The pumpkin is a vegetable It is relatively easy to plant and grow, and although there are several types of pumpkin, such as green, orange, grated, rounded or elongated, etc., in any case, the cultivation process turns out to be the same.
It is essential that the land chosen for cultivation receives sun as it is necessary to water the plants in the course of the summer. The culture It is carried out at the beginning of spring, since if there are frosts or it is very cold, it is very possible that the planting is delayed, in this way at the end of autumn we will have a good harvest of pumpkins not only for consumption since it is a vegetable full of vitamins, but also to decorate the increasingly common party of Halloween.
Steps to growing pumpkins at home
Select the seeds
It is necessary to select seeds good quality or choose to use seedlings or plants embryo, in order to speed up the process. In this way, time will be saved when bringing the harvest forward. If we opt for the first option we will have to sow the seeds in hotbed until you have a somewhat overgrown plant before transplanting to the ground. If the second option is chosen, they should be planted in a protected crop and transplanted to the final ground when the frosts end, just when they are somewhat overgrown.
Time to plant them
The appropriate time to plant the seeds will depend on the climate of the area in which we live. If it is an area with winters long and very cold, in addition to summers a little more to less, it is best to plant the pumpkins when there is no possibility of more frost. While if you live in areas where the summers are longer and very hot, pumpkins should be planted in early summer.
Prepare the place where the pumpkins will be grown
All the pumpkins They tend to grow in long-range bushes, so they require at least 6-9 meters of space open in order to be able to lengthen. It is important to choose a location that has good drainage so that the estate frequently do not come into contact with water. It is also important that the soil is completely free of weeds.
2-3 seeds should be grown in each hole, as most will germinate and if you grow multiple seeds, they will not have enough space or strength to grow and bear fruit. Also, it is necessary to leave a distance of approximately one meter between each plant hole so that they have space between them in case they develop horizontally. Then you have to cover them with land and water them well.
If you live in areas with strong winds, you will need to plant the pumpkin seeds in a ditch with about 3 cm. deep. So the seed will be found Protected until I grow up. Likewise, if you live in an area with Summers rainy, the best thing would be to plant them in not very large mounds of earth, in this case, a small pile of earth should be made and the seeds placed in the center about 3 cm. deep.
Irrigation
Pumpkin plants require a lot of water, but overwatering could cause them to rot. If the soil is too dry they should be watered very carefully and if possible using a water spray device. Ideally, do the irrigation awarded by the morning, so that the water that remains on the leaves has enough time to dry.
Fertilization
Essential to growing pumpkins is the fertilization so that the plants have a crecimiento optimal, in addition to preventing the presence of weeds.
Pests
Pumpkin plants are usually quite susceptible to pestssuch as fleas, beetles, and some other insects. However, pests can be controlled by manually removing them or spraying them with a strong stream of water.
Harvest
From cultivation to harvest, it is around four months, the time necessary for the pumpkins to grow taking a color orange bright and developing a shell pretty tough. The plants will begin to wilt and possibly dry out, indicating that it is time to pick them up.