Pumpkin requires a lot of nutrients when grown. For its successful cultivation, fertile soil is needed, and additionally, fertilizing is necessary. For this, different fertilizers are used, each of which plays a certain role.
Why do I need to feed a pumpkin?
Fertilizers for pumpkin are extremely important. They provide:
- soil composition optimization;
- good growth and development of culture;
- ovary formation;
- fruit weight gain;
- stimulation of fruit ripening;
- improving the taste of the culture;
- good harvest;
- reducing the risk of diseases and pests.
Fertilization dates
The multiplicity of fertilizer application for pumpkin depends on many factors. A number of factors must be taken into account: soil fertility, pumpkin variety, method of planting, and appearance of plants. Based on this:
- if the land is fertile, then 3-4 feeding is enough;
- on depleted soil, fertilizers are applied up to 7-10 times per season;
- varieties with long lashes need more nutrition, so feeding is carried out more often;
- when planting seeds, the pumpkin is first fed with 5 true leaves, the next time after flowering;
- when planting seedlings, more nutrition is needed: the first time - 1.5 weeks after germination, the second time - a week before transplanting to the garden, the third - 2 weeks after it, the fourth - at the beginning of lash formation;
- culture with its appearance may indicate a shortage or an overabundance of fertilizers - plantings should be inspected regularly.
The optimal timing for top dressing also depends on the type of fertilizer used.
Methods of fertilizing pumpkin
Nutrients can be applied in two ways: root or foliar.
Root
This option involves applying fertilizer under the root. Do it in different ways:
- Watering the crop under the root with dissolved fertilizer. Previously, plants must be watered with plain water in order to avoid root burns.
- Fertilization in the grooves. The first time they should be deepened by 6-8 cm 15-20 cm from the plant, the second time you need to maintain the depth and distance from the bushes to 10-12 cm.
Foliar
Such top dressing involves spraying the culture. In this case, the concentration of fertilizer should be halved compared to the root method. Too concentrated top dressing will cause leaf burns.
Foliar feeding of pumpkin is best done with severe drought, to ensure normal growth of the crop. They are also effective in flowering and fruiting.
Foliar top dressing is best done in the evening or early morning. In this case, the leaves have time to completely absorb the fertilizer. If top dressing is carried out during sundial, then the substances will evaporate and become useless.
Types of feeding for pumpkin
There are several types of fertilizers, depending on their chemical composition.
Mineral fertilizers
Mineral fertilizers are called because they contain various mineral salts. Depending on the amount of nutrients in the composition, they are simple and complex. The former may be nitrogen, phosphorus or potash, while the latter may be complex or mixed.
Mineral fertilizers play an important role:
- ensuring the active growth of culture;
- participation in photosynthesis;
- water balance regulation;
- increased sugar in the composition;
- fruit weight gain;
- yield increase.
Minerals are essential for growing pumpkins, but they must be used wisely. An excess of fertilizers is bad for the crop.
If only mineral substances are used, then they are added three times per season:
- At the stage of forming two of these sheets. Ammophosk or urea is well suited for the first top dressing. Enough 15 g of substance (matchbox) per bucket of water. This amount is designed for 20 bushes.
- During flowering. A complex composition is recommended: in a bucket of water dissolve 20 g of potassium sulfate and superphosphate and 10 g of ammophos. This amount is designed for 10 bushes, watered under the root.
- When bearing, when the size of the fruit is equivalent to small apples. For the third top dressing, it is better to use superphosphate and potassium sulfate. A bucket of water will need 15 g of both substances.
Urea is also used on dry days with nutrient deficiencies. Spend foliar top dressing. To do this, dissolve 10-15 g of fertilizer in a bucket of water, insist for half an hour and spray the plantings.
Another option for foliar top dressing is 15 g of potassium salt, 30 g of ammonium sulfate and 40 g of superphosphate in a bucket of water. The solution is used for spraying, effective after inclement weather.
Organic Feeding
Fertilizers based on substances of plant and animal origin are called organic. This applies to manure, compost, peat, green fertilizers. When they decompose, mineral substances are formed.
