What you need to know about varieties and hybrids of cucumbers in order to choose the right seeds for planting in your country house? What criteria should be paid special attention to the packaging of seeds?
First of all, decide where you will grow cucumbers: in a greenhouse or open field (with a film cover).
Cucumbers suitable for outdoor cultivation
For open ground it is desirable to choose early maturing and early hybrids, which come into fruition after 40β45 days from germination. In cold regions, self-pollinating and parthenocarpic hybrids perform well, which can set fruit even on rainy days when pollinating insects do not fly. However, bee-pollinated varieties should not be completely excluded: due to the emerging seeds, they contain more active substances and vitamins.
Thus, in open ground it is best to plant several varieties at the same time: 4-5 planted plants should have 2-3 parthenocarpic and 1-2 insect pollinated.
Pay attention to the nature of branching: in the conditions of a short cold summer, strongly branching cucumbers may not have time to give the entire crop. Cucumbers with a moderate type of branching are easier to form, and besides, they bear fruit for a long time. Therefore, such hybrids are often recommended as a “golden mean” for cool regions. Weakly branching forms begin to bear fruit faster than others, but this period does not last long, about a month. Such “sprinters” are suitable for those who come to the country on weekends or spend their summer holidays there.
Cucumbers in the open field with temporary shelter and mulching
Cucumbers grown in the open field should be distinguished by increased cold resistance, resistance to powdery mildew and downy mildew, and have a high regenerative capacity.
Overview of the best cold-resistant varieties of cucumbers for a cold summer>>>
Cucumbers suitable for growing in greenhouses and greenhouses
in greenhouses grow parthenocarpic hybrids. Naturally, greenhouse conditions allow harvesting for 2 months or more, which means it is better to choose hybrids with good or moderate branching. But with temperature changes, greenhouse cucumbers are often affected by Fusarium, so pay attention to the resistance of the hybrid to this fungal disease.
Features of growing cucumbers in greenhouses>>>
And finally, do not forget that on one hybrid, no matter how good it is, the choice cannot be stopped – even one stress factor can leave you without a crop. Plant at least two or three hybrids.
Cucumbers in a greenhouse
Next, we determine WHAT you need cucumbers for.
Purpose of cucumbers: for fresh eating, for pickling
An important question is how are you going to use the main crop: eat fresh cucumbers or make homemade ones?
It is clear that from lettuce and pickles slightly different properties are required, so the requirements for varieties also differ. Experienced gardeners recommend paying attention to pubescence, or prickly, cucumber fruit.
The pubescence is dense or almost absent; there may be small ones next to large spines. And the color of the thorns of cucumbers can be white, brown, black.
Pickled cucumbers with white spikes
Unusual multi-colored varieties of cucumbers for planting in the country>>>
white-thorned cucumbers – salad type, they are most often not suitable for salting. By the way, it is these vegetables, regardless of the season, that come to our shelves from greenhouses. Even on smooth long fruits, you can see rare white spikes.
Black or brown spikes – a sign of pickling cucumber or universal type. Most often these are varieties (less often hybrids) intended for open ground or greenhouses. Their fruits are good to eat fresh, pickle and pickle. The only drawback of thorny cucumbers is that they overripe much faster than white-thorn ones, turn yellow and become rough.
The shelf life of cucumbers
If you are going to store the crop for some time, it is better to give preference to short-fruited varieties with dense skin: they lie longer and withstand transport better.
