If you have a small plot of land, and you have not decided what to plant on it, be sure to include a pumpkin on the list. Caring for it is not difficult, but the harvest is rich. And about how to plant a pumpkin in the open ground, I will describe in detail in this article.

Growing pumpkins is a snap

How to plant a pumpkin: preparing the site

If you are interested in a rich harvest, then you need to choose the right place for planting. The ridge should be located in a warm place, on the sunny side. The soil can be any, but sand or sandy loam is preferable, such soil warms up better. It is best to plant after winter wheat, corn or perennial grasses. You can also pick up ridges after tomato, onions, potatoes, cabbage or carrots. It is not recommended to plant after cucumbers or squash. You can’t sit in the same place, you need to wait 5 years after the previous landing.

Preparing the soil for planting pumpkins

Land for landing to prepare in the fall, for this you need to perform the following work:

• To clear the earth of the remains of plants.
• Loosen shallow hoe.
• After 2-3 weeks, the earth needs to be dug up, while collecting weedy roots.
• In the spring, before planting, dig again, with the addition of nitrogen fertilizers, after which the ridge is leveled with a rake.
• High ridges are made. The heavier the earth, the higher the ridge. The standard ridge should be 1-1.5 meters wide, 25 centimeters high. The width of the furrows between the ridges should be about half a meter.

Fertilizing before planting pumpkins in open ground

When digging the earth, they necessarily fertilize the soil. After planting, pumpkin begins to grow rapidly, for this you need a lot of nutrients. The best option for fertilizer is humus or manure. A bucket of manure or humus is added per square meter.

Pumpkin loves plentiful manure fertilizer

In heavy soils to a depth of 10-15 centimeters, on light soils - 15-20 centimeters. If you do not have the required amount of manure, then you can put only in the holes for seedlings - 1..2 kilograms per hole. In addition to manure, 20 grams of superphosphate and 10 grams of potassium sulfate are also added. Or use complex fertilizers, a tablespoon per plant.

Planting Pumpkin Seeds

For a large plot you need a seeder. For this, the gourds seeders SBN-3 and SBU-2-4 are used. At the first seeder, the seeds are planted in 2-3 rows, with an interval of 140 or 180 centimeters. For small gardens, they will not work, you have to plant seeds by hand.

Important: Planting with seeds is performed only in early pumpkin varieties, such as nutmeg and hard bark. The remaining varieties are planted only through seedlings.

How to plant a pumpkin

If you are interested in a good crop, you need to choose full-weight seeds. To select the best seeds, salted water is prepared, into which the seed is lowered, the pop-up seeds are rejected. The rest is collected, washed and dried.

Pumpkin seeds are stored for up to four years

Duration of storage of seeds reaches up to 4 years. For a better shoot and a healthy harvest, it is necessary to carry out preparatory measures:

1. Warming up. This process will give good shoots, done at 60 degrees, within 2-3 hours.
2. Quenching. The plant must tolerate temperature extremes, for this the seeds are kept at a temperature of +1 degree for two days.
3. Increase Disease Resistance. Diseases can damage shoots that have not yet matured, and so that this does not happen, the seeds are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate, potassium kumat or wood ash infused in water.
4. Seed germination. To do this, they are wrapped in wet gauze, in a couple of days the first sprouts will appear.

Of all gourds, pumpkin is the most resistant to cold, so it is planted in late spring, when the possibility of frost is already excluded. If you hurry up and plant early, the seeds in the cold earth will simply rot, so they will plant when the temperature of the soil reaches +13 degrees. For one plant you need 1-4 sq.m of soil for nutrition.

Please note: For early varieties, the area may be smaller - for later varieties more, so the distance between plants is very important.

For long-graded varieties, you need to leave a distance between holes of 1.5-2 meters, and between rows also up to 2 meters. Shrub varieties are planted in a square of 80 by 80 centimeters. On light soils, the planting depth should be 5-8 centimeters, on heavy soils 4-5 centimeters. From 2-5 seeds are placed in one hole, at a distance of three centimeters from each other.

Pumpkin needs to be planted at a distance from each other

Planting pumpkins through seedlings

This method is chosen for late-ripening varieties with a growing season of 120-140 days. To do this, the seeds are germinated in April or early May. The main thing is to calculate the planting dates so that the monthly seedlings are already planted in the ground.

