Summer residents choose Vitaminnaya pumpkin for its high yield, good resistance to many diseases and excellent taste. What you need to know about one of the most delicious and sweet pumpkin varieties in order to grow it competently and get a good harvest, we will find out further.
Pumpkin Vitamin Resistant to Many Diseases
Pumpkin Vitamin
Pumpkin Vitamin is well stored and transported
Description and characteristics of the variety
The variety was bred in the Krasnodar Research Institute of Vegetable and Potato Farming. In 1992, it was approved for use in the North Caucasus region. This pumpkin was called Vitamin not by chance, but due to the increased content of beneficial elements in the fruits. Its characteristics are presented in the table:
Parameter | Description |
Varietal affiliation | Vitamin Pumpkin belongs to the group of muscat melons, therefore it differs from fruits of other species both in a perceptible muscat aroma and in an elongated shape in the form of a cylinder or pear. |
Ripening period | The variety is late-ripening - from the moment of planting in the ground until the fruit is fully ripe, it takes about 124-130 days (at least 5 months). For this reason, the variety is rarely grown in regions with a cold climate. |
Plant characteristics | A plant of medium power has lashes up to 6 m long. On them, fruits are formed, as a rule, 2-3 pieces. Grayish-green leaves have a pentagonal shape resembling a heart. In the region of the veins, they are covered with small white hairs. Each leaf is held on a long petiole (up to 25 cm). The yellow flowers are large and hold on long stalks. Due to their bright color and aroma, they attract bees and other insects that take part in the pollination process. |
External characteristics of the fetus | Vitamin pumpkin weighs on average 4.5-6.8 kg. It has an elongated oval or cylindrical wide shape. The stalk, which can reach half of the fruit, shows ribbing. The skin is thin, but dense, so the fruit is easy to transport and does not require special storage conditions. It has a dark pink color with a light orange or brown-brown hue and a segmented surface. It shows a dark green and green large mesh, as well as small round and elongated spots that have a lighter shade. |
Characteristics and taste of pulp | The pulp has a rich bright orange color (close to red) and a thickness of 5 to 10 cm. It is juicy and fibrous, dense and crunchy, and most importantly - it has a bright aroma and sweet taste. The seed nest is small and completely filled with loose placentas. Seeds in a small amount have a dirty yellow or brown tint. |
The benefits of fruits and their use | The pulp of this pumpkin has a high content of nutrients. In particular, it contains 11.5-16.0 mg of carotene. Thanks to this, the vegetable has a number of positive effects on the human body - it improves vision, strengthens the digestive organs, accelerates the healing of wounds, and relieves swelling. A pumpkin with such characteristics can be safely included in both children's and dietary foods. Means of use - fresh or processed (mashed potatoes, juice, pastries and other dishes are prepared from the pulp). |
Productivity | Yields are high - from 1 square. m of the site, you can collect about 3.7-4.4 kg of fruit. |
Disease resistance | The plant has a relative resistance to typical melon diseases - powdery mildew and late blight. In order to prevent it, it should be fed with balanced mineral complexes during the period of growth, flowering and fruiting. |
Landing methods and dates
Pumpkin Vitamin refers to extremely heat-loving plants, for which temperature drops are fraught with leaf fall, blackening of the trunk and death. In this regard, it is best to grow pumpkin seedlings. Direct sowing in open ground is permissible only for residents of the southern regions, where crops can be harvested in mid-autumn and not be afraid of frost.
When grown from seeds, the ripening period is delayed, so the warm season will not be enough for the active development of the culture.
In any case, at the time of planting, the soil temperature must be at least + 13 ° C, otherwise the delicate roots will die off in a cool environment. This will be evidenced by dead leaves covered with dark spots.
The timing of planting work depends on the method of cultivation:
- Through seedlings. It is necessary to sow seeds in April in order to transplant seedlings into open ground already in May-June. In this case, the temperature on the thermometer should already be stable at least 20 ° C.
- Direct sowing of seeds in the ground. Sowing work can be carried out in late May - early June, when the risks of uninvited frosts will be minimized. To determine the optimal time for sowing seeds, you can also navigate by folk signs. They say that a pumpkin can be planted with the beginning of flowering of viburnum and peonies.
Pumpkin Vitamin for any cultivation method prefers sandy, sandy loam and light loamy soils.
Planting through seedlings
When growing pumpkin seedlings, the likelihood of obtaining a rich harvest is greater than when directly sowing seeds into the ground, however, this method is also more laborious, therefore it is advisable to conditionally divide it into several stages.
Seed preparation
Such processing of independently harvested or purchased seeds is consistently carried out:
- Warming up. Spread the seed in a thin layer on a pallet and keep it for 1-2 months in a warm place, for example, near the oven. Such manipulation will allow the plant to give more female flowers, which will have a positive effect on the crop yield.
- Germination test. After warming up, the seeds must be soaked in a saline solution. Those specimens that emerge need to be caught and disposed of, since they are empty and will not give any germination. The seeds remaining at the bottom can be used for further processing.
