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Pumpkin Winter Sweet appeared in the gardens relatively recently, but has already managed to fall in love with summer residents and consumers. It’s all about unpretentiousness, long shelf life and excellent taste. Description, characteristics, photos and reviews of those who have already been involved in culture will be presented in the article.
Description of the pumpkin variety Winter Sweet
The pumpkin of the Zimnyaya Sladkaya variety was bred by the Kuban breeders of the Research Institute at their experimental station in 1995.
The culture was recommended for cultivation in the Southern regions, where there is not enough rainfall. Over time, the geography of the variety has expanded significantly, now Winter Sweet pumpkin is grown even in Siberia through seedlings.
The plant has large dark green leaves. They have the shape of a pentagon, the recess is weakly expressed. The lashes are long – up to 3 m, rather thick, juicy, fleshy. Flowers are large, bright yellow.
Description of fruits
Pumpkin Winter Sweet refers to table varieties, has large rounded fruits, strongly flattened on the sides. The variety is late-ripening, vegetation lasts from 130 to 140 days.
The weight of one fruit is 6-12 kg. The top of the pumpkin is covered with a dense and hard gray skin, which allows keeping the fruits for 1-2 years. The surface is divided into well-defined segments. In addition, on the peel with barely noticeable spots of dark or light color, there are small growths that look like warts.
The inner part of the pumpkin of the Sweet Winter variety is orange or egg-yellow in color, juicy. The middle part is loose, seeds are located in it. They are oval or round in shape, large. On pumpkin seeds, Winter Sweet skin is very hard. Each 1000 pieces weigh about 400g.
The fruits are sugary, fragrant, have a large amount of vitamins, trace elements. Despite the sweetness, Sladkaya Zimnyaya pumpkin is a low-calorie product, so it is recommended by nutritionists when losing weight.
There is a lot of juice in the fruits, which is why a vitamin drink is obtained from the orange mass, mashed potatoes are prepared. Some housewives use the vegetable to make jams and compotes.
Characteristics of a variety
Like any cultivated plant, Winter Sweet pumpkin, according to the description and photo, has its own characteristics:
- differs in large fruits;
- good keeping quality;
- the plant is drought-resistant, tolerates cold snap well;
- weaving is average;
- from 1 sq. m with proper care collect up to 30 kg of fruit.
Pest and disease resistance
Winter Sweet pumpkin is resistant to many diseases, but sometimes suffers from:
- white mosaic;
- fusariosis;
- gray rot.
To prevent diseases, experienced gardeners recommend powdering the foliage with wood ash. If the disease could not be stopped in time, pesticides can be used. Severely affected pumpkin bushes should be simply removed and burned.
If we talk about harmful insects, then the Winter Sweet variety can suffer from spider mites, aphids, and whiteflies. You can deal with the problem with folk remedies. Spray bushes:
- infusion of onion peel;
- infusion of crushed garlic;
- infusion of tobacco.
In case of a serious pest invasion, you can use:
- “Aktellik”;
- “Fundazol”;
- “Aktar”.
Spraying should be carried out in dry weather without wind.
Advantages and disadvantages
Breeders, creating new varieties of cultivated plants, try to give them as many positive qualities as possible. First you need to find out the advantages of the Sweet Winter variety:
- stable and high yield;
- excellent taste qualities, a wide range of applications in cooking;
- high rate of transportability and keeping quality;
- drought-resistant plant;
- resistance to anthracnose and powdery mildew.
According to gardeners, the Sweet Winter pumpkin has no disadvantages if it is grown in the south or in the temperate zone. But in Siberia or the Urals it does not always ripen, so you have to grow seedlings.
Cultivation technology
Any soil is suitable for growing Zimnyaya Sladkaya pumpkin, but it does not hurt to fertilize it. From organic matter, peat or compost is used. If there is a lot of sand in the soil, then you need to add black soil, humus.
Pumpkin gives a good harvest on neutral or slightly alkaline soils. If the soil has a high acidity, then you need to add wood ash or dolomite flour (from 200 to 600 g per 1 sq. M, depending on acidity).