Planting pumpkins for seedlings is made in peat pots or cassettes

To plant seedlings, peat pots with a diameter of 15 centimeters are purchased and filled with soil. You can buy the finished land or prepare it yourself. To do this, take 4 parts of humus and mix with one part of soddy soil. The prepared soil is fertilized, a bucket will require 4 grams of ammonium nitrate, 4 grams of potassium salt, 5 grams of superphosphate. The resulting mixture is moistened and mixed. Seeds are sown to a depth of two centimeters and covered with a film. The germination temperature should be + 18..25 degrees, after the appearance of the first shoots, the film is removed, and the temperature drops to + 15..20 degrees. For this, the room is simply ventilated more often, if this is not done, the seedlings will simply stretch. Watering is also not done often, so as not to get pampered seedlings.

Important: The first top dressing is performed a week after the appearance of the sprouts. The second is produced before planting, any complex fertilizer is suitable for this.

Planting seedlings in open ground is done in warm weather, if you freeze, you simply lose seedlings. Planting pattern is the same as when planting seeds. Holes are dug large to plant with a lump of earth. Wells are spilled with hot water before planting. Deepen the seedlings to the leaves, this will allow the formation of additional roots. After planting, seedlings should be watered.

Video: Planting pumpkin seedlings in the ground

One of the favorite cultures, which not only decorates the garden, but also the table, is a pumpkin. Among all garden vegetables, pumpkin is not picky, it is easy to care for, it is easy to plant. In order to get a good harvest, it is important to take into account a number of rules, you need to know when it is recommended to plant a pumpkin in the open ground, what time is better for planting seedlings, and how to care for the crop so that the seedlings do not wilt. Pumpkin is a useful vegetable, from which you can prepare many dishes, and experienced gardeners know that in order to grow a vegetable, you need to know when, at what time and in what soil to plant it.

Outdoor pumpkin

When is the best time to plant seeds?

If you decide to engage in the cultivation of various crops, you want to have not only a beautiful garden, but also a good harvest, then it is important to take into account the characteristics of each vegetable, how and when to plant it. Pumpkin is a favorite gardener culture. This vegetable loves heat, and plant it in open ground, which did not have time to warm up after winter, is not recommended. This negatively affects both seeds and seedlings. The stems of the plant will become thin and dry quickly. If you decide to plant a pumpkin in April, then consider the possible return of frost. For planting crops in open ground, the ground should warm up well. You cannot choose one period and a certain period, since it is important to take into account the region in which you live and its climatic conditions. For residents of the southern part, the right time for planting a vegetable in the ground is not earlier than the tenth of May. For residents of the northern side, the best time is early June, and for the middle lane no earlier than May twenty-fifth.

To get a good harvest, you need to prepare the seeds. You can plant those seeds that have previously been soaked in warm water (you need to soak for at least a couple of hours). Prepare the soil in advance, the soil needs to be fertilized. Large and deep holes are not recommended. It is better to put two, or even three seeds in a hole. After the stems appear, leave strong and durable, remove the rest.

When is it better to plant seedlings

Seedlings, like seeds, do not like cold soil. The harvest will be good, if the seedlings grow before this month, it can be longer. Such a landing will be optimal for gardeners who live in areas with fast-passing summers. When planting crops in the garden on May twenty-fifth, seedlings must be planted in the period from April twenty-fifth to May third. Initially, seedlings need to be planted in a container with peat. Professional gardeners use coconut tablets for planting seedlings, peat-friendly tablets are well suited. If you do not have such a capacity, take a plastic container. It is necessary to transplant pumpkin seedlings into the garden carefully, since the culture has a thin root, especially if the planting is made from a plastic container.

Pumpkin seedlings are ready for planting in the open ground

Crop care

In order to get a positive growth of culture, you need not only to know how to plant it, but also how to care for it. Basic planting rules and guarantees a good harvest:

1. Soil needs to be prepared. You can use natural fertilizers, chemicals. You need to plant a pumpkin in a place where the sun's rays penetrate well.
2. It is not recommended to plant a vegetable in a poorly heated ground. The soil should be dry, without snow, dirt, moisture. Please note that there may be frosts. During planting, the temperature of the soil should be at least fifteen degrees above zero. Estimated time is the end of May.
3. In the wells, before planting the pumpkin in the open ground, add fertilizer. This culture reacts negatively to acidic soil. You can use ash, humus, chalk. If you have a compost pit in your garden that you dug last year, then feel free to plant seedlings or seeds next to the pit.
4. Simple care of the crop is expressed in watering. When you have just planted, you need to water more often than during ripening or harvesting. The leaves and stems of the vegetable are able to accumulate moisture, which will be enough not to fade. During the ripening period, watering should be less than usual, as the pumpkin will be watery and lose its beneficial properties.
5. Many fruits on one shoot are bad, they will interfere, ripen each other. If you want the pumpkin to be large, leave two fruits on one stalk. For medium sizes, four fruits are possible.

