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Pumpkin Zhemchuzhina is one of the most popular varieties of nutmeg pumpkins among gardeners in Our Country. The variety was included in the State Register in 2000 and approved for cultivation in the North Caucasus, Ural and Far East regions for commercial production and in private household plots.
Description of the pumpkin variety Muscat Pearl
The plant of this variety is long-branched, has a powerful bush with a trunk 70–100 cm long, on which 5–7 lateral shoots are formed. On each, ovaries are formed, as a rule, one on each shoot. The leaves are medium in size, dark green with slight white patches. The leaf plate is uncut, has a pentagonal shape, is covered with a small fluff on the outside.
Male and female flowers are formed on the plant, after pollination by bees, ovaries are formed from female flowers. The flowers are large, bright yellow, have 5 petals.
Description of fruits
The description of the ripe fruits of the Muscat pumpkin Zhemchuzhina differs significantly in some sources – in the photo of the same variety you can see pumpkins of different sizes, shapes and colors. The appearance of this vegetable depends on the manufacturer of the seed. Most often, pumpkins of the Muscat Pearl variety are large, elongated cylindrical in shape, resembling a zucchini, with a rounded or oval thickening in the top part. It contains a small seed nest, consisting of three cavities filled with medium-sized wide oval-shaped seeds. Fruits can be smooth or slightly segmented, 45 – 55 cm long, in some cases their weight can reach 8 kg, but more often it ranges from 4 to 7 kg. The peel is thin, plastic, greenish-orange or bright orange in maturity. In reviews of the Muscat pumpkin Zhemchuzhina, you can see photos of fruits that have spots or stripes of a lighter color or a pattern in the form of a fine mesh. The pumpkin pulp of this variety is dark orange, juicy, crispy, fragrant, with a fibrous structure. The taste is sweet. Many vegetable growers call this pumpkin the most delicious and fragrant variety among all varieties of this vegetable.
Muscat pumpkin Zhemchuzhina is of particular value due to the high content of carotene in the pulp (about 14 mg per 100 g), pectin substances and mineral salts. It is also rich in B, PP, E, K vitamins, as well as provitamin A. The low calorie content of this crop makes it popular in dietary nutrition.
This variety of nutmeg pumpkin belongs to the universal table varieties, the fruits are widely used in the preparation of soups, vegetable side dishes, cereals, desserts, pastry fillings, juices. It is excellent for canning and tolerates deep freezing well. Like other sweet-fleshed cultivars, Zhemchuzhina nutmeg is used in baby food.
The healing properties of Muscat pumpkin Pearl are also known: it has a diuretic effect, is good for the heart and eyes, its regular use improves immunity, and vitamin K slows down the aging process.
Characteristics of a variety
In the description of the Zhemchuzhina pumpkin variety, its resistance to low temperatures and other adverse weather conditions, high yields, the ability to tolerate drought painlessly and good keeping quality are noted.
Pumpkin Zhemchuzhina is considered a medium-late variety. It takes 110–130 days from the moment the seeds are planted to the harvest.
Subject to agricultural technology, up to 1 kg of fruits are harvested from 15 m², while the warmer the growing region, the richer the harvest can be expected.
The yield of the Muscat pumpkin variety Zhemchuzhina directly depends on weather conditions (in particular, air temperature), soil fertility, pre-sowing treatment of planting material, irrigation and top dressing.
Pest and disease resistance
Pumpkin Muscat Pearl suffers from the same diseases as other gourds. The most common ailments are: anthracnose, root rot, powdery mildew, fusarium wilt. The main preventive measures against these and other diseases are crop rotation and pre-sowing treatment of planting material.
Pumpkin nutmeg variety Zhemchuzhina is subject to pest invasion. Most often, she suffers from the following insects: melon aphids, spider mites and bears.
Advantages and disadvantages
The undoubted advantages of the Zhemchuzhina variety include:
- drought tolerance;
- cold resistance and resistance to temperature extremes;
- excellent taste and aroma;
- convenient for storage and use form of fruits;
- large volume of pulp due to the small seed cavity;
- high nutritional value;
- good transportability, keeping quality.
Although this variety has no obvious shortcomings compared to other varieties, many vegetable growers pay attention to its following characteristics:
- susceptibility to disease;
- exactingness to the quality of the soil and care;
- a sharp decrease in taste during long-term storage.
Cultivation of nutmeg pumpkin Zhemchuzhina
Muscat pumpkin Pearl is a relatively unpretentious variety. Its cultivation will not require additional efforts and time from the vegetable grower in order to get a good result, it is very important to pay attention to its needs.
As with all pumpkins, a sunny area protected from strong winds is chosen for planting this crop. The plant prefers sandy or light loamy soil. Experienced gardeners know that a rich harvest can be harvested by planting a pumpkin next to or directly on a compost heap.
In order to avoid infection of the pumpkin with diseases and pests, it is recommended to plant a pumpkin after potatoes and legumes, but the soil on which cucumbers, zucchini and squash grew is unsuitable for it.
In the southern regions of the country, the Muscat pumpkin Zhemchuzhina is grown by the seedless method, that is, by sowing seeds directly into open ground. Planting begins in late May – early June, when the soil warms up to + 13 ° C.
The most favorable temperatures for the growth of the bush and fruit set are in the range from +18°C to +25°C.
Forcing seedlings begins from the end of April, about a month before the expected date of planting young plants in a permanent place.
Both when sowing seeds in the ground and when forcing seedlings, the seeds are preliminarily prepared: they are soaked for 18–20 hours in a weak aqueous solution of potassium permanganate, then they are washed, dried and treated with a fungicide to prevent plant diseases.
On the bed, plantings are located at a distance of 1 to 1,5 m from each other.
When the bushes grow up and begin to branch, in order to stimulate the formation of adventitious roots that provide the plant with additional nutrition, the internodes should be sprinkled with moist soil. This procedure is carried out 2-3 times per season.
Muscat pumpkin Pearl is watered only with warm water and only under the root at the rate of 5 liters of water per plant. Waterlogging of the soil should be avoided so as not to provoke infection of plantings with rot.
Several times during the season, the pumpkin is fed with organic and mineral fertilizers.
Routine activities include weeding and loosening. They not only facilitate the access of oxygen to the root system of the plant, but also prevent the development of diseases and pests.
Harvesting is carried out at the end of August – the first half of September. Cut and store pumpkins of this variety along with the stem.
Conclusion
Pumpkin Zhemchuzhina won a special love of vegetable growers due to the successful combination of unpretentiousness, cold resistance, ability to tolerate drought well and excellent taste. The sweetness and aroma of pumpkins of this variety are liked not only by adults, but also by children, and the nutritional value makes it popular in dietary and medical nutrition.