Muscat pumpkin: description and photo of the best varieties for growing. Types and description of varieties of nutmeg pumpkin, cultivation and care in the open field

The graceful beauty butternut squash, or butternut squash, with an unusual shape, a bit reminiscent of an hourglass, can be a great addition to your diet. It is valued for its sweet, nutty flavor, pale yellow, nutritious flesh and numerous health benefits. In Australia and New Zealand, it is known as the "walnut gourd", but the American Indians called it the "apple of God" many centuries ago.

Almost all parts of the plant are edible: fruits, leaves, flowers and seeds.

Butternut squash is surprisingly low in calories, with no cholesterol or saturated fat, but high in fiber, protein, antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. That is why many nutritionists advise their wards to eat dishes from butternut squash to fight overweight and high cholesterol.

1. Vitamin profile: A, C, E, B6, K, folic acid, thiamine and niacin.
2. Mineral profile: calcium and magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium.

Butternut pumpkin is also high in flavonoids (biologically active plant compounds), such as α- and β-carotenes, lutein, and cryptoxanthin-β.

What benefits can you get

1. Great food for pregnant women. Butternut pumpkin supports maternal and fetal health with its exceptional nutritional value and high concentration of folic acid.
2. Combats symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), such as mood swings and abdominal cramps, due to the presence of high doses of magnesium, a mineral that maintains the hormonal balance of the female body.
3. The digestive benefits of butternut squash are associated with the presence of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber in its pulp, which improves intestinal motility, promotes the reproduction of beneficial microflora and removes toxins from the body.
4. Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, as it contains a large amount of magnesium, which minimizes the risk of strokes and heart attacks, and potassium, which fights high blood pressure. But that's not all: vitamin C and beta-carotene prevent the oxidation of cholesterol and its deposition on the walls of the arteries: excellent protection against atherosclerosis. And folic acid in the butternut pumpkin is involved in the breakdown of homocysteine ​​​​- an amino acid, high level which in the blood can lead to a heart attack.
5. Butternut pumpkin in the treatment of cancer, like many other products of plant origin, resists cancer due to the pulp, rich in powerful antioxidants. Scientists know for sure that beta-carotene reduces the risk of developing lung and breast cancer.
6. Strengthens the immune system, protects against colds and flu thanks to a complex of natural vitamins: C and beta-carotene. Add to this the plant-based polysaccharides of butternut squash, which have the latest scientific evidence of antibacterial properties, and you have powerful protection against infections. And you can always additionally get the zinc necessary to increase immunity from baked or fried pumpkin seeds.
7. Good for sight. Compensates for vitamin A deficiency in the body due to the high concentration of beta-carotene, protects against a whole range of eye diseases. and as part of this product, they fight cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
8. To strengthen bones, it is important to ensure not only a constant supply of calcium and phosphorus to the body, but also manganese - mineral substance required for the absorption of calcium. These micronutrients increase bone mineral density and are all present in nutmeg. Meanwhile, vitamin C allows human body produce more collagen to build healthy bone tissue, thereby preventing the development of osteoporosis.
9. A healthy prostate in men is another reason to include walnut squash in your family's diet. No wonder the extract obtained from this food crop is popular herbal remedy to combat benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH).

Cosmetic Benefits

I don't know anyone who wouldn't want to have healthy skin and beautiful shiny hair. Butternut squash is ready to help here too, because it is rich in provitamin A, vitamins C and E. These compounds prevent premature aging, maintain the natural level of acidity (pH) - a natural barrier against acne and skin infections.

With regular consumption of pumpkin of this variety, you will no longer be afraid of early wrinkles and age-related pigmentation.

Among useful properties Butternut squash has one thing about the beauty and health of hair. The biologically active substances of this product promote hair growth, protect them from brittleness, strengthen follicles, get rid of dandruff, prevent split ends, soften and nourish too dry scalp.

To enhance the positive effect, use our tips for making homemade pumpkin cosmetics.

