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Many people dislike pumpkin for its bland taste and aroma, and most of all, for its sometimes gigantic size. After all, having grown or purchased such a colossus, you must immediately determine what dishes to prepare from it, because it does not last long when opened. The marinades, jams, and candied fruits are already ready, but the pumpkin pulp is still not over. Pumpkin Baby won't cause such problems. It fully lives up to its name. In addition, it has a very attractive flesh color and alluring aroma.
Description of pumpkin Baby
The Kroshka pumpkin variety was obtained by specialists from the All-Russian Research Institute of Irrigated Vegetable and Melon Growing, located in the Astrakhan region, back in the 80s of the last century. The variety was included in the State Register of Russia only in 1996 with recommendations for cultivation in the Lower Volga and Far Eastern regions. Despite this, the Kroshka pumpkin has successfully taken root in many Russian regions and pleases summer residents with its unpretentiousness both in the south and in central Russia, and its photos and reviews about it are attracting the attention of an increasing number of gardeners.
Plants of the Kroshka variety are classified as climbing varieties of pumpkin. Although, based on their external habitus, they cannot be classified as particularly powerful.The main lash is the longest and can reach three or more meters.
The side shoots are not that long. In general, the plants of this pumpkin are rather compactly arranged, which allows them to be placed in a very small area. The leaves are large in size, rich green in color, kidney-shaped, almost not dissected. They cover the ground with a continuous carpet in the form of huge bowls. Therefore, when the fruits ripen, they need a little thinning so that the pumpkin fruits get more solar heat and light.
Description of fruits
The fruits of the Kroshka variety, surprisingly, belong to the group of large-fruited pumpkins. Still, they are quite large in size compared to other vegetables, from 20 to 40 cm in diameter. Although in the pumpkin family they, of course, can be considered babies. The fruits have a flat, round, neat shape, with rather pronounced segments and a smooth skin. Usually they grow equal in size; the weight of one pumpkin can vary within small limits, from 2.5 to 3.5 kg.
The color is predominantly light gray, sometimes almost white, with barely noticeable dark stripes of a greenish tint along the lobes. Sometimes there are vague pinkish spots on the fruits.
At the same time, the pulp of the Kroshka pumpkin variety is very bright, intensely orange in color, as in the photo, although according to some descriptions it has a yellowish tint.
The pulp occupies most of the volume of the fruit.
It is distinguished by its special sweetness and density, but at the same time breaks quite easily. There are no fibers.Different tasters rate the taste qualities as good and excellent. The aroma is incomparable, reminiscent of melon. Kroshka pumpkin fruits contain about 16% dry matter, 9.2% sugars and 12 mg of carotene per 100 g of raw material.
The bark of the fruit is of medium thickness, woody type. It may not be very convenient when cutting, but pumpkins are perfectly preserved in normal room conditions. Judging by the description of the variety, crumbled pumpkins also tolerate transportation well over any distance.
The seed nest is small in size and has a dense consistency. Placentas, three in number, are located closer to the walls. The seeds are quite large, have an elongated oval shape and a smooth shell-like skin. Characterized by a yellow color. 1000 seeds weigh 368 g. Seeds make up only 1.2% of the total volume of one pumpkin.
The fruits are suitable for any culinary processing. Their dense flesh makes them ideal for making candied fruits and cold jam. But porridges and pureed soups also turn out very well. Pickled pumpkin pieces will retain their crispness for a long time. And for baking pancakes and pancakes, almost any variety of pumpkin is suitable.
Interestingly, the Kroshka pumpkin variety has much in common with another variety of this vegetable that has a similar name - Honey Kroshka. All characteristics of the fruits of these two varieties are very similar to each other. Pumpkins of the Honey Crumb variety only have a more pronounced honey taste and aroma, as well as a greenish tint to the skin.
Well, the main difference between them is that the Kroshka variety is a climbing variety of pumpkin, and the Honey Kroshka variety is a bush variety. Otherwise, the varieties are so similar that even manufacturers of planting material confuse them with each other and sometimes call them the same variety.But the Honey Baby pumpkin is not included in the State Register and is sold only by the Siberian Garden company, on whose seed packets you can see its description. This suggests that it was bred by local Siberian breeders for cultivation in the vast Trans-Ural territories.
