Description and characteristics of pumpkin varieties for open ground. The best varieties of pumpkin Pear-shaped pumpkin variety

Our ancestors began cultivating pumpkin already in the 15th century. In such ancient times, of course, there was not such a variety of its varieties. Today there are hundreds of pumpkin varieties. Of course, we will not undertake to describe them all, but in this article we will characterize the best and most delicious pumpkin varieties.

Hardbark pumpkin

When ripe, the fruits of hard-rind pumpkin varieties form a very thick and hard crust.Typically, these pumpkins are low in sugar, have tasty seeds and early ripening.The best varieties of hard-barked pumpkin are Vesnushka, Altaiskaya, Almondnaya, Golosemyanka, Spaghetti, Acorn, Danae, Mozoleevskaya.

Freckle

Early ripe pumpkin for table use. Weight from 0.5 to 3 kg. The fruits have a medium-thick rind, green in color, and have yellow spots.The flesh of the Vesnushka variety resembles the taste of a pear, tender and sweetish.Has good keeping quality. Moisture-loving, susceptible to powdery mildew.

Almond

Canteen, feed, suitable for processing. The ripening period of this hard-barked variety is 90-100 days.Not resistant to drought. Affected by powdery mildew.Pumpkins are flat-round in shape, smooth, weigh on average 5 kg (yield from 1 hectare is up to 50 tons).The taste is excellent, the crispy pulp has an almond aroma.The Almond variety pumpkin is very light.

Photo Almond pumpkin

Pumpkin variety Mozolevskaya

Table purpose, bush, mid-season (ripens on 100 – 135 days).Average weight – 5 kg (yield per hectare reaches 42 tons).The pulp of the Mozoleevskaya pumpkin is juicy, sweet, its thickness is 5 cm. It stores well.

Photo of pumpkin fruit of the Mozoleevskaya variety

On a note. The best varieties for obtaining pumpkin seeds: Danka, Candy, Danae, Golosemennaya, Volzhskaya gray, Polka, Tsentner.

Variety Acorn

Acorn is a small variety of pumpkin. The color of the peel varies from green to yellow.The pulp is yellow-orange, sweet. This variety is also called Acorn (due to its external resemblance to an acorn).

Photo of Acorn pumpkin variety

Spaghetti

This early-ripening variety of pumpkin acquired its name due to the similarity of the pulp acquired during cooking to spaghetti.The pumpkin itself is shaped like. When ripe, the fruit acquires a pale yellow color.The weight of one fruit is about a kilogram. The juicy fruits of the Spaghetti variety are stored for 2 months.

The photo shows the Spaghetti pumpkin variety

butternut squash

Butternut squash is characterized by its characteristic taste and high content of vitamins. A late-ripening species that does not tolerate temperature changes.

The best varieties of nutmeg pumpkin: Vita, Guitar, Butternut, Vitaminny, Prikubansky, Zhemchuzhina.

Variety Butternad

The juicy and sweet butternut pumpkin reaches small sizes. The pulp of this pumpkin is aromatic, sweet, and not very fibrous.Butternut's rind is smooth and yellow-brown.

The photo shows Butternut pumpkin fruits

Prikubanskaya

The variety is mid-season - 3 months - 136 days - pass before harvesting. The weight of the “Kuban” pumpkin is 2.2 – 5 kg.The bark of the Prikubanskaya pumpkin variety is thin, the flesh is red-orange in color. Juicy and tender.Kuban pumpkin is valued for its evenness of fruit, taste, and good yield. Stored for 3 months.

Photo of Prikubansky pumpkin variety

Spanish guitar

Spanish guitar is a mid-season nutmeg pumpkin variety.Its taste is unique, a bit reminiscent of apricots. There are few seeds in pumpkins. Store until the end of spring.

In the photo, the muscat variety of pumpkin Guitar

Pearl

Another representative of high-yielding muscat pumpkin varieties is Zhemchuzhina.P In appearance it is similar to the Butternad variety - the fruits are also elongated and cylindrical in shape.The color of pumpkins is yellow-orange. The thick and tender flesh of this butternut squash is orange in color.The weight of pumpkins reaches 8 kg. Transportable and lightweight.

Read the article

Large pumpkin

Large-fruited pumpkin varieties have large fruits and contain a lot of sugar. Large-fruited pumpkins have a long shelf life.Popular and best varieties: Rossiyanka, Ambar, Zorka, Gribovskaya winter, Titan, Konfetka, Khersonsky, Ulybka.One of the features of the described pumpkin varieties is resistance to low temperatures.

Of the domestic varieties of large-fruited pumpkins, Mramornaya, Stolovaya Zimnyaya, Gribovskaya Zimnyaya, Plastunovskaya, and Prikornevaya are distinguished by their long-lasting, high-quality fruits.

A widespread (from the southern to the north-western regions of the country) variety of hard-bark pumpkin is Almond 35, which has good quality fruits; early ripening bush varieties of this species - Luch and Gribovskaya bush - are also cultivated.

Russian variety

The juicy pulp has a pleasant melon aroma. The variety is an early ripening variety, with a ripening period of 3 months.Pumpkins are large, yellow-orange, smooth, weighing up to 3 kg.The Russian pumpkin variety is resistant to extreme weather conditions (cold-resistant), has a high yield, and is long-lasting.

In the photo there is a Russian pumpkin variety

Zorka

Large-fruited “Zorka” is a mid-early variety that is not susceptible to many diseases.Plants are powerful and climbing. The fruits weigh about 5 kg and have a flattened-round shape.The pulp of the Zorka variety pumpkin, although rough and not very juicy, has an excellent taste.On one hundred square meters you can grow 300 kg of this pumpkin.

Photo "Dawns"

Sweetie

The portioned pumpkin variety Candy is large-fruited, high-yielding, mid-ripening (ripens in 115-135 days), shelf-stable, the flesh is very sweet, crispy and juicy.The pumpkin is round, yellow-red, weighing up to three to six kg.

Crumpet

Description

A tasty, beautiful pumpkin is used in cooking for various dishes. Butter Pyshka is productive, with a mid-season ripening period (ripeness occurs after 3 months). Creates a climbing and powerful bush, and the weight of the pumpkin reaches 8 kg. Can be stored for a long time.

Care and cultivation

Do not sow directly into the ground, as the rather tender shoots of this worthy variety are susceptible to cold weather. For the friendly germination of “Sdobnaya Pyshka” you need a temperature of 30°C. We recommend using special lamps when obtaining “pumpkin” seedlings. In open ground, “crumpet” grows well in an area exposed to the sun; water regularly (but moderately!); subcortexing once a month is advisable.

Foreign varieties

We present to you the best and most common varieties of pumpkin abroad.

Marina Di Chioggia

The original variety of pumpkin, its rind is covered with “blisters” and has a deep blue-green color.One of the most unique and beautiful varieties pumpkins. Abroad it is used in making pasta.Ripens in 95 days on the Italian coast.The sweet yellow-orange flesh has a rich flavor and is widely used in pies and fried.The fruit weighs about 4.5 kg.

Photo Italian pumpkin variety Marina di Chioggia

The photo shows a cross-section of the Marina Di Chioggia pumpkin

Pumpkin variety Galeux d'Eysines

The description of this pumpkin variety is unique, with a fruit shape similar to a flattened globe with an orange-pink rind.The number of “blisters” increases with growth time.The Galeux d'Eysines variety must be harvested during the ripening period, as the fruits crack when overripe.The variety is decorative, but also excellent in cooking. pumpkin soups and stew.Weight is about 7 kg, 2 fruits are left standing. Another name for this unusual variety is peanut pumpkin (due to its appearance).

Photo of pumpkin variety Galeux d’Eysines

Turkish turban (Turk’s Turban)

The original decorative variety of pumpkin is the Turkish Turban.This excellent variety has rich, deep colors and excellent uniformity in the size of its pumpkins.Growth period is 100 days.The bottom half of the squash is usually a solid color in shades of dark orange to reddish orange.The top is usually beige with streaks of reddish-orange and dark green.The fruits grow weighing up to 2 kg.The Turk’s Turban pumpkin variety is very tasty, good baked, fried, in soup and grilled.The variety is also known under the names: Mexican hat, French turban, Turkish hat.

The photo shows the Turkish turban variety

Triamble

A very rare and unique Triamble variety that was imported from Australia in 1932.The ripening period of the fruit is 110-120 days, the yield of 2-3 fruits per plant.Weighs about 4.5 kg, has fine-grained flesh, and tastes similar to a sweet orange.In appearance, this delicious variety of pumpkin is very unusual - it has three blades, like a clover, a great look both for eating and for decorating interiors!

Pictured is a rare Australian pumpkin variety, Triamble.

Casperita

Casperita is a mini pumpkin variety. Growth period is 90 days.The white fruit has a classic pumpkin shape with deep ribs and a strong, green handle.This attractive pumpkin has sweet, white flesh.Casperita gives good yields with pumpkins weighing from 200 to 500 grams, 7-8 fruits per plant.

Photo of mini pumpkin variety Casperita

Table Ace Squash

Table Ace Squash is a delicious variety of squash. Ripening period – 78 days.The color of the pumpkin rind is black-green and does not change during storage. Bright orange flesh.The plant grows quite compactly and produces many tasty fruits. Store all winter.

Photo of pumpkin variety Table Ace Squash

Jarrahdal

Jarrahdal is a pumpkin variety from Australia.In 100 days, gray-blue fruits of excellent quality grow from medium to large, weighing 5 - 8 kg.The fruits are ribbed and have a decorative appearance.Sweet, thick, orange flesh, the pumpkin has a long shelf life. 2-3 fruits are removed from one plant.

Photo variety Jarrahdale

Kamo Kamo

Ethnic variety - pumpkin of the Maori people of New Zealand.Also known as Kumi Kumi. Ripening period – 65 days.New Zealanders say that this is the best of all pumpkin varieties, the young fruits can be eaten boiled, fried or baked, and they have a rich, nutty aroma, the fruits of this variety of pumpkin are quite tasty.

Pictured is a Kamo Kamo pumpkin

Speckled Swan

Speckled Swan - this variety is usually used for decorative purposes.The fruits are elongated and resemble a swan in appearance. 3–5 fruits grow on one plant.

Photo variety of bottle gourd Speckled Swan

White Cushaw

White Cushaw is a variety of white musk squash.This plant produces large, slightly sweet, nutty, orange-fleshed fruits that are good either cooked or raw.The variety is resistant to pests and productive. This variety is also called “Jonathan pumpkin.”

In the photo there is a variety of musk pumpkin White Cushaw

Speckled Hound

Another foreign variety is Speckled Hound.Pumpkins are an unusual pink-orange color with green and blue-green spots on them.The pulp is yellow-orange, tasty with a dry texture.The fruits of this pumpkin variety weigh 1.3 – 2.6 kg; on one plant they grow up to 8 pieces in 100 days.

