Pumpkin is a vegetable that takes pride of place as the largest among melons. Juices and purees made from pumpkin are healthy and tasty. It is a dietary and low-calorie product. Pumpkin is widely used in the production of baby food and also as a feed crop.

Growing pumpkin is a simple and enjoyable activity; the plant easily adapts to local climatic and soil conditions.

Pumpkin has many varieties and varieties. Each of them is special in its own way; some varieties are distinguished by taste, others by size and shape. Each pumpkin variety is individual in its own way, demanding conditions for growing and storing ripe fruits.

Common pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo), or large-fruited pumpkin

The large-fruited pumpkin, or common pumpkin, is very famous among farmers and gardeners. Of all the representatives of the pumpkin genus, it is the most unpretentious species. A plant of climbing or bush type, with large dark green leaves. The fruits are more round or oval in shape. Hard-bark pumpkin varieties are popular due to their long shelf life.

Despite the main characteristic of the species - hard bark, there are varieties with a soft surface. The common pumpkin has soft, juicy pulp with many fibers, a sweet taste, and pale yellow seeds.

Amazon– a common pumpkin variety in Russia. The fruits are small in size, flattened, round in shape, bright orange in color with a smooth surface. Recommended for cultivation in central regions, as it is best adapted to a temperate climate. The fruits are suitable for transportation and long-term storage - up to 2 months; Amazon pumpkins have an aromatic and sweet taste, and a rich, bright color.

Aport. Pumpkin is more round in shape, the bark is orange-yellow, juicy, but dense in consistency, sugary pulp. The fruits weigh up to 6.5-7 kg. The average long-term shelf life is 1.5-2 months; they retain their appearance and quality during transportation.

Freckle– a variety of early-ripening pumpkin, grows in a bush form with the formation of up to 6 vines of medium length, the leaves are light green in color. Ripe fruits are greenish in color with small yellow spots. The weight of the freckle pumpkin variety is not large – from 1 to 3 kg. The peculiarity of freckle is its sweet taste with a delicate aroma of pear, soft and juicy pulp. It is considered a high-yielding variety; with proper care, the yield per 1 hectare is 365 centners. This pumpkin is not afraid of temperature changes. Long-term storage and transportation do not affect the integrity and quality of the fruit. Vulnerable to powdery mildew.

Gymnosemyanka. Mid-season pumpkin variety. It is not demanding for cultivation in open ground and is suitable for breeding in all regions of Russia. The lashes of the gymnosperm are long, with branches in different directions. The fruits are larger, oval-round in shape, with a smooth dark green bark with white patches. A mature fruit weighs up to 6 kg. It is not afraid of temperature changes, is well stored and transported. Holosemyanka is a high-yielding pumpkin; with proper care, the harvest can be from 1 hectare to 500 centners.

Gribovskaya bush 189. An early ripening pumpkin variety. The harvest should be harvested after 3.5 months. from the moment of planting, sometimes 10-15 days earlier. The fruits are oval and elongated, the skin is light orange with black and green splashes. The pulp is juicy, with an original and delicate taste. Ripe fruits reach up to 5 kg, the yield from 1 hectare is up to 400 centners. The variety has average resistance to diseases.

Hard-bark pumpkin is highly transportable and has a long shelf life.

Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata)

The most delicious type of pumpkin, the aroma of the fruit is determined by its name. Sugary, fibrous pumpkin with excellent flavor. This variety loves an abundance of sun and warmth, so it is recommended to grow in the southern regions, in areas with good sunlight.

Vitamin– the variety is truly replete with useful substances and acids. The fruits are dark green in color, closer to oval in shape. The flesh is rich red, fleshy, sweet. A mature pumpkin fruit reaches a weight of 7 kg. The ripening period is up to 3-3.5 months. The yield is average - from 1 hectare to 300 centners.

Honey Princess. This variety is truly the first-born in the category of sweetness and softness. The fruits reach small sizes up to 4 kg. Seeds planted in April will yield a harvest in early August. Transportation and storage of this variety is below average.

Butternut (or butternut) squash. The fruits and pulp are bright yellow, elongated in shape. Pumpkin has a sweet taste, fibrous and soft. Pumpkin weight reaches 3-4 kg. Storage and transportation are low.

Pearl. The variety was developed relatively recently. The fruits are slightly elongated and round in shape. The pulp inside is juicy and tasty, the fibers are rich in juice and sweetness. Ripens in a period of up to 3-3.5 months. On average, a mature fruit weighs about 5 kg.

Muscat de Provence. Bred in France. A high-yielding variety, fruit ripening takes up to 4 months. The fruits are distinguished by a rich, bright orange hue, both outside and inside. The pulp is dense, sweet, and moderately fibrous. Quite large sized pumpkin. This is one of the few varieties of nutmeg pumpkin that tolerates transportation well and has a long shelf life.

Butternut squash varieties have excellent taste, pleasant aroma and tender flesh. Basically, they are not stored for long and require processing within 1-1.5 months. after harvest.

Large-fruited pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima)

Large-fruited pumpkin is grown as a feed product, this is due to the large size of the fruits of the vegetable crop. This type of pumpkin ripens much longer. Large-fruited pumpkin loves an abundance of warmth and light. Thanks to its dense and thick bark, the species does not present great difficulties in transportation and long-term storage.

Smile. An early-ripening pumpkin variety that ripens in up to 85 days. Bush form of the plant. The fruits are round, not large in size, but with a fairly large radius of the circle. Bright orange bark and flesh. This variety has a melon aroma and fruits with sweet and crispy flesh. Smile is classified as an ornamental variety; a small area can be used to grow it. Smile pumpkin is a table variety.

Titanium. The variety received its name due to the unusually large size of the fruits. Mid-season pumpkin. Titanium pumpkin is cultivated in the central regions, in temperate climates in fertile soils. The large size of pumpkins is an advantage, the fruits reach a weight of up to 50-100 kg, the yield of the variety is the highest compared to others. A very good indicator of long-term storage (3-4 months) and transportation. Resistant to temperature changes within 5...7 degrees.

Paris red. A variety of pumpkin bred in France. The fruits are large in size, dark red in color, round in shape. The weight of one pumpkin reaches 20 kg. Medium late variety, ripens within 3-3.5 months. The pulp is light yellow, dense and sweet with a spicy aroma. The fruit bark is thin. Remains in good quality during storage and transportation. It is recommended to grow in the southern regions; Parisian red pumpkin loves sun and warmth.

