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CULTURAL AND WILD PLANTS
Pumpkin, zucchini, squash. Legends, myths, symbolism, description, cultivation, methods of application
Directory / Cultivated and wild plants Content
Pumpkin, squash, squash, Cucurbitaceae. Photos of the plant, basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism
Basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism Sort by: Cucurbita (pumpkin) Family: Cucurbitaceae (cucurbitaceae) Origin: Central and South America Area: Cultivated in many regions of the world. Chemical composition: Plants of the genus Cucurbita are a rich source of vitamins A and C, carotenes, folic acid, potassium and other minerals. It also contains vegetable proteins and fats. Economic value: Plants of the genus Cucurbit are used in cooking to prepare various dishes such as soups, pies, casseroles, salads, desserts and many others. Also, plants can be used as feed for livestock and poultry, and from their seeds oil is obtained, which has found application in the food and medical industries. Legends, myths, symbolism: In ancient Greek mythology, the pumpkin was associated with the goddess Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and harvest. She was also dedicated to the feast of "Demeteria", during which the end of the harvest was celebrated. In Egyptian mythology, the pumpkin was associated with the goddess of Oil, the goddess of the earth and harvest, and in Indian mythology, the pumpkin was associated with the god Ganea, the god of wisdom and prosperity. In Chinese culture, the gourd is considered a symbol of prosperity and wealth, and is often used as decoration at weddings and other celebrations. In Mexican culture, the pumpkin is associated with the Day of the Dead and is often used to create folk art objects such as "kaleidoscopes" (carvings inside the pumpkin). Zucchini, also known as zucchini, has a history of being used in Mediterranean cuisine and is widespread in Greek and Italian culture. In Greek mythology, the zucchini was associated with the god Zeus, who was the patron of plants and agriculture.
Pumpkin, squash, squash, Cucurbitaceae. Description, illustrations of the plant Pumpkin, Cucurbiia L. Botanical description, history of origin, nutritional value, cultivation, use in cooking, medicine, industry
An annual herbaceous plant. The stem is recumbent or climbing, with hard pubescence, up to 10 m long. The leaves are alternate, large, heart-shaped at the base, with sharp lobes. The plant is monoecious. The flowers are dioecious, male - on long pedicels, female - on short ones; corolla funnel-shaped, with five straight teeth, orange. The fruit is a false juicy berry of various shapes, sizes and colors. Seeds are yellowish white. Blooms in June-September. Pumpkin culture has been known in Mexico since 3000 BC. It appeared in Europe at the beginning of the XNUMXth century, but only in the XNUMXth century was it fully recognized as a food, fodder and ornamental plant. Three types are cultivated: hard-barked, large-fruited and nutmeg. Hardbark comes from Asia Minor, large-fruited - from South America, nutmeg - from Central America. Varieties of hard-barked pumpkin are zucchini, patisson, wryneck, citrulline, small-fruited ornamental pumpkin, called "khanka" in Ukraine, and others. All these varieties are similar in growth pattern. The fruits differ quite significantly in shape, taste, use. Pumpkin is demanding on soil fertility, drought-resistant and relatively shade-tolerant, but grows best in lighted areas. The soil is prepared in the fall: fertilizers are applied, after which they dig deep. In the second half of April, three or four seeds are sown in holes and covered with a 5-6 cm layer of moist earth. When the first true leaf appears, the pumpkin is thinned out, and in the phase of three leaves, the second thinning is carried out, leaving one plant in the nest. A pumpkin needs a large feeding area, so the distance between plants should be at least 1 m. Sometimes it is useful to carry out artificial pollination to improve fruit formation. At the same time, plants are treated with bird droppings or ammonium nitrate. To get large fruits, two or three ovaries are left on one plant, and the stem itself is pinched over the third or fourth leaf, removing excess side shoots. The growing season lasts 120-130 days. The soil is kept free from weeds. Planks and a film are placed under the ripening fruits for better lighting and improved taste. The fruits are harvested after full ripening, when the stalk dries.
The chemical composition of pumpkin fruits is rich and varied. The main thing is carotene, which is more in them than in carrots. Proteins and enzymes, pectins and sugars (sometimes up to 14%), a rich set of vitamins (C, B1, B2, PP, E) and minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper; cobalt, phosphorus) with a low fiber content - all this allows us to consider pumpkin one of the most valuable food products. The seeds contain a lot of fatty oil, which includes glycerides of linoleic, oleic, stearic and palmitic acids; in addition, they contain phytosterol, resinous substances, organic acids, vitamin C. The healing properties of pumpkin have long been known. In folk medicine, it is used as a diuretic, choleretic and laxative. Freshly prepared pulp juice quenches thirst, helps with insomnia and disturbed sleep. Loose pulp treats eczema, rashes, applying it to the affected areas of the skin. Pumpkin helps to remove cholesterol from the body, so it is useful for obesity and atherosclerosis. Pulp and juice improve the motor function of the intestine, increase the excretion of toxic substances from the body, and have a diuretic effect. Pumpkin is recommended for hepatitis and cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, chronic colitis in the stage of mild exacerbation. Its seeds are considered an effective remedy against tapeworms, and the edible oil obtained from the seeds has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart. Pumpkin is widely used as a dietary product. Pumpkin dishes are recommended for those who have had Botkin's disease, with kidney diseases, metabolic disorders and gout. All pumpkin dishes are not only healthy, but also tasty. Baked pumpkin is a wonderful dessert. Pumpkin can be used to make pudding, soufflé, cake cream, pie filling, etc. Authors: Kretsu L.G., Domashenko L.G., Sokolov M.D.
Zucchini, patisson. Botanical description, history of origin, nutritional value, cultivation, use in cooking, medicine, industry
Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L. var giraumons Duch.) is an annual herbaceous plant. The leaves are five-lobed, with coarse prickly pubescence. Flowers separate, large, yellow. The fruit is a fleshy elongated white or green false berry. Seeds are flat, creamy. Blooms in June. Zucchini is characterized by precocity: from germination to the first harvest of fruits, 40-44 days are required. The plant is moisture and photophilous. The soil is prepared in the same way as for a pumpkin. The distance between plants is 70 cm. Watering is necessary, especially during fruiting. Harvest is taken at the age of eight to twelve days, preventing the fruits from overgrowing. The pulp of the fruit contains sugars, proteins, starch, vitamin C. Although there is little carotene in zucchini compared to pumpkin, there is almost twice as much vitamin C. Zucchini is rich in compounds of potassium, phosphorus, iron. Young immature ovaries are used for food. Caviar is prepared from them; they are fried, marinated and salted, stuffed with meat and rice, as well as vegetables. Squash (Cucurbita pepo L. var melopepo (L.) Filov.) differs from zucchini in the flat plate shape of the fruit, segmented serrated edges and a convex middle part, white, less often dark yellow in color. The flesh is white or cream. Blooms in June. Growing squash requires an air temperature of at least 13-14 ° C. The technology for growing squash and zucchini is approximately the same. It can be harvested 60-65 days after germination. Squash fruits contain proteins, starch, sugars and a large amount of vitamin C; there are carotene, pectin, minerals (phosphorus, iron, etc.). Squash has a denser and more tasty pulp than zucchini. Three to eight days old ovaries are used for food. From patissons you can cook delicious delicate dishes. Soup is cooked with patissons, they are stuffed with meat and rice, vegetables and mushrooms. In marinated form, they are good as an appetizer or side dish for meat. Small greens with a diameter of no more than 5 cm are salted like cucumbers. Authors: Kretsu L.G., Domashenko L.G., Sokolov M.D.
