Content
- 1 What water to water
- 2 Watering methods
- 3 How to water a pumpkin in open ground during a drought
- 4 Features of watering during the flowering period
- 5 How to water a pumpkin during fruit formation
- 6 Periodicity
- 7 When to water: morning or evening
- 8 How to water correctly
- 9 What mistakes do gardeners most often make?
- 10 Conclusion
Watering pumpkins in open ground should be carried out according to a special regime at certain times of vegetable growth. The irrigation rules are simple, but only if they are followed will gardeners’ mistakes be eliminated, and then it will be possible to grow a juicy sweet pumpkin in your summer cottage.
What water to water
Not all water can be used to water pumpkins. The water should be clean and not cold. Recommended temperature for watering – +200C. If you water with ice water, the plant will become stressed and will slow down its development. Irrigation water should not be cloudy or dirty to prevent the development of fungal diseases in the plant.
Based on the source of formation, water is divided into several groups:
- rain;
- water supply;
- well or key;
- river, lake, from a pond.
Rainwater is considered the most desirable and favorable, but provided that in the vicinity of the growth there are no sources of chemical emissions into the air. Rainwater for irrigation can be prepared in advance by placing containers in the form of barrels and buckets under the drainpipes to collect it.And then, using a pump or watering can, use it to irrigate the garden.
Tap water is the most accessible - just open the tap and water. But in this case, it should be taken into account that it has a low temperature for a pumpkin. To water from a pipe network, it is recommended to collect it in a reservoir and leave it to heat in the sun.
Spring water is good for irrigation not only because of its purity, but also because it contains the natural elements necessary for the plant to grow quickly. However, it also needs to be allowed to warm up before watering.
To use water from an open source to water a pumpkin in open ground, you need to let it sit for some time to sift out excess particles and pay attention to whether a film forms on the surface - evidence of the presence of toxic substances in the liquid.
Watering methods
Gardeners use several methods of watering vegetables, each of which can be applied to watering pumpkins:
- manual;
- semi-automatic;
- auto.
The most common and simplest is manual watering using a watering can or hose. It is most suitable for small summer cottages with small beds. This method must be used carefully so as not to destroy young shoots or erode the soil, exposing the roots. To do this, put a nozzle on the watering can, and clamp the edge of the hose so that the water sprays out of it and does not flow out in a strong stream. There are special nozzles for the hose with which you can adjust the strength and shape of the stream.
It is better to organize semi-automatic watering of pumpkins in large areas of the dacha. The gardener only turns the tap on and off. He does not need to manually water each bush.To do this, the garden pipeline is looped and hoses are laid from it along the area of the beds where watering should take place. Small holes are made in the pipes through which water flows in thin streams to the root system of vegetables. It is necessary to ensure that during such watering the pumpkin roots are not washed out.
The automatic system turns on and off independently according to the set mode. To do this, it has a timer that controls the watering time. This means that this method is the least labor-intensive, but more expensive.
How to water a pumpkin in open ground during a drought
In hot weather and lack of rain, the pumpkin especially needs abundant watering. At this time, you need to monitor the plant and the condition of its tops. If the leaves have a wilted, drooping appearance, or they have begun to turn yellow and dry out, this means that the vegetable does not have enough moisture.
In hot, dry weather, pumpkin is watered more often than usual - once every 2 days, in the evening after sunset. During the night, the moisture will moisturize the soil well and the plant will have time to be sufficiently saturated with moisture.
Features of watering during the flowering period
The greatest care for the pumpkin should be taken during its flowering and formation of ovaries. At this time, the fate of the future harvest is being decided; lack of moisture can lead to the falling of flowers and ovaries. The plant becomes sensitive and demanding to environmental conditions:
- the water should not be cold;
- Before watering, it is recommended to do the first loosening of the soil around the bush and remove all weeds;
- watering should be plentiful.
During this period, the first feeding of the plant is carried out, excess and weak ovaries are removed. Only the healthy and strong are left. If flowering coincides with rains, then irrigation is not required or it should be reduced so as not to harm the crop with excess moisture.
