When do u plant pumpkins
for a bumper crop |
Homes & Gardens is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s why you can trust us.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Knowing when to plant pumpkins is important as they have a long growing season. You need to prepare well ahead for the fall arrival of plump, orange pumpkins, ready to carve for Jack O’Lanterns, or varieties to roast for pies, add to stews and soups and many other culinary uses.
Pumpkins are a member of the gourd family, Cucurbitacae, and are actually considered a berry. Cucurbita pepo is the type of pumpkin used to make the jack-o-lanterns seen on Halloween, but there are many different sizes, shapes, colors and flavors.
Once you know how to grow pumpkins you can try many different varieties that you won't generally be able to find at the grocery store.
(Image credit: Clare Gainey / Alamy Stock Photo)
When to plant pumpkins
Because they have a long growing season, it is important to plant pumpkins as early as possible as part of your vegetable garden ideas.
'It is best to wait about 2-3 weeks after the last average frost date in your area, or until soil has reliably warmed to 70 °F,' says Shannie McCabe, horticulturist for Baker Creek Seeds based in Mansfield, Missouri.
Since there are a range of frost dates depending on where you live 'it is best to get online and research the average last frost date for your region,' Shannie adds.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
What is the best month to plant pumpkins?
The best month for planting pumpkins depends on whether you live in a warmer or colder region, and the hardiness zone for that area.
Check the seed packet for the suggested planting time for your zone. You can also look for frost dates in your region in the US by zip code on the Old Farmer’s Almanac .
For many regions the best time to plant pumpkins will be between April and June, but it will also depend on the variety and the time it takes for them to mature ready for harvest and there are various ways to know when to pick a pumpkin off the vine.
(Image credit: Polly Eltes)
When to plant pumpkin seeds outside?
'Pumpkin seeds are ideal for planting directly outside once the danger of frost has passed,' says Matthew Stevens, Agriculture Extension Agent at NC State University Extension-Nash County Center in North Carolina.
'Pumpkin seeds are large enough and germinate quickly enough that they can be direct seeded into the soil with great success,' Matthew says.
'Growing pie pumpkins and carving pumpkins is very similar, as each likes the same types of soil and environmental conditions,' he adds. The timing for when to plant pumpkins of both varieties is essentially the same.
When is it too late to plant pumpkins?
When it is too late to plant pumpkins depends on the growing time for that variety, and also where you live.
'You can most certainly make later succession plantings as long as you do the math comparing the average days to maturity of the variety – listed on the back of the seed packet – and how many frost free days you have left until the average first frost date in your region,' explains Shannie McCabe.
'Add on two additional weeks of buffer to account for the slower growing habit after the summer solstice,' she advises. 'At Baker Creek, we like to plant pumpkins in mid June to avoid the peak of squash bug season, which happens in late May to early June in the Missouri Ozarks.'
(Image credit: Getty Images)
When to plant pumpkins indoors
If you want to give the pumpkin plants a bit of a head start, you could seed them indoors when planning greenhouse crops, 'but they will be ready to be transplanted after just a few weeks,' explains Matthew.
Chris Rusch, member of the Douglas County Master Gardeners program at Oregon State University, advises to start your plants in early April in a greenhouse or cold frame for transplanting out in May. 'Keep only the strongest plants,' he adds.
If you plant pumpkin seeds indoors, it is important to transplant them outside 'before they are three weeks old, as they will become stunted from being even the slightest bit pot bound,' says Shannie McCabe.
How long does it take pumpkins to grow?
It takes pumpkins approximately 75 to 100 days without frost to grow, which is why it is so important to know when to plant pumpkins, so that you get them started early enough to guarantee a fall harvest.
Check the seed packet for that pumpkin variety’s growing time in days. Then count backwards from the time you would like to have pumpkins available. Plant your pumpkin crop before or near that planting date, but after the last frost.
