Content
The decorative pumpkin is a real decoration of the garden. With its help, they decorate arches, gazebos, walls, ennoble flower beds, flowerpots, verandas. The article contains popular decorative pumpkin varieties with photos and descriptions that will help you evaluate the variety of colors, sizes, shapes and choose the best option for your site.
Why are decorative pumpkin grown?
Ornamental pumpkin varieties are gaining more and more popularity among gardeners. Neat, beautiful, bright, diverse in shape and color, plants are planted to decorate the garden, decorate gazebos, and form unusual flower beds. Ripe and dried fruits, varnished or painted, serve as the basis for design work. Vases, boxes, candlesticks, and various vessels are cut out of them.
In addition, gardeners appreciate the agrotechnical characteristics of the ornamental pumpkin:
- Ease of growing... To obtain dense greenery and bright fruits, the culture needs timely watering, top dressing, and loosening of the soil. The green cover is formed in a natural way, does not require shaping, cutting, pinching.
- High growth rate... Pumpkin whip within a month after landing in open ground reaches 5 m, which allows you to use it for vertical framing of fences, arbors, walls. Then active flowering and fruit growth begins.
- Form stability... Decorative pumpkin varieties retain their size, shape, color until late autumn.
Summer residents are also attracted by large, bright flowers that densely dot the lashes during the growing season.
Description of decorative pumpkin
Ornamental pumpkins are annual climbing melons and gourds, bred by cross-pollination of common large-fruited varieties and crossing them with squash, squash, zucchini.
The shoots of decorative pumpkins are thinner and weaker than those of canteen, but they grow very quickly: during the season they stretch up to 4 - 5 m. The deciduous cover is denser, thicker, due to the greater number of lateral processes. The color of the greens varies from emerald green to pale green.
Less common are bush varieties of ornamental pumpkins. Plants are planted in flower beds, flower beds, alpine slides, flowerpots, they are used to decorate terraces and garden alleys.
Ornamental pumpkin varieties bloom in June. Inflorescences of the culture are velvety: large, bright yellow, sometimes pale or white.
From mid-July, the first fruits are formed. Depending on the type of pumpkin, they can be:
- round, pear-shaped, crown-shaped, flattened, bottle-shaped, elongated, turban-shaped, star-shaped;
- yellow, orange, white, red, green, striped, two- or three-colored, spotted, variegated;
- with a smooth, ribbed, pimpled, bumpy skin.
Ornamental pumpkin varieties
More than 100 varieties of mini-pumpkins have been bred by breeders. They differ in color, shape, size.You can evaluate all the varietal variety of decorative pumpkins from the photo.
Swan
Ornamental pumpkin Swan is one of the varieties of Lagenaria. Scourge plants are fast-growing with rounded, large leaves. The culture is demanding for heat, light, watering. It is better to plant it with seedlings when the air and soil warm up to 17 - 20 degrees.
Of interest are the pumpkin fruits, similar to swans with refined curved necks. The peel of such decorative fruits is dense, colored dark green with white specks.
The variety is characterized as fast growing. If all the requirements of agricultural technology are met, 8 to 12 fruits can be harvested from one ornamental bush per season.
Pear-shaped, or pear
Fruits of pear-shaped decorative pumpkin grow up to 12 - 18 cm in diameter. Their colors are varied. There are yellow, cream, white, red, green, orange varieties.
Two-colored, variegated or striped decorative pumpkins-pears with a clearly drawn transverse border (Klein bicolour) look beautiful on the site.
The Texas variety with large pear-shaped watermelon-like fruits belongs to the same subgroup. Their colors are dark green with yellow, forming a background, on which light transverse stripes are superimposed.
Crown
The Korona decorative pumpkin variety is one of the most spectacular and unusual. Its bright yellow or yellow-green fruits rarely grow more than 12-15 cm in diameter. They are star-shaped, umbrella-shaped, crown-shaped.
The stems of the pumpkin are ribbed, grow to 3 - 4 m in length, ideal for the formation of hedges, arches. The leaves have a deep, rich emerald hue, which favorably sets off single large flowers.
Fango
Decorative pumpkin Fango is a fast-growing variety with wrinkled thorny leaves and large, white, funnel-shaped flowers. Ripe fruits look very attractive, resembling variegated mushroom caps.
For proper growth and a good harvest, Fango pumpkin is planted in sunny areas. It is thermophilic, does not tolerate a cold snap or drying out of the soil.
Shoots are used for vertical gardening of a veranda or gazebo, and various decorative compositions are made from the fruits.
Borovichok
The decorative pumpkin Borovichok belongs to the turban-shaped varieties. Its fruits are shaped like a mushroom with a large red cap and a thick light leg. Such an interesting feature is actively used to decorate autumn compositions, children's creativity, and design rooms in a rustic style.
The flowers of the plant are large, white, funnel-shaped. They appear in early June. Active flowering lasts about a month.
