How to grow a pumpkin in the Moscow region in open ground


Growing pumpkins in open ground near Moscow

It is difficult to imagine the garden beds of Russian household plots without such a crop as pumpkin. And in the vegetable gardens near Moscow in the fall, bright spots of these fruits of various shapes and colors are clearly visible among the withered tops.

It would seem that growing a pumpkin in open ground in the Moscow region is not at all difficult, and many gardeners, after planting, limit themselves to minimal attention and care for the vegetable. Indeed, early-ripening, but not the sweetest and long-stored pumpkins can be harvested already in the last days of August and September. But orange large-fruited beauties and fragrant nutmeg pumpkins do not always ripen if you neglect agricultural technology.

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

How and when to plant pumpkin seedlings?

To obtain a friendly and maximum early harvest, which is very important when growing mid-season and late varieties of pumpkins in open ground near Moscow, it is better to plant them using seedlings. To do this, large filled seeds are immersed in warm water a couple of days before sowing and kept at a temperature of 45–50 °C for about three hours. Then the seed is removed and at room temperature, the seeds located between the layers of damp fabric are waited for to hatch. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the moisture does not evaporate, because a dried out sprout germ can quickly die.

As soon as the valves have opened slightly, the seed can be planted in the soil.

But for late-ripening pumpkins and seedlings that are at risk of spring frosts, it would be better to stratify the seeds in advance. Why should the sprouted seeds, in the same humid environment, be placed in the refrigerator? Here, at a temperature of 2 to 5 °C, the planting material is hardened and held for 3–4 days.

It is optimal to plant pumpkin seedlings three weeks before the young plants enter the ground. That is, using this growing method brings the pumpkin harvesting time in the Moscow region closer by at least 10–15 days.

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

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

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

Pumpkin seedlings for growing in open ground near Moscow require moderate but regular watering and good lighting. If there is not enough natural light, add additional lighting, which will also prevent the sprouts from stretching and weakening excessively.

At a week of age, the seedlings receive the first fertilizing with nitrogen, for which 250–300 ml of mullein solution or nitrophoska in the concentration specified by the manufacturer is used per plant.

By the time pumpkin seedlings grown for open ground in the Moscow region fall into the soil, they have several true leaves of a rich green color and a strong, upright trunk. The time when pumpkin seedlings are planted in open ground comes with the departure of spring frosts from the Moscow region.

Between plants of bush varieties, gaps of 70–100 cm are left; to ensure nutrition for large plants that form powerful vines, it is better to leave 1.5 meters.

Caring for pumpkins in open ground

If you want to get an early harvest, as well as if there is a risk of flooding of the area for pumpkins, use high ridges.

The simplest way is to plant a pumpkin on an embankment about 10–15 cm high. In this case, the soil warms up better and faster, and the plant that finds itself in new conditions tolerates replanting more easily. The soil must be moist, nutritious and loose, and the planted pumpkin seedlings must be watered and covered with film or non-woven material.

Caring for pumpkin in open ground begins from the moment of planting and does not stop until harvest. To ensure that moisture evaporates more slowly from the soil surface, weeds do not grow, and the soil is warm, the beds around the sprouts are mulched with straw. In the summer months, if the weather turns out to be rainy, such protection will prevent the ovaries and already ripening fruits from rotting.

The choice of planting site is also important for obtaining an early harvest. Not only does the crop require nutritious, loose soil rich in organic matter, the beds must be well lit and protected from cold winds. For varieties that form powerful vines, fences and walls of buildings become such protection and a kind of trellis.

For active and rapid growth of pumpkins grown in the open ground of the Moscow region, one cannot do without regular fertilizing. Moreover, it is better to apply fertilizer not at the root, but at some distance from the plant, in a ring-shaped trench. Its depth increases from 8 to 12 cm as the bush develops. When the plant is still small, for the first feeding at the stage of several true leaves, such a depression is made at a distance of 15–20 cm from the stem. Then a hole is made at a distance of 40 cm. All subsequent feedings are carried out in this way with an interval of 7–10 days.