If your pumpkin has a growing season of 100 days, for instance, you will have to plant seeds in mid-July, at the latest, to have pumpkins ready for Halloween.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Do pumpkins like sun or shade?
'Pumpkins love fertile soil and full sun,' advises Chris Rusch.
'Before planting, spade the soil about a foot deep, and mix in some homemade compost, manure and well-balanced fertilizer,' he adds.
How much space do pumpkins need?
Pumpkins need lots of space to trail their thick vines.
Rows should be at least six feet apart. If you're planning a kitchen garden, planting pumpkins at the outer edge of the garden allows you to train the vines away from other plants.
Pumpkins can be even be grown in a city garden, provided they have enough space and adequate soil.
'Pumpkins are vines that spread into rather large plants, meaning you need a good deal of space to grow even one pumpkin plant. Gardeners should plan to provide a bare minimum of six square feet of growing space per plant. Many typical pumpkin varieties can grow vines as much as 10 to 30 feet long, although there are some that are more compact,' explains Matthew Stevens.
(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)
Will pumpkin seeds overwinter in the garden and come up in the spring?
'Anyone with a compost pile knows that pumpkin seeds will survive the winter and regrow in the summer – it is all too common to find a random pumpkin growing out of your compost pile in the spring,' explains Shannie McCabe.
However, pumpkin seeds are quite cold sensitive so it is not guaranteed that they will overwinter. 'Most likely pumpkin seeds survive in a compost pile because of the heat that is generated from the pile. A pumpkin seed sown into a regular garden bed does not have a great chance of surviving a hard winter,' she adds.
'Also consider that a fall sown pumpkin seed may germinate with the first warm days of spring, only to be killed with a late frost.'
How long do pumpkins need to grow?
Pumpkins needs quite a long time to grow. While some kitchen garden ideas (including radishes and salad leaves) can grow in as little as 25 days, pumpkins need notably longer to mature and can take between 80 and 120 days.
When to plant pumpkins for fall
Thoughts of when to plant pumpkins for fall may seem premature following midsummer – but this process is surprisingly more timely than it initially seems. Despite being synonymous with fall, pumpkins are sensitive to the cold, so it is essential to plant your pumpkins no later than early summer – for a healthy harvest for Halloween.
'Late spring to early summer is the best time to plant most pumpkins from seed, but it will depend on two things: the last frost of the season and the variety of pumpkin,' says garden expert and chef Sylvia Fountaine, the CEO and founder of Feasting at Home .
Is September too late to plant pumpkins?
Yes, sadly, it is too late to plant pumpkins in September. This is because the soil temperature is likely to fall under the ideal growing conditions, and they will not have matured before the end of the fall.
‘Pumpkin seed usually germinates in warm weather conditions, so you must sow them when the soil temperature is above 65°F(18°C),’ adds Richa Kedia, CEO of Nursery Lady . ‘So, the pumpkin seed needs to be planted before Mid July if you want to harvest that in the fall.’
Can you winter sow pumpkins?
No, it is not possible to sow winter pumpkins. As the experts suggest, at the latest, you should only plant between mid-May and mid-July. However, if you’re looking for some winter-friendly garden ideas, there are other options to consider.
These include grapefruit, Mandarin oranges, and kiwi fruit.
R.W.Williams is a freelance writer who lives in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Her work has been seen in print and online publications for decades, and she continues to learn and grow every day in the industry. Over the years, she has written about lifestyle, gardening, pets, agriculture, sustainability, retirement, budgeting, celebrities, and more.
Pumpkin Growing - How And When To Plant Pumpkin Seeds
Home › Edible Gardens › Vegetables › Pumpkins
Pumpkins
By: Heather Rhoades
Image by Valentina Sheboltaeva
When do you start growing a pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) is a question that many gardeners have. These spectacular squash are not only a fun fall decoration, but they can make several tasty treats as well. Pumpkin growing isn’t hard and is even a popular garden activity for a child in the garden. Let’s take a few minutes to learn a few pumpkin growing tips for starting pumpkins from seed.