Borovichok - prefers sunny, warm, fertile areas. For successful seed germination, the soil temperature should not fall below 20 degrees. The plant actively responds to fertilization, timely watering, weeding and loosening.
The variety is suitable for horizontal and vertical decoration of flower beds, flower beds, hedges, arches, country flowerpots.
Artist
Decorative pumpkin Artist is a mixture of small varieties, different in terms of ripening, appearance, color, shape.
Scourges are fast-growing, reaching 4 m per season. With sufficient timely watering and feeding, they form lush greenery.
In June - July, the plant is covered with large yellow flowers, in the place of which small (about 200–400 g) pumpkins appear over time.
The variety is planted for vertical gardening, masking unsightly walls, and decorating openings.
Indie
Ornamental pumpkin Indy is a mixture of pear-shaped varieties of various shapes, sizes, colors.
The lashes of this variety are long, cling well to the support, and actively grow.Fruits gain weight quickly and may need additional support.
Shehrezade of the star
The color of the fruits of the decorative pumpkin Shahrezad star is varied. They are yellow, white, milky, green, bicolor, striped or speckled. The diameter of the pumpkins does not exceed 10 cm.
Shahrezada belongs to the subgroup of star gourds. Its shape is flattened, oblong, resembling a squash - with more pointed, elongated edges.
The variety is suitable for vertical growth.
Lagenaria
Lagenaria is the original name for a vast group of decorative pumpkins, which have a variety of elongated, elongated shapes.
The variety is suitable for vertical decoration, the lashes grow very quickly. In July, pale pink or white large flowers on long stems appear on them.
The shape of the fruit of the decorative pumpkin is varied, which can be estimated from the photo.
The pumpkin rind is very hard, which makes it possible to use these vegetables for making dishes: jugs, decanters, bottles with a narrow neck and a stable base.
Lagenaria can be eaten. This applies to young shoots no more than 30 - 40 cm long.
The variety can be grown outdoors, in a greenhouse, on a balcony or loggia.
Bottle
Bottle gourds are a large subgroup of ornamental pumpkins with a narrow, elongated top and rounded bottom. The fruits may resemble a jug, swan, mace in shape.
Another name for the variety is dishware or gourd. Since ancient times, light, durable, environmentally friendly utensils have been obtained from dried, peeled vegetables: bottles, flasks, jugs.
Mandarin
The fruits of the mini-pumpkin of the Mandarin variety are small, about 5 - 7 cm in diameter, round, bright orange in color. In appearance, they are similar to the fruit of the same name. The foliage of the plant has a rich emerald hue.
The variety is suitable for cooking, but is more often used as a mini-pot, an original bowl or cocotte.
Fungus
Refers to turban pumpkins. The upper part of the vegetable is massive, its color is rich orange, red, green. The lower half is smaller, with a white, pale green, speckled color. In appearance, color, ripening time, the culture resembles the Borovichok variety.
The fungus is recognized as the most frost and drought resistant variety, it is not susceptible to disease. The pulp of pumpkin has a fibrous and watery structure and a bitter taste.
Is it possible to eat a decorative pumpkin
Small-fruited pumpkin is most often grown for decorative purposes, to decorate the backyard. The pulp of such fruits is also watery, dense, tough, when cooked it turns out tasteless.
However, some of this variety of ornamental pumpkin can be eaten, they are suitable for cooking, and have good taste.
It is important to remember that only young vegetables are suitable for food, the peel of which has not had time to harden. In cooking, they are most often used as fragrant, edible pots for roasting meat, fish, and poultry.
How to dry a whole pumpkin for decoration
Before using the pumpkin to compose a composition or make crafts, it must be properly and efficiently dried.
To do this, choose ripe, undamaged fruits with a dried, brown stalk. It is important to have time to harvest before the first frost, otherwise the vegetable will not be stored for a long time and will eventually rot.
Algorithm for how to properly dry a whole pumpkin:
- The harvested fruits should be washed well in warm water and soap or baking soda.
- Then put them in one layer in a warm, ventilated room so that they do not get direct sunlight.
- Vegetables should be periodically turned over to the other side, while rejecting low-quality, rotting specimens.
- After a week, the top layer of the peel will dry out. The pumpkins are transferred to a dark room with good ventilation. If this is not possible, a place under the bed or in the closet will do. The fruits are placed on a wire rack at some distance from each other or suspended, providing an air flow from all sides.
- Once a week, the pumpkins are turned over, watching for rot or mold.
The process is lengthy, it can take 3 - 6 months, depending on the variety. If, when shaking the fruit, you can clearly hear how seeds "rattle" inside, this is a sign that the pumpkin has already dried out.
Planting and caring for a decorative pumpkin
Planting and caring for a decorative pumpkin does not require special knowledge, even a novice amateur gardener can handle it.
