Pumpkin is an unpretentious vegetable that even a novice gardener can grow. However, in order to get strong fruits that will last a long time and retain their beneficial properties, you must follow the rules for growing and caring for pumpkin sprouts. Compliance with recommendations when sowing and further growth sprouting will be the key to a rich harvest.
Pumpkin sprouts do not require too much care
Features of the vegetable
Some gardeners grow pumpkin from seedlings, but this plant develops and grows better if you immediately plant it on permanent place. It does not tolerate transplantation well and may die.
Depending on the climate region pumpkin seeds planted in spring, at the beginning or end of May. It also depends on the variety: some varieties are heat-loving, while others can tolerate short, light frosts.
Pumpkin belongs to the category of melon vegetables. It has a long main root and small root shoots, which are located half a meter higher to the surface of the earth. For such a branched root system, it plays a role fertile soil above. Space is important for this vegetable, so the seeds are planted half a meter apart from one another.
Good predecessors for pumpkin shoots:
- potato;
- tomatoes;
- cabbage;
Not suitable as predecessors:
- cucumbers;
- zucchini;
- squash.
Potatoes are an excellent precursor for pumpkin
Soil type
Plant seeds on any land, but it is recommended to choose a fertile variety if you want to get big pumpkins. Acidic soil supplemented with ash and lime. If the climate is cool, then sand and turf soil are added to the compost heaps before planting.
If light soil, That pumpkin seeds planted through one directly into the ground, without forming beds. For severe types, create raised beds and sowing is done there. It is recommended to plant this vegetable on a heap composed of:
- soil;
- humus;
- compost;
- rotted manure.
To create a compost heap, dried grass, fallen leaves, and kitchen waste are placed in the fall. IN spring time A layer of soil is added there, into which the seeds are then planted.
Choose a place for the heap that is open to sunlight but protected from the wind (preferably on the south side). With this planting, the seeds germinate faster and develop better. It is not recommended to choose a shaded area because the fruits will grow small. Suitable temperature for the growth of this vegetable – 25 degrees; at 14 degrees, development stops.
Pumpkin grows well on rotted manure
Preparation of planting material
Seeds are selected that are complete, with an intact shell and without deformations. Then placed in warm water(40 degrees) and after 9 hours is transferred to water solution ash (2 tablespoons per 1 liter) for half a day. These procedures will awaken the pumpkin sprout, and it will begin to breathe and develop.
Another option is to heat the seed material in the oven, wrap it in several layers of gauze and soak it in an ash solution.
After a few hours, the seeds will swell and become ready for planting. If they are not pre-soaked, they will take several days to sprout.
Large and beautiful seeds are selected for planting
Landing
Plant the seeds when the daytime temperature is 20 degrees or more. Some gardeners choose a planting spot next to a fence so that pumpkin shoots can entwine it. It is better to plant at the end of the plot so that overgrown vegetables do not interfere with other plantings with their lashes.
Depressions are made in the prepared, heated soil. They are spilled with water, then 2-3 seeds are planted away from each other to a depth of 5-6 centimeters.
How many centimeters of depth you choose for planting depends on the soil type. For light soil this is 8-10 cm. The distance between the rows is two meters, between the fruits - a meter.
Before the seedlings appear, the plantings are covered with plastic wrap or a burdock leaf to avoid unnecessary watering. Excessive moisture causes the soil to settle. When they sprout, one sprout is left in the hole, and the rest are pinched so as not to damage its roots.
Only one sprout should be left in each hole.
Seedling method Pumpkin does not tolerate transplantation well. Cultivation by seedling method is applied to the muscat variety, which needs more warm conditions
. To do this, at the end of April, pumpkin seeds are sown in the soil mixture, laid out in pots or other containers (volume 0.5 l). It is recommended to harden the seedlings. Every day the pots are taken out to open air within 3-5 days. How long you need to keep them outside depends on weather conditions . If the temperature is above 15 degrees, keep it for a quarter of an hour on the first day. In continuation next days this time is increased by 15 minutes. It is not recommended to place seedlings under straight, better to shade.
Plantings are fed mineral fertilizers, water with warm water. After 30 days (late April - early May), the seedlings are planted in a greenhouse or under plastic film, keeping a distance of at least a meter between them. To do this, choose evening time or cloudy weather.
Care must be taken not to damage root system. The less time the seedlings are grown, the smaller the container is chosen so that the roots completely entwine the soil in it. When planting, each sprout is buried at the level of the cotyledon leaves.