When applying fertilizers, you need to try not to get the solution on flowers, leaves and other green parts of the plant, as this can cause burns. At the end of the procedure, the gutter is covered with soil. At the initial stages of pumpkin development in open ground, care includes fertilizing with organic matter, which provokes rapid growth of greenery. A week after planting, the seedlings are watered with the following solution:

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

As they grow, mineral supplements are introduced, and by harvest, nitrogen fertilizing is practically eliminated and the proportion of potassium in fertilizers is increased. This measure will not allow the fruits to accumulate nitrates, but will give them the opportunity to form well and bring closer the moment when pumpkins ripen in the Moscow region. Pumpkin also responds well to foliar feeding, for which you can use ready-made universal-action products.

Caring for pumpkin in open ground cannot be effective if the plant is limited in its ability to receive moisture. Watering, especially at first, before the pumpkin has grown green mass, is extremely important. They may be rare, but not superficial. The roots, located at a depth of up to 40 cm, must receive enough moisture to ensure the development of a large and abundantly fruiting plant. In this case, the water for irrigation is taken to be aged and warm.

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

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

Forming a pumpkin in open ground

When growing pumpkin in open ground in the Moscow region, it is difficult to get a decent, early harvest if you do not shape and limit the growth of the plants. If for bush varieties you can limit yourself to removing female flowers during the period when a sufficient amount of ovary has already formed on the plant, then with a pumpkin that produces long powerful lashes you will have to do something different.

At the moment when the main shoot of the pumpkin has 5-6 true leaves, the stem is pinched, which stimulates:

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

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

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

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

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

Therefore, it is not recommended to leave more than 2-3 fruits on large-fruited varieties.

When does pumpkin ripen in the Moscow region?

With proper care of pumpkins in the open ground, in the middle zone, early and mid-ripening varieties ripen well, producing not too large fruits.

For gardeners who make every effort to grow large-fruited varieties and nutmeg pumpkins, famous for their delicious taste and aroma, it is important not to miss the moment of harvest and know exactly how to determine that the pumpkin is ripe.

There are several signs that the fetus is ready:

  • By the time they ripen, the stem of the pumpkin becomes coarser and becomes like a dry plug.
  • The vines and leaves begin to turn yellow and wither.
  • The bark changes color and a pattern characteristic of the variety appears on it. Although there are plants that produce gray, green, and cream pumpkins, most varieties produce orange or all shades of yellow fruit.
  • Not only the color of the peel changes, but also its hardness. While the bark of an ovary can be easily damaged by a fingernail or a rough whip, the bark of a pumpkin ripened in the Moscow region becomes extremely durable.

And although the most delicious fruits are those that have ripened in the sun, it is important to harvest the crop before the onset of persistent cold weather.

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

Therefore, no matter how the summer resident cares for the pumpkin in the open ground, it is better to remove the unripe fruits from the garden at the first doubt. Frosts can cause serious damage to even mature fruits, reducing their quality and shelf life.

Pumpkins intended for storage are cut off, leaving a stalk at least 4–6 cm long, sorted and left to dry. After 8–10 days of staying in a dry, warm room or outdoors, under a canopy, if the weather permits, the fruits ripen, the bark hardens, and the cut on the cutting dries out. If the nights are cold, as happens when pumpkins ripen in the Moscow region in September or early October, the fruits are covered with hay or non-woven material. Unripe pumpkins are ripened indoors, which may take from 10 days to 1.5 months.

Planting pumpkin seedlings in open ground - video

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In the Urals

It is preferable to choose the seedling method. The Urals have short and cool summers. To ensure that growing and caring for a plant in open ground does not cause much trouble, you need to choose the right variety.

It is advisable to focus on early varieties, such as:

  • Sweetie;
  • Dacha;
  • Bush gold.

The Ural range has a large extent, so there are strong differences in climate depending on the region. There can be snow there even in summer. It is advisable to plant at the end of the first ten days of June. And sowing seeds should be done at the end of the second ten days of May.

Bush varieties are more suitable for open ground. And long climbing stems are poorly affected by unfavorable weather. On the bush you need to form 1 main shoot, as well as 1 side shoot. 1–2 ovaries are left on each.

Agricultural technology for growing zucchini

Planting zucchini

To plant zucchini, choose a sunny place protected from cold winds, preferably on the southwestern and southern slopes. The higher the illumination, the sooner fruiting occurs and the higher the yield.

The predecessors for the crop can be any vegetables except pumpkin. After them, plants are not recommended to be planted for 3 years, which will avoid the accumulation of diseases in the soil.

