Pumpkin Honey dessert: description, advantages, cultivation
Content:
The article presents a pumpkin Honey dessert: description of the variety, its advantages, growing rules.
Growing a pumpkin on your site is quite simple. The fact is that this is a very unpretentious culture, but it still needs to create a minimum of favorable conditions for growth and development. Some pumpkin varieties grow very compactly, so I also need a lot of free space on the site.
Pumpkin is a dietary product, it contains many useful microelements that a person needs so much. Going to a specialized agricultural store, you may well be confused. The modern market offers a huge number of pumpkin varieties. This vegetable crop is very fond of breeders, so literally every year more and more hybrids, pumpkin varieties appear.
Today we will tell you about a fairly young variety, which was bred by Russian breeders, namely honey dessert pumpkin. Pumpkin variety Honey dessert has existed on the market for a little more than 5 years, but many amateur gardeners and industrial companies have already fallen in love with it. It can be grown in almost all regions of our country, so be sure to read this article and, perhaps, next year you will plant this pumpkin yourself on the site.
Pumpkin Honey dessert: characteristics of the variety
Pumpkin Honey dessert: description
As you understood from the name, this pumpkin has a very pleasant peculiar taste, reminiscent of honey. It is classified as a honey variety, since it has a pronounced characteristic sweet taste, and the pulp is bright orange, also reminiscent of amber honey in color. This pumpkin is quite large-fruited, it belongs to the early-maturing varieties that can grow in almost any climatic conditions. Plants are not compact enough, climbing stems, five-toed leaves, dark green, large enough. And I am a whip, and the leaves of this variety are rough with thorns.
The flowers, like those of other varieties, are bright orange in color, resembling a bell, rather large. Usually, several ovaries are formed on one plant, usually up to 5. The root of this pumpkin penetrates deep into the soil, so this variety is not afraid of drought, the root system is quite branched. The pumpkins of this variety are quite large, falling into segments, spherical, slightly flattened. There is a small depression in the place where the peduncle is attached. The outer surface of the fruit is slightly rough; the fruit is usually orange or dark pink in color. It should be noted that the pumpkins are quite large, the average weight of one fruit reaches 6 kilograms, and some - 10-11. The flesh of the pumpkin is very juicy, dense, with a characteristic orange or bright pink tint. There are few seeds, and usually they are not large. The taste, as we noted above, is very sweet, with a honey aroma.
The fruit contains a lot of carotene, vitamins and minerals, so it is very useful for the body, namely, for the eyes and immunity. Therefore, by consuming pumpkin in winter, you will certainly not get sick. In addition, pumpkin has a very low calorie content, so you shouldn't worry about your figure either. Often, honey dessert is used in medical nutrition; pumpkin is used to prepare cereals, juices, and mashed soups. In addition, it makes excellent pastries. Special mention should be made of the fact that the honey taste is revealed even more clearly when the fruit is baked.In general, it should be noted that pumpkin dishes are very useful, therefore, it helps with many diseases. It should be especially noted that this pumpkin variety is suitable for baby food, since the fruits do not contain allergens, but at the same time it is very sweet, so babies will undoubtedly love this vegetable. There is an opinion that many dishes can be prepared from the flowers of this plant, they are fried, stuffed, so if you decide to try exotic, feel free to plant a pumpkin in your area. The fruits of this vegetable are stored for a very long time and perfectly tolerate transportation over long distances, therefore, very often this variety is grown on an industrial scale.
Pumpkin Honey dessert: variety description
Pumpkin Honey dessert: photo
This variety is classified as early ripening, since you can harvest the first fruits already 90 days after the first shoots appear on your site. Of course, some pumpkin varieties bear fruit earlier, but this pumpkin is also large-fruited, so the ratio of the mass of fruits and the growing season is more than optimal here. The culture perfectly tolerates temperature changes, this variety is frost-resistant, so it can be grown in almost all regions of our country. This is what the Russian breeders were concerned about, breeding this variety in 2013, and, I must say, they did it. The pumpkin feels great both in the north and south of Russia.
As we noted earlier, pumpkin can be stored for a very long time, at least 100 days, so be sure that at the end of winter you will definitely enjoy a honey vegetable. If you properly monitor the temperature and humidity in the basement, then the pumpkin will lie until the next harvest. It all depends on the storage conditions. If we talk about the yield, it should be noted that from one square meter you can collect from 3 to 12 kilograms of ripe, aromatic pumpkins. However, depending on growing conditions, the yield can be either higher or lower.
At the same time, the peculiarities of care should be taken into account. The root system of this variety is deep enough, so pumpkins tolerate drought well, but these plants still need watering. Therefore, in order for the yield to be higher, and the vegetables tastier and more aromatic, you should regularly water the pumpkin. This is necessary in order for the plants to form a green mass, as well as ovaries. If we talk about resistance to pests and diseases, it should be noted: the variety is not affected by these unfavorable phenomena. However, it is still necessary to regularly inspect the plants in order to make sure that there are no damage or defects on the leaves and stems. If we talk about pests, a spider mite, as well as a caterpillar, most often settles on a pumpkin. In order to get rid of these pests, you can spray the leaves with a solution of garlic or soap and ash. In general, it can be noted: this variety has a fairly high immunity. Speaking of the crops growing in the neighborhood: zucchini, cucumbers and squash should not be planted nearby.
