Content
Among the varieties of pumpkin, there are many delicious and nutritious, there are also fruits that are useless in cooking. The gardener looking to feast on orange pulp all year round has a lot to choose from. These top 20 table varieties of hard bark, large-fruited and nutmeg pumpkin are successfully grown in our country.
Pumpkin is very popular all over the world. The plant has many varieties from miniature portions to huge round fruits. The color scale is also striking: the bark is not only traditional orange, but also green, gray, white and even blue. And the bizarre shapes of the vegetable can make a novice gardener laugh. The pear-shaped fruits with a long curled tail and incomprehensible protuberances make the genus of pumpkin interesting to study.
Among the variety of species, two main groups are distinguished: table and decorative pumpkins. Those that are suitable for food are divided into three more subgroups: hard, large-fruited and nutmeg. All of them are successfully cultivated in our country.
The choice of the variety depends on the wishes of the farmer: for culinary preparations and for collecting seeds - table nutmeg and hard-barked ones, for decorating the plot - decorative and large-fruited. There are also suitable varieties for animal feed. The vegetable is also grown in order to set a record: special giant varieties grow to hundreds of kilograms.
This group of varieties is characterized by the large size and sugar content of the pulp. Some of these pumpkins taste sweeter than watermelon. Gardeners love these vegetables for their cold resistance and long shelf life. It is easy to recognize the large-fruited species by the rounded stalk and stem, the leaves of such plants are pentagonal.
Pumpkin variety Zorka - large, large, early ripening. The peel of such a vegetable is orange-gray, the pulp is sweet and rich in carotene. Excellent taste and vitamin composition make the variety the best option for baby food.
On average, the fruits weigh 5-6 kg. They keep well and do not deteriorate.
Refers to late-ripening pumpkins. Under the greenish peel is hidden a sugary flesh of bright orange color. This variety is one of the richest in carotene content. Provitamin provides a rich color and makes the pulp useful for the nutrition of adults and especially children.
Average fruit weight is 5-6 kg. They are round in shape, peel with segments. Winter sweet gourd has a long shelf life after harvest - another advantage.
The second name of this pumpkin is Melon: its pulp is very pleasant to the taste and has a characteristic fruity aroma. The Russian woman is an early ripe variety, refers to unpretentious and is successfully grown in the south, in the middle lane and even in Siberia. For cold regions, seedling cultivation is recommended.
Fruit ripening period is 90-92 days on average. Fruits with a bright orange peel, rounded shape. The average weight of the variety is 3-4 kg, but when grown on fertile soil, more can be achieved.
The name already speaks of the high taste of the pulp. Such fruits grow 3 kg in weight.The peel is bright orange, rounded, segmented. The adorable sunny pumpkin Sweetie will decorate the site and provide a delicious harvest.
The variety is cultivated mainly in the southern regions: it is in such conditions that the bush gives up to 10 healthy and juicy fruits against 1-3 pieces when grown in Siberia and the Urals.
With fruits of 8-10 kg, the Volga gray pumpkin stands out from the group of large-fruited, attention is also drawn to the unusual shade of its rind - greenish-gray. The most juicy and aromatic pulp is hidden under the nondescript crust.
Volga gray matures in 130 days. It is chosen not only because of its taste characteristics, but also because of the abundance of valuable seeds in the pulp.
It does not have the sweetest flesh, but it has impressive dimensions, a bright skin color and an ideal rounded-flattened fruit shape. In such a fatty garden woman, it is easy to imagine Cinderella hurrying to the ball.
The Hundred Pound Pumpkin variety is late ripening. Vegetable weight - from 6-10 kg.
A giant among giants - the Centner variety bears fruits of 50-60 kg! A large bush and long lashes also correspond to the name. Fruits are orange, round, with segmentation on the skin. Among the reasons to choose this variety are early maturity, an abundance of juicy pulp and a large number of healthy seeds. Since it is not always possible to quickly eat and prepare a centner, it is also used for animal feed.
Large-fruited beauties are the best choice for harvesting seeds and preparing meals from fresh pulp. With regular fertilization and proper care, the maximum fruit size is achieved.
The main advantage of hard-barked pumpkins is their long shelf life. Seeds from these varieties are the most delicious. They have pronounced rims and a creamy shade - what we usually buy in the store. The hardy variety saves space on the site and ripens by the beginning of autumn. Signs of the species - grooved peduncle, the stem is covered with thorny villi.
Acorn pumpkins - small, portioned. The variety is called acorn because of the similarity of the segmented peel to the fruit of an oak. The peel has unusual shades from grayish to dark green and almost black. The variety is suitable for growing in all regions - it is hardy and early maturing.
The universal pumpkin pulp of the Acorn variety is used to prepare a side dish for meat dishes and for sweet desserts.
The cultivar ripens very early, making it desirable in cold climates. Freckles are small, dark green pumpkins with yellow spots. Juicy and sugar orange pulp is hidden under the dense skin. Its peculiarity is a fruity aroma reminiscent of a pear.
Gribovskaya winter ripens for a long time - up to 140 days. Fruits are gray, small, slightly flattened. A vegetable of this variety weighs about 3 kg. The pulp of Gribovskaya winter pumpkin is reddish-orange, dense, with a delicate taste and rich mineral composition.
