Description and varieties of royal honey pumpkin

Vegetable growing » Pumpkin

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Kira Stoletova

Every summer resident grows pumpkin, because this crop has unique beneficial properties and is an excellent product for preparing delicious dishes.

Honey pumpkin

Honey pumpkin has earned great popularity among gardeners due to several qualities - early ripening, unusual honey taste and ease of cultivation.

Description of the variety

Positive characteristics include:

• honey taste and aroma;
• standard size fruits - 3-4 kg;
• unpretentiousness in care and cultivation;
• good shelf life and preservation of presentation;
• among all varieties and hybrids it has the most juicy and sweet pulp.

This crop has two drawbacks - almost all varieties grow poorly under the sun, which is why they wither, dry out and stop bearing fruit.

The second point is that all varieties are long-climbing, so when grown they require a lot of space on the site.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any product, honey pumpkins have both advantages and disadvantages. The list of advantages includes:

• good weight;
• sweet, rich pulp;
• unpretentiousness in care (watering and fertilizing);
• aroma and aftertaste of honey.

The disadvantages include:

• lack of immunity to many diseases;
• frequent burns when exposed to direct sunlight; long loops.

Varieties

Thanks to the work of breeders, many interesting varieties of Honey Pumpkin have appeared.

All of them have a pronounced nutmeg taste, but differ significantly in appearance, shape and characteristics:

1. Honey openwork. The pulp is sweet, tasty, and is used for preparing various culinary dishes. One of the varieties suitable for dietary nutrition and complementary feeding of babies. The fruits are round, ribbed, with thick skin, weighing from 3 to 6 kg.
2. Honey beauty. The description states that this is the most delicious variety. The pumpkins are round with distinct segments. Average weight is 5 kg. The skin is orange in color with green spots. An early ripening hybrid with fruit ripening in about 90 days.
3. Pumpkin of the Honey Orange variety has juicy and sweet pulp, suitable for fresh consumption. The largest fruit weight is 2 kg. The pulp is orange, easy to process. Ripens in 4 months. The variety is climbing, so it requires a lot of space on the site.
4. Pumpkin Honey crumble. The fruits are round in shape, ash-colored with pale pink spots. Average weight 3-3.5 kg. Under the thick skin there is dense, bright orange pulp. The crumb tastes very sweet.
5. Honey fairy tale. The fruits are medium size - about 3-4 kg. Ripe pumpkins have a uniform orange color. The pulp is very sweet.
6. Honey August. The fruits have an oval pear-shaped shape. The skin is dark green with light green patches. The thick, smooth skin contains orange, very sweet, crispy flesh. The fruits of the Honey August variety are rich in vitamins, minerals and contain a large amount of carotene.
7. Honey dessert. The fruits are orange in color, round in shape, slightly flattened. The pulp is sweet. There is a small depression in the stalk area. Reaches large sizes - from 5 to 10 kg.
8. Honey Princess is a large-fruited pumpkin with a bright orange color. The shape is round, slightly flattened, weight varies from 3 to 10 kg. This is a climbing variety that ripens in 4-4.5 months.
9. Honey Tokyo f1. Mid-season hybrid with ash-colored skin. The fruits are round or oval in shape, slightly ribbed, weighing from 2.5 to 3.5 kg. The pulp is medium density, yellow in color. The yield is average - up to 20 kg of vegetables can be harvested from one plant. The variety is intended for universal use in cooking.

The best varieties of hard-bark pumpkin

Features of cultivation

Good care will provide you with a rich harvest

Successful cultivation of honey pumpkin depends on quality material, proper planting and care of the pumpkin patch.

Seed preparation

Pumpkin seeds have very good germination over several years. But still, it is better to use fresh ones for planting - this will ensure a high-quality and abundant harvest.

For hybrid varieties, seed material is purchased in the year of planned planting. Last year's seeds are also suitable for planting regular ones.

The key to successful cultivation will be the choice of high-quality material that does not contain mechanical damage, signs of mold, yellowness and diseases.

The seeds can be dipped in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour. Such etching will kill all pathogenic microflora.

Deadlines

Depending on the growing region, the seeds are planted in seedling containers or in a garden bed.

In the regions of the Middle and Central zone, the seedling method is used, since during the short summer the pumpkin does not have time to ripen on the bushes.

