Pear-shaped pumpkin: photo, description, cultivation

The article presents a pear-shaped pumpkin: photo, description, characteristics, rules for growing, care, protection.

Recently, it has become very popular to use climbing plants such as ivy, decorative grapes, and various vines as decoration. In this article, we will tell you about another unique plant - ornamental (pear-shaped) pumpkin. Probably few people have heard of its existence. It will undoubtedly take its rightful place in your garden and will serve as a decoration until autumn, right up to November. In autumn, they are especially beautiful due to curly, wide, green leaves, which gradually turn yellow and orange. Orange fruits give a special effect to this hedge. They can be used for different purposes - for food, as a living decor, for various interesting crafts, after harvesting.

The decorative pear-shaped pumpkin has a lot of species and varieties, they do not differ much in the shape of the leaves, they mainly differ in shape, size or ripening time of fruits. In Russia, it is generally accepted that this plant is annual, because it does not withstand our harsh winter, but in warmer countries it grows all year round. The stems of a pear-shaped gourd with leaves spread through the garden like vines, can reach a length of 6 m. They are distinguished by a very fast growth rate. The antennae, with which they cling to the previous stems, are very well developed, have increased strength and growth. There are also more stems than the usual pumpkin varieties. Leaves grow up to 12 cm in diameter, there are slight differences in color, depending on the variety. It is also characteristic that the leaves are relatively thin, not fleshy, are more decorative in nature, pubescence is practically absent. The flowers are mostly white, up to 7 cm in size, depending on the variety, pear-shaped pumpkins can have yellowish tints.

Pumpkin Pear-shaped: description of the fruits

Long Pear-shaped pumpkin: photo

The fruits of the decorative pear-shaped pumpkin have an unusual shape, for which they were called pear-shaped. There are some differences in varieties, but they all differ in their characteristic shape. As a rule, the stores sell sets of seeds, where there are different varieties of this species.

Today there are about a dozen varieties of pear-shaped pumpkin. From one seed, 20 to 30 fruits are obtained. The color of the fruit can also be different: orange, red, yellow, cream. May be streaked or stained. Smooth or pimpled varieties can be found to the touch. The pear-shaped shape is also different for everyone. For example, the variety Cobra, somewhat elongated in the thin part, the Korona cultivar has a star-shaped lower part, the cultivar Sweet dumping has a segmented lower part of the fetus. The most classic variety is Bottle leginary... There are a lot of varieties with curved thin parts of the fruit (Nativ, Swan Neck, Peanut Butter).

I must say that all varieties of oblong pear-shaped pumpkin taste very mediocre, the peel is very dense, and there is almost no pulp or they are not juicy at all, you can eat, nothing bad will happen to you, but it is unlikely to be tasty. Basically, these plants are more decorative in nature, or are used as a basis for various crafts. Handmade lovers will appreciate these fruits, unusual in shape, because they can be used to make very unusual crafts. However, there are varieties that are quite suitable for human consumption.For example, Peanut or Baby Boo. The latter got this name because of the unusually small fruits; some experienced gardeners grow this variety even at home. The Sweet Dumping variety is suitable for consumption, only it must be plucked when it is not yet ripe, otherwise the fruit will harden.

Pumpkin Pear-shaped: main characteristics

Long Pear-shaped pumpkin: photo

Basically, the fruits, as we have already said, are inedible, weighing about 50-100 grams. Some varieties have a little more, for example Orange - 300g. Concepts such as the ripening period of fruits, yield are not applicable to them. Average frost resistance in fruits, when the temperature drops to 10 degrees, the growth of the plant stops. The root system is branched, because of this feature, it can store moisture in the roots for a long time, but they do not tolerate drought, watering is necessary in such weather, otherwise the leaves will deform and turn yellow. A pear-shaped pumpkin can be considered a picky plant if you follow the basic rules for caring for any plant. The shoots grow very long, up to 2m, it is possible to cover very large areas and plant the whole garden without any special costs. There are many varieties of pear-shaped pumpkin and types, you can fantasize and come up with original designs using different varieties. The fruits of an oblong pear-shaped pumpkin, by the way, are stored for a long time due to the dense rind.

What diseases and pests affect pear-shaped pumpkins

Pear-shaped oblong pumpkins: photo

The ornamental pear-shaped gourd family has a fairly average resistance to pests and diseases. Much depends on proper care and early detection of pests. Of the diseases, decorative pumpkins are most often susceptible to powdery mildew and all types of rot, bacteriosis is possible. Leaves can become food for aphids or spider mites. Methods of dealing with them are standard - treatment with acaricide or the use of everyone's favorite folk methods. Although in this case, if there is no neighborhood with other edible crops, you can immediately use chemical methods to achieve a quick and better effect. A solution of copper sulfate, in a ratio of 1% to 3%, will help in the fight against fungal diseases, you can try using colloidal sulfur. The most effective method is preventive measures. You just need to spray it with a solution of copper sulfate once a month.

