Unpretentious in care and sweet-tasting pumpkin "Sweetie": advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Pumpkin is one of the oldest crops, but it was not until the 17th century that it began to be eaten. Today, the vegetable has found recognition among all the peoples of the world: in Mexico, pumpkin chips are made from it, in England they bake pumpkin pie, and in Russia they make sweet porridge.

Pumpkin variety Yummy is like no other suitable for preparing various dishes. How to grow a rich harvest of Candy and what is needed for this, we will consider further.

Description of the variety

Sometimes the variety is called Caramel. It is characterized as a table mid-season. The candy is frost-resistant and high-yielding, which allows it to be grown in any climatic conditions. The plant performs well both in greenhouses and in open ground conditions.

Distinctive features

Bushes are large and powerful, whips and leaves are green. The variety is grown mainly in seedlings, but sometimes the Candy is sown immediately in priming... In cold regions, the vegetable is grown under a film. It ripens within 120-130 days from the moment of planting.

Fruit characteristics and yield

The average weight of one pumpkin is 2-3 kg. The vegetables are round, slightly rough, and have a bright red-orange color. Pale green spots can be seen on the surface of the pumpkin. The peel is soft, easy to cut with a knife. The pulp is sweet and juicy, with a high content of sugar and vitamin C. The yield is about 9 kg per 1 sq. m.

Interesting! In Germany, a real festival is held in honor of the pumpkin. Every year from September to November, chefs and sculptors present interesting products from this vegetable. Especially popular is pumpkin coffee and pumpkin jam.

How to grow

The candy shows good results in regions with short summers and cool climates. The culture is planted in two ways: seedling and seedless. The main thing when planting is to observe all agrotechnical rules.

Planting with seeds

Before planting with a seedless method, it is necessary to disinfect seed material... Aloe juice or hydrogen peroxide solution is great for this. Soak seeds in liquid overnight, remove and leave to dry. This simple but effective method will disinfect the seed surface and protect against possible diseases.

Then you need to disinfect the earth: formalin is suitable for this. A 40% mixture is diluted in 10 liters of water and the beds are watered. Disinfection is carried out two weeks before the expected planting of the plant. Be careful when using formalin: wear protective clothing, gloves and goggles.

Sow Candy into the ground when the soil warms up to a temperature of 10-12 degrees. 2-3 seeds are placed in prepared holes. The distance between vegetables should be at least 1 m, since the pumpkin's root system is powerful, and the plant requires a lot of space and light.

Planting seedlings

Prepare a container for seedlings. Both regular plastic cups and special containers will do. Particularly popular are peat pots, which can be purchased at a gardening store.

They provide 100% plant survival, as they transplant the shoots into the garden with them, without damaging the roots. Products come in cylindrical or oval shapes, so you can choose the ones that are right for your windowsill.

In the Moscow region, Leningrad, Pskov and Novgorod regions, it is advised to plant the culture in a seedling way. In the second half of April, the seeds are soaked, planted at the end of the spring frost.

Seedlings require nutritious and safe soil. For pumpkin, it is recommended to use ready-made compounds that are sold in stores. Such soil has a number of advantages over self-prepared mixtures: the prepared soil is equipped with vitamins and elements for the development of pumpkin, does not contain pathogens and is absolutely harmless to sprouts.

Important! Make grooves in the soil 2-3 cm deep, place 1-2 seeds in each and sprinkle with earth on top. After that, be sure to pour the seedlings with warm water and put them in a warm and bright place. Avoid drafts. After 2-3 weeks, plant the seedlings in open ground.

Care

Pumpkin care Sweetie consists of several simple rules. Pay particular attention to the following procedures:

1. Water the plants every 5-7 days. Use melt water or rainwater and never moisten the beds with spring water. On average, one bush takes 1.5-2 liters of water. Try to keep moisture mainly under the root, and not on the stems and leaves. For recreational purposes, nettle or ash is added to the water for irrigation. They strengthen the plant's immunity and protect the bushes from insect pests.
2. Loosen the beds every week. This procedure removes the top crust from them and improves oxygen access to the roots. It is better to loosen the soil before watering or before applying root dressing.
3. Remove weeds. Often in the beds there are bindweed or wild smoky, which live and feed on pumpkins. Weeds develop especially actively after rains, fogs or dew.
4. Don't forget about organic fertilizers. The candy develops well and shows excellent yields if the bushes are fertilized with bird droppings. From mineral complexes, use "Nitrofoska" in a ratio of 10 g per 5 liters of water. It is good to combine top dressing with watering. Moisten the beds first and then fertilize.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

To increase the yield, the pumpkin is shaped, the tops are pinched and the side shoots (stepchildren) are removed. Pinching is necessary in order to stop the growth of the bush when it is no longer necessary.

Removing stepchildren helps the vegetables get more sunlight. It is better to remove shoots when their length is not more than 7 cm. All the time while the pumpkin ripens, it is necessary to thin out the beds, removing excess brushes so that the bush is not too thick.

