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Muscat squash occupies a special place among melons and gourds. It is valued by gourmets for its nutmeg pulp flavor, which adds spice to cooked dishes. Butternut squash is actively used in dietetics due to its low calorie content.
Description and characteristics of nutmeg pumpkin
Pumpkin got its name due to the nutmeg smell emanating from the pulp of the fruit. It cannot be confused with other types of pumpkins because of the stalk, shaped like a pentahedron. Outwardly, the fruit resembles a pear, a cylinder, an oval, sometimes it is round.
Butternut squash varieties are distinguished by a long ripening period (110–120 days) and the absence of bush forms.
The outer shell of the pumpkin has a yellow-brown hue. The size of the fruit depends on the variety and ranges from medium to large. The pulp of the pumpkin immediately after harvesting is pale, saturation and sweetness come in the process of maturation. The people called the culture “winter”.
Suitable region and climate
Butternut squash takes a long time to mature. Landing is carried out in the southern latitudes, where summer comes early and lasts until late autumn. Growing pumpkins requires a warm, moderately humid climate with sufficient sunlight.
Useful Properties
Muscat varieties have the following qualities:
- low-calorie product, actively used in diet therapy;
- pumpkin eliminates puffiness due to diuretic properties;
- a high content of potassium and magnesium increases the tone of the heart muscle, and carotene affects visual acuity.
Productivity and use of fruits
Butternut squash fruits are ready for harvest when the outer shell hardens, sometimes its color changes. Choose a dry, sunny day and do not delay until frost. Frozen peel darkens, rots and deteriorates. It is recommended to cut with a sharp knife, heavily soiled fruits are wiped with a damp cloth.
Store pumpkin at room temperature for no more than 3-12 months, preferably in pantries, cellars, sheds. It is worth stacking the fruits in boxes or wooden shelves; on a concrete surface, the peel will instantly deteriorate.
Farmers recommend equipping specialized heated sheds. The thermostat will systematically maintain the optimum temperature.
Author’s advice
Advantages:
- the presence of early ripening varieties;
- drought tolerance;
- ease of pollination;
- rapid formation of buds and ovaries;
- long period of flowering and fruiting.
Disadvantages:
- predisposition to fungal diseases;
- demanding thinning;
- difficult seed germination in some varieties.
Video “Varieties of nutmeg pumpkin”
This video shows the most common varieties of butternut squash.
The best varieties of nutmeg pumpkin
The description of the culture will be incomplete without mentioning the most popular varieties that will delight the gardener with a rich harvest.
Arabatskaya
A large-fruited variety with a medium-late ripening period and the ability to grow in open ground. The fruit is characterized by a thin light orange skin, a dense and fragrant core. The storage period is no more than 4 months.
Pearl
Mid-late culture with round-cylindrical fruits of orange color. Seeds planted in open ground bear fruits weighing up to 8 kg. The pearl is frost-resistant, requires additional fertilizer with organic substances.
Vitamin
Late variety, ready for harvest after 140 days. The fruits are oval-elongated, the peel is brown with yellow-pink patches. Pumpkin Vitamin differs juicy, crispy, sweetish taste with orange-colored flesh.
provence
Mid-season with a growing season of 120 days and a weight of up to 8 kg. The fruit is characterized by a dull orange skin with bright orange flesh. The intensity of taste improves during storage.
Provence pumpkin is recommended for desserts, juices and candied fruits.
honey princess
The main difference between the varieties is the dimensions, so the distance between the holes should be at least 100 cm. Mid-season variety with a growing season of 115 days. The fruits are distinguished by bright orange pulp, sweet in taste. The culture is resistant to diseases and sudden changes in air temperature.
Muscat
The variety belongs to the late ones, the fruits ripen on the 140-150th day of vegetation. The process of cultivation and care is carried out after planting seeds in open ground. Thanks to its orange, juicy, fragrant and crispy pulp, it is suitable for making vitamin juices.
Muscat de Provence
Medium-late culture, ripens on the 115-120th day of vegetation. It has a strong peel, which prolongs the shelf life and preserves the taste of the fruit. Muscat de Provence forms pumpkins weighing up to 8–10 kg. The pulp is characterized by a distinct honey flavor.
