There are many plants that decorate gardens in different time of the year. They always give a special charm to the site climbing species of shrubs and flowers. A house wall, gazebo or arch entwined with vines creates a unique atmosphere of country coziness.
Decorative pumpkin just one of these plants. Climbing shoots will decorate the garden or vegetable garden from June to early November. And in mid-autumn, bright colorful fruits will add color and it is not at all difficult to grow. If you don't already have one of these plants on your property, consider adding this colorful accent to your landscape.
Plant characteristics
fast growing vine, forming shoots up to 6 meters long. Plants are grown primarily as annuals. This variety of pumpkins differs from ordinary ones in the following characteristics:
Regarding the last point, it is worth noting that gardeners really have a lot to choose from. There are varieties with round, pear-shaped, bottle-shaped, oval and star-shaped fruits. The fruits of decorative pumpkins, unlike ordinary ones, can come in a variety of colors. Each plant produces from 20 to 30 fruits with pulp light orange color and seeds. You may not know that pumpkin fruits are biologically classified as berries.
The flowering plant also represents decorative value. In early summer, medium to large yellow, orange or white flowers appear on the climbing plants.
Description of decorative pumpkin-pear
This is one of the most unusual and striking species. The fruits of the plant are pear-shaped. In size, they are usually several times larger than a pear fruit. The variety of color options for this pumpkin is impressive. The fruits can be orange, red, cream, green, striped, spotted and even white.
The plant forms long branched shoots with dark green leaves. Such a liana could be spectacular decoration hedges, walls of garden buildings, arches or pergolas.
Growing conditions
Like all members of the pumpkin family, this variety does not require complex care. Growing can be successful in almost all climatic zones of our country. Compliance with the basic rules of agricultural technology will allow even a novice gardener to grow a beautiful and healthy plant.
Soil and lighting requirements
Plant tolerant to almost all types of soil, But the best option are humus-rich, moderately moist soils with sufficient drainage. The optimal soil acidity level (pH) is 6.5. Before planting, compost should be added to the soil, the amount of which will depend on the natural characteristics of the soil.
The plant will feel much worse in an area where the following related crops previously grew:
- zucchini;
- squash;
- cucumbers
Most favorable predecessors for pumpkin are:
- tomatoes;
- carrot;
- cabbage;
- winter grains such as wheat or corn.
Sometimes gardeners fear that the plant may get sick or die due to groundwater, lying close to the surface. In fact, it does not have any effect on the growth and yield of the pumpkin.
Pumpkin is a light-loving plant. It will grow best in an area that receives direct sunlight. sun rays at least 6 hours a day. In this case, you can count on maximum productivity and best quality fruits
At the same time, the plant can grow quite well in partial shade. Knowing this, some gardeners use this type of pumpkin to protect other plants from weeds. Planted in beds of corn, a climbing decorative pumpkin occupies free space, simultaneously preventing the growth of weeds and decorating the garden.
Landing rules
Decorative pumpkin-pear can be planted with seedlings or seeds straight into open ground. The choice of method depends on the climatic conditions of the area. The time of planting in open ground also depends on the geographic latitude. IN middle lane this is the period from late April to mid-May.
Growing seedlings
This growing method includes two stages.
Germination of seeds for seedlings in special containers. It can be paper cups, pots or seed boxes. You need to sow the seeds about three weeks before transplanting into open ground. As a growing substrate, it is better to use a mixture of soil and peat in a ratio of 2 to 1. In order to ensure maximum seed germination, in the first three days after sowing, you need to maintain the air temperature during the day at 22-25 degrees, at night - no lower 15.
Planting seedlings in open ground. The optimal soil temperature for replanting is 12 degrees. The temperature can be easily determined by immersing a regular thermometer in the soil for ten minutes. At lower temperatures, plants need to be planted under a film, preferably black. There is another option for low soil temperatures. Approximately three liters of hot water should be poured into the planting holes.
Growing pumpkin from seeds in open ground
This option for growing pumpkins is suitable for southern regions, where the average daily July temperature does not fall below 18 degrees. Seeds should be sown in open ground if there is no longer a threat of frost. Experts recommend warming up the seeds a day before sowing and soaking them in an ash solution.