Pumpkin Honey Dessert: Photos, Pros and Cons
Pumpkin Honey Dessert: Photos, Pros and Cons
Each variety has its own advantages and disadvantages, some have more, some have less, and pumpkin varieties Honey dessert is no exception. The advantages of this variety include excellent taste, high levels of trace elements, vitamins and, most importantly, carotene. In addition, this variety is unpretentious, which means that it will be very easy to grow it. The honey dessert is very resistant to pests and diseases, and its fruits are stored until next summer.
If we talk about the shortcomings of the variety, then gardeners note: the lashes of these plants are very sprawling, therefore, a lot of free space is required to grow this crop, but in the country, this is problematic, this pumpkin variety is also very picky about soil fertility, so you cannot do without top dressing.Otherwise, your harvest will not be so excellent, and the fruits will not be large.
Pumpkin Honey Dessert: Growing
In order to plant a pumpkin on your site, you must first choose the right place. To grow this variety, it is better to choose a well-lit area that will be protected from the wind, because the pumpkin does not like drafts. If we talk about the soil, it is better to choose loamy or sandy loam. In general, it is better to choose fertile soil in order not to feed the pumpkin many times during the season. Very often this variety is planted on a compost heap.
When planting, you should also take into account the fact that the lashes are very spreading, so they will take up a lot of the surrounding space. This variety grows quite strongly, so you should adhere to this scheme: the distance between plants and between rows should be at least one meter. If you do not have too large an area, then you can plant this pumpkin next to any building so that its lashes can rest on the walls. In this way, you can create a support for the plant. Planting in high beds is considered the favorite method of growing pumpkins; this method is also suitable for this variety. So the roots will not be heavily flooded with rains, and the soil will evenly warm up.
It is advisable to dig up the ground before planting and prepare the holes. Some gardeners do this in advance, in the fall. Organic, complex mineral fertilizers are introduced into the planting pits. During the winter, they will have time to rot and enrich the soil with useful substances. This pumpkin variety is grown in both seedling and non-seedling methods. If you decide to plant a pumpkin for seedlings, then it is best to do this about a month before the expected moment of planting in open ground. This variety is usually planted for permanent habitat in late spring - early summer. At this time, the soil will warm up well, which means that the plant will develop most intensively. Despite the fact that this variety is frost-resistant, it is best to plant the pumpkin in open ground only when the soil warms up to 15 degrees above zero, and the frost completely recedes.
Before planting, you must select the correct seed material. To do this, you will need to carefully examine the seeds and remove any empty and misshapen seeds. After that, gardeners often disinfect the seeds and soak them in growth stimulants. This is necessary in order for the sprouts to appear faster. It is better to plant seedlings in individual pots, placing two seeds in each hole. If two shoots appear, then the weak one is removed. Pumpkins are planted in soil purchased from a specialized agricultural store or prepared on their own. If you decide to prepare the soil yourself, then you should mix the earth, sand, humus in equal parts. However, you can use other variants of mixtures. After you plant the seedlings, the boxes should be covered with foil until the first shoots appear. This is necessary in order to create an optimal level of heat and humidity, as well as to protect the sprouts from temperature extremes. After the seedlings have grown up, they should be moved to the windowsill and the optimal level of illumination should be ensured. Remember that the seedlings will need to be hardened in order for them to adapt normally in the future to new growing conditions.
If you grow pumpkin immediately in the open field, then sowing is usually carried out in late spring - early summer. Several seeds are also placed in the holes in order to increase the percentage of germination, after the sprouts appear, the extra ones are removed. As we have already noted, the distance between plants should be at least one meter from each other.
The crop must also be properly looked after, for this the soil around the plants must be loosened regularly, the entrances must be watered, and weeds must be removed on the site during the time. Let's talk a little more about watering.This variety needs a lot of moisture, but it should be noted that the most intensive soil should be moistened during the growing season, but during the ripening of the fruits, the intensity of watering should be reduced. At this time, plants practically do not need water. And immediately before harvesting, watering it completely stops. Very often, gardeners recommend mulching the ground around the plants, this is necessary so that an earthen crust does not form on the surface, moisture is better retained in the soil, and weeds do not grow, sawdust, straw and compost are used as mulching material.
Pay close attention to the formation of ovaries, it is best to leave no more than 4 fruits on one plant, since the rest of the pumpkins may simply not ripen. Consider the climatic conditions for the growth of plants: if your region has a cold summer, then you need to leave even less ovaries. Plants are often spud to stimulate the growth of lateral roots. And they do this after intensive watering, so that the soil retains moisture longer. You can take off the first harvest in August, it is at this time that the pumpkins become ripe. It is best to cut the fruit with a stalk in order for the pumpkins to be stored longer. It is best to store the pulp in the freezer, and the fruits themselves in a dry, ventilated room at an air temperature of 5-15 degrees above zero.
Outcome
In fact, this large-fruited pumpkin Honey Dessert is very easy to care for. Moreover, its fruits are delicious and aromatic. Honey dessert is resistant to frost, not picky about watering, special temperature conditions, but you still have to maintain a certain minimum for growing pumpkin. Honey dessert has large fruits and high yield. Try to grow this variety on your site and, most likely, you will not regret it. And in the future, Honey Dessert will be a great dessert for you and your loved ones. And, besides, it is insanely useful!
Pumpkin Honey dessert: description, comparison with another variety