Pumpkin, vegetable marrow, squash, Cucurbita L. Classification, synonyms, botanical description, nutritional value, cultivation
Names: white. seamelon; German Kurbis; Goal. pompoen; dates graskar, almindelig Kokken; Swede, pumpa; aigl. gourd; Amer. squash; fr. courges; it. zucca; Spanish zapollo, calabaza; port, abobora; rum. dovleci; Slovenian buca; Serb, tikva; Czech tykve turky, tekvica; Polish dynia, kurbas, tykwa, bania.c Special names for Cucurbita maxima Duchsn: German. Zentnerkurbis; English pumpkin, pumpion, winter squash; fr. potiron; Swede, winter-pumpa; Spanish zapallo potiron; it. zucca; Polish dynia centnarowa jadalna. Names of the chalmoid gourd: German. Turkenbund Kurbis; English turks cap, turban squash; fr. giraumon, bonnet ture, turban, turbanet, citrouille iroquoise, courge de St.-Jean; it. zucca a turbante; Spanish calabasa bonetera; port, abobora de coroa; Polish dynia zawoj. Four types of pumpkin are mainly cultivated: Cucurbita maxima Duch., C. rero L., C. moschata Duch. and C. turbaniformis Roemer. View C. maxima Duch. It is represented mainly by fodder varieties (Volzhskaya gray, Yellow mammoth, Kit, Hundred pounds, etc.). There are relatively few table varieties of this pumpkin (Bezenchukskaya, Spanish, Red early ripening, Honey, Etampsky). The ripe fruits of this pumpkin are used for food (boiled, pickled, baked and in the form of porridge along with some kind of cereal). In France, the ends of young fleshy lashes of this and other types of pumpkins are eaten. Peeled and boiled in salt water, the lashes are a tender and tasty vegetable, reminiscent of asparagus. The pulp of the fruit has 4,34-7% sugars (in the Spanish pumpkin - up to 8,5%). The seeds contain 36,0-52,22% of high-quality edible oil, so they are used to obtain it (though on a small scale). In addition, toasted seeds ("pumpkin seeds") serve as a delicacy.
Another type of pumpkin - C. rero L. - is an important vegetable plant. It includes zucchini, patissons, krukneks (torticollis), various figured pumpkins with small, bizarrely shaped and often brightly and variegated fruits, and, finally, a few relatively large-fruited climbing varieties. These pumpkins are characterized by dense fruit pulp and very good keeping quality. Gymnospermous pumpkin, as it does not have a dense seed coat, is considered convenient for obtaining oil. Zucchini are used in the form of a young ovary and are used for preparing various dishes (stuffed zucchini, fried, etc.) and for canning (zucchini caviar, zucchini-honeycomb). Squash is also collected in the form of a young ovary (usually no more than 4-5 cm in diameter) and is also consumed either fried or canned; small ovaries of patissons are preserved. Crooknecks are not very common (they are cultivated in England and other countries of Western Europe) and are used as food in the same way as zucchini. The third type of gourd, C. moschata Duch., sometimes called Muscat gourd, is eaten in the same way as C. maxima. Type of pumpkin C. turbaniformis Roem. (some taxonomists refer to the species C. maxima as a variety of var. turbaniformis Alef.) is common in culture in southern Europe, where it serves not so much food as decorative purposes. In the US, by contrast, turban gourds are an important vegetable used in a variety of dishes. The shape of the fruit in pumpkins is extremely variable. There is hardly any other plant with such a variety of fruits in shape as a pumpkin. The most common types of fetal shape are as follows. Flat and flat-round: Bezenchukskaya, Vilmorena pink, Honey, Etampsky smooth, Etampsky reticulated and some others (C. maxima). Round: Golosemyannaya, Mozoleevskaya (S. rero). Oval: Mammoth yellow (C. maxima), Setton's squash (C. rero). and etc. Cylindrical: Greek, Gribovsky, Italian zucchini, Almond pumpkin, etc. (S. rero). Elongated: Whale, Rocket (C. maxima). Peculiar more or less round or oval with outgrowths at one or both ends of the fruit: Red precocious, Gabbard. Pear-shaped: C. moschata. Star-shaped: squash. Chalmoid: all C. turbaniformis. The turban-shaped outgrowth at the top of the fruit is more or less pronounced.
The size of the fetus also varies greatly. There are pumpkins with giant fruits (Kit, Mammoth, Hundred Pounds), reaching 16 and even 30 kg, but there are also very small-fruited curly varieties (S. rero), with fruits of 15-20 g. The external color of the fruit is a sign that in many pumpkins varies greatly according to the stages of its ripeness. So, the fruits of the Mozoleevskaya pumpkin (S. rero,) are first dark green in color, and then orange-yellow. Greek zucchini (S. rero) in the stage of technical ripeness is white, and in seed ripeness, cream, etc. Quite often, especially among hybrids of S. rero, two-color and three-color varieties with sharply colored stripes, specks, spots on some other basic background of the fruit. Some gourds have a distinct netting (Etampes netted), others have only a few cracks on the surface of the fruit (Greek squash). The warty fruits characteristic of some figured varieties of C. rero are very interesting. Among pumpkins, the ribbed surface of the fruit is very common. The vast majority of varieties have ribbed fruits to one degree or another. The hardness of the skin, characteristic of C. rero, and to a lesser extent C. moschata, determines the better keeping quality and transportability of the fruits of these species compared to C. maxima and C. turbaniformis. The color of the pulp changes to a lesser extent than the color of the fruit, depending on the stage of ripeness, it differs in the following gradations: white, greenish-white, cream, yellow, orange. The consistency of the pulp is a feature of the species, but even within the species, pumpkin varieties differ in this important feature. Dense pulp determines good keeping quality and transportability of fruits; sweet pulp is associated with high table qualities; fibrous and powdery pulp is characteristic of fodder and poorly stored varieties. The thickness of the pulp is very important in terms of fruit productivity. Biryuchekug pumpkin (C. moschata), which has very small seed cavities, is a masterpiece of selection for the largest possible yield of pulp. In the fruits of different pumpkins, there are 3, 4 or 5 placentas. A large number of placentas causes a large yield of seeds. The location of the placentas can be central, when they are concentrated in the center of the fetus, and peripheral, when they are close to the pulp and form a void in the center of the fetus. In table. 14 has already pointed out the species differences in pumpkin seeds. Let us add that within the species, the seeds are also variable in color (from white to yellow and yellow-orange in C. rero) and especially in size. Among the small-fruited curly pumpkins of S. rero, there are varieties (for example, white pear, motley pear, egg-shaped, etc.), the seeds of which are smaller than the seeds of cucumbers. The perennial gourd C. ficifolia has black seeds.
The early maturity of pumpkins is directly related to the length of the lashes they develop. The most precocious are all the so-called bush pumpkins (zucchini, squash, etc.), which have very short lashes. Climbing S. rero should be placed next to the bush ones - Golosemyannaya, Almond, Mozoleevskaya, etc. In addition to the described pumpkin species, there are two more - C. ficifolia and C. mixta, which are not widely distributed. C. ficifolia Bouche - fig-leaved gourd - perennial plant, comes from Peru. Her stems are rough, hard, 5-sided; leaves are heart-shaped, serrated along the edge, with well-defined lobes; sepals small, linear. The flowers are yellow or orange; fruits are oval elongated, sometimes curved, white or light green, often with darker green spots. Placentas are strong, fibrous; the pulp is rough, dryish, white in color. Seeds are easily separated from the placenta, flat, oval, with a blunt tip. C. mixta Pang. - mixed pumpkin - an annual plant, with very long lashes, pubescent with thorns; leaves are heart-shaped, dissected up to half of the plate into 5 triangular or rhombic lobes. Sepals subulate. Fruits of various shapes and sizes, from 12 to 30 cm long, white or yellow in color, with 10 stripes of green or yellow. The placenta of the fruit is black-green in color. Seeds elongated, white with a colored rim. This species is of Central American origin. In Mexico, the pumpkin plant Apodanthera palmeri Watson grows with edible fruits like cucumbers, with a musky smell. Author: Ipatiev A.N.
