A hybrid with an original flavor that will pleasantly surprise you - the Hazelnut pumpkin: grown without much hassle

Pumpkin is a part of traditional dishes around the world. It contains many useful substances that have a positive effect on vision, stomach, intestines, immunity and metabolic processes. Therefore, it is actively grown by gardeners around the world, including in our country.

Breeders annually release new varieties and hybrids characterized by ease of care and unusual taste. The Hazelnut pumpkin belongs to the achievements of agronomists. This hybrid is resistant to many diseases and has a nutty aftertaste. How to grow it on your site - read on.

general description

Pumpkin Hazelnut is a hybrid. It was bred by crossing two varieties. Planting seeds from fruits is impossible, since the plants grown from them retain their parental characteristics.

This hybrid appeared on the markets for a long time. He has already managed to fall in love with gardeners around the world. Many domestic companies also produce it.

Distinctive features

Pumpkin Hazelnut has a dense but juicy flesh with a high starch content. It tastes good with a nutmeg aroma and a nutty aftertaste. There are few sugars in its fruits, so there is no pronounced sweetness.

The fruits look very unusual too. Thomas, they resemble hazelnuts. They even have a dark ring at the tip. The color of the pumpkin is red-orange. See how this vegetable looks in the photo.

The fruit is smaller than many other varieties. On average, the mass of one pumpkin reaches only 1 kg. They have a durable shell and can be stored for a long time.

Despite the fact that the homeland of melons is the tropics, Hazelnut tolerates temperature fluctuations well. If the summer is not hot, then the yield of this hybrid will be less.

Main characteristics

Hybrid Hazelnut has a pleasant taste that will be a great accent in many dishes. The characteristics of this pumpkin allow even novice gardeners to grow it.

Description of Hazelnut:

Agrotechnics

Hazelnut is a hybrid resistant to temperature extremes. Despite this, he is light-loving. In the shade, its fruits will be small and rare.

For pumpkins, sunny areas of the garden are chosen. Legumes, nightshades, onions are considered suitable precursors for this vegetable. eggplant, beet, cabbage, carrots. You should not plant melons and gourds in the beds where cucumbers, zucchini and squash previously grew.

Melons and gourds love fertile soils, they even grow on dung heaps. It is recommended to add fresh manure to the holes before planting the pumpkin. The addition of ash and superphosphate is also encouraged.

Beds for planting pumpkins must be disinfected by treating the soil with a solution of copper sulfate.

Note! Pumpkin can grow in infertile soils. In this case, the fruits will be smaller, and their taste will be less pronounced.

Landing

The pumpkin is grown in a seedling and non-seedling way. The first option is suitable for southern and central regions, and the second is for cities with cold climates.

Before sowing in any way, the seeds must be prepared:

1. Warm up. To do this, they are wrapped in a dense material and placed in the sun or on a battery. Another option is to keep the seeds in the oven for 5 hours. First hour at 20 ° C, then every 60 minutes. it is increased by 10 ° C.
2. Soak in a solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes.
3. Soak in an ash solution. To prepare it, add 1 tbsp to a glass of warm water. l. ash. In this tool, the seeds are kept for 12 hours. Sometimes other growth stimulants are used for these purposes.
4. Temper. Seeds placed in a refrigerator for 2 days.

Seedling method

Pumpkin needs light and nutritious soil. It is prepared independently or purchased in a store. To make soil for pumpkin, mix in equal proportions black soil, sand and peat.

Both purchased and homemade soil mixture are disinfected. The earth is calcined in an oven at a high temperature, poured with a solution of potassium permanganate or boiling water.

For sowing seeds, either spacious wooden boxes or individual peat pots are used. The second method is more convenient, since it is not necessary to remove seedlings from such containers and injure the roots when transplanting them into open ground.

Containers for growing seedlings are also disinfected by soaking in a strong solution of potassium permanganate.

It is interesting! It is not necessary to check the expiration dates of the pumpkin planting material. It is believed that the older the seeds are, the faster they grow.