When you are planning to plant seeds or seedlings, choose the right and suitable place. It is not worth planting a new crop on the site where the planting was carried out last year. Pumpkin will grow well in the place where last year potatoes, zucchini, and sunflowers were planted. It will be possible to plant the pumpkin in the place where it originally grew, in five years.

Dessert and fodder pumpkins require well-moistened nutrient soil. Planting both types of vegetables and caring for them in the open ground are carried out identically. This gourd is planted with seeds in open ground in the last decade of May. From one grain you can get from 1 to 3 large pumpkins. In the southern regions, you can get two harvests of this useful vegetable, if you sow in late April - early May, pollinate manually and harvest ripened fruits in time.

From one grain you can get from 1 to 3 large pumpkins

Pumpkin grows best on the south side of the plot in well-lit areas. Its lashes and leaves perfectly tolerate direct sunlight. If you plant a pumpkin in open ground in a completely shaded area, it will not bear fruit. The development of this gourd will be slow. Despite the fact that the flowers are pollinated by hand, the ovary decays on them and falls off without developing, because the processes of photosynthesis in plant cells are severely disturbed.

You can choose a place that is shaded in the summer by a growing tree, but in spring the sun should fall on the landing site. Then, after the emergence of seedlings, the plant will have time to gain strength in order to release the lash, which will begin to grow in the direction where there is constant sunlight. There, the pumpkin will bear fruit well.

Before planting seeds, you need to prepare a place for this. In areas where summers are short and humid, pumpkins can be placed on compost heaps or on rotted manure that rises above the ground. Layers of organics will provide nutrition, warm the thermophilic roots of the plant. In such conditions, the vegetable will be able to develop well and have time to give a full crop.

Growing pumpkins in open ground in southern areas requires a special place. This gourd loves moisture. Having found a place for it in a lowland where water stands for a long time in spring, they remove the fertile layer with a bayonet spade and remove it to the side. Then they dig a hole of 0.5x1.5 m, in which they will arrange a nest.

To fill it you will need 2 buckets of manure and 1 bucket of humus. Pumpkin has a branched root system that goes deep into 50 cm. Such a pillow allows it to receive moisture and nutrition during a short drought. From above, everyone is covered with soil from the pit, a handful of ash and river sand are added. All components are mixed together.

Creating a pillow from nutrient soil is necessary for proper nutrition during the vegetative development and laying of the crop. If there is no manure, it can be replaced with dry grass, which a week before planting is put in a prepared pit and watered with hot water. Within 7 days, waste from the kitchen can be drained into it to start the combustion process. Before planting a pumpkin, this grass is covered with a bucket of nutrient soil, adding 1 tbsp. l urea or complex fertilizer. You can add wood ash. If it is dry and hot, half a bucket of water is poured into the finished nest to moisten the lower layers of the nutrient mixture.

If you need to plant a large plot, the process of preparing it for growing pumpkins can be simplified. The earth is covered with an even layer of mullein under digging. Before plowing, a complex fertilizer is applied according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

Gallery: pumpkin (25 photos)

All about growing pumpkins (video)

How is landing

You can plant a pumpkin in open ground using seeds in a dry form. Then the grain itself is saturated with moisture and will rise when the temperature allows. Manure or dry grass in the nest forms heat well.

When to plant a pumpkin in open ground, you can find out, focusing on the temperature regime, which is observed annually in a particular area. Planting of seeds is carried out after the threat of frost passes. The plant is very thermophilic. It ceases to grow at a temperature of + 14ºС, and at 0ºС its roots completely die off.

The older the seeds, the more female flowers there will be on the plant, which is reflected in the crop. Seeds remain valid for up to 5 years if their storage meets all requirements.

If the timing of planting seeds in the ground has been violated, then the seeds can be wet so that they soon sprout. First, they are heated in the oven at a temperature of no more than 40 ° C during the night. Then soaked in a solution of wood ash for 12 hours. To prepare it, take 1 liter of hot water and dissolve in it 2 tbsp. l powder. Such events improve germination and increase the number of female flowers in lashes. The seeds soaked in an alkaline solution should swell and sprout faster.

You need to grow pumpkins at a distance of 50 cm from each other. Then caring for a pumpkin in an open space will be much more convenient. Overgrown lashes will be freely located and develop correctly.