For weight loss

For those who are trying to lose weight, butternut pumpkin will only be a joy. It's one of the tastiest low-calorie foods with a good dietary reputation and a high fiber content that stops rumbling stomachs and hungry urges to rummage through the fridge. Protect your body from overeating.

Choose heavy fruit with a flawless matte skin that makes a subtle "woody" sound when tapped. A shiny, glossy appearance indicates immaturity - such a pumpkin will not be sweet and palatable.

Store whole butternut squash in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area for up to 3 months. In the cut state, to preserve freshness, it should be wrapped in paper or cotton and placed in the refrigerator, but not more than a week.

Pumpkin butternut provides a lot of opportunities for culinary experiments. It can be baked, steamed and stewed, mashed for soup, ravioli or risotto, cooked custard, add to pies, pancakes and muffins.

Varieties of pumpkin - a great variety. Some of them are more suitable for growing for animal feed, other varieties are preferred by culinary specialists for their sweetness and juiciness, and others are a rich source of pumpkin seeds. In addition, there are decorative varieties pumpkins.

How to make sense of this diversity, and which varieties of pumpkin are suitable for your climate and satisfy your needs? Let's figure it out.

Types of pumpkin

Before proceeding with the description the best varieties pumpkins, you need to know that this plant is divided into four types:

Butternut squash. Muscat pumpkins are recognized as the most delicious and healthy, but also the most demanding for heat. In our latitudes, nutmeg pumpkin varieties have time to ripen if they are planted through seedlings.

Their distinctive feature is a five-sided peduncle, expanded towards the base. The seeds of this type of pumpkin are colored brown or yellow-brown.

large-fruited pumpkin. Very large, very sweet pumpkins with light, tasty seeds. Able to be stored for a long time in non-specific conditions, although their storage, of course, requires a lot of space. Therefore, summer residents who will have to somehow drag these pumpkins to the city and store them somewhere, most often refuse large-fruited pumpkins in favor of hard-skinned and nutmeg varieties. Distinctive feature of this plant is a rounded stalk and stem, without grooves, and the leaves are shaped more like a kidney than a pentagon.

Hard-skinned pumpkins, including squash and zucchini, fell in love with our gardeners for early dates maturation. If large-fruited and nutmeg pumpkins are harvested just before the frosts, then hard-skinned varieties can be enjoyed already in late summer - early autumn. Hard-skinned varieties of pumpkin are especially valued for their delicious, cream-colored seeds, although the fruits of this plant are relatively small. A distinctive feature (in addition to the hard skin when ripe) is a hairy, prickly stem and a ribbed, furrowed peduncle.

The best varieties of pumpkin

Butternut squash varieties

Pumpkin golden pear- relatively new, but already loved nutmeg squash variety original drop-shaped form of orange color. The pulp of the pumpkin variety Golden pear is juicy, sweet, dense, with a nutty flavor. The fruits of this variety grow small, up to 2 kg, which is very convenient. The golden pear belongs to early ripe varieties, 2-3 pumpkins grow on one lash. Pumpkins are obtained three months after germination. The resistance to diseases and the safety of this variety of butternut squash is very high.

Pumpkin Arabatskaya- perhaps the most common, recognizable and reliable nutmeg squash variety. Refers to medium-late pumpkin varieties with a growing season of 115-125 days. Arabat pumpkin can grow up to 20 kg, although it weighs 5-8 kg on average. The pumpkin is long (0.5-0.8 m), thickened towards the top, the skin is fragile, thin, yellow-orange in color. The pulp is bright orange, juicy, sweet, dense.

The variety of nutmeg pumpkin Arabatskaya can be stored without problems for 3-4 months. It is used for both culinary and fodder purposes.

Pumpkin New Outwardly, and in taste, it resembles Arabatskaya. The differences are that the Novinka pumpkin variety is somewhat smaller (4-5 kg), the growing season lasts a little longer (125-135 days), but the fruit is stored very well. The pumpkin has an elongated cylindrical shape, the flesh is dark orange, sweet, dense and very tasty.

