Squash-annual herbaceous plants shrub or semi-shrub shape. I grow different in colour and shape of the squash. What exactly are these varieties, I am already lost to answer, especially since they grow on the same area with zucchini and are pollinated, respectively, too.
Planting the squash
Squash propagated by seeds. The seeds can be left well ripened Patisson, seeds removed, cleaned and dried in a warm well-ventilated area with scattered sunlight.
Patisson likes crumbly loam or black soil. Choose soil with a neutral reaction. I have slightly acidic soils, so I add wood ash.
For this kind of crops filling the soil is very important. At the same time from my personal experience I can see that organic is in the first place. Before planting in the autumn digging fill the soil with organic and mineral fertilizers.
Choose a Sunny plot of land, because the shadow will have a negative impact on the future harvest. On the one hand there is a garden, so a lot of sun, but most of the rays are scattered, there is almost no wind. On the quality and, most importantly, the amount of harvest is not affected. The sun on this site almost all day.
Predecessors of the squash can be potatoes, tomatoes, beans, cabbage. This year my squash is growing in place of beans.
Planting of squash directly into the ground
In the spring I’m going over all the dug up soil with a rake to form a series of raised beds for squash. I plant the squash close to each other: about 50×50 or 50×60, but in many publications recommended planting 70×70 to protect the dense planting of the squash from rotting. Squash, as well as pumpkins and zucchini, I have a sprawling Bush shape
Planting of squash on seedlings
To quickly get a harvest, sowing seedlings in late April — early may in plastic disposable cups with a diameter of about 10 cm Poured loose, tucked fertilizer to the soil. But if this is not, you can take turf or garden land, mix it with river sand, humus. Add mineral fertilizers according to the scheme on the package, it is better in liquid form.
Seeds have a depth of about 4 cm, sprinkling with earth. Before emergence, the temperature in the daytime should be about +25°C, at night-about +18°C.
After the shoots appear, you need to lower the temperature or remove the film so that the temperature in the morning is not more than +18°C, and at night — about +16°C, otherwise the seedlings can stretch out. After a week, the temperature should be increased to + 22…+25°C. Watering seedlings is a little bit and quite rare. Be sure to ventilate the seedlings, excluding the wind.
Seedlings should be planted when it is already stronger and has 2-3 well-developed real leaves (the age of the seedlings is somewhere 20-25 days). Seedlings are planted when the threat of frost is behind, it’s about the beginning of June.
Planting in the hole should be done early in the morning or in the evening, the hole watered with warm water. You need to plant with a lump of land in which the seedling grew, the land around to compact. After planting the saplings to make a shade.
Care of Patisson
When you have planted seedlings or when the seeds have sprouted, the seedling is particularly in need of watering. Also Patisson responsive to watering, when the ovary of the fruit are formed. I use for this water from the barrel, which I collect early in the morning, and in the evening it is already warmed by the sun. Pour the root, so that the water just got to the plant.
Land can be loosened, but superficially so as not to damage the roots. I mulch the soil with sawdust or peat, which is currently at hand.
During the season, you can carry out 2 feeding: one before flowering, the second before fruit formation. As well as for seedlings, you can use a complex mineral fertilizer and infusion of mullein.
Harvest
Food squash harvested in the stage of technical maturity while the peel is tender, thin, the seeds inside did not have time to ripen. Usually the aging period is indicated on the bag of seeds and depends on the variety. If the skin is already hardened and coarsened, it is better to leave such Patisson seeds and remove when the Bush begins to dry out.