The timing of planting pumpkins in the open. Technology growing and caring for pumpkin. Pumpkin: a description of the garden culture

When to plant a pumpkin correctly

Thinking when to plant a pumpkin correctly? Not all weather is suitable for its landing. The worst thing for her is frost. They are fatal, the seeds freeze and rot. thereforethe best time of year is the second half of Maywhen uninvited frosts are unlikely to descend and be taken by surprise.  When to plant a pumpkinpreviously determined by folk signs. During the flowering of viburnum and peonies. Pumpkin is a heat-loving plant, the temperature on the thermometer should not be lower than 20 degrees.

When choosing a place on the site, it is worth considering its features. Time thermophilic plant, so we allot a place on the south side. Good precursors are potatoes, onions, beets, peppers.

For a good harvest take care of fertilizerx 6-8 kg of humus is required per square meter. But you can follow the path of least resistance. Put humus in each well before planting. Its depth is 30 cm, 80% humus and 20% of the earth.

Nutmeg pumpkin varieties are planted in seedlings. First, the seeds are soaked in an ash solution for 12 hours. Then they take it out and plant it flat in a pot to a depth of 6 cm. On the fifth day, the seeds will give the first seedlings. Seedlings are planted at a constant place of growth a month later.

Most often, pumpkins are planted immediately in the ground. But for preparing seeds before planting. Seeds are heated at a temperature of 40 degrees for 10 hours. Then they are soaked for 12 hours in an ash solution. When choosing a place of growth on the site, it is necessary to take into account the features of pumpkin. Since she is thermophilic, then take her south side. And from the north, plant corn or curly beans. the distance between the rows is 1.5 meters, planted to a depth of 8 cm, before putting seeds into the hole, it is watered. 3 to 4 seeds are laid.

Many delicious pumpkin varieties can be grown by sowing seeds in open ground at the end of May, but not nutmeg - they just will not sprout, it is better to grow them in seedlings. Seeds should be taken only fresh, it is advisable to test them for germination, in order to know what to expect after sowing in the ground. Discard seeds that have surfaced when soaked with salt water, sank to the bottom, prepare for sowing.

Pumpkin seeds before sowing need to be warmed up for 2-3 hours at a temperature of 60 degrees. After that, you need to disinfect them with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. In order for the sprouts to be able to break through the hard skin of the seed, they are soaked for 12 hours with water infusion of ash or at least just water, which is changed every 4 hours. Those summer residents who are not afraid to use chemistry usually soak the seeds with a fertilizer solution or a stimulant (crezacin, epin, potassium humate) to accelerate germination. This not only accelerates growth, but also protects future seedlings from diseases and the adverse effects of the environment.

After soaking, the seeds are immediately planted in the ground or placed on germination. Seeds on sawdust sprout well and quickly. Sawdust is placed at the bottom of the box, spilled several times with hot water, seeds are placed on top of several layers of wet gauze, covered with several more layers of gauze on top and covered with sawdust. The box is covered with a film on top - it turns out such a greenhouse, after 2-3 days the seeds will sprout, and they will need to be planted immediately in the ground.

Landing and care

Before sowing, it is advisable to prepare the soil. 2 buckets of humus, half a bucket of sawdust, a glass of nitrophoska and a liter jar of wood ash are added to 1 square meter of the pumpkin plot. The site is digged well to a depth of not less than 40 cm and spilled with hot water. Vegetable growers determine the timing of sowing, it depends on the weather and the characteristics of the variety. Hatching seeds of large-fruited and hard-barked pumpkins are planted in the soil when it has already warmed up to 10 degrees at a depth of 10-12 cm. In the Moscow Region, this usually happens at the end of May.

In light permeable soil, the seed is laid 8-10 cm, and if the ground is hard, then 4-5 cm with the beak or sprout down. If the landing is shallow, the sprouts can sprout without dropping the seed coat, then birds can peck them. To prevent this from happening, you can close the crops or just check more often and remove the shell manually. Bush pumpkin is planted at a distance of 80 cm from each other, and it is better to plant a climbing pumpkin with an interval of 1 m.

