Low-calorie, but at the same time sweet vegetable with a pleasant aroma - “Honey” pumpkin

Honey pumpkins have long been known among healthy eating enthusiasts. Large ripe vegetables have an unusual taste, reminiscent of fresh honey. Growing the crop does not require much time and effort: it is unpretentious, resistant to diseases and cold weather.

Description

The name Honey is common to several varieties that differ in external characteristics, but are similar in taste. The varieties are mainly mid-season: ripening occurs no earlier than 110 days. The plants are unpretentious in care, resistant to changes in temperature, and can withstand slight cold snaps. They have long lashes that grow more than 1 m.

Pumpkin is grown in any climate zone. Depending on the region, the planting method changes: the vegetable is sown directly into the ground only in the southern regions, in colder climates. grow seedlings.

The varieties have increased immunity to common diseases and pests.

Distinctive features

The seed bank remains viable for several years, so it is not necessary to plant seeds collected last year. Any soil composition except clay soil is suitable for growing vegetables. In such soil it will not be possible to get a rich harvest.

Fruit characteristics

Depending on the variety, honey pumpkins vary in weight and shape. Basically, ripe vegetables have an orange color and pulp of the same color. Average weight - 2–5 kg, rounded-flattened shape. The taste is sugary, the flesh is juicy and tender.The peel is thin, but reliably protects vegetables from damage.

The photo shows one of the varieties of honey pumpkins.

Productivity

The yield of such varieties is high: the average is 10–15 kg per 1 m2. Productivity is influenced by climatic features and soil composition. In light fertile soil the indicator is highest.

How to grow

Grow pumpkin through seedlings or direct planting of seeds in the ground. The main thing in both methods of breeding is the correct choice of soil and site. Pumpkin grows well in fertile soil on the sunny side.

Planting by seeds

Residents of the southern regions cultivate vegetables not only by seedlings, but also by direct sowing in the ground. Planting is carried out in late April - early May, when the soil warms up to +12...+14°C.

The seed material is first disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes.

Place 3 seeds in a damp hole 5-6 cm deep in different corners. Sprinkle the top with soil and cover with film until shoots appear. The distance between the holes is 70–90 cm. With a higher frequency of planting, plant vines will interfere with each other’s development. As soon as the shoots appear, the film is removed.

No more than 2 sprouts are left in one hole. If all 3 sprouted seeds, choose those that are stronger, the rest pinching.

Reference. In heavy soil, seeds are planted to a depth of 3-4 cm so that they germinate.

Sowing seedlings

They begin to grow seedlings 1 month before transplanting into the ground. Light and fertile soil is purchased at a specialized store. If the soil is prepared independently, it is spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection. Prepare the soil from garden soil, peat and river sand in equal proportions.

Individual containers for planting are used, with a volume of at least 0.5 liters.Small drainage holes are made at the bottom to drain excess moisture. Lay out some sawdust and fill the container 2/3 full with soil mixture.

Reference. Seedlings do not tolerate picking well and can die at the slightest disturbance of the root system. Therefore, the seeds are planted immediately in individual containers.

The grains are buried 5 cm, sprinkled with soil on top, slightly moistened, covered with film and left in a warm place until shoots emerge.

Seedling care

When the first shoots appear, the film is removed and the containers are placed on the windowsill, closer to the sun's rays. After 10 days, a full complex of minerals is added along with abundant watering. Moisten as needed with a shallow watering can. Loosen the soil after each watering with a wooden stick, superficially, without touching the young roots.

1 week before transplanting, the seedlings are fertilized again with a full range of minerals.

After the last feeding, young plants are hardened by taking them out into the open air during the day for several hours. This helps the crop quickly adapt to street conditions.

Transplantation into the ground

Planting pattern:

• distance between holes - 70–100 cm;
• row spacing - 80 cm.

The soil is prepared 2 weeks before planting: it is dug up and humus is added.

Transplant the sprouts into the holes together with an old clod of earth, otherwise the seedlings will not begin to grow for a long time. The optimal time for transplanting is late in the evening or early in the morning, so as not to burn the young plants.

The beds are chosen on the sunny side, but the seedlings are not planted under the scorching rays of the sun. After transplanting, the holes are watered and left for several days for the plants to adapt to new conditions.

Further care

An unpretentious plant does not require complex care.For the full development of seedlings, regular watering and timely application of fertilizing are sufficient.

Watering

Water the crop abundantly and regularly before flowering. During this period, the soil is not allowed to dry out. As soon as the plants bloom, reduce the amount of watering. Moisten the soil as the top layer dries out. After the fruits ripen, irrigation is stopped.

For rapid pumpkin growth, the ground is periodically loosened, especially after watering. Loose soil promotes better penetration of oxygen and nutrients to the roots.

As weeds grow, the beds are weeded. The grass is removed with its roots, as they take many useful substances from the ground and interfere with the development of cultivated plants.

Feeding

As a fertilizer, mullein infusion is used in a ratio of 1 liter to 1 bucket of water. The first time they are fed 10 days after transplanting into the ground. The product is poured strictly at the root along with abundant watering.

The second time the pumpkin is fertilized during the initial flowering period. The procedure is repeated after 1.5–2 weeks.

The following feedings are carried out at intervals of 2 times a month.

