Growing pumpkin in several ways
Pumpkin is a very unpretentious plant. It can be grown even in poor soil, but the plant needs nutrients to form large fruits. Pumpkin loves fresh organic matter very much. There are several ways to grow a healthy vegetable.
Growing on a compost heap
"Butternut" pumpkin is the sweetest of those grown in Russia. To fully ripen, it needs more sunlight and heat than other pumpkin varieties. Therefore, it is best to plant such a pumpkin on a compost heap. By overcooking, the compost will give the plant more heat and nutrients to form large and sweet fruits. The leaves of the plant will be an excellent shelter for the compost, and it will not burn out in the sun.
Landing in open ground
Unlike other melons and gourds, pumpkin is very fond of fresh organic matter, therefore, fresh cow dung is introduced into the soil before planting the plant. When overcooked, it will begin to emit heat, which is necessary for the development of a powerful root system. The roots of the plant can go into the soil up to 2 m deep, this allows the pumpkin to absorb nutrients very well.
Light loamy soil or sandy fertile soil is most suitable for planting pumpkins. Heavy loam or swampy soil must be fertilized, and acidic soils must be limed. Since the pumpkin grows quite large, the plants are planted at a distance of 1 m from each other. The beds are made 1.5 m wide.
When preparing the soil for planting pumpkins, add to each hole:
- 6 kilograms of organic matter;
- 80 grams of ammonium nitrate;
- 50 grams of potassium salt;
- 50 grams superphosphate.
Before planting pumpkin seeds in the soil, they must be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (2 grams per glass of water). Leave them in the solution for 15 minutes. Then the seeds must be washed and wrapped with a damp cloth or placed between two pieces of cotton wool for germination at a temperature of 20ABOUTFROM.
Sprouted seeds can be immediately planted in open ground, or you can grow seedlings from them.
Harvesting pumpkin
In the fall, you will be delighted with ripe and delicious pumpkin fruits. They should be harvested before the onset of frost, when the pumpkin outwardly reaches maturity, however, the fruits ripen well and plucked if they lie in a dry, sunny place. Cut the pumpkin together with the stalk, then it can be stored until spring or even until the next harvest.