Hazelnut pumpkin is one of the most beloved and unusual crops of gardeners, it has earned its vocation due to its special taste, reminiscent of a nut. The fruit contains a huge amount of beneficial minerals that strengthen the immune system.
Pumpkin Hazelnut
Pumpkin Hazelnut has a long shelf life
Pumpkin Hazelnut has a sweet aromatic pulp
Description and characteristics of hazelnut pumpkin
The main feature of the variety is its unsurpassed pumpkin flavor with a nutty note.
The main characteristics of the pumpkin:
- Pumpkin easily tolerates dry days, the root system penetrates so deeply that it can extract its own moisture.
- It belongs to the early varieties, it yields on the 100th day after germination.
- The foliage is large and lush.
- The mass of one fruit is about 1.2-1.4 kg, there are pumpkins and 2 kg each.
- The peel is dark orange in color with a red color.
- The walls of the peel are very thick, so the fruits are stored for a long time and are not damaged during transportation.
- The pulp is relatively sweet, very aromatic.
- The scourges are developed, they reach 4-5 m in length.
- Inflorescences are orange.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The advantages of the variety:
- fruits retain their appearance for a long time;
- yield at an average level;
- versatility in cooking;
- not exactingness in constant watering and care;
- good transportability;
- compactness, average fruit size;
- long shelf life;
- due to the high starch content, the pumpkin does not break down and does not boil.
The pumpkin has only one drawback - the variety belongs to hybrids, respectively, it is impossible to propagate it yourself.
Features of planting and growing
Even a novice summer resident can grow a pumpkin of the Hazelnut variety. However, the standard rules must be followed.
Boarding time
Pumpkins are planted in two ways: seedlings and directly into the ground. Sowing material for seedlings is sown in mid-April, and transplantation of seedlings into open ground is carried out a month later. At this time, the weather should already have settled, and the ground should warm up to +15 degrees.
By mid-May, the spring frosts will no longer return, so you can transplant the pumpkin into open soil.
If sowing is carried out in open land, then it must be carried out in mid-late May. Specific planting dates vary depending on the climate in the region and the weather.
Choice of location and soil
Pumpkin Hazelnut refers to unpretentious crops, it can grow on any soil, but it is better that the soil is fertile. It belongs to melons and gourds, it needs as much sun as possible. Give preference to sunny and warm areas.
Do not forget about the rules of crop rotation, you cannot plant a pumpkin after other melons and gourds (you should wait 5 years). Diseases of some melons quickly spread and destroy other melons and gourds.
An excellent harvest is brought by pumpkins planted after green manure: cabbage, soybeans, peas, beets, beans, beans, lentils, peanuts. You should not plant pumpkin after zucchini, potatoes, cucumbers, sunflowers.
Prepare the soil in the fall:
- First remove the soil: rip out all the grass, dig up the soil and loosen it.
- Add organic fertilizing to unfertilized soil: 5 kg of rotted manure or compost per 1 sq. m.
- If the soil is acidic, then add 1 sq. m. 300 g of ash, 30 g of phosphorus and 20 g of potassium.
- In the springtime, as soon as the snow has completely melted, remove the remaining weeds and dig the ground to a depth of about 60 cm.
After carrying out these procedures, level the area with a rake. Make the beds high, heavy soil must be compensated for by a bed height of at least 0.25 m.Leave a distance of 50 cm between the beds.
Sowing seeds in open ground
Seed sowing algorithm:
- Prepare seed. First, treat it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The procedure takes about 1 hour, then dry the seed.
- Dig up the beds well before sowing, add organic fertilizing to the soil.
- Make holes of different sizes in the soil (5 to 12 cm). By using this technique, you will save more seeds.
- As soon as you plant the seeds, make mulch in the garden using straw or sawdust.
- Cover the crops with foil, which you remove every day for a couple of hours for airing. Remove the completely covering material when the air warms up and the soil warms up.
Seedling method
This method is more effective, since the seedlings take root faster. The method is suitable for northern regions. It is advisable to make beds on the south side of the site.
Algorithm for growing pumpkin seedlings:
- Prepare your potting mix. The seedling soil must be moisture-permeable, you can buy it or make it yourself from equal parts of sand, soil and peat.
- Take seedling containers. Peat pots or cardboard glasses are suitable containers. Peat containers can be planted directly into the soil, respectively, during the transplanting of seedlings, their root system will not be damaged.
- Place 2-3 pumpkin seeds in each glass, pour a little over the soil.