Plant a pumpkin in open ground with seeds 5 cm deep in 4 corners of the hole. If the placement takes place in several rows, then the distance between 2 lines of plants should not be less than 1 m.

On a large plot, you can plant the seeds in a tape way, after 15 cm per seed, to then remove the extra sprouts in a checkerboard pattern.

How to plant a crop (video)

Bed Care

Growing a pumpkin and caring for it does not require much effort, but a vegetable crop needs attention until the land in the planted crop area disappears under its lashes. After the pumpkin seeds have been planted, at least a week must pass before the first sprouts hatch.

With good nutrition and sufficient soil moisture, they develop very quickly. To accelerate growth, the culture needs to be weeded once and break a crust that interferes with air circulation. This greatly accelerates the vegetative growth of shoots.

If too dry, seedlings should be watered. Pumpkin requires a lot of moisture. To ensure that there is enough water for its development, during rain, all the collected fluid can be used for irrigation. The more moisture poured out on a bed in rainy weather, the better it will grow in a dry and hot period of time.

Pumpkin is an unpretentious, widespread and easily cultivated plant. Belongs to the genus of thermophilic herbaceous plants, distinguish between food and feed pumpkin. The plant is grown through seeds. In the article, we will consider how pumpkin seeds are planted in open ground, what factors should be taken into account to obtain a rich harvest in the country.

Factors Affecting Pumpkin Yields

Pumpkin is a plant for which the length of daylight plays a huge role. Short daylight hours for this vegetable crop is considered the main factor affecting yield. Consequently, the duration of daylight hours less than 12 hours is a favorable factor for the intensive growth of the root system, leafy shoots, which leads to an early transition to fruiting and a rich harvest.

Pumpkin culture prefers peeled areas, so they plant seeds in open ground after preparatory and preventive measures:

• clean the soil by peeling from perennial weeds;
• after peeling, dig the soil to a depth of at least 30 cm;
• stabilize the soil Ph level to a neutral composition;
• to form loamy soil. Such soil easily passes and retains water, quickly warms up;
• to exclude the proximity to direct growing plants that can block sunlight.

For soil fertility is responsible not only fertilizer, but also the mechanical composition of the soil.

Sandy loam soil warms up well in the sun, easily passes water, but poorly holds it, which leads to leaching of nutrients from the soil layers, in which the root ovary of the pumpkin is located. Such soil before planting pumpkins should be improved by increasing the ability to retain moisture.

   So that the soil retains moisture, it must be mixed with light loamy soil with a volume of 30-40% of the volume of improved soil.

Planting pumpkin seeds is carried out directly on the beds under the warm climatic conditions of a particular region. If the region is characterized by the absence of a prolonged warm climate, then planting pumpkins in open ground can be done in seedlings.

Preparation of pumpkin seeds for planting in open ground

Preparation is carried out with the selection of large and high-quality pumpkin seeds. Selected seeds must be processed to:

• disinfection
• increasing the immunity of seeds against diseases;
• accelerate growth and development.

To destroy pathogenic microflora on the surface of the seeds, several main methods are distinguished:

Substance name	Cooking method	Time of processing	Additional Information
Potassium Permanganate (potassium permanganate)	1 g of potassium permanganate mixed with 100 ml of warm water	Seeds are soaked in the solution for no more than 30 minutes.	The solution should have a bright red color.
Formalin 40%	3 g of formalin mixed with 300 ml of water at room temperature	Seeds in the bag are soaked for no more than 5 minutes	After soaking, the seeds are left in the bag for 2 hours. After being taken out and dried
Potassium humate	Dilute 0.5 g of potassium humate in a liter of water	Soak the seeds for 24 hours	After soaking, the seeds are covered with wet gauze for 2 days
Humate sodium	Dilute 1/3 tsp sodium humate in 2 liters of water	Soak the seeds for 2 days	At room temperature 20-22 ° С
Sun rays	Put the seeds in direct sunlight	Dried seeds in the sun for 5-7 days	Once a day, seeds must be turned over

Cleaning the surfaces of pumpkin seeds increases their germination capacity, improves the sowing quality of seeds, increases the growth rate of the plant, and increases resistance to diseases and pests.

Pumpkin seeds, before starting to plant them, experienced gardeners test them for germination. To test the seeds, as many seeds are selected as it is not a pity and germinate them. The more seeds were taken, the more accurate the germination percentage will be.

