The Pearl pumpkin belongs to the musk category of medium-late varieties with a maturity period ranging from 100 to 130 days depending on growing conditions. The plant is characterized by a short-vining or powerful vining type, which allows it to be adapted to various cultivation methods. The fruits have an elongated-cylindrical shape with a smooth or weakly segmented surface, colored yellowish-orange or yellow-hot with a thin skin covered with a finely netted pattern. The fruit mass varies from 3 to 7.5 kg, making them medium-sized and convenient for various culinary purposes.
The pumpkin flesh is thick, dense, tender, and very tasty, with a rich orange hue and a red or dark yellow-orange shade. It is characterized by a high sugar and carotene content, which gives the fruits a sweet and juicy taste, as well as high dietary and therapeutic properties. The seed cavity in the fruits is very small and located at the apex, ensuring a high yield of useful pulp. Thanks to these qualities, the variety is recommended for use fresh, as well as for boiling, stewing, and producing high-quality vitamin juices.
Growing the Pearl variety can be done both by seedling method and direct sowing in the ground. Sowing for seedlings is carried out in April with subsequent transplanting into the ground in May-June, while direct sowing is carried out in late May-June. The plant responds well to the application of organic fertilizers, which contributes to high yields, reaching 10-20 kg per plant or up to 15 kg per square meter under optimal conditions. The recommended planting scheme is 60x60 cm, which provides sufficient space for the development of vines and the formation of large fruits.