3-5 seeds are placed in each hole at a distance of several centimeters. The soil after sowing is mulched, many are advised to cover it with a film or non-woven fabric from spring cold. When the sprouts appear, they leave 2 of the strongest, and the rest are plucked. The pumpkin has a very developed root system, small sprouts are already intertwined with roots, so as not to damage them (with the slightest damage to the root, the pumpkin will not grow), the extra ones are not torn out, namely pinch off.

After planting seedlings in the open ground or sprouting from seeds at the pumpkin, side shoots quickly form, they need to be removed, leaving in addition to the main scourge two more side ones. The number of ovaries also needs to be limited, leaving 3-4 on each branch: after counting 5 leaves after the last ovary, the lash must be clipped, then the plant will not waste strength, but will direct them to ripen the fruits.

So that the wind does not turn the lashes, they are sprinkled with moist soil, in this case additional roots may form, which will further strengthen the plant. The wide leaves of the pumpkin evaporate a lot of moisture, so watering is simply necessary, and only with warm water. After planting in open ground, each plant is watered with 1 liter of water, and the older it is, the more water it needs, so at the end of summer each should receive at least 10 liters. When the fruits have reached their maximum value, watering is stopped.

If there are few bees or bumblebees in the area during pumpkin flowering, you will have to pollinate the plant manually. Male flowers do not sit on the stem, but grow on a long stalk, unlike female flowers, and female flowers under the petals have a thickening (ovary) - so that they are easy to recognize. In the morning (from 9 to 11 o’clock) you need to pick a male flower, carefully cut off the petals from it, and touch the pistils of the female flowers with anther.

It happens that female flowers bloom earlier than male flowers, then you can pollinate with male flowers of another related plant - zucchini or squash are suitable. The fruits ripen perfectly, but it will be impossible to use seeds for planting, so if you want to sell or plant seeds, then you need to pollinate only with the flowers of the same plant.

How to protect yourself from pests

After planting pumpkins in open ground, you need to think about protecting it from pests. So that the bear does not gnaw the roots, several granules of a special preparation called Medvedox are put in each hole during planting.

In wet, rainy weather, slugs may appear that can kill the pumpkin. Melon aphids, spider mites, sprout flies and nutcrackers - pumpkins have many enemies. To avoid danger, you need to loosen, do not overmoisten the soil, do not leave torn weeds, because many are attracted by plant debris. No wonder gardeners often inspect their plants, at the first appearance of pests, you need to spray the plant with infusion of onion husks, ash, soapy water.

Larvae of sprouting flies can only damage planted seedlings if they are attracted to the smell of fresh manure. The nutcracker (wireworm) may remain from previous crops of perennial herbs. To secure planting will allow good tillage and thoughtful crop rotation.

There are many chemicals that can save you from pests, it’s not difficult to find them, but you need to remember that ripening fruits can absorb harmful substances too. It will not be amiss to plant nearby onions, dill and marigolds.

Top dressing

They plant the pumpkin in fertilized soil, and then feed it with liquid organic-mineral fertilizers. If the soil is rich in fertilizers, it is enough to pour 2-3 times for the entire growth period with liquid diluted bird droppings or mullein with 1 tablespoon of full mineral fertilizer.

Planting a pumpkin in depleted soil means that you doom yourself to weekly fertilizer plants throughout the season. Only at the end of summer, when the fruits are already large, can potassium be added as a mineral top dressing.

How to grow a pumpkin in the open ground? It would seem that this is complicated, stuck a seed in the ground, and let it grow. But, as reviews show, not everyone manages to grow a pumpkin on their own. It seems that the plant is unpretentious in its care, and it does not get sick so often. What is the matter? The answer is banal - in the mistakes that gardeners make from year to year.

Let's figure out why the pumpkin does not grow.

Cooking a pumpkin bed

Those who have ever seen this plant can guess how many nutrients will be needed to build such a mass. Plus, pouring fruit also requires a lot of energy and “food” from the pumpkin. Let's see what other sources advise. Manure. Well, very good and even right. If not for one moment. Absolutely everyone recommends fertilizing in terms of per square meter. That is, pour over the entire surface of the bed.

Meanwhile, the optimal planting scheme for pumpkins is 1 by 1.5 meters. And how many of those fertilizers will go to the roots, which are concentrated in one place, and do not spread throughout the district?

