Pumpkin: planting and care in the open field

Pumpkin grows almost throughout the territory of our country and not only. Such varieties as large-fruited and hard-barked, are grown, as a rule, in the middle lane and in other areas with similar climatic conditions. In the south of Russia, you can most often find butternut pumpkin and sometimes gourd pumpkin. Growing pumpkin in open areas is not difficult, and with this task
even a novice gardener can handle it. Pumpkin: planting and care in the open field - this is the topic of our article.

Pumpkin: planting and care. Description of the plant

Pumpkin is an annual plant that has a strong root system, wide leaves and long, very strong stems that grow 7 meters or more. The central root of the plant is able to go into the depths of the earth at a distance of 3 meters, and the roots growing on the sides grow by 4 meters. So they look for moisture and nutrients.

The flowers on the crop are yellow and sometimes have shades of orange. They are large and separate. Fruits begin to form only on the tenth leaf and on those that
located higher on the central stem.

Hard varieties

The hard-bore variety is pumpkin, which always has high yields, and the fruits ripen quickly enough. It can be stored for four months without losing its taste or nutritional properties. Has coarser fibers in contrast
from large-fruited varieties.

Large-fruited varieties

The name itself suggests that this variety has very large fruits. The weight of one pumpkin can reach 60 kilograms, which exceeds the weight of any other. The yields are also always high. You can store it for 9 months and not worry about the safety of its useful properties.

Muscat varieties

As for this variety, it is undoubtedly the leader in terms of shelf life. If stored in a dry and cool place, then it can retain all its properties for two years. Refers to late-ripening varieties.

Growing conditions. Pumpkin planting and care.

Pumpkin culture loves warm climates. This plant is not resistant to cold and high humidity. Choose open, sunny areas for planting. In order for the pumpkin seeds to germinate, the air temperature should be about +30 degrees.

If the temperatures are low, then germination will have to wait a long time, and at temperatures below +10 they will never germinate.

Throughout the entire period of active growth and development, the best temperature will be +25 degrees. Under these conditions, the plant will give you fruits with an incredibly fragrant, juicy and dense orange pulp. And the leaves of one plant will cover about 40 square meters. meters.

Pumpkin, planting and care - the plant does not like excess moisture. But nevertheless, she needs a sufficient amount of water to form high-quality large-sized fruits. If the plant did not receive water at the initial stage of flowering, then it may disappear, as the flowers will fall off and the ovaries will not form.

For a pumpkin culture, light and sun are needed. The areas where it is grown must be protected from the winds.

Pumpkin: planting and care. Growing pumpkin from seeds

The most popular growing method among gardeners is the seed method. Before you can land them, they need preparation.

Seed selection

Pumpkin plant: planting and care. First you need to choose the seeds. This is a responsible task that must be taken seriously. When choosing, look for the largest seed sizes without any signs of dryness or weakness. Only selected seeds are taken for planting, the rest are sent to marriage.

Pumpkin - planting and care. How to properly prepare seeds before planting

The ideal option to prepare seeds for planting in the garden is to germinate them. To do this, you need to wait for the seeds to hatch. To help them in this, they must be lowered into a container and filled with water with a temperature of + 40 degrees and held for three hours.

To prevent the temperature from dropping during this time, place the container next to the battery or any other heating device. You can also use a multicooker for these purposes by setting the "yogurt" mode on it.

Germinating seeds

After the seeds have been at the required temperature for the required amount of time, the seeds that have had time to swell should be wrapped in a damp cotton cloth and left in it at room temperature until they begin to peck.

Since the plant prefers warmth, in the territories located in the middle lane, it is necessary to harden the seeds before planting. To do this, they simply need to be left in a damp cloth and placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 5 days. Also, seeds are not planted immediately on an open area, seedlings are grown first.

Pumpkin. Planting and leaving. Growing seedlings

By growing seedlings, you will contribute to an earlier and more abundant harvest. Seeds planted directly in open ground may die in the event of recurrent cold weather. Seedlings can be grown not only at home. For her, you can also build a small greenhouse.

However, a window sill on the south side of your home is ideal. Having created temperature conditions for her, close to +30 degrees, the seedlings will grow more actively and better. It is important to know that strong and powerful-looking seedlings have very poor transplant tolerance. In this connection, peat pots will be the best container for seedlings.

Their size should be 10 by 10, and their number should be, taking into account one pot for two seeds. Remember that one plant spreads its roots over an area of ​​40 square meters. meters, so they should not be planted densely.