Two ovaries are left on each specimen, the rest are pinched at a height of up to half a meter above the fruit. If the nights are cold, continue to cover with film (with slits over the plants).
The seedling growing method is not suitable for all varieties of pumpkin
Shoots
Pumpkin seeds germinate just as quickly as cucumber seeds. The first shoots appear after a few days (two or three). When real leaves appear, the seedlings are thinned out. How many plants to leave depends on the variety:
- for large-fruited – 1;
- for hardbark and nutmeg -2.
Pumpkin seedlings do not require complex care. They need loosening the soil around and between the rows, weeding and watering. During the period when the ovaries are smaller than the average size of the apple, watering is limited. If overwatered at this stage, the leaves grow to the detriment of the fruits. Watering is also suspended when the pumpkin is ready for harvest. This makes the pulp sweeter.
Feed the seedlings moderately. The first feeding with a solution of mullein and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers- before the flowering period. The second - during flowering (a solution of wood ash in 10 liters of water).
To retain moisture in the soil, it is mulched. This is done in the second ten days of June - the soil has already warmed up. When the growing season comes to an end, gardeners pinch the tops of young shoots and remove female flowers.
Pumpkin seedlings should be freed from proximity to weeds.
- When compiling soil mixture It is not recommended to add fresh manure if there is a mole cricket on the site. This pest is attracted to fresh fertilizers.
- It is not recommended to add too much rotted grass to avoid overheating the root system during composting. Moderate amounts of this material are well suited for temperate climate zones.
- If you are planting the muscat variety in temperate climate, then cultivation through seedlings is recommended. This ensures that the vegetable ripens.
- To prevent losses during possible frosts, gardeners sow planting material densely, at different depths. If frosts have not hit, with the onset of warm days, late shoots are removed.
- If there are many rainy days in summer, vegetables are grown on compost heaps. This way the crop will not rot from contact with wet soil.
- For vegetable gardens in middle lane In Russia it is better to choose an early or mid-ripening variety.
- Seed material can be soaked in a warm, weak manganese solution.
- Gardeners plant pumpkins in a checkerboard pattern so that the grown vegetables do not interfere with each other.
- Not recommended for watering well water or from an artesian well.
Growing Pumpkin Harvest – easy task. But to get large fruits that are well stored, planting rules should be followed seed material and caring for sprouts. In this case, pumpkin dishes will be on your table all winter.
Everything about pumpkin is good for you, the vegetable is amazing in abundance useful properties. This article is about the benefits of pumpkin seed sprouts. It considers the product as medicine and ways to use it.
How to get pumpkin sprouts
The seeds are soaked in water without damage, washed after twelve hours, placed on a moistened napkin, covered with damp gauze and left in a cool room. Every five hours the seeds are washed with water. The first shoots appear on the second or third day. They are not bitter and can be consumed immediately.
The next method for producing pumpkin sprouts is ground. The seeds are placed in the soil. After the leaves appear, they are consumed as a vitamin supplement to food. This method is suitable for those who have contraindications. It can be grown in a mixture of sand and sawdust. Each component of the soil is first doused with boiling water for disinfection.
How to use pumpkin sprouts
1. Without waiting for the white sprouts to appear, they begin to eat swollen pumpkin seeds. They already have a lot of useful properties.
2. They are taken without the white sprout hatching. It is removed and the seed is added to food.
3. Eaten with milk, added to food or dough. For greater convenience, pumpkin sprouts are crushed in a blender, and the resulting flour is added to dishes. Sprouts go well with carrots, herbs, lemon, and nuts.
4. Milk from pumpkin sprouts - grind 50g of sprouts in a meat grinder, add a glass of water with constant stirring. The mixture is filtered and the remaining sprouts are squeezed out. Healthy milk from pumpkin sprouts is drunk like regular milk. Used for baking or preparing healthy porridges.
Pumpkin sprouts benefits
- restore metabolism
- taken for general weakness
- good for the liver
- used in the treatment of gallbladder
- help with kidney diseases. Bladder
- used in the treatment of female and male genital organs
- recommended for impotence
- taken for prostatitis
- prevents the development of prostate adenoma
- good for the brain
- strengthen memory
- improve mental activity
- calms down, useful for stress relief
- for sleep disturbances
- have a positive effect on the condition of hair and skin
- slow down aging
- prevent the development of tumors
How to take pumpkin sprouts
For all problems, consume two teaspoons of pumpkin sprouts three times a day, half an hour before meals. The usual course of treatment is four weeks
Prostate adenoma in initial stage - eat 4 tbsp. sprouted seeds daily. Add to food, mix with honey. Pumpkin sprouts will be useful in any form.
