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Pumpkin has long since blossomed into an indispensable status symbol in well-managed hobby gardens. The following instructions explain how to plant the gem in your own kingdom. So even without a green thumb everything is in the green area.

How does sowing behind glass shorten a long cultivation time?

Pumpkin's long ripening period doesn't leave much room for maneuver in the local climate. Planting in open ground is out of the question before mid-May. Experienced hobby gardeners therefore favor indoor cultivation to gain time:

  • Soak fresh seeds in lukewarm water in mid/end of April
  • use after 24 hours in seed soil up to 2 cm deep
  • Cover the seed pot with foil or glass after careful watering

A constant temperature of 25 degrees Celsius encourages the pumpkin seeds to germinate within a week. The cover is now removed and the seedlings moved to brighter light conditions at 18 to 20 degrees Celsius. In this way, you will plant strong, vital young plants in the bed. Instead, direct sowing is only now beginning.

When does the planting season begin outdoors?

Pumpkin plants are very sensitive to cold. The planting season therefore starts in mid-May at the earliest. The exodus of the ice saints marks the beginning. In the week before, the young plants should harden off in a sheltered place in the garden during the day.

What site conditions does pumpkin culture require?

In a well-founded guide for pumpkin cultivation, the site conditions do not take up much space. However, that does not diminish their relevance.

  • Sunny location, protected from the wind as much as possible
  • nutrient-rich soil, fresh, well-drained
  • A thick layer of humus is ideal
  • in the bucket, high-quality vegetable soil serves as a substrate

Since pumpkin plants are among the heavy feeders, experienced gardeners advocate a location directly on the compost heap.

How is the planting going?

At the selected location in the bed, the soil is deeply loosened. Weeds, stones and roots must all be removed. With compost and horn shavings (32.93€) you can optimize the soil quality.

Unpot the hardened young plants and plant them exactly as deep as they were cultivated in the seed pot. You should plant at least 1 meter apart. After the initial watering, a garden fleece or mulch film protects the pumpkin culture until after the cold weather at the beginning of June.

With which plants does pumpkin get along well in mixed culture?

Pumpkin is a friendly fellow in the kitchen garden. He keeps good company with most cultivated plants. It goes particularly well with peas, onions and kohlrabi. It works less well next to dill, cucumbers and melons.

The plant enters into an almost symbiotic partnership with corn and bush beans. The stable corn sticks serve as a natural trellis for creeping pumpkins and climbing beans. In turn, the beans provide the soil with oxygen and nitrogen, while squash keeps soil erosion at bay.

How is manual pollination done?

Depending on the variety and the weather conditions, the magnificent flowers appear after 30 to 60 days. This colorful temptation attracts busy insects. Aside from that, the buzzers go for the nectar, not caring which flowers they pollinate. If you don't want to leave the process to chance, you can do the pollination manually. Follow these instructions to do it:

  • select the best female flowers with fruit set
  • just before opening, cover each flower with gauze or insect netting
  • do the same with the male flowers without fruit set
  • when the petals unfold, the protective covers are removed
  • brush the picked male flower over the stigma of the female flower
  • repack any pollinated flowers

After 2 to 3 days, each mini pumpkin will begin to overgrow. Now you can breathe a sigh of relief, because the pollination was successful. The wrapping is now removed.

When is a pumpkin ready for harvest?

Planting a common variety of squash will increase the anticipation of a bountiful harvest in late summer. A smooth, intact skin without green spots is a visual indication of maturity. A firm, well woody fruit stalk is an additional indication. If you tap the pumpkin, it should sound hollow and muffled. Then nothing speaks against the start of the harvest.

Does the harvest affect shelf life?

At first glance, no one suspects a high degree of sensitivity behind the mighty pumpkin. In fact, professional harvesting requires a certain amount of finesse. Even the slightest damage will cause rot. An intact shell thus makes an important contribution to durability.

  • with a carefully sharpened, sanitized knife, cut off the pumpkin
  • part of the fruit stalk remains on the fruit
  • Rinse the bowl thoroughly under running water

After harvesting, allow the pumpkin to ripen for 2 to 3 weeks in a bright, warm place. This prudence is rewarded with premium quality fruit.

tips and tricks

If a pumpkin fills up with water shortly before harvest, its shelf life is reduced by weeks. If you cut off the main stem 10 days before harvest, the pumpkin will no longer absorb any moisture.

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Category:

Vegetable garden