Medical. Early ripening pumpkin, the harvest period is 95-100 days. Grown for table use. Medicinal pumpkin is a dietary variety. A plant with short branches, round, flattened fruits, weighing 3-5 kg. The bark is gray with dark mesh patches. The pulp of the fruit is orange, juicy and sweet. The medicinal pumpkin variety is resistant to low temperatures down to -2 degrees. The keeping quality of the fruit is good, more than 3 months, storage does not require additional measures. A high-yielding variety that grows well on low-sandy and low-clay soils.

Bush golden pumpkin. The variety has an average ripening period, within 98-105 days. Bush type plant. Pumpkins are round, flattened, mature fruits weighing from 3 to 5 kg. To obtain good yields, it is recommended to apply organic fertilizers. The skin of the fruit has a golden hue, hence the name. The pulp of the fruit is yellow, moderately crispy and sweet.

Large-fruited pumpkin is characterized by a long shelf life and good transportability.

Growing pumpkin in seedlings

Pumpkin is also grown in seedlings. To do this, you need to prepare the site and choose the right quality seeds. Sow them until shoots appear in a box or other container and transplant them to the site.

Soil for seedlings

Pumpkin is a sun-loving plant. Sowing seeds also means providing a warm microclimate and good lighting from the first day. The soil for planting seedlings should be moderately moist and aerated. A good environment for pumpkin growth is peat soil with humus. Before sowing, mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil; special peat cups are used for planting seeds, or cardboard cups with a cut out bottom. Such measures are taken to preserve the delicate and fragile roots of the young shoot. Damage to them is not acceptable, so the use of cups solves the problem with containers and does not cause difficulty in replanting the plant in open ground.

The place for future planting in open ground is chosen to be bright, sunny, sufficiently warm, but windless. It is important to avoid places with stagnant soil water.

The site must be prepared in advance. In the fall, dig up and apply mineral fertilizers and humus with peat per 1 sq.m. 2 kg each. fertilizers Before direct planting, repeated digging, loosening and watering are carried out. A moderate soil composition is suitable for pumpkins.

Sowing seeds

Sowing of seeds traditionally occurs in the spring, i.e. at the beginning of April and until May. Before planting, the seeds are selected and treated against fungal diseases.

To distinguish a good pumpkin seed from a bad one, you should pay attention to its integrity, dryness and the absence of frostbite and signs of fungal diseases. A good pumpkin seed is convex, with a smooth crust, uniform color and structure.

Before planting, you can check the seeds for germination in this way: wrap several seeds in a damp cloth and leave them in a warm place, maintaining the humidity with timely watering. The germination capacity of the seed material is determined by what percentage of seeds will germinate after 3-4 days.

To prevent fungal diseases, soak the seeds for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate, at the rate of 1 g/100 ml. warm water.

After disinfection, the seeds are placed on a damp cloth and germinated in a warm place for up to 3 days. After the sprouts appear, the seeds are planted in prepared containers or pots with peat soil. The plant stays in such conditions for up to 35 days. Fresh air and light are also important for seedlings, so it is recommended to place pots with seedlings on the south side on the windowsill, ventilate the room 2 times a day, expose the seedlings outside for 15 minutes at an air temperature of no more than +21 - +23 degrees. The air temperature requirements in the room itself are 25-27 degrees Celsius.

Before planting in open ground, the seedlings are hardened by gradually reducing the daytime temperature to +16, night temperature to +13 degrees for 10 days before the expected planting date.

When the seedlings have 3 true leaves, you can start replanting them in open ground.

Hardened seedlings have a better chance of survival in open areas.

Transplantation into open ground

It is possible to transplant seedlings into open soil only when it warms up at a depth of 10 cm to 12-14 degrees.

Immediately before transplanting into open ground and the previous autumn, the area is carefully dug up, humus and mineral fertilizers are added to the soil.

For pumpkin seedlings, holes are dug 20-25 cm deep. Up to 2 kg are first added to the hole. compost or humus so that the depth is reduced to 10 cm. Then pour with warm water in an amount of 1.5-2 liters.

One seedling is planted in one hole.

It is important to remember that the roots of pumpkin seedlings should not be subjected to mechanical stress or damage, so either the seedlings are carefully removed from the cups, or a special organic container is used to transplant the seedlings into the hole along with it.

The seedlings are placed in the hole and sprinkled with moist soil. The holes must have a distance between each other of at least 1 m, rows - at least 2 m. This is necessary for the further distribution of the wicker plant.

Also, in order to increase the survival rate of seedlings, greenhouse conditions are created for 5-7 days after planting in open ground, covered with polyethylene, or caps made of paper or plastic containers.

Predecessors of pumpkin

For good growth and productivity of pumpkin crops, it is important to follow simple rules. One of them is predecessor plants. Pumpkin will grow favorably in places where potatoes, legumes, tomatoes, onions, cabbage and other root vegetables previously grew.

Growing pumpkin without seedlings

Choose a place for planting pumpkins that is warm, abundantly warmed by sunlight, without gusty winds, and with moderate soil moisture.

To grow pumpkin without seedlings, you need to make sure that the ground has warmed up to +13 - +15 degrees at a depth of 10-12 cm. Typically, this period falls at the beginning of May.

The site is first dug up and a complex of mineral fertilizers and humus are applied in the fall. Before planting seeds in the soil, it is also necessary to dig up the future site.

Seed preparation

The seeds need to be selected as the most beautiful, smooth, convex, without visible deformed areas or surface roughness.

Preparing seeds involves disinfecting them by soaking them in potassium permanganate for 30 minutes (1 g per 100 ml). After this procedure, the seeds are placed on a damp cloth and germinated in a warm place, moisturizing as necessary. If desired, you can do with only a disinfection procedure, without additional germination.

Soil preparation and planting

To prepare the soil for planting pumpkins, you need to clear it of weeds and large stones or cobblestones. The soil is prepared in the fall by digging and loosening the soil.

2-3 days before planting the seeds, they dig again, adding humus. Afterwards the surface is loosened.

Small holes are dug for the pumpkin, up to 10 cm deep. The addition of compost or humus is encouraged. After fertilizing, you need to water 2 liters. warm water (50 degrees) each well. This is necessary for additional warming of the soil. Seeds are placed in a hole in the amount of 3-4 pieces. and sprinkle with soil.

Sometimes gardeners plant seeds at different depths, this is explained by the possibility of unexpected temperature drops or frosts. Thus, seeds that are not planted deeply will germinate earlier, and if they die from frost, then seeds that are planted deeper will germinate later.

If there were no frosts, late shoots are removed.

