What are the growing requirements for pumpkins? A detailed guide to the latest cultivation requirements
Pumpkin is one of the gourd and fruit crops we are familiar with. Its fruit is rich in pectin; after we eat it, it can regulate the absorption rate of food in the stomach and intestines, and can also reduce the absorption of sugar, helping to control blood sugar. Although pumpkins are relatively common, growing them still requires meeting their growing conditions. Let's take a look at the growing requirements for pumpkins below.
1. Soil requirements
The pumpkin root system is relatively well developed, and its ability to absorb fertilizer and water from the soil is strong, so its requirements for soil are not strict. It can grow even in poor, dry soil and still produce a certain yield. However, when planting, it is best to choose well-drained, fertile, loose neutral or slightly acidic sandy loam soil, which makes it very easy to obtain a high yield. When planting in fertile soil, note that if management is improper, it can very easily cause excessive vegetative growth of pumpkin stems and leaves, often leading to flower and fruit drop, which instead results in a lower yield. Therefore, when planting in fertile soil, management must be strengthened, with timely topping, pruning, and appropriate close planting.
2. Water requirements
The pumpkin root system is well developed and has strong drought tolerance, and its water requirements are not strict, but its roots are mainly distributed on the surface layer of the soil. In actual planting, shallow tillage is generally used, so its water storage capacity is low. In addition, when pumpkins are lush, their stems and leaves grow quickly and transpiration is very strong, so the demand for water is relatively high. Therefore, a certain level of soil moisture should still be maintained. In dry seasons, when air humidity is low, water promptly to avoid leaf wilting and deformed fruit. Before fruit set, if soil moisture is relatively high, it can cause excessive vegetative growth of the plant, resulting in flower and fruit drop; if humidity is relatively high during the flowering period, pollination will be abnormal.
3. Temperature requirements
Pumpkin is a warm-loving vegetable. The suitable growing temperature is between 18-32 degrees, and the suitable temperature for root growth is 28-32 degrees. It can tolerate low temperatures as low as 6-8 degrees. At different growth stages, it also has different temperature requirements. During germination, the suitable temperature is 25-30 degrees; below 10 degrees or above 40 degrees, the seeds cannot germinate. The suitable temperature for seedling growth is 23-25 degrees during the day and 13-15 degrees at night; the suitable temperature during the vegetative growth period is 20-25 degrees; the suitable temperature during the flowering and fruiting period is 25-27 degrees, and it must not be lower than 15 degrees or higher than 35 degrees. Below 15 degrees, fruit development is slow; above 35 degrees, normal growth cannot occur.
4. Light requirements
Pumpkin is a short-day plant and has relatively high requirements for light intensity. It needs sufficient light throughout the entire growth period. In an environment with sufficient light, the plant grows well, with large leaves, thick vines, and fruit that grows quickly and has good quality. If light is insufficient, the plant grows poorly, with pale, thin leaves. Flower and fruit drop is severe. When cultivating in high-temperature seasons, excessive light can cause leaf wilting, so the impact of strong light must be reduced. Many farmers often use intercropping with tall-stemmed plants to reduce direct strong light.
The above is an introduction to the growing requirements for pumpkins. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.