Dutch early ripe pumpkin hybrid "Matilda": we grow up to 15 kg of fruits per square meter

Pumpkin is one of the most versatile fruit crops. It is used for preparing second and first courses, desserts and even drinks. Despite the low calorie content, the pulp of this representative of melons easily satisfies hunger.

Choosing among the abundance of varieties, many gardeners prefer the Matilda pumpkin. It has a high pulp content and an unusual taste. This hybrid is easy to grow outdoors in absolutely any region of our country. How to do it - read on.

General description of Matilda

Matilda is a first generation pumpkin hybrid bred by Dutch breeders. In 2009, it was entered into the State Russian Register.

In the registry, the hybrid is designated as nutmeg. It is intended for cultivation in central and southern Russia.

Note! Hybrid seed is not suitable for sowing. Plants grown from them acquire parental characteristics.

Distinctive features of the hybrid

Matilda pumpkin produces medium-sized fruits. On average, one pumpkin weighs 3 kg.

This nutmeg hybrid has an unusual taste. Its fruits are sweetish, starchy, with a pronounced nutty aroma. Unripe, there is no unusual aftertaste.

An attractive quality of Matilda is the meatiness of the pumpkin. The fruit has thick walls and a small chamber with few seeds. Despite their compact size, they have a lot of pulp.

Pumpkin Matilda - it is a dietary product with a rich biochemical composition and low calorie content (100 g of the product contains only 22 kcal). However, pumpkin pulp is easy to fill up.

Pumpkin is useful with vitamin deficiency and for baby food. It contains vitamins of group B, A, C, PP, H, K, micro- and macroelements (potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iodine, zinc, etc.), polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Matilda is highly resistant to temperature extremes. It is capable of growing outdoors even in regions with extreme climates.

Main characteristics

The characteristics of Matilda make it possible to grow it in all regions of our country. The hybrid is not afraid of temperature extremes and yields fruit before the first frost.

Description of Matilda pumpkin:

Agrotechnics

Matilda is resistant to cold snaps and high temperatures. She feels great in both the central and southern regions.

Pumpkin is a light-loving culture, so a well-lit area of ​​the garden is chosen for it.

They plant the crop in fertile and loose soils. In areas with poor soil, the plant grows well near manure heaps.

In the beds intended for pumpkin, other melons and cucumbers should not be previously grown. Nightshades and legumes are ideal precursors for Matilda.

Pumpkin beds are prepared in the fall. They are cleaned of any plant residues, fertilizers are scattered over the soil (6 kg of manure and 50 g of superphosphate are taken per 1 sq. M) and dug to a depth of 20 cm.

Pumpkin loves slightly acidic soils. The acidity is checked using a litmus test. If the indicators are increased, the earth is mixed with dry lime.

The looseness of the soil is also corrected. For this, river sand is added to the soil.

In the spring, it is not necessary to dig up the beds, it is enough to level them with a rake, clean them of weeds and disinfect them with a solution of copper sulfate.

Landing

In the central and northern regions, pumpkin cultivation is possible only in seedlings. In areas with a warm climate, seed planting is also practiced.

Before sowing, the expiration dates of the seed are checked. Then it is sorted out, removing all loose and withered seeds, and soaked for 3 hours in water at a constant temperature of 40-50 ° C. After that, the seeds are wrapped in wet gauze and placed in a saucer, which is covered with foil. When the seeds open, they are ready to plant.

Seedlings

Pumpkin seedlings are grown on southern windowsills. The temperature in the room should be above 27 ° C.

For sowing seeds, use plastic or peat pots with a volume of 300 ml. The second option is more convenient, since in this case you will not have to remove the plants from the containers when picking. Planting seeds in peat tablets is possible. For pumpkin, blanks with a wide hole are chosen.

To grow pumpkin seedlings, use commercial universal soil mixtures or homemade soil. To prepare the earth, mix peat and sand in equal proportions. Add 1 glass of ash and 1 matchbox of superphosphate to a bucket of the mixture.

Drainage (broken ceramics, shell rock or brick) and soil are poured into the container. There should be 2 free centimeters to the edge of the pots.

2 seeds are planted in each container, deepening by 2 cm. The soil is watered with warm water, after which the pots are covered with foil.

In the process of growing seedlings, it is important to observe the temperature regime:

• before the seeds germinate, the temperature is maintained at 25 ° C;
• then 7 days the seedlings are kept in a room with a temperature of 18-25 ° C;
• during the next week, the temperature should not be below 15 or above 18 ° C;
• then the containers with pumpkin are transferred to a room with room temperature.

Seedlings need 16-hour daylight hours. Since the seeds are sown in the second half of April, when there is already enough sunlight, it is not necessary to use fluorescent lamps.

Water the plants as the soil dries up. Use warm, settled water. It is important to ensure that the liquid does not get on the leaves of the seedlings.

When the seeds germinate, a stronger plant is left in the pot, and a weak pinch.

For the entire period of growing seedlings, fertilizers are applied 1 time: the pumpkin is fed with nitrophos 2 weeks after sowing the seeds.

A week before planting, the seedlings begin to harden. It is taken out into the street, gradually increasing the time spent in the fresh air.

A month after sowing the seeds, the pumpkin is ready for planting in open ground. Dig holes in the garden at a distance of 1 m from each other.Long-acting fertilizers are poured into them, after which the seedlings are placed along with a lump of earth.