  If 15-16 seeds sprouted from 18-20 seeds, then germination is considered fruitful

Germination and hardening of seeds

Experienced gardeners do not recommend planting seeds in open ground. It will be right to germinate the seeds first. To do this, the best seeds after processing from pathogenic microflora, soak the seeds for 2-3 hours in warm water, the water temperature should be 50-55 0 C. After the seeds should be wrapped in a damp thin cloth and placed in a warm place.

The procedure for soaking seeds is necessary for their rapid germination, as well as in order to prevent seeds from being eaten by pests, since the seeds lose their taste after soaking.

Hatching pumpkin seeds are recommended to be passed through the hardening procedure. Basically, hardening is necessary for such pumpkin varieties that are intended for cultivation in the southern regions of the country. For regions with cooler climates, such varieties are recommended to be quenched. The hardening procedure is carried out in two ways:

1. Swollen or already sprouted pumpkin seeds, without removing the moist tissue, are placed for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in the lower compartment, in which vegetables are stored.
2. Germination procedure is carried out with sharp temperature changes. For example, the seeds are kept in moist tissue for 10 consecutive hours at a temperature of + 18 +20 ° C., Then the seeds are stored for 2-3 hours in a cool place, the temperature of which is + 1 + 2 ° C.

It is known that pumpkin does not tolerate transplanting; therefore, it is recommended that the sprouted seeds be planted immediately in fertilized beds.

Tip # 1. For the northern regions, planting pumpkin seeds in open ground can be carried out on raised beds. Such beds are formed as follows: in the selected area, a soil layer is removed 25-30 cm deep. Organic fertilizer is laid in the trench formed by layers with soil. The bottom of the trench can be covered with branches, leaves, sawdust, and you can finish with a layer of compost. The finished form of the beds should be 30 cm above the soil level. The elevated bed is fenced with pieces of boards and slate and covered with a dense film.

  Under favorable conditions, the seeds germinate on the 3rd day.

Pre-sowing top dressing and term of sowing seeds

Sow seeds after soil treatment. It is important to sow the seeds the same day after tillage. For processing use:

• dung / litter;
• compost;
• mineral fertilizers;
• phosphoric fertilizers.

Tip # 2. To set active growth and development, seeds need to be fertilized with each square meter of bed in the following composition: 2 buckets of humus mixed with half a bucket of sawdust shavings, add 1 liter of wood ash and a glass of mineral fertilizer called Nitrofoska.

  Before planting, the seeds are heated at a temperature of 40 degrees for 10 hours

Plant seeds in warm soil. The optimum temperature of the soil for sowing should correspond to at least 10-12 0 C, otherwise there is a risk that the seeds will begin to rot due to the high moisture content in the soil. Gardeners, before sowing pumpkin seeds, beds are watered with hot water.

The best time to plant a pumpkin in open ground seeds is the second half of May. This is the time when seeds and young shoots are no longer threatened with frost. The soil in this period contains less moisture and is warmed enough for planting seeds.

Bookmark pumpkin seeds in open ground

Seeds are sown in the morning, in moist, warm soil, enriched with fertilizers. Before laying seeds into the soil, it is necessary to form holes at a distance of about 1 m from each other. As for row spacing, they are located at a distance of 1.5 - 2 m from each other.

The planting hole is abundantly watered with warm water. Seeds are laid in the wells as water is absorbed to a depth of 9-10 cm. 3-5 seeds are recommended to be sown in each well.   Sprinkle the topsoil with fertilizers such as peat or ordinary humus. The fertilizer layer should not exceed 2 cm, because the sprouts are very weak and may not break through a thick layer.

When planting seeds, a seed depth of less than 7-8 cm should be avoided. Shallow seed placement leads to seedlings in the shirt, along with the seed coat.

Pumpkin is very fond of fertilizers. During the growth and development period, feed the plant every two weeks. Pumpkin is planted away from upright plants, and beds are formed in open areas with direct access to sunlight.

We list the basic principles for caring for the growth and development of pumpkins:

• seed selection;
• seed disinfection;
• seed germination;
• hardening of seeds;
• when sowing, fertilize and pour wells with warm water;
• plant seeds to a depth of less than 7-8 cm;
• for optimal temperature conditions cover with a film;
• beds should be located on the sunny side.

The second stage of pumpkin cultivation is the proper care of the plant: in dressing every 2 weeks, watering and forming ovaries.

Care and formation of ovary pumpkin

The main care procedure is to form the proper growth and development of the plant. Pinch the main stem as soon as it reaches a length of 1.3-1.5 m and an ovary of 1-2 fruits is formed on it.