Rule 1. For planting pumpkins, each hole is prepared separately, and not a whole bed.

Read on. Tip to dig the soil to a depth of 50 cm. Why? The main root of the plant goes to a depth of 1.8 m. Small feeding roots are located in the upper soil layer, not deeper than 30 cm. Why do you need to dig to such a depth? And even more so, to make fertilizers there. This is also one of the tips.

It will be enough to pour a bunch of manure in the fall to where the hole will be in the spring, and dig a shovel to the length of the bayonet. Then with a stick, peg or some other object to mark the place. In the spring, after the snow melts, dig again. By the way, the width of the hole should be at least 30 to 30 cm. After all, the main root system of the pumpkin is fibrous. Nutrition should be enough for a long growing season.

And further. The space around it is advisable to carefully weave and loosen. Otherwise, the weeds will simply clog the young plants. This adult bushes have nothing to fear. A healthy, full-bodied pumpkin itself inhibits all weeds.

Rule 2. Do not neglect the processing of the surrounding space.

We plant pumpkin seedlings

The most common mistake when planting pumpkins for seedlings is choosing too small a capacity. The depth of the pot or glass should be at least 16 cm. Now we explain why. When the seed sprouts, the first 2 weeks the sprout is rapidly extended. What do they usually do in this case? That's right, dive. Yes, and pinch the central spine.

You can’t do this categorically! This root allows the plant to easily tolerate drought, extracting moisture from the deep layers of the soil. And you tore it off. Or even worse, seedlings looped. That is, a long stalk was turned in a circle and sprinkled with earth. No doubt, additional roots will grow on a buried stem. But if in nature the pumpkin sprout does not grow in a ring, then we should not do that either. What if you break it?

How to do it right? The tank is covered with soil at half height. Plant 1 seed. After it rises, sprinkle a little earth on the stem. The plant still pulls a little, soil is again sprinkled on it.

As a result, by the time of planting in open ground (about 3-5 real leaves), you will get a strong plant with a decent root system.

Rule 3. Pumpkin seedlings do not dive or loop.

Preparing the seeds for planting

Another mistake regarding pumpkin: lack of preplant treatment. What? They pulled out seeds from the fruit, dried, in the spring they shoved them in pots. Perhaps something will come up. Well, yes, well, if it rises. And just great if you don't care.

But there are gardeners who treat each sprout with great love. They cherish every seed, acquire planting material of new varieties. And it is often very expensive. And just scattering seeds is an impermissible luxury. Therefore, we are preparing correctly:

1. Pumpkin seeds are soaked in a strong hot (+ 48 ° С) potassium permanganate solution for 25 minutes.
2. Not washed, transferred to a warm solution of a growth stimulator (zircon, epin, aloe juice) for 7 hours.
3. Do not rinse again, soak in plain warm water for 24 hours.

Everything, now the seeds are decontaminated, nourished and ready for germination. To do this, put a flap of cotton cloth or even a paper towel in the container. Pumpkin seeds are laid out on it, cover with another piece of fabric on top. Now you need to slightly moisten the contents of the container, then put in a warm dark place.

Check daily! Sometimes moisturize with clean water. As soon as the seeds begin to open - you can sow.

Error: when planting, stick the seed into the ground. What for? The sprout itself knows where to turn the leaves, and where the roots are. Planting material is laid on the surface of the earth, about 2.5 cm of soil is sprinkled on top.

By the way, the soil needs to be slightly compacted so that it is easier for the pumpkin to get rid of the seed coat. Just do not ram! Just slightly press the top layer with a spoon or spatula.

Now the whole structure is again placed in a warm and dark place. When sprouts appear, the pot is brought to light.

We look after pumpkin seedlings

In principle, this is not difficult. Watering upon drying of the soil and one top dressing with complex mineral fertilizer in phase 2 of this leaf. Just do not fill the plant, because the black leg does not sleep.

And further. Under a pot or glass, it is advisable to put a foam plate, a piece of foam backing, or even a cork roll flap. This is necessary to protect still young roots from cool air.

Rule 4. Be sure to warm the roots of young pumpkin plants.

If you did everything right, then planting a pumpkin in open ground is not difficult. Wells have already been prepared, it remains only to spill them thoroughly with water. Enough will be 1.5 liters per seat.

