Pumpkin belongs to those plants that it is desirable to form correctly throughout the entire period of their growth. And then you get big or small fruits, there will be many of them on one plant, or, conversely, a single giant pumpkin will grow.
Why do I need to pinch a pumpkin
Under the conditions of our short summer, more than three or four fruits on one plant are unlikely to grow. A large number of ovaries slows down the formation of the crop and leads to the fact that he does not have time to mature enough. Therefore, when growing pumpkins, like other pumpkin, it is recommended to pinch.
Nailing is an agrotechnical technique by which the top of a growing shoot is removed to enhance the growth and development of the lateral parts of the plant.
This technique forces the plant to direct all its forces to the ripening of existing fruits.
Pros of holding a pinch of pumpkin:
- Space saving, which is especially true for small summer cottages.
- Ensuring uniform access of air and light.
- Proper use of fertilizers: not on the formation of green mass, but on the nutrition of the main stems with fruits.
- Productivity increase.
- The possibility of faster maturation.
- Improving the taste of the finished fruit.
You can not pinch until the lash reaches a length of one and a half to two meters.
It's time to start pinching the pumpkin
How to properly form a climbing pumpkin
It is most practical to plant many bushes in different ways: individually and in groups of two, and with two ovaries, and one. It is convenient to create one large well-fertilized pile and plant pumpkin seeds around the perimeter: one at a time, at a distance of about 60-70 cm, giving them the opportunity to “scatter” in different directions over time.
The scourges must be laid out so that they do not interfere with each other
The squash pumpkin grows very fast. If the soil is fertile, then a lot of lashes can form. If it does not matter to you what size the fruits will grow, then you can do without pinching. In this case, you need to direct the lashes so that they do not interfere with each other and only thin out the bush as necessary.
It’s immediately obvious that pumpkins live well here
If you understand that the fruits do not have time to ripen, there are too many, or you want to allow the larger fruit to form, you need to pinch it. When carrying out it, you can form a plant in one, two or three lashes.
In one lash
To form a pumpkin in one lash, after two or three fruits are tied to the main stem, 4-5 leaves are counted from the last of them and a pinch is made.
One lash pumpkin pattern
In two lashes
When pumpkin is formed in two lashes, in addition to the main stem, one more lateral shoot is preserved, the strongest and most elastic. One or two ovaries remain on the main stem, one fruit is left on the lateral lash and pinch the growth point after the fifth leaf.
Two-lash nipple pattern
In three lashes
In addition to the main stem, two lateral shoots are left, on which 1-2 ovaries are formed. Pinch the growth point also after the 5th leaf.
Schematic: Three-lash Pumpkin Formation
The nuances of the formation of bush pumpkin
Pumpkin, as well as squash, has two types of formation of aboveground mass - climbing and bush.
Shrub pumpkin does not let long lashes
Shrub varieties of pumpkins do not scatter long lashes. They grow in a compact bush, but also require pinching. To avoid thickening, they remove the extra lateral shoots, which are infertile. It is better to leave no more than 4 ovaries, otherwise the crop will be small-fruited.
Video: how to pinch a pumpkin properly
I love pumpkin and I must grow it in my own area. A separate, well-fertilized place is reserved for her, where plants can freely "scatter" in all directions in a circle. I know from practice that pinching is definitely worth pursuing. Otherwise, in our Northwest, especially the harvest does not have to wait.
Useful Tips
To pinch and some other work brought only benefit, you should consider:
- It is better to pinch and remove stepsons early in the morning, even better if the weather is cloudy, but without rain. Then in a day the plant will be able to recover and “heal” the wounds;
- Weekly inspection of leaves, stems and fruits will protect the crop from infection with different viruses;
- During the period of active growth, it is recommended to sprinkle the whips with soil so that the plant does not get tangled;
- It is undesirable to plant a pumpkin in aisles: during the development of the root system, a vegetable is able to leave its neighbors in the beds without nutrients;
- Muscat varieties will have time to ripen even in the region with a short summer, if their seedlings are first grown;
- When the fruits have already formed, it is advisable to place a board or other dense material under them so that the fruit does not lie on the ground. This will protect vegetables from early spoilage.
Video: pumpkin on a turf
Reviews
I usually leave 3-5 leaves after the fruit and pinch. I cut out the extra side shoots. Another nuance. I leave 2-3 fruits on a whip (in reserve), because they can fall off or rot. Excess can be removed later.
lucienna
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May your pumpkin be surrounded by care
Get more pumpkins, tasty and different, we will help holding the right pinch. It turned out once - the next will get even better!