Zucchini develops well in fertile, humus-rich soil with a neutral reaction. In the fall, the area for it is filled with organic matter and, if necessary, limed. If fertilizers were not applied during the autumn digging, in the spring 10-15 kg of compost, 50-60 g of superphosphate, and a little wood ash are added per 1 m2.

Seeds begin to germinate at +12-15°C, seedlings do not tolerate frost, which determines the timing of planting zucchini. They are planted in open ground no earlier than the end of May; to extend the period of consumption of fresh fruits, sowing is carried out several times with an interval of 5-6 days.

To speed up the germination of seeds, they are pre-soaked in a solution of mineral fertilizers or a growth stimulant for 24 hours, or germinated until they hatch, or kept for 5 hours in warm (50°C) water.

Plants are placed according to a 70x50 cm pattern, no more than 3 pcs. per 1 m2. When planting, place a handful of humus and ash and 3-4 seeds in each hole. Subsequently, only one, the most developed specimen is left in the hole. Seeds are buried 5-7 cm, on heavy soils - 3-5 cm.

For early consumption, they use growing zucchini in a greenhouse and under film cover, as well as planting seedlings.

Planting and growing zucchini seedlings

Growing zucchini seedlings allows you not only to get the first fruits earlier, but also to increase the overall yield.

For planting, use purchased soil with a high humus content and a neutral reaction, or prepare a soil mixture, the approximate composition of which is 50% peat, 20% turf soil, 20% humus, 10% sawdust. For high acidity, add chalk or ash.

Pre-prepared seeds are sown in separate containers or peat pots, 1 piece each. 20-30 days before the expected landing. For cultivation in greenhouses and under film covers, zucchini seedlings are planted in early April, for open ground - in early May.

Before emergence, the temperature should not be lower than 20-22 °C, then, to prevent the seedlings from stretching, it is reduced to 13-15 °C at night and 15-18 °C during the day for 5-6 days, after which it is raised again to 20-20 °C. 22 °C.

Feed with mineral fertilizers (5-7 g of superphosphate and 2-3 g of urea per 1 liter of water) or mullein solution, the first time 10 days after germination, the second time a week later. If the soil is sufficiently filled with nutrients, one feeding is enough, a week before planting. At the age of 30 days, seedlings are transferred to greenhouses and under shelters in early May, and into open ground in early June. Replant with a clod of earth so as not to damage the root system, and deepen to the cotyledons.

Care and agricultural technology of zucchini in open ground, in greenhouses and on the balcony

After germination or planting of zucchini seedlings in the ground, growing and caring for them involves timely watering, weeding, loosening and fertilizing.

In the phase of 4-5 leaves, the stem is slightly hilled, which promotes the development of additional lateral roots. Before the leaves close, the plant needs several weedings and loosening.

Feed twice, during flowering and at the beginning of fruiting, using a solution of organic or mineral: phosphorus, potassium, and in the first feeding, nitrogen fertilizers. Zucchini does not tolerate fertilizers containing chlorine.

In central Russia, the cultivation of zucchini in open ground on an industrial scale is carried out without irrigation, but a prolonged lack of water affects the harvest. In garden plots and summer cottages, plants are watered once a week with warm water, which is especially necessary immediately after planting seedlings, during flowering and mass harvesting. Watering and fertilizing help increase the size of fruits and prevent their premature ripening. Watering is stopped 7-10 days before final harvesting.

When growing zucchini in greenhouses, caring for them is in many ways similar to open ground farming techniques. A special feature is the need for frequent ventilation to maintain humidity at 60-70% and temperature +24-26°C during the day and +14-15°C at night, otherwise the plants may shed their ovaries en masse. If the bushes grow strongly, part of the leaves in the middle or lower part is removed to improve ventilation.

To attract pollinating insects, zucchini can be sprayed with a solution of sugar and boric acid. This technique is especially relevant for increasing yield in greenhouses and greenhouses.

When using compact, early-ripening varieties that are resistant to unfavorable conditions, it is possible to grow zucchini on a balcony or loggia. The early varieties Beloplodnye, Anchor, Roller, hybrid Belogor, and almost all zoned zucchini varieties are suitable for these purposes: Aeronaut, Zebra, Tsukkesha. All of them are compact, relatively cold-resistant, and tolerate soil and air drought.

Plants are planted in pots with a diameter of at least 10 cm or in boxes at a distance of 50-70 cm, with seeds or seedlings according to the rules described above.

