Varieties of pumpkins: descriptions of the best varieties

Pumpkin began to be cultivated in Russia in the 16th century. Since then, it is a multi-purpose crop that is grown even in regions with a harsh climate. At the mention of pumpkins, it is customary to represent round red-orange pumpkins. However, in fact, the culture is extremely diverse, there are varieties that differ in color, shape, and taste.

To get a rich harvest, it is important to choose the most suitable type.

The best pumpkin varieties

Pumpkin is considered a very popular culture; it can be found on farmland, summer cottages, vegetable gardens. If the variety is correctly selected, problems with its cultivation, as a rule, do not arise. Thanks to its healthy composition and excellent taste, it is cultivated under different climatic conditions. Domestic breeders are developing new varieties that are resistant; they are suitable for the Moscow Region and Siberia. Heat-loving varieties of this crop are successfully grown in the south. Each type has its own characteristics of care, description and is not suitable for every region.

Varieties of nutmeg pumpkin

Pumpkins are more often cylindrical, less often rounded. The stem is covered with soft bristles. The color of the leaves is green with white spots. Its name owes to the nutmeg aroma of pulp. The color of the ripe fruit is beige, however, when stored, they acquire an orange tint. This happens due to an increase in sugar content. It is not suitable for long-term storage, after six months it loses commercial quality.

The best representatives of nutmeg pumpkins:

• Vitamin. It has late ripe fruits of regular cylindrical shape. Weight 4-6 kg.The bark is brown, thin. Carotene-rich orange flesh, has a sweet taste.
• Candied. Mid-season. Grows on long sprawling bushes. When ripe, the bark is light brown. The pulp is bright red.
• Pearl. The early ripe fruits of nutmeg pearls grow on strong bushes. The shape of the pumpkin is cylindrical, more often smooth, less often wavy.

Techniques for agrotechnical cultivation of nutmeg varieties are no different from other pumpkins.

Hardcore pumpkin

Hard pumpkin is also called a dining room. It is considered the most popular variety among farmers and consumers. Well kept. The plant acquires the characteristic shape of a particular variety, taste and color. The color is often yellow-orange, stripes are allowed. The bark is quite dense. Pulp, strong fiber, sugary. Inside are Pancake week seeds.

There are several dozen varieties, among which:

• Amazon. Ideal for central areas. The culture has medium-sized green foliage. Pumpkins have a regular rounded shape. It is characterized by a smooth cream-colored peel. It tolerates transportation, stored for a long time.
• Freckle. Early variety. Grows on bushes consisting of short lashes. Speckled leaves. The shape of the pumpkin is round. The flesh resembles the taste of a pear. It is stored for a long time.
• Bush mushroom pumpkin 189. Ripens early enough. Bushes form short lashes. Pumpkins - round or oval in shape have an orange tone with green stripes.

The variety of species of hard-barked pumpkin is amazing, for this reason it is difficult for a gardener to make a choice, so you should give preference to more suitable varieties.

Types of large-fruited pumpkin

Large-fruited pumpkins are considered the most cold-resistant. The color of the bark in a mature state can be green, white or pink. Inside are pumpkin seeds that are of the highest value. Bark of medium softness. The pulp is sugary, slightly fibrous, loose.

The most popular types:

• Common. Vegetable grows up to 25 kg. The sweetest are specimens weighing up to 3 kg. Pumpkins are rounded in shape with a rich orange color.
• Paris red. Bred in France. It has excellent crop yields. It can weigh 20 kg or more. The bark of fruits is red, the flesh is lemon. It is successfully used in cooking. The inside is quite juicy.
• Winter is sweet. Late view. The bark is gray, inside is a bright orange flesh. It is perfectly stored, suitable for transportation.

The name "large-fruited" speaks about itself, this species has gigantic pumpkins, individual fruits reach 1 centner. Differs in high productivity.

Early and late ripening pumpkin varieties

Experienced gardeners recommend using a seedling grown in greenhouses and seedlings for an early harvest. Seedlings are planted in open ground after May-June frosts.

The best seeds of early ripening:

• Bush Gribovsky 189;
• Barnaul;
• Gymnosperms;
• Ukrainian multiple;
• Freckle;
• Marble Pumpkin.

Fruits of late ripening are well stored in the winter. Sow them directly in the beds with seeds. Harvest as they ripen. In addition to the early and late, there are medium-late pumpkin varieties.

The most common among gardeners are the following types:

• Mushroom winter;
• Kherson;
• Vitamin
• Slavuta;
• Ioannina.

Varieties of pumpkins have different uses: table for cooking, animal feed, oilseed (for seeds and oil) or decorative.

The best pumpkin varieties for central Russia and the Moscow region

Regardless of their place of residence, experienced gardeners grow almost all crops, including pumpkin. However, it is not always possible to collect a good crop in the middle zone or near Moscow. This happens due to improperly selected varieties.

The following seeds were bred by breeders:

• early ripe - Karavay, Russian woman, Bush gold;
• medium and late ripening - Muscat, Honey, Aport, Winter sweet.

Properly selected seeds will allow you to grow a rich pumpkin crop in any region of Russia, even the harsh Siberian climate is not an obstacle to this!

It is important in these regions to plant varieties adapted to temperature differences.

What pumpkin to choose summer residents of Siberia and the Urals

In these regions, pumpkin seeds specially bred by breeders well grow - Altai 47. Seeds are resistant to low temperatures. The crop is quite high, characterized by excellent transportability. The fruit weight is average (4-5.4 kg). The color of the bark is yellow-green with stripes. The period from planting to harvesting 3.5 months.

Features of pumpkin care in the open ground

In addition to choosing seeds, gardeners should take care of proper care.

1. The soil before planting should be loose, fertilized. There should be no weeds on the beds.
2. Pumpkin can be grown along with cucumbers, potatoes, bush beans.
3. It is necessary to observe the distance between the bushes, each individual variety has its own requirements. The distance and planting dates are always indicated on the seed packaging.
4. After germination, you need to provide regular watering, sometimes it is reduced by the time of flowering.
5. Loosening of the soil is required so that in the heat the holes do not dry out, they are covered with lapnik (straw).
6. So that the culture is not sick and to protect against pests, plants are periodically treated with special means, organics.
7. Manure is used for feeding or chicken manure is used to prepare a nutrient mixture in a ratio of 1:10.

Harvesting is carried out when there are signs of pumpkin maturity, when the drying of the bushes occurs, and the trunk is sampled.

Best Sweet Pumpkin Varieties

Pumpkins with sweet pulp are most in demand in cooking, of which juices, all kinds of dishes are prepared.

Due to their sugar content, gardeners distinguish the following sweet varieties of pumpkin:

• Baby The fruits are medium-sized, have a flattened shape. Weight up to 2 kg. The color is pale gray. The pulp is very sweet, juicy. It has excellent taste, is stored for a long time.
• Atlant. Giant size pumpkins can weigh up to 40-50 kg. It has a sugar, very delicate pulp of orange color. The surface of the fetus is slightly ribbed.
• Almond. Harvest grade. Koratemno orange with stripes. Weight up to 7 kg. Ideal for winter storage.
• Volga gray. Ripe gray pumpkins with a green tint. The shape is flattened. The pulp is quite dense, sugary.

To get sweet pumpkins when grown, it is best to place them on the beds from the south side. Ideal places along the walls, tight fences, fences.

Table of types and varieties of pumpkins