Liver diseases - eat pumpkin salad with sprouts every day for a month (200g of salad - 1 tbsp of sprouts). After the first course, take a break for a week and beneficial treatment continue.
To get a pumpkin harvest, you should start preparing in the fall: dig up the area, apply organic fertilizers. In the spring, planting material is carefully inspected, specimens with chips on the surface of the peel are removed. It is recommended to germinate all available pumpkin seeds for 4-7 days, until they sprout roots. Only after this can all the material be planted into seedlings.
How to germinate pumpkin seeds before planting
To get the desired results, the entire process of growing seedlings is divided into stages.
How to sprout pumpkin:
- Checking grains for germination.
- Soaking and disinfection.
- Growing in special pots with peat. If you don’t have them, you can make your own containers for plants from toilet paper (it will dissolve itself when the seedlings are transferred to the beds). The dimensions of the vessels can be 60 X 60 or 80 X 80 mm.
It is necessary to distinguish between seeds purchased in the store and those obtained from the previous harvest. The seed fund purchased at specialized retail outlets does not require additional processing. You can start germinating it immediately.
Pumpkin seeds
If a gardener has seeds from a previous harvest, they must first be discarded and disinfected. After a visual inspection, the entire available seed fund is immersed in a container with a salt solution. After 10-15 minutes, all floating seeds are removed; they will not sprout. The specimens that have sunk to the bottom are taken out and then dried by laying them out on a napkin.
Then these seeds must be soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. To do this, enough manganese is dissolved in warm water so that the liquid acquires a pink tint. The grains are immersed in the resulting preparation and kept for 3-5 hours.
On a note! Soaking pumpkin seeds before planting will kill fungi and microorganisms that remain on the skin. Disinfection of seeds strengthens their immunity to various diseases and increases the germination rate of the crop.
Each processed seed is placed on a napkin in a warm room, where they are kept until completely dry.
To increase germination, use quick way processing wood ash. IN hot water pour in and stir the ash flour, place pumpkin seeds there for 5-6 hours. For 1000 ml of water you will need 1 tbsp. l. ash.
Many gardeners doubt whether it is necessary to soak pumpkin and zucchini seeds before planting them in beds or seedlings, and others do not know why this should be done. This procedure is a prerequisite for growing good harvest. Without preparation, germination rate decreases by 20-30%, the quality of plantings drops sharply, and the yield decreases.
Sold in farm stores modern means, which are used for pre-treatment and disinfection. When using them, it is recommended to strictly follow the instructions indicated on the packaging. Seedlings germinated after such treatment are more resistant to the effects of environment, grow faster. They produce large ovaries.
Germination of pumpkin seeds before planting is done with the help of a snail. This is the name of the moistened material (rag) in which all specimens suitable for sowing are wrapped. The fabric must be constantly moistened, but moisture should not accumulate in it. Excess liquid prevents plants from germinating and can cause seeds to rot. They will be soaked in the snail until roots and small sprouts begin to hatch. After this, you can begin disembarking. When the seedlings have roots, you can transfer them to previously prepared beds, where holes up to 5 cm deep have already been made. A seed is placed in each hole. After laying, each specimen is covered with substrate and then watered warm water.
Germinating pumpkin seeds
Note! All operations with growing pumpkins must be carried out carefully, otherwise you may break them. tender shoots, and this will lead to the death of the plant.
The soil temperature must be at least 15 °C.
Good results are obtained if the seeds are planted in soil consisting of a store-bought substrate or a mixture of sawdust (rotted) and peat (ratio 1 to 1). Use 1 tsp as fertilizer. l. nitrophoska per 1000 g of soil.
The mixture is poured into pots and watered well. Containers are placed on the windowsill or used artificial lighting. Initially, for 2-3 days the temperature is maintained in the range from 19 to 24 °C during the daytime, and at night it is reduced to 15-17 °C. When the seedlings appear, within 5 days the daytime temperature drops to 18 °C, and the night temperature drops to 13 °C. This is necessary so that the plants do not stretch.
Seedlings are transplanted into beds when they reach a height of 15 to 20 cm. Such specimens should have 1-2 leaves, colored in dark colors Green colour.
The transplant is carried out in the evening in cloudy or rainy weather. Plants are watered with warm water. To get a good harvest, you need to choose specimens that have a low and strong stem. They should have short internodes. Only such plants, with proper care, produce a full harvest.