The plants themselves are strong, with a developed root system. And here the following error is made. Many shake the roots from the ground and only then transplant the pumpkin into the soil. What is the purpose of this? We never received a clear answer.

No need to expose the root system of the pumpkin. A sprout is lowered into the hole along with the seed soil. Depth - to cotyledon leaves. From above, all this is carefully mulched with dry soil or loose peat.

Rule 5. Pumpkin seedlings are planted only by transshipment. So the roots are not damaged.

Caring for a pumpkin

Caring for pumpkins in the open ground does not require dancing with tambourines. But letting things go by themselves is not worth it.

Watering.  Pumpkin loves to drink. Wide leaves evaporate a lot of moisture. Just do not have to sneak out every day from a watering can. It will not give anything. Water the plants once every 5 days. At the same time, for 1 adult bush you need at least 15 liters of water.

You need to focus on dry soil. Spread the leaves, looked. Is wet? So, do not pour water. Is the land dry? It's time to drink a pumpkin.

In extreme heat, it is necessary to irrigate the plantings in order to lower the ambient temperature and increase humidity. Only here it is not necessary about water droplets, as about lenses for sunlight. Not a single plant in nature after rain in the sun has burned down from your “lenses”.

Top dressing.  You will have to feed pumpkins regularly, despite the manure in the hole. It is only enough for initial growth, for about a month. Further, every 13-16 days, it is necessary to apply any of the top dressings under the root:

• green liquid fertilizer
• complex mineral
• mullein infusion
• bird droppings solution

There are no special requirements, choose what is available. Naturally, fertilizers cannot be applied on dry ground. This will provoke a burn of small feeding roots. Pumpkins are fed strictly the day after watering.

Formation.  You read other sources and wonder. All, as one, repeat one thing: 3 fruits are left on one pumpkin plant. The remaining ovaries are plucked.

And no one guessed to turn on the head. With good care, these three pumpkins will grow to the size of a Cinderella's carriage. And where do you get them later? Keep such colosses where? Immediately eat a pumpkin weighing 10 kg or more? Keep in mind, the cut fruit begins to mold on the 3rd day. Cram in the fridge? Well, yes, half of the pumpkin will lie there, the rest will have to be pulled out due to lack of space.

How to form a plant? In fact, very simple. Leave all the ovaries until July 30. After this time - pluck without pity. They just won't ripen. And on one plant you will get not 3 mutants, but 5-7 pieces of medium-sized fruits. It is convenient to store them, and eat enough for 1, maximum 2 times.

Rule 6. Pinch shoots of pumpkin strictly above the 5th leaf after the ovary. These blades are involved in the process of photosynthesis and are vital for the proper growth and good development of fruits growing lower on the stem.

Care Features

Pumpkin fruits love to rot. Moreover, from below, from the soil. It’s not immediately and you’ll notice the spoilage process that has begun. To avoid such a nuisance, put a piece of board, fiberboard or chipboard under each vegetable. Just do not put slate or glass. These materials themselves are cold, and on August nights pumpkins will cool further, which will further provoke the process of decay.

Weeding will be needed only at first after landing at a permanent place. Then the foliage will close, the plants will grow and the weeds will not be afraid of them.

By the way, a good result is obtained when planting pumpkins on compost heaps. Only be sure to add a bucket of ordinary earth to the hole so that the roots do not burn. Well, and additional feeding is no longer required, there is plenty of food in the compost. And do not forget about watering.

When growing pumpkins as a trellis culture, the fruit must be suspended in nets. Only strictly on additional support. Soviet string bags are well suited. They are sold now. This procedure will prevent cracking of shoots and stalks ahead of time under the weight of the fruit.

The tendency of long warm autumn observed in recent years in the middle lane allows growing pumpkins in a non-seedling way. That is, there is enough time for the plant to ripen and pour fruit. The only thing to plant pumpkin seeds in open ground will be under temporary shelter. And it is not at all necessary to erect a monolithic greenhouse over the beds. It will be enough just to cover the hole with a dense plastic wrap or even a cropped plastic bottle.

After warming (air temperature above + 18 ° C), temporary shelter can be removed. By this time, the plant will have grown enough and gain strength.