The introduction of organic fertilizers for pumpkins at different stages solves the following problems:
- participation in photosynthesis;
- positive effect on water and air supply;
- Contributing to the development of beneficial bacteria that provide the root system with available nutrients.
Stages of applying organic fertilizers:
- During sowing. At this stage, it is recommended to use wood ash. It should be applied directly to the wells, 50-100 g of fertilizer per plant is enough. After you need to pour the bed with warm water.
- In the second half of the growing season. Apply ash as a liquid top dressing. A bucket of water will need 100 g of fertilizer. Use immediately for irrigation without waiting for particles to settle.
- Before flowering you can feed the crop with a composition of 10 parts of water, 1 part of manure and 2 glasses of ash. Make the resulting mixture under the root.
- When flowering and fruiting pumpkins good infusion mullein. You need to cook it in advance. To do this, fill the mullein with warm water, which should be 5 times more manure. Infuse the fertilizer for 2 weeks, periodically mixing it. For top dressing, dilute the infusion in 10 parts of water. Water the pumpkin under the root, spending 1-2 liters of the mixture per bush. Between feeding, maintain an interval of 2-3 weeks.
- When digging beds. At this point, mullein is used again. Fresh manure is suitable for pumpkins only in autumn, rotted is used in autumn or spring. In the first case, you need 4 kg of fertilizer per 1 sq. Km. m, in the second - ten times less. Another option for organic fertilizer is chicken droppings. It is also necessary to prepare an infusion from it, diluting in 20 parts of water. Insist 1.5 weeks, periodically mix. Spill the bed, keeping the distance to the bushes, since fertilizer can provoke a burn of the roots.
You can not use only organic fertilizers, otherwise there will be an excess of nitrogen and a deficiency of potassium, which will lead to a risk of fungal diseases for the crop.
Complex fertilizers
Such fertilizers involve a mixture of different nutrients. Their composition is balanced, so it is enough to correctly calculate the dosage for a particular crop and planting area.
Among the complex feeding for pumpkin, the most effective and popular among gardeners are:
- Nitrophoska. It is recommended to make it dry at the beginning of the formation of the first leaves. 10 g of fertilizer is enough for one plant. You need to sprinkle it, then pour water on the bed.
- Azofoska. Complex mineral fertilizer that can be used for dry and liquid top dressing. In dry form per 1 square. m contribute 30-40 g of the substance, for liquid top dressing in a bucket of water, dilute 20-30 g of the product.
- Kemira. There are different types of fertilizer, for pumpkin you can use Kemira Universal. The composition of the fertilizer is represented by nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and other elements. It can be used for root and foliar applications. In the first embodiment, it is necessary to dissolve 20 g of fertilizer in 10 l of water, in the second, reduce the concentration by half. Repeat treatment every 2 weeks. Spraying with such fertilizer is best done during flowering and fruiting.
- Oracle. A bucket of water needs 5 ml of a multi-complex composition. Top dressing is carried out three times - at the stage of 3-5 true leaves, with active growth, with the formation of ovaries. Between treatments should take place at least 1.5-2 weeks.
Folk remedies
Many gardeners successfully use folk remedies for feeding pumpkin. They are no less effective than fertilizers from the store.
During flowering and fruiting pumpkins to effectively make such fertilizers:
- In a bucket of warm water add 150 g of granulated sugar and 100 g of raw yeast, stir until completely dissolved, insist in heat for 5 days. Add 4 cups of wood ash and 10 liters of water. Water the pumpkin under the root, for each plant 1 l of solution.
- Add 10 ml of ammonia per 1 liter of water, mix. Water under a root, on each bush on a glass of means.
- Fill the barrel with grass (preferably nettle) by half, add a bunch of dry grass, a shovel of earth, fill the rest with water and mix. Insist 5 days under a film or a lid, mixing the composition daily. Dilute it in 10 parts of water and water the grooves of 1 liter per bush.
Proper feeding of pumpkins can achieve many goals: the chemical composition of the soil is optimized, the culture receives the necessary elements for good growth and development. With the timely application of fertilizers, pumpkin will please with a good harvest and large fruits.