Features of growing cucumbers varieties Chinese cold-resistant F1
Cold-resistant varieties of cucumbers have always been appreciated by Russian gardeners, since they are suitable for cultivation both in the central and northern regions of the country with rather harsh climatic conditions. There really are a lot of suitable options for planting, but in this article we will talk about one of the best - Chinese cold-resistant cucumber, and what exactly it is remarkable for and how to grow an abundant crop of large fruits - read on.
Characterization and description of the variety
Chinese cucumbers appeared in Asia and for a long time were grown exclusively in Chinese territory. However, back in the last century, they began to be cultivated in Russia, in particular, for breeding purposes. Chinese cold-resistant - the result of such selection experiments by specialists of the agricultural company "Zedek". Despite its southern origin, it is also well established in colder regions, albeit sometimes through the cultivation of seedlings in a greenhouse or greenhouses.
Did you know? Inhabitants of the Pacific Islands wrapped cucumbers in banana leaves and dug in their plots in case of a storm or crop failure. If some man wants to marry the girl he likes, he must provide his cucumber savings to her family as a ransom for the bride.
Botanical description of the bush and fruits
Cucumbers of this variety are fast-growing plants with a large number of side shoots. So that they do not bend under the weight of the fruits, they are tied to trellises, fixing at once in several places. Leaf plates - medium in size, saturated green, moderate density. The ovary is of a bundle type, which greatly facilitates the process of collecting ripened fruits.
Fruitfulness
Under good growing conditions, one bush can bring up to 20-30 kg of fruit, but the most abundant crops occur in the first 2-3 weeks of fruiting plants. If you don’t have time to harvest immediately, it’s okay: the fruits turn yellow very slowly. True, you don’t need to delay the harvesting, because on the overgrown fruits a thick skin is formed, and their flesh loses its juiciness.
Important! It is advisable to recycle collected Chinese cold-resistant greens in the first few days after removal, since they are prone to wilting.
The timing of flowering and fruit ripening
The fruiting period of cucumbers of the described variety begins approximately 5–10 days after the appearance of the ovary or 50–55 days after the germination of young seedlings, continuing until the frosts. White flowering plants observed a few weeks before the formation of greenhouses.
Pros and cons of the variety
Like many other cucumber varieties, Chinese cold-resistant has its strengths and weaknesses, which you should definitely be aware of before planting a crop on the site.
- The following characteristics are included in the list of advantages of the specified cucumber:
- high productivity;
- relatively short ripening;
- extended fruiting period, which allows you to get juicy fruits until the frost;
- the possibility of growing in the shade;
- cold resistance;
- self-pollination of plants;
- high resistance to diseases;
- low tendency to yellowing and barreling when overripe fruits.
- As for the disadvantages of the variety, then they include:
- low germination of seeds;
- low shelf life of the collected fruits and the same low mobility, and if we take into account the size of the fruit, which is not always convenient to preserve, it is understandable why some gardeners prefer to plant other varieties on the site.
Sowing and cultivation farming
The hybrid cold-resistant Chinese variety is suitable for growing in both open and closed soil, which is more typical for regions with a cold climate. In the southern territories and in some areas of the central regions of the Russian Federation, sowing of seeds is practiced immediately on the bed, but in any case, each option has its own specific features of the procedure itself and the further care of seedlings.
Did you know? On the territory of European countries, it is customary to use only long and smooth cucumbers, which are considered ordinary. Patchy varieties common in Russia are called "cucumbers in a Russian shirt" and are not so in demand in Europe.
In the open ground
Planting cucumbers directly on the bed can be carried out both by seed and seedling methods, which depends more on specific climatic features. If you choose the seed option, then the planting material will need to be prepared properly: sort, lower suitable seeds into water for 30 minutes, take up the emerged specimens, and move the drowned ones into a weak potassium permanganate solution for disinfection before planting.
