An ideal hybrid for preparing delicious dishes – “Butter Pumpkin” pumpkin and the peculiarities of its cultivation

Pumpkin is one of the most unpretentious fruit crops to care for. It is capable of growing in open ground even in the harsh climate of the central and northern regions of our country. It is grown everywhere, used for preparing sweet and main dishes. This herbaceous plant contains a large amount of useful substances with low calorie content; it is good for health and indispensable in dietary nutrition.

In our country, people especially love the sweet varieties of this representative of melons. They are distinguished by their versatility of use. The Sweet Pumpkin pumpkin is especially popular. She has excellent taste and unusual appearance. What advantages and disadvantages does this hybrid have - read on.

General pumpkin scripture

Pumpkin Butter Pumpkin is a first generation hybrid. It was bred by crossing two varieties.

Note! The seeds of the Butter Pumpkin fruit are not used for planting, because plants with parental characteristics grow from them.

The hybrid is not included in the state register. It is produced by the company "Russian Garden".

Distinctive features of the Butter Donut

Butter crumpet has fruits with the original color of the rind - green with a whitish coating. They make pumpkin patches look decorative.

The hybrid received its name for its rich sweet taste. The aroma of pumpkins is rich, with notes of baking.

There is a lot of pulp in the fruits, but few seeds.They are juicy, therefore suitable for fresh consumption; they fall apart during prolonged heat treatment.

Pumpkin is considered a dietary product and does not cause allergies. It contains many useful substances, including beta-carotene, B vitamins, and fiber. The seeds have an anthelmintic effect.

Like many hybrids, Butter crumpet is immune to most diseases characteristic of melons. But its resistance to temperature changes is low.

Main characteristics

The description of Butter Cump will please both beginners and gardeners who grow crops for sale. It has good yields and excellent taste.

How to grow

Pumpkin is a crop that requires minimal care. It is grown in country houses and gardens. Even a novice gardener can cope with its cultivation.

Strong adult plants can withstand heat. At temperatures below +10 degrees, this representative of melons stops its growth.

Pumpkin loves fertile, loose soil. It can also grow on poor soil, but the fruits in this case will be small and not very tasty. If the site has poor soil, the best solution would be to plant the plant near a manure heap. In this case, it will be provided with the necessary nutrients throughout the season.

Melons are photophilous. They are planted in the most illuminated area of ​​the garden.

It is important to observe crop rotation. Pumpkin should not be planted in areas where other melons, cucumbers and zucchini previously grew. Beds after nightshades, legumes and root vegetables are suitable.

The area intended for pumpkin is prepared in the fall: the remains of plants are removed and added to 1 square meter. m 7 kg of manure or humus. After this, the soil is dug up, mixed with fertilizer, and the acidity of the soil is checked. Dry lime or ash will help reduce the indicators.

A few days before planting pumpkins, the beds are leveled with a rake, clearing of weeds.

Landing

In the southern regions, pumpkin is grown both by seedlings and without seedlings. For the central and northern stripes, only the first option is suitable.

Seeds are prepared before planting to speed up germination, protect plants from diseases and increase their resistance to negative external factors:

1. Large, dense seeds are suitable for sowing. Empty, limp and darkened ones are thrown away.
2. Planting material is soaked in water at a temperature of 40–50 °C for 3 hours.To prevent the liquid from cooling down during this time, the containers are placed on the battery.
3. After soaking, the seeds are wrapped in damp, warm gauze. The fabric with planting material is placed in a container and covered with film. Warm liquid is constantly added. The seeds will be ready to plant when they open.
4. The opened seed material is kept in the refrigerator for 3 days. This is necessary to increase its cold resistance.

This is interesting! Old pumpkin seeds have a higher germination rate than fresh ones. Some gardeners practice artificial aging of planting material, which involves keeping the seeds in the oven.

Seedlings

Seeds are sown in the second ten days of April. A month later, when the threat of return frosts has passed, they are planted in open ground.

Pumpkin seedlings are grown on southern windowsills. Room temperature is considered ideal for germination.

It is not recommended to sow the seeds of this crop in a common box, since the pumpkin does not tolerate picking. Gardeners advise using peat pots from which plants are not removed when planting in a permanent location. The volume of the container must be at least 300 ml.

Soil for seedlings is sold in stores. Universal mixtures are suitable. To prepare the soil yourself, mix sand and peat in equal proportions.

Both purchased and homemade soil mixtures are disinfected - heated in the oven or sprinkled with a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Containers for disinfection are soaked for half an hour in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate.

A layer of drainage (sawdust, broken ceramics, brick, expanded clay or small crushed stone) is poured into the bottom of the pots. Sow 2 seeds in one container, deepening them to 2 cm.

When growing pumpkins, the temperature regime is observed. This will prevent the plants from stretching:

• before seed germination – 26–30 °C;
• the first 7 days after emergence – 20–23 °C;
• next week – 15–18 °C;
• the rest of the time the plants are grown at room temperature.

As the soil dries, water it with warm, settled water, trying not to get it on the above-ground part of the plants. If you water too much, the plants will begin to rot.

During the entire growing period, seedlings are fed only once - 2 weeks after sowing. Use “Nitrophoska” or mullein. Fertilizers are applied only after watering.

The seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place after the appearance of three true leaves. When purchasing plants, it is important to ensure that their internodes are short.

If both seeds germinate in the container, pinch out the weaker plant. It is important not to pull out the stem, as this may damage the roots of the second pumpkin.

Planting pattern: 100×100 cm. Before transplanting, water is poured into each hole and manure is placed.

When growing pumpkin in a plastic container, the seedlings are removed along with a lump of earth and placed in the hole, forming roots towards the center. When using peat pots, the container is not removed, but split.