Pumpkin, Cucurbita. Methods of application, origin of the plant, range, botanical description, cultivation
The fruits of these plants are valued for their high content of carbohydrates (8-22%), mainly sugars. In addition, most crops are characterized by high yields. Due to the balanced content of carbohydrates, proteins, mineral salts, vitamins and various enzymes, pumpkin fruits are easily absorbed by the body and help to improve the absorption of other foods. More than 200 dishes are prepared from pumpkin. In Arab countries, thinly sliced baked pumpkin with apples and honey, sprinkled with lemon juice and sprinkled with ground hazelnuts and cashews, is considered a gourmet meal. Stewed pumpkin mashed with sugar, cottage cheese and vanilla is a delicious diet dish. Porridges, casseroles, stews, pancakes and even cakes are prepared from pumpkin. Pumpkin seeds contain over 50% fat, which is not inferior in quality to the best varieties of vegetable oil. Zucchini caviar is made from the fruits of zucchini (8-15-day ovaries), squash and kruknek (2-8-day fruits). Stuffed fried zucchini, crooknecks and zucchini, marinated squash are very popular. From the ripe pumpkin fruits, medicinal juice with pulp is obtained. In Arab countries and Africa, pumpkin and watermelon seeds, primarily of naked varieties, are used to make soups, and are also used as a folk remedy against helminths. The healing properties of pumpkin fruits have long been known, it is recommended for diseases of the stomach. Special varieties of pumpkin are grown for animal feed, for this purpose they also use the fruits of table varieties that are not ripe and not standard in size and quality, damaged by pests, diseases and during transportation. Well-ripened fruits of special varieties of pumpkin, watermelon and melons can be stored for up to a year without losing their nutritional qualities. Cucurbits ripen during transportation and are often exported from countries in the subtropics and tropics. The average pumpkin yield is relatively low - 13,7 t/ha. Of the total area of industrial plantations of 1 million hectares, half is in the temperate zone. Pumpkin imports come mainly from Central American countries to the United States and Canada. The gourd culture is widespread in the tropics and subtropics. The genus Pumpkin (Cucurbita L.) according to the classification of K. Linnaeus is represented by 3 cultivated species. American scientist Bailey described 18 wild species of pumpkin, most of them originate from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and the southern states of the USA. In culture, 3 types of pumpkin are best known: large-fruited, nutmeg, hard-barked. Large-fruited pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Ouch.) (in the figure - on the left) is an annual plant with very large fruits, with a cylindrical stalk, which makes it possible to distinguish it from hard-barked pumpkin with a faceted stalk. The pulp of the fruits of certain varieties contains up to 15% sugar and up to 40 mg / 100 g of carotene. Subspecies 4: wild, American, Chinese and old world, 3 varieties of the last subspecies are cultivated in temperate regions. Large-fruited pumpkin is most widely cultivated in the center of origin - in Peru, Bolivia, Northern Chile. There are many of its varieties and varieties in the tropics and subtropics in both hemispheres. The secondary center of varietal diversity of large-fruited pumpkin is India. Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata Duch.) (in the figure - above) is an annual plant. Peduncle hard, smooth, 5-sided, widened towards the base; fruit pulp contains up to 11,3% sugar. 6 subspecies are known, characterized by ecological and geographical isolation: Indian, Colombian, Mexican, North American, Turkestan and Japanese. Varieties of the last three subspecies are widely cultivated in the subtropics and in the temperate zone. Butternut squash is adapted to the warm, humid climate of the tropics; it is ubiquitous in the center of origin in Central America, in southern Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and is also widely cultivated in many countries of Eurasia. Hardbark gourd (Cucurbita rero L.) (pictured right) is believed to be descended from the wild Texas gourd Cucurbita texana, which grows wild in central and southern Mexico and the southern states of the United States. In culture, it is cultivated everywhere. This is an annual plant with a peduncle with 5-8 scars, deep grooves. There are long, short and bush forms. 4 subspecies are known: long climbing, bush, decorative and wild. The first two subspecies grow and are cultivated in the tropics and subtropics.
The long-climbing subspecies has 2 varieties: oval (var. pepo) and flattened (var. complanatus). The bush subspecies includes several varieties, including squash (Cucurbita rero var. geraumanas Duch.) (3 in the figure) and squash (Cucurbita rero var. melopepo L) (2 in the figure), which differ in that the fruits as vegetables are used in the form 6-12 day ovaries. Varieties of this subspecies dominate, they include well-known bush forms: squash and zucchini, in recent years, zucchini (Italian zucchini), which, as a rule, have a green and variegated color of fruits (1 in the figure), have become widespread. There are many wild perennial species in the genus Cucurbita: Cucurbita cordata, Cucurbita digitata, Cucurbita californica and others, and only one is known in culture - Cucurbita ficifolia - fig-leaved pumpkin - a perennial plant with a hard woody 5-sided stem, heart-shaped leaves, finely serrated along the edges, corolla flower orange and yellow; fruit oblong, often curved; the pulp is white, rough, moderately dry. Seeds are black, flat-oval. Center of origin - Peru. The most ancient remains of Cucurbita ficifolia and Cucurbita moschata in the form of charred seeds, stalks and fruit peel were found in Peru, their age is more than 5 thousand years, and in Mexico, in the Osotro caves, remains of Cucurbita rero similar in age were found. The fig-leaved pumpkin is resistant to root rot caused by pathogenic fungi living in the soil. Therefore, plants of this type of pumpkin are often grafted onto other types of cucurbits, in particular cucumber, which is especially susceptible to these infections when intensively grown under protected ground conditions. Pumpkins are annual herbaceous plants with a creeping stem, reaching a length of up to 10 m or more in some species. The main lateral branches, as a rule, are longer than the main stem; fruits are located on numerous branches of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd orders. Some types of pumpkin have bushy forms with a shortened stem. The root system of the pumpkin is highly developed and spreads far to the sides. The main root is taproot, in rainfed conditions it reaches a length of up to 1 m, 20-40 horizontal lateral roots depart from it at a depth of 10-12 cm, which, under favorable conditions, reach hard-barked pumpkin, kruknek (4 in the figure) and zucchini in bush forms 1-2 m, for squash and squash - 2-3, for large-fruited and nutmeg pumpkins - 4-5 m. rainfall (250-300 mm) to get a good harvest. The leaves of the pumpkin are long-petiolate, alternate, entire or notched, pubescent to varying degrees. More resistant to heat and drought varieties have a strongly dissected leaf blade. In some forms, air-bearing tissue can form under the epidermis - aerenchyma, which protects the leaves from overheating (sometimes gardeners mistakenly take areas of aerenchyma on the leaf surface as signs of the spread of diseases). Flowers are most often same-sex, solitary, sometimes hermaphroditic. The total number of male flowers per plant is 20-25 times higher than the number of female ones. The male flowers of the pumpkin are located on the main stem, and the female flowers are more often on the lateral branches of the 1st order. The fruit is a multi-seeded false berry (pumpkin), reaching