The first shoots appear 6-7 days after planting. Depending on the quality and quantity of seedlings, they need to be thinned out. Rarely do all the seeds in a hole grow, but if they all sprouted, thinning means removing the thinner and weaker seedlings. 1-2 of the strongest plants are left in one hole.

Pumpkin care

Caring for a pumpkin is not difficult. The main measure is timely watering. The pumpkin root system is quite large; it feeds on all the nutrients and moisture from the soil during all stages of growth. Water the pumpkin at the base of the plant, under the root. When the weather is hot or dry outside, the pumpkin especially needs moisture.

During the ripening period of pumpkins, watering should be moderate, since at this time the fruits ripen under the sun and gain sugar content.

An important step in plant care is removing weeds.

Feed the pumpkin in several stages. The first feeding occurs during the period when the seedling has 3 pairs of leaves, and the second during the formation of lashes.

To do this, use nitrophoska, for the first feeding in the amount of 10 g, for the second - 15 g. For one pumpkin bush.

Loosening the soil

Loosening is an important technique in cultivating crops, including pumpkin. It is recommended to avoid the formation of a crust of soil under the plant. Maintain looseness of the soil and thereby ensure aeration of the rhizome.

Forming a pumpkin into one or several stems

Pumpkin grows quite quickly at the beginning. Since this is a spreading plant, the territorial boundaries of the crop must be respected. To do this, pumpkin bushes are formed while the vines are blooming. Before the first inflorescences appear, it is necessary to pinch the bud at the top of the shoot. This is done to allow side shoots to grow.

You should also remove young shoots growing “in the bosom” that have reached 5-7 cm.

Such measures prevent the plant from wasting vital forces on extra leaves and vines, directing them to the formation and cultivation of pumpkin fruits themselves.

One ovary should be left on each branch.

Pumpkin collection and storage

The ripening of pumpkin fruits depends on a number of factors, including the variety - early ripening, medium or late ripening, and the climatic conditions of growing the vegetable crop.

You can tell that a pumpkin is ripe by paying attention to its stalk; if it is dry and hard, the fruit is ready for harvesting. The leaves of the bush are already less viable, withered and half dry.

The fruit of a ripe pumpkin has a rich color and a dense, hard bark.

1. An early ripening pumpkin variety ripens in 90-104 days. Cleaning takes place in the month of August. Since the fruits are maximally ripened in the warmest time of the year, their flesh is softer, more fibrous, and juicy.
2. Early varieties of pumpkin can be stored for no more than 30 days, so growing such varieties means speedy processing of the crop.
3. Medium-ripening varieties produce a harvest in late August - mid-September. Mid-season pumpkin varieties have a longer shelf life, 1.5-2.5 months. The consistency of the pulp in mid-ripening pumpkin is denser than that of early-ripening varieties.
4. Later varieties have a long shelf life, 3-4 months. Denser pulp and less sugar content.

They are harvested at the end of September; sometimes the fruits do not have time to ripen due to the early onset of cold weather. They withstand temperature changes, are excellently transported and stored without harming quality.

Store pumpkin fruits in cool, dark places, with air humidity of 70-78%, room temperature from 2 to 7 degrees Celsius.

Suitable for storing pumpkin fruits in a basement, pantry, warehouse. An important criterion for storage is dryness and the absence of sudden temperature changes.

Pests or diseases of pumpkin

The pumpkin plant and fruits are also susceptible to the harmful effects of pathogens, fungal diseases and pests. Control methods certainly help, but it is still better to prevent the danger than to fight it for the harvest.

Pumpkin is an unpretentious vegetable that requires minimal care. The culture is adapted to temperate and warm climates and grows well in sunny and warm areas. By observing the minimum requirements for plant maintenance and nutrition, you can achieve high yield results.

For Russian gardeners, pumpkin is familiar both in the vegetable garden and on the home table; it lends itself well to growing in open ground in almost all regions where agriculture is developed. In terms of its benefits, it will leave far behind many crops that we are accustomed to consider as living vitamins from the garden. And a skillful housewife will prepare soup, porridge, dessert, jelly, and even honey from it! How to grow a pumpkin that is not only productive, but also remarkably tasty - we reveal the secrets.

Pumpkin has a huge variety of varieties. Different in taste and shape, with hard and soft skin, plain and variegated, colorless and festively bright - all this variety can be divided into three large groups.

The plant is also useful for the garden because its large leaves provide dense shade, making it difficult for weeds to grow. In the places where it grows, the soil is much cleaner.

Requirements for growing conditions

The plant is heat-loving, although it does not make such high demands as other “residents” of melons - watermelons or melons. Still, the climate of the region has a significant impact on planting dates and other growing conditions.

Lighting

This vegetable crop loves what is called full sun lighting, when it is maximally exposed to direct sunlight for at least six hours throughout the day. But this does not mean that it will not be able to put up with slight shading (for example, when the crops of tall corn are compacted), although, perhaps, the fruits will have slightly different quality and taste characteristics.

Temperature

At the time of planting seedlings in open ground during the day, the thermometer should not fall below +8C during the day. For seed planting, the requirements are even higher - the lower limit is +13C. Night drops are allowed to +3C for a short time. If the weather does not correspond to these indicators, it is better to wait.

Soil requirements

Not being too picky in terms of soil characteristics, this vegetable still prefers humus-rich, well-drained soil. To increase productivity, a significant amount of compost is added to the area intended for planting. The ideal acidity indicator is pH = 6.5, but both slightly acidic and slightly alkaline reactions are acceptable.

The proximity of groundwater will not in any way affect the growth and fruiting of the crop due to the shallow root system, but the top layer of soil should be warm and not wet.

Crop rotation

The best precursors for the crop are legumes, onions, cabbage (early), and garlic. It is not recommended to plant pumpkins in place of last year's crops of carrots, tomatoes, etc. If last season young potatoes, beets, cucumbers or greens grew on the plot, this will not affect the result either for good or for bad. As for the neighbors of the current season, the best of them will be beans, corn, beets and radishes. But it is better to plant it further away from the tomato and potato beds.

Seedling growing method

To obtain a full harvest in mid-latitudes, the seedling method is preferable; for more northern latitudes it is mandatory. Although, of course, not all gardeners are ready to sacrifice space on the windowsill for this generally unpretentious vegetable to the detriment of tomatoes, eggplants, cabbage and other exclusively seedling crops.

How do you grow pumpkins?

RassadnymWithout seedlings

Timing for planting in open ground

The required minimum temperature described above is usually established by the end of May, so seeds are sown in April-early May, depending on the region. It is recommended to buy zoned varieties; all dates and requirements indicated on the packaging will correspond to reality.

