Watering is an important step in growing pumpkins. The culture needs enough moisture. The volume and frequency of irrigation depends on the stage of growth and development of the plant, weather conditions. It is important to use the right water. You can water a crop in many ways.
General watering rules
Watering affects the growth and development of the culture as a whole. You can get a plentiful and high-quality crop if you water the pumpkin according to the rules:
- Watering is carried out after 18:00, when the activity of the sun decreases.
- Do not use ice and cold water.
- Get rid of weed vegetation weekly before watering, immediately remove all residues from the garden. Weeds take away the moisture and nutrients that a pumpkin needs.
- Before watering, loosen the soil a little, deepening by about 10 cm. Loosening allows moisture to penetrate to the roots, prevents its stagnation.
- To water young sprouts, you need to use a watering can with a small nozzle, water in small portions.
- Do not water the pumpkin under the root. This leads to leaching of the soil.
- Watering a grown culture infrequently, but in large portions.
Features of pumpkin irrigation at different stages of cultivation
The pumpkin's need for moisture varies depending on the phase of growth and development of the crop, as well as weather conditions. It is important to consider these factors and competently change the intensity and frequency of irrigation.
Watering after planting
Immediately after planting a pumpkin in the garden, you need to water it 1-2 times a week. It is enough to spend 8-10 liters of water for each bush.
When the first shoots appear, watering is stopped. For 3 weeks it is not needed. The exception is only hot days. Such a break in irrigation provides stimulation of the active formation and growth of roots.
The situation changes when ovaries begin to form. During this period, pumpkin is watered once every 1.5 weeks.
Watering during flowering
This phase is especially important for culture, since the future harvest depends on it in many respects. Pumpkin in this period becomes especially moody, so she needs increased attention. It should be watered abundantly once every 2 weeks. It is imperative to carry out weeding and loosening, remove excess ovaries.
When watering during pumpkin flowering, the soil condition must be taken into account. If she did not have time to dry from the previous time, then she should not be watered yet. Excess moisture is dangerous.
If during the flowering of pumpkin heavy rains began, watering may not be required. Additionally, the culture should be watered only if the earth has time to dry out. Before watering, the introduction of humus is recommended.
Fruit watering
With the formation of fruits and their growth, the culture spends more moisture. During this period, watering should be increased, carried out every 1.5 weeks. If there is a drought, then the culture should be watered more often.
When forming fruits, it is recommended to spend 12 liters of water on each bush for irrigation. In a drought, it is necessary not to increase the amount of liquid, but rather to water the culture.
Watering on dry days
In a drought, moisture for pumpkins is especially important. With its shortage, processes important for the plant slow down, it can die. Watering intensity should be increased, the condition of plantings regularly inspected.
Signs of lack of moisture are as follows:
- wilting greenery;
- dropping stems to the ground, their wilting and dehydrated appearance;
- drying of the top layer of the earth, the appearance of cracks on the surface - the deeper they are, the greater the lack of moisture.
On dry days, watering is recommended once every 2 days. The sun at this time is especially active, so it is important to water the culture only in the evening.
Watering during the rains
In rainy weather you need to consider the condition of the soil and the abundance of rainfall. If rains are plentiful, then watering is temporarily stopped. It needs to be renewed when the earth dries.
If the rains are short and the air temperature is high enough, water the pumpkin should be as the soil is dried. It is important to pay attention not to the surface of the earth, but to its layer of 20-30 cm.
Watering pumpkins in August-September
Features of watering during this period depend on the time of harvest. They collect it in different regions in different ways, but there is a general rule - for a month they completely refuse watering. At the same time, the use of fertilizers is also stopped; crop care is reduced to weeding and loosening.
In early August, you need to water the pumpkin as usual. After the final formation of the fruit, the culture does not need moisture in large quantities. It should be watered rarely, focusing on the condition of the soil. Reduced watering during this period is necessary for the accumulation of sugar by the fruits and the formation of a strong crust for winter storage.
Water requirements
When watering a pumpkin, not only the correct periodicity and volume of liquid is important, but also its quality. You can use the following options:
- Rainwater. This is the best option, including due to its softness. Rainwater must be collected in clean containers using drains. Do not use rainwater if the site is located near hazardous industries or if there are other factors polluting the environment.
- Water from the water supply. This option is convenient, but the correct temperature conditions are rarely observed. It is recommended to fill large containers with tap water so that it warms up in the sun.
- Spring water. Its advantage is a good composition, and the disadvantage is the temperature. You can use spring water only after heating, for this it is enough to leave it in the sun.
- Water from natural reservoirs. The source should be clean enough. It is recommended to check the chemical composition of water first, as it may contain pathogenic bacteria and fungi.
It is recommended to water the pumpkin only with settled water. Foreign particles settle, and the presence of toxic substances can be detected by the film formed on the surface.