Characteristics of the variety
The Kroshka pumpkin variety is usually classified as mid-season, although in some descriptions it is called mid-late. In any case, pumpkins have time to ripen even in the weather conditions of the middle zone, although only if the seedling growing method is used. The period of full ripening ranges from 120 to 130 days from the moment of full emergence.
The yield of the Kroshka variety is stable regardless of weather conditions. About 5-8 kg of vegetables are harvested per square meter. According to reviews and descriptions from gardeners, on average, from one bush they harvest from 3 to 4 Kroshka pumpkin fruits, weighing about 3 kg. The Kroshka variety is famous for its cold resistance; the fruits ripen well even in the open ground of the Leningrad region.
Resistance to pests and diseases
The Kroshka variety shows resistance to such an unpleasant fungal disease as anthracnose, which manifests itself in brown-yellow spots covering the leaves and fruits of plants.
But there is susceptibility to powdery mildew, so preventive and protective measures against this disease are required.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Kroshka variety has many worthy qualities, for which many gardeners fell in love with it:
- excellent taste and aroma;
- stable yield indicators;
- convenient size that allows you to use it in one go;
- cold resistance and resistance to other adverse weather conditions;
- good keeping quality and transportability;
- the fruits are easily separated from the stalk;
- pumpkins are suitable for mechanized harvesting.
Disadvantages include its susceptibility to powdery mildew and the fact that it is difficult to use for holiday decorations due to its small size.
Growing and caring for baby pumpkin
Pumpkin Kroshka can be sown with soaked seeds directly into the ground, or it can be grown in seedlings. Considering the rather late timing of its ripening, in the conditions of the middle zone it is preferable to first grow seedlings.
- To do this, at the end of April, the seeds are soaked for a day in warm water with the addition of growth stimulants.Comment! You can wait 2 to 4 days before the sprouts hatch and only then plant the seeds in the ground.
- Then the seeds are planted one at a time into pots filled with a light planting mixture. They are covered with film and placed in a warm place until the first shoots appear.
- When seedlings appear, the film is removed and the pots are moved to a bright place, trying to get sunlight for at least a few hours a day.
- Seedlings are usually planted in beds at the end of May or at the beginning of June, when the threat of return frosts has passed. At this point, the plants usually develop 2-3 true leaves.
Plant pumpkin in a garden bed richly fertilized with organic matter, since these vegetables love soil rich in nutrients. If there is no organic matter at hand, then in a bed of 1 sq. m. m. you need to add:
- 30 g ammonium nitrate;
- 60 g superphosphate;
- 30 g of potash fertilizers;
- 3 cups wood ash.
All applied fertilizers are thoroughly mixed with the soil.
The optimal scheme for planting seedlings is 60x60 cm.
Perhaps in the first weeks after planting, pumpkin seedlings will need additional shelter from the bright sun or possible cold snaps. Typically, a film or non-woven material is used for this purpose on the arches.
When growing Kroshka pumpkin, an important step is the formation of plants. What is important here is the goal that the gardener wants to achieve.
- If you want to grow several fruits that are as large as possible, then in this case you need to remove all the shoots and stepsons from the main shoot. And pinch it off, leaving 4-6 leaves after the very last pumpkin.
- If you want to grow more fruits without chasing their size, then leave the two strongest side shoots, and cut off the main one, leaving 4 leaves after 3 pumpkins. One pumpkin is left on each side shoot. A larger number of fruits are unlikely to have time to ripen.
They try to water the Kroshka variety pumpkin generously until the first buds appear and the ground is completely covered with leaves. From the moment the ovaries form, watering is reduced, and as the fruits ripen, it is stopped altogether. If the soil was thoroughly fertilized when planting, then the Kroshka pumpkin does not need additional fertilizing.
Conclusion
Pumpkin Kroshka is a very convenient variety in all respects, both for growing and for eating in all possible dishes. Not only will it not cause unnecessary trouble, but it will also delight you with its honey taste and aroma.