Home lighting

The need for additional lighting depends on the location of the window sill in the cardinal directions. If the window faces south, you can do without additional lighting; in other cases, it is advisable to turn on a phytolamp or a regular fluorescent lamp.

Temperature

High-quality seeds can sprout even at a room temperature of +10C, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to obtain full-fledged fruits from such plants. For normal development, seedlings must grow in a warm room, and even heat will not be a hindrance to this.

Pumpkin seedlings do not need picking.

Checking seeds for germination

This is not necessary, but it is recommended to calculate the required amount of seed in advance. To do this, some of the seeds are germinated in advance (as many as you like). The more of them were taken, the more accurate the overall germination rate will be. Having calculated the percentage, we take seeds for planting with a reserve, so as not to miscalculate the quantity later.

Seed preparation

It is recommended to disinfect the seed material by holding it for half an hour in a bright red solution of potassium permanganate. After this, they can be soaked in a solution of wood ash or treated with growth stimulants. To germinate, they should be laid out on a damp woven material, covered with it on top, and placed in a fairly warm place, but not near a heating radiator. The embryos will immediately die from overheating.

Substrate

A drainage layer is poured onto the bottom of the container, for which sawdust is well suited. The ideal soil mixture would be garden soil mixed with peat.

Use peat humus cups or plastic containers, the bottom of which can then be easily removed and the seedling taken out along with the soil. Delicate, like cucumbers, the root system is difficult to tolerate any damage.

Planting and fertilizing

The soaked and germinated seeds are placed on a flat surface and carefully sprinkled with earth. Watering is done through a sieve. In this case, there is no need to compact the soil so as not to break the tender sprouts.

Unsprouted seeds are stuck into the ground with the beak down. The soil above them is compacted and well moistened.
Conventional mineral complexes are used for feeding. Two applications for the period of seedling growth will be enough.

To speed up germination, the outer skin of the seeds can be carefully cut.

Banding seedlings

At first, the container is only half filled, and only 10 days after germination, when the stem stretches, the rest of the substrate is added, twisting the shoots in a circle so that they are covered up to the very cotyledon leaves. This will strengthen the root system.

Planting in open ground

The seedlings will be ready for transplanting when the third true leaf appears. They reach this stage at approximately
25th day of development. In unsettled weather, it is better to wait a little rather than overcool the seedlings.

A week before the intended planting in the exhaust gas, they begin to harden, gradually taking them outside, first for a short time, and then leaving them overnight (if the night temperature does not drop below +10C).

Since the roots of this vegetable are extremely delicate, you need to transfer the seedlings directly with the pots or carefully remove them from individual plastic containers along with a lump of earth, removing the bottom. It is recommended to plant peat pots in holes filled with water, deepening them to 3 cm.

To check whether the soil is warming up, you can stick a regular thermometer into it for 10-15 minutes. If the bar drops below +10C, it is better to wait. You can speed up the process by covering the plot with black plastic film. If time is pressing, you can water the bed with hot water.

Growing pumpkin in OG using the seedless method

The unwritten rule states that it is recommended to use the seedless method in those geographical latitudes where in July the thermometer does not fall below +18C. In any case, it is necessary to study the forecast for return frosts. You should not start sowing if this threat has not yet passed, even if the recommended dates have already approached. If frost occurs suddenly, the bed should be carefully covered with non-woven material.

Seed preparation

It is similar to the seedling method (daily soaking in a solution of wood ash or treatment with a growth stimulant), however, germinated or treated with a stimulant seeds can be placed in exhaust gas only if you are completely confident in the favorable temperature conditions. It’s better to let them lie in the ground longer than to crawl out and die.

Landing

Unhatched seeds are planted point down in well-dug soil with compost, covered with soil and compacted well.

The distance between plants is 1 m, between rows - 2 m. To speed up the process, you can make a neat cut on the seeds. After sowing, abundant watering is carried out.

In dense plantings, in order to select the strongest plants, unnecessary weak shoots are cut off with scissors. You cannot pull them out of the ground with their roots!

Caring for pumpkins in open ground

This crop does not require much attention, but you should remember that the roots are shallow, requiring regular moistening.

Watering, loosening and mulching

In order for the soil to remain moist and not have to constantly monitor the process, watering is partially replaced. Pine needles, sawdust, and peat work well as mulch. In general, pumpkin tolerates dryness better than cucumbers.

At the beginning of the growing season, watering should be moderate, otherwise the fruits will form small. Closer to harvest time, the amount of moisture should be increased.

You need to be very careful with loosening and weeding (which are best combined). Immediately after planting, you can loosen the soil by 10-12 cm, and subsequently limit yourself to opening the soil crust formed after precipitation and watering.

Warm watering at the beginning of the growing season stimulates the development of female type flowers. It is prohibited to water a pumpkin with water from an artesian well - it may die.

Pollination

If there are enough insects in the area, you can skip this point. Otherwise, it is advisable to pollinate manually in order to avoid the processes of rotting of the ovaries. This is a fairly simple operation; it is best done before lunch. It is necessary to pick the male flower, remove the petals and carefully touch the bare anthers to the pistils of the female inflorescences. Hand pollination can be replaced by spraying the female flowers with honey water to attract bees.

Formation

Includes pinching and pinching. If you do not pinch the top of the cane, the stem grows very long, throws out large leaves, violates the designated boundaries and produces few side shoots. To avoid all this, the top of the young plant is pinched. It is permissible to remove the top soil along with part of the stem. After this, active growth of lateral shoots begins, the flowers of which are predominantly female.

Pinching involves removing unnecessary axillary shoots and excess leaves. The lashes are placed in the desired direction of growth. To obtain large fruits, it is optimal to leave one ovary on each of them.

Let's look at two common ways to form pumpkins.

Formation into 1 stem

All lateral layers and excess ligatures are removed immediately. On the main stem, leave 2-3 ovaries and 3-4 leaves growing after them. The top is pinched. This formation produces the largest specimens.

Formation into 2 stems

Simultaneously with pinching the growing point, all ligatures are removed, except two on the main stem and one on each of the remaining side shoots. After them, a few leaves should also be left on them.

Top dressing

The best compositions for feeding pumpkin:

• A fresh solution at a dilution of 1:8 is not at the root! The application rate is a bucket for 6 seedlings at the beginning of the growing season and twice as much during the period of active fruiting.
• Wood ash (1 cup per seedling).
• Humus and rotted bird droppings should be placed exclusively on the ground, avoiding contact with parts of the plant.

To avoid rotting at the point of contact with the ground, especially for very large specimens, it is recommended to place one or more leaves under them.