After how many days do the seedlings hatch? What to do if the seeds do not germinate?
How many days does it take for a pumpkin to sprout after sowing depends on the quality of the purchased planting material.
The first shoots appear approximately 5-7 days. All seeds germinate completely in 8-10 days. Often the percentage of sprouted specimens for beginning gardeners does not exceed 45-50%.
Most often, grains do not sprout because the gardener forgets to check them for germination. There are the following methods for this:
- test in salt water;
- testing 10 selected specimens using a wet wipe;
- Sawdust is used to determine germination.
The first method is to use salt (2-5%) saline solution. Dissolve 5 to 10 g in a glass of water table salt. All the seeds that need to be prepared to obtain seedlings are dipped into it. Pour the solution into pumpkin seeds placed in a deep vessel and wait 5-7 minutes. All specimens remaining at the bottom can be safely planted after drying and processing.
Sprouted pumpkin seeds
In the second method of verification, the 10 largest specimens are selected from the available fund. Moisten paper napkins with water and place them on an open vessel, such as a saucer. Seeds are thrown into the liquid and covered plastic film, put away in warm room, where the temperature does not fall below 20 °C, but does not rise above 25 °C.
Important! You cannot miss the moment when the first sprout managed to germinate, so it is recommended to approach the saucer several times a day and check the condition of the seedlings.
Dried wipes must be constantly moistened. After the roots appear, you need to remove the polyethylene and open air access to the seedlings. The percentage of seeds suitable for cultivation is determined by the number of seedlings ( required threshold- at least 60%).
The third way to determine the suitability of seeds involves using sawdust. They need to be poured with boiling water 2 or 3 times at intervals of 1/3 to ½ hour. Raw sawdust is placed in boxes. Seeds are inserted into the wet mass (sawdust is both food and habitat for them). The planting interval between individual specimens ranges from 10 to 15 mm. It is recommended to maintain a distance of 20-30 mm between rows. Sprinkle the stacked grains on top with dry sawdust and transfer the boxes to a room with a temperature of 25-27 °C.
You can check the results in 5-7 days. The percentage of germination is calculated based on the number of sprouts that appear.
Sometimes it is possible to “revive” a small part seed material. For this, various industrial or homemade stimulants are used. In this way, it is possible to restore up to 10% of substandard pumpkin seeds. After sowing into the beds, they will give a 30% smaller yield than normal specimens that have passed pre-selection.
When rejecting seeds, it is advisable to choose those specimens that swell well in water. Grains that do not swell practically cannot germinate. Before transferring hatched seeds with roots to beds or special pots, they must be hardened. To do this, they are kept on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp cloth, for 3 to 5 days. After this, the seeds are germinated for 7-8 days at variable temperatures. To do this, they are kept for 9-10 hours at 17-19 °C, and then these indicators are reduced to 2 °C, maintaining them for 13 hours. These cycles are repeated 4-5 times.
Some farmers keep the seeds in a damp cloth for 8-10 days and only then begin to germinate them. This method allows you to find out how many grains will yield a harvest. But the reliability of this method is quite low.
Rejecting pumpkin seeds
- Dissolve 2 g of potassium permanganate in 10 liters of warm water. The specimens intended for sowing are kept in this mixture for 12 hours.
- 45 g of baking soda are diluted in a bucket of water. The grains are kept there for 10-12 hours. Some farmers believe that this method does not give the desired results.
- Wood ash or ash flour in volume 2 matchboxes dissolve in 8 liters of warm water. Infuse the mixture for 48 hours. Seeds are kept in solution for up to 5 hours.
- To increase germination by 20-25%, it is recommended to use a composition of 1 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. ash, 1 tsp. propolis diluted in 500 ml of warm water. Keep the seeds in the infusion for at least 120 minutes.
- Cut the agave leaf in the area of its curved part. The pumpkin seeds are placed inside, where they should remain for 2 to 24 hours. This good stimulant seedlings, reducing the time of emergence of seedlings by 15%.
- Dilute 1 tsp in 1000 ml of water. nitrophoska. This method is not applicable to farmers who produce organic products.
- Dissolve ¼ tsp in a liter of water. sodium humate.
- They buy the drugs Zircon and Ellin in the store. Use them according to the instructions.
To improve germination, some gardeners use a large number of microelements. For example, use a solution that includes:
- 1000 ml water;
- from 0.5 to 1.0 g of ammonium molybdic acid.