Pumpkin Vitamin refers to late varieties of pumpkin, 130-140 days pass from germination to ripeness. The fruits of this nutmeg pumpkin variety are wide, cylindrical or oval in shape, with ribbing, pronounced closer to the stem. Ripe fruits are painted brown with a pinkish tinge with a grid of rounded greenish spots. The pulp of the Vitamin pumpkin is dark orange, almost red, sweet, crispy, rich in carotene. Pumpkin weight - 3-5 kg. Keeps well in simple household conditions.

Pumpkin Pearl is a powerful climbing plant with 5-7 lateral wattles. Zhemchuzhina pumpkin belongs to the medium-late (100-110 days). Pumpkins are round-cylindrical, grow up to 4-7 kg, the skin is orange, soft, the flesh is crisp, sweet, thick (more than 10 cm), bright orange.

This variety of butternut squash is distinguished by a very small seed nest. Fruits are well and long stored even at low temperatures.

Pumpkin Prikubanskaya fell in love with gardeners for stable yields, good preservation, excellent taste. The variety of nutmeg pumpkin Prikubanskaya is old, so it will not bring unpleasant surprises. Refers to medium-late ripening varieties (105-115 days). Pumpkins grow small (2-5 kg), pale orange in color, with little or no segmentation, pear-shaped. This variety of butternut squash has juicy sweet bright orange flesh.

Giley pumpkin refers to mid-season varieties (100-110 days from germination to maturity). Giley gourd fruits can be spherical, cylindrical or oval, orange or brownish in color, with a waxy coating. The skin is thin, the flesh is bright orange, sweet, juicy. This variety of nutmeg pumpkin grows up to 6-8 kg. The main distinguishing feature of this pumpkin variety is its excellent keeping quality, the fruits are stored for up to 1 year.

Pumpkin palav kadu excellent palatability, extremely juicy and sweet. Refers to late climbing varieties. Fruits are rounded, weighing no more than 10 kg, orange.

Pumpkin Marina di Chioggia very unusual in appearance, so it will please not only the stomach, but also the eye. This is an old Italian variety of nutmeg pumpkin, which has taken root with us. Impressive is not only the bumpy surface of the pumpkin, but also the color - dull green, sometimes with a gray-blue tint.

Pumpkin Marina di Chioggia can grow up to 10 kg, but under normal conditions, its weight does not exceed 5-6 kg. The pulp is dry, dense, yellow-orange in color, a small seed nest. This variety of pumpkin is stored for up to six months without loss of taste.

Pumpkin Butternut- a bright representative of the nutmeg pumpkin. So bright that this variety is often called Muscat or Nut - because of the pronounced nutty taste. Butternut pumpkin is a late-ripening, climbing, highly branched pumpkin. Pumpkins are small, weighing about 1 kg, pear-shaped with light orange or brown-orange skin. The flesh is deep orange, oily, fibrous and very sweet. This Muscat squash variety well kept indoors.

Varieties of hard-skinned pumpkin

gymnosperm gourd valued, as the name implies, for seeds without a shell. That is - no husk, except for a transparent film, no garbage. It is very convenient to use these seeds in baking, making various sweets in an oriental style, and just enjoy them fried. Gymnospermous pumpkin also has disadvantages - its flesh is not as sweet and juicy as other table pumpkin varieties, but still quite tasty. This variety cannot boast of high yield. Seeds planted directly in the ground often rot due to the lack of a protective shell, therefore, it is recommended to plant the Golosemyannaya pumpkin variety from seedlings, and away from other varieties of pumpkin, so that unwanted pollination does not occur. Again, this variety does not tolerate drought or high humidity. Although for the sake of seeds without a shell, many are ready to suffer.

Hard-barked gourd Gymnospermous refers to mid-season mid-range varieties, the color of the fruit can be dark green or with yellow patches - "mesh". The weight of the fruits of this pumpkin variety is 2-7 kg, they are well stored all winter.