After planting, seeds or seedlings must be watered.
Plant care
Caring for the plant is quite simple. The following main recommendations can be highlighted.
A week after planting, you need to mulch the soil to protect the plant from weeds. Peat, pine needles, or even dry soil can be used as mulch.
Important regularly weed and loosen the soil next to the plants. Loosening within two weeks after planting is carried out to a depth of up to 12 cm, and after a month - up to 5 cm.
Plants need to be watered regularly during flowering and ovary formation. For watering should only be used warm water(about 20 degrees).
From the moment the foliage appears, the seedlings need to be fed with dry nitrophoska, and from the moment the lashes form - with a solution of this substance.
Proper care also involves preparing a strong support for the climbing shoots of the decorative pumpkin.
Varieties of decorative pear-shaped pumpkins
There are many varieties of decorative pear-shaped pumpkins. They mainly differ in the shape and color of the fruit. Requirements for planting and care are basically the same. Look at descriptions and photographs of the most popular varieties.
Kleine bicolor. The fruits are shaped like a large glossy pear. In accordance with the name, the fruits combine two colors - bright yellow and green.
Cou-Tors Native. The variety belongs to the group of so-called torticollis. Bizarre fruits with a bright orange pimply shell are shaped like a swan.
Texas pumpkin. The plant produces large pear-shaped fruits, the color of which resembles a watermelon: there are light green stripes along a dark green background.
golden pear. This pumpkin has huge, bright orange, teardrop-shaped fruits with a bumpy shell. Unlike most decorative varieties, this pumpkin is quite edible. It has a sweetish taste with notes of roasted chestnuts.
Pumpkin "Peanut Butter". Forms large golden-orange elongated fruits pear-shaped. Like the previous variety, it can be used for preparing various dishes.
Speckled swan gourd. Rare and very unusual variety. True to its name, the fruits look like a swan with an arched neck. The color of the shell is also unusual: white spots on a green background.
As you can see, decorative pumpkins are a great opportunity to decorate in an unusual and bright way. personal plot. In addition, dried fruits are an excellent material for making handmade decor items: original vases, candlesticks and lamps.
Do you want to decorate your area? Not only will they cope with this task perfectly flowering plants. Great alternative- decorative pumpkin. This climbing plant with beautiful greenery, among which original-shaped pumpkins will appear in the fall. In the photo you can see how diverse the fruits are different varieties. You can choose several options that will successfully complement each other, or you can choose the variety you like the most.
Benefits of decorative pumpkins
This unusual plant has a number of important advantages:
- It's beautiful. Many people will like powerful stems with large succulent leaves, decorated with bright colors and unusual bright fruits of different “complexities”. Such non-standard decor will immediately attract the attention of others.
- Growing quickly. Each climbing lash quickly grows to 4-6 meters. It is recommended to let them go along supports, because the plant will cope perfectly with landscaping, decorating gazebos and other objects.
- There is a bush form. It is recommended to plant it in flowerpots and display it on terraces.
- It will attract the attention of not only adults, but also children. This is a godsend for a children's garden.
- The plant is easy to care for. The main thing is to ensure regular watering.
- Cute beautiful pumpkins are perfect for crafts and design. The main thing is to wait until they ripen, clean the seeds, and dry them. From such specimens you can create many useful and beautiful curiosities - candlesticks, boxes, compositions. It is difficult to find two identical berries. Each has an original coloring and “figure”.
Appearance and popular varieties of decorative pumpkin
Most often a mixture of varieties is offered for sale (“Artist”, “Rattle”, “Souvenir”). The fruits are very diverse. They are distinguished by their bright color and shape (from star-shaped to pear-shaped). Some blends offer plants with similar shaped fruits.
Popular types of decorative pumpkins:
- "Orange." The pumpkins are small and resemble an orange in appearance and color. Very impressive.
- "Baby Boo" The vegetables are white, slightly ribbed, their diameter is about 10 cm. The bark is smooth.
