The large planting guide with all the information

How does sowing behind glass shorten a long cultivation time?

The long ripening period for pumpkins does not leave much room for maneuver in the local climate. Planting outdoors is out of the question before mid-May. Experienced hobby gardeners therefore favor theCultivationin the house to gain time:

• Let the fresh seeds soak in lukewarm water in mid / late April
• Insert after 24 hours in seed soil up to 2 cm deep
• Cover the seed pot with foil or glass, after carefully pouring on

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

When does the planting season start in the field?

Pumpkin plants are very sensitive to cold. Accordingly, the will start in mid-May at the earliest

Planting time. The departure of the ice saints marks the beginning. The week before, the young plants should harden during the day in a sheltered place in the garden.

What site conditions does pumpkin culture require?

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

• sunny location, as sheltered as possible from the wind
• nutrient-rich soil, fresh, well-drained
• a thick layer of humus is ideal
• in the bucket serves high quality Vegetable soil as a substrate

Since pumpkin plants are among the strong eaters, experienced gardeners advocate oneLocationdirectly on the compost heap.

How is the planting going?

At the chosen location in the bed, the soil is loosened up deeply. Weeds, stones and roots all have to give way. With compost and Horn shavings(€ 32.93 at Amazon *) optimize the soil quality.

You pot the hardened young plants and insert them exactly as deep as they were cultivated in the growing container. You should plant with a minimum distance of 1 meter. After the start watering, protect a Garden fleece or one Mulch film the pumpkin culture until after the sheep's cold in early June.

Which plants does pumpkin get along with in mixed culture?

Pumpkin is a friendly fellow in the kitchen garden. He maintains good neighbors with most of the cultivated plants. It goes extremely well with peas, onions and kohlrabi. It works less well next to dill, cucumber and melons.

The plant enters into an almost symbiotic partnership with maize and French beans. The sturdy corn sticks serve as a natural trellis for climbing pumpkins and climbing beans. In return, the beans supply the soil with oxygen and nitrogen, while pumpkin keeps soil erosion in check.

How does manual pollination work?

Depending on the variety and the weather conditions, the splendid ones appear after 30 to 60 daysblossoms. This colorful temptation attracts busy insects. Aside from that, the hummers have it on the nectar, although they don't care which flowers they havepollinate. If you don't want to leave the process to chance, you can pollinate manually. With these instructions you can:

• select the best female flowers with a fruit set
• just before opening, wrap each flower with gauze or insect net
• Do the same with the male flowers without fruit set
• if the petals unfold, the protective covers are removed
• stroke the picked male flower like a brush over the stigma of the female flower
• Repack all of the pollinated flowers

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

When is a pumpkin ready to be harvested?

If you plant a common pumpkin variety, the anticipation of an opulent harvest increases in late summer. A smooth, undamaged skin with no green spots is an optical indication of maturity. A firm, well-lignified fruit stalk is added as an indication. Now tap the pumpkin, it should sound hollow and dull. Then nothing speaks against the start of the harvest.

Does the harvest affect the shelf life?

At first glance, nobody suspects a high degree of sensitivity behind the mighty pumpkin. In fact it is that the professionalharvestrequires a certain amount of tact. Even the slightest damage causes rotting. An intact shell thus makes an important contribution to durability.

• Cut the pumpkin with a carefully sharpened, disinfected knife
• part of the stalk remains on the fruit
• rinse the bowl thoroughly under running water

Give the pumpkin a treat after the harvestPost-maturityfrom 2 to 3 weeks in a bright, warm place. This caution is rewarded with a premium quality fruit.

Tips & Tricks

If a pumpkin soaks up with water shortly before harvest, the shelf life is shortened by weeks. If you cap the main stem 10 days before harvest, the pumpkin will no longer fill up with moisture.