Seeds

Planting seeds directly into open ground is possible only in the southern regions. When the soil at a depth of 15 cm reaches a temperature of 13–15 °C, planting material begins to be sown. This happens in the second half of May.

For sowing seeds, use the same scheme as for planting seedlings (1 × 1 m). The width of the recesses varies between 20–35 cm. Holes of different depths (6–10 cm) are dug in one bed - this will ensure seed germination.

Half a glass of humus or mullein is poured into the bottom of each hole.Two seeds are placed at different ends of each recess. A layer of earth is poured on top. Use 1 liter of water per well.

Care

Although pumpkin is considered an unpretentious plant, it still needs regular care. To get a rich harvest, follow the basic rules:

1. Water the pumpkin 1-2 times a week. Use at least 3 liters of water at room temperature per plant. During the flowering period, the amount of watering is increased. Water should not get on the ground part of the plant, otherwise the likelihood of burns on the leaves increases. If liquid gets on the flowers, the pollen will stick together and the fruit will not set.
2. After precipitation and watering, the soil is loosened. This procedure is needed to restore root air exchange.
3. During the loosening process, the beds are cleared of weeds. This is done while they have not yet grown, otherwise removing adult weeds will damage the root system of the pumpkin.
4. After 3 true leaves appear on the plants, the weaker pinching. The growth of pumpkin vines is limited after the sixth leaf. No more than three are left on one lash ovaries.
5. Mullein, Nitrophoska and ash are used as fertilizers. The first time feeding is applied after the appearance of five leaves, then every two weeks.
6. It is recommended to tie pumpkin vines (although this is not necessary). To do this, they install trellises or run them along threads tied to a fence or the roof of a house.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

When growing pumpkins, gardeners often complain that the leaves turn yellow. This happens for several reasons:

1. Lack of nutrients. On poor soils, pumpkins require more fertilizing. In this case, manure is used as fertilizer.
2. Root rotting.This occurs due to root rot (fungal disease) or improper watering. In this case, the plant will be saved by hilling.
3. Abundance of fruits. If you do not remove excess ovaries, the plant will not be able to develop normally.
4. End of the growing season. When all the fruits are ripe, the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off. This is a natural process that should not be interfered with.

Growing tips from experienced gardeners

Even a novice summer resident can cope with growing pumpkins. To get maximum yield and tasty fruits, facing a minimum of problems, You should know a few secrets:

1. It is better to press the pumpkin vines to the ground in several places. This will encourage the emergence of new roots. Thanks to this, the plant can survive even if the main root is damaged.
2. Wooden supports should be placed under the pumpkins. If this is not done, the fruits may rot.
3. Pumpkins hanging on vines directed towards a fence or house are secured by tying them with nets.
4. During the period of fruit ripening, watering is stopped. This will make the pulp sweeter.

Diseases and pests

Butter crumpet is resistant to diseases of melons. However, this does not exclude the possibility of infection. To avoid infection of plants, follow the rules of prevention:

1. All tools that interact with pumpkin patches are processed. This applies to containers, soil and seeds.
2. Plants are treated with a solution prepared from a grated bar of soap and a bucket of water, or a decoction of wormwood. This will repel pests. They also use a decoction of wormwood, prepared from a quarter of a bucket of herbs, poured boiling water to the brim of the container.
3. Water and plant the pumpkin early in the morning or at sunset.

Harvesting and application

The pumpkin harvest is harvested at the end of September.The fruits are removed along with the stalk. In this form they will be stored for more than 1 year.

The use of the hybrid is universal. Pumpkin pumpkins are suitable for making juices, desserts and main courses.

Advantages and disadvantages of a hybrid

Advantages of the Butter Crump:

• rich sweet taste;
• abundance of pulp;
• disease resistance;
• high productivity;
• versatility of application.

The disadvantage of the Butter Crump is considered to be hybridity. Seeds from its fruits are not suitable for planting.

Varieties with similar names

There are varieties of pumpkin similar in name to Butter Pumpkin. But they have other characteristics:

1. Sweet crumpet – hard-barked acorn-type butternut squash. Looks decorative. The fruits have pronounced ribbing. White outside, with dark green spots and stripes; light yellow inside. The pulp is sweet, tender, with a nutty flavor. The weight of one pumpkin is 1-2 kg.
2. Rosy plump - round, slightly ribbed pumpkin. When ripe it turns pink-orange in color. The weight of one fruit reaches 9 kg. The pulp is sweet, there are a lot of seeds.

Farmer reviews

Reviews from gardeners about the Butter Pumpkin pumpkin are mostly positive.

Irina, Moscow: «This is the third year I’ve been growing sweet crumpet. I like the unusual color of its fruits. They are greenish-white, just like in the picture. The pulp is sweet and juicy. Does not change taste when frozen. Three plants are enough to provide both us and our grandchildren with pumpkin for the whole year.”

Gleb, Krasnodar: “I am growing Butter Cumpette for sale. Buyers like it, so do I. The fruits are sweet and aromatic. They reach a mass of 8 kg. I feed only mullein. This is enough to get an excellent harvest.”

Read also:

Melon pumpkin variety, adored by gardeners for its sweet taste.

Popular among farmers, Winter Sweet pumpkin has a pleasant taste.

The most unusual type of Luffa pumpkin: what it is.

Conclusion

Pumpkin Pumpkin is a hybrid that even a beginner can grow. The plant is not afraid of melon diseases and requires minimal care. Yields are high.

A rich crumpet will decorate not only any dish, but also the garden. Its green fruits with a whitish coating look unusual and decorative, and their taste qualities are superior to many orange-fruited varieties.