With proper care: with sufficient sunlight, with regular watering and with
observing the temperature regime, the yields on two plants, which have a lot of space, will be much higher than that of a dozen closely planted ones.

It is important to know that you can plant seedlings in open ground no earlier than three weeks after sowing. Until this moment, she should be at home or in greenhouse conditions. Accordingly, the seeds are planted in accordance with these terms.

What soil is needed for seedlings

The soil should be fertile and consist of equal parts of peat and river sand. No additional fertilizers or additives should be added. If the seedlings are grown in peat pots, then they can simply be filled with earth from the garden plot.

If you are using a plastic container, then on the bottom you need to put sawdust in a layer of 3 centimeters.

Pumpkin - planting and care in the open field. Sowing seeds

After the seeds have sprouted and have been hardened, they can be planted in containers. Two seeds per pot. After emergence, remove weak seedlings by cutting off their stems.

Seeds are sown to a depth of no more than 2 centimeters, sprinkled with peat and watered.Please note that planting is carried out in pre-moistened soil. In the first three days, make sure that the temperature is at the level of + 25 ... + 30 degrees.

When shoots appear

With proper seed preparation, you can see the first shoots after 4 days. After that, it is necessary to place the seedlings in a place where the temperature will be at least +18 and not more than +25 degrees. In such conditions, she must stay for 7 days. And then the temperature should be reduced again and be already at the level from +15 to +18 degrees.

Such measures promote the development of strong and short seedlings, rather than long and weak ones.

Pumpkin: planting and caring for shoots

When shoots appear, the plant must be constantly watered, but at the same time make sure that there is no stagnation of water. If you water it correctly and maintain the necessary humidity in the air, your plants will grow strong, hardy and will give good yields of high-quality fruits in the future.

The first feeding should be done 14 days after sprouting. Organic fertilizers such as cow dung are good for this. It must be mixed with water 1:10 and watered all the pots. If you planted seeds in a greenhouse, then 100 ml of such a solution will be required for each seedling.

If you do not have the opportunity to use this fertilizer, you can purchase a nitrophosphate at any specialized store and use it in accordance with the instructions. Plants must be watered before feeding.

When to plant seedlings in open ground

You can understand whether the seedlings were grown correctly by their appearance. If the plants have low, strong and thick stems, the internodes are short, and the first three leaves are painted in rich green colors, this means that you did everything well.

Typically, seedlings look like this 3 weeks after the germinated seeds have been planted in pots. At the same time, it can be transplanted into the garden. But be sure to use a cover in the form of a film.

Pumpkin - growing, planting and care. Planting seedlings in open ground

Before planting seedlings in open ground, the site must be prepared. First of all, you need to make holes and pour boiling water over them. If you used peat pots, then the plants do not have to be taken out of them and you can submerge them in the ground together, remove them, slightly destroying the bottom and walls of the pots.

After the seedlings are planted, it must be watered with water at room temperature and covered.
film. After the weather on the street becomes consistently warm, the shelters must be removed.

Suitable soil

Pumpkin prefers to grow on loose, fertile and easily warmed up soils. Choosing such conditions for them, you will always get high yields.

In case your soil is clayey, with a high level of acidity, then you will need wood ash and lime to add them to the soil. Without them, plants will not be able to grow and produce crops.

There are few planting requirements, but they must be followed to get the result.

• First, plant the plants on the south side next to the wall of the house or fence. This will help protect them from the winds and keep them warm.
• Secondly, by directing the lashes of the plant to the walls, fences or roof, you
  will contribute to the faster ripening of the fruits, since the sun's rays will touch them more.
• Thirdly, by planting the pumpkin next to the compost heap on the south side of the site, you will create ideal conditions for growth and development.

Pumpkin: planting and care. Site preparation

Preparing the soil is an important step before planting a pumpkin as it will greatly affect the yield.

First of all, it is necessary to clear the area of ​​debris and weeds. Further, organic and mineral fertilizers are introduced into the soil. For this, humus, potassium chloride superphosphate is well suited. Such a top dressing is done at the rate of 5 kg x 15 g x 30 g per 1 sq. meter. If you make such
the mixture is not possible, then you can use a mullein at the rate of 7 kg per 1 sq. meter in the autumn.

After the feeding is completed, the site must be well dug to a depth of at least 20 centimeters. In order to make the soil looser and increase drainage, if necessary, add river sand there by mixing it with peat.