Pumpkin Bulgarian, she is Pumpkin Lady's Nail, - the most popular variety of pumpkin for seeds. The seeds themselves have a beautiful, oblong shape, and indeed reminiscent of a graceful lady's fingernail. This variety of hard-barked pumpkin is a bush type, ripens in 95-105 days. Bulgarian pumpkin is characterized by slightly flattened rounded smooth fruits, the skin is light gray or yellow, the flesh is quite tasty, light yellow, the weight of the fruit is 3-5 kg.

The Bulgarian has a large seed chamber, the seeds are yellow-cream in color. Suitable for short term storage.

Pumpkin Gribovskaya bush refers to early ripe varieties (85-100 days). The plant is powerful, although bushy. The fruits rarely grow more than 4.5 kg, the skin is yellow-orange, with a green pattern, the shape is cylindrical, thickened at the end. pulp hard-barked pumpkin Gribovskaya bush rather sweet, not very dense, yellow or orange. The variety belongs to the table, but the taste is not impressive - just a good pumpkin. This variety of pumpkin is distinguished by good keeping quality, and also by the fact that it does not spread over the entire garden.

spaghetti squash (vermicelli squash)- a very original early ripe variety of hard-skinned pumpkin. The growing season is 70-80 days. The plant is climbing, the fruits resemble melon - oval, creamy yellow, the skin is very hard. The flesh of the Spaghetti pumpkin is beige, not juicy, has a slight vanilla flavor, and when cooked, it breaks up into separate fibers (hence the name). Spaghetti pumpkins grow small - around 1 kg.

The variety is exotic, but there are no problems when growing Spaghetti pumpkin in our conditions.

Pumpkin Almond among varieties of hard-skinned pumpkin, it is distinguished by very tasty pulp. Pumpkin cultivar Almond is a long climbing plant with a growing season of 110-120 days. Fruits weighing 3.5-5 kg, smooth or slightly segmented, rounded, orange in color, sometimes with brown-green stripes.

Pumpkin Danka Polka usually grown for seeds. This hardy gourd is a medium climbing shrub with round orange-green or white-green gourds. Fruits grow within 2-3.5 kg. There are not only a lot of seeds (up to half a thousand in one pumpkin), they are also very tasty. The pulp is not very dense, starchy, mainly goes to feed animals.

Pumpkin Dachnaya refers to early ripening varieties - the first fruits can be harvested after 70-85 days. The pumpkin pulp of this hard-core variety is juicy, fragrant, sweet, up to 4 cm thick, the seeds are rather small. Pumpkin oblong, yellow-orange with longitudinal green stripes, weighing about 3-4 kg.

Pumpkin Dachnaya is a short climbing and cold-resistant variety, so it is well suited for growing in the northern regions. Pumpkins are stored without problems up to four months.

Pumpkin Freckle- a hard-core variety that fully corresponds to the name: round small pumpkins (0.8-2.5 kg) of green color with white-yellow "freckles". Valued for compactness. The plant is bushy, with short lashes, demanding on moisture. The peel of the pumpkin Freckle is leathery, the flesh is yellow-orange, not very sweet, but with a delicate aroma of a pear. The seeds are quite small. The hard-skinned pumpkin variety Freckles is grown mainly when there is a shortage of planting areas.

Varieties of large-fruited pumpkin

Pumpkin Titan- one of the largest pumpkins that you can grow in your garden. Manufacturers claim that the weight of medium pumpkins reaches 120-180 kg, and the record holders reach half a ton. In our conditions, with conventional agricultural technology, large-fruited pumpkin varieties Titan grow up to 50 kg, which is also very impressive. This is a mid-season variety (120 days from germination to maturity), characterized by long lashes, huge orange round pumpkins with clear segmentation. The flesh of the pumpkin of the Titan variety is yellow, thick, sweet enough, but not to say that it is extremely tasty.

Titanium is the best pumpkin variety for those who want to grow a record holder, and not get a tasty fruit for the household.