enormous sizes. So, at an exhibition in the USA in 1987, the fruit of a large-fruited pumpkin weighing 186 kg was presented, and in 1988 - 213 kg. The shape (from round to serpentine) and the color of pumpkin fruits are very diverse. The seed cavity of the pumpkin is partially or completely filled with placentas with seeds. Flesh color ranges from pure white and cream to orange and reddish yellow. Seeds are white, cream and yellow, of various shapes and sizes. On average, the mass of 1000 seeds in patisson is 110 g, in zucchini - 140-180, and in pumpkins - up to 420 g. Seeds remain viable for up to 6-8 years. Pumpkin crops are very demanding on temperature conditions, especially nutmeg pumpkin. Zucchini and large-fruited pumpkin have greater cold resistance. Butternut squash seeds begin to germinate at 15-16 °C, and marrow seeds at 12-14 °C. For normal growth and fruiting of pumpkins, 30-33 ° C is needed, when it is lowered to, growth is delayed and fruit setting is poor. Negative temperatures kill pumpkin seedlings, and for adult plants, long-term (5-10 days) exposure to temperatures up to 10 ° C is detrimental. Pumpkin plants, originating from hot steppe and semi-desert regions, have a powerful, highly branched root system that allows them to extract moisture from a large volume of soil. Superficial horizontal roots, covered with root hairs with great suction power, help to fully utilize moisture during the growing season. Therefore, despite the high consumption of moisture for evaporation (transpiration coefficient of 700), nutmeg, for example, successfully endures the drought of tropical and subtropical deserts. The heat resistance of gourds is due to pubescence on the leaves, the development of air-bearing tissues, and the fact that the coagulation of proteins in pumpkin leaves occurs at a temperature of 64-65 ° C, which allows them to overheat by 15-16 ° C relative to the ambient temperature. Pumpkin crops have a negative attitude towards excess moisture in the soil and air, and they are very demanding on light - they do not put up with any shading. The most favorable day length is 10-12 hours, and in the period from germination to the formation of the first leaves - 9-10 hours, which accelerates the formation of female flowers. 50-55 days after germination, male flowers bloom, and 7-10 days after them, female flowers, which pumpkins have up to 7% of the total. Bush hard-skinned pumpkins (crookneck and zucchini) have much more female flowers (up to 40-50%). The male flower lives for 1 day, and the female flower, if it has not been fertilized, dries up the next day after it opens. Gourds are pollinated by insects: in the morning - by ants, and in the afternoon - by bees, bumblebees, etc. Cucurbits are usually grown during the dry season. So, in the conditions of India, sowing is carried out at the beginning of the year (January - February), and harvested as it ripens in May - July. In the southern hemisphere, for example in Peru, sowing is carried out in October - November, and harvested in January - March. The main condition is the optimal temperature and the possibility of watering in the initial period of seed germination and growth of the vegetative mass of plants. Pumpkin crops in the tropics and subtropics work best on soils rich in organic matter, such as virgin lands, perennial fallows; according to the granulometric composition, it is a medium and light loam. Cucurbitaceae are grown in crop or crop rotations with a return to the old place in 5-6 years. The best predecessors are alfalfa and other perennial grasses, peas, beans, cabbage, root vegetables and onions.
Cucurbitaceae are most responsive to the application of manure or other organic fertilizers at doses of 20-40 t/ha. Due to their high cost, mineral fertilizers are used in the developing countries of the tropics and subtropics for pumpkin crops on a limited scale, but the application of ash from woody and herbaceous plants gives good results, especially on light soils poor in potassium. Due to the rare placement of cucurbits, manure and other fertilizers are often applied directly into the furrows, the holes where the sowing will be carried out. These works are carried out after the main plowing, pre-sowing cultivation or cutting irrigation furrows. With intensive technology, mineral fertilizers are applied simultaneously with sowing. Preparation of seeds for sowing consists in their treatment from pests and diseases, sorting by specific gravity by immersion in a 25-30% solution of table salt, followed by rapid washing with water. Healthy, full-weight seeds sink in solution, while feeble seeds float. Before sowing, dry seeds are heated at a temperature of 55-60 ° C for 3-4 hours, soaked in a 10% solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes, and after daily bubbling (in a vessel filled with water and seeds in a ratio of 5: 1, air is supplied ) are sown in moist soil. Under irrigation conditions, pumpkins are grown, as a rule, on ridges. The most common form of ridges is wide, 3-4-meter, platforms, limited by deep (50-60 cm) and wide (70-100 cm) furrows, which are cut with a special ditches plow and a tractor hiller, followed by manual molding of slopes. On sandy lands where the pumpkin is not watered, sowing is carried out on a flat surface. Water is poured into the furrows and on both sides of the furrow, along the slopes, above the level of soil wetting with water, sowing is carried out 2-3 seeds per nest. Sowing schemes are various - tape rows, tape nests with a distance of 300-400 cm between tapes, 50-90 cm between rows and 100-200 cm between nests in a row. The twin furrow method is optimal when the dry season is long and there is enough water for irrigation. Bush pumpkin forms (zucchini, krukneki and squash, zucchini) are placed much more often: they are planted with 2-line ribbons; zucchini and zucchini - 170 + 80, respectively, and in rows every 50-70 cm, squash - 120 + 80, in rows 50-60 cm, crooknecks - 100 + 70, in rows 50-60 cm. Other placement schemes are possible. So, on the dry land for nutmeg pumpkin 150 x 150, 200 x 150, 300 x 100 cm; hard-barked pumpkin - 300 x 150 cm, 300 x 200 cm, etc. When nesting sowing, 5-7 seeds are placed in one hole and planted to a depth of 3-5 cm. Seeds are required per 1 ha: small-seeded pumpkin - 3-4 kg, large-seeded - 5-6 kg. With the seedling method, cubes or pots 8x8, 10x10 cm are preliminarily made and 20 days before the normal time, sowing is carried out in them. This technique accelerates the harvest by 20-25 days, and in the highlands and in the southern regions of the temperate zone, it allows you to get an earlier harvest. Care is to prevent the appearance of a soil crust. Wells after sowing are mulched with humus, sawdust, on clay soils - with sand. In the phase of the 1st leaf, the plants in the nests are thinned out, cutting or pinching weak plants below the cotyledons, leaving 2-3, in the phase of 3-4 leaves, 1-2 plants are left, according to the accepted sowing scheme, and immediately spud. After 30 days, a second hilling is carried out and the layout of the lashes in wide aisles, where weeds are previously removed by cultivation. On irrigated lands, 5-10 irrigations are carried out, depending on the soil and climatic conditions. Before the first hilling, pumpkin crops are watered 1-2 times with an irrigation rate of 200-700 m3/ha, after which watering is stopped for 20-25 days, which enhances root growth in depth and accelerates fruit set. During the period of fruit formation, watering is carried out after 7-10 days. During the ripening of fruits, the inter-irrigation periods increase, which contributes to the accumulation of sugars and improves the keeping quality of fruits. Top dressing (2-3) is given during the first hilling, mass flowering and at the beginning of fruit formation. Fertilizers are applied to the soil during irrigation or immediately after it. Authors: Baranov V.D., Ustimenko G.V.