When to Plant Pumpkin Seeds
Before you can grow pumpkin seeds, you need to know when to plant pumpkin seeds. When you plant your pumpkins depends on what you plan on using them for.
If you plan on making jack-o-lanterns with your pumpkins, plant your pumpkins outside after all chance of frost has passed and the soil temperature has reached 65 F. (18 C.). Take into account that pumpkin plants grow faster in hot climates than cold climates. This means that what month to plant pumpkin seeds changes depending on where you live. So, in cooler parts of the country, the best time when to plant pumpkin seeds is in late May and in warmer parts of the country, you can wait until mid July to plant pumpkins for Halloween.
If you plan on growing pumpkins as a food crop (or for a giant pumpkin contest), you can start your pumpkins indoors about two to three weeks before the last frost date for your area.
How to Plant Pumpkin Seeds
Starting Pumpkin Seeds Outside
When you plant pumpkin seeds outside, remember that pumpkins need an incredible amount of space to grow.
It’s recommended that you plan on a minimum of 20 square feet (2 sq. m.) being needed for each plant.
When the soil temperature is at least 65 F. (18 C.), you can plant your pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds won’t germinate in cold soil. Mound the soil up a bit in the center of the chosen location to help the sun heat the pumpkin seeds. The warmer the soil, the faster the pumpkin seeds will germinate. In the mound, plant three to five pumpkin seeds about 1 inch (2.5 cm.) deep.
Once the pumpkin seeds germinate, select two of the healthiest and thin out the rest.
Starting Pumpkin Seeds Indoors
Loosely pack some potting soil in a cup or a container with holes for drainage. Plant two to four pumpkin seeds 1 inch (2.5 cm.) deep in the soil. Water the pumpkin seeds just enough so that the soil is moist but not swamped. Place the cup on a heating pad. Once seeds have germinated, thin out all but the strongest seedling, then place the seeding and cup under a light source (bright window or fluorescent light bulb).
Keeping the seedling on the heating pad will cause it to grow faster.
Once all danger of frost has passed in your area, move the pumpkin seedling to the garden. Carefully remove the pumpkin seedling from the cup, but don’t disturb the roots of the plant. Place in a hole 1-2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm.) deeper and wider than the rootball of the pumpkin plant and backfill the hole. Tap down around the pumpkin seedling and water thoroughly.
Pumpkin growing can be rewarding and fun. Take some time this year to plant pumpkin seeds in your garden.
This article was last updated on
Read more about Pumpkins
Did you find this helpful? Share it with your friends!
You might also like…
favorable days according to the lunar calendar
Favorable days for planting seedlings at home or in a greenhouse
In the south and middle lane, pumpkins have time to ripen, even if seeds are sown immediately in the garden on May 20-25 (1).
But if the summer is short, and even cool, they may not have enough heat - the seedling method is better there.
Pumpkin seedlings can be planted at 20 days old, so it is easy to calculate when to sow the seeds.
Pumpkin loves warmth, does not tolerate frost, so it is more reliable to plant seedlings in the middle lane after June 5th. So, you need to sow around May 15th.
If you are ready to cover young plants for the first time, then pumpkins can be planted in the garden after May 10th. And seeds for seedlings should be sown on April 20.
Auspicious days for planting seedlings at home or in a greenhouse: April 21-22.
Auspicious days for planting seedlings in open ground
If you decide to plant a pumpkin in the beds early, after May 10, you will need to cover it with non-woven fabric.
If there is no desire to mess with shelter, then the landing date should be postponed to the beginning of June, when the threat of sub-zero temperatures has passed. In the middle lane, this is about the 5th number.
The area where the pumpkin will grow should be as lighted as possible from morning to evening - it is very photophilous. And the soil must be fertile. If the soil is poor, clay or peat, pour half a bucket of humus into the hole during planting - it will be enough for the pumpkin for the whole summer. In addition, organic matter will make the soil loose, just like a pumpkin loves.
