Pumpkin is, without a doubt, called the queen of the vegetable garden. This vegetable is loved and grown on almost all continents. In England, annual competitions are held among gardeners for the largest fruit; in Italy, pumpkin is adored and all parts of the plant are eaten, including flowers, leaves, and even roots. In America they love the famous pumpkin pie. In Russia, you can find pumpkins in any garden, from Krasnodar to Siberia. And pumpkin seeds are a healthy, nutritious product. An interesting and unusual variety is the Hazelnut pumpkin.
And this is not surprising, because representatives of these melon crops are unpretentious in care, produce high yields, have excellent taste, and the variety of varieties is amazing. Plant and grow pumpkin It’s possible in an abandoned and barren corner of the garden, or even on a compost heap, the main thing is that it’s sunny.
This variety belongs to the hybrid early ripening varieties of pumpkin crops. It produces a massive green bush, the plant grows profusely, and the vines reach 4–5 meters. The pumpkin grows medium-sized, weighing 1–1.5 kilograms, has a bright orange color, and a round, nut-like shape. The crust is thick and hard, which makes it possible for pumpkin fruits to be stored even in a city apartment, without requiring special conditions and temperatures. And, of course, the main advantage of this variety is the subtle taste of hazelnuts, which is why it got its name.
Features of the variety and cultivation
The variety belongs to the early varieties, the growing season lasts 90–95 days. Since the variety is a hybrid, the seeds can be bought in specialized stores or ordered online. You can grow it in two ways:
- Planting seeds directly into open ground.
- By seedling method.
Seeds are planted densely in open ground on May 15–20. The distance between the holes is approximately 1–1.4 meters, burying at different depths of 8–10 cm to protect against spring night frosts. The crops are covered with film to avoid temperature changes. The film is removed at the end of June, at the beginning of July.
To grow by seedlings, pumpkin seeds are sown in boxes or cups at the end of April. After about 25–30 days, the plants can be planted in open ground.
It loves fertile, loose soils, and like all melons, it is very light-loving. The plant is moisture-loving, especially during the period of bud formation. Pumpkin is a tropical plant, so the leaves grow faster than the fruit.If the summer is not very hot, then the shoots are cut off, leaving no more than two or three. Of the melon crops, it is the most demanding on soil fertility, since it is a high-yielding crop.
Diseases and pests
Many hybrid varieties are more resistant to diseases, but powdery mildew, black mold, ascochyta blight, and anthracnose, the most common, can still occur on plants. At the first signs of disease, the plant and bed are treated with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture or another fungicide. Sometimes just a soap solution is enough.
Aphids can often be found on plants. I remove it by treating the culture with infusions of chamomile, wormwood, tomatoes, and potatoes. Use an infusion of tobacco, a solution of ash or slaked lime.
Harvest and storage
Pumpkins remain quietly in the garden until the first frost. Harvesting therefore occurs from approximately late August to early or mid-September. A pumpkin is considered ripe if:
- Large, hard stalk.
- Bright, rich color.
- The fruit is hard, with a hard rind.
- The leaves become yellowish and wither.
Hazelnut pumpkin fruits are stored very well in the apartment, and even in the kitchen. Thanks to its hard crust and rich, bright color, it perfectly copes with decorative functions. Ideal size, light weight of a maximum of 1.5 kilograms, round shape will not require much space and will delight you for 7-8 months.
Reviews from summer residents
Reviews from gardeners about this variety are sometimes very different. Enthusiastic declarations of love, to restrained ones, with complaints about insufficient sweetness, weak taste and aroma. Still, this variety is a hybrid, and a lot depends on the quality of the seed.
But loyal fans of this interesting and unusual variety have appeared.The obvious advantages of the pumpkin include its compactness and small size, it is convenient to use in cooking, just enough for porridge or baking. A strong and hard crust helps to preserve the crop without problems in the apartment. Some note pleasant notes of nutmeg in the taste. It performs especially well in baking.
Due to its high starchy content, the pumpkin does not disintegrate during heat treatment, holds its shape well, and is more similar in structure to potatoes. If you cut off the top of the lid and take out the pulp, you will get an original edible form for cooking roasts, meat, and vegetables. You can simply cut into slices, sprinkle with salt and spices, sprinkle with a little oil and bake. Believe me, even non-pumpkin lovers enjoy eating it.
Try, experiment, and enjoy the process.