Seeds are sown in the second half of April. In the process of growing, seedlings do not dive.

How to grow pumpkin seedlings:

1. A layer of sand 3 cm thick is poured onto the bottom of the box or pot for seedlings. Then the container is filled with soil. It is abundantly moistened with warm water from a spray bottle.
2. Seeds are planted in rows at a distance of 4 cm from each other and buried 2-3 cm.
3. Seedling boxes are placed in a warm and well-lit place. The soil is moistened as it dries.
4. Pumpkin seedlings need a lot of light. If natural light is not enough, fluorescent lamps are used.
5. 2 weeks after the germination of the seeds, the seedlings begin to harden: they are taken out daily to fresh air for several hours.

A month after sowing the seeds, the seedlings are dived into open ground. During this procedure, it is important not to damage the roots of the plant. The distance between the bushes should be at least 1 m.

Seeds

In regions with warm climates, seeds are planted directly in open ground. They germinate quickly in areas heated by the sun.

Seeds are sown into the ground when the soil warms up. The outdoor temperature should not be below 15 ° C. This usually happens in the second half of May.

For butternut squash, beds that are elevated and well-warmed by the sun are best.

A section of the garden for the pumpkin is dug up, clearing the remains of plants. Fresh manure is spread on the ground. The soil is watered with copper sulfate.

The pumpkin holes are dug in a checkerboard pattern.The distance between the rows should be at least 2 m, and between the recesses - at least 1 m.

In one bed, holes of different depths are dug, from 6 to 10 cm. This will increase the likelihood that the seeds will germinate even during frost periods. The holes should be 2-3 cm wide.

Place 2-3 in each well sunflower seeds, covered with earth and watered abundantly with warm water.

The beds are covered with foil. It is removed daily for several hours during the warm season, airing the planting. The film is completely removed in July.

Care

Water the pumpkin with warm water infrequently, but abundantly. At least 2 liters of liquid are consumed for each plant. The liquid should not get on the ground part of the plant. This will cause burns on the leaves and increase the risk of contamination of the pumpkin.

The hinges are pinched. This will allow all mature fruits to ripen. To do this, after each ovary, 6 leaves are counted, after which the point of growth of the loop is limited.

Pumpkin is demanding on the composition of the soil. It needs to be fed every two weeks after the plants are 1 month old.

How to feed a pumpkin:

1. The first feeding is carried out after 3-5 true leaves appear on the plants. At this stage, 10 g of dry nitrophosphate is applied under each bush.
2. Until the inflorescences appear, the pumpkin is fed with a mullein solution (1 kg of cow dung is taken for 8 liters of water). Be sure to use phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
3. During flowering, the pumpkin is fed with an ash solution. For each plant take 1 tbsp. ash dissolved in 1 liter of water.
4. During the ripening period of the fruit, the bushes are again fed with mullein solution.

After each watering, the soil must be loosened. This helps to normalize root air exchange.

It is necessary to regularly clean the beds of weeds. It is important to do this while the plants have not yet matured. Otherwise, they will damage the pumpkin's root system.

Possible difficulties

When growing pumpkins, novice gardeners sometimes face difficulties. The most common question is, why doesn't the pumpkin turn yellow? This problem occurs for several reasons:

1. Lack of fertilizer. On infertile soil, pumpkin ripens more slowly. This plant needs to be fed at least 3 times per season.
2. A large number of fruits. In our country, summer does not last long. If there are too many fruits, they simply do not have time to ripen. Experienced gardeners do not recommend leaving more than 2 fruits on the bush.
3. Excessive amount of greenery. If you do not pinch the pumpkin, all its strength will go to the formation of greenery, and not to the ripening of the fruit. Therefore, the excess foliage is removed.
4. Lack of sunlight. Pumpkin is a light-loving plant. The more light and heat it receives, the faster its fruits ripen. Excess foliage creates additional shading for the plants.