The best predecessors are potatoes, legumes (peas, beans), root crops and onions. And after related plants (zucchini and squash, watermelons and melons, cucumbers), pumpkin cannot be planted - they have common diseases.
It is useful to harden off seedlings a week before transplanting. This is easy to do - you need to take it out to fresh air. For example, on the balcony. The first couple of days - for 2 - 3 hours.
Then you can send "walking" for the whole day. The main thing is that she does not stand in the scorching sun - there should be a light shadow.
Seedlings should be planted in the beds carefully so that the clod of earth does not collapse - if the roots are exposed, the plants will be sick for a long time, and may even die. After planting, the pumpkin must be watered - about 0.5 liters of water per hole.
If the weather is hot outside, the first few days the planted seedlings should be shaded from the sun at noon, when it is the hottest.
Favorable days for planting seedlings in open ground: May 1-15, May 31, June 1-12.
How to determine the timing of planting in your region
It is important that the pumpkin is not killed by frost, so you need to focus on the weather.
In the south, seedlings can be sent to the garden at the end of May. In the middle lane - in early June, and with shelter - after the May holidays.
And in the greenhouse it can be planted in early May.
Tips for caring for pumpkin seedlings
Pumpkin seedlings hate transplanting - if the roots break, they get sick for a long time, and may even die. Because it has huge leaves that evaporate a lot of moisture. And damaged roots simply will not be able to provide plants with water. Therefore, it is better to sow the seeds immediately in separate cups - plastic ones with a volume of 0.5 liters are suitable - to a depth of 3 - 4 cm (2). The cups are placed in a warm place with a temperature of 25 - 30 ° C - in such conditions, the seeds germinate on days 5 - 6 (3). After the shoots appear, it is better to transfer the seedlings to a cooler place, where it will be 15 - 17 ° C during the day, and 11 - 14 ° C at night. And, of course, the place for seedlings should be very bright. In such conditions, she will grow strong and stocky.
Seedlings should be watered very carefully and rarely, so that the soil dries completely between waterings.
Pumpkin does not tolerate excess moisture! And be careful not to get water on the leaves - they can rot or get sunburned.
Seedlings do not need to be fed - before planting in the garden, they will have enough nutrients that are in the soil.
Popular questions and answers
We talked about growing pumpkins with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova.
How to choose a pumpkin variety?
There are 3 types of pumpkins that differ in taste, size and shelf life. The largest fruits grow in large-fruited pumpkins, and they are stored the longest - up to 175 days. The sweetest are nutmeg pumpkins, but they are stored a little less - up to 140 days. The most unpretentious are hard-skinned pumpkins, but they are stored less than others - about 100 days.
Can I sow my own pumpkin seeds?
Pumpkins cross-pollinate very easily, not only with all types of pumpkins, but also with marrows and squash. In order for the variety to retain its characteristics, it is important that there are no other varieties and related crops next to it within a radius of 800 m.
And this is unrealistic, because almost all summer residents grow zucchini. So it's better to buy seeds. Or isolate the flowers and pollinate them manually.
Is it possible to grow pumpkins in the suburbs of Moscow, Siberia, the Urals?
You can, well, it's better to choose early-ripening varieties and plant them in a greenhouse - pumpkin is very thermophilic, in regions with cool summers in the open field, it may not produce a crop. The fact is that at temperatures below 12 ° C, the development of plants is delayed, and at 10 ° C it stops altogether.
Sources
- Shuin K.A., Zakraevskaya N.K., Ippolitova N.Ya. Garden from spring to autumn // Minsk, Uradzhai, 1990 - 256 p.
- Yakubovskaya L.D., Yakubovsky V.N., Rozhkova L.N. ABC of a summer resident // Minsk, OOO "Orakul", OOO Lazurak, IPKA "Publicity", 1994 - 415 p.
