This weekend it is best to harvest pumpkins — frosts will come to Siberia. Agronomist told when to harvest pumpkin in Novosibirsk and what to do with it
Autumn this year does not spoil the Novosibirsk people with warm days. Many do not have much harvest left in the garden. And among the empty beds, large orange pumpkins are clearly visible. They can be up to 40 kilograms! In this article «Seven circles of the garden» we understand when to remove these giants from the dacha and what to do with a large harvest.
And also we reveal the secret of the recipe for delicious candied fruits.
When to remove pumpkin from the garden
Pumpkin is a thermophilic plant, so the agronomist does not advise keeping it in the garden for a long time. In Siberia, she will not wait for Halloween, which is celebrated on October 31st. On this day, many people cut pumpkin faces, but it will be perfectly preserved in your home or in the basement.
— Frosts at -1 … -2 degrees are already fatal for the leaves. And if the fruits fall under frost more than -4 degrees, then it will not be stored, — said Lyudmila Shubina, agronomist, candidate of agricultural sciences.
Frozen fruits must be immediately put into processing — juices, jam, mashed potatoes, otherwise you will lose your harvest. Frost is already promised this Sunday, so it is best to remove the pumpkin this weekend.
What pumpkin can be grown in Siberia
According to the agronomist, pumpkins are now out of fashion among gardeners. It could be found in every vegetable garden in the 60s.
— Then people kept a lot of cattle, in particular cows, and juicy feed significantly increased milk yield, — explained Lyudmila Shubina.
The most delicious pumpkins are hardy. They are quite sweet and have a very long shelf life. Among them, one can note such varieties as «orange bush», «smile», «crumb», «winter sweet». They will definitely lie with you until the new season.
— Fruits grow up to 2-3 kilograms. And this is very convenient. Having cut a pumpkin in the size of 20-30 kilograms, and sometimes even 40 kilograms, you need to do something with it right away, it is not easy to work with such a large volume, — the agronomist assures. — The good thing about the pumpkin is that it is a «barn», that is, it is stored without special conditions. They brought her home, put her in the darkest place so that she would not interfere, and she lies for a whole year.
In Siberia, you can also grow butternut squash in greenhouses. It has a pear-shaped shape, and is often brought to our stores from warm countries, because butternut squash has a longer growing season and does not always ripen here.
— I grow a very original butternut squash called Muscat de Provence. It has a classic ribbed shape and amazing taste. She is usually depicted in the fairy tale «Cinderella». It has huge lashes, so you need a place for it. On one plant there are 3-4 fruits weighing 15-20 kilograms, — said the specialist.
What to do with the harvest
There are many pumpkin recipes. Very tasty pumpkin porridge with rice and millet is made from it, baked in slices in the oven or microwave, juice, soup and even eaten raw. But candied fruits are especially tasty from pumpkin. We share with you a proven recipe.
«Do not water or fertilize too much»
It is best to plant a pumpkin in Siberia with seedlings — this is a heat-loving plant. We will sow it from April 20 in nutritious loose soil.
“In early June, after the 10th, when the threat of night frosts has passed, we plant the seedlings in a permanent place,” said Lyudmila Shubina. — We choose warm places for the pumpkin. It should not interfere with other crops, as huge leaves quickly fill the space.
The pumpkin will be less sweet in a large manure bed.
“The more you fertilize and water the pumpkin, the less sweet it is,” added the agronomist. “So I water it before the fruit reaches the size of a baby’s head.” Enough natural residues.