Pumpkin Rossiyanka won the hearts of gardeners for stable yields, unpretentious care, keeping quality of fruits and excellent taste. In general - a reliable pumpkin, besides - very beautiful. Rossiyanka is a medium climbing early ripe plant (900-100 days) with a rounded fruit, sharply narrowed to the stalk, weighing 2-4 kg. The pulp is tender, sweet, with a melon flavor, the seed nest is small. This large-fruited pumpkin variety has a high yield - up to 20 kg of crop can be obtained from one plant. Pumpkin Rossiyanka- cold-resistant variety.

Pumpkin Hundred Pound- a very old, time-tested variety of large-fruited pumpkin. 100-pound pumpkin refers to to mid-season (vegetation period - 120 days) plants, with powerful long lashes. The fruit can grow up to 15-20 kg, more often - 7-10 kg, round or oval in shape, with weak segmentation, and the skin can be yellow, white, orange, gray or pinkish. The flesh of the 100-pound pumpkin is loose, slightly sweet, and light orange or yellow in color.

This variety of large-fruited pumpkin is resistant to diseases. As a rule, the hundred-pound pumpkin is grown for animal feed.

Gourd Marble- a great option for those who like to nibble on raw pumpkin, although baked Marble will not disappoint - even the skin turns out tender and tasty when baked. The pulp is orange, crispy, very sweet, rich in carotenes. This large-fruited pumpkin variety belongs to late-ripening (130-140 days), the plant is long-leafed. Average weight pumpkin - 2.5-4 kg, fruits are gray-green or green, segmented, sometimes with a speckled pattern or wrinkled surface, flattened. Gourd Marble gives high yields and keeps well.

Pumpkin Smile- a real find for lovers of pumpkins with a small plot of land. This is a compact climbing cold-resistant plant, which breeders originally bred as an ornamental. Therefore, the Smile pumpkin is both beautiful and tasty. And productive - from a bush you can collect up to 10, or even more, small portioned pumpkins weighing from 0.5 to 2 kg. The pumpkins themselves are orange with white stripes, flat, sometimes with a bulge at the base. The pulp is sweet, dense, with a slight melon aroma. Large-fruited variety pumpkin smile refers to early maturing (vegetation 85-90 days), stored in apartment conditions up to 4 months.

Butternut squash is distinguished by juicy fibrous pulp of yellow-orange color with a pleasant aftertaste. This melon culture is the most delicious among pumpkin plants. The shape of the pumpkin is oval or round, wide, the texture is ribbed. Each fruit can reach huge size. The culture of this variety can be grown both for personal use and for sale.

Nutmeg pumpkin variety Vita - fruits

Types of butternut squash

Butternut squash comes in a variety of varieties. People who have already grown this product recommend three varieties of this gourd:

• Muscat vitamin pumpkin - grows up to 7 kg in weight, has a cylindrical shape, orange flesh, rich in carotene.
• Prikubanskaya pumpkin is an early variety, the fruits are small, grow up to 4 kg, the pulp is juicy and tender.
• Variety Zhemchuzhina - a variety of culture, the fruits of which grow large sizes(up to 8 kg), with tasty pulp.

Variety Vitamin gives large fragrant fruits

The fruits of nutmeg pumpkin have a delicate nutty aroma and a rich taste of pulp.

This allows you to use the plant for various culinary purposes: cook cereals, bake and fry the pulp, bake pies and muffins.

planting a pumpkin

Growing butternut squash is a process that requires special conditions and effort. First you need to choose a land plot. It should be well lit by the sun, have no shade, be well protected from the wind. If the soil is rich in groundwater, then such a field is not suitable for growing melons, because root system goes deep underground.

Growing pumpkin seedlings will speed up fruit production

This crop is grown by seedlings, which are prepared in April. To do this, earth is poured into the container, small holes are made into which seeds are poured.

While the sprouts sprout, they need to be watered regularly. warm water. Plants need to be fertilized twice. In late spring or early summer, seedlings can already be planted on an open land plot. The distance between plants should be 60-100 cm, on each of which two or three ovaries ripen. Additionally, seedlings must be protected with a film so that the crops are protected from frost. When temperature regime and weather normalize, shelter can be removed, but returned during cold nights.