A striped yellow-green vegetable, it can be either round or elongated. Gymnospermous pumpkin has an average ripening period. The pulp is yellow, sweetish, crispy. It contains a lot of seeds without a peel - hence the name of the variety. They are collected and harvested as a source of nutrients, in particular, rare trace elements - zinc and selenium.
A rare variety usually grown for curiosity. Such a pumpkin has an unusual fibrous pulp, reminiscent of long pasta.
The peel of the Spaghetti variety is light yellow, elongated in shape, the pumpkin looks very similar to a melon.
One of the "standard" pumpkins is orange, round, of medium size - usually 5 kg. The variety ripens early, patiently endures adverse weather conditions - drought and cold snaps. At the same time, the pulp is very sweet for a group of hard barks.
Interesting fact
Squash and squash belong to the group of hard-bore pumpkins. Such fruits can be stored for up to a year without losing their taste and useful properties.
This group is recognized as the most delicious and vitamin-rich, but not every region can grow nutmeg - mostly capricious, thermophilic, late-ripening varieties.
Advice
To feast on the sugary pulp, butternut pumpkin seeds are grown in seedlings, and then prescribed in a greenhouse.
Among the advantages of nutmeg varieties are their unusual shape and skin color. It is not a shame to boast of such agrarian achievements.
It is easier to recognize the nutmeg variety than others due to its unusual shapes. Other signs are a pentahedral peduncle expanding towards the base, yellowish and brown seeds.
A popular pear-shaped pumpkin, the pulp of which has a pronounced nutty taste and smell. Small fruits - 1 kg each. If you pick a slightly unripe butternut squash, it will easily ripen indoors.
Eating Butternut is recommended raw. It is a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. Butternut squash will enrich any salad with a pleasant vegetable flavor. The fruit is also boiled, stewed, fried, and winter spins are prepared from it.
This is a rare variety for our country. Description: liana with whips up to 4-5 m. Benincasa is cultivated mainly in China, India, but begins to gain popularity in Russian areas. In the conditions of the middle lane, the fruits of this pumpkin grow up to a weight of 5 kg. The pulp under a dense skin is firm and juicy, light, for which Benincasa is called a white pumpkin.
It is also found under the name Wax because of the characteristic bloom on the peel. The wax extends the shelf life of the fruit up to 1 year.
This butternut squash is distinguished by large fruits of 6 kg. The most useful pulp is hidden under a dark green skin. The fruit has an elongated oval shape. Ripening period - late, recommended conditions - southern.
The amount of sugars is not great for the nutmeg group, but in terms of the content of beta-carotene and other vitamins, this variety is the leader, for which it got its name.
Pumpkin Kapitoshka is a mid-season variety with elongated fruits. The pulp is very sugary, the bright yellow color is explained by the increased content of carotene. For the sweet honey aroma, Kapitoshka received the second name - Honey Princess.
Why is Japanese pumpkin popular on Russian sites? Because it ripens completely and, moreover, has an excellent nutmeg taste, rich vitamin composition, good keeping quality and high decorative qualities. The fruits are round, bright orange both outside and inside.
The fruits of this variety outwardly resemble watermelons - the same green and spotted. The plant looks very decorative in the garden. Inside - white pulp with black seeds. The taste is not the highest, but the benefits of the fruit are noted by gardeners.
This nutmeg variety belongs to the early maturing. Pear-shaped fruits of 1-2 kg are characterized by sugary pulp with a high moisture content. Sugar mace makes thick juices for baby food.
Some Muscat varieties can also be selected for colder regions if they are properly cared for and protected. They are planted for making winter cans: puree and juice. They are well stored, unlike early ripening pumpkins - such a fruit will lie until spring, when other pumpkins have already been eaten.
It's time to decide which pumpkin variety is ideal for the site. The choice is based on personal preferences and the characteristics of the region. Not every pumpkin can withstand temperature extremes and cold short summers. In order for the harvest to grow healthy, gardeners of the northern regions most often plant cold-resistant and early-maturing varieties. Among them:
The southern regions are a suitable area for growing nutmeg and other late-ripening varieties. With enough sun, warmth and soil fertility, pumpkins grow as tasty and large as possible.
Pumpkin is rarely grown in greenhouse conditions because of its size. It is more convenient for gardeners to use the seedling method, moving already grown plantings to the site.
There are also advantages of greenhouse cultivation: pumpkin is protected from weather fluctuations. If there is a place in the design, then you can please yourself with medium-sized thermophilic muscat and late-ripening varieties.
An original method of growing a greenhouse pumpkin, which has been tried by many gardeners: the seeds are sown against the wall, then the grown lashes are brought out through the window into the open ground when the danger of return frosts has passed. The roots remain in the greenhouse.
Large-fruited pumpkin varieties grow roots, they require a lot of space and nutrients. Neighboring greenhouse plants often suffer from this. The grower needs to provide double the nutrient for the greenhouse plant.
Among the variety of pumpkin varieties, there is sure to be the best option for taste, number of seeds, weight, color and shape. Grow several groups at once to choose the right plant for further cultivation.
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