Growing a decorative pear-shaped pumpkin

For lovers of an ordinary pumpkin, planting its decorative look will not be difficult, because they are no different in cultivation. You can plant seedlings first, you can sow seeds directly into the ground.

If your weather conditions allow planting a long pear-shaped pumpkin directly into the ground, that is, the temperature should be at least 12 degrees stable, then at the end of May, beginning of June, you can plant seeds. First you need to germinate the seeds. We keep them for two hours in water with a temperature of 50 degrees, then we keep them in a wrapped cloth for two days, after the sprouts have appeared, you can plant them. We dig holes 5-10 cm deep at a distance of 60 cm and more. Do not plant ornamental gourds too close to each other, leave room for them to grow and to form beautiful, abundant leaves. The soil should not be highly oxidized. It is best to prepare the soil in the fall, introduce organic fertilizers such as manure or slurry, bird droppings or compost. If introduced in the spring, then they will not have time to overheat. Of the predecessors, cereals, legumes, as well as carrots, onions, nightshades and cabbage are well suited. You cannot choose crops from their own family, such as zucchini and other types of pumpkins. The pumpkin loves light, but no more than 6 hours of direct sunlight, that is, you need to choose the eastern side of your site or any other places with partial shade.

If you want to plant a pumpkin using a seedling method, then you need to sow the seeds in a month, that is, around the end of April - beginning of May.We plant one or two seeds in small containers or cups.

Important! You cannot plant pumpkin seeds in one container, because they may not tolerate a dive.

Land can be bought or made from 1 part sand, 2 parts peat, 3 parts leaf land. It is also necessary to first carry out the procedure for germinating sprouts, then plant them in the ground. It does not hurt to process the seeds with potassium permanganate at the beginning, just rinse with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, rinse and dry. We plant so that the sprouts are facing upward for faster germination. Once planted, cover with cling film, create a greenhouse effect.

As a rule, sprouts appear in 1-2 weeks, each variety has its own terms, it is better to navigate according to the instructions. We saw the first shoots, immediately remove the film, move it to a well-heated place. If they do not have enough light, then the seedlings will grow strongly, the stem will be thin, unstable. Regular watering is necessary, if the room is too dry, then every day. Do not overfill, otherwise the root may fester. We plant it in the garden one month after planting. Before that, it is recommended to first take out containers with seedlings to the balcony or greenhouse for hardening and better weather resistance. You need to start with ten minutes, gradually increasing the time you spend on the street. The seedling planting method will help you decorate your garden with this wonderful plant much earlier than sowing directly into the ground.

Care after landing

Caring for a pear-shaped ornamental pumpkin is no different from caring for other plants. Regular watering and weeding is a must. Moreover, it is necessary to water, so that water does not fall on the leaves, they can turn yellow from this. Loosening the soil when necessary or during weeding. For the formation of beautiful leaves, it is recommended to fertilize with fertilizers twice a month. Since we do not have a goal in obtaining a crop, nitrogen-containing fertilizers or potash fertilizers will be enough.

The only thing that must be done for a pear-shaped gourd is to form supports. It can be ropes on the wall, sticks, various nets, someone makes special decorative arches, which looks very impressive. Just imagine how beautifully small orange fruits, surrounded by leaves, will hang from the arch. Most importantly, you need to keep small distances, otherwise the shoots will go in the wrong direction and spoil the whole view. It is better to form the branches ourselves, after 4 leaves have formed from one shoot, you need to pinch it, the most important thing is to tie it to the support in time. You need to water once a week, 10-20 liters very abundantly. water per plant. This is in the first month, at the end of June and July we water much less often, as needed. After watering, you need to loosen the soil or mulch the planting site.

In conclusion, I would like to note that the pear-shaped pumpkin is unpretentious, therefore, any novice gardener can decorate your site with the help of this plant. This is a real find for everyone who wants to quickly decorate their garden, because the leaves are formed at a fairly fast pace and very abundantly, they do not require special conditions, and they last for a very long time, and in the fall they continue to delight you with bright colors of the leaves. We are sure that you will find the view you like from all this variety and no one will remain indifferent to your garden.

Pumpkin Pear-shaped: video