- "Sweet Dumpling" They are small, flat-rounded, and have dark green stripes with white dots between the yellow ribs.
- "Crown". It will surprise you with its unusual star-shaped berries. Their size is up to 15 cm. The colors are very different - from yellow to bright green.
- "Turkish turban" In appearance it really resembles a turban. Orange color. It is distinguished by sweet juicy pulp, suitable for consumption.
- "Kleine Bicolor". Pear-shaped fruits attract attention not only with their shape, but also with their contrasting color. It is dark green below and bright yellow above.
We have listed the names of the most popular varieties, but this is not the whole list.
Secrets of growing
Growing decorative pumpkins requires certain skills. To grow a plant, it is better to plant it in the sun and cover it from the wind. Constant care and monitoring are important.
Temperature
Let's take a closer look at how to care for this wonder. A young plant should be protected from frequent spring frosts, they are not resistant to frost. Even a temperature of -1°C will be fatal. You can plant seedlings immediately. Remember that the conditions under which pumpkin grows directly affect the quality of the berries and the lushness of the greenery.
The soil
Acidic soil is not suitable; it can withstand saline soil. It is best to plant the vegetable in light, loose, calcareous soil. It is characterized by high fertility. It will be good if it is black soil with some sand and clay.
Watering, fertilizer
This representative of the flora should be watered and fed frequently ( organic fertilizers). You can pamper the pumpkin foliar feeding. You can use urea for this.
Landing place
You need to choose the location especially carefully. It is better to plant away from the cold wind. You will need a lot of sun and protection from the wind. To support powerful stems with large leaves, place a reliable support.
Secrets of successful landing
From correct landing decorative pumpkin directly depends on what fruits will appear. How to plant a decorative pumpkin?
Growing seedlings
- The plant reproduces by seeds, but it is better to plant seedlings immediately. You can prepare the soil in the fall. It is fertilized with manure (5 kg/m2), mineral fertilizers (azophoska at the rate of (40 g/m2). The soil is dug up to a depth of 30 cm.
- Seeds should be sown in cups and peat pots between April 25 and May 5. Diameter – 10-15 cm. They are filled with a light soil mixture. You can speed up seed germination. To do this, they should be soaked in any stimulant for a day. How to prepare the solution is indicated on the packaging. Then the seeds are sown immediately. It is better to choose not freshly collected seeds, but those that have been stored for 3-5 years.
Landing in the ground
It is better to sow seeds in the ground in the second ten days of May, when the air temperature rises to 15-18 degrees. Sowing depth – 7-8 cm.
When planting seedlings, seedlings are planted in June. Handling should be done extremely carefully; the plant does not tolerate this process well. The depth of the holes is 15-20 cm, the distance between them is up to 80 cm. The soil should be sprinkled so that the neck of the root is below the ground level. Therefore, characteristic bark tubercles will appear at the base, which must be sprinkled with earth.
Using decorative pumpkin
Despite the fact that pumpkins are primarily used to decorate the garden, they can be eaten, candied fruits, and jam. For this you should use only young fruits. In old berries, the pulp becomes bitter and becomes tough.
But it’s better to still use these unusual beautiful fruits for decoration. You can use them to make an unusual lantern, a vase, a box, or a whole composition. This is a real find for parents of babies.
So, if you decide to grow a decorative pumpkin, you should consider some simple recommendations. Then a real decoration will appear on your site. Decorative pumpkins grow quickly. You can enjoy the lush greenery all summer long, and in the fall you can reap a harvest of amazing fruits. Why not start making some from this wonderful vegetable in winter?!
Video: How to grow a decorative pumpkin
Decorative pumpkin has many advantages, it is a decoration of the garden, its cultivation does not require much trouble. This original “beauty” will delight any gardener with its decorativeness and unpretentiousness.
In one summer, the stems of the plant can reach 6 meters. In the first month you can create a “green screen” from a pumpkin, stems up to 2.5 meters long allow this to be done.
The plant can be entwined:
- gazebo,
- fence,
- arch.
