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Getting a large and healthy harvest from cucumber beds will not be difficult if you choose the right variety that fully satisfies the climatic conditions of the area in which you live. Cucumbers intended for growing in Siberia and Rostov region, will differ radically in the methods of growing seedlings and care, so the choice must be taken with full responsibility.
Considering that cucumber is a heat-loving crop, seedlings should be planted in pre-prepared warm soil or you should choose a variety adapted to changes in temperature and humidity.
How to choose a variety
Not every summer resident has the opportunity to place a massive greenhouse on his plot, so cucumbers in local areas are most often grown in open ground under or without film.
Experienced gardeners advise growing several varieties of seedlings for open ground in order to get a harvest from early spring to mid-autumn.
When selecting varieties, you can complete them as follows:
- early ripening with large fruits for salads and late-ripening gherkins for canning.
- Self-pollinated and insect-pollinated. By planting two types of plants, you can increase the likelihood of getting a good harvest.
- Hybrids for open ground and zoned varieties.
Whatever growing options you choose, be sure to plan for planting at least a few bushes of early-ripening salad cucumbers. These include the varieties “Zozulya” and “April F1”. The peculiarity of these cucumbers is that they are adapted for transferring seedlings to open ground in early spring; they bear large fruits with thin skin and small seeds. Among farmers, these two varieties are considered the best for eating raw.
For early planting in open ground, a variety such as “Libelle” is also widely used. This is a universal insect-pollinated hybrid with a long growing season. The fruits reach a length of 8-10 cm, so they are ideal for both salads and canning.
There are varieties of cucumbers that feel surprisingly good in open ground in clear and warm weather, but require film protection in strong winds and low air temperatures. If you have the opportunity to equip a frame with a film that can be removed, pay attention to varieties such as: Annika F1, Vladimir F1, Boborik F1, Bidretta F1. All of them are early ripening, and with proper care and protection from bad weather they produce large and tasty harvests. Choose the best varieties of cucumbers for open ground The following information will help.
Selection and purchase of planting material
When purchasing planting material, determine for yourself exactly what kind of cucumbers you want, what they are intended for, and how you plan to grow the seedlings. If you live in the regions of Central or Western Siberia, it is better to choose those varieties whose seedlings will grow stronger in greenhouse and home conditions, and only then will be transferred to open ground. If you live in the southern regions and are going to plant cucumbers at your dacha in the summer, mid-season varieties are suitable for you, the seeds of which can be planted directly in open soil.
With all the variety of planting material on store shelves, making a choice is simple - each package of seeds has clear instructions describing the variety and the possibilities of planting and growing.
Bush cucumbers
Pay attention to another plant variety - bush cucumbers. This crop is excellent for open summer cottages, since the vines do not branch along the ground, but rise upward. This makes it possible to cultivate cucumbers in the spring, and there is complete confidence that the plant will not be damaged when it gets colder on the ground surface.
The main advantages of bush cucumber varieties include the following:
- Resistance to temperature changes and common fungal diseases.
- Plant compactness. The height of the bush does not exceed 75-80 cm.
- Versatility. Medium-sized fruits are well suited for use in salads and for canning.
- Productivity. The developed hybrids bear fruit even in lean years.
And most importantly, some varieties of bush cucumbers are adapted to planting seeds in open ground, even in the regions of Western Siberia.
Gherkins
These varieties, intended for cultivation in greenhouses and open ground, have excellent taste, and, most importantly, due to their small size, are ideal for pickling and canning.
When choosing gherkins, try to pay attention to parthenocrapic hybrids. Such plants, as a rule, are bred by breeders with good stable data. Remember that when choosing gherkins for planting in open ground, you will need to provide them with balanced nutrition in the form of fertilizers such as magnesium, potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus, and mandatory drip irrigation.
Hybrids
Cucumber varieties for open ground are highly resistant to viral and fungal diseases, tolerate sudden temperature drops well, and, as a rule, do not require special care. In addition, it is hybrids that differ from other varieties in that they have the longest growing seasons.
Reviews from both experienced gardeners and beginners indicate that a hybrid correctly selected for your region is the best choice for planting cucumbers in open ground.
The best early varieties for open ground
If you make the right choice, taking into account all the planting conditions, you can get a harvest from early varieties for open ground as early as early July. At the same time, remember that when choosing seeds based on the criteria of climate resistance, it is better to buy those that tolerate cold air and soil well.
