Muscat pumpkin: types and descriptions of varieties, cultivation and care with photos

Among the varieties of pumpkin, Muscat pumpkin is popular. Belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is considered an annual plant. The fruits have various shapes: round, slightly flattened, as well as oval or pear-shaped. It is distinguished by high yield and excellent taste, juicy flesh and bright orange skin.

The name of the delicious vegetable was given because of the aroma emanating from it. Butternut squash was first developed in Central America. On average, its weight is 3 kg, and the special difference between the fruits is that they taste sweet.

Useful properties

Popular in Colombia, Peru, Asia, Mexico. This type of pumpkin was brought to Europe only in the 18th century. The vegetable belongs to he althy dietary foods, almost consists of water, which is 90%, although the pumpkin pulp is dense.

This pumpkin should be on every table. From it you can cook a variety of dishes - cereals, soups, confectionery. It is stewed, baked, boiled, marinated and dried. In addition, Butternut squash is the only type of pumpkin that, thanks to its thin skin, is pleasant to eat fresh, adding to salads.

Vegetable useful. The range of its valuable properties is amazing, it is:

1. Improves vision due to the presence of carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin in it.
2. It has a diuretic effect, cleansing the kidneys, bladder from the content of toxins and s alts in them.
3. Strengthens the cardiovascular system by cleansing the blood vessels, lowering blood pressure, and also helps to remove "bad" cholesterol.
4. It is the prevention of dangerous diseases like angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, stroke.
5. Contains fiber, improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
6. Has a low calorie content: 45 kcal per 100 grams of product, therefore it is considered a dietary product. Thanks to her, you can get rid of extra pounds.
7. Promotes immune system function with vitamin C and folic acid.
8. Slows down the aging of the body, as it contains potassium and vitamin K. They protect cells from free radicals, as well as toxins accumulated in the body.
9. Improves the condition of teeth and joints. Contained calcium, strengthens tooth enamel and bones.
10. May improve the patient's condition during the flu, as the contained vitamin C helps to get rid of viruses faster, restore a sore throat.
11. This product is useful for pregnant women, as it practically does not cause allergies, it supplies the body with only everything useful, which will contribute to the full development of the fetus.

In terms of content, nutmeg pumpkin is considered a storehouse of vitamins and microelements. It contains vitamins A, B, C, PP, E, as well as trace elements - magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron and others.

Suitable region and climate

Muscat pumpkin is a heat-loving crop and grows outdoors only in the southern regions. In the conditions of the north, it is grown in greenhouses.

How to grow?

The vegetable ripens for a long time: the vegetative period ranges from 115-140 days. But still, there are early ripe varieties that are best grown in the middle zone.

Most often you have to clean in late August or mid-September before the onset of frost. Nothing that the fruits are not fully ripe: they will ripen during the maturation. This will take 45-60 days.

Select site and landing time

Before choosing a site for Muscat gourd, you must remember that it is considered a heat-loving and southern culture. The place should be slightly elevated (so that the water does not stagnate) and be illuminated by the sun all day. If the slightest shadow falls on the plants, there will be no harvest.

Need to remember: pumpkin prefers spacious beds. After all, its whips can stretch up to 3 meters to the sides. Pumpkin remains immune to many diseases, easily tolerates temperature changes.

In order for the Muscat pumpkin in the middle lane to fully ripen, it is necessary to plant it in seedlings. Seeds are sown at the end of April in separate containers. Planted in a permanent place of growth in early June, when there is no danger of frost.

The following are considered dangerous factors for her:

• cold snap that lasted for a long time;
• protracted rains;
• spring frosts.

Preparing the beds

For planting seedlings, you need to prepare a garden bed. It is desirable that the soil be loose, well saturated with organic fertilizers. It is required to pour rotted manure and compost into each hole.

It's even better if there is a pile of manure nearby with the pumpkin patch.

Preparing seeds for sowing

Before carrying out the process of sowing seeds, it is recommended to prepare them. To do this, they are first soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes, then immediately transferred to the dissolved Epin growth simulator, they are kept in it for another 30 minutes.Then wrapped in damp gauze or calico, put in a warm place for germination.

How to plant pumpkin seeds?

