How To Grow Pumpkin or Squash

Posted by Lenith on Monday, November 25, 2013 in How To Grow Pumpkin, kalabasa, squash | No comments

Pumpkin or known as squash or kalabasa in cebuano is one of the widely grown vegetables that is incredibly rich in vital antioxidants, and vitamins. This humble backyard low calorie vegetable contains vitamin A, flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such as leutin, xanthin, and carotenes in abundance.

The plant is a fast-growing vine that creeps on the surface in a similar fashion like that of other Cucurbitaceae family vegetables and fruits such as cucumber, ampalaya, cantaloupes...etc. It is one of the most popular field crops cultivated around the world, including the USA at the commercial scale for its fruit, and seeds.

How to grow Pumpkin or Kalabasa

Suprema pumpkin can be planted year round. It can grow well on a wide range of agro climatic conditions.

Soil Requirements

They prefer well drained fertile soils that have high organic matter content. Optimum soil pH is around 5.5-7.5 and is sensitive to saline conditions.

Land Preparation

• Plow the area once and harrow it 2-3 times before marking by making furrows. The recommended distance should be 2m x 2m to 2m x 3m between hills and rows. In case the soil pH is lower than 5.5, apply lime at a rate of 1000-3000 kg per hectare depending on soil acidity one month before sowing.
• If used as an intercrop usually under coconut or planted at minimum tillage, make clearings at the same recommended distance with a diameter of 0.5m.
• Apply chicken manure or compost at ½ kg per hill and incorporate into the soil (2.5-3 tons per hectare). Incorporate complete (14-14-14) at a rate of 50g/hill.
• Pumpkins can also be grown on sloping lands or rolling hills using the same land preparation and spacing.

Pregermination and Sowing

• Before sowing, pregerminate the seeds by soaking in clean water, remove excess water and wrap in clean moist cloth for 1-2 days.
• Sow 2 seeds per hill directly unto the field. Seeds can be sown to the sides of the furrows if marked with furrows and at the center of the clearing diameter if planted at minimum tillage or used as an intercrop. Drench Calcium nitrate at 100 g/16 li 4-5 days after sowing.
• 7 days after emergence, apply a small amount of Furandan around the hill and drench with recommended systemic fungicides. Furadan will help protect the tender shoots from chewing insects such as worms and squash beetle, systemic fungicide will prevent soil borne pathogens to enter through the roots as well as prevent infection of the young leaves and stem.
• 2 plants are allowed to grow in 1 hill. Approximately 3000-5000 plants can be planted per hectare.

Fertilization (General Recommendation)

Timing of Application     Kind/Name of Fertilizer     Quantity Applied per Plant     Type of Application
During land preparation     Chicken manure/compost 14-14-14     0.5 kg chicken manure or compost/hill 50g (basal)     Incorporate in the soil.
30 DAS     14-14-1
46-0-0     20g
20g     Sidedress
45 DAS     46-0-0
0-0-60     20g
20g     Sidedress

• Foliar fertilizers can be applied and mixed with recommended pesticides as early as 3-4 weeks after seed emergence.
• Sidedressing are applied by making 2 opposite holes 10-12 cm away from the base of the plant at the first application and 0.25m-0.5m for the succeeding applications and covered with thin soil.

Irrigation

Pumpkins are commonly rain fed. Irrigation can be done at the onset of the dry season by passing the water through the furrows. A weekly interval of irrigation at field capacity is advisable and water logging should be avoided. Hand watering is done only at an early stage or whenever necessary.

Weeding

Plowing using animal drawn plow in between the rows or hills and on open spaces can be done to control the weeds at an early stage. Hand weeding is done if the vines became long or until 6 to 8 weeks after transplanting. This could be done until the crop has attained considerable size to cover the area which in turn will suppress the growth of weeds. If planted at minimum tillage, weeds in between hills and rows are removed by grass cutting manually or by using a motorized grass cutter.

Harvesting and Postharvest Handling

Harvesting is done anytime of the day at approximately 85-90 days after sowing. The harvesting index is usually when the fruits are mature green with waxy appearance. Harvesting is done twice or 3 times depending on its price in the market.

Harvesting period of pumpkins can be delayed; however it will make the fruit turn into mature yellow. Greener fruits usually commands a higher price compared to yellow fruits. The pumpkins are transported directly through large transport trucks and stored at shaded areas away from moisture and heat. High temperatures may result into high respiration rates and loss in moisture thus resulting to loss in weight and reduce the quality of the produce. Shelf life varies depending on conditions, at 20 days after harvesting 50% green rind is retained.

Other Practices

Hand pollination can be done by removing a male flowers (anther) and rubbing its pollen on female flowers (1 male: 2 female) when they are at full bloom usually from 6 to 9 am. This practice can promote better fruit setting and fruit development. It may also increase the yield especially when there are less biological activities of natural pollinators (bees and butterflies).