How to water a pumpkin during fruit formation
At the time when the fruits begin to grow, the pumpkin needs abundant watering. It is carried out once a week. In hot weather, more often, judging by the condition of the vegetables and soil. This watering occurs at the beginning of August.
When the pumpkin has completely formed its fruit, watering should stop. This time begins in central Russia, approximately in the second ten days of August. During this period, the fruit should be actively saturated with sugar and vitamins, as well as the formation of a dense crust, which will help to significantly increase the shelf life of the vegetable.
Periodicity
To understand how many times to water a pumpkin, you should take into account the climatic conditions in which it grows. If the weather is rainy, they begin to irrigate the vegetable only when the soil is completely dry.
It is necessary to moisten the soil under the pumpkin rarely, but abundantly, since the roots can reach a length of 2 to 3 m, and the leaf plates are large and evaporate a lot of moisture.
An approximate pumpkin watering scheme looks like this:
- the first 10-15 days after planting pumpkin seedlings in open ground, it does not need to be watered at all in order to create conditions for growth and better formation of the root system;
- then watering must be done once a week, in the amount of 6-7 liters for each bush, taking into account weather conditions and the condition of the plant;
- during flowering and fruit growth, the vegetable should be watered abundantly, increasing the amount of water to 10 liters per bush, but the soil should not be allowed to become waterlogged so that the roots and stems do not rot;
- 3-4 weeks before harvest, you can forget about watering the pumpkin, leave it to fill with useful substances and only slightly loosen the top layer of soil.
When to water: morning or evening
Experienced gardeners recommend watering the pumpkin in the morning or evening. You cannot water garden crops during the day, when direct sunlight can cause burns on wet leaves, and moisture from the soil will quickly evaporate without nourishing the plant.
In hot weather, it is wiser to water the pumpkin in the evening. There will be a whole night ahead for the moisture to do its job, entering the plant through the soil. If you water in the morning, there will be little time left before the hot summer sun rises, and watering will not be effective enough. In this case, there is also a risk of burns on the leaves and rapid drying of the soil.
How to water correctly
Gardeners have the most common two methods of watering pumpkins, each of which has its own pros and cons:
- Hole watering is used if the plants are planted in a disorderly area. Then each bush sits in its own hole, into which water is poured. The roots receive almost all the water intended for them. But this process takes a lot of time and labor.
- Irrigation in furrows is widespread in vegetable gardens and summer cottages with a slope, where crops are planted in beds in a straight line. Water is directed along grooves made parallel to the rows of plants and saturates their roots with water. This method of watering is less labor-intensive, but not all the water goes to its intended purpose.Some bushes receive less moisture, others more.
It is not recommended to use in-furrow irrigation if the area has a strong slope. In this case, the water will drain without having time to moisten the roots.
When organizing pumpkin irrigation, you need to make sure that the water gets under the root, but at the same time does not over-moisten it or expose it. Irrigating the leaves is also not recommended. You can completely water the entire bush in the evening, when direct sunlight does not hit the plant.
What mistakes do gardeners most often make?
When growing pumpkin in your country house or garden, you should be aware of what can weaken the crop and even destroy the harvest. The following actions should not be allowed:
- watering during the day during solar activity can lead to burns of foliage;
- the use of cloudy or cold water creates conditions for plant disease and inhibition of its development;
- insufficient or excess water will dry out the vegetable or lead to rotting;
- the pressure of water, injuring the sprouts and roots, will destroy the plants;
- Watering the bushes until harvest will not allow the fruit to become sweet, aromatic and capable of long-term storage.
It is necessary to monitor not only the condition of the plant itself, its leaves, flowers and ovaries, but also the soil in which it grows. The soil should not be dry or crusty. The growth of weeds weakens the pumpkin, taking away nutrients and moisture. They need to be removed in time.
Conclusion
Watering pumpkins in open ground should be carried out in a certain mode, subject to certain rules. These rules are simple and not burdensome. But following them will allow you to get excellent results from your labor - a bountiful harvest of sweet and healthy fruits.