Honey pumpkin seeds are planted in containers or seedling boxes 3 weeks before planting in the garden. The Kroshka and Orange varieties do not tolerate the transplantation procedure well, so they are planted in peat pots or plastic cups.

Seedling cultivation

Planting containers are filled with a nutrient composition - garden soil mixed with humus or compost.

The seeds are planted to a depth of 0.5 cm, then covered with soil, slightly squashing. The crops are irrigated from above with a spray bottle and covered with transparent material - film, glass.

During the growing process, seedlings are provided with stable heat within 23-25°, moderate humidity - about 60% and regular ventilation and irrigation from a spray bottle.

If everything is done correctly, then after 14-20 days the seeds will produce their first shoots. Then the cover is removed and the seedlings continue to be watered periodically.

Transplantation of plants directly with planting containers into open ground is carried out when spring frosts have passed.

In the Middle and Central zones, this period occurs in the middle or end of May, in the south - the end of April or the beginning of May. By this time, the plants will produce 3 leaves, which is a prerequisite for successful transplantation.

Planting in open ground

The technique for planting seeds in open ground is quite simple:

• the soil is fertilized with humus 2 weeks before planting the seeds - per 1 sq. m. add a bucket of fertilizer, then dig it up and level it;
• dig grooves or holes at a distance of about 80-100 cm from each other;
• 1-2 seeds are lowered into each hole to a depth of 6-8 cm, sprinkled with soil and irrigated with a sprinkler.

Features of planting pumpkins on the site

Summer residents recommend taking seeds for planting collected last year, as the yield is higher and disease resistance is stronger.

Gardeners who have been growing the crop for a long time know that it does not require much space. Therefore, they grow it along the edge of the plot at the boundary or near buildings

It is important to provide supports for weaving if there is not a lot of free space

The shorter the summer, the less likely it is that the pumpkin will ripen on the bushes. For this, summer residents recommend growing it in seedlings. Seeds are sown in advance 20-25 days before planting in a permanent place. It should be remembered that the Honey Crumb and Honey Orange varieties categorically do not tolerate transplantation.

Features of care

Fertilizing has a positive effect on fruiting

Honey pumpkin loves good and timely care:

1. Watering. Regular moistening of the soil around the bushes will ensure their intensive growth, development, lush flowering and high-quality fruiting. Water the bushes as the soil dries out - no more than 2 times a week. During the period of budding and formation of ovaries, plants should be watered more often.
2. After each watering, surface loosening of the soil is carried out to prevent the formation of an earthen crust on the surface. Along with loosening, weeds are removed, which choke the plantings and take away all the nutrients from useful vegetation.
3. You can also add mulch from peat and humus to the area of ​​the central stem to additionally nourish the bushes and prevent the soil from drying out.
4. It is unlikely that you will be able to get a good harvest of pumpkins without fertilizing. When growing this crop on sandy soil, a mixture of superphosphate, wood ash and humus should be added. When planting plants on loam, a mixture of potassium, superphosphate, wood ash and ammonium nitrate is added to each hole. For 200 g of ash take 20 g of phosphorus and 10 g of nitrate.
5. The formation of the bush is carried out taking into account climatic conditions - in regions with a harsh climate, no more than 2 ovaries are left on one plant, in the regions of the Middle and Central zone - it is enough to leave 3-4 pumpkins on one vine. In the south, formation is not carried out at all. All branches that do not have ovaries are completely removed so that they do not deprive the fruitful shoots of strength and nutrients. At the top of the shoot, the last fruit ovaries and a few leaves are left, and the growth point is pinched off.

Application and beneficial properties of the plant

Pumpkin is used for various purposes. Porridge is cooked and the puree is used as part of the diet. For small children it is used as the first complementary food. It does not cause an allergic reaction in the body.

Not only the pulp of the vegetable is useful, but also its seeds. They are anthelmintic. For men over 40 years old, eating seeds will help alleviate the symptoms of prostatitis. Prostate adenoma is also treated using the seeds of the culture. They are crushed, mixed with honey and eaten on an empty stomach in the morning.

Growing a pumpkin is not at all difficult; if the summer is warm, then it will not require any extra effort or time.

Diseases and pests

In conditions of poor care and cultivation, this crop can suffer from powdery mildew, fusarium, and mosaic.