How to grow a pumpkin in the open ground? As you can see, this is not difficult. A few debunked myths, the inclusion of the head in the process of planting and care, abundant watering. And you can enjoy healthy vitamin fruits until spring. Now you will surely succeed.

Video: planting pumpkins in the spring in the open ground

Habitual in garden space and culinary use pumpkin  It lends itself well to cultivation and care in various conditions, including open ground.

Pumpkin: a description of the garden culture

The smooth, tuberous or warty pumpkin fruits obtained as a result of natural farming are very diverse in shape, color and weight. The latter ranges from tens of grams to a centner. Growing pumpkin in the open ground is facilitated by the features of its root system - the depth (up to 3 m) of the main root and the active part, spread widely (up to 10 sq. M), located in arable land 20-25 cm from the surface.

  This gives a solid resistance to drought. Although varieties in the form of bushes have already become known in garden practice, the classic stem of a pumpkin spreads (creeps) along the ground, stretching up to four or more meters. The enormous leaf surface consists of large, with elongated stalks of pumpkin leaves that do not have stipules. Each of the plants is a common home for male and female flowers.

The same-sex flowers with the same red-orange color differ:

• flowering sequence (the first appear male);
• place on the stem (female - higher);
• pedicels (for men - longer);
• the presence of sometimes inflorescences (only for men).

In addition, un dusted female flowers last longer. Pollination is carried out by insects (due to the natural severity of pollen that the wind is not able to tolerate) or manually by a person. The most favorable for natural pollination are the morning hours of the first days after watering or rain.

The absence of bees due to cold, heat or prolonged rainfall leads to the fall of un dusted flowers.  Ellipses of pumpkin seeds, rounded and pointed at different ends, are well-known to many lovers to feast on. Germination lasts up to four years.

In connection with the latter circumstance, one can give an answer to the question of whether it is possible to sow pumpkin with fresh seeds: there should be more than the usual amount (after all, germination is slightly worse), and if we are talking about only a few seeds, it is recommended to cut them with sharp hand, since a strong fresh shell prevents penetration of the sprout.

Did you know? Of the eight hundred known pumpkin varieties in the world, only 200 are edible.

Features of growing pumpkins, how to choose a site for planting

In addition to the natural attention to the light and temperature conditions and the soil structure of the area where the pumpkin will grow, one must also take into account the features of its root system, which actively removes nutrients from the earth, and broad foliage that can drown out neighboring plantings.

Lighting requirements

Ideally, a pumpkin needs lighting, as gardeners say, with full sun, that is, it should have at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. The result of this effect will be increased productivity and improved fruit quality.

  But she will tolerate the penumbra with dignity. This is used to maximize the exploitation of the available land, compacting plantings of long-growing varieties of corn by planting pumpkins. The shadow of the pumpkin itself makes it difficult for weeds to grow. In this sense, it can be used as a means to cleanse the soil.

Optimum temperature for seedlings or seeds

The general rule requires that the extreme limit of daily air temperature when planting pumpkins, seedlings were not lower than + 8 ° С  (for seed planting - from + 13 ° C and above) subject to its night decrease not lower than + 3 ° С.  In other cases, it’s not worth the risk.

What should be the soil for planting

Growing well on any soil, pumpkin prefers soil that is saturated with humus, moist, but not too damp, with good drainage. To get this, before planting (sowing) the soil is mixed with a lot of compost.

The soil for pumpkin can be both slightly acidic and slightly alkaline, but acidity (pH) of 6.5 is recognized as optimal. You should not plant a pumpkin in the area where its relatives (cucumbers, zucchini, squash) grew up before that.

  After other crops, pumpkin soil is suitable, and planting after potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, onions, carrots, winter grains (corn and wheat), a variety of legumes and herbaceous perennials is very favorable.

Important!  Do not be afraid of groundwater close to the surface of the earth (0.6 - 0.7 m) - they will not affect the yield of the pumpkin.

Planting pumpkins in the garden (planting dates, sowing technology, picking seedlings, seed preparation, etc.)

What is the best thing to do when determining whether to plant a pumpkin with seeds or seedlings, the owner should be told about the climate of the area in which his plot is located. That is, before planting a pumpkin directly in open ground or for seedlings, you need to devote some time to studying and evaluating natural factors. The geographical latitude also determines what month of the year gardeners will plant the pumpkin. In particular, for the middle band this is the end of April.