Common pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo L. Botanical description, habitat and habitats, chemical composition, use in medicine and industry
Synonyms: bulba, garbuz. An annual plant with creeping stems up to 10 m in length, of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). The leaves are prickly, heart-shaped, five-lobed. Flowers unisexual, monoecious, yellow, large, solitary. The fruit is a large, spherical or oval-shaped, smooth, fleshy gourd with numerous yellowish-white seeds. Range and habitats. Homeland - Mexico. Widely cultivated in many regions of the world. Chemical composition. The seeds contain fatty oil (up to 40%), which includes glycerides of linolenic (up to 45%), oleic (up to 25%), palmitic and stearic (about 30%) acids; essential oil, phytosterols - cucurbitol, resinous substances, organic acids; vitamins C, B1 (up to 0,2 mg%); carotenoids and carotene together - 20 mg%, amino acids. The fruit pulp contains sugars (from 3 to 11%), starch (15-20%), vitamins C (8 mg%), B1, B2, B5, E, carotene - 5 mg per 100 g of fresh weight (this is more than in carrots), nicotinic acid, trace elements (copper, cobalt, zinc, etc.), salts of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, pectin, fiber, proteins, enzymes. The leaves contain vitamin C (up to 620 mg%). The flowers contain flavonoids and carotenoids. Application in medicine. For medical purposes, peeled dry and fresh pumpkin seeds are used and botanically close pumpkin gymnosperms. The seeds have antihelminthic properties. There is information about pumpkin as a remedy for vomiting in pregnant women and for seasickness, as a diuretic and laxative. In terms of activity, pumpkin seeds are inferior to male fern preparations, but they are of low toxicity and are usually used if there are contraindications to the use of male fern extract. Porridge from pumpkin seeds. Dried seeds freed from hard peel with preserved green thin shell in the amount of 300 g (for adults) are ground in a mortar, adding seeds for grinding in small portions; water is also added in small portions to the crushed seeds in a volume of 50-60 ml, continuing to grind and mix the seeds with water. 10-15 g of honey or jam can be added to the mixture. The mixture is given on an empty stomach, 1 teaspoonful for 1 hour. After 3 hours, 15-30 g of magnesium sulfate are given, and after half an hour an enema is given. Doses of pumpkin seeds for adults - 300 g, for children 10-12 years old - 150 g, for children 5-6 years old - 100 g, 3-4 years old - 75 g, 2-3 years old - 30-50 g. A decoction of pumpkin seeds. Dry unpeeled pumpkin seeds are crushed in a meat grinder or mortar, water is added and kept for 2 hours on a light fire in a water bath, without bringing the broth to a boil. Remove, wring out and cool for 10 minutes, filter, remove the formed oil film. Take 1 tablespoon for 1 hour. 2 hours after taking the decoction, a saline laxative is prescribed (castor oil is not recommended). Decoction doses: for adults, a decoction of 500 g of pumpkin seeds, for children 10 years old - from 300 g, 5-7 years old - from 200 g, up to 5 years old - from 100-150 g. Pumpkin powder. Prepared from dried, peeled, defatted crushed pumpkin seeds. The powder is stirred in water until the consistency of condensed milk. The dose for adults is 60-80 g, for children 30-40 g. It is taken within 15-20 minutes. A saline laxative is prescribed 2 hours after the last dose of the powder. From the seeds of the gymnospermous pumpkin, which does not have a hard shell, the mixture is prepared in the same way as from the seeds of the common pumpkin; the number of seeds - 150-200 g per reception. A decoction of gymnosperm pumpkin seeds: coarsely ground pumpkin seeds in an amount of 200 g are poured into 500 ml of water, kept in a water bath for 1 hour, without boiling, cooled, filtered and taken freshly prepared in 1 tablespoon for 1 hour 400- 450 ml of decoction). Gymnospermous pumpkin seed emulsion. 150 g of seeds are ground in a mortar with the gradual addition of water to 450 ml. Honey or jam is added to the finished emulsion. Give the patient a drink for 1 hour, 1 tablespoon. A laxative is used in the same way as when taking a drug from a pumpkin. Dose for adults 400-450 ml. Pumpkin preparations are non-toxic, do not cause side effects, the course of treatment can be repeated several times with intervals of 2-3 days.
Pumpkin seeds are used in normal doses after the appointment of small doses - 2,5-3 g instead of 6-8 g of male fern extract. At the same time, the effectiveness of treatment with male fern increases. Preparation of the patient: treatment with drugs from pumpkin seeds or gymnosperms is carried out according to the following method. The first day is preparation for treatment. Food is taken in pureed and liquid form (soups, liquid cereals, vegetable puree, minced meat, kissels, curdled milk, white stale bread). On the evening before treatment, after a light dinner, laxative salt is taken at night - adults 25-30 g, children - depending on age. Second day: in the morning put a cleansing enema and on an empty stomach for 30-40 minutes take the above doses of the drug from pumpkin seeds, prepared according to one of the methods described. After 2 hours, give a saline laxative at a dose of 40-50 g (for an adult). After 1-2 hours after taking a laxative, eating is allowed. Parasites can be isolated in the next 1-2 days. These days it is recommended to put a cleansing enema. Treatment according to this method is carried out with invasions of bovine or pork tapeworm or tapeworms. If the parasite comes out without a head, the treatment is repeated after eggs or segments of the parasite appear in the feces. With tapeworm dwarf treatment with pumpkin seeds is repeated every 10-12 days, only 3-5 times. All preparations from pumpkin seeds are well tolerated by patients, are harmless and have no contraindications to the appointment. Treatment can be carried out at home, since special monitoring of the patient is not required. Pumpkin seeds and preparations from them are more often prescribed to children under 2-3 years old, pregnant women, breastfeeding, patients over 60 years old, people who have had debilitating diseases. Pumpkin pulp improves intestinal motility, is effective for constipation, with colitis with insufficient bowel movement, increases diuresis and excretion of salts from the body. As a diuretic for heart disease, raw pumpkin pulp is prescribed up to 0,5 kg per day or juice from pumpkin pulp, half a glass per day. It can be prescribed in a mixture with rice, millet or semolina porridge cooked in milk, with butter and sugar. Other uses. Pumpkin is widely used in cooking. For honeybees, pumpkin flowers provide pollen and nectar, and nectar production does not stop even in hot, dry weather. Honey productivity reaches 30 kg per hectare of plantings. Yellow honey crystallizes quickly. Authors: Turova A.D., Sapozhnikova E.N.
