A French guest on your site - pumpkin "Muscat de Provence": what is good and how to grow it correctly

The pumpkin Muscat de Provence got its name from the region of the same name in the south of France. Provence is famous for its herbs, cheeses and grapes. Butternut squash is no exception. Many people liked the sweet taste of the vegetable. In order not to look for Muscat de Provence on supermarket shelves, summer residents prefer to grow it in their gardens. Why culture is so loved in Russia, and how to get a good harvest, read our article.

Description of pumpkin variety

All nutmeg varieties are rich in color. These vegetables are the sweetest of all pumpkin varieties and have a fleshy and juicy flesh. The culture is unpretentious in care, it prefers a mixture of loamy and sandy loam soils.

F1 hybrid

Muscat de Provence is the result of the work of French breeders. They brought out frost-resistant variety with very thick skin... In addition, the plant is not afraid of drought or heat, therefore Muscat de Provence is grown in any region of Russia.

As befits a hybrid, the variety is resistant to common diseases such as white rot or bacteriosis.

Interesting! The Clause Tezier manufacturing company has existed for over 200 years and is considered a recognized leader in the breeding market. In addition to pumpkin, breeders create high-quality and delicious varieties of peppers, cabbage, melons, watermelons and zucchini.

Distinctive features

The variety is mid-season, the harvest ripens in 115 days. It is planted in open ground or in greenhouses. The plant is powerful, there are many leaves. Muscat de Provence shows high and stable yields, reacts well to organic feeding, and is often grown not only for personal consumption, but also for sale.

Fruit characteristics and yield

Pumpkins are large, brown-orange in color. The surface is hard and ribbed. The weight of one vegetable is from 5 to 10 kg, the diameter is about 50 cm. The pulp is bright orange, with a high sugar content. Muscat de Provence keeps well... From 1 sq. m summer residents receive about 40 kg of beautiful and tasty vegetables.

Interesting! Pumpkin of the Muscat de Provence variety, due to its appearance, is great for creating lamps for the Halloween holiday. According to legend, such lamps drive away evil spirits from the house.

How to grow

Planting and growing Muscat de Provence is an exciting experience. If all the rules are followed, pumpkin beds reward a rich and tasty harvest. Let us consider further in what ways summer residents plant a vegetable, and how they care for it.

Planting with seeds

The first method involves planting seeds directly into the open priming... It is most suitable for gardeners from the southern regions of the country, where the soil is more fertile and the climate is warmer. The seed planting technology is as follows:

1. Disinfection of seeds. Purchase seeds in proven places, pay attention to the safety of the packaging. Examine the material for external abnormalities. Discard spoiled seeds with spots or scratches. Disinfect high-quality in a solution of hydrogen peroxide, after placing it in a tissue bag and dipping it in the liquid for 5 minutes. Then remove from the bag, spread on clean gauze and dry.
2. Hardening of seeds. Place the material in the freezer tray and leave it there for 20 hours. Then remove the seeds and leave for 5 hours at room temperature, then send back to the freezer. Repeat the procedure for 5 days. Hardening strengthens plant immunity, protects against external factors, and enhances frost resistance.
3. Disinfection of the earth. Before sowing disinfected and hardened seeds, dig up the ground and carry out a series of disinfection procedures. Most actively summer residents use such agrotechnical methods as maintaining crop rotation and using green manure. Siderata are plants that improve soil quality. They are sown during harvest. Immediately before planting, the soil is limed to lower the acidity level, and also spilled with boiling water to kill dangerous bacteria.

Seeds of Muscat de Provence are sown at a soil temperature of 10-12 degrees. 3 seeds are placed in one hole, sprinkled with earth on top and watered abundantly. The distance between seedlings should be at least 1 m. The first shoots appear a week after sowing.

Planting seedlings

The seedling method is more suitable for the Urals and Siberia. Germinate the seeds after disinfection. To do this, place the material in a damp gauze and keep in a warm place for one week. Germination improves the germination of the variety, accelerates growth.

For stimulation use preparations "Fitospirin +" or "Epin", which also protect the future harvest from diseases and pests. Be careful, use the products in accordance with the dosages indicated on the package. An overabundance of stimulants will only harm young shoots.

Plant seedlings in flower pots or wooden boxes. Use ready-made soil or pre-disinfected soil from the garden. Keep your seedlings in a warm and sunny place. If there is a lack of light, arrange additional illumination with fluorescent lamps. Water the seedlings every 7 days. It is better to use filtered and settled water. After 10 days, apply liquid organic fertilizers, after another 2 weeks - mineral fertilizers, for example, urea or ammonium nitrate.

Muscat de Provence is sown mainly in early May. Pumpkin takes root best in the beds after legumes or onions. For 1 sq. m it is recommended to plant no more than 1-2 bushes. To create the most favorable conditions, compost or peat is added to the beds.

Care

How to properly care for a hybrid Muscat de Provence? First of all, observe the mode of watering and weeding, and also pay attention to the formation of bushes and fertilization. In addition, do not forget to unravel the whips and prevent disease.

Weeding

Weeding includes a set of procedures for loosening the beds and removing weeds. They loosen the soil every week, mainly after rains or fogs. Loosening improves oxygen access to the roots. Of the weeds in the beds, bindweeds are most often found, which are also regularly uprooted along with the roots. It is impossible to get a high-quality crop without weeding the beds.

