Pumpkin Seed (25 Seeds) (Home & Garden)

SEED TYPE : Non-Hybrid, Open Pollinated And Non-GMO
PLANTS : Long Veins, Well Branched
SOWING TIME : Summer As Well As Rainy Season
FRUIT: Flattish Round With Deep Ridges
FRUIT SKIN : Shinning Dark Green In Colour With Yellowish Spots/Netting All Over, Flesh Yellowish Orange.
FRUIT WEIGHT : 3-4 Kgs
SPECIFICATION : Very Attractive Fruits, Very High Yielding, High Tolerance To Heat And Humid Condition.

About:- Unlike the ones found in the west with an orange skin and associated mostly with Halloween to be carved into Jack-o-Lanterns, in India pumpkins usually have a green skin. A part of the Cucurbitaceae family of plants just like cucumbers, squash and cantaloupes, pumpkins are widely cultivated and consumed all over the world. Though not everyone's favourite veggie, they are extremely healthy to eat1! Wait till you know of the nutritional value it carries. Pumpkins are an excellent source of Vitamin A, E, C, iron, folate, dietary fiber and antioxidants. Its consumption can greatly help you with lowering the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and breast cancer, while fighting fatigue, boosting the immune system, maintaining optimum weight, and improving vision and digestion. A water-rich vegetable, pumpkins will keep your feeling refreshed and hydrated sufficiently too.
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PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS:-

• Sow seeds directly in the soil. Pumpkins are very sensitive to cold. Make sure the temperature is ideal before sowing.
• Plant seeds in rows or “pumpkin hills” which are the size of small pitcher mounds. With hills, the land will warm more quickly and the seeds will sprout quickly. This also helps with drainage and pest control.
• Prepare the hills in advance with old manure dug deep into the soil (12 to 15 inches).
• Plant the seeds 1 inch deep (4 to 5 seeds per mound). Space mounds 4 to 8 feet apart.
• Your plants should develop in less than a week and sprout within 5 to 10 days. When the plants are 2 to 3 inches tall, thin to 2 to 3 plants per hill by snipping off unwanted plants.

GROWING REQUIREMENTS:-

PESTS: The pumpkins that are attacked by pests may show the following signs - Plants show brown blotches or stunted and distorted growth, honeydew substance, white powdery spots on leaves, deformed (bumps) and discolored fruit and leaves, etc. Common pests that attack this crop are Squash bugs, Cucumber beetles, Aphids, Squash Vine Borer, Powdery Mildew, Anthracnose.
SOIL: They prefer very rich soil that is well-drained and not too soggy. The ideal pumpkin plant soil should have a pH range of 5.5-7.5.
SPOT: Choose a spot that receives plenty of sunlight to light shade
WATERING: Pumpkins are thirsty plants and need lot of water. Water one litre per week.
TEMPERATURE: Seeds will germinate at 15°C (60°F), but they germinate best at 29-32°C (85°F-90°F)

HOW TO HARVEST:-

• A pumpkin ripens when its skin turns a rich, strong colour (orange for most varieties).
• When you thumb the pumpkin, the rind will feel heavy and it will sound empty. Press your nail into the pumpkin’s skin; if it resists puncture, it is fully ripe.
• Handle pumpkins very gently or they may bruise.
• To harvest the pumpkin, cut the fruit off the vine carefully with a sharp knife or with the help of pruners, do not pull. Be certain not to trim too close to the pumpkin.
• If you get a lot of vines and flowers but no pumpkins, you need more bees in your garden to pollinate the flowers.
• Seeds can last for 6 years.