Pumpkin Muscat pearl: the secrets of planting and care. Special varieties for the middle lane

Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is found throughout Central America, southern Mexico, Colombia and Peru. At present, many varieties obtained by foreign and domestic breeders are widely cultivated in most countries of Eurasia.

Characteristics and description of the best varieties

Butternut squash is an annual plant with creeping stems. The leaves are long, petiolate, alternate, with pubescence. flowers yellow color. The fruits are multi-seeded false berries with a hard, smooth, pentagonal peduncle expanded at the base. The most popular among Russian gardeners are several varieties butternut squash.

Muscat pumpkin: features of the variety (video)

Variety "Pearl Muscat"

It belongs to new varieties of nutmeg pumpkin and has a very original form fetus. The description of the variety suggests the presence of juicy, with excellent taste of the pulp. Ripe pulp is ideal not only for fresh consumption, but is also widely used for processing. Variety "Pearl Muscat" is mid-season, and the period from mass shoots to full ripening of the fruit is 116−135 days.

The plant is formed climbing and quite powerful. Fruits are smooth or slightly segmented. They are characterized by an elongated pear shape and an orange color. The average weight of a marketable fruit does not exceed 3.2-5.6 kg. Fully ripe flesh is dark orange color, dense texture, crispy, very sweet and juicy. Contains a significant amount of carotene. The intra-seed chamber is not large, so most of the fruit is occupied by the pulp.

Variety "Muscat de Provence"

Mid-season French variety with high yield. The fruits of "Muscat de Provence" fully ripen in about four months after germination. To many vegetable growers, this highly productive Muscat squash variety from the well-established French company Clause is known as the Muscat Provence squash.

The fruits are flat-round, with pronounced ribbing and an orange surface. The pulp has a dense texture, thick, bright orange, juicy and sweet. The plant is long and climbing, which implies the allocation of sufficiently large areas and allows you to grow a high yield from each plant. The harvested crop compares favorably with the fruits of many nutmeg varieties transportability and excellent keeping quality.

Other varieties

Other well-known nutmeg varieties are less common in our country, but, nevertheless, in terms of their quality characteristics, they deserve the attention of gardeners.

Variety name	Description of fruits	Pulp features	Advantages and disadvantages
"Vitamin"	Oval or cylindrical in shape, weighing no more than 7.3 kg	Bright orange, thick	Long climbing variety
"Muscat"	oval or spherical shape, with noticeable segmentation, weighing up to 7.3 kg	Thick, bright orange	late ripening
"Butternut"	Pear-shaped, with a dark surface	Orange, sweet, very aromatic	small size fruits
"Plavkadu"	Orange color, medium size	Very juicy and sweet, with a bright aroma	Universal use pulp
"Marble"	Wrinkled-segmented, tuberculate, covered with gray and dark gray bark, weighing up to 6.5 kg	Intense orange color, thick and firm, crispy, very tasty and sweet	Late maturing variety
"T-7"	Dark green, with a weak, translucent mesh, weighing no more than 2.2 kg	Dark orange, dense, sweet and very juicy	Medium late and long climbing variety, demanding on the soil
"Candied"	Covered with dark brown bark, with a greenish tint. Average weight no more than 5.1 kg	Up to 4-6 cm thick, orange-red, sweet, juicy	Mid-season and long-braid unpretentious variety

Technology for growing Provencal pumpkin

You can grow nutmeg pumpkin both in seedlings and in seedlings:

Seeds prepared for sowing should be planted in the first decade of May under a film cover. Sowing holes should be placed along the ridge at a distance of 80–90 cm at a depth of 5–6 cm. Two seeds should be sown in each planting hole, and after germination, the weakest plant should be removed.
Many gardeners prefer to use seedlings to grow pumpkins. In this case, the prepared seed material is sown in separate seedling containers in April or May. Sowing containers should be placed on the south window, which will allow you to grow strong seedlings without additional illumination. Optimal temperature regime for growing seedlings is 25-27 ° C. Seedlings of nutmeg pumpkin under normal growing conditions appear approximately 6-7 days after planting. It is recommended to plant seedlings on ridges of open ground after the appearance of three true leaves. About a week before planting, the plants should be subjected to hardening measures, gradually reducing the temperature in the daytime to 15-16 ° C, and nighttime indicators should be 13-14 ° C.

