Growing Pumpkin In A Warm Garden

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

Beloved by all of us and very useful pumpkin succeeds well in our climate on fertilized soil. This culture has always found a place in my garden. And this is no coincidence.

It is known that pumpkin nutritional value higher than that of cucumber and watermelon by the content therein of large amounts of sugars, vitamins A, C, B ₁, B ₂, PP and mineral salts of phosphorus, calcium and iron. If we compare it with cucumbers, then the pumpkin is less demanding on heat, but it must be provided with a sunny area and protection from the winds.

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Until last season, I rather successfully grew pumpkins by seedling on a compost heap or on a bed well fertilized with humus. And last summer I decided to try to grow pumpkins on a warm ridge using black plastic wrap. For this experiment, I left a section 7 meters long and 1.5 meters wide. Along this entire ridge, I dug two furrows with a depth of 40 cm, which I then filled with various organic matter. At the very bottom I laid a layer of 10 cm of straw, which remained with me after harvesting rye grown the previous year.

If you don't have straw, you can use hay for this purpose. Then I put the manure on top of the straw, which was brought in last fall. An alternative to it can be fresh humus. The next layer, 7-10 cm thick, I put fresh grass in the furrows to ensure moisture. Very handy here was a juicy ditch, which is a lot around the site.

I spilled this whole layer cake with water, covered it with earth from the edges of the garden, and then covered the ridge with black plastic wrap. She pressed it along the edges so that the wind in the initial period of plant development, when they were still small, would not tear off the film. I would like to note that the width of the ridge and the formation of exactly two furrows were determined exclusively by the width of this film.

Before planting pumpkin seedlings, I made cross-shaped cuts in the foil over the furrows filled with organic matter. Under them, I dug holes in the soil, into which the seedlings were planted. I left a distance of 70 cm between the plants. I must say that the planting took place in the cold period of late May, so after placing the seedlings on the ridge, I also covered the ridge with a thin spunbond, which remained there for two weeks.

At the beginning of the flowering of the pumpkin, I removed the covering material. At this time, there was a rapid formation of lashes with ovaries and their active pollination by bees and bumblebees. At the same time, the growth of pumpkin bushes and lashes was extremely active, the plants looked like mighty giants with huge leaves and long lashes. On each of them, 3-4 fruits were set, which further developed without any of my participation. I no longer watered pumpkins and fed these plantings.

Pumpkins, and there were 6 bushes, grew by themselves, they were additionally strengthened in the soil in several places along the length of the lash. I only went to the garden from time to time to assess their condition. And I was always surprised at the rapid increase in the size of pumpkin fruits. Three varieties of plants grew on this ridge. There were purchased orange pumpkins of the Rossiyanka variety and two varieties of large-fruited pumpkins from my stock of seeds, I, unfortunately, do not know their names.

By August 1, pumpkins were already up to 40 cm in diameter, and on the whip, where there were 2-3 pumpkins, all the fruits were not inferior to each other in volume, because they all had enough food. However, at this time, I still had to intervene in the development of plants: I pinched the lashes, stopping their further movement to the sides. This was due to the fact that the pumpkins took up a huge space not only on the ridge, but also around it, interfering with crops on the neighboring ridges.

The past season in our area (Tikhvin District) was successful in terms of the weather. In August, fortunately, unlike some other seasons, there was no frost. Rather, on the contrary, it was very hot at times. But the sad experience of past years still forced to take some preventive measures against possible weather surprises. Leaving after August 25 for St. Petersburg, I wrapped each beautiful pumpkin in spunbond.

I must say that such protection works both in heat and in freezing, and after rain, which is important, it dries quickly. In addition, I placed square PVC tiles under each pumpkin (and I have grown 22 of them). They protected the fruits from the damp earth and also dried up quickly after the rain. Pumpkins lying on polyethylene were worse off: with their heavy weight they pressed the black film, forming dents in the soil, in which water accumulated after the rain. Then I had to remove it from under the pumpkins.

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Anyone who has seen can confirm: this ridge looked impressive at the end of the season - huge orange pumpkins flaunted against the background of powerful dark green foliage - both singly and in pairs.

When one day, putting protective plates under a large fruit, I accidentally tore off its stalk, then I had to make great efforts to tear this pumpkin off the ground with difficulty. Barely dragged her home. Unfortunately, I could not weigh the pumpkin. But I made conclusions. Later, harvesting as it ripened, I took each of the pumpkins to the house on a cart.

Now I can say with confidence that this method of growing large-fruited pumpkins is very effective. Gathered a huge harvest of juicy fruits. By the way, I used the same technology to grow melons and cucumbers in the open field last season. And they also made me happy with the result. Now there is another problem: how to use all this wealth - eat it or process it.

But I'm not upset. There are many ways to use pumpkin:

• First of all, daily juicing from pumpkin alone or in combination with carrots and apples. This juice is delicious and healthy.
• For preparation for the winter, you can make mashed pumpkin with apples or Japanese quince. I definitely make such preparations. By the way, they are also suitable for pies.
• Pumpkin jam with oranges is already a delicacy.
• Stewed pumpkin with dried apricots and raisins or with one dried apricot. This is a great dessert.
• Classic pumpkin porridge with different cereals. Also tasty, nutritious and healthy
• Oven-baked pumpkin with various fillings.
• Additive to vegetable stew, significantly improving the taste of the latter.
• Good and simply fried pumpkin slices instead of missing zucchini.

And there are many more other ways to prepare pumpkin dishes.

I think that with my information I probably did not make a discovery for many gardeners, it's just my experience, which I consider useful and interesting. I would be glad if it comes in handy for novice owners of six acres.