Formation

Pinching the vines allows you to get large fruits. If quantity ovaries Do not regulate, the vegetables will grow small.

No more than 4 ovaries are left on the shoot, the rest is pinched, thereby stopping the growth of the lash and the formation of new fruits. In this case, all nutrients will be spent on existing ovaries.

To stop the growth of lashes, the part that comes off after the 5th leaf is sprinkled with earth.

Reference. The colder the cultivation region, the fewer ovaries are left on the shoot.

Difficulties in growing

During the growing season of the crop, a net or supports are installed along which the plants will send lashes.On the wet ground they rot and cause the spread of fungal infection.

For the full development of 2 seedlings growing from one hole, the shoots are directed in opposite directions.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Recommendations from experienced vegetable growers will help you get harvest with the least losses:

1. When planting seeds directly in the ground, after sprouts appear, they are covered with caps. This creates a greenhouse effect for the rapid growth of the pumpkin in the future. This shelter protects the seedlings from precipitation.
2. Compost is spread around the planting hole. It enriches the soil with useful substances necessary for rapid seed germination.

Diseases and pests

Varieties of honey pumpkins are resistant to fungal and viral pathogens diseases, but in wet weather they are affected by rot. Therefore, in rainy summers, pumpkins are grown on hills and small hills. Aloe juice helps with rotting. They treat bushes with it, cutting out rotten parts.

Among the pests that are dangerous for pumpkin are aphids and wireworms. To remove wireworms, the soil is dug deep, and against aphids, the plants are treated with a decoction of wormwood.

Harvesting and application

Harvesting honey pumpkin in August - September. Vegetables must be cut with the stem to increase the shelf life storage.

The harvest is placed in a well-ventilated room with a temperature of +5…+15°C. In such conditions, the fruits retain their quality for up to 7 months.

Ripe vegetables last in the refrigerator for about a month, and in the freezer - up to 1 year. Before freezing, they are cut into pieces.

The use of pumpkin is universal: it is suitable for baking, cooking porridge, and frying. Juice is made from the pulp, and it is also consumed raw. Honey pumpkin is used for drying and drying.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of honey pumpkin:

• possibility of breeding in any region;
• cold resistance;
• ease of care;
• disease resistance;
• large fruits;
• honey taste;
• high keeping quality;
• marketable condition;
• universal application.

The main disadvantage is the long lashes, due to which you have to install supports.

Varieties of honey pumpkins

There are many varieties of this pumpkin, each of which has its own characteristics.

Orange F1

Full maturation of the hybrid occurs after 120 days. The skin color is dark orange with pronounced gray stripes along the ribs. The length of the lashes reaches just over 1 m. The weight of ripe fruits is 2–3.7 kg. The pulp is reddish-orange sugary. The vegetable is versatile in cooking.

Dessert

The variety has large round fruits, slightly flattened on both sides. The color is dark pink. The ribbing is strongly pronounced. The pulp is juicy orange-colored. Weight of vegetables - 3.5–5.8 kg. The variety is early ripening - ripens in 90 days.

Guitar

Variety differs from other varieties in its unusual shape, reminiscent of a guitar. Fruit length is 60–70 cm, diameter is 11–13 cm. The peel is thin and light. The pulp is deep orange and takes up 90% of the entire vegetable. Pumpkin is often consumed raw because of its tenderness and sweetness. The variety is mid-season - the fruits ripen in 110–120 days.

Princess

The color of the skin of this pumpkin is faint orange, dull, and the shape is rounded and flattened. The pulp is bright orange, sweet, contains a lot of sugar and carotene, and is therefore suitable for baby and dietary food. Fruit weight is 3-4 kg. The variety is mid-season: the growing season is 115–120 days.

Fairy tale

Pumpkin Honey Tale is very similar in appearance to Dessert: it has the same bright orange color and pronounced ribbing. Weight does not exceed 4 kg. The pulp is the sweetest of all.Full ripening occurs 120 days after planting.

Chit

Latest variety: fruits ripen no earlier than 120–128 days. Vegetables are almost the same size, average weight is 3 kg. The shape is round, the color of the peel is ashen with pale pink spots. The ribbing is weakly expressed. The pulp is rich yellow. Pumpkin is versatile in cooking. The variety Honey crumb is bushy, not climbing.

Farmer reviews

Positive reviews from gardeners complement the list of benefits of honey pumpkins:

Ekaterina, Ufa: «I have been growing honey pumpkins for 3 years now because of their juiciness and tender flesh. Caring for vegetables is easy, and the harvest is always pleasing. The only thing is that I always sprinkle the vines with earth when they grow more than 1 m. This way, new fruits do not form on them, and those that already exist grow larger. I like baked pumpkin best.”

Stanislav, Saratov region: “I love pumpkin in different dishes. I plant many varieties myself, including honey varieties. I like their taste, tender, juicy and sugary. Plants do not get sick and do not require much attention throughout the season. I make different dishes from ripe vegetables, but my favorite is porridge.”

Conclusion

When growing honey pumpkins, you can get a rich and tasty harvest with minimal time and effort. An easy-to-care crop with strong immunity and resistance to cold weather will delight all connoisseurs of pumpkin flavor. Its versatility in cooking allows you to add ripe vegetables to various dishes and prepare juices for the winter.