Pumpkin. The history of growing a plant, economic importance, cultivation, use in cooking
A reminder of early autumn, warm and plentiful, and a foretaste of the New Year holidays, for which one must arrive in a carriage, is a pumpkin. What is a pumpkin fruit? Common pumpkin, also known as thick-barked Cucurbita pepo, is a melon and melon culture of the gourd family, a relative of melon and watermelon. But if the melon came to us from Western Asia, and the watermelon from Africa, the pumpkin is a gift to the Old World from Central America. Pumpkin is one of the most ancient cultivated plants, it has been grown for 9 thousand years. After the discovery of America, it very quickly gained popularity in Europe, and since the XNUMXth century it has been known in Russia. Pumpkin fruits are surprisingly beautiful and varied: elongated or round, green, yellow, orange or striped, with creamy, yellow or orange flesh. You won’t want to, but you will buy it, especially when charming pumpkins the size of a fist are laid out on the counter, and then you think what to do with these little ones. But there are also very large fruits, weighing more than two hundred kilograms. C. pepo also includes squash C. pepo var giromontia and zucchini C. pepo var. cylindrica. There are also patissons, or plate gourds C. pepo var. patisoniana, they are also C. melopepo, similar to flying saucers with scallops. They grow in bushes, like zucchini, but their flesh is yellowish. What is useful pumpkin. Pumpkin pulp contains carbohydrates, including pectins, proteins and sugars: glucose, fructose and sucrose. The carbohydrate content varies from 2 to 13%, and different varieties differ in the degree of starch content. Pumpkin is rich in salts of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, cobalt and silicon. This is a storehouse of vitamins of groups B, E, PP, ascorbic acid, and most importantly, carotene (provitamin A). Particularly orange varieties contain up to 40 mg of carotene per 100 g of pulp, they are specially grown for the production of vitamin concentrates. Pumpkin is good because it is low-calorie, does not irritate the gastrointestinal tract, because it has little fiber and organic acids, and is easily digested. Therefore, it is useful for people who are overweight or do not want to gain it, patients with gastrointestinal disorders, liver and kidney diseases. Its second undoubted advantage is pectin, which removes cholesterol and chlorides from the body. Therefore, pumpkin is good for atherosclerosis and gout. In addition, pumpkin is a mild diuretic. And of course, it is a source of vitamins, especially provitamin A. What is it eaten with? Pumpkin has a pleasant and unobtrusive taste, it is an excellent component of almost any dish: sweet, salty or spicy. Porridges and casseroles are cooked with it, stewed, fried and boiled, pumpkin pancakes are made, soups are cooked with it, cut into salads. It can be a side dish for meat and poultry and a filling for pies. It makes excellent jams and marmalades. In general, pumpkin is a universal product, even if you put it on bread, even eat it with porridge. Tasty and healthy pumpkin juice, which goes well with carrot and apple. About pumpkin seeds. In the middle of a diet pumpkin, a surprise awaits us - high-calorie seeds. 100 g of the product contains 580 kcal, which is not surprising, since pumpkin seeds contain up to 52% fatty oil and up to 28% protein. In addition, they contain vitamins, carotenoids and other biologically active substances, resinous substances and salicylic acid. Dried pumpkin seeds are a popular delicacy in many countries where pumpkins are grown. Due to the high content of vitamins, trace elements and essential amino acids, they are very useful, you just need to remember about calories. Flour is made from pumpkin seeds, which is used for breading meat and fish cutlets, thickening and flavoring soups, cereals, sauces, cottage cheese casseroles and cheesecakes. Pumpkin flour is added to the dough (15-30 g per kilogram of wheat flour), from which pancakes, pancakes, bread and pastries are made. Such flour enriches finished products with protein and increases their shelf life. Pumpkin seeds have long been famous for their anthelmintic properties. True, in order to defeat parasites, you need to eat 300 g of crushed seeds on an empty stomach. The protein cucurbitin has an anthelmintic effect, it does not kill parasites, but it makes them detach from the intestines, so after eating the seeds, you also need to take a laxative. Pumpkin seeds are not as effective as modern synthetic preparations, but they are non-toxic. Miracle oil. It is difficult to eat 300 g of seeds at once, but you can swallow 30 g of pumpkin seed oil. Natural pumpkin seed oil is dark green in color. To get a liter of oil, you need 2,5 kg of seeds and more than 30 pumpkins, so it is expensive. It contains palmitic, stearic, oleic and linolenic acids, essential oils, pectins, vitamins and more than 50 micro and macro elements, including zinc, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and selenium. Traditional medicine claims that pumpkin oil improves metabolic processes in tissues and relieves inflammation, therefore it is useful for burns, burning and itching. Pumpkin oil pectins remove harmful substances from the body. The oil smells, depending on the variety, of nuts or fried pumpkin seeds (the oil production technology involves roasting ground seeds). It is used for dressing salads from greens, vegetables and fruits. As such, it pairs well with apple cider vinegar or cider. Pumpkin oil will not spoil cereals, pasta, casseroles and vegetable dishes, including pumpkin. They flavor sauces, pastries and ready-made meat and fish dishes. Pumpkin seed oil is not suitable for frying, because it cannot stand calcination.
Other pumpkins. The genus Cucurbita includes about twenty species, and some of them are quite edible, for example, C. moschata nutmeg pumpkin, introduced into culture one and a half to two thousand years later than the common one. Its fruits are varied in size and shape, are smooth or ribbed, color from dark green to white. The pulp of the nutmeg pumpkin is orange or greenish, sweet and soft, almost devoid of dietary fiber. They make sweets out of it. However, in a nutmeg pumpkin, not only the pulp is edible, but also unripe fruits, as well as flowers and young shoots. The seeds are rich in oil and protein and are often husked in Latin American cities. The giant pumpkin C. maxima has the largest fruits in the world: record holders exceed 4 m in girth and weigh more than 800 kg. Such a pumpkin can really be turned into a carriage. Like other species, giant gourd fruits come in a variety of colors, shapes, and smoothness. In recent years, C. argyrosperma (C. sororia) has attracted the attention of specialists. Its cultural variants are also at least seven thousand years old. In this pumpkin, the main thing is seeds, up to three centimeters long and up to one and a half wide. They are fried with salt and eaten, and meat is also stewed with them. The flesh of C. argyrosperma is bitter and can only be eaten by soaking it well and boiling it several times. The bitterness of this pumpkin is given by the triterpenoids cucurbitacins, which are always present in the fruits of the gourd family. Ordinary pumpkins that are overripe or deteriorated from long-term storage can also be bitter, but C. argyrosperma is especially rich in cucurbitacins. In high concentrations, they cause stomach ulcers, so it is better not to eat bitter gourd. In the Yucatán Peninsula, farmers use the pulp of C. argyrosperma to treat burns, ulcers, and skin rashes, and a decoction of the seeds is drunk as a pain reliever and given to breastfeeding mothers to ensure they have plenty of milk. And not pumpkins. There are representatives of the pumpkin family that do not belong to the genus Cucurbita, but are called pumpkins. Both the unripe fruit and the ripe one are eaten, and the oil is squeezed out of the seeds, but the "zest" of this species is the wax shell of the pumpkin. It is easy to scrape off, and in some tropical countries this wax is used for medicinal purposes and for making candles, since the fruit sometimes reaches two meters in length. The bottle gourd Lagenaria siceraria is a crop that is grown not for food, but to make dishes from it, including the famous calabash, and musical instruments. The shape and size of the bottle gourd varies, so the tools (and vessels) are very different. Lagenaria is one of the oldest cultivated gourds. It is common in the tropics of India, China, South America, Africa and the islands of Oceania. The shell of mature fruits contains stony cells, is very strong and absolutely waterproof. Mature lagenaria do not sink in salt water and withstand the transatlantic journey, while their seeds do not lose their germination. So the plant settled on several continents, whose inhabitants have been making kitchen utensils from its fruits for thousands of years. The young ovaries of L. siceraria are soft and edible, but they are bitter - be careful if you want to eat an unripe calabash. Author: Ruchkina N. Pumpkin. Botanical description of the plant, areas of growth and ecology, economic importance, applications
Pumpkin is an annual or perennial (in the tropics) monoecious, liana (creeping or climbing) plant with same-sex flowers. Most species of this genus are concentrated in Mexico, in the extreme south of the United States, in Guatemala and Honduras. Homeland cultural pumpkin - South America (most likely, Mexico). Wild relatives of the cultivated gourd were also found here. From America, the pumpkin was brought to Portugal and India, and from there to Africa. The most ancient remains of cultivated species date back to the period 3000-5000 BC, although it is clear that the gourd culture appeared earlier (probably in the 6-8th millennium BC). At home, the pumpkin is distributed from damp swampy forests to dry semi-desert. Some foothill gourd species have adapted to steppe conditions. Cultivated mainly pumpkin ordinary, also called by botanists large-fruited, or giant (Cucurbita maxima), is a plant with a cylindrical branched hollow stem. Its leaves are hard, mostly five-lobed, with rounded lobes. All above-ground organs are strongly pubescent. The petals of the corollas of flowers are rounded, yellow. The fruit (pumpkin) can reach 60 or more kilograms. Seeds are large, smooth, white or bronze-brown. Another type of pumpkin - Gymnospermous pumpkin, along with the common one, grows in Azerbaijan. The fruit pulp contains 4,3-7,9 percent sugars (some varieties - 15 percent), pectins, salts of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, cobalt and others, vitamins C (15-20 mg%), carotene (8 -10 mg%), B1, PP. In Poland, a pumpkin was bred, 100 grams of which contains about 20 milligrams of carotene - four times more than in carrots. Polish breeders are close to creating pumpkin varieties with a yield of more than a thousand centners per hectare. Pumpkin seeds contain 22-41 percent fatty oils, phytosterols, resinous substances, organic acids. Butter is not inferior in quality to the best edible oils and, unlike butter, is harmless to middle-aged and elderly people. Eat pumpkin boiled, fried, baked or pickled. Indians eat fried flowers. Pumpkin reduces the intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. For fodder purposes, pumpkin is used fresh or ensiled together with straw and other roughage. In 100 kilograms of fruit, pumpkin contains an average of 14,5 feed units and 0,7 kilograms of digestible protein.