Sprinkling of lashes

The purpose is to prevent turning and twisting of stems, which for some reason were decided not to pinch. In addition, it increases the nutrition of each plant due to additional root rosettes.
After the length of the lash exceeds 1 m, it is carefully laid out on the ground and sprinkled with earth. Over the entire growing season, several such powders may be obtained. Since new roots will soon form there, these places also need periodic moistening.

Pests and possible diseases

In general, this vegetable is a hardy plant, but sometimes troubles happen to it.

Diseases, pests	External signs	Ways to fight	Prevention
Powdery mildew	The leaves are abundantly covered with a whitish coating, which gradually spreads to the rest of the plant.	Urgent removal of affected leaves and cuttings. Use of chemicals (Topaz, Strobi). Earlier than 3 weeks before harvesting the fruits - on the entire above-ground part, later - on the ground around it.	Prevent thickening, remove weeds, water with warm water.
Downy mildew (Peronosporosis)	Formation of gradually drying spots of a yellowish color, damage to the leaves with a gray-violet coating.	Spraying with copper oxide chloride, Cartocide, Kuproxate, etc.	Warming up and disinfecting seed material before planting.
melon aphid	The leaves curl and the flowers begin to fall off for no apparent reason.	In the early stage of damage, spray with infusions of garlic, onion peels, and celandine. In case of mass damage - Fufanon, Actellik, Kemifoz and other chemicals of this series.	Deep preliminary digging of the soil. Thorough cleaning of plant residues in the fall.
Slugs	First, young leaves are damaged (silver stripes and spontaneous holes appear), then the ovaries die.	Installing traps from watermelon peels, cabbage leaves, wet rags with periodic removal of crawling slugs. Spraying with Creocide. Applying protective strips around the planting using repellent chemicals.	Soil aeration, timely weeding.
Anthracnose	Depressed spots appear on the leaves and petioles, have a pinkish coating and subsequently turn into holes.	Spraying with Bordeaux mixture, Abigalik or copper oxychloride.	Removal of plant residues, disinfection of seeds.

Harvest and storage

Regardless of the variety, the pumpkin must be removed from the site before the first frost. But it is better to remove early ripening varieties in the summer and immediately process them - they do not store well.

How to determine the ripeness of a pumpkin?

Please pay attention to the following signs of readiness for cleaning:

• The color of the leaves fades, then they turn yellow and dry out.
• The fruit, on the contrary, becomes brighter in color and its crust hardens.
• The stalk becomes hard and dry.

Picked unripe fruits can reach the required degree of ripeness when stored for another month. To do this, they need a cool, dark place. When harvested, 4-5cm of the stalk is left. Only fruits that do not have external damage or bedsores are placed for storage.

Many people can say that they grow pumpkins without all this hassle. Indeed, this is a fairly patient plant, ready to forgive its owner a lot. However, following these simple rules of agricultural technology allows you to get a much higher quality, tasty and plentiful harvest using much more modest areas of your summer cottage.

Pumpkin is consumed fresh, stewed, in the form of puree, porridge, and soup. It goes well with cereals and vegetables. You can make pancakes from it, stuff it, bake it in the oven, or steam it.

Three types of pumpkins are common in global agricultural production:

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

Numerous varieties of large-fruited pumpkin are used as livestock feed. The fruits of hard-bark pumpkin are gray-skinned, sweet, and can be stored well in apartment conditions. Their flesh is edible raw.

In summer cottages, nutmeg pumpkin is often grown. The sweet and aromatic vegetable is suitable for eating raw. Of the varieties zoned for most regions for planting pumpkin, we should note Almond 35 and Volzhskaya Gray.

Pumpkins grow in any climate, making them an easy plant to grow in any garden. But it is not easy to get large and high-quality fruits by planting pumpkins in open ground. In our climate, pumpkins, like any southern plants, lack sunlight and the length of the growing season.

Pumpkin quickly grows a gigantic vegetative mass, so the soil must contain many nutrients. Pumpkins cannot be planted in the shade. She needs a lot of light to grow quickly.

Do not plant a pumpkin next to it - an aggressive bush will leave the pumpkin without sunlight and it will not set fruit.

Pumpkin can be planted from seeds in the garden. The best predecessors for pumpkin are nightshade and cabbage vegetables. Planting pumpkins in the ground near the south side of buildings will protect against the cold nor'easter.

Large pumpkin leaves are easily damaged by wind. When leaves turn over, plants slow down their growth and development. To avoid this, summer residents plant tall crops, such as beans, sweet peppers or standard tomatoes, around the perimeter of the pumpkin patch. If the size of the plot allows, grain crops can be sown between the pumpkin rows.

The soil will have to be prepared in the fall - make holes and cover with fallen leaves. In spring, the soil under the leaves warms up quickly. All that remains is to fill the hole with a bucket of fertile soil and plant 3 seeds. After the cotyledon leaves open, you need to leave one seedling (the strongest in appearance) and remove the rest. A month after sowing, each plant should have at least three leaves.

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

Culture loves warmth. At a temperature of 0 degrees it dies, even if it is a short-term morning frost. Among the melons, pumpkin is the most moisture-loving. It tolerates close proximity to soil water well. In dry years, such areas can yield excellent harvests.

Tilling the land in autumn and spring for pumpkin is similar to cultivating beds before planting other vegetables of the family. Anyone who has ever grown cucumbers, zucchini, watermelons or melons will be able to prepare the soil for pumpkins. Like cucumbers, pumpkins 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 zone - at the end of May. In Siberia, pumpkin is sown at the end of May, but it is taken into account that, if necessary, the seedlings will have to be protected from frost, which is possible in the region until mid-June.

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

From oilseed varieties, the seeds are removed immediately, poured into a glass container and filled with cold water for a day. If the fruits are overripe, the seeds should not be soaked to prevent 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.

Caring for a vertical pumpkin

There is an opinion that creeping plants spread to the south, but this is not so. The pumpkin grows in all four directions, taking over the surrounding areas. In favorable conditions, persistent plants can climb up a vertical surface and weave through an arbor, shed or bush.

This can be used by summer residents who do not have enough space for pumpkins on their plot. They need to plant not ordinary varieties, but climbing varieties, fortunately the seeds have become available for sale. To make the lashes climb up better, you can stretch the twines for them, like for cucumbers. For a “vertical garden”, varieties with large fruits are suitable - Spaghetti, Zhemchuzhina, Russian pumpkin.

The new wax pumpkin is well suited for vertical culture. It has elongated fruits with a dark green, dense rind that feels like wax. Initially, pumpkins were grown in China and southeastern countries, but now they are gaining popularity here too. The first variety of wax gourd that became famous in our country is called Chardzhou.