- Hardening. In order for future seedlings to be able to withstand temperature drops, they need to be hardened. For this purpose, the selected specimens will need to be wrapped in a damp cloth and kept in the refrigerator for 3 days.
- Disinfection. To be carried out in order to protect the future plant from pest invasions. To do this, the seeds must be soaked for 10-12 hours in warm water with the addition of a small amount of potassium permanganate or aloe juice.
Sowing seeds for seedlings
In early May, you can already plant seeds for seedlings. To do this, you need to prepare separate peat pots, since the culture does not tolerate a pick. In order for the root system of the plant to fully develop, the containers for planting must be spacious and have a diameter of at least 10 cm.
Seeds are planted in this order:
- Fill the pots with nutritious soil.
- Make 2 cm depressions in pots and place 1-2 seeds in each.
- Sprinkle lightly on the pits with earth, and then pour it from the spray bottle to slightly moisten.
- Cover the planting with plastic wrap to make a mini greenhouse.
- Transfer containers to a sunny place and regularly open the foil for airing. With the advent of the first shoots, it can be completely removed. In addition, it is necessary to constantly maintain soil moisture, while avoiding its excessive moisture.
With proper agricultural techniques, the pumpkin will rise quickly, and it can be transplanted into open ground in early June. By this time, the plant should already have 3 leaves.
Open ground transplant
The plant does not tolerate acidified soil well, therefore it is necessary to normalize its acidity after adding organic matter with the help of wood ash. It is enough to scatter it over the beds or prepare a solution for irrigating the land (2 tablespoons per 1 liter of water). From autumn, the site should also be fertilized. An alternative option is to plant green manure.
It is worth replanting seedlings in a well-prepared garden bed, following these instructions:
- Dig up the garden bed, removing debris and plant debris.
- Break earth stones.
- Dig small holes 10 cm deep at a distance of 60-100 cm from each other. Do not allow very thickened plantings, because because of this, the wide leaves of the plant will not be able to spread out in full force.
- Pour the dug holes with hot water (at least 50 ° C) at the rate of 2 liters for each hole, if the weather is dry.
- In each hole, plant one stem and sprinkle with earth, completely covering the root neck.
- Mulch the planting with manure or peat. If there is a threat of night frost, the planting should be temporarily covered with transparent film.
Direct sowing in soil
In southern regions, this thermophilic crop can be grown by direct sowing of seeds in open ground. This method assumes compliance with the following rules:
- To get a good harvest, you must prepare the site in advance, taking care of all the fertilizers. For 1 square. m you will need to enter 6-8 kg of humus. There is an easier way - before planting, put a handful of humus in each hole.
- Arrange the holes in rows according to the scheme 60x60 cm.
- The optimum depth of the holes is about 10 cm. In each of them you need to put 2-3 seeds, and then sprinkle with earth.
- On top, mulch holes with peat.
Pumpkin care
It consists in carrying out a complex of agrotechnical measures, each of which requires separate consideration.
Watering, loosening and weeding
There is no special irrigation scheme for the soil, but it must be regular to prevent the formation of a dry crust on the surface of the area. At the same time, it is worthwhile to focus on weather conditions: in a drought, it is worth irrigating a plant 2 times a day at the rate of 5 liters of water per bush, and in rainy weather - water as necessary. Pumpkin also needs a particularly plentiful watering (twice a day) during the flowering and fruit season.
Pour warm water strictly under the root so that the droplets do not fall on the leaves and whips. The fact is that after themselves they can leave dry spots and cause a burn of the plant.
At the end of summer, it is necessary to reduce the frequency of watering and completely interrupt it 2 weeks before harvest. Otherwise, the skin of the fruit will be too thin, and their pulp will be watery. Such a pumpkin cannot be saved even before winter, as it will quickly deteriorate.
After watering, you should also loosen the soil around the plant and carry out weeding to provide air for the roots of the plant.
Additionally, the land under the bush should be mulched with humus or straw. Such manipulation will allow you to retain moisture longer and prevent weed growth.
Top dressing
For nutmeg pumpkin varieties, the following feeding scheme is used:
- First feeding (before flowering). With the seedling method, it is carried out 7 days after planting the seedlings in open ground, and with direct sowing - after 3 weeks. For feeding, it is worth using a solution of mullein or droppings, where most of the liquid is removed (1:10). You can also add mineral fertilizers to it - 30-40 g of superphosphate, 15-25 g of potassium sulfate per 10 l of water.
- Second feeding (during flowering). The plant should be fed with a solution of 50 g of potassium sulfate and 15-20 g of nitrophosphate per 10 liters of water. Until the ovaries appear, it can also be fertilized with wood ash or garden mix at the rate of 50 g of dry matter per 10 liters of water. In the case of cold summers, an additional plant can be sprayed with a urea solution at the rate of 10 g per 10 l of water.
