Description of Butternut pumpkin and its cultivation

Pumpkin Butternut differs from other types of vegetables in its unusual shape and pleasant nutty taste. This plant is versatile in use. Therefore, gardeners grow it with pleasure.

This type of pumpkin was developed in the middle of the last century in America. Gardeners crossed muscat and African plant varieties.

The fruits of these plants are small. The weight of an average pumpkin is one or two kilograms. At the same time, the plant has excellent productivity. 15-20 fruits grow on one bush. But since nut gourd is a heat-loving plant, it can only be grown in warm climates. In the Moscow region and in the southern regions of the country, plants are planted directly in vegetable gardens, in cold regions they are grown in greenhouses.

Ripe pumpkin fruits can be yellowish, orange or even slightly pink. Their peel is thin, but at the same time quite hard. The flesh of this pumpkin is loose and very juicy. It contains a large amount of vitamins and nutrients. Therefore, pumpkin can be safely introduced into the diet of not only adults, but also children.

Despite the fact that this type of vegetable was bred relatively recently, the choice of varieties of such a pumpkin is already quite large.

• Waltham. This is the same classic variety that was bred in America several decades ago. Fruits on the bushes are set late enough. They ripen 110 days after planting. The color of the fruits is monochromatic, almost beige. The pumpkin pulp is sweet, with a tangible nutty flavor.
• "Rogosa violina Gioya". It is an Italian variety of butternut squash. It is very sweet and delicious. This variety has a high yield. Several large fruits weighing up to 10 kilograms can grow on one bush. Their surface is wrinkled, and the skin is light orange. Such fruits ripen in 90-100 days.
• "Honey Guitar". This type of pumpkin also has a very sweet honey flavor. The shape of the fruit is classic, pear-shaped. At the same time, the upper part of the ripened pumpkins is very long. Fruit color is orange. Green spots are sometimes found on the base of the pumpkin. Ripe fruits are delicious. Therefore, they can be eaten even raw.
• Pluto. Small fruits grow on the bushes of this variety. They weigh about a kilogram. Their shape is classic, pear-shaped. Ripe pulp is very aromatic and juicy. A big plus of this variety of pumpkin is its resistance to diseases that pose a danger to pumpkin crops.
• "Barbara". This is one of the earliest varieties of Butternut pumpkin. You can collect fruits for eating two months after planting the plants. Such pumpkin bushes are large and resistant to most common diseases. Their flesh is bright orange and very sweet.
• "Northern Miracle F1". This hybrid is high yielding and suitable for growing in cold regions. The fruits weigh on average 3-4 kilograms. Their length varies from 30 to 40 centimeters. The bark of the fruit is thin and the flesh is very tasty.

Before planting seedlings, you need to select high-quality planting material and prepare it correctly. This process consists of several stages.

• Calibration. First, you need to manually select healthy seeds. They should not show any signs of damage. It is desirable that all seeds are the same size. The planting material should be placed in a glass of saline. The floating seeds must be removed immediately. They are empty and will not bear fruit anyway.
• Disinfection. In order for adult plants to be resistant to diseases and pests, the planting material is dipped in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour before planting.
• Stimulating growth. You can achieve the rapid appearance of sprouts in the garden by soaking the seeds in a biostimulator. For soaking, you can use purchased stimulants or folk remedies. Fresh aloe juice or ash infusion is excellent for this purpose.
• Hardening. This treatment helps to make the heat-loving pumpkin more resistant to cold. The processed seeds are wrapped in a damp cloth or gauze and sent to the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

In addition to seeds, it is important for the gardener to prepare containers with soil. It is best to use special peat pots for growing seedlings. You can buy them at any gardening store. Ordinary plastic cups can be used instead. They are filled with soil mixture purchased or prepared at home. It is prepared from peat, humus and fertile soil. All components are mixed in equal proportions.

Having prepared the seedlings and containers for it, you can start planting. The first step is to make a small hole in each glass. Its depth should be within 4-5 centimeters. Two seeds are placed in each glass. This helps to increase the number of seedlings. After that, the seeds are covered with earth.

Next, the soil is gently moistened using a spray bottle. The containers are covered with a transparent film. It will be possible to remove it immediately after the emergence of shoots. Next, containers with seeds are sent to the windowsill. After the shoots appear, the gardener needs to inspect the cups and remove the weaker shoots. Each container should contain only one seedling. Only in this case can he grow up healthy and strong enough.

It will be possible to transplant seedlings into open ground after they grow up to 10-15 centimeters. The soil at this time should already be well warmed up. The soil is moistened before planting seedlings. Seedlings are placed in holes 5-6 centimeters deep. The distance between individual plants should be at least one meter.

In the southern regions of the country, seeds can also be grown outdoors. Before planting them, the gardener needs to make sure that the pumpkin will grow in suitable conditions. You need to pay attention to the following points.

• Soil composition. The soil in which the pumpkin will grow should be loose and fertile. If it is clay, a small amount of sand is embedded in it in the fall. At the same time, fertilizers are applied to the soil. Most often, gardeners use ordinary humus. If the soil in the area is acidic, ash or a small amount of dolomite flour is embedded in it.
• Illumination. It is very important that the garden bed is well lit. Otherwise, the fruit will grow small. It is also important that the bed is protected from the winds. Therefore, pumpkin is often planted next to a house or some kind of outbuildings.
• Predecessors and neighbors. When planting a pumpkin, it is important to consider which plants were grown in the garden before it. It is not recommended to plant it where melons used to grow. The best precursors for pumpkin are cabbage, onions and potatoes. If we talk about the neighborhood, the pumpkin gets along well with beans, cucumbers and onions.

