Pumpkin
The pumpkin occupies a place of choice among vegetables in the garden: cultivated for its flesh, it is as much appreciated in savoury dishes (purée, soup, etc.) as in desserts. It belongs to the family of cucurbits, like the courgette or the melon. It belongs to the species Cucurbita maxima. Among the common varieties of pumpkins, we find the "Red Kury" or "Buttercup". It is a vegetable rather easy to grow.
To plant it in the garden, it is advisable to prepare a seedling in cups of two or three seeds. The best time to do this is in April, depending on the region, and then sow the seedlings when they have produced three or four leaves, ideally from mid-May onwards. It is best to choose a sunny, warm area of the garden, sheltered from the wind, to sow the pumpkin. The soil should be rich, deep and fairly heavy, allowing water to circulate, but not too wet.
After planting the pumpkin, maintenance consists mainly of protecting the shoots from slugs and keeping the soil cool, without watering the leaves. The fruit is harvested when it is fully ripe and the leaves are dry, three to four months after planting, around September-October. The collected pumpkins can be stored in a dry, ventilated place.
Pumpkin
- Type : Vegetables
- Subtype : Fruiting vegetables
- Botanical family : Cucurbits
Characteristics
- Exposure : Sun
- Hardiness : Not frost resistant
- Very easy to grow, requires little maintenance (difficulty : 1/3)
Sowing & planting
- Sowing depth : 2 cm
- Plant spacing : 120 cm
- Row spacing : 120 cm
- Emergence time : 8 days
- Emergence temperature : 15 °C
- From sowing to harvesting : 150 days
- Seed storage : 8 years