ventilation.

Landing

Depending on the composition of the soil, the depth of planting seeds will be different. So that night frosts do not damage the seedlings, the seeds are sown quite densely and at different depths.

When sowing seeds in the ground, 1.5-2 liters of warm water are poured into each well, the seeds are placed and covered with a nutrient mixture. After that, the holes are mulched with humus or peat chips.

The first shoots appear about a week after sowing. When one or two leaves appear, seedlings are thinned out, leaving only the strongest plants.

Watering

The culture is very fond of moisture, especially during the period of mass flowering and fruit formation. Therefore, during the blooming of female flowers and the filling of fruits, when a long drought lasts and hot weather plants need to be watered abundantly warm water. For irrigation, water from wells and wells is not used, since cold water destroys plants (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Pumpkin care: watering, pinching shoots and top dressing

Also, do not forget to remove weeds and loosen the soil, especially before watering.

top dressing

To get a good harvest, you need to periodically feed. It is carried out in two stages:

• First. Fertilizers are applied when three to five leaves are formed. As a rule, dry nitroammophoska is used.
• Second. A solution of nitroammophoska is introduced when the first lashes appear.

For the purpose of obtaining good harvest, plants form into one or two stems.

When forming into one stem, side shoots and ovaries are removed after their formation. Two or three ovaries are left on the lash, after the last ovary 3-4 leaves are left and the top is pinched. After that, cut off all the flowers that appear.

When forming into two stems, two fruits are left on the main lash, and one on the side. Also leave 3-4 leaves and pinch the top.

In turn, do not forget about the powder of the lashes. When they become more than a meter, they are unraveled, folded in the required direction and sprinkled with earth.

From the video you will learn all necessary information about growing and caring for pumpkins.

Collection time and storage features of pumpkin

Ripe fruits are cut with a stalk, so they are long and well stored. You can store them at room temperature.

Main signs of a ripe pumpkin:

• Peduncle lignified (dried and very hard);
• Leaves are yellowed or dry.
• The color becomes more saturated and bright, depending on the variety.
• The shell becomes denser.

Fruits with mechanical damage or unripe are eaten or processed. For long-term storage only ripe fruits are suitable. They are dried and put to ripen in a dry room for 2 weeks.

They can also be stored on a balcony, loggia or in a barn, covering it at night. With the onset of permanent frosts, they are moved to a warm place (Figure 8).

Figure 8. Harvest and storage

The storage place for the first two weeks should be dry and warm. Then they are moved to a room with a humidity of 60-70% and a temperature of 3-8 degrees. In warmer rooms, the fruits may deteriorate.

Storing pumpkins at home in winter

For storage, fruits of maturing varieties are chosen. Stored in dry ventilation rooms with a humidity of 75-80%. Sun protection is a must. It is good to keep the pumpkin in the attic in hay, as well as on verandas, in garages, sheds, pantries. At the same time, they are placed on racks in one row, with the stalks up.

Periodically, the fruits are checked and spoiled are removed.