To prevent infection, you should regularly inspect the bushes for signs of disease, avoid dense plantings, and remove leaves that block the plants’ access to the sun.

For preventive purposes, bushes are sprinkled with wood ash, and diseased plants are treated with fungicides - copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture.

In the fight against parasites such as aphids, spider mites, and caterpillars, use garlic infusion, ash-soap solution or hot pepper infusion.

Treatment against diseases and pests is carried out a month before harvest. Heavily infected bushes are removed from the site and burned.

Pumpkin care in the Moscow region

Caring for a pumpkin is simple and consists mainly of watering and fertilizing. It is necessary to loosen the soil at first, accompanying the loosening by removing weeds. As the bushes grow, loosening becomes impossible, and the weeds disappear somewhere on their own.

In the conditions of the Moscow region, pumpkins have to be watered infrequently: natural precipitation is usually sufficient. Therefore, adult plants are watered only as needed: they themselves signal a lack of moisture by wilting leaves, this happens during a period of prolonged absence of rain. Pumpkin needs water most of all during flowering and intensive fruit growth. But at any time we must remember that waterlogging of the soil is unacceptable: it is even worse than drying out.

Usually watered in the evening, with water heated by the sun's rays during the day. As soon as fruit growth slows down and they enter the ripening phase, watering is almost stopped, adding water only in case of extreme drought. Plants will have enough moisture that their powerful roots find at depth on their own.

Pumpkins are fed at least twice: the first time - in the phase of 5-6 leaves and the second time - shortly after the end of flowering. To fertilize, dig shallow trenches with a hoe in places where the plants allow it. Fertilize with any complete mineral fertilizer (applying approximately 15 g per plant) or with an infusion of organic matter (for example, a bucket of mullein is filled with water, left for a day, then diluted several times with water and distributed among 5–8 bushes). Periodically, the soil around the bushes is sprinkled with wood ash.

It is convenient to use ready-made fertilizers in fertilizing

In addition to these usual gardener techniques, it is advisable to shape pumpkin bushes so that excess green mass does not grow, and nutrients are spent on the nucleation and growth of fruits. When the main stem grows to a length of about 1.5 m, it is pinched, stimulating the growth of side shoots, on which pumpkins will grow. Only 2–3 shoots are left on the bush, and one fruit is allowed to grow on each (unless otherwise indicated in the description of the variety).

As the side shoots grow, they are pinned to the ground at a distance of 50–70 cm from the base, allowing additional roots to appear. As stated, pumpkins are often allowed to grow vertically. In this case, as soon as the fruits reach the size of a large apple, they are tied to supports in any way so that they do not fall. You can use any large mesh for this. If the plants are not erected on supports, then planks or plywood are placed under the growing fruits to prevent rotting from contact with the ground. As soon as the fruits reach a size sufficient for the variety, all the leaves covering them are removed to allow access to sunlight.

Under conditions of proper agricultural technology, pumpkin plants rarely get sick, but in the event of an invasion of pests or diseases, the yield is sharply reduced.

For preventive purposes, various chemical and biological agents are used to protect pumpkins, but ordinary summer residents try to do without this, limiting themselves to the timely destruction of plant debris and weed control. Usually these measures are enough, but if signs of disease appear, they try to use herbal remedies or folk remedies that are harmless to humans. Only as a last resort does it come to the use of pesticides, and then gardeners try to limit themselves to the safest ones, like Bordeaux mixture.

Collection and storage

It is difficult to predict the amount of honey pumpkin harvest - it all depends on the soil, climatic conditions, and variety. But if you follow all the care rules, you definitely won’t be left without a pumpkin.

Storage methods:

• in the basement or cellar;
• in apartment conditions on a glazed balcony with a temperature in the range of 5-15°;
• in the refrigerator (to prevent chapping, the pumpkins are wrapped in cling film or greased with vegetable oil);
• You can place the fruits, chopped into pieces, in the freezer - when frozen, they do not lose their taste and beneficial qualities throughout the year.

During temporary storage in the open air, vegetables must be covered with an awning or any non-woven material to provide protection from the scorching sun.

It is also important that the fruits do not touch each other, otherwise they will quickly begin to rot where they touch.

If the vegetable is intended for quick consumption, it is placed in a room at room temperature, where it will ripen faster and acquire the necessary sweetness.