Flower and ovary of pumpkin

cultivation gourds requires regular watering. The optimal amount of water for each plant is five liters.

Young pumpkin bush

A prerequisite for good care is top dressing, which is carried out several times:

1. On the initial stage growth, flowers have not yet appeared (mullein infusion, superphosphate, potassium sulfate).
2. During the flowering period of crops (potassium sulfate, wood ash).

It is necessary to harvest the nutmeg pumpkin before the onset of autumn cold weather. A favorable time for this is September, when there is no rain and wind. The fruits are cut carefully so as not to damage the bark, leaving a tail up to 5 cm long. It is necessary to transport gourds carefully so that they do not crack.

Harvest - leave tails on the fruits

Varieties of butternut squash should be stored in a dry place. Its surface hardens, changes color, the flesh becomes orange.

It is recommended to use pumpkin after a while so that it has the opportunity to ripen, to acquire a special taste. At optimal conditions culture can be stored all year round, so in any season you can cook pumpkin porridge or dessert.

Features of growing some varieties

Growing pumpkins has general trends, but depending on the characteristics of ripening, some crops have additional requirements. The fruit of the butternut squash reaches a large size, the stem is covered with hairs, and the leaves are pentagonal in shape. Vitamin pumpkin is a late variety. Growing from seedling emergence to harvest takes about 130 days. Because the bark is very thin, the culture must be given the optimum amount of time to mature.

Pumpkin bush Vitaminnaya

The sun affects the size of the fruit and the taste of the pulp, the more ultraviolet the plant received, the richer the taste will be.

The variety of the Kuban pumpkin grows within 90-140 days, gives abundant harvests. The fruits do not reach very large sizes, in comparison with other varieties, but a large number of crops can be grown in one season. This pumpkin has a thin bark, and there is a lot of pulp in each fruit.

Unripe fruit of the Zhemchuzhina variety

The pearl ripens the fastest.

The cultivation of this culture occurs in 100 days. About 6 shoots appear on each plant, later on which smooth and large fruits are formed, the weight can exceed 7 kg. When the crop is harvested, the pumpkin is stored for a long time, the taste of the pulp becomes multifaceted. Regarding the benefits of gourds, the pulp contains a huge amount of carbohydrates, a minimum of proteins. There is not a single gram of cholesterol in the pumpkin. The plant contains vitamins of groups A, C, E, B 6, as well as useful minerals.

Variety Pearl - mature pumpkins

Negative factors of growing pumpkin

A description of possible diseases of nutmeg pumpkin will help prevent the death of the crop. For gourds, there are several diseases. When the fruits are sick with powdery mildew, spots appear on their surface. They attack leaves and stems. As a result, the leaves become yellow, dry, fall off. This disease occurs due to a sharp change in temperature day and night.

To avoid this, at night you need to cover the plants with a film.

Powdery mildew on pumpkin leaves

If the soil is not moist enough, then the pumpkin can also get sick, so water the crops more often. There is a danger of powdery mildew in the second half of pumpkin cultivation, at the end of summer, so you need to make sure that the crop is not lost. Anthracnose disease occurs in plants that grow in greenhouses, in closed areas. To a lesser extent, this disease has fruits growing in an open field. The disease spreads systematically: first, brown spots cover the leaves, then the stem, and if left untreated, then the fruits. Ulcers with plaque appear on the surface color pink. When the anthracnose reaches the root, the plant dies. This disease occurs when the atmosphere is too humid. If pumpkin fruits are intensively watered during the hot period of summer, they can also become stained.

Muscat variety Altaiskaya 47

Above ground parts of the culture may suffer from ascochyta, resulting in black spots. They cover leaves, stems, fruits due to high humidity earth. Frosts can also help. It is required to cover the crops with a film to prevent the development of the disease and the death of the crop.