Video: sowing cucumber seeds in open ground
Given the low germination of sown seeds, many gardeners prefer to plant already grown seedlings on the garden. The timing of sowing seeds for seedlings is selected taking into account their further planting on the bed (usually the transplant is performed in mid-May). In home cases, the seed material is best sown in separate volumetric cups, since even young plants have a well-developed root system.
Important! For the first time after planting on a bed above seedlings, it is better to establish a film shelter, especially if nighttime temperature drops are not uncommon in a particular growing region. As soon as young plants grow stronger, and the difference between night and day temperature becomes less, the film is removed.
An ideal substrate for sowing seeds is a mixture of peat, sawdust (mainly hardwood), sand and humus, in a ratio of 6: 1: 1: 2. The seed placement depth should not exceed 1.5 cm, and only one seed is placed in one cup. After sowing, the earth is moistened, covered with a film and left in a dark place for germination.
Video: sowing seeds of cucumbers for seedlings
In the greenhouse
Under the film cover of the greenhouse, grown seedlings are planted in May, after arranging beds with ridges up to 30 cm high. As with planting cucumbers in open soil, at least 20–25 cm of free space should be left between adjacent specimens. The distance between the rows is at least 90 cm, which will provide easier care for seedlings.
- First you need to abundantly water the seedlings and carefully remove the plants from the seedlings, being careful not to damage their root system.
- Then each cucumber bush must be placed in a hole prepared for it and, having covered it with soil, lightly tamp the ground.
- At the end of the planting process, they are abundantly watered and, if necessary, mulched with sawdust or rotted foliage.
Video: planting cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse
In preparing the greenhouse for planting cucumber seedlings, you can pre-stretch the film over the surface, thereby contributing to better heating of the substrate.
Care Features
Variety care Chinese cold-resistant is based on standard measures: timely watering, regular top dressing and gartering of plants to the supporting trellis.
Watering and fertilizing
All varieties of cucumbers are moisture-loving crops, therefore, when growing Chinese cold-resistant varieties, it is worthwhile to provide plants with an optimal level of humidity, sometimes even due to spraying. The ideal temperature in the greenhouse during seedling growth is + 24 ° C, but the humidity level can reach 70–80%. Watering is carried out as the upper soil layer dries, but on average - at least 1 time in 2 days.
Learn more about how to feed cucumbers for growth and increase yield.
Garter and bush formation
Chinese cold-resistant cucumber plants form long lashes that, without formation and appropriate garter, can break under the weight of cucumbers. At the initial stages of seedling cultivation, the forming pruning involves the removal of five lateral shoots located in the lowest part of the bush, and after the fruit is formed, you will have to remove all the extra leaves and substandard greenhouses that differ from the normal ones in color or texture.
Also read how to cut cucumbers correctly and why.
Soil care
Soil cultivation, weeding of cucumber plantations and soil mulching are usually performed shortly after the next watering, when the earth is as soft and supple as possible. The control of weeds and the organization of good soil breathability are important at any stage of cucumber cultivation, but especially in the first few weeks after transplanting young and immature seedlings.
Pest and Disease Control
When breeding varieties, Chinese cold-resistant breeders made every effort to obtain a disease-resistant crop, so plants are rarely damaged by diseases and pests. However, it is not worth excluding such a probability, especially when you consider the possibility of improperly organized care.
We recommend that you learn about the treatment of cucumbers from diseases with folk remedies.
Among the main problems that a gardener may encounter are the following:
- Fusarium
- gray rot;
- cucumber mosaic;
- powdery mildew;
- melon aphids;
- spider mite.
Harvesting and storage of crops
In the southern regions, the collection of the first ripe cucumbers of the Chinese cold-tolerant variety begins in mid-July. At the initial stages of the ovaries on the bushes a little, but after the first harvest, their number only increases and fruiting becomes stable and high.
You will be interested to know how to properly grow cucumbers in a barrel and on the windowsill.
Harvested fruits can be stored for no more than 2-3 days, after which they begin to lose elasticity and become not so juicy. For this reason, gardeners do not recommend immediately picking all the cucumbers, especially if you are not going to close them in jars.