Pictured is Speckled Hound varietal pumpkin

Naples Long

Naples Long is an old Italian variety of pumpkin.Grown in America since 1863. Suitable for cultivation in warm areas.The ripening period is three months.The fruits of this pumpkin are large, “peanut” shaped, reaching a weight of 9 – 22 kilograms!The bark is dark green, turning brownish during storage.The pulp of this variety is bright orange in color, and the aroma is excellent - rich and very sweet.

Photo of Naples Long pumpkin

Pink Banana Squash

The Pink Banana Squash variety (or “pink banana”) is a quite tasty, banana-shaped pink variety of pumpkin that produces large yields and reaches a weight of 4.5 - 18 kg in 105 days.This variety has been known for 100 years. The pulp is dry and aromatic, sweet, orange in color.One of the advantages of the described pumpkin variety is good germination.For example, one of the foreign gardeners planted 3 plants and received 11 pumpkins weighing from 6.8 to 10.8 kilograms.

The photo shows the variety Pink Banana Squash

Long Island Cheese

The Long Island Cheese variety is a medium-ribed, slightly flattened pumpkin with an average ripening period.The pulp of this pumpkin variety is orange in color and moderately sweet.Ripening period – 105 days. Long shelf life. Reaches 4.5 kg.

Pictured is a Long Island Cheese pumpkin.

Musque de Provence

On the shelves of French markets and shops you can often find a sweet and fragrant, large, round-flat, segmented pumpkin of the Musque de Provence variety.The flat, ribbed brown fruits of Muscat of Provence grow larger than those of the similar Long Island Cheese variety.The average weight of the described variety is 3.5-6.5 kg.The flesh is thick, deep orange in color and the pulp is moderately sweet.Late ripening, long-term storage. Refers to nutmeg pumpkin varieties.

The photo shows a Musque de Provence pumpkin

Rouge Vif d'Etampes

Rouge Vif D'Etampes is a bright red, productive French pumpkin variety.The orange flesh is moderately sweet, and the fruit is used for baking pies.Weight 4.5-7 kg.Domestic pumpkin gardeners believe that this pumpkin has an average taste and has an average shelf life.

Photo pumpkin Rouge Vif D’Etampes

Variety Kakai

A pumpkin variety with medium-sized fruits weighing 2-3.5 kg.The seeds are dark green and are delicious after roasting.Also, spicy oil is made from pumpkin seeds of the described variety.

Pictured is a Kakai pumpkin

Wolf

The American pumpkin variety Wolf has fruits measuring 7–11 kg with huge stalks.The fruits are round, deep orange in color and have moderate ridges.The pulp is thick. Ripens late within 120 days. DTo get a good harvest, the Wolf variety needs a lot of space.Yield: 1-2 pumpkins per plant.

Pictured is Wolf pumpkin

There is a wide variety of pumpkin varieties for open ground, a description of which will be presented below. Due to its large size and golden color, the pumpkin is considered the queen of the fields. It is cultivated by many vegetable growers. The vegetable is rich in vitamins and minerals, the taste is preserved during cooking, stewing, and baking.

There are three main varieties of pumpkin:

1. hard-barked;
2. large-fruited;
3. nutmeg.

In the vegetable pumpkin variety, each variety is bushy or climbing, portioned or with large fruits, sweet and semi-sweet, with a large and small content of seeds. In addition, there are fodder, table and decorative groups of vegetable crops.

Any type of pumpkin is suitable for growing in open ground. When choosing, take into account the purpose of the future harvest, the size of the land plot, and climatic features.

The common pumpkin is an annual herbaceous plant, with a thin, creeping stem up to 8 meters in length. Along the entire length of the cylindrical or faceted stem, many branches are formed - tendrils. The leaves are large and waxy green. The shape of the leaves can be round-triangular, pentagonal, kidney-shaped. The surface of the leaves is hard and fluffy to the touch.

The plant blooms from June to autumn. Pumpkin flowers are bell-shaped, light yellow or orange in color with a pleasant aroma. The fruits are formed in different shapes and may differ in color. The pulp is yellow or orange, juicy and sweet.

butternut squash

The fruits of the nutmeg vegetable are rounded and flattened, with a pronounced expansion at the base, the stalk is pentagonal. Varieties of the nutmeg group differ in taste, aroma and benefits of the pulp. All types of pumpkin are heat-loving and late-ripening. Therefore, it needs to be grown through seedlings.

Seeds of brown or gray-yellow color are sown in late April. In the first half of June, young shoots are transplanted into open ground. If the fruits have not ripened over the summer, then after picking they can be left to ripen in a warm place.

Spanish guitar

A mid-season variety of pumpkin, Spanish guitar, is characterized by an oblong shape up to 75 cm, orange flesh and high taste. Ripening begins after 112 days.

The peel is thin, bright orange, and the surface is smooth. The length of the plant stems is 4 meters. It also differs from other pumpkin crops in that the mass of the pulp makes up 95% of the total mass of the fruit. With proper care, the weight of the vegetable reaches 8 kg.

Tsukatnaya

A popular variety of butternut squash is the Candied Squash. Belongs to the mid-late group of plants. Full maturity occurs after 140 days. The fruits are formed wide, flattened in shape. The color changes from green to light brown as it ripens. The pulp is juicy, orange in color with a high content of carotene and sugars. The weight of one vegetable is 5 kg.

Vitamin

The most popular variety of pumpkin is considered Vitamin. It is characterized by high yield, good shelf life and transportability. The pulp is very sweet with a pleasant nutmeg aroma.

The vegetable crop is late-ripening; full ripening of pumpkins occurs after 130 days. It is recommended to grow in seedlings in regions with warm climates.

Weave plants of medium length. The Vitaminnaya pumpkin fruit has an elongated shape, weighing about 6.5 kg. The peel is thin, yellow-orange in color, with slight ribbing near the stalk. The pulp is dense and tender, bright orange in color.

Marble

The Marble pumpkin variety is a plant with late fruit ripening (130 days). The fruits are large and flattened. The peel is wrinkled, gray-green, with light gray patches. The weight of the vegetable reaches 10 kg. The interior is orange.

The harvested crop has good shelf life, does not crack and retains its juiciness and sweetness for a long time. The variety is rarely affected by diseases, especially white rot.

Muscat de Provence

French breeders have developed a high-yielding variety, Muscat de Provence. Belongs to the mid-season group of plants; fruit ripening occurs after 110 days. Unlike other types and varieties of pumpkin, this plant has a powerful stem and is highly resistant to diseases. Vegetables have a flat-round shape with pronounced edges.

Thick skin of pale yellow color. The bright orange pulp is tasty, juicy, crispy, and contains about 10% sugars. The weight of the fruit reaches 7 kg.

Walnut

Butternut or Nut pumpkin belongs to early ripening varieties and has a long shelf life of the harvested crop. The weight of a pear-shaped vegetable is about 1 kg. A small number of seeds are located in the expanded part of the pumpkin. The color of the dense peel is bright orange, the flesh is sweet with a nutmeg aroma.

Judging by reviews from gardeners, caring for Walnut pumpkin is not difficult. The main thing is to ensure abundant watering and regular loosening of the soil. Do not allow weeds to grow. It is necessary to carry out hilling periodically, do not forget to pinch the vines and apply fertilizer.

Varieties with large fruits

Large-fruited pumpkin varieties are considered large. The fruit pulp is sweet, some of them contain up to 15% sugar. The varieties tolerate low air temperatures well. The seeds can be cream, white or brown. The peduncle has a rounded-cylindrical shape, the stem is without grooves, and the leaves are pentagonal.

Popular types of large-fruited pumpkins for open ground: Titan, Smile, Crocus, Medicinal, Kupchikha, Azure. The description will allow you to choose the most suitable variety.

The mid-season variety Kupchikha ripens after 112 days. The plant forms long, powerful vines. The average weight of round fruits is 8 kg, but can reach 20 kg, the skin is orange-yellow. The pulp is orange, dense, juicy and sweet.

The variety is valued for its high yield, good shelf life and transportability, and disease resistance. The pulp is used to prepare porridges, soups, and juices.

Pumpkin Lantern

Pumpkin variety Lantern produces large fruits up to 7 kg after 100 days, therefore it belongs to the mid-season group of plants intended for table use. The pulp is orange, juicy and crispy. Harvested vegetables are stored for a long time, retaining all their nutritional components and juiciness.

The plant's vines are long, so pinching is required. Covering the stems with soil allows the plant to grow additional roots and receive more nutrition needed for development.

Russian porridge

Pumpkin of the Russian porridge variety for table use is characterized by mid-ripening boundaries. It takes 115 days from the emergence of seedlings to the ripening of large fruits. The stem is powerful, the leaves are elongated, up to 3–4 flat-round fruits are formed. The surface is orange with a pinkish tint and light ribbing.

The variety is resistant to diseases and stores well. The pulp is orange, juicy and soft. It is suitable for making various cereals, side dishes, purees, and juices.

Varieties of hard-bark pumpkin

In hard-skinned pumpkin varieties, the skin becomes woody and hard during ripening. All types of pumpkin that belong to this group ripen early. The harvest can be harvested at the end of August. The fruits are not too large, but the cream-colored seeds are large and have an excellent taste.

Acorn squash

Acorn squash is often called the Acorn variety because the small fruits resemble acorns in appearance. The Acorn variety is for table use, with early fruit ripening.

The pulp is light yellow, juicy, soft, with a pleasant aroma. The skin can be of different colors: dark green, orange, orange-green.

Bun

The early ripening pumpkin variety Plyushka belongs to the table group. Fruit ripening occurs on the 87th day. The lashes are short, up to 1 meter in length. Many flat-rounded fruits with small white stripes are formed on the stem, weighing about 1.5 kg.

The color of the juicy pulp is yellow, with a high content of vitamins and carotene. The abundant harvest can be stored for a long time and does not spoil.

Gymnosperm

Among the many varieties of hard-bark pumpkin Special attention occupies the gymnosperm type, the description indicates many positive qualities. A distinctive feature is that the seeds are not covered with a dense peel, but with a thin film. This film contains a lot of fiber.

The fruits can be round, pear-shaped or cylindrical with slight ribbing. The color may be orange, dark green or yellow. All varieties are characterized by early fruit ripening. After only 3.5 months you can harvest.

Green pumpkin

In addition to yellow and orange shades, there are also green pumpkin varieties. The most popular varieties with green skin include: Tsarevna-Frog, Vesnushka, Acorn, Harlequin, Altair.

Varieties for the Moscow region

The Moscow region is characterized by unstable weather conditions. Summer can be dry or rainy, and frost can occur in spring. Therefore, varieties must be able to withstand adverse factors well. For planting, you should choose flat areas of land that are well lit by the sun.

Among all types of pumpkin, you can choose the right variety. The main thing is to get acquainted with the characteristics. In the description, you need to pay attention to the yield, ripening time of the vegetable crop, resistance to cold and disease.

Popular varieties for the Moscow region include: Gribovskaya, Kroshka, Zolotaya Chasha, Lechebnaya, Muscatnaya, Tsukatnaya.

Chit

A proven variety in Russia is the Kroshka pumpkin with medium-early ripening. From the emergence of seedlings to technical maturity, 120 days pass. The round-flat fruits do not grow very large, weighing no more than 3 kg. The color of the dense, woody peel is light gray or even almost white. The light yellow pulp is dense, juicy with a high sugar content.

