Features of the pumpkin Little Red Riding Hood
Many have met an unusual culture, similar to a mushroom with a large turban-shaped scarlet hat. This is a pumpkin Little Red Riding Hood.
Features of the pumpkin Little Red Riding Hood
Variety characteristic
The variety is easy to distinguish from others due to its distinctive appearance. It is excellent for culinary and decorative purposes, because unpretentious and takes root well even in dry ground.
Pumpkin of this variety belongs to portioned ones, which indicates a medium-sized fruit size. In addition, the crop is considered to be high yielding.
Description of appearance
One of the features of the appearance of the plant is the presence of long tendrils - vines, thanks to which it is possible to grow crops at a height. Some gardeners decorate their fences with this plant.
The weight of the fruit is about 2 kg, you can grow a fruit of 4-5 kg. Outwardly, the vegetable resembles a mushroom with a red cap, similar to a turban. At the bottom it has fairly clear edges with smoothed corners.
The base of the fruit is light, cream in color, sometimes with green irregular stripes along.
The pulp is orange-yellow, bright. The taste is sweet, vaguely reminiscent of a melon.
Turtle gourd is more of an ornamental variety than a culinary variety, but the young fruit can be eaten. The peel of the vegetable is soft and thin. Over time, it thickens and becomes unfit for human consumption.
Growing features
The Red Riding Hood variety is unpretentious. Planting occurs in the spring, after frost. Seeds can be sown directly into the ground without prior cultivation.
You can also prepare seedlings and plant them already. The difference will be in the timing of flowering and ripening: pre-germinated seeds are more likely to adapt to the soil and bear fruit.
The plant needs abundant watering
It is worth planting a crop on the sunny side, next to the support. You can sow it near the fence, then over time the plant will begin to trail along the fence and you will have a living wall.
The turban pumpkin needs abundant and constant watering, frequent weeding and periodic feeding with mullein infusion.
Fruits are harvested in autumn, in September - October, before the onset of the first cold weather. Cut the vegetable with a sharp knife or pruner, leaving a small portion of the stalk.
Storage
If you decide to use the vegetable for purely decorative purposes and want to keep its appearance, dry the pumpkin. To do this, after collecting, wash it, dry it with a paper towel. Some housewives wipe the crust with alcohol.
Let the fruits dry well for 2 hours, then put them in a dark, ventilated area.
Drying takes place in 2 stages:
- drying of the crust. This stage lasts a week and takes place entirely in a dark room. It is important that the fruits do not touch each other, otherwise the process of decay will begin;
- drying the pulp. After the shell has dried, the pumpkins are taken out and placed in a room with good air circulation. The main thing is that the sun's rays do not fall on them - this way they will retain their color.
If during drying the fruits began to deteriorate - throw them away, the pumpkins should be firm and not damaged.
A completely dried fruit is suitable for decorating an apartment and will last 3-4 years.
Testimonials
The turban culture is unpretentious both in cultivation and in use, which is noted by gardeners in numerous reviews. Many housewives write that they managed to attract children to grow and dry fruits. This will be a great excuse to spend time together.
Also, gardeners write about the wonderful taste of young fruits of the Red Riding Hood variety, which can be eaten raw.