Where, when and how to plant a decorative pumpkin
Ornamental varieties like sunny, well-heated areas with fertile, loose soil. The best predecessors that increase the yield of pumpkin are legumes, cabbage, beets, onions, carrots. And on the contrary, potatoes, cucumbers or any melons and gourds deplete the soil, draw out of it the minerals necessary for the full growth of the pumpkin. In such areas, decorative varieties should not be planted.
The proximity to other crops also affects yield and foliage formation. For example, spinach, beans, onions, peas attract pests that interfere with the growth of shoots.
In the southern regions and the middle lane, seeds are planted in open ground to a depth of 8 cm. The distance between the roots should be at least 25 - 30 cm. The optimal time for planting is May – early June, when the average daily temperature is at least 14 degrees.
To get the harvest, the seeds need to be prepared. For this:
- The planting material is placed in water for a few minutes, the floating seeds are removed: they are unsuitable for growing.
- The remaining seeds are wrapped in gauze, soaked for 2 hours in a manganese solution for disinfection and prevention of bacterial diseases of the plant.
- Then the seed is washed and dried.
To accelerate germination, seeds are germinated: wrapped in gauze or flannel, poured with warm water, left for two days. The main thing is to provide constant moisture to the seeds. After the seedlings appear, the seedlings can be taken out into the holes.
In northern latitudes, it is preferable to plant pumpkins in a seedling way, for this:
- One seed is placed in small pots (15 - 20 cm in diameter). The pots are moistened, placed in a bright place under the covering material.
- After germination, the temperature regime is closely monitored, the soil is watered with warm water, and top dressing is periodically added to it (for 10 liters of water: 20 g of superphosphate, potassium sulfide, 1 liter of mullein).
- Young shoots are transferred to a permanent place a month after germination, when the plant has 5 true leaves.
- 2 weeks before planting in open ground, the seedlings are hardened - taken out on the veranda, outside, left overnight with an open window.
- Seedlings are planted in holes 10 - 12 cm deep. Before that, fertilizers must be applied (3 tbsp ash, 2 tbsp superphosphate), moistened with warm water.
- Sprinkle the seedlings with fertile soil, mulch with peat or sawdust.
When choosing a place for planting a decorative pumpkin, it is necessary to provide for the installation of high-quality, strong support. Metal or wooden stable structures will do. Plastic or bamboo will not support the weight of the fruit.
Growing a decorative pumpkin
Even a beginner, inexperienced summer resident can cope with the cultivation of decorative pumpkin varieties.
For vigorous growth, flowering, the formation of full-fledged fruits, the plant needs a lot of sun, abundant watering, periodic introduction of organic additives into the soil.
Seeds or sprouted young shoots of pumpkin are planted in open, fertile, well-heated areas. Complex organic additives are added to the hole during planting, as well as 14 days after it. The next feeding is carried out during the formation of ovaries. The soil must be mulched with sawdust, dry humus. Further care for ornamental pumpkin consists in timely moistening as the soil dries, loosening it.
During flowering and the formation of ovaries, the plant is watered once every 3 days. During the period of fruit ripening - once every 5 days. Use warm, settled water for this.
The next day after watering, the soil is loosened, weeds are removed.
As soon as the main stem of the plant reaches a meter in length, it is pinched in order to form lush side shoots.
The lash of the decorative pumpkin easily clings to the support. As it grows, the mass of leaves and fruits increases, additional strengthening and a garter may be required.
To preserve young shoots in the spring and extend the fruiting period in autumn, experienced gardeners recommend using a covering material.
Pests and diseases
Pumpkin is an unpretentious, pest and disease resistant crop.
With improper care, waterlogging, general infection of the site, decorative varieties face the same damage as all melons and gourds:
- Powdery mildew - dense white bloom on shoots and leaves, which tends to inhibit growth, spoil ovaries and fruits. It occurs when there is a lack of lighting, sudden changes in temperature. To eliminate it, use special drugs.
- Root rot (white rot) - the disease is caused by soil parasitic fungi that affect the root system of ornamental pumpkin. The plant usually dies. As a preventive measure, before planting, the seeds are soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then the root hole is sprinkled with humus or peat.
- Bacterial rot - forms brownish spots on stems or leaves, appearing from excessive moisture, frequent abundant watering. The damaged areas of the plant are treated with 1% Bardo liquid.
- Slugs - infect the plant in the rainy period, causing significant damage to leaves, shoots, pumpkin fruits. Spilled ash and slaked lime (1: 1) help to get rid of them.
If signs of infection are detected, damaged stems, leaves, fruits or a plant are completely destroyed, and the site is treated with appropriate insecticides.
Conclusion
A decorative pumpkin with an unusual appearance will help to refine the design of the infield, while adding bright colors to it. An unpretentious plant that is resistant to diseases and pests will not cause trouble even for inexperienced gardeners.
