Marble pumpkin: variety characteristics, photos, cultivation and reviews

Marble pumpkin has distinctive features: the surface is covered with veins, the color is emerald green, the peel is wrinkled, as a result of which the variety resembles marble in appearance. The culture belongs to the mid-late crop, quite sweet (13% sugar), rich in microelements, vitamins E, C, A.

marble pumpkin

Marble pumpkin is easy to care for

Marbled pumpkin has juicy sweet pulp

general characteristics

Marbled pumpkin has been grown in Russia for a long period of time, therefore it is considered a famous variety. The popularity of the pumpkin variety is based on the stability of high yield and excellent taste (the pulp is sweet and juicy). After the formation of seedlings, 125-140 days pass before harvesting.

The vines of the plant are quite powerful, long and strong, since the pumpkin is a large-fruited pumpkin. The leaves are uncut, large, dark green. The flowers are bright yellow to attract pollinating insects.

The variety is frost-resistant and drought-resistant, which is why it is grown in almost all regions of the country. Despite this, the crop is heat-loving (in cool weather conditions and lack of light, the level of sugar content decreases and the pulp changes its structure). For this reason, it is better to grow the variety in the south.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of Marble Pumpkin:

high productivity;
fruit size;
unpretentiousness of care;
sweetness;
pleasant aroma and taste;
transportability;
keeping quality;
beautiful appearance;
There is no cracking of the peel.

Flaws:

shade intolerance;
the need for constant fertilization.

Description of fruits

The external characteristics and taste of the Marble Pumpkin depend on climatic and weather conditions, as well as the level of care, so it is impossible to obtain exactly the same vegetables under different factors. The peculiarity of the peel is that it looks quite strong, but cuts easily.

Fruit characteristics:

the taste of the pulp is sweet, unusual;
juiciness – high;
astringency, no sourness;
the aroma increases with storage and has nutmeg notes;
peel color – gray-dark, in a very ripe state – green-gray;
the average weight of pumpkins is 5-10 kg;
shape – round flattened;
the surface of the crust contains specks (occur 7-10 days before full ripening) and veins;
the seeds are creamy in color, size – up to 3 cm;
The structure of the pulp is tender, the color is pronounced orange.

Productivity

Marbled pumpkin is considered a high-yielding variety. With proper care and compliance with agrotechnical requirements, from 1 sq. m you can get up to 20 kg of vegetables.

Use of fruits

The variety is universal, therefore it is used for the following purposes:

preparing first and second courses (porridge, puree soups, casseroles, stews, etc.);
production of juice, baby food;
baking pies, preparing desserts;
adding to salads;
animal feed.

Marble pumpkin is full of useful substances, so the pulp is used in cosmetology (smoothes wrinkles) and medicine (has a positive effect on the liver, improves visual acuity, restores the functionality of the gastrointestinal tract). The seed part is used as food and is used to remove and suppress helminths in the human body (destroys worms).

Description of pumpkin variety “Marble”

The variety in question is a late-ripening variety - it takes 125-135 days from the moment of planting until the fruit ripens completely. In other words, the opportunity to harvest does not appear until the last ten days of summer, and is often postponed until autumn.

Moving on to the description of the fruit, it is important to note first of all its dimensions: the minimum weight of one pumpkin is 6 kg. The color of the peel can be dark gray or green with light splashes. It is thanks to her that the variety got its name. The pulp tastes incredibly sweet (13% sugar), elastic and juicy, many people like its bright orange color (see photo). Housewives note in reviews that the skin of the Marble pumpkin is quite soft, which makes working in the kitchen much easier. Seed size is 1-3 cm.

The photo shows a cross-section of the “Marble” pumpkin

Features of cultivation

The main condition for successful cultivation of Marble Pumpkin is soil fertility. If the soil is poor, you will have to constantly feed it. The area for planting must be prepared in the fall - digging to the depth of a shovel, adding manure or humus.

Preparing the landing site

Productivity largely depends on the chosen location - the area should be well lit, free from drafts and shade. The best soil is loam and sandy loam. If the soil is highly acidic, lime, peat and wood ash are added to it.

How to properly prepare the site:

dig up the soil in the fall, adding organic fertilizers;
in the spring, dig up the soil again (slightly, just to loosen it);
add compost;
to improve drainage properties, it is recommended to add sawdust or sand directly during planting;
To prevent the pumpkin from getting sick, it is advisable to disinfect the soil (you can buy Fundazol or water it with a weak solution of manganese);
remove the root system of weeds and household waste from the site.

