Why Almond Gourd is Good and How to Grow It

A delicious and healthy pumpkin has been grown by humans for more than one hundred years. The birthplace of culture is hot Mexico. Despite its southern origin, pumpkin is surprisingly unpretentious and grows in a wide variety of climates.

Variety of varieties, bred by breeders, is amazing. For those who first decided to grow a vitamin beauty on their own, it is easy to get confused, seeing the variety of shapes, colors and sizes. The article tells in detail about the Almond 35 variety with a delicate almond aroma and how to grow these delicious fruits on your site.

Description of the variety

The Almond 35 variety was developed 70 years ago. It was recommended for cultivation throughout Russia (except for the northern regions).

This type of pumpkin crop is distinguished by powerful bushes with long shoots. Scourges grow up to 8 m in length. The leaves of the plants are large, pentagonal in shape.

Pros and cons of the variety

The advantages of the variety include the excellent taste of the fruit. The flesh of almond squash is dense and sweet (this is one of the most sugary varieties). Ideal for workpieces.

The fruits are distinguished by keeping quality and the ability to endure long-term transportation. Almond gourd is relatively resistant to gourd rot, powdery mildew and bacterial blight.

The strong climbing of the variety does not allow growing it in small garden plots and vegetable gardens. For full growth, an almond beauty needs a lot of space. The variety is picky about soil nutrition. We need regular, abundant watering and fertilizing.

As the name suggests, the cultivar is characterized by its delicate almond pulp aroma. Due to the high taste of such pumpkin dishes, children eat with pleasure.

Fruit characteristics and yield

What kind of almond pumpkin? It is a hard-bore, long-leafed variety that is demanding in terms of heat and growing conditions.

With proper care, almond pumpkins can grow up to 5 kg in weight. The shape of the pumpkin is flattened or cylindrical. The bark is smooth or slightly segmented. The peduncle is ribbed, pentagonal in shape.

Ripe fruits are distinguished by a rich brown-orange color. As you can see in the photo, there are dark green stripes on the rind of the fruit, which brighten as the pumpkins ripen. The bark is dense and elastic. The thickness of the juicy, orange pulp is 4-5 cm.

Pumpkin Almond 35 belongs to the mid-season varieties. From the moment of emergence to harvest, 110-120 days pass. Average yields are 2.2-4.4 kg per m².

How to grow almond pumpkin yourself

If you decide to grow almond pumpkin on your site, consider a few points:

• the root system of the pumpkin is located close to the surface of the earth, so it is important to provide the plants with a fertile topsoil;
• almond gourd branches heavily, bushes need a lot of space;
• choose a sunny place for landing.

Landing

The garden bed is prepared in the fall. The earth is dug up and organic and mineral fertilizers are applied. If the soil is light, then the seeds are planted directly into the ground. If the soil is heavy and damp, make high beds.

Need to know. Eggplants, carrots, peas, potatoes, cabbage, and bulbous crops are good precursors for pumpkin. The bad ones are related crops such as zucchini, cucumbers, squash.

The optimal time for sowing comes when the soil has warmed up to a temperature not lower than +14 ° C.At lower temperatures, seeds will not germinate and will rot in the soil.

Prepared holes are watered with warm water. Seeds are planted to a depth of 10 cm if the soil is light, and 3-4 cm if it is heavy. Plantings are mulched with peat chips or humus. These simple measures increase germination and facilitate the further care of crops.

Almond pumpkin is grown in 2 ways:

1. Sowing seeds in open ground in the second half of May.
2. Through seedlings grown in a greenhouse or at home a month before planting in open ground.

Important. Pumpkin seedlings do not like picks. The seeds are immediately planted in individual 500 ml containers.

The key to getting strong and healthy seedlings is the right choice and preparation of the seed. Pumpkin seeds are harvested on their own or bought in specialized stores. Seed preparation consists in their warming up, disinfection and germination.

The seeds are heated at a temperature of 40 ° C for several hours. For planting, choose healthy, heavy seeds without damage and signs of disease.

Then the pumpkin seeds are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. Disinfection will protect delicate young plants from diseases and pests. After half an hour, the seeds are removed from the potassium permanganate, washed and wrapped in a damp cloth. So the seeds are kept for several days before hatching.

After the sprouts appear, the seeds are planted in the ground. The soil mixture is prepared independently from peat, turf and humus (in a ratio of 2: 2: 1) or use ready-made soil for pumpkin crops. The prepared containers are filled with soil by 2/3 and proceed to planting.

Seeds are buried by 2-3 cm. Sprouted seeds will sprout in 3-5 days, unprepared - in 10-14 days. After the emergence of seedlings, containers with seedlings are transferred to a cool place. Lowering the temperature to 15-18 ° C will prevent stretching of the plants. After a week, the seedlings are transferred to the heat again.

Water the seedlings regularly, but in moderation. For irrigation, use settled water at room temperature. Do not allow the soil to dry out until the shoots appear, this will lead to the death of plants. Waterlogging of the soil is also dangerous for seedlings. Excessive moisture provokes the appearance of rot and disease.

7-10 days after the emergence of seedlings, the seedlings are fed. It is good to use nitrophoska as a fertilizer (in accordance with the instructions).

On warm days, the seedlings are taken outside for hardening. The pumpkin is planted in open ground when the threat of recurrent frost has passed. After all, this southern culture does not tolerate cold weather.

Care

Caring for the planting of almond gourd consists in timely watering, loosening the soil, applying fertilizers and forming bushes.

Watering

Pumpkin Almond 35 is a moisture-loving variety that needs abundant watering. Powerful bushes have a developed root system, and large leaves evaporate a lot of moisture.