For the cultivation of pumpkins, it is recommended to allocate areas where legumes, any types of cabbage, as well as tomatoes or potatoes were previously grown. The place for the pumpkin should be dry and warm, well lit by sunlight and without stagnant moisture. A good result is the cultivation of butternut squash on compost heaps. Seedling material must be planted in planting holes, into which a small amount of humus or compost is introduced.

For faster and more trouble-free survival, high-quality watering of plants should be carried out in the first days, as well as shading from sunlight. The main stem needs to be pinched when it reaches a length of 1.3–1.5 m. As a result of pinching, two side shoots should remain on each adult plant, the length of which does not exceed 0.6–0.7 m.

Care activities

At the stage of intensive growth vegetable crop should be watered at the rate of 15-20 liters of water per square meter of planting area. Before the beginning of the flowering period and in the fruiting phase, watering should be as plentiful as possible, using water at 20 ° C. After watering, a shallow loosening of the soil around the plants is necessarily carried out.

To obtain high yields and improve the quality characteristics of fruits, a vegetable crop must be fed several times per season. The first top dressing is carried out with nitrophoska, carried out after the formation of the fifth true leaf on the plants. The second top dressing - with a solution of mullein in the weaving phase. Irrigation of plants has a good effect warm water with the addition of wood ash.

In order to protect nutmeg squash from pests and damage by many diseases, a variety of chemicals, as well as biological agents. Judging by the reviews of vegetable growers and gardeners, pumpkin crops of this variety type are sufficiently resistant. However, the implementation of simple protective measures will increase productivity.

All about pumpkin (video)

Fully ripened nutmeg pumpkins should be cut along with the stalk, the length of which should be approximately 5-6 cm. If the optimum humidity and temperature are observed, the harvested crop is very well preserved until spring.

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 - 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 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 The 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 regularly watered with 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 the temperature 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:

On the initial stage growth, flowers have not yet appeared (mullein infusion, superphosphate, potassium sulfate).
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 powdery mildew in the second half of pumpkin cultivation, at the end of summer, so you need to make sure that the crop does not disappear. 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 the butternut squash 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.

Butternut squash appeared in Russia at the end of the 20th century. It differs from fodder varieties traditionally grown on the territory of the Russian Federation in open ground in its size, shape, appearance, taste of pulp, percentage of carotene and other nutrients.

In the wild, butternut squash grows in Central America and Japan. It is included in the diet of peoples living in Mexico, Colombia, Peru. This vegetable is cultivated in many countries of the world.

This variety of pumpkin is easily cross-pollinated with other species, improving them taste characteristic. Breeders managed to cross the nutmeg pumpkin with lagenaria and get several varieties of butternut, which is used in the diet of the population of America and Europe.

Why nutmeg pumpkin attracts the attention of melon growers

Muscat varieties are more difficult to grow outdoors than zoned table gourds. They bear small fruits, require long daylight hours, good nutrition, and cannot stand shade.

If you violate the rules for their cultivation, then the fruits will develop poorly, part of the crop will rot on the vine, and the part that has time to ripen will be small in size with undeveloped seed pods.

Each variety must grow separately. If you plant several varieties with different taste, then in the garden there is one variety that has a dominant gene. He will be able to pollinate the ovaries, and as a result, hybrids are formed that have similar taste characteristics.

Despite these shortcomings, this variety of pumpkin is readily planted because:

The shell of nutmeg varieties is thin, but dense, with a wax coating that protects against bacterial rot. Thanks to this property, pumpkins can lie up to a year in a cool room.
The pulp contains a large amount of carotene, which gives it a bright carrot color.
The light sweet smell of nutmeg favorably distinguishes it from table varieties of pumpkin.
It is equally tasty raw and after heat treatment.
The fruits after heat treatment resemble pea puree, but their pulp is more saturated in taste and has a pleasant aftertaste.
The pulp contains a huge amount of mineral salts and sugar, due to which the taste after heat treatment is so rich that it does not require the addition of spices.

All nutmeg varieties contain a large number of various useful substances necessary for the normal functioning of the internal secretion organs. Their presence in the pulp allows you to make nutrition complete and use pumpkin dishes. long time.

People who adhere to the pumpkin diet note an increase in vascular tone and an increase in vitality. AT winter time in Russia, butternut squash is increasingly used as the main type of food.