- Wait for the first shoots, make a pick - remove weak shoots and leave only 1 seedling in each glass.
After the first shoots appear, a month must pass, and then the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place.
Rules for caring for pumpkin Hazelnut
The variety is not demanding in care, but without watering, loosening and weeding, the pumpkin will die. Watch the growth and "behavior" of the plant, if you notice that the pumpkin begins to wilt or change its appearance, then you need to reconsider its care. The reason for the change in the development of the plant can be the lack of useful minerals and components, as well as excessive or insufficient watering.
Watering basics
Despite the fact that the Hazelnut pumpkin is able to independently obtain moisture for itself, watering should still be competent. The plant loves irrigation and moist soil, but excessive dampness is unacceptable, otherwise the plants are affected by various fungal diseases.
One plant needs 6-9 liters of water, water it in the evening or morning. Stop watering during ripening to avoid excessive wateriness of the pumpkins.
Pollination
Pollination occurs naturally, pollinators are bees. Just make sure that the plants have an equal number of male and female flowers.
Top dressing: types and quantity
The first 10 days after planting the plant in the ground, the pumpkin does not need fertilizers. Especially if you fed the soil in advance. The variety is fertilized with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. The amount of fertilizers and their application time depends on the degree of plant development. You cannot overdo it with nitrogen, since it is responsible for the development and growth of greenery, and with a large amount of it, the pumpkin will not bear fruit.
Pumpkin loves organic fertilizers very much, they are applied during planting, growth and development of the plant. Such pumpkin feeding includes rotted manure, humus, dung and compost.
Fertilization rates per 1 sq. m:
- Organic: 5-6 kg.
- Mineral: potassium (15-22 g), phosphorus (24-32 g).
- Complex: 60-65 g.
Stealing
This procedure is carried out only if the lashes grow very quickly. If the pumpkin spends a lot of energy on providing greens and does not form fruits, then it is necessary to carry out the pinching procedure:
- 3-4 ovaries should remain on each lash;
- when cutting the lash, make sure that there are at least 4 sheets above the last ovary.
Harvesting and storage
Fruits can be on the site until the first frost, so harvesting can be postponed to mid-September, it all depends on the region where the plant is grown.
Fruits are considered ready to be harvested if:
- the peduncle is dense and tough;
- fruit color is saturated;
- the pumpkin is firm with a thick skin;
- leaves turn yellow and wither.
The fruits of the Hazelnut pumpkin are great in the apartment and even in the kitchen, so they can be used as a decorative element. Compact size and light weight do not require a large area for storing pumpkin, and they will last about 8 months.
Diseases, pests and prevention
Hazelnut pumpkin belongs to hybrids, so it has a fairly strong immune system and does not succumb to pest attacks.
Common pumpkin diseases and pests, and methods of control:
Pests / diseases | Symptoms of defeat | What to do? |
Anthracnose | The appearance of yellow-brown spots on the leaves. | Before sowing, process the seeds in an infusion of ash (20 g per 1 liter). It is impossible to get rid of the disease, only preventive measures will help. |
Powdery mildew | Fungal disease, small white spots appear on the leaves. | Treat the bushes with colloidal sulfur (25 g per 10 L of water). Burn all heavily infected bushes. |
Aphid | Whole colonies of aphids settle on leaves and stems. | Use chamomile and wormwood infusion. |
As a fight against these diseases, you can also use an unsaturated solution of Bordeaux liquid or a product based on laundry soap.
The infusion of chamomile and wormwood helps to get rid of aphids, you can sprinkle the leaves of the pumpkin with ash, this procedure will scare away pests for a long time. An infusion of potato peel also helps against insects.
Reviews about pumpkin Hazelnut
Olga, 54 years old, teacher, Sochi. Recently I decided to grow melons, the choice fell on the Hazelnut pumpkin. And I didn't regret it. The plant very quickly took root and started to grow, did not hurt anything, brought me a lot of fruit. The fruits deserve special attention - they are small in size, but very tasty.
Peter, 32 years old, entrepreneur, Astrakhan. I love to spend time at the dacha, where my mother planted a Hazelnut pumpkin, now we take care of it together. The scourge has already reached 3 m, the fruits have set, but they have not yet become a rich orange color, so we are waiting for what will happen next.
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It is easy to grow a healthy and tasty Hazelnut pumpkin on your site, it does not need special care, has a strong immune system, is not picky about sudden changes in temperature and various whims of the weather. The pumpkin of this variety brings a rich and stable harvest.