But this plant is not only distinguished by its lush greenery. The green background will be decorated with bright flowers already in July. In a month, the plant will surprise you with its original fruits, which have various shapes and color. Unlike the round or slightly elongated fruits of a regular pumpkin, the shapes of decorative fruits amaze with the variety of shapes and colors. Stars, pears, tangerines and other pumpkins of original shapes will hang on your green screens.
If you plant a mixture of decorative pumpkin seeds, you will get an interesting “green screen” with various types of fruits.
Is this pumpkin edible?
Garden or interior designers are more interested in the original beauty. Cooks prefer not to use its fruits. Although there are varieties that have edible pulp. The insides of the turban-shaped pumpkin are sweetish, the edible fruit of Lagenaria.
Based on the labels on the seed packets, it is impossible to know for sure whether the fruit of this species is edible.
Even edible pumpkins cannot be eaten if they are ripe. Ripe fruits have hard, coarse flesh. It cannot be used for feeding livestock either.
The most popular varieties
Let's get acquainted with the fruits of common varieties of decorative pumpkins:
Mandarin
Lives up to its name. They are just as small, orange, round shape, weighing up to 300 g.
Chit Boo ( Baby Boo
White pumpkins grow up to 10 cm in diameter. They have a smooth crust and are considered edible.
Sweet Dumpling
The fruits of the variety reach 500 g and look very original. Pumpkins with yellowish or white ribs, between which there are dark stripes with white specks.
Bischofsmutzen
Surprises with pumpkins from two hemispheres. Half of the skin is white, and the other half is green or red;
Kleine Bicolor
By the end of summer, the plant of this variety surprises with small pears, painted in two colors. Bottom – dark green with stripes yellow color, at the top - yellow. The plant belongs to the group Lagenaria siceraria (bottle lagenaria).
Cou-Tors Native
Variety of torticollis , fruits are located among the foliage - swans with a bubbly, sunny orange shell.
They call it the shape of a pumpkin:
- warty having a pear-shaped or rounded shape with wart-type growths of different colors;
- star-shaped, with a maximum diameter of up to 15 cm, flattened or elongated shape, varied colors, several colors are possible for one specimen;
- pear-shaped, pear-shaped pumpkins, up to 12 cm in size, on two-colored ones there is a clear boundary between the colors;
- Vicofolia, whose leaves resemble blades, with green fruits with a stripe of milky color or speckled, round in shape;
- turban-shaped, in Russia, such decorative zucchini is called “mushrooms”, tangerine or marble green in color;
- bottled, gourd or lagenaria, the fruits are colored green marble.
Mixtures of decorative pumpkins are small-fruited and large-fruited. They consist mainly of plants with the same characteristics. The pumpkin varieties found in the Crown mix have star-shaped fruits.
How to grow such a crop in a summer cottage?
Stages of growing decorative pumpkin:
- Preparing the seeds– disinfect, harden, germinate.
- Sow seeds in the ground. The end of April or the beginning of May is suitable for sowing seedlings.
- The plant does not like transplantation, so we sow one seed at a time in a pot with a diameter of at least 15 cm.
- After 12 days sprinkle with earth, up to the cotyledon leaves.
- Twice we feed, can be used mineral fertilizers or slurry.
- Planting seedlings at 30 days of age, with five true leaves.
- Before planting, they dig up the soil, apply fertilizers.
- Preparing the holes, pour at least 1 liters of water into each.
- Can sow directly into the ground, it is better after the frosts have passed, the soil temperature is at least 13 degrees.
- During water and feed plant, and also loosen the soil and weed out weeds.
- We install a reliable support structure plants.
- We pinch the main shoot, grown to 1 meter to form lateral shoots.
- During getting rid of pests and diseases.
- We collect fruits only after full ripening, avoiding freezing.
The growing area should be sunny, the soil should be well warmed before planting. The plant is not frost-resistant and is afraid of frost.
How is decorative pumpkin used?
Dried pumpkins can be used for:
- DIY self made : stands for candles, vases, lanterns, boxes, flower pots and others;
- Burnout and artistic painting;
- Interior decoration premises and landscape design.