For example, if a variety has proven itself well for planting in open ground in the regions of Western Siberia, it will also take root in the south of Russia, but not vice versa.
April F1
Self-pollinating early-ripening hybrid. The growing season begins 45-50 days from the moment the seedlings emerge. It is highly resistant to viral diseases and temperature changes. The fruits have a smooth cylindrical shape, a dark green skin with pronounced large tubercles.
Moscow dude F1
The variety is intended for planting and growing in open ground, resistant to cold temperatures, suitable for cultivation in the regions of Central Russia, Central and Western Siberia. Belongs to insect-pollinated early ripening varieties. The fruits are medium in size, light green in color with white blurry stripes. The average weight of one cucumber is 100 g. The Moscow dude is resistant to bacterial infections and olive spot.
Muromsky 36
Among experienced gardeners it is believed that these are the best early ripening varieties among those planted in open ground. It is highly resistant to viral and bacterial infections. The fruits at full maturity reach a size of 8-10 cm, however, during storage the skin may turn yellow.
Altai early 166
The main feature of the cucumber is that the crop can be harvested from the bush already 35-40 days after planting. The variety is considered high-yielding. The fruits are round in shape and light green in color. They tolerate sharp drops in temperature in the air and on the soil well, and are not fussy about bright light.
Hermann
Self-pollinating hybrid with early growing season. The period of full ripening of the fruit begins already on the 40th day after germination. Features of the variety are high resistance to cladosporiosis and resistance to cucumber mosaic.
The best mid-season varieties of cucumbers
If you live in a suburban area only in the summer, it is recommended to start growing cucumbers in open ground in mid-spring, if the weather is stable and frosts on the soil are not expected.
F1 athlete
This hybrid belongs to insect-pollinated productive varieties with a mixed type of flowering. It has low resistance to viral and fungal diseases, but tolerates high humidity and low temperatures. It has proven itself well as a variety grown in the cold spring conditions of Central and Western Siberia. The fruits during the ripening period reach a length of 18-20 cm, with an average weight of 180-200 g.
White Angel F1
A mid-season hybrid with a long growing season. It is considered the best productive variety among mid-season cucumbers when planted in open ground. It got its name because the skin of the fruit is white. Cucumbers are cylindrical, smooth, with small tubercles. Disease resistance is average; during growth it requires regular feeding with mineral and nitrogen fertilizers.
Raphael
Another mid-season hybrid variety that can withstand the climatic conditions of Central Russia and Western Siberia well. The ripening period for cucumbers is 45-50 days. The fruits are light green in color. The average size of one fruit is 20-22 cm. Resistant to root rot, powdery mildew and olive spot. They tolerate high humidity and sharp drops in temperature well.
The best late-ripening varieties
These are the best plants for gardeners living in the Northern regions of Russia. Seedlings can be planted in the soil starting in mid-June, and the first harvest can be harvested in late August or early September.Among hybrids, late-ripening varieties are considered the best, since they are fully adapted to the cold and rainy late summer.
Farmer
A variety with female flowers. Of all those presented, it is considered the most productive. The average size of the fruit is 10-12 cm, and the weight is 100-120 g. The variety is resistant to cold air and soil, has high resistance to powdery mildew and olive spot.
droplet
It has excellent taste and virtually no bitterness. They have high productivity. The fruits have a regular cylindrical shape and small tubercles on the skin. The variety is resistant to downy mildew.
Neroshimy 40
A distinctive feature of the variety is late ripening. The growing season begins 55-60 days after germination. When planting a plant in open ground, it is advisable to protect it from strong gusts of wind and high humidity. Unsuitable for cultivation in the regions of Western Siberia. The fruits grow, on average, to 16-18 cm. Resistant to viral and bacterial diseases.
When planting cucumbers in open ground, remember that planting patterns are different for different varieties. For insect-pollinated varieties, a 90x50 strip pattern is used, with a distance between beds of 70-80 cm. As for hybrids, they must be planted in accordance with the order described in the instructions.
Remember that feeding cucumbers in open soil is significantly different from greenhouse ones. Early-ripening varieties are fed throughout their entire growth, mid-ripening and late varieties - once before the formation of flowers and 2-3 times during the growing season.
About which varieties are better to choose and how to correctly determine the criteria - watch the video