- Fisenko A.N., Serpukhovitina K.A., Stolyarov A.I. Garden. Handbook // Rostov-on-Don, Rostov University Press, 1994 - 416 p.
Planting pumpkin seeds correctly and taking care of the planted seedlings
Pumpkin became popular in ancient times and spread very quickly throughout the world, although it is one of those whimsical crops that absolutely cannot stand the cold. Gardeners plant already grown seedlings in open ground when the threat of frost has passed. If you decide to start a pumpkin at your summer cottage, it is also best for you to plant seeds on your home windowsill.
Content
-
1 The best option for pumpkin is to plant seeds for seedlings
-
1.1 How to calculate the sowing time
-
1.2 capacitance and soil for planting seedlings
- 9000 1.2.1 video: how to plant pumpkin seeds in peat cassettes
-
-
2 How to properly prepare and plant seeds
-
3 Home crop care
-
3.1 Temperature regime
-
3.2 VOVIVE
-
3.
3 Fertilizer -
3.4 Lighting
-
3.5 Video: Original shooting of the first week of seedlings
-
4 4,0004,000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 pumpkin seedlings
-
4.1 Pulling
-
4.2 Blackleg
-
-
5 When to plant outdoors
-
5.1 Video: The pumpkin moved to the garden
-
-
6 Reviews of gardeners
The best option for pumpkin is to plant seeds for seedlings
Today, even southerners are complained of spring and dampness of the autumn. The cold suddenly returns, and the garden, which has grown numb in the sun, is mercilessly crushed by frost. That is why gardeners began to plant not seeds on the beds, but seedlings nurtured in the warmth of the home, waiting for the frost to pass.
Pumpkin is a useful, tasty, but very heat-loving plant. The optimal average daily temperature for the well-being of the plant is 20-23 ° C, the lower limit is 16 ° C.
Pumpkin is a very beautiful and, most importantly, useful vegetable
If the thermometer drops to 14 ° C, the pumpkin will stop growing. So seedling cultivation for her is the best option.
Ornamental pumpkin varieties are characterized by extremely diverse shapes, colors and textures, the effectiveness of which is emphasized by their miniature sizeIn addition to those intended for food purposes, there is a large order of decorative pumpkins. In shape, they are warty, pear-shaped with a two-tone color; turban-like with a red cap, there are pumpkins that copy tangerines in shape and color. Nature has worked especially well on the coloring of two-color species: various fringes, stripes, droplets, lines that harmonize very well with each other. The fruits of decorative pumpkins are not edible, but they are very beautiful and varied, they are grown with pleasure in flower beds.
How to calculate the sowing time
25 days before landing in the ground.
In the middle and central zone, favorable weather for this usually sets in mid-May, in Siberia - not earlier than the end of the first ten days of June. Tanks and soil for planting seedlings
If the seedlings will be grown in the soil purchased in the store, it is recommended to give preference to the soil for gourds, which will suit the pumpkin much better than the universal one. You can prepare the mixture yourself by combining one part of rotted sawdust and leaf humus with two parts of peat.
If seeds for seedlings are planted in a common box, then often sawdust is simply spread four centimeters thick right on the bottom, and an 8 cm layer of the remaining ingredients is poured on top. Accordingly, the depth of the seedling box should be at least 14–16 cm.
It is not bad to leave a reserve for sprinkling the stems, which grow very intensively and often stretch out, while sprinkling allows them to get stronger.
Pumpkin seedlings do not like transplanting very much, therefore they are never dived, and when sowing seeds, it must be taken into account that shoots will develop in this container and in this soil for four weeks.
Peat pots are ideal containers for growing pumpkin seedlings
Of course, it is best to sow pumpkin seeds directly into individual cups, peat tablets or pots . The volume of the container should be about 10 cm 3. When placing seedlings in a common box, it is necessary to adhere to a sowing pattern of about 15x15 cm so that the grown plants do not crowd each other.
