Sementeira
Sow in the final location or in a tray, transplanting when seedlings are about 10 cm tall.
Small but generous, the Red Kuri fills the garden with colour with its pear-shaped orange fruits — and the kitchen is grateful for a skin that needs no peeling.
About the variety. A Hokkaido squash with reddish-orange skin and yellow-orange flesh, producing fruits of 600 g to 1.5 kg (size varies with growing conditions). A trailing, highly productive plant with a rich, mildly sweet flavour that keeps well after harvest. The flowers are edible and the plant is pollinator-friendly.
Itinerário técnico
Um guia de cultivo passo a passo, da sementeira à colheita.
Sow in the final location or in a tray, transplanting when seedlings are about 10 cm tall.
Fertile, loamy and well-drained soils are recommended for cultivation. Soil pH should be between 6.5 and 7.0
It is a crop that thrives in warm conditions, with the ideal temperature for growth and fruit set between 22 and 32°C, and night temperatures that do not normally drop below 20°C, as temperatures below this value lead to poor pollen tube development. Soil temperature at sowing time should be at least 20°C.
It is a nitrogen-demanding crop, so well-composted organic matter should be incorporated into the soil before planting.
Irrigation is essential during flowering, fruit set and fruit growth, with water doses to be gradually reduced as the fruit reaches maturity. Drip irrigation is therefore a good option for this crop, as it meets the varying water requirements throughout the cycle without wetting the leaves (which can lead to the development of diseases).
Mechanical control in the early stages of the crop cycle and mulching with organic materials or plastic are options that help prevent competition between weeds and the crop.
Mites and thrips are common pests of this crop. Mite control can be achieved through biological control with predatory mites and the application of azadirachtin and sulphur powder (if temperature < 28°C). Thrips control is carried out by using border plants favourable to anthocorid beneficials (marigolds and other composites) and through biological control with predatory mites and anthocorids.
Fusarium wilt and downy mildew are diseases of this crop. To control fusarium wilt, appropriate crop rotations, biofumigation and soil solarization should be carried out. For downy mildew control, suitable crop rotations, improvements to soil structure and permeability (avoiding waterlogging), wide plant spacing and the application of copper-based fungicides should be used.