Muscat vitamin pumpkin varieties are easily digested by the body, do not get bored, and can be used in many dishes.

What varieties to choose for planting

Butternut squash differs in varieties, ripening time and content of nutrients. In a state of biological maturity, it has bright flesh from dirty yellow to red-orange. The color of its peel can have a variety of colors and shades.

Varieties of dark green color are known, such as the Vnuchka pumpkin, which bears small fruits with a maximum weight of no more than 2 kg. This is very sweet variety, having an unusual peel, covered with small dimples. It was obtained by breeders of the Primorsky Experimental Station by crossing Japanese nutmeg pumpkins and zoned varieties. This gourd grows well in Asia outdoors and is recommended for high risk farming areas throughout the country.

Pumpkin Marina from Kyoja is similar in taste and appearance for the granddaughter. This is a medium-late variety, the fruits of which ripen on the 130th day after germination. This variety of butternut squash grows in Europe, on the Mediterranean coast. Produces a flat, ribbed, dark green turban-like fruit. The wrinkled crust can be colored from green to gray color. The fruit reaches a weight of up to 12 kg and is stored for a long time without loss of quality. The pulp is used to make puddings, cookies, cakes, mashed potatoes. This variety produces well in open ground in the European part of the country.

Mid-season marble pumpkin with unevenly colored greenish-gray skin, decorated with stripes. This variety grows fruits up to 6 kg in weight, which ripen 130 days after germination. The fruits are large, wrinkled, flattened, weigh up to 10 kg. The pulp is dense orange. Suitable for outdoor cultivation in areas where frost occurs in October.

The mid-late variety Muscat of Provence is not inferior to green pumpkins, in which the color of the bark is painted in light shades of orange. It matures on the 120th day, growing its fruits up to 8 kg. This variety has a round, flattened pumpkin divided into equal segments and bright orange flesh, dense and fragrant. Muscat Provence pumpkin has a small seed chamber where small dense seeds are hidden. Pumpkins lie perfectly in a cool, dry place until the next harvest.

All pumpkins of mid-late varieties, the peel of which has a green or light orange hue in biological ripeness, contain the largest amount of dry matter. The heavier the fruit and the thicker the stalk, the more solids will be in the pulp and the richer the taste of the finished dish.

Fruits with a bright orange color have less dry matter, but have a great aroma. Early ripe pumpkin Golden Pear with bright teardrop-shaped fruits weighing up to 2 kg, gives 5-6 fruits from 1 bush. She has juicy, sweet, with the taste of roasted chestnuts, flesh. This variety can be grown in regions with short cold summers.

Pumpkin Vitaminnaya with oval bright yellow-orange sides, which sometimes decorate stripes, grows well only in the south of the country. She needs 140 days to fully mature. The flesh is dark orange, juicy and sweet. The maximum weight of the fetus is not more than 5 kg. Pumpkin nutmeg Vitamin perfectly stored until the new harvest. It is used to make soft purees, to feed babies and to make juices.

Butternut as a variety of butternut squash

Butternuts are classified as nutmeg varieties because this variety was obtained artificially through repeated crossing of nutmeg gourds with African bottle-shaped lagenaria.

Early and mid-season varieties can grow throughout the Russian Federation. They are high yielding plants producing pear-shaped fruits that can last no more than 3 months after harvest, provided they are harvested before freezing.

Pumpkin Muscat Guitar yields a crop for 110 days and belongs to mid-season varieties.

Its flesh is bright, juicy, with a pleasant smell. Its fruits weighing about 4 kg have a juicy crispy pulp, which is used for jam, candied fruits, casseroles and pumpkin pies.

The mid-late pumpkin Prikubanskaya is similar in appearance to the Guitar, but gives more large fruits. The thin bark of a light orange-brown color is easily damaged at low temperatures. Ripe fruits lie until the New Year. You can remove slightly unripe fruits together with the stalk for ripening. Green fruits spoil quickly.

Pumpkin Muscat Pearl is distinguished by a bright orange peel during the period of biological maturity and a small seed chamber. Zhemchuzhina pumpkin ripens in early September, growing up to 6 kg. During the period of technical maturity, the fruit is colored in a gray-green hue. Her ripe pumpkins keep well if kept in a cool, dry place. The pearl has a dark orange flesh, high in carotene, which is used to make pumpkin juice and casseroles.