If the soil is acidic, add wood ash. Further, on the site, you need to loosen the ground well and pour boiling water over it.

With the onset of spring, there is no need to dig up the site again. During this period, it will be necessary to clear it of weeds. Use a rake to level the ground and leave until May. Further, the site is dug to a depth of 12 centimeters 48 hours before planting seedlings in the garden. Fertilizers based on nitrogen are applied and holes are prepared with a depth of about 25 centimeters if the soil is light and 40 centimeters deep if it is heavy.

Dry leaves (a thin layer) and a small amount of compost should be added to the holes. When filling holes, keep a distance of one to two meters.

The pumpkin culture will take root well where vegetables belonging to the families were previously grown: cabbage, onion, legumes, and also after potatoes.

Pumpkin. Planting and leaving

Caring for a pumpkin does not take much effort and does not require special knowledge. There are only a few simple and quite familiar rules that must be followed to get a good harvest.

Watering

Watering is perhaps the main thing that must be approached with full responsibility. It will be impossible to get a good harvest if you do not give the plant enough water. With a large root system, it literally sucks all the water out of the soil. This water quickly evaporates from the leaves.

To get enough moisture for the stem and root, you need to water it regularly. It should always be remembered that the plant does not tolerate stagnation of water.

The pumpkin needs abundant watering especially strongly during the period of mass flowering and fruit formation. The water used must settle and have a temperature of at least +20 degrees.
Do not water it with cold water during hot daytime, otherwise the plants will not survive.

After the soil is watered, it must be loosened at the roots. This will allow more oxygen and nutrients to pass through. Weeds also need to be removed.

If summers are dry, increase watering before flowering begins.

Top dressing

Since the plant puts down large roots, it not only quickly sucks out all moisture from the soil, but also nutrients. Therefore, it needs constant feeding in order to achieve large yields.

The first time feeding is carried out after the fifth leaves appear on the seedlings planted in the garden. The next one is during the formation of lashes. Then, once every 14 days. For feeding, you can
use a nitrophosphate.

During the first feeding, the dose should not exceed 10 grams. Further, the dose is increased by 5 grams with each subsequent procedure. You can use it both in liquid and dry form.

When fruits begin to form on the plant, wood ash must be added. This is done in each feeding in the amount of 200 grams.

A solution made from cow dung is also a good fertilizer. It can be applied throughout the entire period of growth and development of the pumpkin.

Formation

In order to promote the development of a good harvest, it is also important to form the plant into no more than two stems. This is done as soon as extra shoots appear. They take up a lot of the nutrients that pumpkin needs, so they need to be removed.

In addition, you need to pinch off the ovaries, leaving three on each lash. Of course, leaving the shoots belonging to the second order, you can get the fruits. But they will be unusable because of their taste.

Powder

The powder helps to increase yields, protect the whips and leaves from the winds.To do this, the lashes, which have reached a length of one meter, are neatly unraveled, laid in the right direction and sprinkled with soil in different places.

The fact is that those internodes that will be pressed to the ground will take root. These roots will contribute to better nutrition, and therefore an increase in yield.

Care in the garden

By directing the whips to the roofs of the house or annexes, as well as to the fence, control them. As soon as the period of fruit ripening begins, make insurance. For this, a mesh made in the form
string bags in which the pumpkin is placed. The mesh must be secured with additional fasteners.

This method will protect the fruits from falling, and the stems will not break. If the lashes lie on the surface of the earth, then put boards or some kind of material that
allows air to pass through. Do not let them sit on damp ground.

Harvesting

The pumpkin is a frequent visitor that can be found in the gardens. It is popular not only for its taste and undoubted benefits, but also for its ability to store for a long time and ease of care. Probably for this reason, gardeners sometimes forget to pay due attention to it, leaving the plant to grow on its own.

However, this is precisely the reason why yields are not as large as they could be with proper care. And the fruits do not have a rich and juicy taste. In addition, it is precisely the lack of attention to the plant that leads to the formation of rot during the formation of the ovaries and significantly reduces the shelf life of pumpkins.

So what should you consider when growing a pumpkin to make it taste really good? What should be done in the care process? What should you pay attention to throughout the entire period of growth and development of this culture?

Pre-sowing activities

Despite the seeming unpretentiousness in care, the taste of the fruit will depend on all stages of plant care. Starting from the choice of seed and how they were prepared before planting.