The plant exhibits good resistance to diseases, especially anthracnose. The fruits are stored well and for a long time. Care consists of loosening, weeding, pinching, regular watering and mandatory application of fertilizers.

Figolifolia

In culture, the Figoloid pumpkin, or in other words, the Black-seeded pumpkin, belongs to the annual type. The stems are hard, pentagonal and can reach 20 meters in length. The leaves resemble those of figs.

The fruits have an oval-elongated shape, light green or white with dark green spots and stripes. The pulp is juicy and white. The weight of the fetus is about 4 kg. The fruits can be stored for 3 years. Seeds of an unusual black color, similar to watermelon seeds, but only twice as large.

Sweet pie

Early ripening variety Sweet pie for table use. The fruits, weighing 2–3 kg, are orange-red in color, rounded-flattened in shape with pronounced edges. The pulp is yellow, very tasty, juicy, crispy.

The harvest is consistently high in any weather conditions. The fruits are suitable for short-term storage of 3–4 months. The seeds are quite large, white-cream in color with a pronounced rim along the edge.

Melon

Melon pumpkin is very sweet, juicy and aromatic, the smell is reminiscent of a ripe melon. Full ripening of the fruit occurs after 100 days. Large pumpkins are round, slightly flattened, pink-orange in color, weight reaches 30 kg.

The description of the variety notes unpretentiousness, high frost and drought resistance, good keeping quality, and excellent taste. Excellent for growing in open ground. Melon pumpkin can be added to any dishes, and can also be eaten in fresh.

Pastille champagne

The original variety is Pastila Champagne. The shape of the fruit is in the form of an elongated ellipse, the peel is of medium thickness, pink in color. The juicy and sweet pulp is dense, bright orange in color, and occupies almost the entire internal space of the vegetable. The pulp emits a pleasant vanilla aroma.

Several fruits weighing 2–3 kg are formed on one stem. The harvested crop is stored well and for a long time. The fruits can be consumed fresh or processed.

Zorka

The large-fruited Zorka pumpkin is considered the most delicious, sweet vegetable crop. The pulp contains a record amount of sugar and carotene. The plant belongs to the mid-season varieties. The period from germination to fruit ripening lasts 115 days.

The plant is powerful, the vines are of medium length, the fruits are rounded and flattened, weighing up to 7 kg. The surface of the thin skin is smooth, the main color is gray-green with gray-yellow stripes and spots. The pulp is bright orange, dense and sweet.

Almond

The Almond pumpkin variety is characterized by high yield. The plant belongs to the varieties of medium ripening period, the period lasts 115 days. The lashes are powerful, long, stretching up to 8 meters. Pumpkins are round in shape and slightly flattened. The surface is smooth, slight ribbing is observed near the stalk. The weight of the fetus reaches 5 kg.

The surface of the dense bark in an immature state is distinguished by a shade of green; as it matures, it acquires a brown-orange color with stripes and spots of light brown color. The pulp is yellow-orange, juicy, dense, crispy.

Russian

One of the popular pumpkin varieties is Rossiyanka. The fruits are characterized by a bright orange color, the shape resembles a spinning top or pear. It is an early-ripening, high-yielding and cold-resistant crop. The period from germination to fruit ripening lasts 90 days. Scourges of medium length. The average weight of pumpkins is 3–4 kg with dense, juicy yellow flesh and a melon aroma.

The variety is planted as seeds directly into open ground or as seedlings in Russia and Ukraine. The variety resists cold well, but does not tolerate frost well, so you need to take this factor into account during cultivation.

Hokkaido pumpkin

Japanese Hokkaido pumpkin has early fruit ripening, the growing season lasts an average of 90 days. Pear-shaped pumpkins are small, weighing from 1 to 2.5 kg. The color of the thin peel can be bright orange, red, gray or green. The fruits are stored for a long time, the yellow-orange pulp is juicy, sweet with a pleasant nutmeg aroma.

Varieties for Siberia and the Urals

Siberia is characterized by the persistence of frosts until the beginning of summer. This factor must be taken into account when choosing the best pumpkin variety for Siberia.

To enjoy soft, juicy and sweet pumpkin, you need to choose varieties that are frost-resistant. The most suitable varieties are Ulybka, Vesnushka, and Rossiyanka.

Medical

An early-ripening, large-fruited variety is Medicinal pumpkin. Fruit ripening occurs after 100 days. Weight is 4.5 kg. Pumpkins are orange in color and flattened in shape, but the most common color is gray-green in the skin.

The pulp is orange, juicy, aromatic, with a pleasant sweetish aftertaste. The plant tolerates adverse weather conditions well, continues to develop in the cold and is slightly susceptible to pests and diseases. The harvested crop is characterized by good keeping quality and transportability.

Pearl

The mid-late pumpkin variety Zhemchuzhina is one of the productive crops. You will be able to get a mature harvest after 110 days. The shape of the fruit can be cylindrical, round, or oval. Ripe thin peel of deep orange color. The pulp is orange-yellow, thick, juicy with a nutmeg aroma.

The fruits are large, their weight reaches 8 kg, and they stretch up to 50 cm in length. A small number of seeds are located in the expanded part of the pumpkin. Positive characteristics include high yield, cold resistance and drought resistance. The harvested crop can be stored all winter.

Smile

Another healthy, tasty and nutritious pumpkin is the Smile variety. It is a high-yielding, early-ripening crop. On one stem, up to 7 round fruits of a rich orange color with light stripes ripen in 90 years.

The pumpkin bark is medium thick, the flesh is orange, very sweet, dense with a melon aroma. The weight of one pumpkin reaches 800 g. The culture does not have any special care requirements. Shows resistance to drought and cold. The harvested crop is stored all winter.

Gray Volzhskaya

The Gray Volzhskaya pumpkin belongs to mid-season and large-fruited pumpkins. Harvesting can begin after 3.5 months. The weight of mature fruits with gray skin reaches 9 kg. Vegetables are round in shape, slightly flattened at the base. The flesh is creamy yellow, medium firm and sweet.

The variety resists drought well; the abundant harvest is stored for a long time and is easy to transport.

Wax gourd or Benincasa

Wax gourd or Benincasa can be stored for a long time. Taste and presentation are preserved for 2–3 years, and can be stored indoors. The pulp and seeds are widely used in cooking and medicine.

Benincasa Wax gourd is an annual plant with a strong root system. The lashes can stretch up to 4 meters. The fruits are round or oblong in shape. The average weight of the fruit is 4–5 kg, the weight of large pumpkins is 10 kg. The unripe peel is covered with a sticky waxy coating. Ripe fruits have a smooth surface with a thick waxy layer and a white coating.

Sweet varieties

It is worth saying that it is not enough to choose the seeds of a sweet variety of pumpkin; you also need to plant and grow the crop correctly. Sugar content may decrease due to cold weather, even short-term, lack or excess of moisture, and lack of mineral fertilizers.

Varieties with sweet, juicy pulp include: Atlant, Kroshka, Lazurnaya, Vesnushka, Almond. They have sweet, aromatic pulp, which is used to make desserts (jam, preserves, pies).

A porcelain doll

An interesting pumpkin hybrid is the Porcelain Doll variety. Refers to late-ripening plants; harvesting begins after 4 months. The skin is an unusual blue shade with pronounced ribbing. The weight of each fruit reaches 10 kg.

The pulp is dark orange in color and contains about 14% sugars. The pulp is often used for baby food. The variety is characterized by high disease resistance.

Sweetie

A large-fruited pumpkin of bright orange color, for table use - Sweetie. It is a mid-season crop; mature harvesting begins after 3 months. The average weight of round fruits is 3 kg; with good care and favorable weather conditions, the weight reaches 10 kg.

The variety stores well. The lashes are of medium length, about 1.5 meters, and 6 fruits are formed on each. The pulp is orange, dense and high in vitamins and carotene. The seeds are large, cream-colored, very tasty.

Honey

Honey pumpkin surpasses all known varieties in its taste. Characterized by early ripening. The harvest can be harvested after 85 days. The bright orange bark is thin but very dense. The pulp is dense, crispy, juicy, up to 10 cm thick. The weight of one round fruit is about 5 kg, the harvest is stored for a long time.

Sweet tooth

Slasten's pumpkin is considered a high-yielding table variety. The plant has early ripening periods. Tolerates heat and drought well. The vines are of medium length, the leaves are pale green.

The fruits are round in shape, with pronounced segments, weigh 5 kg. The bark is dark green. The pulp is orange, crispy, juicy and high in sugar. The harvested crop retains its taste for a long time.

Winter sweet

Sweet Winter Pumpkin is classified as a late-ripening, high-yielding variety. From the appearance of the first shoots to ripening, 130 days pass. The crop is medium-climbing, round-flat in shape, with pronounced segments, weighing up to 10 kg. The skin is dark gray with light gray patches.

The pulp of the fruit is orange, juicy, dense with a pleasant aroma and high sugar content. The variety is valued for its taste, good shelf life, transportability and high resistance to diseases.

Children's delicatessen

The hybrid pumpkin Children's Delicatessen is a mid-season variety. Fruit ripening after sowing seeds occurs after 4 months. Each vine produces many fruits, weighing 3 kg. The shape of the vegetable is flattened, the color of the dense bark is bright orange. The pulp is thick, juicy, sweet, light yellow in color.

Hybrid varieties

Among the pumpkin varieties, hybrid varieties are valued for their taste and quality. In addition, plants are characterized by increased resistance to adverse weather conditions and errors in care. Names of popular pumpkin hybrids: Kashtanka F1, Lyubimitsa F1, Orange honey F1.

Hybrid Kashtanka is used for table purposes and belongs to the mid-season crops. Harvesting begins after 115 days. The plant has long vines with numerous portioned fruits. The shape of the fruit weighing 2 kg is flat-round, with slight ribbing. The skin is light green with light gray stripes.

The taste qualities of the Kashtanka hybrid are high; vegetable growers obtain consistently high yields even if agrotechnical requirements and bad weather conditions are not met; the harvest is suitable for long-term storage.

The Lyubimitsa hybrid is considered mid-season. The growing season lasts 120 days. Table vegetable. The plant produces long vines with numerous portioned pumpkins. The fruits weighing 2.5 kg are flat-round, the skin is dark green with light green stripes.

The pulp of the fruit is bright yellow, juicy, dense and aromatic. Suitable for dietary and baby food. The harvested crop is suitable for long-term storage.

There are so many pumpkins that exist in nature! And flat, and round, and elongated, pitcher-shaped or snake-like, pale yellow, bright orange, speckled gray, and striped green. The variety of pumpkin varieties is amazing. The more difficult it is for a summer resident to make his choice.

There are three types of pumpkins common in farms, fields and gardens around the world: hard-skinned, butternut squash and butternut squash. Among them there are pumpkins with large fruits and portioned ones, bush and climbing ones, with a significant amount of seeds or very sweet pulp, fodder ones (used for animal feed), table ones (which we eat as food) and decorative ones. Are you ready to take a closer look at the uniqueness of the most popular varieties?