To get strong seedlings, you must do the following:

1. Keep seedlings at home for about a month.
2. Then prepare the containers in advance. It is better that they are separate for each plant. They are filled with special soil for growing seedlings.
3. 2 seeds are planted in each container.
4. Capacities are covered with a film so that soil moisture is preserved, and placed in a dark, but, most importantly, warm place.
5. As soon as shoots appear, it is recommended to remove the film and transfer the plants to a well-lit windowsill.
6. Then a strong plant is selected from the seedlings, and the weak one is removed. Leaving only one sprout.
7. After half a month has passed, it is necessary to start hardening the plants. They are recommended to be taken out to the balcony, gradually lengthening the time.
8. At the end of May or in June, it is recommended to plant pumpkin sprouts in open ground.

When planting seedlings in open ground, it is necessary to monitor the temperature in the air and in the soil: it should not be below 15 ° C. Pumpkin is afraid of the slightest frost. Better to wait until the weather settles.

Propagation of butternut squash

There are two main methods of reproduction - seeds and seedlings. Seeds are taken from the best, well-ripened pumpkin, there are a lot of them in the middle of the fruit. The seeds are taken out, dried and stored until next spring.

Negative factors

Negative factors that worsen and complicate getting a good harvest are:

• disease development;
• insect attack;
• natural disasters (frosts, frequent rains, drought).

The first two must be fought using chemicals and folk methods.

Care

After planting plants with seeds or seedlings, you need to take care of them. This means timely watering, loosening the soil, fertilizing, removing weeds, forming whips, and fighting pests and diseases.

Irrigation

Irrigation is an important condition in obtaining a nutmeg squash crop. It is required to water in the morning or evening hours, only with warm, soft water. It is advisable to pour water under the root so that water does not fall on the leaves, especially when the bright sun is shining.

It is important for a pumpkin that everything be in moderation. It does not tolerate drought and excessive moisture of the earth. If the temperature is high outside, the plant is under the sun, it is advisable to shade it a little with straw or hay.

Formation of lashes

To obtain large fruits, there is a need for adjustments in the formation of lashes. The central whip is left, and the side ones are removed, except for two branches: they should not exceed a length of 70 cm.

Feeding

Feeding is important for fetal growth. Organic fertilizers are welcome. It can be mullein, compost, rotted manure.

Wood ash is needed as a mineral supplement. For the entire growing season (summer season), it is necessary to apply about 4 dressings at least 1-2 times a month. It is advisable to purchase superphosphate, potassium sulfate.

Pollination

It is known that butternut squash does not self-pollinate, so it will need the help of insects, but it is more reliable if the owner does it himself. To do this, it is necessary to find a male flower during the flowering period (it blooms first), tear off the petals, leaving only the pistil. They touch the stamens on a female flower.

Weeding

After planting a vegetable, it is necessary to ensure that weeds do not grow near it, which will begin to absorb useful substances intended for pumpkin. Remove weeds in a timely manner by slightly loosening the ground nearby. To limit their growth, you can mulch the pumpkin with straw or overlay with agrospan.

Butternut squash varieties

This is a he althy crop, so the breeders have done a lot of work, many different varieties have been bred.

They are different:

• appearance;
• size;
• shape;
• destination;
• vitamin and trace element content.

Arabatskaya

This variety of Butternut squash has a medium late ripening period. Grows in open ground. Grows up to 8 kg. The fruit is covered with a thin light orange skin. The flesh is firm, juicy, aromatic and orange in color. The fruits keep well.

The variety is good for those who like to eat this vegetable in the cold winter. Shelf life reaches 4 months.

Pearl

According to the description of the pumpkin, Zhemchuzhina are mid-late varieties. They have an orange skin, the shape is round-cylindrical. The flesh is orange, juicy, sweet.

Fruits are perfectly stored in a refrigerator or cellar. The growing season is 110 days.

The bush is compact, the fruits weigh about 8 kg. Planting and cultivation of the Pearl, like Muscat, is carried out in open ground using seeds at a distance of 60 cm. It develops well when organic fertilizers are applied. Cold hardy when grown.

Kioja Marina

Vegetable comes from Italy. It resembles a sea monster in appearance, so the crust is slightly flattened, but the fruit has a round shape. Legend has it that this type of gourd was thrown to the people of Kyoja by the sea.