It is important to remember that seeds that are not purchased in nurseries or specialized stores, but collected on your site, must be processed. This procedure is necessary in order to
kill all harmful microflora and pests that can further destroy the plant.

To do this, the seeds are dipped in a manganese solution for 30 minutes. Then they are placed in a 25% salt solution. In such a solution, all low-quality seeds will float, and strong and healthy plants will grow from those remaining at the bottom.

After the procedure done, the seeds must be washed in running water and left to dry for 3
hours at a temperature of about 60 degrees. Then, for 24 hours, they must be bubbled.

Growing conditions and features

Growing sweet juicy pumpkins is possible if you adhere to the mandatory rules for crop rotation and create the conditions necessary for the plant in the area where they will grow.

For example, you can plant a crop in the same place only after 5 years. And by planting it on a site where legumes or cruciferous crops were previously grown, the pumpkin harvest will grow.

As mentioned above, the pumpkin loves warmth and light, which means the site should be open to sunlight. Having planted it even in partial shade, the number of fruits will significantly decrease. And also the plant will be most susceptible to fungal diseases and attacks from harmful insects that can destroy the crop.

During the period when several true leaves have not yet formed on the plant, it should receive light for at least 10 hours. Further, the number of hours should already be about 12.

By setting up tall pumpkin beds, you can get good, earlier yields. Even if there are unfavorable weather conditions outside. In addition, the fruits will be less susceptible to
rot diseases.

When planting plants in open areas that need frequent watering, the beds should be up to 3 meters wide.

When planting broad-shouldered pumpkin varieties, observe the distance between them from one and a half to 3 meters.

If these are bush plants, then they do not require large areas, so it will be enough to leave a gap of about one meter between them.

As mentioned earlier, the likelihood that the plant will take root faster and better, and the yields will be larger and better, is much higher if seedlings are planted in open ground, rather than seeds.

When growing seedlings in peat pots, the plants can be transplanted into the garden with them. Thus, the root system will not be protected from injury and the crop can be harvested a month earlier.

Please note that the soil must warm up to at least 12 degrees before replanting the plant there. As for the nutmeg variety, here the temperature should be at least 15 degrees, since it is especially thermophilic.

Pumpkin care on site

After transplanting the plant into open ground, it must be covered, since even a short period of frost can destroy them. In order for the plants to develop well and to form fruits on them, a temperature of at least 22 degrees is required. If she will
lower, then growth will slow down, the rate of formation of flowers and ovaries will decrease.

Therefore, use a protective film until the weather is consistently warm.

Before sowing, spread the cover over the surface of the ground, making cross-shaped cuts there and plant young seedlings or seeds there. Then increase their size according to the growth of the plant.

By doing this, you will protect the soil from rapid evaporation of moisture, increase the temperature of the earth by 5 degrees and thus provoke faster development and fruiting. In addition, this method will reduce the time and effort spent on leaving.

During the period when the plants have not yet had time to grow, it is necessary to regularly loosen the ground, preventing the formation of a crust on the surface. Since it interferes with the supply of the required amount of oxygen, nutrients and moisture.

Mulching around the plants with sawdust or straw is a very good option to keep moisture and avoid overgrowth of weeds.

A month after the first shoots appear, it is necessary to loosen, clear the area of ​​weeds and carefully spread the lashes. Loosening is carried out to a depth of no more than 7 centimeters to avoid damage to roots located close to the surface. And do it
follows after watering.

Pumpkin, planting and care, and how often to water the pumpkin outdoors?

The wide root system of the plant allows it to receive moisture at a great distance. Therefore, short periods of drought will not be detrimental to him. The pile that covers almost the entire plant will prevent the greens from drying out. However, all this does not mean that the plant can
do not water.

Pumpkin needs moisture, it is thanks to its sufficient amount that the yields become large, and the fruits are tasty. The irrigation schedule should be designed in such a way that they do not pass
often, but abundantly and necessarily, taking into account the needs of the plant at different periods of development.

Before the first time to huddle and loosen the soil, the pumpkin must be watered abundantly twice. Then there is a break of 21 days, this stimulates the roots to active development. When the formation of female flowers and fruits begins, watering should be increased up to once a week and this should be done until the pumpkin begins to fill up and actively increase its size.

In the last summer month, watering should be reduced. Since the plant is no longer
needs them too much, and it also stimulates the accumulation of sugar in fruits. Reducing watering affects the formation of a strong crust, thanks to which the pumpkin can be safely stored in winter.