Nutmeg pumpkin variety Prikubanskaya

Pest prevention

Another threat to nutmeg pumpkin is harmful insects. To avoid the destruction of the crop by pests, the description will help you preventive measures. During the cultivation of the fruits of the Vitamin Pearl or another variety of pumpkin, an invasion of melon aphids may occur. These insects feed on pumpkin juice, the leaves of the plant dry up from lack of moisture and useful substances. For pest control, special preparations are used, the description of which can be found on the Internet.

Sometimes, to kill insects, you can get by with an infusion of chamomile, wormwood. You can distract aphids from the crop with potato or tomato tops, ash.

Slugs can ruin pumpkin crops

Dangerous for pumpkin slugs. They lay their eggs in the soil and then eat the plants at night, making a hole in the fruit. To avoid slugs, usually the area where melons grow is fenced with burlap, and burdock is planted. During the day, insects will accumulate here, and in the evening they need to be destroyed, in which ash will help.

By adhering to the recommendations for growing nutmeg pumpkin, fulfilling all the requirements for planting and care, getting rid of pests and diseases, you will get a rich harvest of gourds.

Among the varieties of pumpkin, Muscat pumpkin is popular. Belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is considered annual plant. The fruits have various forms: rounded, 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 a delicious vegetable was given because of the aroma emanating from it. Butternut squash was first bred in Central America. On average, its weight is 3 kg, and the special difference between the fruits is that they are sweet in taste.

Beneficial features

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

This pumpkin should be on every table. It can be used to cook various different dishes- cereals, soups, confectionery. It is stewed, baked, boiled, marinated and dried. In addition, Muscat pumpkin is the only type of pumpkin that, thanks to its thin skin, is pleasant to eat fresh, adding to salads.

Useful vegetable. The range of its valuable properties is amazing, it:

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 salts in them.
3. Strengthens cardiovascular system, cleansing blood vessels, lowering blood pressure, and also helps to remove "bad" cholesterol.
4. It is the prevention of dangerous diseases such as angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, stroke.
5. Contains fiber, improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
6. It 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. Helps improve the functioning of the immune system, thanks to the content of vitamin C and folic acid.
8. It 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. The calcium it contains strengthens tooth enamel and bones.
10. It can 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.

Suitable region and climate

Butternut squash is a heat-loving crop and grows on open ground only in 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.

Choice of site and landing time

Before choosing a site for Muscat pumpkin, you need to 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, no harvest will be expected.

It must be remembered: 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.

To butternut squash in middle lane managed to fully ripen, it is necessary to plant it in seedlings. Seeds are sown at the end of April in separate containers. planted on permanent place growing in early June, when there is no danger of frost.

Dangerous factors for her are:

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

Garden preparation

For planting seedlings, it is necessary to prepare a 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 is even better if there is a pile of manure nearby with a pumpkin bed.

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 chintz, put in warm place for germination.

How to plant pumpkin seeds?

To get strong seedlings, you must do the following:

1. Withstand 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. The containers 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 lower than 15 ° C. Pumpkin is afraid of the slightest frost. Better to wait until the weather settles.

Reproduction of butternut squash

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

Negative factors

Negative factors that worsen and complicate obtaining good harvest, are:

• development of diseases;
• 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 ground, fertilizing, removing weeds, forming whips, and fighting pests and diseases.

Watering

Watering 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.

For a pumpkin, it is important that everything is 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.

Whip formation

To get fruits of large sizes, it becomes necessary to adjust 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.

top dressing

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

Wood ash is required 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 during the flowering period to find a male flower (blooms first), tear off the petals, leaving only the pistil. They touch the stamens on the female flower.

Weeding

After planting a vegetable, it is necessary to ensure that weeds do not grow near it, which will begin to absorb the beneficial substances intended for the 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 healthy culture, so the breeders have done a lot of work, many different varieties have been bred.

They differ from each other:

• appearance;
• sizes;
• form;
• purpose;
• content of vitamins and microelements.

Arabatskaya

This variety of Muscat pumpkin 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. cold winter. Shelf life reaches 4 months.

