Beninquaza - wax, or winter pumpkin

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In our country, three types of pumpkin are grown: large-fruited, hard-boiled and nutmeg, and little is known about Russia such as wax gourd, or winter squash, which is also beninkaza. The homeland of this culture from the pumpkin family is the countries of Southeast Asia. Currently, it is widely distributed in China, Indonesia, India, as well as in Latin America.

Wax pumpkin, or winter pumpkin, or winter melon, or Benincasa (Benincasa hispida) - a species of plants of the genus Beninquaza (Benincasa) Pumpkin (Cucurbitaceae).

Content:

Advantages of Wax Pumpkin - Benincases
Description of Beninase
Growing Wax Gourd

Advantages of Wax Pumpkin - Benincases

Beninase or Wax pumpkin is of particular interest in connection with the possibility of long-term storage of its fruits. Under normal conditions (for example, in a room on the floor), wax gourd fruits retain their qualities for two to three years.

Wax pumpkin fruits have medicinal properties and are widely used in folk medicine, for example, in China. Their flesh is recommended as a diuretic and antipyretic. The internal contents of the benignase fetus when taken orally and externally acts as a painkiller.

Seeds are used as a sedative and tonic; it is believed that they guarantee longevity, and toasted beninase seeds are considered a treat.

It is convenient to stuff halves of small fruits of wax gourd with meat, fish or other filling. Some foodies compare the fried slices of benincase with fish delicacies.

For food use both young (unripened) fruits of Beninase and matured. The first can be eaten without heat treatment, for example, in grated form in salads. From the ripened fruits of wax pumpkin, cereals, casseroles, soups, various vegetable side dishes, candied fruits, juices are prepared.

Description of Beninase

Wax pumpkin is a lianoid annual with a well-developed root system. Its stems are faceted, can reach 4 m in length, with an average thickness comparable to a pencil. Leaves are smaller than other pumpkins, long-leaved, lobed.

Male and female flowers of this pumpkin are very attractive: orange-yellow, large - their diameter is about 15 cm, they have 5 orange petals, they are very decorative and fragrant.

Beninase fruits are rounded and oblong. Their weight can reach 10 kg, but in the Russian climate, even with proper agricultural technology, fruits rarely grow over 5 kg.

Unripe fruits with sticky wax coating and hard bristles (very nice looking), ripened - smooth, with a thickened layer of wax substance and white coating that allow the pumpkin to be stored for a long time without losing its beneficial properties.

Growing Wax Gourd

Beninase or Wax pumpkin loves sunny places, nutrient-neutral soil, breathable. It is recommended to prepare the landing site in the fall: add organic fertilizers and dig them up. Sand should be added to heavy soil.

Beninase precursors can be cabbage, legumes, onions, potatoes, root crops. Wax pumpkin is not pollinated by its relatives, pests and diseases are not affected.

In the southern Russian regions, where it is warmer, you can plant benincase seeds directly on the garden bed. In other climatic zones - through seedlings. In this case, wax pumpkin seeds are sown in mid-April, in separate cups of 2 pcs. in each, so that later you can choose from the two most powerful plant.

Planting seedlings in a permanent place is recommended in the 3rd decade of May. It is preferable to plant seedlings in an unheated film greenhouse in order to guarantee the pumpkin is at a normal temperature of 25-30 degrees. The distance between plants should be at least 70 cm.

Although beninase is considered an unpretentious plant, it is still better to fertilize the soil with humus, ash, then the yield will be higher. It is recommended to grow wax pumpkin on a trellis so that the whole plant receives more light. Some gardening enthusiasts who already have experience in growing this crop recommend forming a plant in one stem, i.e. remove all side shoots “so that the greenhouse does not turn into impassable thickets”

It is clear that during the period of growth and flowering of such a powerful vine as a wax pumpkin, it must be regularly watered with warm water. And only in the future, the pumpkin can tolerate temporary drying of the soil, thanks to its powerful developed roots. Fertilizing with organic-mineral fertilizers should be regular, given the rapid growth of plants - twice a month.

Some enthusiastic enthusiasts, in order to early set fruit of the wax gourd, carry out artificial pollination, i.e. pollen is transferred from male flowers to female flowers, for example, with a soft brush. At the end of August, they pinch the central stem to better ripen the resulting fruits. Other lovers to obtain larger benincase fruits pinch the central stem after the formation of only a few ovaries (2 - 3).

They harvest the fruits of benincase in the same way as ordinary pumpkin, before frost. However, one should not forget that the unripe fruits of the wax gourd will not lie for a long time. They are recommended to be used in the near future, or peeled, cut and frozen.