Pumpkin Augustine is a large-fruited variety, in its mature form it has a variegated green peel with yellow highlights. It is planted in areas along the middle zone of the European part of the Russian Federation, because this variety has stable high yields. The pods ripen 110 days after germination. Aromatic pulp of bright orange color, dense, sweet and fragrant, rich in mineral salts and carotenes.

Reviews for nutmeg pumpkins always contain a positive assessment. They have such a pleasant aroma, bright color, taste that housewives are happy to use them to prepare various dishes.

The cut butternut can be stored for 5 days in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf. There the pulp retains its juiciness and useful properties.

Muscat pumpkin, the varieties of which are shown in the photo, surprises with its diversity. If you use hybrids obtained at home when planting, then several different pumpkins in shape, color and appearance can grow on 1 bush, but their flesh will be the same in taste.

For good growth and abundant fruiting, plants need timely watering, regular weeding, loosening and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.

Growing and caring for butternut squash depends on the fertility of the plant. Small varieties are planted in open ground at a distance of 50x50. Large-fruited varieties require landing in nests staggered at a distance of 70x70.

All Muscat varieties form whips up to 6 meters, on which male and female flowers are formed. After the ovary, all the forces of the plant are directed to their cultivation. New female flowers will appear no earlier than the fruit ripening process is completely over.

Early ripe and mid-ripening varieties are capable of producing 2 crops in 1 season. If you remove a semi-ripe fruit from the garden, with a stalk that has almost dried up, female and male flowers will appear in a week. After pollination, they will produce an ovary that will develop quickly if there is enough nutrients in the soil.

Butternat pumpkin belongs to strongly weaving plants, forming a numerous ovary. Crowded plantings will interfere with fruit development, and they will fall off due to lack of heat and sunlight.

Butternut squash, which produce round fruits, require sufficient light, otherwise the squash will remain small.

To grow sweet varieties of dessert pumpkin on the site, you need to prepare the beds for planting in advance. In the southern regions, seeds are thrown into pits covered with mullein, ash and black soil. AT upper part soil mixed with nitrogen and superphosphate. Pits are spilled with water so that they are damp. Such a cake allows you to start the combustion processes that are needed to warm the heat-loving plant in the June cold.

Before the appearance of sprouts, plantings are covered with a film. This will allow you to get friendly shoots. After the threat of frost has disappeared, the covering material is removed.

When 5 true leaves appear, pinch the lash. This allows you to start the growth of lateral lashes and quickly tie the crop.

When the ovary began to pour on 1 lash, the crown must be pinched so that the plant does not waste energy on the growth of other fruits, which often fall off due to lack of nutrition.

It is especially important to pinch on the lashes of mid-late ripening pumpkins. If early frosts begin in the fall, late-set pumpkins will not have time to ripen.

The emerging female flowers are pollinated by hand. This allows you to get several fruits from 1 bush. If you refuse manual pollination, then the plant will be able to tie 1-2 pumpkins.

When the lashes begin to grow, it is important to loosen the soil well, where they will grow fruits. Pumpkin has the ability to produce additional roots to provide the ovary with good nutrition. In loose soil, this is much easier to do than in compacted soil.

Disturbing pumpkin lashes during fruiting is not recommended. This breaks off the root system and can cause rotting of young fruits.

How to grow butternut squash in risky farming areas

In such areas, you need to use varieties that ripen 90-110 days after germination. Growing pumpkins in areas where frosts continue until mid-June should be done through seedlings. Seeds are sown in liter pots with nutrient soil end of April - beginning of May. The sprouts that appear are hardened in a place well lit by the sun, protected from the wind.

Seedlings are planted in open ground after the end of the threat of frost by transshipment. Plants with 2 true leaves are planted in a pile of manure, covered with black soil from above, moved from wood ash. For one hole you need:

2 buckets of mullein;
1 bucket of black soil;
1/3 bucket of ash;
2 tbsp. l. superphosphate;
a bucket of water.

So that the plant does not burn out under the open rays of the sun, seedlings are planted in the evening or in cloudy weather. If the landing is on a sunny day, you need to cover each bush with several layers of burdock leaves. Until the sun dries them up time will pass, which is necessary for the root system to take root.