Sowing seeds in open ground

  Directly in the open ground, pumpkin seeds are planted in gardens where the July air temperature does not drop below 18 degrees. Before this, you need to make sure, having studied the forecast of meteorologists, that there is no threat of a quiet disaster, as return frosts are sometimes called. After this danger has passed, sowing is carried out. If the weather deteriorates, it is better to cover the crops with non-woven textiles.

Important!  The day before planting, the seeds are heated and soaked in water with dissolved ash.

Once you have opted for the seedling method, care must be taken to properly sprout pumpkin seeds for seedlings. In order for the roots to be intact when they are moved to the open ground, planting pumpkin seeds for seedlings is done immediately in peat pots or simply in paper cups.

When using seed boxes at their bottom, under a substrate of a mixture of peat and soil, a layer of wood sawdust is poured into several centimeters. Sowing is carried out three weeks before moving to open ground. In order for the pumpkin seeds to sprout well, the germination temperature in the first three days can be brought to 25 degrees, reducing it at night to a maximum of +15.

Planting pumpkin seedlings involves a number of prerequisites.  When the prepared soil has not yet been warmed up, pumpkin seedlings should not be planted. You can determine the optimum (12 degrees) temperature of the soil by simply inserting an ordinary household thermometer into it for 10 minutes. If it is lower, then make a blanket for the soil from a polyethylene (preferably black) film. If time does not tolerate or there will be no other case for planting, then three (or more) liters of hot water can be pre-poured into the planting holes.

Seedlings grown in peat pots are planted with them, buried 3 cm deeper than in greenhouse soil. Seedlings from the boxes are placed in holes filled with water, so that, being located in the soil, the roots avoid unnecessary bends.

How to care for a pumpkin

Pumpkin care begins with watering it immediately after planting. About a week after that, it is advisable to mulch the soil surface with compost containing effective microorganisms, placing chopped nettles over its layer. Peat, humus, pine needles and even dry land are also suitable as mulch.

An essential aspect of the maintenance is the supporting loosening of the soil, which must be done at least every two weeks. This procedure is almost always combined with weeding. Immediately after planting, the depth of cultivation can be up to 12 cm, and by the end of the first month it must be reduced to 5-8 cm to avoid damage to the root system. In the absence of natural (insects) pollination, you must use the manual method - otherwise the decay of unbound fruit occurs.

The operation, which should be carried out before noon, is quite simple: with the anthers of each torn male flower with the removed petals, you need to carefully touch the pistils of one or two female flowers. When the weather improves, then to attract insects as pollinators, you can spray a flowering pumpkin with honey water on a weekly basis (one teaspoon of sweetness per 10 liters of water).

Important!  So that the fruits do not decay, do the pollination yourself.

How to properly form a plant

Pumpkin seedlings quickly become sprawling plants with long stems and large leaves. So that a powerful plant does not violate the boundaries of its growing area, it is necessary to form a pumpkin, which is easy to do in open ground. For this, the technology of pinching the pumpkin is used, and it must be done while the plant is young. Pinching occurs by removing the apical kidney (it is possible with part of the shoot).

  Her goal is the accelerated development of lateral shoots that carry a greater number of female flowers. In addition, extra young axillary shoots that have reached 5-7 cm are removed - this procedure is called pinching. It is carried out on open ground simultaneously with the removal of excess leaves and the direction of all processed pumpkin lashes in one direction. At the same time, leaving one ovary on each lash, at the harvesting stage, excellent fruit sizes are obtained.

Watering and fertilizing pumpkins

The irrigation period for a pumpkin is the time of its flowering, the emergence and development of the ovaries. At the beginning of fruit setting, the plant is watered sparingly so that they do not grow too small. Then the volume of moisture, and warm (at least +20 degrees), increase.

Warm significant watering contributes to the formation of female flowers. Cold watering with well or artesian water is able to ruin the landing. When a real foliage appears on a growing pumpkin, they begin to feed it with dry nitrophos (10 g per plant) and 15 grams of nitrophosk diluted with water are given to each vegetable during lash formation.