Medium-late variety. The vegetative period is about 130 days. Pumpkins grow large, can weigh about 12 kg. Pumpkin has a high sugar content in its composition, therefore it is considered a versatile vegetable for cooking various dishes.Jam, jams are made from it, they are even added to cakes and puddings, and candied fruits are prepared.

Vitamin

Vitaminnaya pumpkin is considered a late-maturing variety. The fruits are ready for consumption in 140 days. They have an elongated oval shape, with a thin skin, brown in color interspersed with a yellow-pink hue. The pulp has a bright orange color, juicy, crunchy, sweetish in taste.

The weight of the fetus reaches 5 kg. You can plant seeds, but it is better to choose a seedling planting method so that the fruits ripen earlier. Best to plant with holes in rows.

Provencal

It has a round, slightly flattened shape, the crust is not thick, slightly ribbed. The skin color is dull orange. It is considered mid-season in terms of maturation. The vegetative period is 120 days. The fruit grows up to 8 kg.

The pulp is bright orange, with excellent taste. It has an interesting feature: the longer the pumpkin is stored, the better it tastes. Desserts, juice and candied fruits are good from it.

Honey Princess

This variety is considered mid-season. The fruits ripen on the 115th day. The plant is distinguished by the fact that it grows very powerful, so it is planted from each other at a great distance. Holes must be dug 100 cm apart.

Fruits grow to medium size up to 4 kg. The flesh is bright orange, sweet in taste. No wonder the fruit has such a name. The peculiarity is that the pumpkin remains immune to many diseases, easily tolerates temperature changes.

Nut butternut

This is an early maturing variety with a growing season of 90 days. It was bred in Italy, it has an oblong shape. The peculiarity of the fruit is that the seeds begin to form at the bottom of the pumpkin. This results in more pulp.

It has a pleasant pumpkin flavor, sweet taste. Very often this variety is used as a diet food.

Muscat

Muscat squash according to the description is one of the varieties of late gourds with beautiful orange fruits. The fruit ripens in 140-150 days, has an oblong shape. Growing and care is carried out after planting in open ground.

Vitamin juices are obtained from it, as the pulp is orange, with a pleasant aroma, juicy and crispy. Suitable for diet food.

Muscat de Provence

This variety is considered medium-late, as it ripens in 115-120 days. Muscat Provence pumpkin has a thick crust. It helps to prolong the storage of fruits, while all its valuable qualities are preserved.

Fruits grow up to 8-10 kg. The pulp is rich orange in color, with a very pleasant taste of honey. This variety is resistant to temperature extremes and diseases.

Hokkaido

Hokkaido variety is becoming increasingly popular among vegetable lovers. It is considered an early maturing plant. It can be different in shape: in the form of a pear, round, slightly flattened. The fruits are not very large. Weigh from 700 grams to 2.5 kg.

The pulp is found from yellow to almost red. The taste is reminiscent of sweet potatoes or chestnuts. The rind of the fruit may be green, white or grey. Differs in the high content of useful substances. To obtain a high yield, timely watering and fertilizing is required.

Spanish guitar

This cultivar is named so for a reason, because the fruit has an unusual shape resembling a guitar.Since it grows in the shape of a pear, up to a meter long, and weighing from 5-10 kg. The skin is yellowish green and the flesh is orange. Its taste is reminiscent of carrots, a little apricots. Outwardly, this pumpkin-guitar looks more like a zucchini.

Candied fruit

This vegetable produces wide, slightly flattened fruits. By maturation, it belongs to medium-late varieties. The vegetative period lasts up to 140 days. The fruit weighs up to 5 kg.

The peculiarity is the change in the color of the crust as it ripens. At first it is green, when ripe it is almost brown. By color, it is easy to know that the pumpkin is ready to eat. Pumpkin flesh is orange, juicy and sweet. It is suitable for making confectionery.

Bilinka

This is a flat appearance, the skin is gray in color but becomes lighter as it matures. The pulp is orange, sweetish taste. Suitable for diet food.

Vita

This plant is classified as mid-season in terms of maturation. Vegetative period - 115 days. Has gray skin. The fruit grows up to 4.5 kg.

The pulp is juicy, with a pleasant nutmeg flavor, so any cooked dish has a pleasant taste. It keeps very well.