To get a stable harvest of nutmeg pumpkin, you need to regularly update the seed fund, selecting zoned varieties and hybrids that grow well in the area.

Graceful beauty nutmeg pumpkin, or butternut pumpkin, of an unusual shape, a bit reminiscent of 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. This is why many nutritionists advise their wards to eat nutmeg dishes to combat overweight and high cholesterol levels.

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

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

What benefits can you get

Great food for pregnant women. Butternut pumpkin supports maternal and fetal health with its exceptional nutritional value and high concentration of folic acid.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 get the zinc necessary to increase immunity from baked or roasted pumpkin seeds.
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.
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.
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 the beneficial properties of nutmeg pumpkin, there is one regarding 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, prepared as custard, added to pies, pancakes and muffins.

Of the entire pumpkin family, Muscat pumpkin is the most delicious and sweet. It is distinguished by juicy, fibrous pulp, which has a pleasant aroma and orange color. Thanks to these properties, varieties of nutmeg pumpkin are very popular with gardeners.

In addition to excellent taste, many the best varieties Butternut squash have a long shelf life, great content vitamins, microelements. Butternut squash fruits can vary in shape, but many have thin skins that are easy to cut.

Unlike the variety, butternut squash seeds and pulp may have different colour. If we compare others, then nutmeg varieties are thermophilic, therefore they are grown in the southern regions.

Pumpkin Muscat Pearl

Muscat Pearl is a mid-season variety that takes about 110 days to mature. Pumpkin fruits have a round-cylindrical shape with a bright color, its flesh is juicy, thick and soft, and the peel is thin. So that the pumpkin Muscat pearl gives good harvest, it is necessary to create for it the most favorable conditions, humidity should be 60-70%, and the air should warm up to 180-200 degrees. The pumpkin variety Muscat Pearl is a fairly powerful plant that gives 4-7 lateral lashes. Its leaves are white spotted, dark green in color and pentagonal in shape.

Pumpkin Muscat vitamin

This variety is late, since the period from germination to the first harvest is 140 days. Ripe fruits are characterized by a characteristic brown color with small patches of yellow and greenish hues. In shape, the Muscat vitamin pumpkin has ribs with an oval or cylindrical shape. The flesh of this variety is crisp, juicy, sweet and bright orange in color. The average weight of one pumpkin is no more than 5 kg, it is well stored and does not require special conditions.

Pumpkin Muscat de Provence

This variety is medium-late, since it takes 110-115 days for the fruit to fully ripen. Regarding the shape, the Muscat Provence pumpkin gives rounded and slightly flattened fruits with characteristic grooves, the average pumpkin weight is not more than 4 kg. If the seeds are planted at a great distance from each other and fertilize the soil, then the fruits can reach 8 kg. Pumpkin pulp is dense, bright orange in color, contains a lot of sugar and carotene.

The fruits can be stored for a long time, as the Muscat pumpkin of Provence is disease resistant. On average, its shelf life is 4 months. The fruits of this variety have an attractive presentation and excellent taste. In cooking, Muscat de Provence pumpkin is used to make juices and purees. The variety is thermophilic, therefore it is not suitable for planting in cold areas, the stems of the plant are thick, but fragile, creeping.

Pumpkin Guitar

This is a mid-season variety, the cultivation of which takes 110-120 days. The fruits have an elongated shape and bright orange pulp, which is distinguished by excellent taste. At good care Gitar pumpkin produces fruits weighing up to 8 kg, which are stored for a long time. On average, the length of the Gitar pumpkin is about 70-80 cm, but on fertile soils this figure reaches one meter.

The surface of the fruit is smooth, and the peel is thin, the pumpkin pulp occupies 90-95%, which distinguishes this variety from others. When the fruits are ripe, they acquire a bright orange color.

Pumpkin Trombone

The fruits of this variety are distinguished by a bizarre, twisted shape and are very long. Their flesh is bright orange in color with excellent taste. The fruit is kept more than a year and does not lose its useful substances. Trombone pumpkin requires about 110 days to fully mature. The peel of the pumpkin is dense, and the pulp is very fragrant. On average, the weight of fruits is up to 8 kg, but with good soil - up to 18 kg.

