Cucumbers from their garden are not only the sweetest, freshest, fragrant and healthy, but also the most diverse.
In seeds, you can buy a huge number of varieties. Among them there are those that you will not find in the market or in the supermarket.
When choosing a cucumber variety, always pay attention not only to the type of cucumber, its precocity, BUT also to fruit type. Cucumbers come in 6 main types:
- long-fruited cucumbers
- Smooth short-fruited cucumbers or cucumbers in the “Asian shirt”
- Large tubercle fruits of cucumbers or cucumbers in a βRussian shirtβ
- Cucumbers with small tuberculate fruits or cucumbers in the “German shirt”
- Chinese cucumber
- Cucumbers with round fruits or spherical cucumbers
long-fruited cucumbers
Long-fruited cucumbers are consumed fresh – in salads and cuts. The most common – with a dark hard and smooth skin, well protecting the delicate watery flesh from damage and rot. Such fruits are well stored, but it is better to cut off the peel from them before use.
Long-fruited varieties with tubercles or grooves on the surface often have a delicate skin. They are edible as a whole, but they are not stored for long, they need to be eaten quickly.
Types of long-fruited cucumbers
Varieties and hybrids of long-fruited cucumbers:
- F1 Monsieur Olivier Salad – parthenocarpic early hybrid, fruits are smooth, dark green, 16-18 cm long;
- F1 Diva – early ripe thornless variety, the fruit reaches a length of 15-20 cm;
- F1 Delicious garlandΒ – parthenocarpic hybrid, fruits 18-20 cm long, saturated dark green color;
- F1 Greencoat – parthenocarpic hybrid, lettuce cucumbers 17-20 cm long, white-thorned, large-tuberous, juicy;
- F1 Handsome – early ripe parthenocarpic hybrid, cylindrical fruits, smooth, 14-16 cm long, without a neck;
- F1 Zozulenok – overripe, cold-resistant, parthenocarpic hybrid, fruits are elongated-cylindrical, tuberculate, white-spined, 16-22 cm long.
Smooth short-fruited cucumbers or cucumbers in the “Asian shirt”
Smooth, short-fruited cucumbers are ideal for salads. Most varieties have a strong aroma and pleasant taste, which can be appreciated fresh.
Smooth short-fruited lettuce cucumbers in an βAsian shirtβ
Varieties and hybrids of short-fruited cucumbers:
- F1 Fan – parthenocarpic early ripe hybrid of the female type of flowering, the fruits are cylindrical, smooth, light green in color, 8-10 cm long;
- overseas delicacy – an early ripe variety, the fruits are smooth, even, crispy, with a thin skin, 10-12 cm long;
- F1 Patio Star – an early ripe parthenocarpic hybrid with a bundle of ovaries, the fruits are short, even in shape, 6-8 cm long;
- F1 Green King – early ripe parthenocarpic hybrid, fruits are highly glossy, 10-12 cm long;
- F1 Satisfied dad β ultra early parthenocarpic hybrid, fruits are smooth, 9-14 cm long;
- F1 Studless – parthenocarpic, early ripening, fruits 8-12 cm long are absolutely smooth.
Large tubercle fruits of cucumbers or cucumbers in a βRussian shirtβ
The most popular in Russia! They are often called cucumbers in a Russian shirt.
They are divided into two types:
- Tuberculate white-spiked cucumbers – universal purpose, they are eaten fresh and lightly salted.
- Tuberculate black-thorn cucumbers – these show themselves best in salting. Due to numerous tubercles, their uneven skin has a large surface, perfectly absorbs brine and aromas of spices, especially if it is quite tender and thin.
Black-thorned and white-thorned tuberculate cucumbers
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Varieties and hybrids of black and white-thorned tuberculate cucumbers:
- F1 CedricΒ – early hybrid, fruit 12-14 cm long, dark green, without light stripes;
- F1 Table – bee-pollinated hybrid, the fruit is short (10-12 cm), cylindrical, medium-large tuberculate, green;
- F1 Dear – mid-early bee-pollinated hybrid, black-spiked fruit, fusiform, with smeared stripes, 11 cm long;
- F1 Moth – mid-early hybrid, fruits are short, leveled, cylindrical, large-tuberous, dark green with light stripes, white-spiked, 6-8 cm long;
- F1 Zubrenok – mid-early bee-pollinated hybrid, the fruit is short, cylindrical, green with long stripes and mild spotting, tuberculate, pubescence – black;
- Serpentine – one of the earliest varieties of the semi-determinant group, the fruits are small, only 8-10 cm, black-thorned, with large tubercles.
Cucumbers with small tuberculate fruits or cucumbers in the “German shirt”
Small tubercle cucumbers are distinguished by their tender, but elastic pulp. Their dense rough skin is called mouse skin, German shirt. This is the most versatile type of cucumber, suitable for eating fresh, pickling and pickling. If you like to preserve small cucumbers – gherkins and pickles, then German shirt cucumbers are best suited for this.
Small tubercle cucumbers in a βGerman shirtβ
Varieties and hybrids of small tubercle cucumbers:
- Vyaznikovsky-37, Kolchuga NEW – bee-pollinated, early ripe variety, fruits are small-tuberous, black-thorned, light green, 9-11 cm long;
- F1 Pasamonte – hybrid of gherkin type, parthenocarpic, early, fruit 6-9 cm long;
- F1 Naf Fanto – mid-season, bee-pollinated hybrid, tuberculate fruits, 8β12 cm long, without bitterness;
- F1 Santana – mid-season hybrid, fruits 6β9 cm long;
- F1 Lukhovitsy – ultra-early parthenocarpic hybrid, the fruit is bright green, 7,5-10 cm long, finely tuberculate;
- F1 Barrel – bee-pollinated, early-ripening hybrid, fruit is dark green, 7-9 cm long, cylindrical, finely tuberculate.
Chinese cucumber
Chinese cucumbers have become known in our country not so long ago, but they already have many fans. Despite the exotic appearance, they are unpretentious, and their fruits are distinguished by an unusual combination of properties. Their pulp is tender, but at the same time elastic and crispy, and retains these qualities in salting. An excellent choice for pickling in chunks and preserving salads, although you will enjoy fresh Chinese cucumbers.
Chinese cucumber
Varieties and hybrids of Chinese cucumbers: F1 Dark Night, F1 Anaconda, F1 White Serpent, F1 Chill, F1 Ni Hao.Β
Read more about Chinese cucumbers in our material>>>
Cucumbers with round fruits or spherical cucumbers
Round cucumbers are a variety of cucumbers with a rounded shape and small size and weight. There are varieties and hybrids with white, green and even brownish color.
Such, for example: Cucumber F1 round harvest – a parthenocarpic hybrid with a bundle of ovaries and rounded cucumbers, weighing 70 g.
Unusual in appearance, color and taste of lemon cucumber, Cucumber-Lemon or Crystal Apple – round fruits are light yellow, like small lemons, and taste like a typical cucumber. True, those who have tried it say that the taste is more βnobleβ and sweetish.
Cucumbers of unusual color
And besides the shape of the fruit, cucumbers also have a different COLOR! Cucumbers are not only green, but also white and even brown. Read more: Unusual multi-colored varieties of cucumbers for planting in the country>>>