Pumpkin is useful for atherosclerosis, raw is used against constipation. Porridge on millet, rice and semolina from boiled pumpkin pulp is recommended for dietary nutrition for edema associated with cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the kidneys, liver and bladder, hypertension, and metabolic disorders. Pumpkin pulp carotene (provitamin A) promotes metabolism, growth and development of the body, ensures the normal functioning of the lacrimal, sebaceous and sweat glands, increases the body's resistance to infection. In the body, retinol is formed from carotene, or, as it is also called, axerophthol, better known as vitamin A. This vitamin is involved in the synthesis of adrenal hormones and, possibly, sex hormones. In scientific medicine and veterinary medicine, pumpkin seeds are used as a diuretic and antihelminthic (against bovine, pork and pygmy tapeworms, wide tapeworm and other tapeworms). Apply pumpkin seeds and preparations prepared on their basis ("Pumpkin Powder", "Kukurbin") for the treatment of taeniasis, mainly in cases where there are contraindications to the use of male fern extract. In homeopathy, essence from fresh pumpkin seeds is recommended. Pumpkin seeds are eaten for diseases of the genitourinary organs. From pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds (1: 1), rubbing them and gradually adding boiling water, prepare "milk". Strained and squeezed from the rest of the "milk" is consumed when blood appears in the urine. Fresh pumpkin pulp is applied to inflamed areas for burns, rashes, acne, eczema. Author: Laptev Yu.P. Pumpkin for a prize. Featured article
Outdoing the pumpkin in terms of fruit size is difficult, if not hopeless. Professor N. Kichunov, a classic vegetable business, was once proud that he had grown a pumpkin weighing half a centner, and then it turned out that there were even larger ones. At the beginning of our century, gardeners went out of their way to outdo each other and grow a pumpkin for a prize. They came up with various tricky tricks to increase the size. True, the prize hulks differed only in cyclopean sizes. They tasted watery and bland, because the owners, in pursuit of a sensation, overfed them with liquid fertilizers. As for taste, gardeners near St. Petersburg noticed an interesting fact. The most delicious fruits are given by a pumpkin planted on ... cellar roofs! At first it was assumed that such a phenomenon is caused by the evaporation of those products that are stored in the cellar. They began to try to fill the underground pantries with delicious dishes. However, the reason turned out to be more prosaic. Just in the conditions of damp St. Petersburg, these roofs turned out to be the driest place, from where excess moisture, which was harmful to the taste of these vegetables, rolled down. From here they made the right conclusion: you need to water the pumpkin, but not too much. And since in those days there were no special relays and sensors, the Garden and Garden magazine offered a simple and reliable tool. Its essence is as follows: a bucket of water is placed next to the pumpkin lash. The end of a cotton rope is lowered into the bucket. Something like a big wick. The other end of the wick is wrapped around the stem and stuck into the ground near the roots. Water gradually oozes out, irrigating the roots just when they need moisture. Each whip works with its own plumbing! True, and here it is necessary to think and not do everything according to the template. Shortly after the publication of a note about the pumpkin water supply, indignant letters rained down on the editor. Readers complained that the bucket with the wick did not add to the size of the pumpkins. And the harvest. And all due to the fact that lovers of prize creations did not bother to read the advice of the magazine in full. The bucket was placed. The wick was buried in the soil. But they did it too early, when the ovary on the whip had not yet reached the size of a fist (namely, this is what the magazine advised!). As a result, greenery grew too much, and there was little left for the share of fruits! At the end of the war, an ingenious solution to the pumpkin problem was found by Muscovite A. Zemlyakov, who was then the chief engineer of the Moscow Aviation Institute. While working in the gardening commission, he persistently suggested that employees plant plantations on construction waste dumps near houses on the outskirts of the capital. They angrily refused. Then Zemlyakov got down to business himself. He dug holes, poured a bucket of fertile earth into them and planted pumpkins. The fruits grew extremely successful. Sweet. Beautiful. In Moscow, no one has ever received such. Then Zemlyakov explained his luck like this. It is warmer near buildings. Moreover, the garbage gets very hot during the day, and then under the wide pumpkin leaves it gives off its heat to the plants for a long time. You won't find a better place! Well, if we are talking about pumpkin leaves, then one more of their useful qualities should be noted. It has been known for a long time. Along with the pumpkin, corn and beans were sown. The calculation was this: beans protect corn from pests. But she cannot save her from the weeds. And this is where pumpkin comes in. Its wide, burdock-like leaves create such a reliable shade that weeds are not able to break through. As the famous children's song says: "What a company!" In addition, the fruits, of course, grow. Though not for a prize, but the harvest is added. This rationalization interested me, and I began to look: does anyone use a tripartite culture today? Didn't find triplets. But I was informed about corn with pumpkin from Kazakhstan. In 1961, they were sown together in the same field by the agronomist M. Izvarin. Received only one corn and a half times more than usual. And how many more pumpkins have grown! For this he received the gold medal of VDNKh. And now about pumpkin seeds. In previous years, gardeners who sold pumpkins did not always know where to put the seeds. One of them, reflecting on this problem, realized that the seeds are very tasty, fatty, nutritious, and decided to offer his supply to confectionery factories. They pop them in the villages like seeds! Why not make halva? Or toppings for chocolates? With such a proposal, the innovator turned to the magazine "Selsky Host". And that, in turn, to several confectionery factories. The result was unexpected. The factory owners unanimously rejected the gardener's proposal. Moreover, they expressed extreme bewilderment at the magazine's ignorance of the nutritional value of seeds. There are no words, the seeds are delicious, but they contain the anthelmintic substance perezin. Who will eat halvah or candy with overgum? They must be taken to the pharmacy, and not to the pastry shop! Having found itself in an uncomfortable position, the magazine dryly answered the reader. And he added that there is only one way out: to beat the oil out of pumpkin seeds. But since half of it will be absorbed into the husk, then such an application will not give any benefit. With this second remark, the magazine was clearly hasty, without thinking properly. The husk, seed coat is a variable material. Some varieties are thicker, others thinner. By selection, you can make it very thin. And now varieties have been bred and completely naked. They were created specifically for squeezing oil. In some countries, this oil is obtained. And they love it very much. In Romania, for example, pumpkin seed oil is considered as common in the kitchen as sunflower oil. And no wonder. After all, the fat content of pumpkin seeds in our time is no longer 15 percent, as the old magazine wrote, but 50! This is higher than that of mustard, camelina, hemp. Higher than flax, poppy and even sunflower. And on the Don they brought the percentage of fat content to 58 percent. True, inexperienced agronomists are sometimes let down by the most modern varieties. A person tries to breed larger pumpkins so that more oil is obtained. And suddenly he notices that the larger the fruit, the less oil. Check the fat content is high! What's the matter? But the fact is that in large fruits there are fewer seeds than in medium ones! Of course, large fruits do not disappear. They can be usefully fed to livestock. This is also beneficial. There is a story about a farmer who had several cows and 150 sheep but lost his land. He had a small plot left, a little more than a hectare. How to feed from such a meager area, and even save livestock? The farmer went over in his memory all the known crops, calculated the possible harvest and realized that he could not make ends meet. And then he remembered the pumpkin. Decided to take a chance. When the harvest was ripe, he made silage. The quadrupeds ate it willingly. Cows began to give more milk. It acquired such a pleasant taste that there was no end to the buyers. And the oil turned so yellow that some suspected that the farmer was coloring his produce? He himself ate pumpkin porridge. I can testify that this dish is an excellent thing! I first tasted it during the war with the Don Cossacks. Since then it has been my favorite food. It is not only tasty, but also useful, which was recently confirmed by the Health magazine. And in the old days, gardeners tried to follow the movement of prices for milk and butter. If they began to rise in price, the area under the pumpkin was reduced. Otherwise there is nowhere to sell. You can't cook porridge without milk.