Prikubanskaya

Pumpkin Prikubanskaya grows pear-shaped, is considered medium-late in terms of ripening, from 115-140 days. The fruit is small. Its mass is 2.5 kg, can be up to 4.5 kg. Has a thin skin.

Marble

Pumpkin is considered mid-ripening in terms of ripening, is about 130 days. The fruits are round in shape, but slightly flattened. Has a marble finish. This is a combination of green and gray.

Flesh is orange, sweet and fragrant. This pumpkin has advantages in that it is stored for a long time, the fruit does not crack and does not rot.

Palav Kadu

This is a late-ripening variety with a growing season of 150 days. Therefore, it is better to grow with seedlings. The pumpkin grows round, the surface is not smooth, its ribbing is noticeable. The skin is orange, the flesh is juicy sweet. The average fruit weight is 10 kg.

Golden Pear

Pumpkin is distinguished by bright orange fruits, shaped like a droplet. It ripens in a short time in 95 days. The flesh is orange in color, very juicy with a hint of chestnuts.

The fruits are small, portioned. Weight about 2 kg. Various dishes are prepared from the Golden Pear pumpkin: casseroles, soups, cereals. Follow the landing pattern, the holes are dug out after about a meter.

Augustina

This variety has a high yield. Augustine pumpkin fruits ripen in 105 days. They are cylindrical in shape, green in color, with small light spots. This pumpkin is eaten raw for salads, as well as fragrant cereals, pancakes and mashed potatoes.

Pumpkin yield, harvesting and storage

It is necessary to remove the pumpkins from the beds in a timely manner. Much depends on the variety and maturity. Early varieties are harvested in mid-August, mid-late varieties around the end of the month, and late varieties in September.

To find out about the ripening of the pumpkin, it is recommended to press the crust with your finger, if there is no hole, the pumpkin is hard, which means it is ready for harvesting. There are varieties of pumpkin, which, as they ripen, change the color of the fruit. See the instructions on the seed packet for more information.

Clean in dry and sunny weather. It is advisable to be sure to catch it before frost, otherwise its shelf life will be reduced.

We must remember that the pumpkin will finally ripen during storage. To do this, you need to wait another 1.5-2 months.

It is cut with a sharp knife, in case of severe contamination it is recommended to wipe with a damp cloth.

Storage of the pumpkin crop depends on the variety. There are pumpkins that need to be stored in cold rooms, but in general it retains all its qualities well at room temperature.

If you plan to store a pumpkin for a long time, you need to carefully examine the fruit, it should not have damage on the crust. Although the pumpkin has amazing abilities, the wounds on it heal themselves after a while.During storage, it ripens, at this time the crust becomes much thicker, the color changes, the flesh becomes bright orange. Pumpkin can be stored from 3-12 months.

Diseases and pests of nutmeg squash

Pumpkin is rarely susceptible to various diseases, has strong immunity. But still, individual plants can get sick or be susceptible to pumpkin pests, so you need to know what diseases can be and how to deal with them. After all, any disease can affect the quality of the crop.

Common diseases of butternut squash include:

• bacteriosis;
• powdery mildew;
• white root rot;
• anthracnose;
• yellow mosaic.

Bacteriosis

The disease appears as dark green spots in the veins of the leaves. An oily consistency begins to accumulate on the back of the sheet. Then the leaves, where there are damage, turn brown, then dry. After a while, these spots spill out, the leaves become full of holes.

Besides, fruits begin to suffer from this infection: they become irregular in shape, grow deformed.

Often this disease develops in wet weather, when there are sharp temperature changes during the day and at night. It is in such weather that this disease develops very quickly, after a while it can completely destroy the pumpkin if control measures are not taken.

Bordeaux liquid is used for treatment, as well as copper oxychloride, that is, HOM. Before sowing, pumpkin seeds must be treated with zinc sulfate. If plants become infected, it is better to destroy them, then burn them.

In order for pumpkins to be he althy, it is necessary to change the planting site. Interestingly, the spread of this infection can be wind, birds, insects and rain.

Powdery mildew

Powdery mildew is a frequent disease of melons, including pumpkins. It can be recognized by white spots that first appear on the leaves in a small amount, then over time they completely cover the entire leaf with white bloom.