  Lateral processes leave a length of 50-60 cm, provided that they have formed ovaries

A timely pinching procedure of the plant helps to form 3 fruits on one plant: on the main stem and on two side shoots. The main objective of the plant formation procedure is the removal of excess shoots and shoots of the plant. If you do not form a pumpkin plant, then many small fruits will form on it, half of which die due to the lack of a sufficient amount of nutrients, the other half does not have time to ripen.

At the stage of ovary formation, the plant is watered only with warm water. At the time of the formation of the fetus, watering should be limited. Plant nutrition before ripening is required every two weeks. At the ripening stage, it is recommended to put glass under each ripening fruit so that it does not come into contact with the soil, and watering should be plentiful, once a week, 20-25 liters of water per plant.

During the period of pumpkin growth, the implementation of high-quality crop protection from pests is required. The following pest control methods are distinguished:

Pests	Lesion area	How amazing	Consequences of the defeat	Fight method	Processing method
	The aerial part of the plant	Sucks juice from shoots	Leaves, ovaries die	Soap solution: 100 g of grated soap mixed with warm water	Sprayed the ground part of the plant
Medvedka	The underground part of the plant	Nibbles the roots	Root rot	The drug "Medvedox"	Granules laid out in the holes
	Ground part	The stems, leaves	Leaves and ovaries die	Wet the fabric with a solution of wood ash	Wet rags are laid out

The following organic mixture is suitable as the main dressing for a ripening crop: add manure to hot water, the amount of manure is determined by eye until the mass acquires a creamy consistency. The mass should be insisted until the first signs of fermentation appear in it. Then 500 ml of the finished mixture is diluted with a bucket of warm water.

  The side lashes in places of contact with the soil are sprinkled to form several more root systems for additional plant nutrition

Types of Sweet Pumpkin Varieties

Grade "Baby" - the fruits of this variety are small 2-3 kg. It has a gray color and a flattened shape. From planting to harvesting is 3 months.

Variety Atlant   refers to the late ripening variety, the fruits are characterized by large sizes, weight is 20 kg. From planting to harvesting is 4 months.

Variety "Big Max"   - refers to the late ripening variety, the fruits are characterized by large sizes, weight is 40 kg. From planting to harvesting is 5 months.

Grade "Almond"   - the fruits of this variety are small - 5-7 kg. From planting to harvesting is 4 months.

3 mistakes when planting pumpkin seeds

1. Many gardeners refuse to test the seeds for germination before sowing them in open ground. Old seeds are sown, but they do not receive the right amount of seedlings.
2. Seedlings can be weak if the seeds were sown in the soil after harvesting zucchini, squash and cucumbers.
3. If the ovary is small, it is better not to water the pumpkin, otherwise large lashes and leaves will grow, and the fruits will form small.

Answers to gardeners' frequently asked questions

Question number 1.   What kind of pumpkin is planted only with seedlings?

Only the nutmeg pumpkin variety is grown on open ground through seedlings.

Question number 2. How many plants can be left in one hole?

When the plants have risen and strengthened, the strongest 2 plants are left in the holes. The weak are pinched so as not to damage their common root system.

Question number 3.   In what cases are pumpkin seeds not planted in beds?

With light loamy soil.

Question number 4.   What vegetables are considered the forerunners of pumpkin?

The forerunners of the pumpkin plant are tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions and potatoes.

Question number 5. Is it possible to heat the seeds in the oven?

It is possible, but the temperature in the oven should be 30 ° C. After the oven, the seeds are wrapped in light tissue in 3-4 layers, and soak for 5 minutes in an ash solution. After the seeds are removed and placed on the windowsill for swelling.

The nutmeg pumpkin variety is considered useful, but it is difficult to grow it, since this variety is considered heat-loving and late ripening. But, don’t be upset, nutmeg pumpkin can be grown in the conditions of a short summer:

• Nutmeg pumpkin seeds can withstand in formalin solution for no more than 2 hours. Then I leave the seeds for drying in direct sunlight. Immerse dry seeds in warm water for 2-3 minutes, wrap them in a warm, thin cloth and put them in a warm place.
• After a day, I harden the seeds, put them on the balcony for the night. Shoots the strongest and healthiest transplanted into boxes with a depth of 40-50 cm with warm and insulated soil. I grow seedlings until July in greenhouse conditions until the seedlings finally get stronger.
• Seedlings are planted in open ground on raised insulated beds under the film in the first half of June.
• I remove the film in early July. If the weather is sunny, then the pumpkin ripens without a film until mid-August.
• In the second half of August, I harvest the crop in an unripe state and clean it in a warm room. Muscat pumpkin matures for 25-30 days at a temperature of + 24 + 26 ° C.

