Features of growing large-fruited pumpkin varieties
Pumpkin occupies an honorable place among melons and melons. They make delicious ones out of it juices and puree. This product is dietary and low-calorie. Pumpkin is widely used in the production of baby food and also as a feed product.
The plant is easy to grow and easily adapts to soil and climate conditions.
Features of large-fruited pumpkin varieties
Its name speaks for a large-fruited pumpkin - it is distinguished by its large fruit size. The weight of the vegetable is approximately 20-50 kg, and some reach 100 kg. This pumpkin is not the sweetest, but in some varieties the sugar content reaches 15%, which is even more than in watermelon. In addition, it is a cold-resistant and unpretentious plant. Pumpkin has a thick, fleshy peel, with the help of which the fruit can be stored for a long time and not be damaged during transportation.
Large pumpkins have rounded cylindrical stalks and a round stem without grooves. The bush or loop type crop has large dark green leaves. The fruits contain large seeds of brown or milky white color.
Large-fruited pumpkin has medicinal properties; it can be consumed even with high acidity or stomach ulcers. Fresh pulp has a laxative effect, and pumpkin juice acts as a diuretic and choleretic agent. Central and South America are considered the native lands of this pumpkin; it appeared in Europe in the 16th century, and today it is grown all over the world.
On a note. The pulp of large-fruited pumpkins is widely used in cooking, as well as as nutritious feed for animals. It contains many useful substances: vitamins of groups B, A, C, E, K, PP, as well as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, amino acids, etc.
The best large-fruited varieties
Large-fruited pumpkin is very popular among gardeners and farmers. This is the most unpretentious plant among the representatives of the pumpkin genus.
Smile
Pumpkin Smile Suitable for vegetable growers with a small plot of land. This climbing plant is distinguished by its compactness and cold resistance. Initially, breeders bred it as an ornamental plant.
Up to 10 kg of crop is harvested from one bush. Small pumpkins weigh from 0.5 to 2 kg. The fruits are orange, striped, flattened, round in shape, sometimes with a convexity at the base. The dense, sweet pulp has a light melon aroma. Pumpkin Ulybka is an early ripening variety (the growing season is 85-90 days), and can be stored in an apartment for up to 4 months.
Description of the Zorka variety
Pumpkin Zorka has a rounded-oblate shape. The weight of one fruit reaches 4.2 kg. The surface is segmented, with a pattern of light gray stripes and orange spots. The peel is thin, flexible, and light green when cut.
The pulp is dense, low-juicy, rough, and has a bright orange color. The nest of seeds is small, bright yellow. The seeds are medium in size, yellow-brown in color. The fruits have a sweet taste. The large-fruited pumpkin Zorka belongs to the mid-early varieties.
Paris gold
Large-fruited Parisian golden pumpkin is a fast-growing variety with fairly large fruits. The growing season ranges from 105 to 115 days.This powerful plant has long vines.
The weight of pumpkins is 15-25 kg, often growing up to 40-60 kg. The bark is thin, the flesh is thick, juicy, yellow in color. The taste does not deteriorate during storage. The fruits are used for all types of processing. Stored until March-April.
Baby
This is an early ripening variety. It takes 80-90 days from germination to ripening. The formation of ovaries occurs already 35-40 days after germination. The plant is compact, bush type. The fruits are dark gray with a brown tint, flattened in shape, the weight of one vegetable reaches 2-3 kg.
The pulp is medium dense and juicy, crispy, sugary, orange in color. Sugar Baby has excellent taste and is characterized by a high carotene content. The variety is grown both by seedlings and by direct sowing in open ground. From 1 square meter 3.2 kg of crop is harvested.
Titanium
The large-fruited Titan pumpkin reaches large sizes. A vegetable can gain weight up to 100 kg. Mid-late pumpkin bears fruit at 135-140 days. Titan requires a large area, as the plant is characterized by powerful growth and long vines.
It is recommended to plant according to a 2x2 m pattern. Large pumpkins of this variety have a round shape and a bright orange color. The pulp of the vegetable is slightly darker than the peel, contains few seeds, and tastes pleasant. Other varieties have more tasty pulp, so the Titan variety is grown by those who want to get a large vegetable.
