PUMPKIN

Pumpkin is closely related to the Halloween holiday, celebrated mainly in the USA and many countries in the UK, where pumpkins are carved into decorative lanterns. Interesting fact that this tradition originated in Ireland, where traditionally the carving was done on turnips or beetroot and involved the mythical hero “Stingy Jack O’Lantern” associated with the Halloween eve celebration.
Pumpkin is part of the Cucurbitaceae family, the genus Cucurbita, with the scientific name: Cucurbita maxima.
Originates from the southern parts of the USA and primarily Mexico, where fragments dating between 7,000 and 5,500 BC have been found.
Raw pumpkin has very low calorie content, as 100 grams contain only 26 calories, and is a very good source of vitamin A and provitamin A – beta carotene. It has moderate vitamin C content and does not contain other nutrients in significant quantities. Pumpkin consists of 92% water, 6.5% carbohydrate, 1% protein and 0.1% fat.
Pumpkin is an annual plant, with seeds planted in early spring so that they can be harvested in the autumn. Pumpkins prefer mild climate for proper growth with temperatures close to 20°C, and they cannot tolerate cold temperatures as well as temperatures much higher than 30°C. They prefer deep soils with good drainage, rich in organic matter. Pumpkins need a lot of fertilization as it is in need of nutrients, especially potassium, which allows the fruit to ripen better and have higher sugar content.
Globally, pumpkin production for 2020 according to FAO reached 28 million tones, with China (1^st – 7.4 million) and India (2^nd – 5.1 million) together accounting for almost 45% of global production. They are followed by countries such as Ukraine, Russia and the United States of America with productions close to 1 million tones, followed by Spain and others with lower production.

IRRIGATION OF PUMPKINS

Irrigation in pumpkin cultivation is essential because of their high water requirements, especially during the flowering and fruiting period. The use of a drip irrigation system, which is proposed and mainly used, reduces the leaching of nutrients from the soil while at the same time allows the application of fertilizer to increase the amount of nutrients required, especially potassium. In addition, drip irrigation systems allow the use of ground cover materials to reduce weeds in the field and avoid direct contact of the fruit with the soil.

Palaplast has a wide range of products that can be used to install a reliable and efficient drip irrigation system for pumpkins:

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