The fruits of the wax gourd are ready for harvesting 125-130 days after sowing, so in the northern regions they have to be grown through seedlings. The plants form powerful long stems, elongated fruits, up to 50 centimeters in length, each fruit weighs from six kilograms.

Wax pumpkin cannot compare with nutmeg in taste, but it is a champion in storage. The fruits, without drying out or rotting, can lie in the cellar for up to 3 years.

Another pumpkin that is still rare in our country is the figleaf pumpkin. In its homeland in Peru it is a perennial crop, but in our country it is grown as an annual crop. The pumpkin got its name from the unusual shape of its leaves. It has oval-shaped green fruits with a white pattern on the bark. The pulp is white or yellowish, sweet and tasty. Externally, the plant and fruits look like watermelons.

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

Growing pumpkin

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

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

Autumn pleases us with abundant harvests of fruits and vegetables. By the time the yellow leaves begin to swirl in the air, pumpkins are ripening in the vegetable gardens and melon fields. Since ancient times, these fruits have captured the imagination of people. Even fairy tales and legends were written about this extraordinary plant. And it was the fairy who turned the pumpkin into a carriage for Cinderella. The fruits of this plant themselves are already fantastic. Thanks to the combination of color, size, and taste, pumpkin has gained nationwide love.

Types of pumpkin

Currently, three types of pumpkins are grown: large-fruited, hard-bark and nutmeg. Among these species there are decorative varieties, fodder varieties (they are grown as animal feed), and table varieties.

Large-fruited crops

This species has the largest and sweetest fruits of all existing species. Some varieties are superior in sugar content to watermelons. Sugar levels reach 15%. Large-fruited pumpkins are cold-resistant. The leaves of this species can be kidney-shaped or pentagon-like. The stems are dense, smooth, without grooves. In varieties belonging to the large-fruited species, the stalk is round in shape. The seeds are matte. The color of the seeds varies from white to brown.

The large-fruited pumpkin has the largest and most fleshy fruits.

Hardbark pumpkin

The skin of ripe fruits is very thick and hard, reminiscent of wood in rigidity. This species is good for its rather early ripening period. The fruits can be collected at the end of August. Hard-barked pumpkins come in climbing and bush varieties. For small summer cottages, gardeners prefer to choose bush varieties, as this saves space. The fruits grow to medium size. The peduncles of this species have pronounced grooves. The stem is spiny, with hairs. The leaves have a pentagonal shape.

The hard-bark pumpkin has a very thick and tough skin.

Varieties of this species are the most delicious, sweet and aromatic. The peduncle is multifaceted. The seeds are dark yellow or brown in color. Butternut squash are very heat-loving. They ripen late compared to other species, so they are planted mainly in the southern regions of our country. They are also grown in central Russia, but this requires a lot of effort on the part of farmers and gardeners. The nutmeg species is grown as seedlings, then transplanted into open ground when the soil warms up well. Planting is usually done in the first half of June. But the fruits are collected unripe, since they are not in time for harvest in the European part of the country. There are six varieties of butternut squash, but the pear-shaped fruit is the most popular.

The pear-shaped pumpkin has gained popularity among gardeners.

Muscat and large-fruited varieties are harvested before frost. The hardbarks can also be collected in the summer to enjoy pumpkin pies or pumpkin soup.

Popular varieties

Scientists count more than 670 varieties of pumpkin. Many of them are decorative and unsuitable for consumption. But it is necessary to talk about the most popular varieties, which are not only edible, but also tasty and healthy.

Table: hard-barked pumpkin varieties

Variety name	Characteristics of the variety
Gymnosperm pumpkin	Dining room. Medium ripening period. Climbing is average. The shape of the fruit is varied: pear-shaped, spherical. The color of the fruit is dark green and green with yellow spots. The weight of one fruit reaches 2 kg. Large seeds containing large amounts of oil. The pulp is very delicate in taste, orange in color.
Corn pumpkin	Dining room. Mid-early ripening. Pumpkin tolerates transportation and long-term storage well. Climbing. The fruits are yellow-green striped, ovoid. They reach a weight of up to 5 kg. The pulp is light orange, sweet, and quite dense. Sugar content 5–7%.
Altai	This is an early ripening variety. Universal to use. Climbing pumpkin. Altai is cold-resistant. The fruits are ribbed, round, orange in color. The weight of one pumpkin can reach 5 kg. The pulp is fibrous, orange in color. The sugar content of the variety is 5–6%.
Orange bush	Table early ripening variety. It is a compact bush plant with bright orange fruits. The weight of one pumpkin ranges from 4 to 7 kg. The pulp of Orange bush is juicy, rich yellow in color.
Almond pumpkin	Mid-season variety. Universal. A climbing plant with fruits weighing up to 5 kg. The pulp of the fruit is juicy and very sweet. Almond tolerates transportation and long-term storage well.
Freckle	Dining room, early ripening. Bush. Freckle pumpkins grow small in size, from 1 to 3 kg. The color of the fruit is green, mesh. The flesh of Freckles does not taste very sweet, is yellow in color, and dense.
Gribovskaya bush	Table early ripening variety. Bush plant. The fruits are yellow with green stripes and grow up to 5 kg. The shape of the fruit is ovoid. The pulp of Gribovskaya bush is dark yellow. The variety is compact and is actively used in small garden plots.
Acorn (Acorn)	Dining room, early ripening. There are two varieties of Acorn: climbing and bush. The fruits are shaped like acorns. Pumpkin comes in green, black and white colors. The pulp of Acorn is sweet, pale yellow in color.
Spaghetti Pumpkin	Early ripening table variety. A bushy plant with cylindrical yellow fruits resembling a melon. The pulp is fibrous, with a nutty and citrus flavor. The fibers separate when cooked and resemble spaghetti.