Matryoshka
This is an early ripening variety of large-fruited pumpkin - 80-85 days pass from germination to harvesting of fruits. Excellent for growing in small areas. The bush plant is very compact, grows intensively and bears fruit in a small area. The smooth fruit has a flat-round shape and orange color.
The weight of one vegetable ranges from 1.8-2.4 kg. The bark is thin and flexible. The pulp is juicy, sweet, rich yellow in color, and has a uniform consistency. The Matryoshka pupa shows good resistance to powdery mildew and drought. The vegetable contains a large amount of vitamins, in particular carotene, making it suitable for children and dietary nutrition.
Sweet tooth
The fruits of this plant ripen early, at 85-95 days from germination. Suitable for cultivation in hot regions. It is a drought-resistant variety. The vegetable is round in shape, the surface is segmented, smooth. One pumpkin can weigh from 1.5 to 6 kg.
Peel color is dark green. The pulp is orange, sweet, the amount of juice is average. The fruits tolerate transportation well and are stored for a long time (up to 9 months). The vegetable is used to make purees and juices. For sowing Slastena, a site with a large amount of nutrients in the soil is recommended.
Barn
Pumpkin Ambar is a highly productive mid-season variety. The plant is semi-bush. The color of the fruit is dark green, the shape is flat-round. The weight of one vegetable is 2-4 kg. The variety is characterized by a high carotene content and a long shelf life. The pulp is juicy, bright orange.
Winter sweet
Late-ripening large-fruited variety with pleasant-tasting fruits. The ripening period is 110-140 days from the moment of germination. The bush is large-leaved, with long vines. The fruits are of different sizes, flattened, grayish in color with spots. Thin-skinned, with dense orange flesh.
The yield of the variety is about 20 kg per square meter. m. The variety is not afraid of lack of moisture, is suitable for growing in cold regions, and has excellent taste.
Marble
Variety Marble with an average period of fruit ripening, intended for planting in warm regions of Russia. The first harvest is harvested 4 months after the first shoots appear. The bushes form green-gray pumpkins of a flattened round shape weighing 6-10 kg. Their flesh is loose, orange in color, and pleasant to the taste.
The peel becomes green-gray after ripening. The variety is suitable for transportation over long distances. The fruits do not crack or rot. At low temperatures, pumpkins can be stored for a long time - about 1 year.
Kherson
This pumpkin is known to some as the large-fruited blue with gray spots. The plant is climbing, medium-late ripening, with flat fruits. The weight of one vegetable is 4-6 kg. The pulp is orange, crispy, sweet, juicy. The variety is heat-loving and drought-resistant. Stored well.
Children's delicatessen
This is a mid-season hybrid for table use. From germination to fruit harvesting, 110-115 days pass. The climbing plant produces many portioned fruits. The flat-round vegetable gains weight up to 3 kg. Orange pumpkins have dark green stripes. The pulp is dense, juicy, sweet, greenish-orange in color. From one plant you can collect 8-10 kg.
Did you know? In ancient China, large-fruited pumpkin was considered the queen of vegetables. She was raised in the emperor's palace. As a sign of special favor, the emperor gave the largest fruits to his entourage.
Features of agricultural technology for large-fruited pumpkins
Pumpkin, like all vegetables, needs plenty of light, heat and moisture. Therefore, you should choose a site for the plant that is sunny and protected from the wind.
On a note. A suitable place would be a garden bed on the south side of the house or outbuildings.
Almost all large-fruited pumpkins are climbing, so when planting the plant there must be supports nearby (special trellises, a fence or a wall). A rich harvest can only be grown in loose, nutritious soil. Heavy and acidic soil is not suitable for pumpkin.
Preparing seeds and growing seedlings
In order for the pumpkin to have time to fully ripen in difficult climatic conditions, vegetable growers grow the plant through seedlings.
The largest and highest quality seeds are selected for sowing. The best way to prepare seed material – germination.
To do this, 2-3 days before sowing, the seeds are placed in warm water (45-50 °C) for two hours, then they are wrapped in a damp cloth and kept at room temperature until they hatch. Soaking seeds is a mandatory process. This procedure promotes rapid emergence and protects seeds from pests.
