It is difficult to say why the pumpkin has returned to favor after years of oblivion, becoming a popular and recognized vegetable, willingly used in our kitchens.It seems that the orange triumph is not a temporary phenomenon, especially as unknown qualities of the pumpkin are still being discovered.The gardens are showing rediscovered species and varieties, as well as completely new ones, which bear witness to the diversity of the South American berry fruit, often of enormous size.
Unique varieties of pumpkin
Hokkaido pumpkins are becoming more and more popular, e.g.'Uchiki Kuri'. Contrary to the cultivars cultivated in the past, such as 'Gelber Zentner', their fruits are quite small and they can also be used in a small household without major losses.The flesh has an aromatic nutty flavor and can be eaten with a thin crust.Small but also tasty new garden varieties, incl. 'Sweet Lightning' and 'Sweet Dumpling'. The fruits of both pumpkins are too pretty to go straight from the garden to the cool cellar. Until processed, they can easily decorate a kitchen table or sideboard.
As in the case of other garden plants, also in the case of pumpkins throughout the season it is worth remembering about proper fertilization. For fans of natural solutions, we recommend composters - both reading about them and accessories will be very useful.
Sowing Pumpkin
A minimum of 130 days passes from sowing to harvesting, e.g. a more demanding and sensitive butternut squash. Small-berry varieties ripen after 80 days at the earliest.Sowing seeds is possible in May, when the soil warms to 15-20 ° C.Home-grown plants should be transplanted into a bed by the end of June at the latest.Pumpkins need fertile and moist soil to thrive. Very good conditions for vegetation are provided by a compost pile or a pile of fertilizer.
A thick layer of straw mulch spread on the bed will protect large and heavy fruits of plants that lay their shoots on the ground from damage.Pads made of pieces of planks will protect smaller fruit from permanent dirt and moisture.Shoots of varieties that produce small ornamental fruit, such as 'Jack be Little', should be led on a scaffolding or fence.
Conditions for growing days
Pumpkins like sunny autumn weather. Under good conditions, they can fully mature on a flower bed. When the air temperature drops below 10 ° C, especially at night, cover the fruit with a fleece.If early frosts are forecast, move them to a room with a temperature of 15-20 ° C. They can mature for 2-3 weeks in an airy place.
We can obtain our own seed from well-developed and ripe fruit.When cultivating several varieties, mixing of features may occur, e.g. edible ones may take on the bitter taste of ornamental ones.
See also:
How to hollow a pumpkin for Halloween? ->
Pumpkin seeds - autumn superfood ->>