Hard-bark pumpkins

Hardbark pumpkins get their name from their incredibly thick, woody skin when ripe. Do you remember how difficult it is to peel a large zucchini that has been stored behind the chair all winter? And all this is because both squash and zucchini also belong to hard-bark pumpkins, but now we are not talking about them.
Hard-bark pumpkins are good because they ripen early (late August - early September), and have not the largest fruits, but also the most delicious seeds. Among this variety of pumpkins there are bush varieties, which is incredibly convenient in terms of saving space.

The stalk of hard-barked pumpkins is ribbed with pronounced grooves, the stem is hairy and spiny, and the leaves are pentagonal.

The seeds are creamy and have very pronounced rims.

Large-fruited pumpkins

Large-fruited pumpkins, as you might guess, are the largest. But they are also the sweetest, the sugar content of some varieties reaches 15%, which is much more than in the sweetest watermelon.

The stalk of large-fruited varieties is cylindrical and round. The stem is also round and without grooves, and the leaves are kidney-shaped or close to pentagonal.

The seeds of large-fruited pumpkins are milky white, brown or matte. In addition, large-fruited pumpkins tolerate low temperatures much better than others and are stored in storage for a much longer time. ordinary apartment.

butternut squash

Butternut squash have a pentagonal stalk with a pronounced expansion towards the base.

Butternut squash seeds are brown or dirty yellow in color.

Muscat varieties are recognized as the most delicious and rich in vitamins, but they have only one drawback: they are all heat-loving and late-ripening, that is, they often do not have time to ripen during our short summer. And therefore, most often they are advised to grow them only in the southern regions.

But don’t rush to get upset. It is possible to grow nutmeg pumpkins in the middle zone. Firstly, this pumpkin is grown through seedlings. At the end of April, the seeds are sown, and in the first half of June the plants are planted in the ground. And secondly, nutmeg pumpkins can be removed unripe and left to ripen in the house.

Both large-fruited and nutmeg pumpkins are removed from the garden before the first death.

Which pumpkin is best to plant? And everything, as always, depends on your taste preferences and goals. And if you want to enjoy boiled, fried or stewed pumpkin in the summer, and only store seeds for the winter, plant more summer hard-bark varieties.

If you love pumpkin juice, baked pumpkin and want to preserve the fruits until spring, then choose nutmeg or large-fruited varieties. If you prefer pumpkin fresh in salads, the gray-fruited varieties with sweet flesh are best for you.
The choice, and the choice remains, is yours.

And our list of varieties and varieties of pumpkin will help you with this:

Pumpkin Zorka Large-fruited, table. Medium early. Climbing, powerful, long lashes. The fruit is dark gray with orange spots, the average weight of pumpkins is 5-6 kg. The pulp is bright orange, dense and very sweet (sugar content -12-14%). The variety is valued for its exceptional sweetness and high carotene content (there is more of it in Zorka fruits than in carrots). Used for preparing baby food.

Russian Pumpkin Large-fruited, universal. Early ripening. Climbing, lashes of medium length (1.5 meters). The fruit resembles a bright orange top, the average weight of pumpkins is 2-4 kg. The flesh is orange, tender and sweet with hints of melon. The variety is cold-resistant, high-yielding, has a lot of pulp and few seeds.

Pumpkin Acorn Hardbark, table. Precocious. There are both bush and climbing varieties. The small acorn-like fruit is usually green (Table King and Tabe Queen), black (Ebony), yellow (Golden Acorn, Fordhook) or white (White Acorn). The pulp is light yellow, almost white, slightly sweet. Another name for the variety is “Acorn”; in cooking, this variety is used for baking and stuffing, because when fresh, the taste is reminiscent of zucchini.

Spaghetti squash, hard-barked, table. Early ripening. Bush. In appearance, the fruit resembles a melon, elongated, pale yellow when ripe. The pulp is yellow, sweetish with notes of nut and lemon. When cooked, the flesh of this squash breaks down into spaghetti-like fibers, hence the name.

Marble Pumpkin Large-fruited

Marble Pumpkin Large-fruited, table. Late ripening. Long-climbing. Round, tuberculate, segmented fruits of dark green color, average weight - 3.5-4.5 kg. The pulp is rich orange, very sweet, crispy, dense. High-yielding variety, rich in carotene, can be eaten fresh

Pumpkin Freckle Hardbark, table. Early ripening. Bush, the vines are not long, the leaves are not large. Round small fruits (1-3 kg), green mesh. The pulp is yellow or orange, not very sweet (sugar content 6.5%). The seeds are small, the variety is suitable for growing when there is a shortage of space.

Pumpkin Candy Large-fruited, table. Early ripening. Climbing, lashes of medium length (1.5 meters). The fruit is segmented, round, red-orange in color, the average weight of pumpkins is 1.2-2 kg. The pulp is dark orange, juicy, dense, sweet (sugar content - 4.5-6.5%). The variety is cold-resistant, high-yielding, very sweet, rich in vitamin C.

Gribovskaya bush hardbark, dining room. Early ripening. Bushy, grows like a zucchini. Ripe pumpkins are yellow with dark green stripes, not too large (2.5-5 kg), egg-shaped. Dark yellow flesh, ordinary pumpkin taste. It is valued for not spreading around the garden and taking up little space.

Almond Hard bark, universal. Mid-season. Climbing, long lashes. Fruits weighing 4-5 kg, round, orange. The pulp is orange-yellow, very sweet, crispy and juicy. Great for making juices and baby food. Stores well and for a long time.

Volga gray pumpkin Large-fruited, table. Mid-season. Climbing, branched, long lashes (up to 8 m). The fruit is round, slightly flattened, light gray in color, the average weight of pumpkins is 7-9 kg. The color of the pulp ranges from pale yellow to bright orange, the density and sweetness are average (sugar content 6-8%). The variety is drought-resistant, transportable, and can be stored well and for a long time.

Altai Hardbark, universal. Early ripening. Climbing, lashes of medium length. The fruits are round, ribbed, orange with yellow spots, weighing 2.5-5 kg. The pulp is yellow, fibrous, not very sweet, sugar content 5-6%. This pumpkin variety is cold-resistant, productive and long-lasting.

Bush orange Hardbark, table. Precocious. Bush. The fruits are orange, round, large - 4-7 kg. The pulp is yellow, juicy and sweet. Compact plants, the variety is suitable for small areas.

Mozoleevskaya Tverdokoraya, dining room. Medium early. Climbing. The fruits are ovoid, yellow with dark green and yellow stripes, average weight is 4-5 kg. The pulp is pale orange, dense, quite sweet, sugar content 6-7%. The variety is transportable and lightweight.

Winter sweet Large-fruited, table. Late ripening. Climbing, lashes up to 5-6 meters in length. The fruits are oval, tuberculate, slightly segmented, dark gray in color, average weight is 4.5-6.5 kg. The pulp is orange or bright yellow, dense, very sweet. This variety is heat-loving and drought-resistant. Recommended for the production of juices and baby food.

Winter dining room Large-fruited dining room. Late ripening. Climbing. The fruits are flattened, segmented, light gray, and may have pink or green stripes. The pulp is orange, very sweet and dense. Transportable and shelf-stable variety.

Smile Large-fruited, dining room. Precocious. Climbing. The fruits are round, bright orange with whitish stripes, medium-sized - 2-3 kg. The pulp is orange, crispy, very sweet with a delicate melon aroma. Cold-resistant variety, stores well until January at room temperature

Kherson Large-fruited, dining room. Medium late. Climbing, lashes of medium length. The fruits are flat, smooth, gray in color with gray spots and stripes. Fruit weight is 3-6 kg. The pulp is orange, crispy, very juicy and sweet. Heat-loving, drought-resistant variety, stores well.

We wish you success and great harvests!

Choosing the best pumpkin varieties today is not an easy task. Breeders have bred more than a hundred varieties of pumpkin. Each type has its own advantages and weaknesses. Varieties of pumpkin are adapted to different regions of the country, have different demands on climatic conditions and have different taste qualities.

Let's look at the strengths and weaknesses of the most common varieties and choose the best pumpkin varieties based on several indicators.

Main varieties of pumpkin

To understand the variety of varieties that exist today, you need to know their types. They are usually divided into four groups:

1. Muscat varieties. These are the varieties that have a reputation for being the most delicious, but they are the most sensitive to heat. In the conditions of our country, such varieties simply do not have time to ripen if grown from seeds. But growing from seedlings gives a completely satisfactory harvest. Butternut squash seeds are brown, sometimes with a yellow tint.
2. Large-fruited varieties. The sweetest pumpkin is the large-fruited variety. The seeds of this pumpkin are white and very tasty. This pumpkin stores well, but takes up a lot of space, and its fruits are heavy. This makes it difficult to transport the crop, so summer residents who do not have personal transport often choose varieties not from this group.
3. Hard-barked varieties. This group includes not only pumpkins, but also zucchini and squash. The fruits of this group are small, they grow well in temperate climates and ripen quickly. By the end of August-September, the fruits of these pumpkins are ready for consumption. They are also valued because the small pumpkin is convenient for harvesting, transporting and storing the crop. Its seeds are cream-colored and very tasty.
4. Decorative varieties. The fruits of this species are not used for food due to the bitter pulp. But the hard, well-dried fruits are used in making a variety of crafts, and pumpkin vines with velvety dark green leaves and bright large flowers serve as an excellent decoration for the estate.

The sweetest pumpkin

Much of the taste of pumpkin is determined by its sweetness. The sugar content of a vegetable depends on many factors: the quality of the soil, the number of sunny days during ripening, watering and many other factors. But still, the most important factor here is the quality of the variety. The sweetest pumpkin varieties belong to the group of large-fruited varieties. Here are the names most loved by gardeners in our country:

1. hundred pound- this variety has enjoyed a long, well-deserved reputation. The plant has long, strong vines and large fruits. The fruit can reach 120 kg, but most often its weight is from 7 to 10 kg. The flesh of this pumpkin is loose, yellow with an orange tint. The Hundred Pound does not accumulate much sugar, so the species is used as fodder. But her resistance to disease is very high.
2. Marble- a variety whose fruits are medium in size (about 4 kg) and whose lashes are long. The skin of the fruit is gray, gray-green or green with speckles or veins of a lighter shade. The fruits have a flattened shape. The pumpkin pulp is orange, bright, crunchy when raw and very sweet in taste. But even when baked, Marble pumpkin does not disappoint. Its productivity is high. The fruits are well stored and are little susceptible to rotting.
3. Variety Smile Suitable for gardeners who cannot allocate a large area for vegetables. The plant was originally bred by breeders as an ornamental plant, but after improving the varietal qualities, the taste of the fruit also improved significantly. Smile is an early variety; the harvest ripens in 3 months. The yield is high, about 10 pumpkins per root. The pumpkin size is small (about 2 kg). Pumpkins are flattened in shape and have a bright orange color with white stripes. They are very decorative. The pulp is orange, sweet, with a melon smell. Fruits can be stored in an apartment for up to 160 days.
4. Sweetie- mid-season variety with small pumpkins (1-2 kg) of a bright orange or almost red hue. One plant produces many pumpkins, which ripen in 116-120 days. The pulp is rich in ascorbic acid and is one of the sweetest. The plant is frost resistant.
5. Atlant. Unlike the previous variety, Atlant is a giant even by the standards of large-fruited pumpkins. The average weight of the fetus is about 20 kg, and records are up to 70 kg! Pumpkins are orange in color, oblong in shape with a small but pronounced division into segments. Atlant pumpkin pulp is tender and sweet in taste. The species is resistant to diseases, and its fruits almost do not rot during storage.
6. Melon. Melon pumpkin got its name for its aroma, similar to that of melon. Round, large orange fruits can reach up to 30 kg in weight. Good taste makes it optimal for use in baby food and for making juices. Other advantages are productivity, unpretentiousness, resistance to rot during storage.