Watering

After planting, the beds are watered abundantly, the next watering is organized only after 10 days. It is best to use rainwater as it is much softer than tap water. The easiest method to collect rainwater is to install tanks and drainpipes on the site. The size of the tank depends on the size of the garden. Watering the beds is recommended after weeding or together with fertilization.

Fertilizers

Alternate mineral and organic fertilizers for a great harvest. Muscat de Provence variety responds well to the mineral complex "Zdraven", which can be purchased at any gardening store. "Zdraven" saturates the bushes with calcium and nitrogen, protects against diseases. Also, the culture loves liquid bird droppings, which summer residents add 2-3 times over the entire period. For 1 sq.m use about 100-150 g of fertilizer. In addition to these products, feeding with ash, yeast, whey and nettle is popular.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

Inexperienced summer residents are faced with the problem of forming bushes. The fact is that for normal development, only 2-3 pumpkins are left on the lashes, the rest of the vegetables are removed, and the top is pinched. It is also advised to leave about 5 leaves, the rest are eliminated. If this is not done, then all the pumpkins will not have enough space and nutrition to grow large. And pinching the top stops the growth of the bush when it is no longer necessary.

If the lashes have grown to 2 m, untangle them and lay them on the ground, sprinkling them with soil on top. Water the place of the powder, new roots will form there, which will strengthen the plant. If the vegetables themselves are very heavy, build them an additional support from scrap materials.

Growing tips from experienced gardeners

To obtain a rich harvest, gardeners are advised to pay special attention to foliar dressing. For example, spraying with Bordeaux liquid, which protects Muscat de Provence from harmful effects. In addition, summer residents recommend:

• choose the largest for sowing seed;
• use liquid manure as fertilizer;
• add potassium salt and superphosphate twice;
• do not overmoisten the soil;
• do not fertilize dry soil.

Diseases and pests

Even with proper care, a hybrid can fall prey to dangerous insects or diseases. Especially common among them are:

1. Bacteriosis - characterized by small brown spots on the leaves. At the first sign, immediately spray the plant with a solution of copper sulfate and lime. If the fruit is already infected, remove and bury it.
2. Root rot - it is a fungus that coats the stems and roots with a brown color. The causes of infection lie in improper watering. For treatment, treat the pumpkin beds with a solution of copper sulfate.
3. Powdery mildew - fungal infection manifests itself as a white bloom on the leaves. Fungal spores are found in soil or weeds. The fungus is treated with colloidal sulfur.
4. Wireworms - these are worms that live underground and destroy roots. "Bazudin" will help get rid of them. However, be careful when using it, as the drug is toxic.
5. Sprout fly affects stems and leaves. As a preventive measure, carefully dig up the soil and apply fertilizers before sowing. Use a copper sulphate solution to control the sprout fly.

Harvesting and application of the crop

Harvesting traditionally begins in mid-September when the pumpkins reach their peak of maturity. Pluck the fruits together in the stalk so that they are stored for a long time. After harvesting, the vegetables are wiped with a dry cloth and placed in a basement or garage. Muscat de Provence is stored for a long time, does not lose its properties.

The product is mainly used in cooking. Pies, salads, juice are made from pumpkin. The sweet taste of pumpkin makes delicious dietary desserts and pastries. The vegetable is good both fresh and after heat treatment. In addition to the pulp, seeds and flowers of the plant are eaten.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The Muscat de Provence variety has become widespread among many summer residents. Why did you like the vegetable? First of all, it is appreciated for:

• ease of care;
• high taste;
• attractive presentation;
• high immunity;
• frost resistance;
• long storage degree;
• versatility in use.

Of the shortcomings, gardeners note only that sometimes vegetables reach such large sizes that they cannot do without additional support. Muscat de Provence has no more disadvantages.

Farmers reviews

On the forums of gardeners, you can find a variety of reviews about the Muscat de Provence pumpkin. Some find the variety fruitful and tasty, while others write that they expected to get a better harvest.

Yana, Moscow: “I planted Muscat de Provence for the third time.I appreciate this pumpkin primarily for its sweet pulp, which goes well with many other products. The pumpkins are beautiful, orange. In autumn I store them on the balcony, and in winter I put them in the pantry. "

Maxim, Omsk: “Muscat de Provence is my favorite of butternut squash. She is not capricious in her care, it is a pleasure to grow such a crop. On average, I remove about 15 kg from one bush. I use mainly as boiled or baked dishes, I love nutritious juice from pumpkin, orange, ginger and mint ”.

Ekaterina, Sochi: “I am a gardener with 15 years of experience, and every year I plant a new variety on the site. I didn’t like Muscat de Provence because the fruit set was bad. As a result, I harvested 3 times less harvest than the manufacturer declared. Next year I will definitely plant a different Muscat variety, but not Muscat de Provence. "

Conclusion

"Provencal" pumpkin is easy to grow, used in cooking, and even the famous "Jack lamps" can be made from it. As befits a nutmeg pumpkin, the taste of the vegetable is at its best, as are the commercial qualities. The pumpkin always looks attractive.

The variety is planted throughout the country, be it Siberia or the southern regions. The hybrid rarely gets sick, shows a stable high yield.