Seed preparation

Seed material is prepared a couple of days before planting in the ground or for seedlings. Be sure to manually sort through each grain, discarding damaged, spotted and hollow elements. Marbled pumpkin has a unique property - a high level of germination, which eliminates the need for pre-germination. Therefore, preparatory activities include the following:

warm the seeds at a temperature of 40-45 degrees (can be placed in the oven for 3-4 hours or placed on a heating radiator for 12 hours);
soak the seeds overnight in a solution of wood ash (1 tablespoon mixed with 0.5 liters of warm water), leave in a warm place;
dry the seed material.

Planting seedlings

Pumpkin is grown using seedlings in the northern regions of Russia. For planting seeds, a variety of containers are used - store-bought peat cups, plastic cups, tetrapacks for dairy and fermented milk products. Before adding soil, containers (except peat containers) are thoroughly washed and dried. It is mandatory to make small holes in the bottom for soil drainage.

The following can be used as primer:

Ready-made universal substrate from a specialized store. Such soil has the required level of acidity and is saturated with useful substances, which speeds up the process of grain pecking and improves seedling performance.
Homemade mixture. What you will need: garden soil - 4 parts, sawdust - 1 part, humus - 1 part, wood ash - half a part. To prevent contamination, the prepared composition is disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Rules for planting seeds and growing seedlings:

pour a small layer of pebbles into the prepared container (again for drainage);
add soil almost to the top;
moisten the soil with a spray bottle;
insert 2 seeds;
sprinkle with soil;
cover with thick plastic wrap;
place on the sunny side;
after 10-12 days, add a mineral complex or organic fertilizer;
The seedlings are ready for picking in 20-21 days.

Other rules that are important to follow:

throughout the entire time it is necessary to monitor the level of humidity, periodically watering the seedlings;
when the first shoots hatch, the film is removed;
Daylight hours for seedlings should be 14-16 hours, so in the dark the containers are placed under lamps.

When the first 1-2 leaves appear, it is necessary to thin out the seedlings, that is, remove the weak sprout and leave the strong one. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the healthy root. You can't pull out the shoot. It is cut with nail scissors just below the surface of the soil.

Planting in open ground

Seeds are planted directly on street beds in warm regions. There is no need to germinate the grains, but you should follow the preparation rules. The soil temperature in the garden should vary from 13 to 18 degrees.

Planting steps:

dig holes up to 6 cm deep in the area;
the distance between them should be at least 60 cm, no more than 1 meter;
pour two liters of boiling water into each hole (for disinfection);
when the water is absorbed, place 2 grains at a time;
sprinkle with soil mixed with organic matter (humus);
mulch.

Mulching is necessary to maintain moisture. If frost or a decrease in air temperature is expected, the seeds are covered with film or a plastic bottle.

Watering

The crop needs to be watered until the fruits are half-ripe. At the initial stages, young bushes require about 2 liters of water, then the amount of liquid gradually increases to 5 liters.

It is forbidden to pour water on the leaves - only on the surface of the ground. It is advisable to use rainwater or settled water.

Thinning and weeding

Thinning is carried out after the formation of 3 leaves. It is necessary to adhere to the same rules as when thinning seedlings.

Weeds have a detrimental effect on pumpkin crops - they spread infections, collect insects, infect them with diseases, and absorb moisture and nutrients. For these reasons, weeds are destroyed.

You need to pull out the grass every week until the vines and pumpkin foliage cover the entire area. Along with weeding, loosening is also carried out. It is advisable to do these procedures after watering the next day.

Feeding

This is an important agrotechnical condition. Fertilizers are applied 2 times a month. For this purpose, the Marbled Pumpkin’s favorite fertilizer, mullein, is usually used. It is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:20.

Additionally, you can use growth stimulants, nettle tincture, aloe juice, yeast solutions, chicken droppings, and onion peel decoction.

Bush formation

The lashes of this pumpkin are quite long, so high-quality formation of the bush is required:

it is advisable to remove stepchildren;
You cannot leave more than 3 fruits on each stem;
if the whip is very long, it is pinched;
The lashes also need to be sprinkled with soil, which eliminates the risk of tangling.

Recommendations from gardeners

Growing Tips:

It is necessary to follow the rules of crop rotation. You cannot grow Marble Pumpkin after cucumbers, squash and zucchini. The best previous vegetable is onion, legumes.
If seedlings are grown in greenhouse conditions, be sure to install a ventilation system or open the greenhouse for ventilation. Otherwise, the risk of fungal diseases increases.
It is necessary to irrigate the beds in the evening or early morning. It is strictly forbidden to water the crop during the day, as sunburn is possible.
Do not allow excessive moisture, this leads to rot.
The variety loves mineral supplements, so add a solution of wood ash.
It is advisable to loosen to a depth of 7-10 cm.
It is allowed to fertilize the soil until mid-August, no more.

Further care

Further care for the muscat species includes thinning, watering, weeding and fertilizing.