Butternut squash came from South America, but has firmly won its place in the gardens of our country thanks to its tasty pulp, rich in vitamins and microelements. The fruits of nutmeg varieties are excellent for making crafts. For example, the famous symbol of the Halloween holiday is traditionally made from nutmeg pumpkin.

The most famous and widespread types of nutmeg include:

1. golden pear. The vegetable got its name from the unusual shape of pumpkins, resembling a drop. This variety is relatively new, but it has already won the recognition of gardeners. Small (up to 2 kg) fruits ripen in about 3 months. The Golden Pear's small size makes it easy to collect and store, and its disease resistance makes growing this plant easy. The pulp of the fruit is sweet, with a nutty flavor. The dense, juicy pulp can be consumed both raw and baked.
2. Arbatskaya. If the previous variety is a new product, then the Arbat pumpkin is a choice that has stood the test of time. The pumpkin is pear-shaped, elongated, yellow with an orange tint. The fruits ripen quite late and can weigh up to 20 kg. The harvest is well stored and is suitable for both food and livestock feed.
3. Vitamin. A late variety with large pinkish-brown oval pumpkins covered with greenish spots. The plant is powerful, each root produces 4-5 long, thick vines. The flesh is almost red. It contains a lot of carotene and is very sweet. The harvest is well stored without requiring special conditions.
4. Prikubanskaya. An old, well-tested species with proven agricultural technology. The fruits are relatively small (2-3 kg), pear-shaped, divided into segments by shallow grooves. The advantages of the vegetable are stable yield, resistance to rotting, tasty, juicy pulp of a bright orange hue.
5. Butternut- perhaps the most classic representative of the nutmeg varietal group. Due to the bright, pronounced nutty flavor of the pulp, this type is also called nutmeg or nutmeg. The plant has long, highly branched vines. Small pumpkins resemble an elongated pear in structure. The skin of the fruit is brown, and the flesh is bright orange, fibrous, oily to the touch and very good in taste. The harvest ripens quite late. No cellar is required for storage.

Variety Butternut

Something about unusual varieties...

Of course, classic varieties are a reliable, time-tested choice that guarantees a good harvest. But a good gardener is always by nature an experimenter, looking for something new and not stopping at previously achieved successes. For exotic lovers, a pumpkin is an excellent and very rewarding object. Domestic and foreign breeders have created and introduced unusual types of vegetables.

Mirani di Chioggia- a variety of nutmeg pumpkin that appeared on Italian soil, but recently in domestic gardens. The plant looks very unusual thanks to its flattened fruits of a bluish-green hue, sitting on long thick stalks. The surface of the fruit is divided into segments and seated with numerous tubercles. The cut of the fruit looks very decorative due to the contrast of the bluish-green skin with the yellow-orange color of the pulp. The seed nest is small, the flesh is dry, dense and sweet. The pumpkin harvest of this variety can be stored for up to 6 months!

There is also gymnosperm pumpkin. As the name suggests, the seeds of this variety do not have a shell, so they are very good for use in confectionery products, and simply for food. The fruits are mid-ripening and quite resistant to rot during storage. The pulp is not very sweet, but is quite suitable for food.

This variety is quite capricious; the seeds often rot and germinate poorly because they do not have a protective skin. Therefore, it is better to grow such plants from seedlings. The area for gymnosperms should be set aside from pumpkins of another variety, as cross-pollination gives disappointing results. This vegetable also does not welcome humidity and drought. Getting a harvest of this type is not an easy task even for an expert in pumpkin growing.

Variety Spaghetti also an unusual look. When cooked, the pulp of this vegetable breaks down into fibers resembling vermicelli; hence the name. The variety is early ripening, the first pumpkins will be ready by the end of August. The fruits are similar in color and shape to melons and are small in size (about 1 kg), which makes harvesting and transportation easy. The pulp is not juicy, but sweet, with a vanilla aroma.

Arina is a light gray or white pumpkin with a round shape and a smooth or slightly segmented surface. The pulp is sweet to taste, dense, yellow in color. The vegetable is well stored, high-yielding, and resistant to many diseases characteristic of the vegetable. The peculiarity of the variety is its seeds, rich in oil. They can be used in folk medicine.

As you can see, pumpkin is a very diverse garden crop with a wide variety of qualities among different species. Among the variety of varieties, any gardener will find something to suit his taste. But no matter what type you choose, remember the need to follow the agricultural technology required for the variety. Pumpkin is a very grateful plant that will repay a little care with a good harvest!

Pumpkin is recognized throughout the world as a valuable vegetable plant. Pumpkin dishes are easy to digest, contain many beneficial substances for the body and are very affordable. But neither the majority of housewives who add pumpkin to porridge, making delicious juice or tasty jam for the winter, nor gardeners know that very different interesting crops are united under one name.

Moreover, these plants not only belong to different types, but also have completely different purposes.

Classification of pumpkin varieties

The genus Cucurbita, which unites numerous varieties of pumpkin, includes 18 species, most of which have no culinary value, and some are used as fodder, ornamental and industrial crops.

The main center of origin and distribution of pumpkin plant species is Central and South America, where these plants were familiar and used by people in ancient times. However, some subspecies originate from the Asian region and Africa. Currently, thanks to the development of connections between countries and continents, gardeners have access to all species diversity, and they can try to grow the most unusual plants on their own plot.

And the most famous cultural food species in the world include:

• large-fruited pumpkin or Cucurbita maxima;
• hard-bark pumpkin or Cucurbita pepo;
• butternut squash or Cucurbita moschata.

At the same time, two types, namely large-fruited and hard-barked pumpkins, are also grown for livestock feed.

One of the large-fruited subspecies is the spectacularly shaped pumpkin shown in the photo, reminiscent of Turkish headdresses and grown as an ornamental crop. But the beloved zucchini and squash, although eaten in the form of greens, are also pumpkins and belong to the species Cucurbita pepo.

With a lot of common features and properties, cultivated types and varieties of pumpkin, as in the photo, have a number of differences in the appearance of the green parts of plants and fruits, as well as in their quality.

If you look at the stems, the large-fruited pumpkin will have an almost rounded cross-section, while the hard-barked pumpkin will have clearly visible edges.

A plant belonging to the species Cucurbita maxima can be recognized by its almost flat leaf blades, while the leaves of the butternut squash have a clearly visible notch in the center. And the leaves of the hard-barked pumpkin are covered with coarse, thorn-like hair.

• The fruits of hard-barked and large-fruited pumpkins most often have a round or elongated shape, and the seeds are located in the middle of the fruit in volumetric cavities.
• In the pear-shaped nutmeg pumpkin, the pulp occupies almost the entire volume of the fruit, and there are very few seeds, and they are located closer to the expanding end.

Pumpkins cultivated in Russia and all over the world can have a climbing or bush form. Moreover, the subgroup of bush pumpkins, as in the photo, includes zucchini, zucchini, and squash, cut from the plant at the age of 6–14 days.

Read also: Vegetable garden without hassle: planting potatoes under straw

So what is good about this or that type of pumpkin? What are its characteristic features and features? Photos of types and varieties of pumpkin will help you understand all the diversity.

Large-fruited pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima)

The name of this type of pumpkin speaks for itself.

Large-fruited pumpkin varieties are popular among gardeners all over the world, but the most outstanding specimens can only be obtained in long, warm summers. Under favorable conditions, the weight of pumpkins reaches several hundred kilograms, and gourmet varieties accumulate up to 15% sugar.

It is not surprising that the Cucurbita maxima pumpkin species is most widespread in its homeland, Peru, as well as in the southern states of the USA, Bolivia and India, where many interesting local varieties have been obtained. It is interesting that large-fruited pumpkins, even those belonging to the same species, amaze with their shapes, colors and even sizes. Along with giant plants, there are also dwarfs that produce very modest fruits, like the already mentioned turban-shaped pumpkin in the photo.

A striking representative of a large-fruited species in Russian beds can be considered such a well-known variety as the “Hundred Pound” pumpkin, in the photo, even in the middle zone it grows up to 10–15 kg, and in warmer regions it pleases summer residents with fruits of 35–50 kg. The pumpkin variety is distinguished by its thin orange bark, loose yellow-orange pulp and resistance to common crop diseases.

Among the large-fruited record holders are pumpkins of the “Titan” and “Kupchikha” varieties, which have not let down gardeners for many years.

But the hybrid “Teschenka” only recently appeared in vegetable gardens, but has already established itself as a high-yielding crop, producing fruits weighing up to 20 kg. The pulp of such pumpkins is rich in carotene, has a decent taste and does not lose quality during long-term storage.

Hardbark pumpkin (Cucurbita rero)

This type of pumpkin growing wild was once discovered by the Indian tribes of Central America and became one of the most popular, if not iconic, plants in the region.

The annual vegetable plant, now represented by many dozens of varieties and varieties, is grown everywhere from southern Mexico to the central United States. The culture contains both climbing and bush plants, and some of the subspecies are decorative pumpkins, as in the photo, used to decorate the garden and interior.

Cucurbita pepo, as a species, is divided into several independent varieties, including: hard-barked pumpkin, squash and squash.

The hard-barked pumpkin got its name due to the rough, very dense layer of bark that gains strength as the fruits ripen. This is the fastest ripening species in Russian gardens, but pumpkin lovers should note that the pulp of this type of fruit can be quite coarse, so you should choose varieties for cultivation especially carefully. Today, summer residents are offered many interesting hybrids and varieties of pumpkin, among which there are plants of very unusual appearance and properties.

Read also: Agricultural technology for growing cherries of the Ovstuzhenka variety

An early ripening hard-bark pumpkin of the “Spaghetti” variety ripens in 65–80 days and during the growing season forms a long-climbing plant with oval fruits of a yellowish or cream color. Pumpkin weight ranges from 800 to 1.5 kg, but main feature variety is hidden under hard bark. This is a low-juicy pulp that breaks down into separate fibers, the appearance of which gave the name to the variety. The sweetness of this pumpkin, in the photo, is not great, but the variety is loved by vegetarians and devotees proper nutrition for the opportunity to enjoy unusual vegetable “pasta”.

Amazon is an early ripening variety of pumpkin, the main value of which is its small portioned fruits weighing about one kilogram. The juicy orange pulp of pumpkin is rich in sugar and carotenes, valuable for baby and dietary nutrition. At the same time, the productive variety can be classified as bush pumpkins with short, barely developed vines.