The chemical composition of pumpkin is rich in vitamins and minerals useful for the normal functioning of human organs. This explains the popularity of growing vegetables on garden plots. Culture enjoys success among agrarians for industrial cultivation. In this review, we will talk about the features of planting pumpkin seeds and seedlings in open ground and further care.

Dates for planting pumpkins in Belarus, Ukraine, the Leningrad region and other regions

A crop is planted after the soil is fully warmed up, and the average daily temperature does not fall below + 10 ° С. If during sowing in spring the temperature is below + 13 ° C, the germination process slows down, which threatens to rot the seeds. In the middle lane, the best seed planting dates fall in the second decade of May.   According to folk traditions, the sowing day coincides with the church holiday - St. George's Day, but you should not rely on a significant date without taking into account weather conditions.

In the southern regions, as well as in Belarus, Ukraine, in the Donbass, where weather conditions permit, pumpkin can be planted at the end of April. According to the lunar calendar, this period coincides with the growing moon, which is favorable for the development of the top fruits.

The most popular varieties

For Moscow region

Premiere

Cold-resistant culture with a spreading long lash and sweet-tasting large fruits, hanging in a mature form to 6 kg.   The culture is unpretentious to the type of soil, its fertility.

Country

Culture with early ripening (75-85 days). The vegetable is characterized by a sweet taste with hints of vanilla. Pumpkin in mature form weighs 3-4 kg.   Duration of fruit storage for more than 4 months.

For the Urals

Russian woman

The plant is resistant to garden diseases and frost. The pulp is juicy and sugar, which is appreciated by the chefs. The weight of the Russian pumpkin exceeds 2.7 kg. The ripening period of the crop is 110-130 days. The color of the ripened fruit is orange.

Nutmeg Pearl

Harvest ripens in 100 days the weight of pumpkins is about 5-7 kg.   The taste is saturated with a musky note. The plant is cold-resistant, tolerates drought and heavy rainfall, has strong immunity.

The best varieties of Siberia

Freckle

A plant with vegetation days. The pulp is very juicy and sweet, tasting like a melon. Even after heat treatment, it retains a crispy structure. Pumpkin weight does not exceed 3 kg.

Smile

Bush grade. The culture easily tolerates temperature changes and can withstand frosts, is resistant to humid environments. The variety is distinguished by excellent taste and a long shelf life (until the next season). The duration of the growing season is 90-110 days, fetal mass - 2.1-3 kg.

Proper planting in open ground

The key to productivity is the correct planting, which includes the preparation of seeds and soil, as well as the process of laying in the hole of planting material.

Seed Preparation: Germination and Germination Testing

Seeds must first be checked for germination and sorted, leaving only healthy specimens. 3 days before the start of sowing, grains must be germinated in wet gauze or sawdust.   To accelerate the germination of seeds at home, they are placed for 2 days in a solution of sodium or potassium humate. The tank should be in the room all this time, where the temperature regime is 20 ° C.

The soil

The soil must be prepared before planting. To do this, they dig it up, make fertilizers: potash, phosphorus, compost or manure. It is better to use complex ones, they enrich the soil with various nutrients.For example, 2 buckets of humus, ½ buckets of sawdust, 1 kg of ash, 1 glass of nitrophoska are introduced per 1 m2.

The digging depth of the soil should be at least 35-50 cm. To disinfect the area, pour it with hot water.

Where to plant a pumpkin in the country? The landing place is selected sunny, well-ventilated. Such predecessors as potatoes, sunflowers, melons, watermelon will not work.   But after legumes, tomatoes and beets, the plant will feel great. The same site should not be used for disembarkation either; a break should be 4-5 years.

Planting seeds and seedlings in the country

The distance between the holes should be at least 60 cm, because the lash of the plant actively develops and spreads over a large space. In determining the scheme, it is better to be guided by the characteristics of the variety. More often gardeners use this option of planting:

• embedment depth   sunflower seeds - 8-10 cm (on light soils), 5-6 cm (on loams) with the acute side down;
• interval   between holes in a row - 60-80 cm;
• distance   between rows - 1 m.

For spreading lashes, the following scheme is used: 1x1.5 m.   To protect the planting from spring frosts, it is recommended to cover the garden with a film.