Try proven seeds from a reputable supplier:
- ? Stopudovaya is a generous gift from nature. Pumpkin is the best product for dietary nutrition. If you want to lose a few kilograms and save strength and energy in yourself - a hundred-pound pumpkin will become a real find, it will become a record holder in terms of fiber content and vitamin and mineral composition. Fruits are perfect for use in any culinary masterpieces.
- ? Cheerful guys is an early ripe (80 days) variety with large fruits, reaching a weight of 2.
5 kg. Despite the large fruits, the bush itself is quite small, with a short lash. The fleshy orange pulp of the pumpkin contains a high percentage of carotene and other vitamins, and it can be used even when preparing dishes for the smallest. - ? Pink Fairy is an early maturing climbing squash variety that produces up to 6 large fruits per season in a season. The fruits ripened after 100/110 days outwardly resemble a lush pink-cream turban and weigh from 2 to 3 kg each.
- ? Rouge Vif is a mid-late ripening variety, unpretentious, drought-resistant. The plant is strongly climbing, powerful habitus, forms large, segmented fruits (up to 20 kg). Pumpkins are orange on top and inside, with a thin crust, juicy, dense and very sweet pulp.
- ? Big Moon - refers to table medium-late varieties of the Cucurbitaceae family, ready for harvesting 130 days after sowing the seeds in the ground. Fruits - round or slightly flattened - very large in size, sunny yellow when ripe.
The surface of the fruit is smooth, the peel is dense.
Video: how to plant pumpkin seeds in peat cassettes
How to properly prepare and plant seeds
Step-by-step instructions:
- Before planting seeds, carry out a procedure called calibration and helps determine their quality. Planting material collected from the previous crop, place in a 3% saline solution, mix thoroughly and leave for 5-10 minutes. Remove those seeds that have surfaced, and rinse those remaining at the bottom, spread them on a paper towel and dry at a temperature of 20-25 ° C.
For disinfection, seeds are immersed in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes.
A solution of potassium permanganate will reliably disinfect the seeds.
Treatment in Epin's solution significantly accelerates germination. You can also soak the seeds in a solution of wood ash (a large spoonful of ash per 1 liter of water).
Epin - a reliable assistant to gardeners and gardenersPre-sowing heating of seeds has proven itself to accelerate germination. To do this, hold them for a couple of hours in water with a temperature of 50–60 ° C, then wrap them in a damp cloth and leave them in a warm place until germination. To keep the fabric always damp, cover it with plastic wrap.
Sprouted seeds have to go to the groundSwollen but not yet sprouted seeds harden . There are at least two hardening methods. The first consists in exposing the swollen and ready-to-sprout seeds to a lower temperature, and the second is the effect of variable temperatures. In the first case, the seed is kept in water for 12–24 hours at a temperature of 18–20 degrees.
The bottom shelf of the refrigerator is a good place to harden swollen seeds.
The seeds swell, the germ of the seed starts to grow. Then the swollen seeds are kept for 7-10 days at a temperature of 0±1 degrees. This hardening can be done in the refrigerator. In another way, swollen seeds are first kept for 6-12 hours in a room at a temperature of 18-20 degrees, and the rest of the day at a temperature of 0±1 degrees. The total duration of hardening at variable temperatures is 7–12 days. Premature germination of seeds is not ruled out, so monitor their condition and, if necessary, reduce the daily period of keeping warm to 4-6 hours. All of the above manipulations are required both for seeds intended for seedlings and for direct planting in the ground, unless, of course, you want to get a healthy, full-bodied crop. Sprouted pumpkin seeds should be planted in prepared and moistened soil to a depth of about 2–3 cm. It is recommended that containers for future seedlings be filled two-thirds for ease of plant care.
Planting pumpkin seeds for seedlings should be done in separate pots, as it has very vulnerable roots. On a summer cottage or a balcony, greenhouses or nurseries are used for these purposes. Shoots should appear on the fourth day. Plants have sprouted, now their development will depend on how good the care is
After planting, the soil must be moistened again. Care of home crops
The state of future seedlings depends entirely on how their owners observe the generally simple, but mandatory rules for caring for plants.