A characteristic feature of the culture is oil-rich, tasty seeds without a hard surface shell. The pumpkin in the photo is unpretentious, but it cannot be stored for a long time due to the danger of seeds sprouting inside the fruit.

The ultra-early ripening variety of bush pumpkin “Smile” easily tolerates frost, is productive and is valued as a source of sweet portioned fruits with pulp that smells like real melon.

A typical example of bush pumpkin varieties are squash and zucchini grown in every garden, as well as zucchini, popular today, with fruits of all shades of yellow and green.

Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata)

Butternut squash can easily be called the most delicious of all cultivated species. It is not surprising that the seeds of this particular culture were found by archaeologists during the study of ancient settlements in South America.

According to morphological characteristics, namely the appearance of stems, leaves and flowers, this type of pumpkin occupies an intermediate position between Cucurbita maxima and Cucurbita pepo. But the pulp of the fruit is strikingly different in appearance and taste, because on average it contains up to 11.5% sugar, is dense, oily and has a subtle pleasant smell.

True, it is more difficult to grow nutmeg pumpkin fruits than large-fruited or hard-barked ones. Plants are demanding of heat and humidity, and pumpkin varieties are mid- or late-season. There are six subspecies of butternut squash in the world. But the most popular are pear-shaped pumpkins, called “butternut” due to the taste and consistency of the pulp.

For Russian summer residents, breeders offer fairly cold-resistant varieties of pumpkin of this type, which bear sweet, delicious fruits in 90–120 days.

An early-ripening variety of nutmeg pumpkin, “Sugar Mace,” forms climbing plants that can simultaneously ripen up to 8 fruits weighing from one and a half to two kilograms.

The peculiarity of the pumpkin variety, as in the photo, is the unusual shape of the fruits and their fairly rapid ripening. Sweet and juicy pulp, rich in carotene, vitamins and can be used for making juices, baby food and other types of culinary processing

Pumpkin variety "Pearl" ripens three weeks later. The fruits in this case have the classic shape of a pear-shaped pumpkin and reach 3–6 kg in weight. The rich orange pulp contains a lot of sugar and carotene, which makes it suitable for baby and medical nutrition. The plants tolerate dry periods well, and the fruits can ripen indoors.

“Pineapple” nutmeg pumpkin is a mid-season hybrid with long vines and pear-shaped delicious fruits weighing up to 2.5 kg. The bark of this variety of pumpkins, as in the photo, has a cream or yellowish tint, and the pulp can accumulate up to 10% sugar. Butternut squash is versatile and disease resistant.

Figleaf pumpkin (Cucurbita ficifolia)

The Peruvian jungle is home to another type of pumpkin, which, unlike the plants already described, is a perennial crop.

Externally, a green pumpkin, on the surface of which a whitish fancy pattern is clearly visible, when cut, looks more like an unripe watermelon. The oval or elongated fruit of the figleaf pumpkin has rough white or yellowish flesh with a sweetish aroma and taste. The seeds also resemble watermelon in both shape and hard black shell. The plants are vigorous, climbing, individual shoots reach 10 meters in length.

Green pumpkins of this type are used in vegetable side dishes, subjected to heat treatment, and ripe ones are a raw material for confectionery and alcoholic beverages. Despite its tropical origin, this type of pumpkin, as in the photo, can be easily grown even in the North-West of the country.

Wax gourd (Benincasa hispida)

Elongated green pumpkins of this species were originally known only in the Southeast. But today the first varieties of pumpkin of the genus Benincasa hispida have appeared in Russia. The fruits are dark green in color and have an unusual dense bark that feels like wax.

The Chengzhou wax gourd variety produces fruits that are ready for harvest 125-130 days after sowing. Pumpkins ripen on long powerful vines. The weight of each fruit reaches 6–15 kg, and its length ranges from 25 to 50 cm.

The milky pulp of this type of pumpkin can be used boiled, stewed or fried. Both green pumpkins that have not reached ripeness and ripe fruits are used for culinary purposes. As the pumpkin ripens, it accumulates some sugar, but it cannot compare with butternut squash. But wax pumpkin holds the record for shelf life. Without loss of quality, fruits can last up to 2–3 years.

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The best varieties and types of pumpkins

The variety of shapes and colors of a pumpkin can amaze any gardener: round, flat, elongated, resembling a guitar or a jug, yellow, bright orange, green with stripes, gray with specks. Many people get lost in such diversity, not knowing which pumpkin is best to plant. The best varieties of pumpkin with photos and descriptions will help every vegetable grower get a rich harvest of this garden beauty.

There are three varieties of pumpkins found on farms, fields and gardens around the world:

• hard-barked;
• large-fruited;
• nutmeg.

In each of these varieties there are bush and climbing pumpkins, portioned and with large fruits, with very sweet pulp or a large number of seeds, table, fodder or decorative.

The choice of variety depends on the preferences and goals of the gardener. For those who want to enjoy boiled, stewed or fried pumpkin in the summer, having prepared only the seeds for the winter, it is better to plant more hard-barked summer varieties.

Fans of baked fruits and pumpkin juice are advised to choose nutmeg and large-fruited varieties in order to preserve the fruits until spring. Connoisseurs of fresh salads with pumpkin will like the gray-fruited varieties with sweet pulp.

Varieties of hard-bark pumpkin

This type of pumpkin owes its name to its very thick, woody skin when ripe. Hard-bark pumpkins are distinguished by early ripening (late August-early September), small fruit size and the most delicious seeds. The bush varieties found among this variety of pumpkins are very convenient for saving space.

Hard-barked varieties have a ribbed stalk with pronounced grooves, a spiny hairy stem and pentagonal leaves. The cream-colored seeds have pronounced rims.

Altai

A productive, early-ripening, cold-resistant variety for universal use. The round, orange, ribbed fruits with yellow spots can weigh from 2.5 to 5 kg. The yellow, fibrous pulp does not taste very sweet. The fruits have a high shelf life.

Acorn

Due to the external similarity of small fruits to acorns, this pumpkin is called “acorn” pumpkin. The outer skin of the fruit can range in color from dark green to orange. The yellow-orange flesh has a sweet taste.

Aport

A mid-season bush pumpkin of almost round shape with an orange peel without a pattern and fruits growing up to 7 kg. The pulp is orange-yellow, crispy, juicy. The taste is sweet, with pronounced creamy notes.

A mid-ripening variety with pear-shaped or spherical fruits of dark green or yellow mesh green color with orange-yellow tender sweet pulp. It is valued primarily for its fleshy, large, skinless seeds with a high oil content.

Smile

An early ripening variety with small neat bushes that ripens in 85 days. One plant produces 7-8, and sometimes up to 15, small bright orange pumpkins with light stripes with an average weight of about 1.5 kg.

Beautiful flowers and good keeping quality are the characteristic features of this variety. The fruits can last until January at room temperature without losing their flavor. The pulp is 3-4 cm thick, aromatic, crispy, sweet.

Spaghetti

A variety with a “telling” name, the pulp of which disintegrates during cooking into fibers reminiscent of spaghetti. The shape and color of the fruits are similar to melon. Unripe pumpkins are greenish in color; fully ripe ones turn light yellow.

Freckle

An early-ripening bush variety with small fruits weighing up to 3 kg with a light green peel with light spots. The flesh is yellow-orange, with a sweet, delicate flavor and a pear-like flavor. The variety loves good watering, is productive, and stores well.

Kustovaya Gribovskaya 189

An early ripening variety that produces the first harvest in 98 days. The elongated oval fruits with light orange skin with black and dark green spots weigh about 4 kg. The pulp is orange, with excellent taste.

Dacha

The variety is mid-season, the fruits are orange-green, oval, reaching a weight of 4.5 kg. The bright orange pulp is tender, juicy, and has a great taste and vanilla aroma. The variety can be grown in all regions, obtaining high yields. Taste is preserved for 4 months after collection.

A short-climbing, early-ripening plant with compactly growing bushes. Orange large fruits reach a weight of 5 kg. The orange pulp, up to 7 cm thick, has an excellent taste. Pumpkin is unpretentious to growing conditions and tolerates drought well. It can be stored for a long time without losing its taste.

Almond

A mid-season variety of universal use with long vines and round orange fruits weighing 4-5 kg. The orange-yellow crispy juicy flesh has a sweet taste. The fruits are stored for a long time and are great for baby food and making juices.

Mozoleevskaya

A mid-early climbing pumpkin with yellow, egg-shaped fruits with dark green stripes, with an average weight of 4-5 kg. The pale orange dense pulp tastes quite sweet (sugar content reaches 6-7%). The variety is characterized by high keeping quality and good transportability.

Large-fruited pumpkins are distinguished by the largest size and sweetness of the fruits. Some varieties have a sugar content of about 15%, far exceeding the sweetest watermelon.

Large-fruited varieties are characterized by rounded cylindrical stalks, kidney-shaped or close to pentagonal leaves, and rounded stems without furrows. Large-fruited pumpkins may have dull, milky white or brown seeds. This variety tolerates low temperatures better than others and can be stored for a very long time in an ordinary apartment.

These are mainly unpretentious cold-resistant varieties with large fruits, the weight of some of them can reach 100 kg.

Arina

An unpretentious, disease-resistant early climbing table variety with rounded light gray smooth or slightly segmented fruits with an average weight of 3-5 kg. The yellow, dense pulp has a sweet taste. Stores well and for a long time. The seeds have a high oil content.

An early universal bush variety with spherical gray slightly segmented fruits weighing about 10 kg. The pulp is juicy, yellow, not very sweet. Mainly grown for its oil-rich seeds.

Big Moon

An unpretentious mid-late variety with powerful vines up to 3 m long. Very large, slightly segmented or smooth yellow fruits weigh 15-40 kg (some can reach 90 kg). The yellow-orange juicy and dense pulp has a good taste.

Zorka

An extra-early large-fruited table variety with long powerful vines. Dark gray fruits with orange spots reach a weight of 5-6 kg. The dense, bright orange pulp contains 12-14% sugar. The value of the variety lies in its exceptional sweetness and high carotene content. The fruits are used to prepare baby food.

A climbing, early-ripening pumpkin weighing 3-4 kg, resembling a bright orange top in shape. The sweet orange flesh has a delicate melon flavor. The variety is cold-resistant, high-yielding.

Ordinary

The most common variety, the fruits of which can weigh about 25 kg. Smaller pumpkins are sweeter and tastier.

Gribovskaya winter

Late-ripening variety, ripening in 140 days. The plant is long-climbing, with flattened gray fruits weighing more than 3 kg. The pulp is reddish or bright yellow, up to 6 cm thick, dense, tender, juicy, sweet. Stored well.

Children's delicatessen

A productive mid-season table variety with small round (up to 3 kg) orange fruits with green stripes. The pulp is dense, pale orange, sweet, juicy. The fruits have excellent taste. Can be eaten fresh.

An early-ripening variety with high taste qualities, with short (no more than 1 m) vines and portioned, slightly flattened orange fruits with light stripes. The crisp, bright orange pulp has a high content of carotene and sugar. Suitable for long-term storage. Can be eaten fresh.

