Amazing waxy gourd benincasa in the garden
Benincasa wax gourd is the most popular plant in Indonesia, China, Latin America. The culture is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and resistance to difficult weather conditions. It is these characteristics that make it possible to grow benincase in our country. Read: what is pumpkin good for?
Description of the wax gourd and its merits
The buds are large. When loose, they take on an orange tint. At the end of flowering, fruits appear in their place. They often take on an elongated shape. But round ones are also quite common. In our country, such a pumpkin can grow up to a maximum of 5 kg. Green fruits on top are abundantly covered with villi with a sticky bloom. As they grow, they become smooth.
Thanks to bloom, the pumpkin does not spoil for a long time.
Ripe fruits can be stored for 2-3 years. To do this, it is enough to wrap each of them in paper and put in the cellar or on the balcony. Benincasa pumpkin can be used both in cooking and in medicine. It has antipyretic and diuretic properties. The pulp is also used as a pain reliever.
Healing properties of wax gourd
Compared to other types of pumpkins, beninase contains much more vitamins and microelements. In oriental medicine, all parts of the plant are used.
The fruits are used for:
- Restoration of the correct functioning of the digestive system. The systematic use of pumpkin helps to saturate the body with useful components, which leads to the normalization of metabolism.
- Slimming. Water, ash and dietary fiber, which are rich in pumpkin, when ingested, help to cleanse the intestines and stimulate its work.
- Decrease in pressure. Potassium, magnesium, sodium have a beneficial effect on the work of the heart muscle and all blood vessels.
- Reducing cholesterol. To reduce these indicators, young leaves of the plant are often used, in addition to fruits.
- Improving skin condition. Pumpkin pulp perfectly relieves inflammation, reduces flaking, and also accelerates wound healing.
Also, wax gourd helps to strengthen the immune system. This is achieved due to the large amount of vitamins C, B, K and E. They help protect the body from infections and various bacteria.
Benincasa wax gourd: outdoor cultivation
This is a light-loving plant that grows well only in sunny areas. In the shade, the shoots become thin, and the fruits are small.
Soil selection. Benincasa should be grown only in fertile soil. The soil should also be air permeable and not allow water to stagnate. As for acidity, the optimal indicators are numbers in the range of 5.8-6.8 pH.
It is recommended to plant pumpkin in areas where beets, carrots, beans, peas, parsley.
Preparing for landing. Much depends on the correct preparation of the site. In order for the plant to give the desired yield, the soil should be well dug up and manure should be applied. This should be done in the fall. In the spring, just before planting, it is recommended to add a small amount to the soil mineral fertilizers.
Sowing seedlings.In our area, wax pumpkin should be grown only in this way. To do this, you need to take small pots. Put drainage on the bottom of the container and cover it with substrate. 1-2 grains should be put in each pot. They need to be placed at a depth of 1 to 2 cm.
Sowing a pumpkin in open ground is not worth it, since the fruits will not have time to fully ripen.
Containers with grains must be placed in a room where the air temperature will be within +250 C. From above, the flowerpots will need to be covered with polyethylene or transparent glass. This will greatly speed up the emergence of sprouts.
As for watering, you only need to irrigate the soil with a spray bottle. This should be done twice a week. As soon as young plants appear on the surface, the film must be removed. Closer to planting in open ground, flowerpots are recommended to be taken out into fresh air. This will harden the plants.
Planting seedlings in open ground and caring for it
Planting plants on the site should be in May or in the first half of June. Place seedlings at a distance of 0.7 to 1 m from each other.
Before planting seedlings, pour boiling water over the holes.
For the first week, water the plants every day. Use water only at room temperature. Once the seedlings are well rooted, reduce the watering procedure to two times every 7 days.
Outdoor care for beninkase:
- Fertilizer. This type of pumpkin is quite sensitive to feeding. In order for the plant to develop well, you need to use a composition of potassium sulfate, nitrate, ammophos and 10 liters of water. All components must be taken in equal proportions (20 gr.). 4 liters of liquid should be poured under each plant. It is recommended to use this fertilizer 2-3 times a season.
- Topping. In order for the pumpkin to give a bountiful harvest, it is necessary to carry out artificial pollination. To do this, using a soft brush, gently transfer pollen from male to female flowers. As for pinching, the procedure should be carried out at the end of August. Some gardeners recommend doing this immediately after the first ovary appears.
- Pests. As for diseases, the wax gourd can only be affected aphids... If insects appear, the plant must be treated with a special agent. You can buy it at any specialty store.
Harvesting should be done before the first frost. It is necessary to disconnect the fruit with the stalk.
When harvesting, it should be remembered that an unripe pumpkin will not be stored for a long time. Therefore, you need to either freeze it in the freezer or eat it as soon as possible.
Wax gourd is a real storehouse of vitamins. As you can see from the article, it is quite simple to grow it, the main thing is to follow the recommendations and simple rules.