In cooking, a lot of dishes are prepared from this pumpkin - these are cakes, puddings, candied fruits, pastries. And the Trombone pumpkin is also used to decorate suburban areas, as its shape is unique. To get the maximum weight of the fruit, it is necessary to provide the plant with fertile soil and leave no more than one ovary on each vine, the rest are removed. The length of the fruit of this pumpkin reaches 50 cm.

Pumpkin Chudo-Yudo

It is a unique vegetable that can be consumed raw. It contains a huge amount of carotene and sugars. The fruits are oval in shape and reach 6-8 kg. The peel of the pumpkin is orange in color with a characteristic mesh pattern and a gray bloom. The flesh of the vegetable is bright orange with red veins. In winter, Chudo-Yudo pumpkin is perfectly stored and used for making various salads, juice, and casseroles.

The average weight of a pumpkin is 5-8 kg, but with well-fertilized soil it reaches 20 kg or more. The color of the peel, which distinguishes this variety of pumpkin, appears only after the full ripening of the fruit, that is, at the end of the growing season. In addition to cooking, Chudo-Yudo pumpkin is widely used in medicine, its pulp is an excellent diuretic, increases the elasticity of blood vessels and cleanses them, removes toxins from the body. In addition, pumpkin has a beneficial effect on the body with hypertension, heart disease, cholecystitis, and helps fight obesity.

Pumpkin Barbara

Of all the nutmeg varieties, Barbara pumpkin is considered the highest yielding, and can also be grown in many regions of our country.

It is adapted to any conditions and is a universal hybrid. For a long period, the plant sets fruits and perfectly resists diseases. Pumpkin has an attractive color, hard skin and early dates ripening, so the time from sowing to the initial stage of skin formation is only 45 days.

Mature fruits begin to be harvested after 85 days. Fruits differ from other varieties in longitudinal dark green stripes. The average fruit weight is about 2-6 kg, but with fertile soil pumpkins reach 15 kg. Pumpkin pulp has medium thickness, light color and excellent taste.

Butternut squash novelties

The nutmeg pumpkin group includes a lot of varieties that can be large-fruited and medium in size, with hard and soft skins, with a long and medium shelf life.

But in any case, the fruits have an excellent taste, high nutritional value, and are well stored. Butternut squash fruits can be elongated or concentrated on one side. pumpkin seeds are different shades ranging from dark yellow to brown.

Most varieties of butternut squash are heat-loving, but there are also universal specimens that are adapted to colder climates. In order to harvest on time, some of the mid-season seedlings are planted and harvested before the first frost. Finally, such pumpkins ripen in warehouses, cellars or cellars. Of the latest innovations that the nutmeg pumpkin has received, a description of the variety is presented below.

pumpkin peanut butter

This is early ripe variety nutmeg pumpkin, which was bred in Germany. Its seeds are planted on seedlings and a month later they are transplanted into open ground when the soil warms up to 15 degrees. Pumpkin fruits are pear-shaped with a mass of up to 4 kg. The peel of the fruit is cream-colored, and the flesh is bright orange, dense, very juicy, has a nutmeg flavor. In cooking, pumpkin Peanut butter is used to prepare many dishes, juices, casseroles.

Pumpkin is stored for a sufficiently long period without losing its taste. The composition of its pulp contains a large amount of carotene, which exceeds 2-3 times carrots. Pumpkin variety Peanut oil is often used to prepare dishes from the diet menu, because the product improves metabolism, removes toxins from the body, restores metabolism, and helps strengthen the immune system. Pumpkin is readily used in restaurants for salads and desserts.

Pumpkin Nut Butter

This variety belongs to mid-season, as the fruit ripening period is 125-130 days. For an early harvest, pumpkin seeds are sown under fluorescent lamps and create a temperature of 25-30 degrees. It is worth noting that Walnut Butter Pumpkin is unique. In the process of fruit growth, a piece can be cut off from it and used for its intended purpose, the rest of the pumpkin does not rot, but is covered with a new peel, continuing its growth.

In the process of growth, the plant sprouts long lashes and sets many fruits. In cooking, pumpkin is used to make salads, cereals, soups, casseroles, eat stewed, fried, baked, candied fruits and juice are prepared from it. Pumpkin fruits Walnut oil can be stored for a long time and do not lose their taste.

Within the framework of one article, it is impossible to consider all varieties of nutmeg pumpkins. For example, there are also these: Butternut squash (walnut), Kuban pumpkin, Grand Slam.

home > Metallurgy