After transplanting, the beds are watered. Use 1 liter of water for each pumpkin. For the first two weeks at night, the plants are covered with foil.

Seeds

Seedless pumpkin cultivation is possible only in the southern regions. In this case, the seeds are planted immediately on the beds. They do this in the second half of May.

The holes are dug in such a way that a distance of 1 m is maintained between them. The holes for the seeds should have a width of 20-30 cm. Their depth varies between 6-10 cm.

Advice... Gardeners recommend digging holes of different depths on the same bed. This will increase the chance of seed germination.

Mullein or humus is poured into the holes. 2 seeds are planted in each hole on different edges.

The plantings are covered with soil and watered with warm water. Use at least 2 liters of liquid per well. The beds are covered with foil. Remove it after the seeds germinate.

Culture care

Matilda's agricultural technology is not associated with special difficulties. This pumpkin is unpretentious and resistant to adverse environmental factors. Fundamental rules:

1. Pumpkin is a moisture-loving plant. The liquid coming from the roots evaporates the leaves into the air, so watering the pumpkin beds should be abundant and frequent. The soil is moistened at least 2 times a week. Use 2.5-3 liters of water per plant. It is important to ensure that no liquid gets on the pollen during flowering. Otherwise, pollination will not occur.
2. The soil should be loosened after each watering. Loosening destroys the earthen crust, which can lead to root rot.
3. In the process of loosening, the beds are weeded. This should be done regularly so that the grown weeds do not damage the pumpkin roots.
4. Pumpkin loves feeding. The first time organic fertilizer is applied after the formation of the fifth leaf; then every 2 weeks organic and mineral dressings are alternated.
5. When the seeds germinate in the holes, they leave a stronger plant, pinching the stem of the weak.
6. Pumpkin scourges are stepson, limiting their growth after the sixth leaf. Yellowed leaves are also removed.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

Novice gardeners often face a number of problems when growing pumpkins. The list contains the most common ones:

1. The pumpkins slowly turn yellow. This problem occurs if the fruits are not getting enough sunlight. Sometimes pumpkins shade the leaves of the plant. In this case, they are removed.
2. Little is formed ovaries... Plants may not be able to pollinate on their own. In this case, the stamens of male flowers are artificially connected to the stigmas of female flowers.
3. Rotting roots. This problem occurs when irrigation rules are violated. Another possible cause is root damage when loosening or removing weeds.

Growing tips from experienced gardeners

To get a good harvest, you should know a few secrets. They will help to avoid many problems and increase the size of the fruit:

1. Watering and pinching plants is necessary when the sun is not active. It is best to do this early in the morning or at sunset.
2. On the days of pinching, the pumpkin is not watered.
3. Pumpkin lashes should be tied to trellises. Another option is to run them along the thread to the roof. For these purposes, a synthetic thread is used.
4. To get larger fruits, no more than 3 ovaries are left on each lash. If more fruits are set, the pumpkins will be smaller.

Diseases and pests

Matilda pumpkin has a high immunity to plant diseases. Nevertheless, you should not neglect the rules of prevention:

1. The soil, containers for growing seedlings and seeds are disinfected. A tool that will interact with pumpkin beds is also treated with disinfecting compounds.
2. It is important to follow the rules of watering and pinching. It is with high and low humidity that disease-causing organisms develop.
3. Pumpkin is rarely affected by pests. To eliminate the risk of harmful insects, plants are sprayed with soapy water.

Harvesting and application of the crop

Fruits are harvested in the second decade of August. Matilda pumpkins also ripen at home. To determine the ripeness of the fruit, pay attention to the following signs:

1. Light orange peel. There are no light and green spots on the pumpkin.
2. The stalks dry out, harden and turn brown.
3. Leaves turn yellow and fall off.

Matilda pumpkin is suitable for cooking main courses and desserts. It is frozen for use in the winter. It is not juicy enough for juices. Fresh is also rarely consumed - the pulp does not have sufficient sweetness.

Advantages and disadvantages of a hybrid

Matilda's advantages:

• compactness of fruits;
• an abundance of pulp;
• rich taste with nutty aroma;
• immunity to diseases of melons and gourds;
• increased resistance to temperature extremes.

The disadvantages include the hybridity of Matilda. Its seeds are not suitable for further planting.

Farmers reviews

Reviews about Matilda are mostly positive. This hybrid has no major disadvantages.

Valeria, Tula: “I have been growing Matilda for the fourth year already. A very productive and tasty hybrid. Four bushes are enough for sale, for yourself, and for children. Fruits with a lot of pulp, very few seeds. There is indeed a nutty flavor, but only if the fruits fully ripen on the bush. "

Alexander, Smolensk: “Last year I planted Matilda after reading positive reviews about her. The hybrid did not disappoint. Indeed, tasty and fruitful. I like larger pumpkins, so I leave only three ovaries on the bush. Each fruit weighs 4–5 kg and is pear-shaped, as in the photo. "

Conclusion

Pumpkin Matilda is a hybrid that is highly resistant to adverse environmental factors. The plant is not afraid of diseases inherent in melons and gourds. Therefore, even novice gardeners can grow it.

Up to 8 pear-shaped fruits weighing up to 5 kg are harvested from one Matilda bush. But high yields are not the only advantage of the hybrid. Its pumpkins contain a large amount of pulp with an unusual nutty flavor and a minimum of seeds.