Further agricultural technology is similar to growing in a greenhouse or open ground.

In the absence of pollinating insects, zucchini is pollinated by hand, transferring pollen from male flowers to the stigmas of female flowers. After the first frost, the plants are removed, the containers are washed and disinfected.

Harvesting for all types of cultivation is carried out 2 times a week, the fruits are picked when they reach a size of 15-20 cm. A delay in harvesting causes the zucchini to become overripe, which reduces the number of new ovaries and sharply reduces the overall yield.

Varieties for planting seedlings

In many ways, the yield of a vegetable depends on the selected variety. They all differ in the taste of the pulp, the size and shape of the fruit, the color of the peel, and susceptibility to diseases. When choosing seeds for planting, the weather conditions in the growing region are taken into account. If the climate is temperate or cool, greenhouses or greenhouses are used to grow heat-loving varieties.

Of all the existing types of pumpkin, only three are grown in vegetable growing:

  1. The common or hard-boiled pumpkin has a short growing season. Fruits with a hard crust ripen within four months after emergence. The plant tolerates low temperatures well. Its only drawback is the poor keeping quality of the fruit.
  2. Large-fruited pumpkins have an oval or round shape with a thick layer of tasty pulp. Their crust does not become woody. In suitable conditions, the crop is well preserved until the beginning of spring.
  3. Heat-loving nutmeg varieties of the vegetable have the sweetest pulp. Their fruits are elongated, resembling a pear. In regions with cool climates, nutmeg varieties are grown in greenhouses and greenhouses.

Popular varieties of ordinary pumpkin:

  1. “Gribovo bush” pumpkin ripens early. It produces medium-sized fruits weighing up to 5 kg, covered with a light orange crust with green stripes. Dark yellow, dense pulp with a sweet aftertaste.
  2. The heat-loving variety "Crookneck Scrooge" has pear-shaped fruits with pinkish or cream-colored sweet and juicy pulp, covered with an orange or yellow crust with large tubercles.
  3. The early ripening variety “Biruchekutskaya 27” produces oval or cylindrical fruits, covered with a thick yellow-orange crust with brownish spots. Their flesh is dense with a pleasant, delicate taste.

Common large-fruited varieties:

  1. The Volzhskaya Gray variety has an average growing season. Pumpkins covered with a gray crust reach a weight of 9 kg. They have sweetish pale yellow or orange flesh with medium firmness.
  2. Pumpkins "Barn" are flat-round in shape. Their weight ranges from 2 to 4 kg. The peel is dark green, covered with black stripes.
  3. The mid-late variety “Kroshka” produces fruits weighing up to 3 kg. They are covered with a light gray crust with small pinkish spots. Inside there is a thick layer of dense orange pulp, sweetish in taste.

Varieties of butternut squash:

  1. The late-ripening “Vitaminnaya” pumpkin has wide-shaped fruits, reaching a weight of 7 kg. They are covered with a dark pink crust with orange spots. Inside there is a thick layer of reddish, sweet-tasting pulp.
  2. The Tsukatnaya variety has an average ripening period. It produces fruits weighing up to 5 kg, covered with a light brown crust. The layer of red or orange pulp is thick and dense, pleasant to the taste.
  3. “Pearl” pumpkin has an average ripening period and produces a rich harvest. It has pear-shaped fruits covered with an orange, smooth crust. Inside is dense, sweet orange pulp.

Planting pumpkin seeds

Pumpkins are propagated only by seeds, which can be planted directly in open ground (for those living in the southern regions), or seedlings can be obtained first (for the middle zone). Seeds are harvested in the fall from the pumpkin of the current harvest or purchased in stores.

When harvesting seeds yourself, it is very important that they ripen well. You should also provide them with the correct storage conditions - optimally in damp sand in the refrigerator (but not in the freezer).

Seeds for seedlings are planted in early May, after soaking them for a day in damp gauze. This will significantly improve their germination. If you plan to plant directly in open ground, you should wait until early June.

When using the seedling method, it is very important to take into account that pumpkin does not tolerate transplantation well, and therefore it is better to plant it in peat pots. The latter must be of sufficiently large volume, at least twelve centimeters in diameter. Seedlings grown in peat pots will need fairly frequent watering and daily spraying.

When seedlings are received, the seeds are planted in moist nutrient soil (humus, garden soil, river sand), deepening them to six centimeters. Before sprouts appear, the pots are covered with film, forming a small greenhouse.