Hokkaido
A favorite variety among gardeners due to its early maturity. Fruits of various shapes reach small sizes (from 700 g to 2,5 kg). It tastes like red potatoes or chestnuts.
Spanish guitar
Pumpkins reach 1 m in length and weigh 5–10 kg. The fruits are covered with a yellowish-green peel, and inside – orange flesh with a taste of carrots. The pumpkin-guitar looks like a zucchini.
Bylinka
The variety is distinguished by flat fruits with a gray skin that brightens as it ripens. An ideal product for diet food.
Vita
Mid-season plant, ready for harvest on the 115th day of vegetation. Differs in a gray skin, juicy, orange pulp.
Prikubanskaya
Medium-late species, ripening 114–140 days after planting. The fruits are small, weighing up to 2,5 kg and thin-skinned. The Kuban variety differs from its relatives in a pear-shaped form.
Marble
Mid-season (130 days) pumpkin with round, slightly flattened fruits. The peel is marbled with green and gray hues. Suitable for long-term storage, not prone to cracking.
golden pear
Bright orange teardrop-shaped fruit. Pumpkin reaches a mass of 2 kg in 95 days. The pulp is distinguished by an orangeish tint with a characteristic taste of chestnuts.
Augustine
Culture with increased fruiting. You can harvest on the 105th day of the growing season. Cylindrical fruits with green skin, decorated with light spots. Served raw or added to pancakes, mashed potatoes and cereals.
Features of planting and growing
Choosing the right variety is the first step in the long process of growing a crop.
Choice of site and landing time
Pumpkin is demanding to the sun and heat. It is recommended to plant seeds or seedlings on hills to avoid moisture stagnation. The site is chosen without shading, as this will reduce or completely deprive the plant of the possibility of fruiting.
The optimal planting period is the first of June. This will protect the plant from possible late frosts.
Preparation of beds
The landing site should be cleared of weeds, impregnated with organic fertilizers and divided into separate holes. Each of them is covered with rotted manure and compost.
The best solution would be to arrange a compost pit near the plantings.
Preparing and planting seeds
The preparatory process requires the disinfection of seeds, which are placed for 30 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate. Then for 30 minutes they are transferred to the dissolved growth stimulator. Soaked seeds are wrapped in gauze and sent to a warm place for germination.
The germinated material should form healthy seedlings. To do this, perform the following actions:
- 30 days seedlings are aged at home;
- pre-prepared containers are filled with specialized soil;
- one container – 2 seeds;
- planted pots are covered with foil and sent to a dark and warm place;
- hatched shoots are sent to a windowsill with good lighting;
- plants are thinned out, leaving the strongest of the two obtained;
- hardening begins after 15 days, for which the pots are periodically taken out to the balcony;
- in early June, sprouts are planted in open ground.
Watering and soil care
The plant requires moderate, regular watering. The best time to add water is morning and evening, when the sun is not yet hot. It is worth watering the pumpkin at the root so that the leaves do not get sunburned during the drying process.
A prerequisite for the maintenance of pumpkin beds is weeding. She fights pests that take nutrients from the soil intended for pumpkins.
Feeding
The increase in fruiting and the mass of pumpkins directly depend on the nutrition of the plant with useful substances. Preference is given to mullein, compost, rotted manure. It is necessary to fertilize the soil systematically – 1-2 times a month.
Pollination
The gardener should take care of pollination at the beginning of the cycle. Given the weather conditions, insects do not always cope with the task of transferring pollen from flower to flower. It is recommended to find the male flower (it appears first) and touch the female flowers with its pistil.
Whip formation
An increase in the size of the fruit is achieved by cutting off additional lashes. The central one is left with two branches up to 70 cm.
Diseases and pests of nutmeg pumpkin
Butternut squash are resistant to disease, but poorly hardened or disinfected plants can suffer from various pests. Reviews of experienced gardeners indicate the tendency of the culture to bacteriosis, powdery mildew, white root rot, anthracnose.
A similar situation has developed with pests that attack a single plant and spread to neighboring ones. Allocate spider mites, melon aphids, slugs, wireworms.
Varieties of nutmeg pumpkin, with proper care, reward the gardener with a bountiful harvest. Fragrant fruits with a pronounced nutmeg taste are an excellent source of vitamins. In addition, pumpkin pulp is low in calories, therefore it is used in diet therapy.