Original compositions will decorate any interior and can be a pleasant gift.
Properly dried fruit can be stored for many years; it is only necessary to remove the pulp from large-fruited pumpkins.
Conclusion
Decorative pumpkin is an excellent option for landscaping your garden.
Its original fruits are irreplaceable for use in design work. Having such advantages, the plant does not require special care when growing. A gardener who grows this amazingly beautiful plant will gain many positive emotions.
Bright green, almost emerald stems, generously twining around the twigs of an openwork arbor, create a dense shadow, fiery orange (or yellow, white and even striped) fruits are visible in the foliage - what could be more beautiful? Almost any visitor who looks at the garden plot will certainly ask: “What is this?” - and wants to do it colorful photo against such an unusual background.
Growing a decorative pumpkin will not be difficult for any summer resident, even a beginner. Melons are unpretentious crops and do not require special conditions. All they need to grow properly is plenty of sun. Partial shade is also suitable, but then the pumpkin will not please with a large number of fruits and will lose its elegant appearance.
She will like it too frequent watering, especially if organic fertilizers are added to the water.
You need to take care of a strong support, preferably a steel one - the decorative pumpkin quickly grows in height and width, building up a solid green mass by the end of summer. It would be a shame if the plastic or bamboo arch that you expected to see entwined with stems breaks under the load, damaging the plant itself.
Growing a decorative pumpkin will not be difficult for any summer resident.
The most important thing when growing pumpkins (including decorative ones) is to remember that they absolutely cannot tolerate even the slightest frost. As soon as the mercury column of the thermometer drops to 0ºC, the leaves will droop, the stem will turn brown, the fruits will wrinkle and dry out. Decorative pumpkin, like an ordinary one, is an annual plant; its lifespan is short, and any decrease in temperature is fatal for it. Therefore, it is recommended to grow pumpkin seedlings from seeds.
Gallery: decorative pumpkin (25 photos)
Pumpkin varieties (video)
Vegetable propagation
Decorative pumpkin seeds should be germinated in advance, in a dark place. At the end of April - beginning of May, they should be soaked for 30 minutes in a solution of any growth stimulant, wrapped in gauze and placed, for example, on a shelf in the pantry.
After 2 days, the hatched seeds are planted one by one in pots and placed on a warm, sunny windowsill. Small peat cups will not work; the container for seedlings must have a volume of at least 0.5 liters. The pumpkin quickly begins to grow; in a compact container the roots will be cramped, which means the bush will turn out small and stunted. You need to add a little sand and turf to the ground to make it loose and airy.
The strengthened sprouts are transferred to a permanent place in early June, when you can no longer be afraid of the night cold. Before this, they are hardened: they are taken out every day for several minutes, gradually increasing the time spent on fresh air. The holes are made at a distance of 25-40 cm from each other.
It is worth germinating decorative pumpkin seeds in advance, in a dark place.
It is possible to sow seeds directly into the ground (around the end of May), but this option is less reliable. Only people do this experienced summer residents confident in weather conditions.
The soil must be loosened regularly. To make the bush lush, it is recommended to pinch the top when the stem reaches the chest of an adult - then the side shoots will begin to grow.
It is recommended to feed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers (to increase green mass), and during the formation of buds and ovaries - with potassium and phosphorus. Pumpkin, even decorative ones, prefers natural ingredients: humus, rotted manure and dry chicken droppings.
Pumpkin fruits look great not only on summer cottages, but also on the balconies of city apartments. It is preferable if the balcony is open: on glass loggia The plant can be destroyed by mold and powdery mildew.
The most important thing when growing pumpkins (including decorative ones) is to remember that they absolutely cannot tolerate even the slightest frost.
Vegetable uses
The first question that interests everyone who sees small pumpkins is: can they be eaten?
Any pumpkin is edible, but only young fruits of decorative varieties should be eaten. Over time, they become coarser, the flesh becomes too hard and bitter. In addition, according to taste qualities they are significantly inferior to those grown for food. Therefore, of course, it is possible to prepare bright, shaped fruits to surprise guests, but it is unlikely that porridge or casserole made from shaped pumpkin will become your signature dish.