It is only necessary to remember that a large amount of nutrients adversely affects the quality (nitrates accumulate) and keeping quality.
The beds are located on the south side of the site, preferably along the fence.
It is best to plant a pumpkin after:
- carrots;
- potatoes;
- cabbage;
- legumes;
- tomatoes;
- onions and garlic.
In the garden, a pumpkin can be placed after 5-6 years.
Preparing for planting
Pumpkin Winter Sweet, according to gardeners, can be grown in seedlings (in the photo below, a seedling ready for planting) or sow seeds immediately in open ground. Growing seedlings is recommended in the Northern regions so that the fruits have time to ripen.
Growing seedlings
Seeds for seedlings are sown in late March or early April. As a rule, cucurbits do not tolerate transplanting well, so it is recommended to grow Winter Sweet Gourd in separate containers. These can be plastic cups or ones made from paper. Tea bags or milk bags will do.
The soil can be taken ready-made or prepared by yourself. For every 1 kg of soil, add 1 tsp. nitrophoska and 2-3 tbsp. l. wood ash. The soil is shed with boiling water, to which a few crystals of potassium permanganate are added.
Pumpkin seeds have a strong skin, so they are soaked before planting, wrapped in cloth or moss. But first, the seed must be disinfected from fungal diseases. To do this, it is treated in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or in Fitosporin.
Seeds are buried by 1,5-2 cm, covered with a film to speed up the germination process. The containers are exposed to a warm, well-lit window. After 1-2 weeks, shoots will appear, the film is removed. Watered as needed. With regards to top dressing, the seedlings are watered with an extract of wood ash or a solution of potassium permanganate.
Before planting seedlings in a permanent place, it must be hardened off.
Planting seedlings in the ground
Seedlings are planted in open ground when the threat of frost disappears, and the soil at a depth of 10 cm warms up to 12 degrees. By this time the plants will have a height of 15-20 cm and 4-5 true leaves. The holes are dug at a distance of 80-100 cm, since the large-fruited pumpkin of the Winter Sweet variety needs a lot of space. Plant 2 bushes in each hole.
On heavy loamy soils, seedlings are planted on ridges 6 cm high. Immediately after planting, the plants are well shed.
Seed sowing
Sowing seeds is carried out at a soil temperature of about 12 degrees. 3-4 seeds are placed in the hole. When the plants sprout, I leave the 2 strongest sprouts in the hole, the rest are removed.
Care
It is not difficult to care for a pumpkin of the Winter Sweet variety, since the description says about the unpretentiousness of the plant, gardeners also note this in the reviews. All activities are standard.
Weeding
Weeds should not be allowed to grow, as they are breeding grounds for diseases and pests. They need to be removed as they grow at the same time as loosening the soil. In the aisles, this operation is performed before watering, in the holes – after.
Watering
Pumpkins of all varieties are demanding on moisture. The soil must not be allowed to dry out. Watering is carried out with warm settled water. Plants especially need irrigation during fruiting.
Additional fertilizing
Pumpkin of the Winter Sweet variety needs to be fed in a timely manner, since a large amount of nutrients is consumed for the development of a large fruit.
For feeding you can use:
- nitrophoska – 10 g per plant;
- wood ash – 1 tbsp. on a bush;
- infusions of mullein or chicken manure – one bucket of diluted infusion is poured under 6 pumpkins;
- infusion of green grass;
- complex mineral fertilizers – according to the instructions.
Hilling
Pumpkin needs hilling. This procedure is carried out when the first flowers appear. The fact is that the root system is quickly exposed. At the same time, you need to pinch the tops of the lashes and adjust the number of fruits on each stem.
Under the growing pumpkins, it is necessary to put cardboard or straw so that the fruits do not rot.
Conclusion
Pumpkin Winter Sweet is popular. Large juicy fruits keep well. The pulp of the variety has useful properties, it has diuretic, antipyretic and analgesic effects.