Thinning

When 3 leaves appear on the plants, the plantings are thinned out, leaving only one of the 2-3 planted sprouts, the strongest, and the rest are removed. At the same time, they are not pulled out to avoid damage to the root system, but cut off.

Watering

The variety loves moisture

The marbled species loves moisture, so after planting, the seeds are watered every day until sprouts appear. A grown pumpkin requires watering as the soil dries out; the volume of water increases to 5 liters per bush. Water is poured strictly under the roots, and before the procedure the ground is loosened without touching the root system.

Weeding

Removing weeds directly affects the size of future fruits. Weeds take a large share of mineral nutrition, causing damage to developing young shoots. Weeding also makes it possible to clear the space between vegetables and increases air flow to the roots.

Top dressing

For the full development of the variety, fertilizing with fertilizers is important, because he loves fertile land. Fertilizing is carried out 3 weeks after planting:

Initially, vegetables are fertilized with solutions made from chicken droppings or mullein;
at the stage of formation of inflorescences and the appearance of fruits, they use a similar fertilizer, adding wood ash and mineral complexes to it.

Soils that are poor in minerals are fed several times a month.

Diseases and pests

Marbled pumpkin is not a pampered crop, therefore, if agricultural practices are followed, it is not subject to disease and attack from pests and insects. Under other conditions, the following diseases most often occur and affect the following pests:

Powdery mildew is characterized by a white coating on the leaf blade. The drug Topaz, a colloidal sulfur solution, will help get rid of it.
Bacteriosis covers the plant with brown spots. Treatment is spraying with copper-based preparations.
White fungal rot is localized on the above-ground part of the crop and is distinguished by a flake-like coating. To eliminate the disease, treatment with a solution of copper sulfate (0.5%) is required.
Spider mites are easily recognized because the insect forms webs on the plant. For treatment, insecticides and folk remedies (alkaline garlic or onion tincture) are used.
The melon aphid is localized on the ovaries and leaves on the inside. For the fight, the same means are used as in the previous case.
Slugs eat ovaries, flowers, leaves, and stems. You can get rid of them using traps. To do this, wet rags and cabbage leaves are laid out next to the bush.

As preventive measures against diseases and pests, you need to do the following:

adhere to the rules of agricultural technology and crop rotation;
plant peppers and tobacco next to the pumpkin;
do not plant the pumpkin densely;
monitor the level of soil moisture;
feed with fertilizers to increase the plant’s immunity;
remove infected items daily;
disinfect seeds, soil, planting containers;
pull out weeds.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The pulp of “Kroshka” is much sweeter than that of most varieties. This pumpkin has other benefits:

thanks to the dense rind and pulp, the fruits have good shelf life and can be transported over long distances without problems;
high immunity to most diseases, in particular to anthracnose;
frost resistance - tolerates short-term frosts well;
pleasant taste and honey aroma;
undemanding to care;
stable yield.

Flaws:

medium-sized fruits - but this is a subjective minus, since many people like the small size of the fruits;
unpresentable appearance - due to the gray rind, this pumpkin is not used for decorative purposes, it is intended exclusively for table use;
may be affected by powdery mildew.

Reviews

★★★★★
Nikita Dyshkant, 29 years old. I grow marble pumpkin for myself and for sale.
This is quite a profitable option, since the variety is high-yielding and very sweet. Over the years, I have already gotten used to proper care and I want to say that there is no need to over-feed the crop, it is enough to apply fertilizer 3-4 times per season. I leave no more than 4 fruits on the stems, but if I need them to be large, then only a couple of pieces remain. ★★★★★
Valentina Pesik-Volkhovskaya, 51 years old. I saw a marble pumpkin for the first time at an exhibition, and I was amazed by its appearance.
When I tried it, I was also surprised at how sweet and aromatic it was. I juice the fruits, serve the puree for my granddaughter, and prepare sweet porridge. But I don’t like it for main courses - it’s too much sugar. I grow it using the seed method and immediately sow it into the soil. The only thing that upsets me is the need for digging both in the fall and in the spring. Maybe there is another way, but I haven't tried it. Hide

Add your review

Marble pumpkin not only has an attractive appearance, but also excellent taste, which is why it is very popular. If you follow the rules of cultivation and care, you can get the maximum yield in one season. It is also important to follow the storage rules, otherwise the fruits will rot.

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Harvest and storage

Harvesting of the mid-season muscat variety usually occurs at the end of summer, and in unfavorable climate regions it does not begin until autumn. Before harvesting vegetables, perform certain actions:

wait until the pumpkin leaves dry completely;
choose a warm and clear day to collect vegetables;
when trimming the stalk, leave a tail at least 4 cm long.

Whole and undamaged vegetables are selected for storage. To preserve vegetables, choose a dry room where the temperature does not drop below 12 °C. If these conditions are met, the vegetable retains its visual appeal and gastronomic value for 1 year.