The disease is fungal in nature. It gradually begins to suck out all the nutrients from the leaves, they completely dry out. This leads to a violation of leaf photosynthesis, with time the fruit begins to deform, it ripens much later. The fungus lays spores on plants near the pumpkin, including on weeds, inventory. They are carried from place to place with the help of the wind.

The environment for the rapid development of the disease is considered to be very rare watering of pumpkins, with frequent introduction of nitrates into the soil. It is better to choose varieties that have strong immunity from this disease.

The preventive measure is the timely removal of weeds. When infected, you can treat the pumpkin with the following means: a solution of colloidal sulfur, as well as sodium phosphate. Can be treated with infusion of fresh mullein at the rate of 3:1. Three times more water is taken.

Root rot

A disease that is very difficult to immediately recognize, because changes occur with the root system. The roots become brown, soft and cracked. As a result, the lower leaves begin to turn yellow, and then the whole plant dies, the fruit stops developing.

Weak seedlings are more susceptible to this disease, and natural factors also negatively affect if there are sharp temperature changes during the day and night. Watering plants with cold water is bad.

The control measures are the introduction of a fungicide - Previkur. Near the neck of the pumpkin, you can remove a small layer of earth and fill up a new one. Treat the leaves by sprinkling them with ashes. The neck of the plant at the root can be sprinkled with Fundazol.

Anthracnose

This disease is recognized by the leaves of the pumpkin covered with brownish spots. Then they dry out and crumble, become full of holes and gradually dry.

The disease spreads to the stems and the fruit itself. They are painted black, with a pinkish bloom. Plants die, the fruits are shriveled and do not develop. Bordeaux mixture or copper oxychloride (HOM) is used for treatment.

Yellow Mosaic

The disease can affect young plants. It is determined by the mosaic color of the leaves with alternating yellow and green spots. With this disease, the growth of pumpkin slows down. Plants are treated strictly according to the instructions with Farmiod-3.

Pests of nutmeg squash

In addition to diseases, insects can settle on the pumpkin, which can reduce the yield of the pumpkin or kill young plants.

Spider mite

One of the common pests. Starts from the underside of the sheet, gradually braids the sheet completely with its cobweb. It feeds on nutrients from the leaves. They become rough and hard, crack and the plant gradually dies.

The tick spreads especially well when the weather is hot without rain. For prevention, it is recommended to spray the plants with an infusion of garlic or onion peel, in extreme cases - Karbofos.

Melon aphid

The gourd aphid often affects the pumpkin. It starts up in colonies from the back of the sheet. It feeds on the juice of the plant, gradually the leaves dry, and the pumpkin dies.

It is recommended to process leaves with wormwood, celandine, onion peel and garlic. It is advisable to attract ladybugs, which will begin the fight against these pests. If there are a lot of them, you can use Tryphos or Karbofos.

Slugs

These pests love to eat young leaves and sprouts. They usually hide during the day, but are clearly visible in the evening and at night. They have a great appetite. Prefer moisture and warmth.

Thunderstorm powder or ash is used to fight. Sprayed with herbal infusions of garlic, chamomile and wormwood.

Wireworm

These are the larvae of the click beetle. They damage the root system of young plants. They are collected mechanically, arranging baits. Potatoes and beets are placed next to the pumpkin, when there are a lot of them in potatoes, they are thrown out along with wireworms.

If there are too many of them, then Bezudin tills the soil.

Prevention of pests and diseases

In order to grow he althy fruits, it is recommended to follow certain preventive measures.

For this you need:

1. Constantly change the pumpkin planting site.
2. After harvesting, dry and burn the stems and leaves.
3. Do not plant other gourds next to the pumpkin.
4. Don't plant plants too close.
5. Seeds for planting must be taken only from he althy fruits.
6. Treat seeds before planting with at least potassium permanganate.
7. Keep weeds constantly as there may be fungus spores.
8. When a pumpkin is severely affected by diseases, it is better to remove them so as not to infect other plants.
9. Feed the plants so that they are strong and have good immunity.
10. Regularly inspect plants to detect diseases and pests in time.

Butternut squash is a he althy, tasty vegetable that a novice gardener can grow if he follows the rules of cultivation.

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