• - ash at the rate of 1 glass / 1 plant;
• - a solution (1: 8) of mullein in the calculation of 10 liters per six plants when the vegetation began, and three - during fruiting;
• - humus, rotten chicken droppings or manure, humus - it is possible by eye.

How to protect pumpkin from pests and diseases

Pests and diseases	Manifestations	Protection methods
Gourd aphids	Twisting leaves, falling flowers	Spraying with infusion of celandine (or garlic, or onion peel) or with a chemical solution (kemifos, actellik, fufanon). Autumn collection and elimination of plant debris, deep digging of the soil
Slug	Damage to young leaves (round holes and silver stripes), later - ovaries	Soil loosening, thinning, weeding. Traps of cabbage leaves, watermelon peels, soaked rags, followed by the destruction of pests in concentrated saline. Superphosphate and other chemical protective bands around plants. Spraying with a solution of creocide
Powdery mildew	Drying of diseased leaves covered with copious white plaque spreading on stems and petioles	Timely weeding. Warm watering. Removing diseased leaves. Spraying with chemicals (gates, topaz) and tillage three weeks before harvest
Peronosporosis (downy mildew)	Growing and drying light yellow spots and gray-purple plaque on the leaves	Warming up the seeds before sowing. Chemical spraying (strobe, carcidide, copper oxychloride, cuproxate)
Anthracnose	Drying and forming holes on the leaves, indented spots with pink coating. Appear also on cotyledons and petioles.	Removing diseased plants. Spraying (Bordeaux liquid, copper oxychloride, abigalik)

In general, pumpkin is not very susceptible to harmful influences, but the basic methods of protection are useful in case of negative manifestations.

Pumpkin is valued for its healing and palatability. It is used for making cereals, soups, juices, salads, muffins, casseroles and even jam. You can use the pulp for culinary purposes, and solid bordering as an attribute for Halloween. Then you need to plant varieties of round shape with a yellow or orange color. If you want to surprise people who come to the house, plant a pear-shaped variety. Like many others, it lasts until spring at room temperature, if you store an intact fruit. With such instances you can decorate your home.

If you want to get an early crop, plant the seeds on seedlings, and subsequently it in the open ground. Pumpkin should grow at home no more than 25 days, otherwise the seedlings will stretch, so start pre-sowing seed treatment a month before the end of spring frosts. In the middle lane they begin to be etched in potassium permanganate on April 20-25. Make the solution weak. After pouring 3-4 crystals in 100 water, stir it. Then put pumpkin seeds there for 20 minutes.

After that, rinse them and put them to be enriched with nutrients. To do this, you need a bandage and a bowl. Wrap the seeds in a double layer of bandage, put it in a container, pour in a growth stimulator. After 10 hours, drain it, put the bowl for a day in the refrigerator. After this time, hold the wet seeds in a bandage for a day at room temperature. Then plant each seed in a separate pot with a nutritious mixture, it is better to use peat.

Do not water the soil, grow seedlings on a light windowsill or balcony at a temperature of + 15 + 20 ° C, then it will not stretch. At the end of May, pumpkin seedlings are planted in open ground.

Planting seeds in the soil

If you do not have the opportunity to grow seedlings, you will have time to get large fruits by planting the seeds immediately in open ground. The best time for this is May 15-20. Start to germinate the seeds as described above two days before planting.

This culture, like all representatives of the pumpkin family, loves to grow on light soil rich in organic matter. Moreover, the latter may be decomposed. It’s easy to prepare the pumpkin area, to avoid unnecessary efforts, start digging from the middle of the ridge. In this case, take a little land, lay it to the left and right side. You will get a trench 60 cm wide. Put grass, dry leaves, semi-decomposed compost, manure in it. Pour 2 tablespoons of nitrofoska per square meter. Shuffle it all with a shovel. Cover from above with earth, which lies on both sides of the trench.

Spill the bed with warm water. Plant the pumpkin seeds in a square-nested manner in 2 rows after 50 cm. Cover with a non-woven material on top. If the weather is warm, the first sprouts will appear after 5 days. If it's cool, you have to wait 7-9. After that, remove the non-woven material, water it occasionally, loosen the top layer superficially, water it as needed. On each bush, leave no more than 1-2 ovaries, then the fruits will grow large.