Pumpkin seeds are planted in open ground to a depth of ten centimeters. When planting, use a 1x1.5 meter pattern, since pumpkin vines and fruits require quite a lot of space, and the bush itself needs plenty of nutrition. After planting the seeds in the garden bed, they also need to be covered with polyethylene until the shoots germinate and strengthen.

Varieties for the Moscow region

Pumpkin grows very well in the Moscow region. Some ultra-early hybrids ripen in just 70 days. In this case, the harvest can be harvested even if the pumpkin is planted in July, but it is better to plan planting no later than the end of June. Almost all varieties can be grown in central Russia. But when cultivating some heat-loving varieties, there is a risk of being left without a harvest. Muscat pumpkin varieties have a long growing season, so it is better to plant seeds for seedlings in early April, so that in early May they can be planted in the garden bed and covered with covering material. Early ripening varieties can be planted from late May to late June.

Site preparation and fertilizer

The area for growing pumpkins must be prepared in the fall. By the way, the best predecessors for this melon crop are legumes, cabbage and various root vegetables. But it’s not worth planting pumpkins where other melons and melons grew before.

Preparing the soil for planting pumpkins consists mainly of applying organic fertilizers, and therefore you can safely use compost or natural farming techniques. You can also add 80 grams of saltpeter and 50 grams of potassium salt and superphosphate to each bed.

Transplanting seedlings into beds is carried out at the beginning of summer according to the above scheme. If these are decorative pumpkin varieties, the distance between the bushes should be chosen according to the plant variety.

Preparing pumpkin seeds for sowing

As soon as the seed material has been sorted and fertile, large seeds have been selected, it should be prepared for planting. To do this, soak:

  • initially in warm water, the temperature of which is 45℃;
  • then wrap the seeds in damp gauze or cloth until they hatch. At room temperature this may take 48-72 hours. You will need to monitor the moisture content of the fabric, so you will need to spray it with water from time to time. If you are planting a large number of pumpkins, you do not need to put all the seeds in one gauze. It is better to divide it into several small pieces.

Pumpkin care and pest control

Throughout the summer, the pumpkin must be regularly watered and the bed must be cleared of weeds. In the first month of growth, it is also advisable to loosen the soil to improve aeration of the root system. Further, when the foliage on the vines grows, loosening is stopped.

For food varieties of pumpkin, for example, nutmeg, it is very important to remove excess ovaries. To get a good harvest, it is optimal to leave the three strongest fruit ovaries on the bush closer to the root. For decorative pumpkins, this need disappears.

During the flowering period, in the absence of pollinating insects, they can be attracted by spraying the bed with sweet water.

The most common pumpkin pests are melon aphids, slugs and spider mites. Before flowering begins, spraying with chemicals can be used as a preventive measure. Next, it is important to prevent the appearance of weeds.

Powdery mildew can become a serious problem for pumpkins, which can be combated by spraying with a suspension of 25% karatan.

In conclusion, it should be noted that it is important to know well not only how to plant a pumpkin, but also how to harvest the crop. The growing season for most pumpkins is 90 days. Ripe fruits are cut off along with the stalks, and slight separation of the stalk is a sign that the pumpkin is sufficiently ripe.

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Benefits of Bush Pumpkins

Bush pumpkin is an ideal plant for small areas. During the growth process, the bushes do not expand, occupying a large area. This pumpkin has no lashes; instead, erect stems are formed. The plant has a decorative appearance. The fruits are located at the bottom of the bush.

The variety does not require cultivation, saves space, and has high yields. Almost all varieties of bush pumpkins have a short growing season, which allows them to be grown in regions with short summers. The pulp of the fruit has a rich taste and bright aroma. In terms of carotene content, bush pumpkins are superior to conventional varieties.

Growing pumpkins (step-by-step agricultural techniques)

How to grow pumpkin: through seedlings (in the middle zone and to the north), by direct planting of seeds in the ground (in the south). Pre-preparation of pumpkin seeds: not necessary, but to shorten the period of emergence of seedlings, it is recommended to soak or germinate them.