Watering should be stopped altogether three weeks before the expected harvest.

Thus, it turns out that during the whole season the plants are watered no more than 10 times. Fertilizers are important to apply during watering. Plants need three main dressings, which are carried out during the first hilling, when flowering begins and when ovaries begin to form.

The pumpkin needs both mineral and organic fertilizers, so they should be alternated. Wood ash and herbal infusions work well in all areas, including poor soils.

Causes of rotting pumpkin in the garden

3 months after the first shoots appear on the seedlings, the pumpkin begins to bloom. First of all, male flowers bloom, which occupy almost 90% of all on a broad-shouldered variety. On the bush, their number is no more than 60%.

Female flowers, without which the formation of ovaries is impossible, appear only 10 days after male flowers. The pumpkin is pollinated by insects, so good weather is important here too.

In rainy, cold and windy conditions, insect pollinating plants work less. And accordingly, the process necessary for further development stops and the weakened ovaries can die off.

Sometimes this also affects the rotting of pumpkins and, of course, a decrease in the yield in general. In order to prevent such consequences, it is necessary to apply artificial pollination... This can be done by carefully removing the petals from the plucked male flower and carefully transferring its pollen to
female flower.

This should be done early in the morning and should not allow moisture to get on the pollen. Gardeners who have gained experience in growing pumpkin crops recommend removing wilted flowers and poorly formed ovaries in time. Since this significantly protects plants from bacterial infections, such as rot, and from pests, which, along with disease, can cause great harm to ripening fruits.

Remember that pumpkin is a plant that does not tolerate excess moisture. It is the excess water and its stagnation that can provoke diseases that are fatal to the plant. Cold and damp ground is especially dangerous for fruits that have gained weight and lie on the ground.
Place breathable materials underneath to avoid ruining your crops.

Pumpkin, planting and care, pinching

In addition to all of the above, too dense plantings can contribute to the development of putrefactive diseases. With regard to bush varieties, abundantly growing ovaries can interfere with plant development.

In order to protect plants from disease, they need good access to light and air. Therefore, the plant must be shaped. By the way, this stimulates faster ripening of the fruit. It is not necessary to subject bush varieties to shaping; it is enough to remove excess ovaries here. There should be about four of them on the stem. And also in time to remove wilted areas that provoke rot on cuttings, stems and fruits.

Climbing varietiesgrown outdoors, pinch in the middle of summer. At that moment, when 2 ovaries with a diameter of 10 centimeters were formed on the lashes. At this moment, the lashes are shortened after the 6th leaf located behind the last fruit.

The maximum weight per bush should be calculated on the basis of the characteristics of the particular variety and the weight of the fruits already ripe. As a rule, the larger the pumpkin in size, the smaller it should remain after pinching.

Shoots, weak, poorly growing, must be removed. Located on the sides, they leave no more than two of the strongest, cutting off to 50 centimeters. In order to support the fruits, which are increasing in size more and more, it is necessary to sprinkle the internodes with earth and moisten.

As a rule, after a week, strong roots will form, which will give
additional nutrition for the whip and protect plants from damage during winds.

Diseases and pests: control methods and prevention

The diseases that are especially common in this vegetable crop are often bacterial and fungal. They develop due to excess moisture in the soil. Spider mites and aphids can often be found in relation to the harmful insects that infect pumpkin.

Powdery mildew Is a fungal disease affecting the plant, usually due to improper care. In order to cope with this disease, the plant must be sprayed with a solution made of potassium, copper sulfate and water at the rate of 3 g x 2 g x 10 liters.

When ovaries and leaves begin to form, it is necessary to process the bushes with Bordeaux liquid. Disease prevention means proper watering, crop rotation and the immediate removal and burning of those plants that are already sick.

Mosaic Is a virus that infects plants and spreads rapidly throughout the area. If this disease is detected, it is important to immediately remove all affected bushes and burn them.

Prevention in this case means weed control, the use of only disinfected garden tools, timely pest control measures and the immediate destruction of diseased plants.

Fruit rot - if signs of rot appear, the affected areas should be cut off as soon as possible and the areas should be treated with aloe juice.

Aphid Is an insect that infects plants very quickly. In order to cope with it, a soap solution is suitable. You will need to dissolve 200 grams of grated soap in 10 liters of water. Same
you can treat the plant with 10% karbofos, diluting 60 grams in 10 liters of water. Weed control will help protect plants from the attack of this pest.