Experienced gardeners use the lunar calendar when planning planting work in the garden. The dates indicated in it affect the rate of development of plants. It is recommended to plant a pumpkin on the growing moon:

• in March   begin to plant seeds on seedlings (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23);
• in April   seeding is permissible in open ground (17 - 22, 24 - 29 numbers);
• in May   (16-21, 23-28).

In addition to 3-4 seeds, organic fertilizers are added to each well: manure, humus or peat. To moisturize, use warm water (2 liters per hole).

In the Leningrad region, Moscow region, in the Urals, in Siberia, pumpkin is grown in seedlings. The technology of planting young plants in the soil does not differ from planting seeds.

But what if pumpkin seedlings are very long? In cases of excessive activity of seedling growth,   when the stem becomes thin and excessively long, the first thing to do is to transplant the plants into more spacious pots, providing the necessary space.

Cultivation at home and further care

At home, pumpkin can be grown on virtually any soil. The culture shows endurance to adverse weather conditions, even when it began to germinate. But these facts do not mean that culture does not need to be looked after.

How many seeds germinate?

The timing of seed germination depends solely on temperature conditions. If the night indicator does not fall below 12-14 °, the seeds will begin to germinate in a week.   Even if the weather is cool a month later, 2-3 leaves are already developing on the shoot.

Preplant seed soaking in growth stimulants will help speed up the germination process. In addition to special tools, aloe juice, infusion of wood ash, potato juice, honey solution are used.

Watering Rules

Pumpkin needs watering, but in moderation. Excess moisture will provoke stretching of the seedlings. It is better to water the soil after loosening and weeding. The culture tolerates drought well, but the reaction to cold water from the central highway can be negative. Therefore, experts recommend using the settled fluid from the well.

Top dressing

The plant loves top dressing. A week after germination, the first lure is introduced. The plant receives ideal nutrition from a mullein solution.   Nitrofoska is considered equally effective (15 grams per bucket of water). It is followed by subsequent feeding with an interval of 10-14 days.

The correct formation of the seedling is expressed in a low but strong stalk, short internodes, the presence of 3 leaves after a month.

Pumpkin Formation

As soon as 2-3 real leaves appear on the shoots, you need to thin out the bed. When growing large-fruited pumpkins, they leave only one sprout, nutmeg and durum bark - 2 seedlings each.

A developing lash should also be formed, and side shoots.   They do this in two ways: in one stem and in two. In the first case, it is recommended to leave only 2-3 ovaries, on which there are 3-4 leaves. In the second method, 2 fruits are left on the main stem, one on the side shoot. Without such a procedure, the fruits will be small and not very tasty.

Pests and Prevention

Pumpkin is considered an unpretentious plant, however, this culture is also at risk from pests. Reduce productivity, and sometimes destroy young shoots can:

• slugs;
• gourd aphids.

When signs of an invasion of pests are detected, special preparations are used (Actellik, Fufanon, Citkor, etc.). Safer are products made from biological components. Folk methods are sometimes not inferior in effectiveness, among which deserve attention:

• decoctions and infusions from pharmaceutical chamomile;
• infusions on potato and tomato tops;
• decoctions of wormwood and other aromatic herbs;
• wood ash;
• tobacco dust;
• slaked lime, etc.

Working solutions are used to spray plants, and powders are used for dusting. The procedures are repeated 2-3 times at intervals of 7-10 days.

For an instant reaction to an invasion of pests, one should make it a rule to conduct inspection of the beds with a regularity of 1 time in 3 days. Then you can localize the problem and save the crop.

Harvesting

The maturity of a pumpkin can be determined by the following criteria:

• the stalk becomes stiffer   the surface gets stuck, its stiffness occurs simultaneously with the stem supplying power;
• leaves on the whip drychange color to yellow;
• whatever the original skin color, after maturing, reflects the texture pattern brighter;
• if you run a fingernail over the crust, no trace;
• when you press your fingers on the fetus, hardness is felt;
• ripe product is covered matte coating;
• when tapping is heard sonorous knock;
• when harvesting the stalk is easy to remove.

To ensure a long shelf life, it is necessary to pick the fruit carefully, being careful not to damage the peel. Scratches should be sealed with a bactericidal plaster so that microbes do not penetrate into the vegetable.

Harvested fruits from the beds are placed in a dry room, where they ripen for about another month.

The main guarantee of a good harvest are proper seed selection and timely care.   Hand-grown pumpkin diversifies the menu for households, enriches the body with nutrients.