Growing pumpkins in open ground

Growing pumpkin seedlings

Dates for planting pumpkin seeds for seedlings: late April - first half of May Additional lighting: when growing seedlings in an apartment on south-facing windows - not required. Recommended temperature: 25-27*C. Pumpkin seeds begin to germinate at temperatures above 10*C, but for normal growth and development they need 25-30*C during the day and 18-20*C at night. Picking pumpkin seeds is not required. Important. Pumpkin seedlings are immediately grown in pots (recommended diameter - 14-15 cm) so that there is no damage to the root system during planting. At the same time, when planting a pumpkin seed, the pot is only half filled with soil. 10-12 days after sowing, when the growth of the subcotyledonous stem slows down (in the first days it stretches very much, especially with a lack of light), moist soil is poured into the pots, while twisting the stem with a corkscrew, so that only the cotyledonous leaves appear from the ground. This technique is called ringing pumpkin seedlings. During the period of growing seedlings, it is recommended to carry out two fertilizing with complex mineral fertilizers. Also, it is necessary to ensure that the pumpkin plants do not touch the leaves and, as the seedlings grow, move the pots apart. Pumpkin seedlings ready for planting should have 3-5 true leaves.

Planting pumpkins in the ground

Dates for planting pumpkin seedlings in the ground: end of May - first ten days of June (25-35-day potted seedlings are used). Also in central Russia, it is possible to plant pumpkin seeds directly into the ground (approximately in mid-May), but under cover. In this case, it is recommended to plant 2-3 pieces at once. seeds, and after they sprout and the real leaves appear - leave one, the strongest plant. Planting pattern: Because pumpkin is a strongly climbing plant, the distance between plants in a row should be 1 -1.5 m, and between rows - at least 2 m. It is recommended to plant pumpkin seedlings on ridges or mounds, in holes 8-10 cm deep. In each hole Plant one plant at a time. The best predecessors: potatoes, cabbage, tomato, legumes. Important. It is better to choose a place for planting pumpkins that is dry and warm, well-warmed during the day and retains heat at night. It can be planted on a pile of garbage (after having first poured a sufficient layer of nutritious soil on top) and on a compost heap (by making a larger hole at the planting site and adding garden soil to it along with ash and superphosphate). It is recommended to harden off pumpkin seedlings a week before planting. To do this, the daytime temperature is reduced to 15-17*C, and the night temperature to 12-15*C and ventilation is increased. Before planting pumpkin seedlings in a permanent place, it is recommended to add 1.5-2 kg of compost (or humus) to each hole and pour plenty of warm water at the rate of 1-2 liters per hole. Pumpkin seedlings are planted in the resulting pulp, covering the sides with dry soil so that a crust does not form. If the pumpkin seedlings were grown in a plastic pot, remove the plant carefully, trying not to damage the lump. If in a peat pot, plant it in the hole along with the pot. Attention! For better survival, it is recommended to cover pumpkin seedlings in the first week after planting (with cut-off 5-liter plastic bottles or paper caps).

Pumpkin growing and care

Watering. It is recommended to water the pumpkin with warm water, not at the root, but in the annular groove around the stem. Because Since the pumpkin has a powerful and highly branched root system, going to a depth of up to 3 meters, it should be watered moderately - the pumpkin itself is able to extract the missing moisture from the deep layers of the soil. And when the pumpkin ovaries reach the size of a fist, it is better to switch to drip irrigation. In garden and dacha conditions, it can be imitated with a bucket of water installed next to the plant. The end of a thick cotton rope is lowered into the bucket, and its second end is wrapped around the whip and sprinkled with earth near the roots. Fertilizers and fertilizing. Since pumpkin produces a large amount of green mass (leaves, stems and fruit), fertilizing must be done every 7-10 days. The first feeding is organic - 2 liters of slurry per bucket of water with the addition of 40 g of superphosphate and 30-50 g of wood ash. The second feeding is mineral - 20-30 g of ammonium nitrate, 40-50 g of superphosphate and 20-30 g of potassium salt per 10 liters of water. In the future, organic and mineral fertilizing are alternated. Feeding consumption: from 1 l/plant at the initial stage of growth, to 5-7 l/plant at the end of summer. Bush formation. Since the pumpkin forms a mass of long shoots, it must be shaped to obtain large fruits. The main stem is pinched when 2-3 fruits have formed on it, leaving 5-6 leaves above the fruit, and 2 side shoots - after the first fruit appears on each, also leaving 5-6 leaves above the fruit. All fruitless shoots and shoots that appear later are removed. Important. Before closing the plants in rows, after rain or watering, it is recommended to loosen the soil. To prevent the wind from turning over the lashes, they are pinned or sprinkled with moist soil.