Winter sweet

A late-ripening, long-climbing variety with flattened fruits weighing about 6 kg and a dark gray peel divided into segments. The plant tolerates drought well. The pulp is orange-yellow, thick, juicy, sweet, with excellent taste. Recommended for making juices and baby food.

Medical

An early-ripening variety with thin gray skin, recommended for dietary nutrition. The pulp of the fruit is orange, juicy, crispy, and sweetish in taste. The variety is resistant to low temperatures(up to -2 degrees), stores well.

A mid-early table variety recommended for cultivation in various regions. The fruits are light orange, smooth, flattened, weighing 15 kg or more. Has good taste. Can be stored for up to 5 months.

Sweetie

A productive, long-climbing, early-ripening variety that grows well in fertile soils. The fruits weigh on average 2.5 kg and ripen up to 8 pieces at a time. The peel is reddish, with green spots. The pulp is bright orange, very tasty, dense, crispy, juicy. Contains a lot of vitamin C, 1% carotene, 8% sugars.

Paris gold

A mid-early variety, resistant to unfavorable conditions, with long powerful vines, yellow-orange flattened fruits with pronounced segmentation, weighing 8-10 kg. The thick yellow-orange pulp is rich in vitamins and has excellent taste.

A mid-late table variety with small orange fruits weighing 2-3 kg with an elongated neck. The yellow, dense pulp has a sweet taste. Without loss of taste, the fruits can be stored until January.

Winter dining room

A late-ripening climbing variety of pumpkin with flattened, segmented light gray fruits that may have green or pink stripes. The orange pulp is very dense and sweet. The variety is characterized by good transportability and high shelf life.

hundred pound

Late-ripening, long-climbing, universal variety with smooth, oval, slightly segmented fruits of white, yellow, gray, orange or Pink colour weighing 6-10 kg. The thick orange or white-yellow flesh tastes slightly sweet.

Kherson

Climbing pumpkin of medium late ripening with flat gray-green fruits with gray spots weighing 4-6 kg. The pulp is orange, crispy, sweet, juicy, and tastes very pleasant. The variety is heat-loving and drought-resistant. Stored well.

Volga gray

A drought-resistant mid-season variety with vines reaching a length of 8 m. The fruits are almost round, light gray, weighing about 8 kg. The flesh is yellow or orange, the juiciness and sweetness are medium. Stored well.

Chit

Mid-season climbing variety with light gray flat fruits weighing up to 3 kg. The pulp is yellow, dense, sweet, not very juicy.

Marble

A high-yielding, late-ripening, long-climbing variety with lumpy, dark green, round, segmented fruits, the average weight of which reaches 3.5-4.5 kg. The rich orange pulp is distinguished by its high density, very sweet taste and high carotene content. The fruits can be eaten fresh.

A very juicy and sweet pumpkin with a gray yellow-orange skin. Can be eaten raw.

Centner

An early ripening universal variety with very large fruits that can reach gigantic (up to 100 kg) sizes. It is grown mainly for its seeds.

Titanium

A universal mid-season variety with long vines and huge spherical segmented fruits weighing 20-50 kg. The thick yellow flesh tastes quite sweet. To grow a giant, it is recommended to leave only one fruit on the vine.

Varieties of butternut squash

These pumpkins have an excellent taste and a long shelf life, but they are more capricious to grow and are more suitable for the southern regions. Butternut squash can be eaten raw. Despite the fact that they are such sissies, they can be grown in harsh climates, only through seedlings. The fruits can be picked slightly unripe: they will ripen at home.

Muscat pumpkins are characterized by a pentagonal stalk widened towards the base. The color of butternut squash seeds is brownish or dirty yellow.

Pineapple

A disease-resistant, mid-season, long-climbing, pear-shaped hybrid weighing up to 2.5 kg. The pumpkin bark is yellowish or cream-colored; the pulp contains about 10% sugar.

Butternut

This variety with fruits that look like pears can be found under the names Muscat or Nut. Small pumpkins weighing up to 1 kg have an external resemblance to a pear. The orange flesh is sweet, juicy and aromatic. The fruits can be baked, stewed, boiled, but it is best to eat them raw: they contain a lot of useful minerals and vitamins.

Bylinka

A juicy, sweet variety with bright orange flesh and gray skin that has an excellent taste when eaten raw.

A late-ripening, long-climbing pumpkin variety with green, oval-shaped fruits weighing about 6 kg. The bright orange pulp is very tender, sweet (about 7% sugar), crispy. Due to its high beta-carotene content, it is useful for making juices, baby food and eating raw.

Palav Kadu

A late table variety with orange large and round segmented fruits weighing about 10 kg. The sweet orange pulp is valued for its unprecedented juiciness and amazing taste.

Prikubanskaya

An old, mid-late muscat variety with long vines reaching 3-4m. Pear-shaped orange-brown fruits weigh 2-5 kg. The red-orange tender pulp is juicy and sweet (6.5% sugar). Without loss of taste, it can be stored until a new harvest.

An early ripening nutmeg variety that forms climbing plants with simultaneously ripening 7-8 fruits weighing 1.5-2 kg. The pulp is juicy and sweet, rich in carotene and vitamins, and can be used for baby food, making juices and various culinary processing.

Pearl

Mid-season muscat variety with classic pear-shaped fruits weighing 3-6 kg. The orange pulp contains a lot of carotene and sugar. Tolerates dry periods well. Pumpkins are suitable for medicinal and baby food.

Varieties of decorative pumpkin

Decorative pumpkins are modified varieties of other types of pumpkins, most often ordinary hard-barked ones. These types of pumpkins were bred for beauty; taste qualities were not taken into account during breeding selection. Most decorative pumpkins are not suitable for consumption.

There are several types of decorative pumpkins:

Star (Crown Pumpkin)

A climbing type of decorative pumpkin that grows up to 3-4 meters in height and is used to decorate arches, gazebos, and walls of the house. Surprisingly small umbrella-shaped, star-shaped, crown-shaped fruits do not exceed 15 cm in diameter.

Warty pumpkin

Small pumpkins of various shapes and colors with an uneven surface covered with nodules and tubercles. The fruits are dried and used for decorative purposes.

Turban-shaped pumpkin (churban)

It can have completely different sizes and colors. It consists of two parts: the “fungi” top part larger than the lower part; the turban-shaped ones have a larger lower part. The climbing plant grows up to 2.5 m.

Pear-shaped

A type of pumpkin that looks like a large, smooth pear: yellow, red, two-colored or striped.

Tangerine

The diameter of tangerine pumpkins is no more than 10 cm, the skin of the fruit is smooth and slightly ribbed.

rassada.info

What are the most popular varieties of pumpkin?

The number of varieties and varieties of pumpkin is simply amazing in its diversity, so many gardeners cannot decide which seeds to choose for planting. In farms, gardens and fields around the world, the three most famous varieties of squash are found - butternut squash, hard squash and butternut squash.

Groups and types of pumpkin, differences

The presented groups include completely different fruits and plants; they can have different shapes, colors, number of seeds, weight, and differ in taste. There are also decorative types of pumpkins that are used to decorate garden plots. Here are the most popular types of pumpkin, which are used in cooking, medicine and livestock breeding. You can also see the article about hybrids and varieties of watermelons for central Russia.

Hard-bark pumpkin

This variety is characterized by the growth of long vines that reach 7 meters, the stem is powerful and furrowed, however, in breeding there are short-stemmed and bush forms of this vegetable crop. Today, hard-boiled pumpkin is the most popular species that grows in Ukraine and Russia. It has excellent taste and can be stored for a long time, unlike other varieties.

Hard-barked pumpkins are characterized by early ripening, so at the end of summer they are completely ready for harvest. This distinguishes this variety favorably from nutmeg and large-fruited varieties, which are harvested just before frost. The main value of this variety lies in its taste, although the fruits of the plant are relatively small. Its main difference is that the fruits have a hard skin, the stem is quite prickly and hairy, and the stalk is furrowed. More than 30 species of this pumpkin grow in the countries of the post-Soviet space, and each has found its own application.

Hokkaido pumpkin

There are many delicious varieties of pumpkin, but the earliest of them is the Japanese pumpkin. beautiful name Hokkaido, which not only ripens early, but also has excellent taste. Description of the pulp: widely used in cooking as it has a pleasant sweet taste that is reminiscent of sweet potatoes or edible chestnuts.

Hokkaido pumpkin is small in weight and can weigh up to 2.5 kg; its shape is flattened, pear-shaped or round. The plant loves abundant watering and fertilizer, which increases the number of fruits collected. And the pulp of Hokkaido pumpkin has a lot of minerals, vitamins and acids that are beneficial to the human body. The bark of the fruit is presented in different shades, ranging from light orange to bright red, and there is also a greyish, green and yellow-green peel.

fodder pumpkin

This pumpkin variety is an excellent animal feed.

The sprouted pumpkin is crushed together with waste grain and silage, and then fed to livestock, chickens, and pigs. After this feed, pigs noticeably gain weight, the fat content and amount of milk in cows increases, chickens grow quickly and produce more eggs. And all this is explained by the fact that pumpkin fruits contain a lot of vitamin E, which increases reproductive function.

The variety is characterized by high yield and amounts to 20 tons per hectare, however, in well-fertilized and properly cultivated areas, yields are up to 60 tons per hectare. All forage varieties of pumpkin are distinguished by very large fruits, sometimes reaching gigantic sizes, but their taste is mediocre, so the fruits are practically not used in cooking. Regarding the number of fruits of one plant, it can be 10 pieces. The average weight of a pumpkin is up to 35 kg, but some can weigh up to 50 kg.

Green pumpkin

In recent years, decorative varieties of pumpkin for the Moscow region have become very popular, among which the green dietary pumpkin, rich in a lot of useful substances, stands out. This is a mid-late variety that has dark green fruits with a turban-like shape. The pumpkins are slightly wrinkled on top and have an average weight of up to 10 kg. These are orange pumpkins (the color of the flesh) with juicy flesh. This species belongs to dietary cults, as it has a beneficial effect on the human body, removes toxins and provides it with useful vitamins and minerals.

Among the most popular varieties of green pumpkin, it is worth highlighting large-fruited variety"Freckle", which ripens very early and has a green skin with light spots. The Acorn variety is also often found; in its shape it resembles acorns with a slight weight. The pulp of this pumpkin has a pleasant taste and orange-yellow color. The peel comes in a variety of colors, ranging from dark green to dark orange. Regardless of the variety, green pumpkin is small and readily used in desserts. These pumpkins are also stuffed and served as a hotel dish.

Pumpkin Pineapple

The plant of this variety is distinguished by long vines with a thick stem, on which 5-6 fruits are formed. Fruiting of pineapple pumpkin occurs continuously all summer and autumn, and the very first pumpkins appear 4 months after sowing the seeds. The fruits of this variety have excellent taste with a high sugar content, which is why it is called sweet pumpkin and is used for making desserts.