If the application of organic fertilizers (infusion of mullein or chicken droppings diluted in water) increases the acidity of the soil, it will need to be reduced with the help of wood ash. It can be simply scattered over the surface of the garden bed or added with watering, having previously prepared a solution at the rate of 2 glasses of ash per bucket of water.
Thinning
Such manipulation is relevant only for direct sowing of seeds in open ground. It is carried out with the advent of the first shoots. If 3-4 bushes grow in one hole, it is necessary to leave one or two of the strongest of them.
Thinning of seedlings is carried out only after the formation of several leaves. Weak instances can not be pulled out, as this can cause irreparable harm to all inputs. So, they need to be carefully cut with garden shears at ground level.
Bush formation
To get a good harvest, you must pay due attention to the care of the lashes. This involves the following activities:
- In the process of development, the pumpkin releases many weaving stems, which, with the help of antennae, are fixed in the soil and provide the plant with nutrients along its entire length. As soon as it grows, in the places where antennae appear, such processes should be sprinkled with earth and watered. You cannot move or crop them.
- After the main stem reaches 1.5 m in length, it must be pinched.
- Forming bushes, on each of them you need to leave 2 lashes. The rest must be carefully torn off.
- Leave 2-3 ovaries on one plant, since more fruits will still not have time to ripen. For this, the stems must be pinched 50 cm above the fruit.
- In several places, whip the whips to the ground and sprinkle with a layer of soil to accelerate root formation and promote fruit growth.
For better development in the fall, a plank or brick should be placed under each vegetable. You can use a more complex option - to hang the fruits in the grid to the support.
Pest control
Pumpkin is not the most attractive treat for pests. If they do appear, then mainly at the end of the growing season, when this crop ends its life cycle. Among them you can meet:
- pumpkin glass;
- South American leaf beetles;
- local painters or lozenges.
The first pest is of great danger, since it eats the stems from the inside. After he attacks the planting, the plant has a small chance of survival. It is necessary to fight the listed pests mechanically. This means that the plantings must be regularly inspected and any pests found manually removed.
Harvesting and storage
You need to harvest the crop from September to October inclusive, before the onset of the first frost. The following signs will testify to the biological maturity of the fruit:
- the appearance of a clear pattern on the hardened crust;
- drying of the stalk.
It is better to remove ripe fruits from the garden in dry weather. They need to be carefully cut with a small stalk (5-6 cm), which contributes to their longer storage.
Harvested fruits must be properly sorted. Those of them that have mechanical damage or have not reached technical ripeness must be processed immediately, and the rest can be laid for winter storage. Additionally, they should be dried in a warm room or kept in the sun for 2 weeks.
Until the onset of cold weather, the fruits can be stored on the balcony or in a dry room. The main thing is that at night the temperature does not drop below + 5… + 8ºC. With the arrival of cold weather, the pumpkin must be transferred to a warm place. A large crop can be stored in the garden, in a trench, covering it with a thick layer of straw and sprinkling it with earth. It is important to leave openings for air circulation.
Fruits in storage should be inspected regularly to detect signs of spoilage in a timely manner, remove damaged specimens, and eat them.
Pros and cons
Vitamin pumpkin is one of the leaders among the nutmeg varieties due to the following advantages:
- high yields (up to 9 fruits can be obtained from 3 seedlings);
- rapid rooting of seedlings in the open field and active flowering;
- resistance to various diseases and pests;
- good transportability;
- excellent taste for the preparation of various dishes.
The disadvantages of this variety of melons can be noted:
- excessive thermophilicity (pumpkin is mainly adapted to the weather conditions of the southern regions, therefore, it dies at cold temperatures);
- late ripening;
- active growth (the plant occupies a large surface of the garden due to its powerful stems, spreading leaves and heavy pumpkins).
The pumpkin grows in all directions and spreads strongly throughout the garden, so dense planting should not be allowed.
Variety reviews
Margarita, 35 years old, Sochi. I have been cultivating butternut pumpkin on my site for the second year now. The whole family liked this variety for its sweet taste. Fine orange flesh makes excellent dishes.
Svetlana Petrovna, 50 years old, Krasnodar. The pumpkin has settled in my garden for a long time. I especially like the Vitamin variety. I can note the high rates of its germination and resistance to many diseases that often affect melons and gourds. During flowering, the bushes are strewn with bees and butterflies, so the fruits are tied and grow by leaps and bounds. I advise everyone!
Andrey Stepanovich, 58 years old, Moscow. My neighbor shared her Vitaminnaya pumpkin seeds. I took a chance and planted through seedlings. I was surprised how rich the harvest was from a couple of bushes. It was not possible to consume all the fruits during the season, so I put them in storage. The keeping quality of this variety is excellent.
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The experience of growing Vitamin pumpkin is also described in the video below:
Pumpkin Vitamin is highly valued by lovers of this vegetable crop, because it has excellent taste and is rich in folic acid, carotene, vitamins and minerals. It can be easily grown by residents of warm regions, since it belongs to the thermophilic and late varieties of melons. Under unfavorable weather conditions, pumpkin can be grown in seedlings in a greenhouse.