WITH spider mite can be dealt with with onion infusion. To do this, add 200 grams of husk to 10 liters of water and let it brew. A 20% chloroethanol solution is also good. It must be weighed out with water in proportions of 20 g x 10 liters.

Harvesting and storing pumpkin

Harvesting must be done on time, otherwise the fruit will start to deteriorate. You can understand whether the harvest is ripe by the stalk, which will become coarser and roughness will appear. On leaves and lashes, which will begin to turn yellow and dry. On the crust on the fruit, which becomes coarser and patterns corresponding to the variety appear on it.

Harvested before frost appears. It is necessary to remove the fruits by cutting off the stalk 6 centimeters long with them. Then the pumpkin run away to a heated, dry room. Within 7 days, the cutting will dry out, and the fruits will ripen.

If, before the onset of frost, the pumpkin did not have time to ripen, then it must be covered with a layer of straw mulch or covered with non-woven material.

Conclusion

With proper care of your seeds, plant and soil, you can always get big yields of juicy, tasty and incredibly healthy pumpkins.

They are stored for a long time, retaining all their useful properties. The vitamins and trace elements of this vegetable are very useful for the functioning of all human organs. This is probably the reason why they are so common in gardens and their popularity continues to grow.

It is actively grown on an industrial scale and used to make baby food and juices.

Pumpkin: planting and care. Features in different regions

There are some features of planting with seeds and seedlings, as well as in caring for them, which we will discuss below.

Planting dates depend on the regions where the pumpkin will be grown. Recall that an important criterion is the soil warmed up before planting and a stable air temperature, which is kept at +10 degrees. Sowing seeds or planting seedlings should be best done at +13 degrees. Since a lower temperature significantly slows down growth, which provokes the development of rot on the seeds.

In the second half of May, seeds, as a rule, can be planted in the territories of the middle zone of our country.Folk traditions point to St. George's Day - a church holiday. However, it is not worth
ignore and weather conditions.

As for the south of our country, Belarus, Ukraine, Donbass, landing there can take place already in the second half of April.

Folk omens say that planting plants during the growing moon will have a good effect on the development of young seedlings.

Most popular varieties

In the Moscow region, such varieties are very popular as:

Premiere - This variety is cold-resistant, has long, spreading lashes, large fruits weighing about 6 kilograms and has a very sweet taste. It is distinguished by its unpretentiousness to the soil.

Dachnaya - this variety is early ripening. Harvests can be harvested in less than 3 months. It has a sweet taste with a slight vanilla flavor. The weight of one pumpkin does not exceed 4 kilograms. And you can store them for 4 months.

In the Urals, they prefer to grow varieties such as:

Russian woman - this variety is highly resistant to cold weather, to many diseases and pests. Its pulp is very juicy and sweet, so it is often used in cooking. The weight of one fruit is about 3 kilograms. Ripens within 5 months.

Pearl nutmeg - this variety, like the Russian woman, has a high resistance to diseases, pests and cold weather. It is able to withstand both prolonged droughts and long periods of rain. The ripening period lasts for 3-3.5 months. The weight of one fruit reaches 7 kilograms.

In Siberia, the best varieties are recognized as:

Freckle - has a juicy and very sweet pulp that resembles a melon. Its crunchy texture is retained even after heat treatment. The weight of one fruit is about 3 kilograms.

Smile - this variety belongs to bush. It copes well with temperature extremes, resistant to cold and high humidity. The fruits have excellent taste and long shelf life, which exceeds 12 months. Harvesting of this variety can be started 3-4 months after planting. Weight is about 3 kilograms.

Pests and prevention

Pumpkin is considered an unpretentious plant, however, this culture is also threatened by pests. Reducing productivity, and sometimes destroying young shoots can:

• slugs;
• melon aphid.

When signs of an invasion of pests are detected, special preparations are used (Actellik, Fufanon, Tsitkor, etc.). Safer products are made from biological
components. In efficiency, folk methods are sometimes not inferior, among which deserve attention:

• decoctions and infusions from pharmacy chamomile;
• infusions of potato and tomato tops;
• decoctions of wormwood and other aromatic herbs;
• wood ash;
• tobacco dust;
• slaked lime, etc.

Working solutions are used for spraying plants, and powders are used for dusting. The procedures are repeated 2-3 times at intervals of 7-10 days. For an instant reaction to an invasion of pests, it is necessary to make it a rule to inspect the beds with a regularity of 1 every 3 days. Then you can localize the problem and save the harvest.