Advantages and disadvantages

The variety is resistant to various diseases

The Russian pumpkin variety is rated positively by gardeners. This is a valuable product with a unique taste that deserves attention. Its advantages include:

• the variety is undemanding to the mechanical composition of the soil and its fertility;
• almost all fruits are the same size;
• easy to grow;
• has good fruiting and early ripening, unlike other varieties;
• has resistance to various diseases;
• transports well and is stored until the next harvest.

The only drawback of pumpkin is that the seeds are often of poor quality. They may be empty or damaged.

Recommendations for growing pumpkins

Even an inexperienced gardener can grow a pumpkin crop. But it’s still better to study the plant’s “requirements” for care in advance.

Watering

Thanks to its developed root system, pumpkin tolerates drought well, but nevertheless needs frequent and abundant watering. The fact that the time has come for the next irrigation can be judged by drooping leaves that have lost their tone.

In the first week, pumpkin seedlings transplanted into the garden bed are watered every day. As soon as it begins to grow, moisture is reduced to the required minimum until fruit ovaries the size of a child’s fist are formed. After this, watering is resumed, starting with 3–5 liters per plant and gradually increasing the rate to 10–12 liters.

Pumpkin is a moisture-loving crop; both seedlings and plants need regular watering during fruit ripening

The water must be warm. This stimulates the formation of more female flowers. Cold weather can trigger the development of root rot.

Then it is advisable to loosen the soil well to a depth of about 10 cm. At the same time, add soil to the base of the vines, giving the plants a certain stability.

Top dressing

When it comes to feeding, pumpkin prefers natural organic matter. You need to be very careful with nitrogen fertilizers - their excess stimulates the plant to actively form green mass to the detriment of the fruits, increases the content of nitrates in the pulp and reduces its sugar content.

The pumpkin is fertilized for the first time 7–10 days after planting in the ground. Then continue feeding at the same interval. Plants are watered with an infusion of fresh cow manure, bird droppings, nettle or dandelion leaves. Before use, it is filtered, diluted with water, and 10–15 g of simple superphosphate and potassium sulfate are added. The fertilizer is poured into ring grooves with a diameter of 40–50 cm, then they are covered with earth again. For variety, you can use an infusion of wood ash.

Pumpkin loves nettle infusion, like any other organic fertilizer.

Formation

When the stem reaches 1 m in length, the top of the plant is pinched, stimulating the development of lateral shoots. As the vines grow, remove the “stepchildren” (axillary shoots) as soon as they reach 5–7 cm.

As they grow, it is advisable to direct the emerging lashes to the south, pinning them to the ground in the desired position with pieces of wire. On each of them, no more than two or three ovaries are left (for especially large-fruited varieties - one) and the excess leaves that cover it from the sun are cut off. A piece of plywood, glass, or roofing felt is placed under each fruit to protect it from rotting and other fungal diseases.

Video: pinching pumpkin vines

Pollination

Pollination of a pumpkin, especially if it grows in a greenhouse or under covering material, is best done independently. There is no particular hope for insects even when the summer is cool and rainy. To do this, you need to pick 2-3 male flowers (they can be easily identified by the absence of an ovary), tear off the petals and run the anthers several times over the stigmas of the female flowers. The best time for the procedure is not too early in the morning (09:00–10:00) on a warm, windless day.

Pumpkin pollination is best done manually and over several days in a row.

Typical mistakes of a novice gardener

Often the gardener himself is to blame for the lack of harvest. The most common mistakes:

• The largest seeds are used for planting. Powerful lashes grow from them, but fruits set very reluctantly. Seeds are selected based on their weight - the heavier the better;
• dense plantings. Pumpkin, which has a powerful root system, needs sufficient area for nutrition. The required minimum is 3 m².
• seed planting depth. The colder the region, the less you need to bury the seeds, especially in a rainy spring;
• choosing a landing site. Often, in order to save space on the site, pumpkins are planted under fruit trees. In this case, there will be enough light for it, but the much-needed frequent and abundant watering can lead to the death of the tree due to rotting of the roots;
• planting on a compost heap. This method is quite justified in the Urals and Siberia, where there is often not enough heat in the summer. But you need to take into account that the flesh of these pumpkins will be loose and not particularly sweet. And they are no different in keeping quality.

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