The last component is replaced with zinc sulfate (up to 0.4 g). Can be consumed copper sulfate(up to 0.05 g) or methylene blue (0.4 g). Although such additives improve the condition of plants, it is not recommended for a novice gardener to use them due to the possibility of overdose, which has a negative effect on the plants.
The seed material is soaked in a solution of water and mumiyo peas. To do this, you need to take 500 ml of liquid. Stimulating seeds with this infusion can increase yield by up to 20%.
Honey in the amount of 0.5 tsp. stir in 200 ml of water. All seeds are treated with the solution. This stimulant gives an increase in yield up to 14%. An alcohol solution of propolis in water gives the same effect. To do this, take 1 tsp. product.
If everything is done correctly, you will be able to grow strong seedlings and ultimately get a good harvest.
The pumpkin family is one of those agricultural crops that bring a rich harvest without requiring excessive efforts to cultivate. By autumn, your plot will be pleased with ripe pumpkins, if only in early spring you will germinate the seeds correctly. This is the most critical stage of growing pumpkin. In the future, there will be no hassle with the plant itself if you don’t make mistakes now.
What if you plant a pumpkin directly in the soil?
Pumpkin seeds can be planted directly open ground or germinate and plant as seedlings. Seeds in open ground 
They begin to plant when the temperature of the top layer of soil (about 10 cm) reaches 10-12 °C or 12-13 °C for muscat varieties.
The main feature of sowing is the need for well-moistened soil. This directly affects the swelling of the seed. After all, initially poorly swollen seeds will not germinate either in the near or distant future. Under well-established conditions (humidity + temperature), the first shoots should be expected after 7-10 days.
If they are not there, it is not too late to try again to get a rich pumpkin harvest in the fall. Get started growing seedlings. This the right way grow good shoots, deposit bountiful harvest. However, it is important to study several simple rules how to germinate pumpkin seeds for seedlings.
Each seed indiscriminately is not suitable for obtaining seedlings. Care must be taken to discard unsuitable seeds and soak suitable ones.
Review the pumpkin seeds; throw away any puny, thin, or obviously dry ones.
Soaked seeds not only germinate better, but also, so to speak, lose their taste, which means they cease to be attractive to pests. To soak, immerse selected specimens in warm water (45-50 °C). After 2-3 hours, transfer them to a damp cloth and leave at room temperature for 24-48 hours. Check the seeds periodically and moisten the fabric if necessary. It is important that it is not wet, but moderately moist.
When the seeds sprout, experienced summer residents begin the seed hardening procedure, but this is not necessary. Hardening of seeds has a particularly positive effect on the germination of muscat varieties. In general, this procedure is recommended for all varieties, if you are not too lazy.
For hardening, the sprouted seeds are sent to the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. All the seeds are left in the same damp cloth in a vegetable box for 3-5 days, and the germination itself will be carried out at variable temperatures throughout the week:
- 8-10 hours at 18-20 °C;
- 12-14 hours at 1-2 °C.
Then the cycle repeats.
Before starting to grow seedlings, leave the pumpkin seeds in a moist environment for an average of 10 days. Periodically check the moisture content of the fabric or napkin. To prevent it from drying out quickly, you can cover the container with cloth and seeds with polyethylene, but periodically open it for ventilation.
Directly growing seedlings
Since pumpkin really doesn’t like being disturbed for replanting, it is recommended to plant seeds for seedlings in special peat containers. These are sold in departments for gardeners or gardeners, and you can also make your own containers for seedlings, use toilet paper, it will subsequently dissolve well in the garden. The volume of the pots should be 6x6 or 8x8 cm.
The correct soil mixture for pumpkin seedlings is humus, rotted sawdust and peat in a ratio of 1:1:2 or a store-bought universal substrate. To enrich the soil with substances useful for seedlings, add 1 teaspoon of nitrophoska or Kemira per 1 kg of soil. Fill the containers with soil and water thoroughly.
Well-germinated seeds are sown three weeks before planting seedlings in the ground.
For seedlings, it is better to take a well-lit southern window sill or use artificial lighting. For the first two to three days, the temperature is maintained within 18-25 °C during the day and 15-18 °C at night. When seedlings appear, the temperature is reduced over 5-6 days to 15-18 °C during the day and to 12-13 °C at night; so that the seedlings do not stretch. Then the temperature is raised during the day to 18-22 °C, and at night to 13-15 °C.
Seedlings are considered suitable for planting in open ground when they reach a height of 15-20 cm and have 2 true leaves of pronounced green color. Properly prepared seedlings should have a low and strong stem, short internodes and two or three well-developed dark green leaves.