Particular attention is paid to watering during the period of flowering plants and the formation of fruits. The water is used warm and settled. Stop watering 3-4 weeks before harvest. So the fruits will pick up more sugars and will be tastier.

Top dressing

Getting large pumpkins possible only if a sufficient amount of fertilizer is applied to the soil. The first feeding is carried out when 3-5 leaves are formed. The next time, fertilizers are applied after 3 weeks.

For feeding, use nitrophosphate (in accordance with the instructions). In wet weather, fertilizers are applied dry. In dry - top dressing is combined with watering.

Efficient feeding of pumpkin plantings with ash (1 glass per plant) and mullein solution (1: 8).

Formation of bushes

When growing almond pumpkin in the southern regions of our country, pumpkin bushes do not need to be formed. With a sufficient number of sunny, hot days, all formed fruits will have time to ripen.

However, in the conditions of the short and cool Siberian summer, the southern beauty pumpkin does not always have time to reach technical maturity before the end of the season. Accelerating the ripening of fruits allows such an agricultural practice as the formation of a pumpkin bush.

Council. When growing Almond Pumpkin in regions with short and cool summers, do not neglect the formation of pumpkin bushes. This simple technique will bring the harvest closer.

Formation consists in removing excess lashes and ovaries. The procedure allows the plant to focus on the ripening of the formed fruit, without wasting energy on the green mass. There are 2 main ways to form a pumpkin - in 1 or 2 stems.

When formed into 1 stem, all lateral lashes and excess ovaries are removed immediately after their appearance. 2-3 ovaries are left on the stem. After the last ovary, 4-5 leaves are counted and the tip of the shoot is pinched. This will give you the largest fruits. All newly emerging shoots and flowers are removed.

When a pumpkin bush is formed in 2 stems, 2 fruits are left on the main whip, and 1 on the side shoot. On each lash, after the last fruit, 4-5 leaves are left, and the tops of the shoots are pinched.

The overgrown lashes are laid in the desired direction and covered with earth in several places. This is how additional roots are formed, fixing the lashes in place and giving the fruit additional nutrition.

Prevention of diseases and pests

Planting pumpkins, like other garden crops, are attacked by pests and the development of diseases. We list the common diseases that pumpkin seeds are susceptible to.

Bacteriosis

One of the most common diseases affecting pumpkin planting. The disease is recognized by light brown spots on the cotyledons and angular spots on the foliage. Affected plant tissues become dark, dry out and die off.

An effective preventive measure that prevents the development of bacteriosis is the observance of the rules of crop rotation. Spraying with 1% Bordeaux liquid is carried out when the first signs of the disease appear. The treatment is repeated after 10-14 days.

Root rot

The disease affects the root system of the plant. The stems darken, the bush stops growing, the lower leaves turn yellow and dry out. The development of the disease is provoked by changes in day and night temperatures, as well as the use of cold water for irrigation. At the first sign of root rot, soil is poured onto the stems to form additional roots.

White rot

The development of the disease is evidenced by the appearance of a white coating on the foliage and stems of the pumpkin bush. The affected parts of the plant become soft and slimy to the touch. When a disease is detected, the affected parts of the bush are cut off. Places of cuts are treated with a solution of copper sulfate (the solution is prepared at the rate of 30 g per 3 liters of water).

Powdery mildew

Another common disease that affects all pumpkin crops. The disease is recognized by a white bloom, which causes wrinkling and death of foliage. The disease is treated with ground sulfur and 80% colloidal sulfur solution. These means treat the affected parts of the bush.

The following pests cause great harm to pumpkin plantings: spider mites, slugs and melon aphids.

Spider mite

The mite settles on the underside of the leaves, braiding the plant with a thin web. The foliage turns yellow and dries. If you do not fight the pest, the whole bush will die. Spraying the leaves with a strong solution of onion husks (3 kg per 10 liters of water) helps to effectively fight the mite.

Slugs

They eat young leaves of plants, slowing down the growth of the bush. Loosening the soil and removing weeds is an effective prevention of pest attacks. The layout of traps from wet rags, cabbage leaves, and watermelon peels also helps.

Melon aphid

This insect lives on weeds, after which it moves to pumpkin. Aphids live on the underside of leaves, on shoots, ovaries and flowers. It feeds on plant sap.The leaves affected by the pest curl and fall off. The growth of the bush slows down or stops altogether. An effective measure of control and prevention is spraying plants with a solution of karbofos (at the rate of 100 g per 10 liters of water).

Reviews of gardeners

What do gardeners say about this unusual variety with an almond aroma? Here are some reviews.

Elizaveta, Kommunar: “We grow almond pumpkin every year. We plant with seeds directly into open ground. Does not require special care. The main thing is not to be late with the beginning of the sowing campaign, otherwise the pumpkins will not have time to ripen before the onset of cold weather. "

Tatiana, Tambov: “We plant a pumpkin every summer. The culture is unpretentious, does not require special care. Almond pumpkin is especially tasty. Three pulp on a grater, pack in bags and freeze. And in winter I cook delicious porridge with pumpkin. I like my whole family, even children eat with pleasure. Tasty and healthy!".

Andrew, Velikie Luki: “Almond gourd does not require special growing conditions. The harvest is stored for a long time, so we eat pumpkin pies until spring. It is convenient to grow pumpkin in barrels. It saves a lot of space on the site. "

Conclusion

Growing a rich harvest of tasty and healthy almond pumpkin is easy. It is enough to choose a spacious sunny place for the garden, water and fertilize the plants in a timely manner.

When grown in central Russia, the seedling method is used, then the pumpkins have time to ripen until the end of the season and are well stored in winter.