When should a pumpkin be watered?
Water pumpkin plants moderately but regularly. Drought always stops growth. Pour immediately on the root area. Wet leaves and damp flowers are always at risk of disease.
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How to fertilize a pumpkin
A constant supply of nutrients is a cornerstone of pumpkin care. Since chemical preparations are viewed critically in the hobby garden, organic fertilizers dominated. Well-ripened garden compost, which you administer every 14 days, is unchallenged at the top. In addition, plant manure, guano, (€ 10.44 at Amazon *) horse manure and horn shavings (€ 6.39 at Amazon *) provide nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.
Skimming or not? - You decide
Let your pumpkin plants grow free, the harvest yields a multitude of small fruits. That may well be in the gardener's interest. The plant does not develop a large pumpkin, even with the potential to become a giant, without your intervention. In this case, leave only as many flowers as you want pumpkins. You skimp on all other female and male flowers.
- As a matter of principle, the first bloom to be maxed out will force the vigor of the plant
- in June from 3-5 leaves, shorten each tendril to 2 leaves
- in July cut back all the shoots so that the last fruit is still supplied by two leaves
Are there any threatening diseases and pests?
The fungal infection powdery mildew is visually revealed by a white-gray lawn of spores on the leaves. How to fight the plant disease:
- remove infected leaves immediately
- Interrupt application of nitrogen fertilizer
- spray repeatedly with a solution of 1 liter of water, 15 milliliters of soft soap (€ 59.99 at Amazon *) and alcohol
- Alternatively, dissolve a heaping tablespoon of soda in 4 liters of water and spray on regularly
Among the pests, it is - no wonder - the voracious nudibranchs that prefer pumpkin plants. How to protect the bed from defoliation:
- Install walking barriers made of chips, sharp-edged grit or coarse sand
- Surround the bed with a snail fence and place a beer trap
- Scatter the coffee grounds, which are toxic to snails
- tirelessly every morning collecting the cold-frozen animals with the snail tongs
Tips & Tricks
A pumpkin also suffers from blazing summer sun. Instead of sunburn, cracks form on the shell. Since spots of rotting can form here and diseases can strike, treat this gem to a sunscreen. Covered with a damp cloth, sun rays can no longer harm the fruit.