Pearl

According to the description, Zhemchuzhina pumpkins are classified as mid-late varieties. They have an orange skin, the shape is round-cylindrical. The pulp 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. Differs in cold-resistant qualities at cultivation.

Marina from Kyoja

The 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 inhabitants of Kioja by the sea.

Medium late variety. The vegetative period is about 130 days. Pumpkins grow large, can weigh about 12 kg. Pumpkin is high in sugar in its composition, therefore it is considered a universal 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

Pumpkin Vitaminnaya is considered a late-ripening 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 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. It is better to plant, placing the holes in rows.

provence

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 flesh is bright orange, with excellent taste. She has interesting feature: The longer you keep the pumpkin, 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 medium in 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.

Walnut Butternut

This is early ripe variety with a vegetative period 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 aroma, sweet taste. Very often this variety is used as a diet food.

Muscat

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

Vitamin juices are obtained from it, since 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

The Hokkaido variety is gaining more and more popularity 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 flesh is found from yellow to almost red. The taste is reminiscent of or chestnuts. The rind of the fruit may be green, white or grey. Differs in the high content of useful substances. To receive high yield timely watering and fertilizing is required.

Spanish guitar

This variety is not in vain bears such a name, because the fruit has 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 has a yellowish green color 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 has a mass of up to 5 kg.

A feature is the change in 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 the preparation of confectionery.

Bylinka

This is flat view, the skin is colored gray, but as it matures, it becomes lighter. The pulp is orange, sweetish taste. Suitable for diet food.

vita

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

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

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-season in terms of ripening, it 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.

The flesh is orange, sweet and aromatic. 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, the vegetative period is 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 weight of the fetus is 10 kg.

golden pear

The pumpkin is distinguished by bright orange fruits, shaped like a droplet. It ripens in a short time in 95 days. The pulp has an orange 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 scheme, the holes are dug out after about a meter.

Augustine

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 used raw for salads, as well as fragrant cereals, pancakes and mashed potatoes.

Pumpkin yield, harvesting and storage

It is necessary to remove pumpkins from the beds in a timely manner. Much depends on the variety and maturity. Early varieties harvested in mid-August, mid-late at about the end of the month, and late - 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 pumpkins that change the color of the fruit as they ripen. This can be found in the instructions on the package with seeds.

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

It must be remembered 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 it with a damp cloth.

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

If it is intended to store the pumpkin for a long time, it is necessary 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 for 3-12 months.

Diseases and pests of nutmeg pumpkin

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 nutmeg pumpkin include:

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

bacteriosis

The disease manifests itself in the form of 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.

In addition, the fruits begin to suffer from this infection: they become irregular 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.

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

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

A frequent disease of melons, including pumpkins, is powdery mildew. 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 a white coating.

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 by the wind.

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

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 also negatively affect natural factors, if there are sharp temperature changes during the day and night. Watering plants with cold water is bad.

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 sprayed with Fundazol.

Anthracnose

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

The disease passes 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. For treatment, Bordeaux mixture or copper oxychloride (HOM) is used.

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.

Butternut squash pests

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

One of the most common pests. Starts from the underside of the sheet, gradually braids the sheet completely with its cobweb. Eats nutrients from leaves. They become rough and hard, crack and gradually the death of the plant occurs.

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 last resort- Karbofos.

melon aphid

Often affects pumpkin melon aphid. 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 treat the 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. They 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 the potatoes, they are thrown out along with the wireworms.

If there are too many of them, then the soil is cultivated by Bezudin.

Prevention of pests and diseases

For this you need:

1. Constantly change the place of planting pumpkin.
2. After harvesting, the stems and leaves are dried and burned.
3. Do not plant other gourds next to the pumpkin.
4. Do not plant plants too close.
5. Seeds for planting should be taken only from healthy fruits.
6. Treat seeds before planting with at least potassium permanganate.
7. Constantly weed weeds, as there may be spores of fungi.
8. If the 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 notice diseases and pests in time.

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