Water for watering pumpkins should be at the right temperature. The best option is 20 degrees. Water should be clean, no debris allowed. It is impossible for it to stand for a long time, otherwise flowering will begin, pathogenic microorganisms may appear.
Watering Methods
Watering a pumpkin can be done in many ways. When choosing, you must take into account the area of landings.
Manual watering
The most time-consuming option, involving the use of a watering can or hose and a special nozzle. You can not water young sprouts without it.
When spraying with a hose, a strong head is unacceptable, be sure to use a spray gun. Water should be sprayed over the plantings.
Manual watering is advisable in small areas. For a pumpkin, it is better to use a watering can, since with direct hose irrigation, water may be at an inappropriate temperature.
Automatic watering
This option involves the installation of special sprayers on the site. They turn on and off automatically with a certain frequency. This happens thanks to a special timer that needs to be adjusted.
Automatic watering is very simple, significantly saving time and effort. The disadvantage of this option is that the water may be too cold. Depending on the growth phase of the crop and the weather, the timer setting must be changed.
Modern automatic irrigation systems can be equipped with special sensors that are sensitive to humidity. In this case, the regulation of irrigation intensity is carried out automatically. Such a system is not cheap, but in large areas the costs are justified.
An automatic watering system requires an electrical network. With frequent voltage drops, the risk of breakage is high.
Drip irrigation
This method is also called semi-automatic. This system is easy to organize with your own hands. To do this, you can use a tube or hose. The selected system must be drawn along the bed and holes made through which water under pressure will flow to the right places.
When semi-automatic watering, it is important to properly perforate the pipes or hose. Water should flow to the root system. To regulate the incoming water, installation of taps is necessary.
The drip irrigation system can be used at any time during pumpkin cultivation. The disadvantage of this option is the occurrence of surface runoff. If you buy a ready-made drip system, you will have to significantly spend money on it and spend a lot of time on complex installation.
It is recommended to use drip irrigation during pumpkin flowering. The soil is well moistened, no crust forms on it, and the fertile layer does not erode.
Rain method
This option is impractical because rely only on precipitation is impossible. With prolonged drought, you need to water the crop additionally.
Rain irrigation is convenient for those whose plot is remote or there are no sources of water nearby. It is recommended to combine this method with manual watering. You can get water for it if you put several large tanks and organize the flow of rainwater into them.
Well irrigation
This method is also called bowl irrigation or ring irrigation. This option implies that around each plant you need to make a hole into which water should be poured.
With hole irrigation, water consumption decreases, and the root system of the culture receives a lot of moisture. Each plant receives its own portion of water. The main disadvantage of this method lies in time costs.
Wells should be made shallow, filled with loose soil. Mulch should be used.
It is recommended to resort to hole irrigation after the growing season, when the growth and development of pumpkin stops.
Furrow irrigation
Self-flowing surface irrigation. It is advisable to apply it in areas with a slope. The advantage of such irrigation is that it can be used at any stage of pumpkin cultivation. The disadvantage of irrigation on the furrows is the high consumption of water, and plants receive only part of it.
Match watering
This option is suitable for those who can not often visit the sites. The wick irrigation system involves the installation of two containers at the ends of the beds in which water must be poured. Between them you need to lay a wick and deepen it into the ground. In this quality, dense fabric is well suited.
Wick watering can be used at any time during pumpkin cultivation. The advantage of such a system is that water flows directly to the roots of the plant. The disadvantage of wick watering is the inability to control the level of moisture in the earth.
Common mistakes when watering a pumpkin
When watering a pumpkin, you can make the following mistakes:
- Too cold water. Such watering significantly increases the risk of developing fungal diseases.
- Watering in the morning or afternoon. Water remains on the leaves, the sun actively evaporates it, burns appear, which is fraught with the death of culture. Watering in the early morning does not save the situation, since the pumpkin is watered abundantly, all moisture does not have time to absorb.
- Continued watering in the first weeks after germination. A break is needed to strengthen the root system and the proper growth of the bush.
- Insufficient or excess moisture. Both options adversely affect the growth and development of pumpkin, can lead to its death.
- Use dirty water. In this case, the likelihood of fungal infections increases, as a result of which the entire crop may die.
- Strong root watering. This leads to leaching of the soil, as a result of which the root system suffers. The roots do not hold well in the ground, the plant may die. Due to such watering, there is a risk of exposure of the roots, which is fraught with diseases.
- Lack of regular cultivation. In this case, moisture will not flow in the proper volume to the roots of the culture, remaining in the surface layer of the earth.
Proper watering of the pumpkin allows you to get a plentiful and high-quality crop. It is important to consider common mistakes in order to rule them out on your site. The method of irrigation must be selected individually - each option has its advantages and disadvantages, effectively combine different methods.