Any pumpkin is edible, but only young fruits of decorative varieties should be eaten.
Decorative pumpkins are designed to please not the stomach, but the eye. They can be used not only to decorate the garden, but also to make various crafts. This will be appreciated by parents with children of preschool and primary school age.
Do not forget that pumpkin is an indispensable attribute of Hzllouin. You can save the fruits until the holiday (melons can be stored for several years) and make an unusual lantern, not forgetting to take a photo of the craft. Thanks to its bizarre shape, the lantern will turn out to be original.
Decorative and edible varieties (video)
Variety of species
The following varieties deserve attention:
- Crown. Small (no more than 15 cm) star-shaped fruits with characteristic protrusions reminiscent of the teeth of a royal headdress. They are distinguished by rich colors: there are yellow, green, orange and striped fruits.
- Turkish turban. Turban-shaped pumpkins are most often orange in color. They have sweet flesh and are suitable for food.
- Orange. As the name suggests, the fruits are bright orange and shaped like citrus fruits.
- Baby boo. Tiny round snow-white pumpkins.
- Little Red Riding Hood. In the photo, representatives of this variety do not look like pumpkins, but like large mushrooms with a white stem and a bright cap. What gives them away is the dry stalk on the top of the head.
- Klein Bicolor. Elongated striped flasks of a bizarre yellow-green color.
Once in a flower shop I saw the fruits of small decorative pumpkins, they were laid out there as decoration. I immediately thought about how to grow a decorative pumpkin for me too. And this winter I ordered seeds from the online store of the Poisk agricultural company, and there I came across this bag (see photo): “Decorative pumpkin “Mosaic”, a wonderful mixture of fruits.” I bought them too, they cost 10 rubles, I think. In the spring, in mid-May, it became hot here. I soaked the seeds of decorative pumpkin (there were 10 of them in a bag) for a day before sowing and planted two seeds per hole directly in open ground. And she also put them in a small old barrel. Naturally, she watered it. That's all the secrets I can tell you about growing pumpkins. Of course, it would be better to sow them in peat cups earlier (at least in April). But I had so many seedlings - all the window sills were occupied. That's why I didn't bother with pumpkin.
Decorative pumpkin seeds “Mosaic”
And so I grew three plants - two in open ground, one in a barrel. The decorative pumpkin grows somewhat slowly in the barrel and has just begun to bloom; when the fruits appear, I’ll post a photo. But in the wild, two specimens have already formed fruits.
If you want to know how a decorative pumpkin grows, then I can say that it is very lush. This curly relative produces long lashes (it says up to 4 meters, I didn’t measure mine). They just climb everywhere. It's only mid-July and I've already had to trim my pumpkins.
However, look for yourself - here is a photo of a decorative pumpkin that grows in my basement. It hangs down and weaves on top.
Decorative pumpkin “Mosaic”
These are decorative pumpkin shoots in the basement above
Now about the fruits. I saw small fruits. But mine have grown quite impressive, and they have not finished growing yet. Most of all, my decorative pumpkin looks like a huge mushroom or acorn. I looked, and it turns out that pumpkins of this shape are called “Turkish turban”. Such a comparison never occurred to me, but apparently it occurred to the breeder developing varieties of decorative pumpkin
The fruits of my decorative pumpkin
A closer look at the fruit of a decorative pumpkin
At first the fruits were yellow, as in the photo, but now they have begun to turn orange, in theory they should turn red with green cracks. This is how I look forward to it in the fall.
Decorative pumpkin “Turkish turban”
Caring for my pumpkin is simple. I rarely water in company with other flowers. The soil on my site is very light loamy. It actually lets water flow down and dries quickly. It happens that in the heat the leaves of a plant wither. But by evening the turgor is restored again. Two more times I added a tablespoon of nitroammophoska under the pumpkin. The vines have to be trimmed so that the rest of the plants are not clogged. Perhaps all the care.
This is not how a decorative pumpkin grows in a barrel. However, there was a mixture in the bag. Maybe there will be something with smaller fruits. Let's see…