Planting work is recommended at the end of May. The soil at this time is already well warmed up. Therefore, seedlings on the site will appear very quickly. It is necessary to plant seeds at a distance of 60-70 centimeters. Otherwise, the lashes of different bushes will interfere with each other. Two seeds are also placed in each hole. Immediately after planting, the plants are watered with warm water. If the weather is cold, the bed can be covered with cling film.

After planting the plants on the site, you need to provide them with proper care.

First of all, the plants need to be watered regularly. Particular attention should be paid to watering during the formation of ovaries. This is done much less frequently in August. Thanks to this, the pulp becomes sugary and juicy, and the crust becomes firm. If you continue to water the plants during this time, the pumpkins may taste watery.

It is recommended to water the bushes in the evening using warm, settled water. You need to pour it at the root.

Growing plants without the use of fertilizing does not allow you to get a really big harvest. Therefore, gardeners, as a rule, feed the plants 2-3 times per season.

1. After landing. At this time, plants need nitrogen. Without it, they won't grow and form quickly. To saturate the soil with beneficial nutrients, you can use an infusion of mullein or chicken. Before use, these products must be diluted in a large amount of water.
2. After the formation of ovaries. At this stage, you can also add nitrogen-containing fertilizers. The second feeding promotes the formation of large fruits. An excellent fertilizer that can be used during this period is herbal tea. For its preparation, plant residues and cut grass are placed in a barrel. All this is poured with water and left in a warm place for two weeks. When the top dressing ferments, you can use it in your garden. Before use, the concentrated product must be diluted in a ratio of 1 to 10. Nut pumpkin reacts very well to natural fertilizers.
3. After the formation of the fruit. For the third time, the plants are fed with any organic fertilizers. This helps to improve the quality and flavor of the fruit. It is not recommended to apply mineral fertilizers at this stage.

So that a crust does not form on the surface of the earth, which interferes with the normal exchange of air, the soil must be loosened regularly. In this case, it is very important to do everything carefully so as not to damage the whips and the base of the bush.

The crop grown on the site must be protected from common diseases. The following diseases pose the greatest danger to pumpkin.

• Powdery mildew. This is one of the most common diseases. The foliage of the ailing plant is covered with a dense white bloom. After some time, it begins to curl and dry out. To combat the disease, plants are usually sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate.
• Bacteriosis This disease most often affects young plants. Their foliage is covered with large brown spots. After that, they start to fade. It is impossible to cure this disease. Therefore, it is very important to find it in time. To do this, you must always check the planting material. It must be of high quality, without any traces of rot.
• White rot. This disease can be recognized by white spots on the foliage. They grow very quickly and turn black. If you notice such spots, the infected foliage needs to be cut off. The sections need to be disinfected. You need to carefully add nutritious soil to the lying shoots.

Insects can also severely damage the nut gourd crop. Aphids and spider mites are dangerous to plants. As a rule, they become active in the heat. In order to prevent contamination of the site, it is recommended to process the beds from time to time with infusion of garlic, tomato or potato tops. Such products repel insects with their pungent smell. If the bushes were nevertheless infested with pests, any proven insecticides should be used to combat them.

Gardeners usually harvest walnut gourd in early autumn. It is very important to have time to collect all the fruits before the first frost. It is necessary to cut pumpkins from the bush together with the stalk. This way they will last much longer. Damaged fruits or vegetables without stalks are not sent for storage. They try to spend them first.

Butternut pumpkin is used for different purposes. Large fruits can be used as feed for livestock and poultry. Medium-sized pumpkins are used to prepare various dishes. The fruits of this variety can be used to make juices, purees, pies, cereals, soups, casseroles and other dishes. Pumpkin with a delicate nutty flavor goes well with meat.

The pumpkin is stored for a long time. The main thing is to provide the fruits with the right storage conditions. Place the pumpkins in a dark place. The temperature there should be no higher than 7-8 degrees. As a rule, the harvested crop is stored in the following places.

• Balcony. On a balcony or loggia, a pumpkin can lie for several months in a row. The main thing is to cover the fruits with a dark cloth, which will protect them from sunlight. From time to time, the fruit needs to be checked. Perishable pumpkins are separated from the rest and used in cooking.
• Cellar. In the cellar, the pumpkin should be stored on racks or pallets. In a room with good ventilation, the fruits will lie for 2-3 months without any problems. You can store pumpkin next to any vegetables.
• Barn. Fruits are also stored well in a barn or garage. So that they do not freeze with the onset of severe cold weather, they need to be covered with a thick cloth or old things. In rooms with a concrete floor, the fruits must be placed on boards or dry straw.

If the apartment has a large freezer, some of the fruit can be cut into cubes and frozen. In this form, the pumpkin is stored for several months in a row. In addition, it is worth remembering that the fruits can be preserved. As a rule, gardeners prepare mashed potatoes, juices and jams made from delicious pulp.