Experienced gardening tips

To get large and beautiful fruits, you need to know the nuances of pumpkin care. The list contains tips from experienced gardeners:

1. When the pumpkin begins to turn yellow, watering is stopped. Otherwise, the fruits will turn out to be unsweetened and tasteless.
2. During flowering, you need to be especially careful to ensure that the liquid does not fall on the ground part of the plant. If the buds are wet, the pollen will become heavy, making pollination difficult.
3. Perhaps the pumpkin will need artificial pollination. This procedure is carried out with a dry fluffy brush.
4. In a cold summer, you need to cut the shoots so that no more than 3 remain on one bush. This will speed up the formation of fruits.

Diseases and pests

Hazelnut hybrid is resistant to most diseases. However, it is occasionally affected by powdery mildew, anthracnose, ascochitosis and black mold.

To reduce the risk of disease, you need to follow a number of prevention rules:

1. All gardening tools that come into contact with the pumpkin must be decontaminated. You also need to disinfect seeds, soil and containers for planting seedlings.
2. Observe the rules for watering and pinching plants.These treatments are performed early in the morning or at sunset.
3. To prevent damage from diseases and pests, the bushes are sprayed with soapy water twice a season.
4. To protect plants from pests that carry pathogens, they are sprayed with special agents 2 times per season: decoctions of celandine, chamomile, dandelion or wormwood. Ash solution is also used for these purposes.
5. Large insects are collected by hand.
6. To prevent the fruits from being attacked by rot, you need to make sure that they do not lie on the ground. For this, pieces of plywood are placed under the fruits.

Harvesting and application of the crop

Hazelnut pumpkin is recommended to be harvested in the second half of August or the first half of September. It is cut with a knife along with the stalk. Harvesting is carried out on dry days.

Plucking an unripe pumpkin will shorten its shelf life. The ripeness of the fruits allows you to determine several signs:

1. The stalk becomes thick and hard. Sometimes it seems dry.
2. The fruits turn red-orange. There are no green spots and stripes on them.
3. The pumpkin rind becomes firm to the touch.
4. The greens turn yellow and wither.

Uncut Hazelnut fruits do not require special storage conditions. They will lie at room temperature for more than six months.

Pumpkin Hazelnut has a pleasant nutty flavor with a slight sweetness. When cooked, it does not break down and retains its shape perfectly. There are many recipes for making such fruits. They are suitable for both desserts and main courses. This vegetable goes well with meat.

Advantages and disadvantages

Hazelnut Benefits:

• unusual taste;
• a large amount of pulp;
• high keeping quality;
• immunity to many diseases;
• unpretentious care;
• compact size.

The hybrid has no disadvantages.

Farmers reviews

Reviews of farmers about the Hazelnut pumpkin are mostly positive. Everyone who has tried it loves its unusual taste and unpretentious care.

Ksenia, Moscow: “I have been growing Hazelnut pumpkin for several years now. I like its compact size and unusual taste. Indeed, there is a nutty flavor. There are no special problems with growing. I feed her with complex fertilizers and manure. Doesn't get sick. "

Igor, Voronezh: “I liked the Hazelnut pumpkin, although I did not notice the promised nutty taste. Not very sweet, therefore it is good for preparing second courses. Has a very tough skin. I like to use these pumpkins for roasting meat in them. At the same time, I do not scoop out all the pulp. It serves as a great side dish. "

Read also:

The harm and benefits of pumpkin seeds for men.

Is it possible to freeze a pumpkin while retaining the maximum useful properties: we will study all possible options and choose the best one.

Traditional methods of treatment with pumpkin leaves: how to use them in the fight against diseases.

Conclusion

Pumpkin Hazelnut is a hybrid with an unusual taste. Its dense yet tender pulp has a nutty and nutmeg flavor. It is ideal for preparing absolutely any dishes, but not suitable for juices.

It is not difficult to grow such a vegetable. You just need to follow all the rules for watering and pay enough attention to feeding.