Diseases and pests of pumpkin.

Powdery mildew Small white powdery spots appear on the upper and then lower sides of the leaves and on the stem. Subsequently, the affected leaves turn yellow and die, and if the disease develops severely, the fruits are also affected. Olive spot The disease manifests itself in the form of ulcers on the stems, and brown spots form on the leaves. Oily spots appear on the fruits, which eventually turn into light brown sores with sporulation of an olive-colored fungus. A gelatinous fluid is secreted at the border between healthy and diseased tissue. The affected ovaries die, and the fruits lose their marketable quality. Pests The greatest damage to pumpkins is caused by slugs, which spoil the ripening fruits.

Attention! To combat all pumpkin diseases, it is recommended to use modern effective drugs approved for use in personal gardens, strictly observing the recommended dosage, timing and frequency of treatments. To combat slugs, sprinkle the ground around the plant with ash, tooth powder or superphosphate. You can also use simple traps, such as wet rags, and collect slugs from them daily.

Receiving commercial products.

Early ripening pumpkin varieties ripen 85-90 days after germination, late ripening varieties ripen 120-150 days. Pumpkin fruits are usually harvested all at once, after the first slight frost. The fruits are cut with a sharp knife, leaving a stump of the stalk (which should be in the drying stage) measuring 3-4 cm. This protects the fruit from rotting, which during storage begins exactly from the place where the stalk is torn off. When harvesting pumpkins, you should also avoid mechanical damage to the fruit, which can cause them to be stored worse and rot faster. Attention! To make the pumpkin tastier, as the fruit grows, some of the leaves near it are removed so that it is well illuminated by the sun. In open ground, contact with the ground may cause pumpkin fruits to deteriorate, so it is recommended to place non-rotting material (plywood, boards) under them. If you decide to grow a giant pumpkin, then only one (less often two) fruits are left on one plant, and all other ovaries are promptly removed.

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Series of messages “PUMPKIN, ZUCCHINS”:

Part 1 - All about pumpkin. Part 2 - Growing zucchini (Ganichkina) ... Part 4 - Pumpkin, Zucchini Part 5 - Planting zucchini - good tips Part 6 - Growing pumpkin (step-by-step agricultural technology) Part 7 - Growing zucchini (step-by-step agricultural technology)

Pumpkin sowing dates by region

You can calculate the sowing time based on the date of transplantation of seedlings into open ground. The soil and air outside should be warmed up to at least 12-15 degrees by the time of planting. In each region, such weather occurs at its own time. The earliest planting takes place in Crimea and the Krasnodar Territory - seedlings can be planted in the ground starting from mid-April. This means that sowing should be done at the end of March.

In outskirts of Moscow

In the Moscow region and nearby regions, pumpkins can be planted on the site by the end of the first ten days of May. It is at this moment that the earth will be sufficiently warmed up, and there will be no fear of return frosts. It is necessary to sow seeds for seedlings in this region in the second half of April. If spring is early or, on the contrary, late, the timing will have to be adjusted.

In the Leningrad region

The climate of the Leningrad region is characterized by sudden weather changes, high rainfall, short and cloudy summers. Warm weather here finally sets in in the last days of May, and sometimes later, so sowing should be done in the first days of the same month.

In Siberia

Summer in Siberia is warm, but not very long. Spring can be quite long. The threat of frost will only pass by mid-June. Planting heat-loving seedlings before this time is risky. Based on this, sowing pumpkin seedlings will need to be done in the last ten days of May.

If it is planned to grow pumpkin in a greenhouse in the northern regions, sowing can be done 1.5-2 weeks earlier than the generally accepted date.

In the Urals

The Ural ridge has a considerable length, hence the significant climatic differences in different regions of the Urals. In general, one can note the similarity of the local climate with the weather in the Leningrad region. Snow in the Urals can unexpectedly fall even in the summer months. It’s better to play it safe and plant pumpkin seedlings in open ground by the end of the first ten days of June. It turns out that the seeds will need to be sown at the end of the second ten days of May.

In Ukraine

In most regions of Ukraine, pumpkins are planted in the garden at the end of April. If the weather is cold, it is better to postpone the event until the first days of May. They start sowing seeds at the beginning of April, choosing the timing so that after 20 days the seedlings are in the ground.

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