The only drawback of pineapple pumpkin is the poor preservation of the fruit, which is no more than two months. The ripening period for pumpkin is 103-107 days, but if the plant is provided with good watering and a favorable warm climate, the ripening will accelerate significantly. Among consumers, pineapple pumpkin is considered not only the healthiest, but also very tasty, as it contains 10% sugar. Regarding the weight of the fruits, they reach 1.5-2.5 kg and are distinguished by dense, thin skin. The pulp is very sweet, thick, dense, and has a nutmeg aroma, which becomes more pronounced with increasing shelf life.

Pear shaped pumpkin

Among all annual climbing plants, decorative pumpkins are in unprecedented demand, as they produce bright, beautiful fruits reminiscent of a tangerine, apple or pear. Such pumpkins are stored for a long time and can decorate the interior of every country house. When compared with other varieties, pear pumpkin really looks like a pear and has a bright yellow color. However, in the selection there are varieties that have two colors, outlined by a clear boundary, some of them are distinguished by their striped color.

This yellow pumpkin has also found its use at various holidays as decorations. For example, on Halloween, the fruits of this pumpkin are used to make lanterns with scary faces and decorate the interior with them. As for the taste of this variety, its pulp is very sweet, juicy and is used as a dietary product. The human body easily digests pumpkin, which is why it is used in many dishes.

Quite often, this pumpkin is prescribed for the diet menu, since 100 grams of the product contains only 30 calories.

White pumpkin

This type has many names, it is winter pumpkin, white or wax. The most popular variety of white pumpkin is called Bennincasa. White pumpkin originated from the island of Java, but then it began to be widely cultivated in Japan and China, and a little later it began to be grown in our country. This plant is characterized by long, dense stems that grow very quickly, especially in fertilized soil.

At the very beginning of its growth, the pumpkin has a greenish tint, but as the ripening period approaches, a dense waxy coating forms on its surface. It can be stored for quite a long period of time without losing its taste and beneficial elements. The peel of white pumpkin contains a lot of microelements, vitamins and pectins. Characteristics of the fruit: they are oval in shape and can reach a length of up to 60 cm.

However, such a long pumpkin has a small weight, reaching 4 kg. Its peel is dense with a pale green tint, covered with a waxy coating with a blue tint. The fruit pulp is juicy and white. It’s not for nothing that this variety is called winter pumpkin, because under favorable conditions it can be stored for 2-3 years, and this significantly distinguishes it from other varieties. White pumpkin is used in cooking, medicine, and for decorating garden plots. It is worth noting that with each day the fruits ripen, they acquire a denser waxy coating.

Large-fruited pumpkin

It is not difficult to guess that large-fruited pumpkin differs from other varieties in its gigantic size, because its average weight is 25-50 kg, but with well-fertilized soil the fruits reach 100 kg or more. In addition, it is considered the sweetest variety of pumpkin, since some of them can contain up to 15% sugar in their pulp, which is slightly more than a watermelon. Large-fruited pumpkin is a fairly unpretentious plant that can withstand mild cold and provides high yields.

The peel of the fruit is fleshy and thick, which ensures long-term storage of the crop and excellent transportability. The shape of a large-fruited pumpkin is round, the stalks are cylindrical. The pulp of the vegetable is widely used in cooking and also as animal feed. The pulp contains a lot of useful vitamins from the group: A, E, C, PP, K, B, as well as microelements magnesium, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus.

In addition, the fruits of the plant are widely used in medicine, so they are prescribed to people with stomach diseases, high acidity, and ulcers. Pumpkin pulp also has a laxative effect, so it is prescribed for chronic constipation. But pumpkin juice has an excellent choleretic and diuretic effect. The homeland of the large-fruited pumpkin is South and Central America, later it began to be grown in Europe, and today it grows all over the world, including our country.

New pumpkins, their taste qualities

Chinese bitter gourd has several names: Karela, bitter cucumber, Momordica charantia. She looks like herbaceous vine and originates in tropical Asia. Pumpkin is not adapted to cold, so it is grown in places with warm climates, such as South and South-East Asia, China, and the Caribbean. The pulp of the fruit has a dense structure, a pale green tint and a bitter taste.

Fruit seeds have completely different shapes, ranging from ovoid to rectangular. At the beginning of ripening, the pumpkin pulp is bitter, but when the fruit is ripe, it becomes sweet. The most mature seeds suitable for further sowing should have a red-brown tint. If the fruit is not ripe, then its pulp has a watery, crunchy texture, which is used in medicine and cooking.

When the fruits are overripe, they lose their nutritional value, become soft and bitter. In cooking, Chinese pumpkin is considered a low-calorie product; it contains a lot of carbohydrates and beta-carotene, which the body needs to obtain vitamin A. After all, vitamin A plays a major role in the formation of blood cells, strengthens the immune system, and provides a person with healthy sleep. Pumpkin contains 70% of the substances that the body needs, and its pulp also ensures healthy nails and hair. We recommend viewing the article: Description of the best varieties of zucchini.

letnyayadacha.ru

There are many plants that decorate gardens at different times of the year. Climbing species of shrubs and flowers always add special charm to the site. A house wall, gazebo or arch entwined with vines creates a unique atmosphere of country coziness.

Decorative pumpkin is just one of these plants. Climbing shoots will decorate the garden or vegetable garden from June to early November. And in mid-autumn, bright colorful fruits will add color and it is not at all difficult to grow. If you don't already have one of these plants on your property, consider adding this colorful accent to your landscape.

Plant characteristics

Decorative pumpkin is a fast-growing vine that forms shoots up to 6 meters long. Plants are grown primarily as annuals. This variety of pumpkins differs from ordinary ones in the following characteristics:

Regarding the last point, it is worth noting that gardeners really have a lot to choose from. There are varieties with round, pear-shaped, bottle-shaped, oval and star-shaped fruits. The fruits of decorative pumpkins, unlike ordinary ones, can come in a variety of colors. Each plant produces 20 to 30 fruits with light orange pulp and seeds. You may not know that pumpkin fruits are biologically classified as berries.

The flowering plant also has decorative value. At the beginning of summer climbing plants medium to large sized yellow, orange or white flowers appear.

Description of decorative pumpkin-pear

This is one of the most unusual and striking species. The fruits of the plant are pear-shaped. In size, they are usually several times larger than a pear fruit. The variety of color options for this pumpkin is impressive. The fruits can be orange, red, cream, green, striped, spotted and even white.

The plant forms long branched shoots with dark green leaves. Such a vine can be a spectacular decoration for a hedge, wall of a garden building, arch or pergola.

Growing conditions

Like all members of the pumpkin family, this variety does not require complex care. Growing can be successful in almost all climatic zones of our country. Compliance with the basic rules of agricultural technology will allow even a novice gardener to grow a beautiful and healthy plant.

Soil and lighting requirements

The plant is tolerant of almost all types of soil, but the best option is humus-rich, moderately moist soil with sufficient drainage. The optimal soil acidity level (pH) is 6.5. Before planting, compost should be added to the soil, the amount of which will depend on the natural characteristics of the soil.

The plant will feel much worse in an area where the following related crops previously grew:

• zucchini;
• squash;
• cucumbers

The most favorable predecessors for pumpkin are:

• tomatoes;
• carrot;
• cabbage;
• winter grains such as wheat or corn.

Sometimes gardeners fear that the plant may get sick or die due to groundwater lying close to the surface. In fact, it does not have any effect on the growth and yield of the pumpkin.

Pumpkin is a light-loving plant. It will grow best in an area that receives direct sunlight. sun rays at least 6 hours a day. In this case, you can count on maximum productivity and best quality fruits

At the same time, the plant can grow quite well in partial shade. Knowing this, some gardeners use this type of pumpkin to protect other plants from weeds. Planted in beds of corn, a climbing decorative pumpkin occupies free space, simultaneously preventing the growth of weeds and decorating the garden.

Landing rules

Decorative pumpkin-pear can be planted as seedlings or seeds directly into open ground. The choice of method depends on the climatic conditions of the area. The time of planting in open ground also depends on the geographic latitude. In the middle zone this is the period from late April to mid-May.

Growing seedlings

This growing method includes two stages.

Germination of seeds for seedlings in special containers. These can be paper cups, pots or seed boxes. You need to sow the seeds about three weeks before transplanting into open ground. As a growing substrate, it is better to use a mixture of soil and peat in a ratio of 2 to 1. In order to ensure maximum seed germination, in the first three days after sowing, you need to maintain the air temperature during the day at 22-25 degrees, at night - no lower 15.

Planting seedlings in open ground. The optimal soil temperature for replanting is 12 degrees. The temperature can be easily determined by immersing a regular thermometer in the soil for ten minutes. At lower temperatures, plants need to be planted under a film, preferably black. There is another option for low soil temperatures. Approximately three liters should be poured into the planting holes. hot water.

Growing pumpkin from seeds in open ground

This option for growing pumpkins is suitable for southern regions, where the average daily July temperature does not fall below 18 degrees. Seeds should be sown in open ground if there is no longer a threat of frost. Experts recommend warming up the seeds a day before sowing and soaking them in an ash solution.

After planting, seeds or seedlings must be watered.

Plant care

Caring for the plant is quite simple. The following main recommendations can be highlighted.

A week after planting, you need to mulch the soil to protect the plant from weeds. Peat, pine needles, or even dry soil can be used as mulch.

It is important to regularly weed and loosen the soil near the plants. Loosening within two weeks after planting is carried out to a depth of up to 12 cm, and after a month - up to 5 cm.

Plants need to be watered regularly during flowering and ovary formation. For watering, use only warm water (about 20 degrees).

From the moment the foliage appears, the seedlings need to be fed with dry nitrophoska, and from the moment the lashes form - with a solution of this substance.

Proper care also involves preparing a strong support for the climbing shoots of the decorative pumpkin.

Varieties of decorative pear-shaped pumpkins

There are many varieties of decorative pear-shaped pumpkins. They mainly differ in the shape and color of the fruit. Requirements for planting and care are basically the same. Look at descriptions and photographs of the most popular varieties.

Kleine bicolor. The fruits are shaped like a large glossy pear. In accordance with the name, the fruits combine two colors - bright yellow and green.

Cou-Tors Hative. The variety belongs to the group of so-called torticollis. Bizarre fruits with a bright orange pimply shell are shaped like a swan.

Texas pumpkin. The plant produces large pear-shaped fruits, the color of which resembles a watermelon: there are light green stripes along a dark green background.

Golden pear. This pumpkin has huge, bright orange, teardrop-shaped fruits with a bumpy shell. Unlike most decorative varieties, this pumpkin is completely edible. It has a sweetish taste with notes of roasted chestnuts.

Peanut Butter Pumpkin. Forms large golden-orange fruits with an elongated pear shape. Like the previous variety, it can be used for preparing various dishes.

Speckled swan gourd. Rare and very unusual variety. True to its name, the fruits look like a swan with an arched neck. The color of the shell is also unusual: white spots on a green background.

As you can see, decorative pumpkins are great opportunity Decorate your garden plot in an unusual and bright way. In addition, dried fruits are an excellent material for making handmade decor items: original vases, candlesticks and lamps.