Temperature conditions
It is important to maintain the correct temperature conditions in the place where the plants are placed. After sowing, the air temperature should be maintained within 18–25 o C. As soon as the first shoots appear, it is reduced by 3–5 degrees within 4–5 days. In an apartment, this can be achieved by ventilation.
Lowering the temperature protects the seedlings from being pulled out.
After this, pumpkin seedlings are grown at daytime air temperature of 20–22 o C, night - 15–18 o C. development or complete cessation of life.
If the seedlings are still stretched out, on the eighth to tenth day after the emergence of seedlings, you need to carefully roll up the hypocotyl knee, put it on the soil and sprinkle with earth up to the cotyledon leaves.
Watering
Plants should be watered regularly, but carefully. Do not allow both the drying of the soil and its excessive waterlogging. Small pumpkin plants should be watered moderately but regularly so as not to cause harmful waterlogging of the substrate and fungal diseases as a consequence. With an excess of moisture, the seedlings will stretch very quickly, but remain weak, thinned. It is better to water at the end of the day, with the expectation that before the onset of coolness, the plants will absorb the moisture received, and the excess will evaporate without harm to the shoots.
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is applied after the first week of germination. Experienced gardeners recommend fertilizing pumpkin sprouts with a weak infusion of liquid mullein, diluted 10 times with water or a 1.5% aqueous solution of Nitrofoska. A glass of any of the infusions is used for 20 cm 2 of earth.
Seedlings can be fertilized twice before planting. For the second time, it is easiest to use universal top dressing for gourds. You can prepare the fertilizer yourself by mixing half a liter of liquid mullein, a teaspoon with a slide of ammonium sulfate, the same amount of potassium sulfate and half a tablespoon of superphosphate in 5 liters of water. The resulting solution is enough for about 10 seedlings. Seedling stalks should be short and strong, with small internodal spacing. By the time the seedlings are transplanted into the ground, the shoots should have 3-4 true leaves.
These seedlings can already be sent to the bedsLighting
Pumpkin seedlings prefer intense lighting.
Young shoots need bright light and complete absence of drafts
The lack of light provokes starvation of plants, they stretch and weaken. It is best to place plantings on a south-facing window, then seedlings do not need to be illuminated . Otherwise, it does not hurt to turn on fluorescent lamps for several hours a day. As the plants grow, the pots should be moved apart so that they do not cover the sun from each other with their leaves. Video: original footage of the first week of seedling life
Hardening
Hardening reduces the timing of flowering and fruiting. At home, hardening is carried out 12–14 days before planting in the ground, taking the seedlings out on the balcony for 2–3 hours in the first week, and for 4–5 hours or more in the second.
In the fresh air, the seedlings will gradually get used to the conditions of the open bed
Seedlings on the balcony not only harden, but also get used to direct sunlight. A couple of days before landing, it is left in the fresh air around the clock. Problems of growing pumpkin seedlings
Beginners in growing pumpkin seedlings may encounter problems that can nullify all their efforts. What dangers can lie in wait for small plants?
Pulling
The most common problem that can happen to seedlings growing on a windowsill is pulling. At the very beginning of development, when the shoots just broke through the ground and, as if breaking free, actively began to grow, there is a slight stretching of the shoots, which is easy to eliminate. Elongated plants are sprinkled with earth at the base and, having put down lateral roots, they stop excessive growth, strengthen due to the development of the root system.
Elongated pumpkin sprouts - a common phenomenonSeedlings can also be elongated for other reasons, for example, when they have little light, but enough moisture and nutrition.
In search of sunlight, the shoots spend all the accumulated nutrients on vertical development and become weak and thin, like blades of grass. These may not take root in the ground, so the lighting should be intense. And if natural light is not enough, you need to provide artificial lighting. Pumpkin seedlings will also begin to strive upward when plantings are thickened or receive too much moisture. To prevent this from happening, you must initially follow the recommended seed planting pattern and carefully monitor the proper soil moisture.