After planting the seeds, seedlings will appear on about the fourth day. The air temperature during the week should be within +18...+25°C, then it is reduced to +15...+18°C. This is done so that the seedlings do not stretch out and grow strong.
The seedlings are watered regularly, but in moderation. Stagnant water is harmful to roots. After two weeks, fertilizing is carried out. To do this, mullein is mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10 and each plant is watered with 100 ml of a nutrient solution. Fertilizer is applied after moistening the seedlings. If there is no mullein, use nitrophoska as a top dressing, following the instructions.
Planting, care and cultivation
Planting is carried out according to the scheme, taking into account that such a pumpkin needs freedom. Between plants, at least 1 m is usually left, but for some varieties - up to 2 m.
During the season, the crop is fed twice:
- for the first time - 10 days after planting the seedlings in a permanent place of growth;
- The following fertilizers are applied during the period of vine formation.
To do this, use bird droppings (1:20), diluted mullein (1:10), and an infusion of wood ash. Also a good complex fertilizer would be the drug “Nitrophoska”. They feed the pumpkin both the first time and the second time.
Important! Fertilizers are applied in the form of water infusions.
During the entire growing season, the vegetable is watered abundantly, especially during flowering and fruit set. The water should be settled and warm. After moistening, the soil is carefully loosened, and at the same time rid of weeds. For better pumpkin growth, mulching is carried out (the ground is covered with straw, bark, or a special cloth).
Formation of pumpkin bushes
Pumpkin grows quite quickly at the beginning. Since this is a spreading plant, the territorial boundaries of the crop must be respected. To do this, pumpkin bushes are formed while the vines are blooming.
Before the first inflorescences appear, it is necessary to pinch the bud at the top of the shoot. This is done to allow side shoots to grow.
Important! You should also remove young shoots growing “in the axils” that have reached 5-7 cm.
Such measures prevent the plant from wasting its vital forces on excess leaves and vines, directing them to the formation and cultivation of pumpkin fruits.
One ovary should be left on each branch.
Pollination
Usually this crop is pollinated by insects, but if there are no bees or bumblebees on the site (during rain or prolonged heat), the plant will have to be pollinated independently. To do this, apply the stamen of a male flower to the pistil of a female flower. The procedure is carried out in the morning, trying not to miss the moment of opening of the flowers.
Need to know! Female pumpkin flowers have a slight thickening - the fruit; in male pumpkin flowers there is a stem immediately after the flower.
If pollination does not occur, fruits will not form.
Reviews from summer residents
Svetlana, Ivanovo: “I wanted to diversify my garden bed and try something new. In the store I liked the “Smile” variety and saw a ruddy pumpkin in the photo. I was one hundred percent satisfied with the result! Without particularly bothering, I got a great harvest - 6-7 pumpkins per bush. I cared for the pumpkin, like other plants - regularly watered and weeded. I also liked the taste and the fact that these vegetables can be stored for a long time under my conditions: in an apartment on a cabinet. I plan to plant again by spring.”
Semyon, Rostov: “I planted the Titan variety last summer. It began to grow, the lashes were so long that they had to be twisted around the root. The first ovaries appeared in the second half of summer, about 6 pieces, but I left only one. The fruits are very beautiful, bright orange. I planted this variety for testing. The fruits taste very pleasant, without the characteristic pumpkin smell, which is sometimes off-putting. You can even eat this pumpkin raw: the flesh is not hard and sweetish. My wife made juice from it, and cut the remains into candied fruits. I’ll plant more next season.”
Valentina, Perm: “I took seeds of the “Malyshka” variety. The bag contained 6 seeds and detailed instructions on the back. I liked the fact that without much hassle I got an excellent harvest. Neat bushes, without long shoots, which is of great importance to me - my plot is small. The only thing I did was cover the seeds with ground pepper before planting them in the ground, since ants really love them. The pumpkins have grown large – each one is at least 2 kg.”
Conclusion
Large-fruited pumpkin is a fairly unpretentious vegetable to care for; it requires minimal effort. The culture grows well in temperate and warm climates. With minimal requirements for the maintenance and feeding of the plant, you can even grow a vegetable weighing 100 kg.
You will learn more detailed information about growing large-fruited pumpkins from the video: