When to plant a pumpkin in 2022 according to the lunar calendar
There are two ways to grow a pumpkin: seedlings or immediately sow the seeds in the beds. In the first case, the crop will ripen earlier, but in the second, there will be less hassle. Which is better – you choose. The main thing is to take into account favorable days according to the lunar calendar 2022

Favorable days for planting seedlings at home or in a greenhouse

In the south and the middle lane, pumpkins have time to ripen, even if seeds are sown immediately in the garden on May 20-25 (1). But if the summer is short, and even cool, they may not have enough heat – the seedling method is better there.

Pumpkin seedlings can be sent to the beds at the age of 20 days, therefore, it is easy to calculate when to sow the seeds.

Pumpkin loves warmth, does not tolerate frost, so it is more reliable to plant seedlings in the middle lane after June 5th. So, you need to sow around May 15th.

If you are ready to cover young plants for the first time, then you can plant a pumpkin in the garden after May 10. And seeds for seedlings should be sown on April 20.

Favorable days for planting seedlings at home or in a greenhouse: April 21 – 22.

Favorable days for planting seedlings in open ground

If you decide to plant a pumpkin in the beds early, after May 10, it will need to be covered with a non-woven fabric. If there is no desire to mess with shelter, then the landing date should be postponed to the beginning of June, when the threat of sub-zero temperatures has passed. In the middle lane, this is about the 5th number.

The area where the pumpkin will grow should be as lit as possible from morning to evening – it is very photophilous. And the soil must be fertile. If the soil is poor, clay or peat, pour half a bucket of humus into the hole during planting – it will be enough for the pumpkin for the whole summer. In addition, organic matter will make the soil loose, just like a pumpkin loves.

The best predecessors are potatoes, legumes (peas, beans), root crops and onions. And after related plants (zucchini and squash, watermelons and melons, cucumbers), pumpkin cannot be planted – they have common diseases.

It is useful to harden off the seedlings a week before planting. This is easy to do – you need to take it out to fresh air. For example, on the balcony. The first couple of days – for 2 – 3 hours. Then you can send “walking” for the whole day. The main thing is that she does not stand in the scorching sun – there should be a light shadow.

Seedlings should be planted on the beds carefully so that the clod of earth does not collapse – if the roots are exposed, the plants will hurt for a long time, and may even die. After planting, the pumpkin must be watered – about 0,5 liters of water per hole.

If the weather is hot outside, the first few days the planted seedlings should be shaded from the sun at noon, when it is the hottest.

Favorable days for planting seedlings in open ground: 1 – 15, 31 May, 1 – 12 June.

How to determine landing dates in your area

It is important that the pumpkin is not killed by frost, so you need to focus on the weather.

In the south, seedlings can be sent to the garden at the end of May. In the middle lane – in early June, and with shelter – after the May holidays. And in the greenhouse it can be planted in early May.

Tips for caring for pumpkin seedlings

Pumpkin seedlings hate transplanting – if the roots break, it gets sick for a long time, and may even die. Because it has huge leaves that evaporate a lot of moisture. And damaged roots simply will not be able to provide plants with water. Therefore, it is better to sow the seeds immediately in separate cups – plastic ones with a volume of 0,5 liters are suitable – to a depth of 3 – 4 cm (2). The cups are placed in a warm place with a temperature of 25 – 30 ° C – in such conditions, the seeds germinate on days 5 – 6 (3). After the seedlings appear, it is better to transfer the seedlings to a cooler place, where it will be 15 – 17 ° C during the day, and 11 – 14 ° C at night. And, of course, the place for seedlings should be very bright. In such conditions, she will grow strong and stocky.

Seedlings should be watered very carefully and rarely, so that the soil dries completely between waterings. Pumpkin does not tolerate excess moisture! And be careful not to get water on the leaves – they can rot or get sunburned.

Feeding seedlings is not required – before planting in the garden, she will have enough nutrients that are in the soil.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about growing pumpkins with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova.

How to choose a pumpkin variety?

There are 3 types of pumpkins that differ in taste, size and shelf life. The largest fruits grow in large-fruited pumpkins, and they are stored the longest – up to 175 days. The sweetest are nutmeg pumpkins, but they are stored a little less – up to 140 days. The most unpretentious are hard-skinned pumpkins, but they are stored less than others – about 100 days.

Can I sow my own pumpkin seeds?

Pumpkins are very easy to pollinate, not only with all types of pumpkins, but also with zucchini and squash. In order for the variety to retain its characteristics, it is important that there are no other varieties and related crops next to it within a radius of 800 m. And this is unrealistic, because almost all summer residents grow zucchini. So it’s better to buy seeds. Or isolate the flowers and pollinate them manually.

Is it possible to grow pumpkins in the Moscow region, Siberia, the Urals?

You can, well, it’s better to choose early-ripening varieties and plant them in a greenhouse – the pumpkin is very thermophilic, in regions with cool summers in the open field, it may not produce a crop. The fact is that at temperatures below 12 ° C, the development of plants is delayed, and at 10 ° C it stops altogether.

Sources of

  1. Shuin K.A., Zakraevskaya N.K., Ippolitova N.Ya. Garden from spring to autumn // Minsk, Uradzhay, 1990 – 256 p.
  2. Yakubovskaya L.D., Yakubovsky V.N., Rozhkova L.N. ABC of a summer resident // Minsk, OOO “Orakul”, OOO Lazurak, IPKA “Publicity”, 1994 – 415 p.
  3. Fisenko A.N., Serpukhovitina K.A., Stolyarov A.I. Garden. Handbook // Rostov-on-Don, Rostov University Press, 1994 – 416 p.

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