Blackleg
It is especially important to follow the watering schedule also because their excess entails consequences much more serious than ordinary stretching - we are talking about the blackleg. If an elongated shoot can be gently rolled into a ring, dug in with earth so that it takes lateral roots and returns to normal, then the problem with the black leg cannot be fixed so quickly.
The black leg is capable of destroying all the work of a gardener even at the very beginning of the pathWhen infected, the root collar of a plant turns brown, the plant tissue rots and the seedlings die, it is almost impossible to stop this process.
After laying the soil mixture on a baking sheet, set the temperature in the oven to 200 degrees and ignite the soil for two or three hours. The soil thaws after freezing at room temperature for about a week, then on the day of planting it is shed with a hot solution of light raspberry potassium permanganate.
But not only an excess of moisture in the soil provokes this trouble, often the infected soil becomes the culprit of the disease. This can only be avoided by first disinfecting the soil. Most often it is frozen on the balcony or calcined in the oven . When to plant outdoors
Plant pumpkin seedlings outdoors only after the threat of a late May frost has passed.
Planting a pumpkin in open ground is recommended according to the scheme 50x50 cmPumpkin grows very well on land where cabbage, carrots, onions, beets, legumes or green manure were previously placed; related gourds, as well as potatoes and sunflowers, are not the most successful predecessors for pumpkin.
A pumpkin will grow on any soil, but it will become large and sweet only on a nutritious one.
Wood ash is a great helper in increasing yields
You can prepare the soil for a pumpkin in the fall. For this, the bed is dug up and brought in for 1 m 2 earth 4–5 kg of compost or manure per square metre. If the soil is heavy and acidic, then a glass of lime or wood ash is added to the future pumpkin bed for the same area. Phosphorus and potash fertilizers at 30 and 20 g per 1 m 2 , respectively, can be added to any soil to increase fertility. If the soil has not been prepared since autumn, then just before planting in each well spilled with warm water, you can add half a bucket of humus, a tablespoon of superphosphate and a half-liter jar of ash.
Each pumpkin sprout should be removed from a seedling cup or separated with a spatula from a box, placed in a hole, covered with earth and tamped down a little. In , seedlings are planted a little deeper than they sat in a pot, sprinkled with earth to the cotyledon leaves. This will help the formation of additional roots .
But it should be borne in mind that when planting pumpkin seedlings, its root system should be placed no deeper than 10 cm, therefore, if the plants are too overgrown, they should be planted obliquely, directing the tops in one direction. Seedlings planted in the ground are watered abundantly. This will provide better contact with the soil, increase the water supply to the leaves. Further plantings are mulched with straw, peat or dry earth to avoid the appearance of a soil crust, which the pumpkin does not like very much.
Holes in the open ground, where seedlings are transplanted, are preliminarily shed with warm water.
Video: pumpkin moved to the garden
Gardeners' comments
I sow about a month before planting in the garden.
It all depends on the spring - early or late this year. On average, pumpkin and zucchini seeds in our gardens are sown at the end of May or in the first days of June, and I plant seedlings at the end of April or on May holidays. fire-cherryhttp://www.tomat-pomidor.com/newforum/index.php?topic=716.0
Now I never plant pumpkins, zucchini and cucumbers with seedlings, nothing good comes of this, there are few fruits , some kind of weak plants ... as if they didn’t receive something in their “childhood”, although the seedlings did not outgrow, there was a maximum of one real leaf ... I germinate the seeds until pecking and immediately plant them in open ground, they have enough time to bear fruit in full force .
TaNiahttp://www.tomat-pomidor.com/newforum/index.php?topic=716.0
For growing seedlings, it is necessary to choose peat or paper pots to plant together with the pot. This culture does not tolerate exposure of the roots.
-