Also, the cultivation feature is to care for the lashes. When they become too long, it is recommended to untangle them and put them on the garden bed, sprinkling them with earth on top. Thanks to this, the lashes give additional roots, which makes the plant stronger.

Growing tips from experienced gardeners

Pumpkin is a melon crop that is very popular with gardeners throughout the country. It is grown both for personal consumption and on an industrial scale.

To make the harvest tasty and beautiful, farmers advise:

1. Plant pumpkin after legumes, root vegetables, or potatoes. Avoid planting after squash, cucumbers and zucchini.
2. Set aside a sunny, spacious and windless place for the plant. The soil must be nutritious and fertile. Sandy loam soil is best suited.
3. Use growth stimulants. For example, spraying with the Zdraven complex accelerates the development of roots, and the Zircon stimulant enhances immunity to changes in weather conditions.
4. Apply the drug "Micefit". The product accelerates photosynthesis, improves cold resistance and increases the concentration of vitamins in vegetables.
5. Use the "Magic Watering" preparation as a top dressing. Its balanced composition stimulates bush development and increases disease resistance.
6. For especially large vegetables, build an additional support from boards and bricks.

Diseases and pests

During the growing period, the pumpkin must be actively protected from diseases and pests. Often, the culture is attacked by the melon aphid, which sucks the juice from the shoots, thereby taking away some of the nutrients. To fight insects, use a soapy solution: for 1 liter of water, 100 g of grated soap. Spray the bushes with the solution every two weeks.

Also a bear attacks the pumpkin. It gnaws at the roots, which causes the pumpkins to rot. For prophylaxis use the drug "Medvetox". Place the medication granules in the wells, and the bear will not be scary.

Of the diseases, the melon crop is attacked by Alternaria, or black dry spot. First, the vegetables cover black or white spots, then a black bloom appears. To combat Alternaria, use an ash solution or sprays with Bordeaux liquid.

Also, pumpkin is often affected by white rot. The plant becomes soft and slippery to the touch. The causes of the disease lie in high humidity and sudden changes in temperature. To prevent white rot, pinch the bushes in time and spray them with a solution of yeast or nettle.

Harvesting and application of the crop

The ripeness of the pumpkin is easy to determine by the stalk. As soon as it becomes dry, feel free to harvest. Cut the ripe pumpkins together with the stalk: this way the vegetable is stored longer and retains its taste and appearance. Dry cellars and cellars are considered ideal storage places. Unripe vegetables are eaten immediately.

Pumpkin is one of the record holders for the content of useful elements. It is rich in proteins and fats, macronutrients, B vitamins, as well as the rare vitamin T, which improves the body's metabolism.

Excellent soups and cereals, cold snacks and vegetable side dishes are prepared from the product. In addition, pumpkin is indispensable in the preparation of children's and dietary dishes... For example, low-calorie pumpkin recipes are very popular.

Interesting! The high content of fluoride in the pulp prevents tooth decay, and pectins help remove cholesterol and harmful bacteria from the body. It is also noteworthy that not only the pulp is used for food, but also sunflower seeds.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The main advantages of the Sweetie variety:

• a vegetable has a whole set of elements useful for the human body: its regular use improves immunity, it is an excellent preventive measure against many diseases;
• pumpkin pulp and seeds are used in the preparation of many dishes. Pumpkin is consumed both raw and after heat treatment;
• the variety is resistant to most diseases and shows excellent yields even in the northern regions of the country.

Of the minuses of growing a table variety, they note the need for the mandatory formation of a bush. Sometimes it is difficult for an untrained gardener to properly remove the stepsons and tie the plant to a support. Otherwise, the variety has no significant drawbacks.

Farmers reviews

Because of its rich taste, pumpkin is loved by many gardeners. Some prefer to grow the Sweetie variety from year to year, while others are attracted by larger and more unpretentious pumpkins. What do experienced farmers say about Candy?

Evgeniy, Cheboksary: “I always make sure that the harvest is not only tasty, but also beneficial. Of all the pumpkin varieties, Sweetie is my favorite. Vegetables themselves are compact, they do not cause trouble in leaving. I grow in the open field. I use it to make soups, and also freeze the pulp for the winter. "

Alena, St. Petersburg: “I liked the Sweetie variety because it is not picky about soil and weather. The summer was wet and cool, but the harvest is still good. I will plant Candy next year. "

Maxim, Oryol: “Of all the varieties planted, Sweetie takes the last place.Although the bushes are powerful, the vegetables were tied slowly, and the lashes were very tangled among themselves. Taste qualities, in my opinion, are average. "

Conclusion

By growing the Sweetie variety on your plot, you will get a guaranteed rich and tasty harvest. In addition, the vegetable is stored for a long time, so it will be possible to get vitamins both in winter and even in spring.

Pumpkin is indispensable for those who monitor their health and adhere to proper nutrition. You can cook porridge and juice from the table variety Sweetie.