What else can be said in favor of pumpkin? It has almost no pests. The yield of wheat after pumpkin is higher than after any other row crop. And feed better for livestock than any other root crop. So: the perfect vegetable? No, pumpkin also has flaws. Although it can lie all winter, it still disappears in the markets by April. There are, of course, such pumpkins that lie until the new harvest. And even two years and three. But these are exceptions. Such fruits are taken from the garden, like small children, carefully so as not to hit or beat. Yes, you have to choose a variety. At first they thought that it was all about water content. The more water in the fruit, the less keeping quality. It turns out that this is not always the case. The Poltava gardeners got burned on this. They had an excellent variety Local Ryabaya. It was kept well, but the third part still rotted. Poltava residents decided that it was from excess water. Dry matter in Pockmarked was only 6 percent. Find a variety to double that! Found. It was called the Quickie. It was expected that the decline would be halved. Instead, it has tripled in size. Almost the entire crop rotted. A reliable indicator is the thickness of the bark. If the bark is thick, the fruits lie longer. And here we come to the most difficult moment in getting to know the pumpkin. The whole variety of garden pumpkins mainly belongs to two genera - large and ordinary pumpkins. The first bark is thinner. Therefore, connoisseurs try to feed the big one first, and then the ordinary one. But how to determine what kind of variety is on the counter? But let's say that the gardener is well versed with varieties and knows them without fail. Another danger awaits him if he wishes to cross pumpkins and get new varieties. No matter how simple the pumpkin seems, but it drove more than one vegetable grower into despair. Pumpkin specialist L. Bailey, crossing pumpkins, sometimes could not figure out the resulting offspring. New varieties retained their novelty for only one year. He did not manage to consolidate the necessary qualities. Not relying on himself, he sent seeds to the most famous seed scientists, but they could not get two forms similar to each other. Discouraged by this behavior of his beloved offspring, Bailey even decided that the laws of heredity do not always apply to plants, and they definitely do not apply to pumpkins! But this scientist was the smartest man of his time and the author of many textbooks on the vegetable business. Of course, maybe Bailey didn't have the patience. Leapfrog in pumpkin offspring simply frightened him. But on the other hand, she interested another scientist, L. Burbank. And he decided to find out whether it is true that the laws of heredity bypass the pumpkin? The opportunity soon presented itself. Bailey was sent from Chile pumpkin seeds, the fruits of which resembled an oak acorn enlarged a hundred times. The rind was as hard as a cannonball and as heavy as lead. But the unique fruit was kept until the new harvest. And the pulp was distinguished by an unusual sweetness. In addition, the Chilean guest grew well on dry lands, where ordinary pumpkins do not work out. Burbank sowed the seeds of the Chilean miracle, but he grew such a motley company that at first he gave up. However, it was still possible to select a few necessary individuals. Seeds from them again gave a lot of offspring, not like their parents. Pumpkin persisted. The scientist did not back down either. As a result, a resistant acorn variety was obtained and fixed. So Burbank proved that the laws of heredity also apply to pumpkins. Patience and hard work won! Author: Smirnov A. Pumpkin. Interesting plant facts
There are many interesting things to be said about pumpkin. Pumpkins, growing in Asia and Africa, have various shapes: elongated like bottles, flat like plates, and spherical. When ripe, the shell of these gourds becomes very hard, as if made of wood. The pulp inside dries out, forming a void in which the seeds rattle when the pumpkin is shaken. In Central Asia, various dishes are made from gourd gourds: bottles, buckets, spoons. Light vessels, braided with mesh, are good for storing water and oil when traveling. Large pumpkins store grain and cereals. Uzbeks used to carry snuff in small, bottle-shaped gourds. Dwellings are decorated with multi-colored turban-shaped pumpkins, fancy toys are made from pumpkins. Vessels and snuff boxes made of pumpkins are covered with a beautiful multicolored ornament. In Africa, when it rains, travelers hide their clothes in a pumpkin so that it does not get wet. Pumpkins are also used when crossing rivers. They are tied to several sticks - and a non-sinking raft is ready. The gourd was probably both the first drum and the trinket bell. Negroes make pumpkin harps. L. Zhakolio in the novel "Ebony and Ivory Coast" describes a musical instrument made of a pumpkin with a wide bottom and a narrow neck, filled with pieces of iron and copper.
In India, pumpkins are originally used to catch monkeys. Having drilled a small hole in a large gourd, the Indians pour some rice or other seeds into it. Under the tree, on the branches of which the monkeys are sitting, these pumpkins are scattered. Vigilant monkeys are extremely curious. As soon as people have time to hide, the monkeys quickly descend from the tree, rush to the pumpkins and, noticing the hole, put their paw into it. What's there? The paw will feel the grains of rice, pick up a handful. But the compressed cam no longer fits into the hole. Unclench it and release the grain - it's a pity. And the monkey hobbles on three legs, dragging a large pumpkin. Even when people come running, the monkey continues to keep his fist in the pumpkin, and the hunters easily take the greedy animal. The Indians of North America make birdhouses from gourds. Large fleshy pumpkins grown in vegetable gardens originate from Mexico. Pumpkin plants include loofah, which has long, large cucumber-shaped fruits. In the fruits of the loofah, a network of strong fibrous vessels is very developed, which makes it possible to use the fruits of the loofah as a vegetable sponge - a bath washcloth. The fruit of the pumpkin, from a botanical point of view, is a berry, as it has a juicy pulp and many seeds. Pumpkin is the largest berry known to us. Author: Verzilin N.
Pumpkin, squash, squash, Cucurbitaceae. Recipes for use in traditional medicine and cosmetology
Ethnoscience:
Cosmetology:
Attention! Before use, consult with a specialist!
Pumpkin, squash, squash, Cucurbitaceae. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing
Cucurbitaceae is a family of gourd plants that includes squash, squash, and squash. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing: Cultivation:
Workpiece:
Storage:
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