Photo gallery: hard-bark varieties

The fruits of the Acorn variety are shaped like acorns
Altai pumpkin is universal in use and is cold-resistant
Variety Freckle grows small in size - up to three kg
Gribovskaya bush pumpkin has an ovoid or elongated fruit shape
The fruits of the Spaghetti variety are shaped like a melon

Table: varieties of large-fruited pumpkin

Variety name	Characteristics of the variety
Children's delicatessen	Table variety. Medium ripening pumpkin, climbing. The fruits of Children's Delicacy are small in size and grow up to 3 kg. Color orange. The pale orange flesh of the fruit is sweet and juicy. Universal in use.
Centner	Very large, average weight of one fruit is 50 kg. Early ripening variety. Climbing. White sweet pulp. The variety is universal, but due to the large mass of fruits, Tsentner is often grown exclusively for its seeds.
Medical	Semi-bush table pumpkin of early ripening. The variety tolerates temperature changes well in the summer. The fruits have a light gray mesh color. The pulp is orange, sweet and juicy.
Kherson	Table medium late variety. Gray climbing pumpkin. There are small light gray spots on the skin. The average fruit weight is 3–5 kg. The orange pulp has an excellent taste. Kherson pumpkin is very sweet and juicy. This variety is drought-resistant and stores well indoors.
Smile	This early ripening table pumpkin is very popular for growing in central Russia. The fruits of Ulybka are medium-sized, weigh from 3 to 5 kg, sweet and crunchy. The color of the fruit is orange with white thin stripes. The variety is cold-resistant. At room temperature, Smile can be stored for more than 4 months.
Winter dining room	Late ripening table variety. Climbing pumpkin with gray fruits. The fruits are ribbed. The skin may have light gray or pale pink stripes. Very sweet orange pulp. The variety tolerates transportation and long-term storage indoors.
Winter sweet	Table pumpkin, late ripening. Climbing. The fruits are tuberculate, gray in color. The average weight of the fetus reaches 6 kg. Very sweet orange pulp. Winter sweet pumpkin is used in production for the preparation of baby food and natural juices. The variety tolerates transportation well and is drought-resistant.
Zorka	Early ripening table pumpkin. Strongly climbing. The dark gray fruits contain a large amount of carotene. The bright orange flesh of Zorka is very sweet. Fruit sugar content reaches 14%. The average weight of the fetus is 6 kg. Baby food is made from Zorka.

Photo gallery: large-fruited varieties

The Winter Sweet Pumpkin variety has lumpy gray fruits.
Pumpkin variety Zorka contains a lot of carotene
Pumpkin variety Medicinal has an early ripening period
Pumpkin variety Smile stores well at room temperature
The average weight of Kherson pumpkin fruits reaches 3–5 kg

Table: muscat varieties

Variety name	Characteristics of the variety
Prikubanskaya	Medium-late pumpkin, table, with smooth pear-shaped fruits. The color of the fruit is pale orange, bright orange. Pumpkin grows up to 5 kg. The flesh is rich orange, very sweet and juicy. The variety tolerates transportation well and is stored for a long time.
Palav Kadu	Table variety, late ripening. The plant is climbing, with round orange fruits. The average weight of the Palav Kadu fruit reaches 7 kg. The pulp is very juicy and sweet. The color of the pulp is orange.
Butternut	Late-ripening table pumpkin. Strongly climbing. The fruits are pear-shaped, pale orange in color. Butternut also comes in a light brown color. The maximum weight of the fetus is 1.5 kg. The pulp is orange, very sweet and oily. Pumpkin has a nutty flavor.
Vitamin pumpkin	Late ripening table variety. Climbing. The fruits of Vitamin Pumpkin are oval-shaped and green in color. The weight of one fruit can reach 7 kg. The bright orange pulp is very sweet and dense. This variety of pumpkin contains a lot of carotene, so it is actively used for baby food.

Photo gallery: nutmeg pumpkins

The butternut squash variety has a nutty flavor.
Vitaminnaya variety pumpkin is actively used for baby food.
Pumpkin variety Palav Kadu reaches a weight of 7 kg
Prikubanskaya pumpkin tolerates transportation well and is stored for a long time

Landing Features

Pumpkin can be planted both in open ground and in greenhouses. True, plants are not kept in greenhouse conditions throughout the entire season. After the seedlings have grown stronger, they try to plant them in open areas. A prerequisite is a large amount of space, because this culture loves space. The plant is not picky about soil, but gardeners note that the sweetest fruits can be obtained if the pumpkin grows in fertile soil.

The land for planting is prepared in the fall. The area is dug up, manure or compost is added to the soil in an amount of 3–4 kg per 1 m2. Acidic soil is limed or sprinkled with ash. For an area of ​​1 m2 you need 200 g of ash.

The timing of planting pumpkin seedlings depends on the climate and the early maturity of the variety. Seeds can be sown from mid-April to the end of May. When planting seedlings, use peat pots to avoid picking plants in the future. If the pumpkin is planted with seeds in a greenhouse, you need to follow a planting pattern of 10x10 cm. The planting depth is 7–10 cm. The room temperature before the first shoots should not be lower than +25 °C. Then it is lowered to +19 °C. Plants are planted in open ground at the age of four weeks. Pumpkin does not like sudden changes in temperature, so it is transplanted after the threat of frost has passed. The landing site should be well lit. In the shade, a pumpkin can grow, but will not bear fruit.

Pumpkin seeds are buried in the ground up to 12 cm

The holes for seedlings should be more than 12 cm deep. Hot water is poured into each hole. After the water is absorbed, a seedling is placed in the hole. The plant is replanted with a clod of earth so as not to injure the roots. Bush varieties should be spaced at a distance of 50 cm from each other, medium-climbing varieties - up to 80 cm. The planting pattern for strongly climbing plants is 120x110 cm.

Frequent watering can damage the plant - excess moisture threatens fungal diseases. Water the pumpkin no more than twice a week. An adult plant requires 20 liters of water. Young seedlings are watered as needed, making sure that the soil does not dry out or crack. During dry periods, the pumpkin can be watered once every two days.

Video: method of germinating seeds for seedlings

Growing pumpkin

You can grow pumpkins in different ways: in open ground, on the balcony, in bags or on a compost heap. If you choose the right plant variety, there will be no problems with care and productivity later. It is worth considering the methods popular among gardeners.

How to grow pumpkin in open ground

First of all, you need to choose a well-lit area, preferably without drafts. You can plant a pumpkin along the fence, creating a hedge, or put the plant on a compost heap. There is nothing surprising about this. If the garbage is of organic origin, the pumpkin will grow and bear fruit well.

When planting on a compost heap, you need to make deeper holes than in the garden plot. Garden soil mixed with ash is poured into the hole. After which the seedlings are planted in the prepared area.

For small gardens, it is worth choosing bush varieties. They are more compact than climbing plants. When planting seeds in open ground, make holes or trenches 7–12 cm deep. For seedlings, the planting depth should be greater. If the plants are in a peat pot, they are planted without removing them from the container. The pumpkin is taken out of the plastic pots very carefully, without disturbing the integrity of the earthen lump.

Pumpkin grows well in a compost heap

When planting a pumpkin in open ground, you need to know which plants were its predecessors in a particular area. It is best to plant pumpkin after potatoes, legumes, tomatoes and cabbage. Thanks to these crops, the soil is saturated with microelements necessary for pumpkin to bear fruit well.

Video: planting seedlings in open ground

Growing in bags

Owners of small gardens often use tricks to accommodate the required number of crops. Garbage or plastic bags for flour and sugar do not take up much space. In addition, the bag with the plant can be placed in any part of the garden, placed on pebbles, boards or near the gazebo.

If you have a small plot, pumpkins can be easily grown in plastic bags

Using the same principle, pumpkins are grown in metal and plastic barrels. For cultivation, you should opt for bush or medium-climbing varieties.

For planting, it is better to choose bags with a volume of 100–120 liters. The material must be dense so as not to tear due to the amount of earth. One plant per bag. It is planted in a hole and watered immediately after planting. In the future, artificial watering should be abandoned. Rainwater will be sufficient. There is no need to make additional holes in the bags. Thanks to polyethylene, a greenhouse effect is created, providing heat and the necessary humidity for the plant.

Video: how to grow a pumpkin in a bag

Method of growing on trellises

This method also reduces the area required to grow pumpkins. If in open ground the distance between holes is from 50 to 120 cm, then when grown on trellises the plants are placed at a distance of 30 cm from each other. The gap between the trellises must be at least 1 meter.

When grown on trellises, planting is carried out with seeds in open ground. Place 2-3 seeds into the hole. After germination, one healthy and hardy plant is left. Planting is done after the threat of frost has passed.

Trellis can be made from ordinary slats. A diagonal sheathing is assembled between two-meter posts. It is recommended to fasten the slats together with small nails. Trellis can be placed perpendicular to the ground or placed in the form of a “book”. Pumpkin whips are thrown across the grate.

When grown on a trellis, weak shoots are removed. Only the strong, fruit-bearing ones should remain in the pumpkin. The main stem is pinched above the fifth leaf. Pumpkins grown on a trellis ripen faster and have a sweeter taste, because this way the plant receives more sunlight and heat.

Pumpkins grown on trellises ripen faster

Not every variety is suitable for this method. Mostly nutmeg and hard-barked pumpkins with fruits weighing up to 4 kg are grown on trellises.

Video: pumpkin on trellises

Growing on the balcony

Pumpkins are most often grown on the balcony to decorate the room. In this case, it is worth choosing decorative varieties:

• stellate;
• warty;
• pear-shaped;
• mushroom pumpkin, or turban-shaped pumpkin and others.

Photo gallery: decorative inedible varieties

Fungus pumpkin is a type of large-fruited pumpkin.
The size of the Star Gourd fruit is no more than 15 cm in diameter
The skin of the warty pumpkin is covered with tubercles
Decorative pear-shaped pumpkins can be of different colors

Most ornamental varieties are inedible. This does not mean that the fruit can be poisoned. These pumpkins are simply tasteless or, on the contrary, have too specific a taste. Edible ornamental varieties include:

• Jack-be-little variety;
• variety Sweet Dumpling;
• Baby Boo variety.

To plant pumpkins on the balcony you will need a pot with a volume of at least 10 liters. One third of it is filled with drainage material, for example, expanded clay or pebbles. The rest of the container should be filled with fertile soil. After planting, the pot is placed in a warm place, well lit by the sun.

Decorative varieties of pumpkins are grown on the balcony

In addition to decorative ones, compact bush varieties can be grown on the balcony: Smile, Orange bush and others.

Plant care

Caring for these plants is easy:

• periodically loosen the soil after watering;
• form the main lash;
• systematically weeding, this will increase productivity;
• mulch with straw, sawdust or hay to reduce the amount of weeds in the beds;
• periodically feed the plants;
• inspect the pumpkin for pests and diseases.

Loosening the soil

Pumpkin needs to provide oxygen access to the roots. To do this, loosen the soil after watering or rain. In addition to the holes, the row spacing is also treated. When the soil is subsequently moistened, this will allow water to quickly penetrate the root system.

The soil is loosened after each watering or rain

Formation of the main lash

The vine is formed to increase the yield of the plant. You need to pinch the pumpkin after the first fruit. If this is not done, the plant’s energy will be wasted on the second or third fruit growing on the vine. The pumpkin is designed in such a way that one fruit can be grown on one stem.

Video: how to form a pumpkin lash

Plant nutrition

Pumpkin productivity increases significantly if the plants live in fertile soil. Therefore, fertilizing is necessary. It is advisable to do this in the following order:

1. The first feeding is carried out 7 days after planting the seedlings in open ground. To do this, use organic fertilizers, for example, chicken manure diluted with water in a ratio of 1:4.
2. Subsequent feedings are carried out 2-3 times a month. Organic fertilizers are also used: a solution of wood ash (1 tbsp. ash per 10 liters of water).

In case of prolonged absence of sun, the plant can be fed with urea. For 10 liters of water you will need 10 g of fertilizer.

Diseases and pests

Pumpkin is susceptible to fungal diseases such as anthracnose, white rot and black mold, as well as powdery mildew. Insects are also not averse to spoiling the future harvest. Great harm to plants is caused by slugs, wireworms, aphids, and poduras.

To prevent diseases, it is necessary to follow the planting pattern and frequency of watering. You need to monitor how thick the beds are. Good ventilation of the area often becomes one of the most important conditions for prevention.

If the plants become sick, it is necessary to begin intensive treatment. The pumpkin is sprayed with Bordeaux mixture (1%). Dead plants are removed from the beds and burned.

Diseased plants are sprayed with a solution of Bordeaux mixture

Pests should be dealt with individually:

• slugs are collected by hand. You can use a beer trap: pour beer into a small container and place it near the plants; slugs will crawl to its smell;
• Wireworms can also be lured. At some distance from the pumpkin, you need to bury the root vegetables, cut into pieces. The depth to which the trap is lowered should be about 50 cm. Then the vegetables are destroyed along with the wireworms;
• to get rid of fools, the ground is sprinkled with ash;
• fighting aphids is difficult, but possible. You can use products such as Alatar, Karbofos. Some gardeners advise watering plants with a soap solution: 0.3 kg of laundry soap per 10 liters of water.

Photo gallery: pumpkin pests

Ash will help in the fight against fools
Slugs are collected by hand or using a beer trap
You can get rid of aphids using a solution of laundry soap
Wireworms are lured using root crops buried in the ground

Features of growing pumpkin in the regions

There are no differences in growing pumpkin in central Russia, the Urals, Siberia and Donbass. In any region, plants need to be provided with sufficient light and heat. In areas with short summers, early ripening varieties are planted. In the southern part of the country, varieties with late ripening periods can be grown.