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The Ecole cucumber is a relatively young hybrid form recommended for cultivation in the North Caucasus region. The variety is intended for planting both in open ground and in greenhouses.
Detailed description of the variety
Cucumber Ecole is a medium-sized hybrid that forms a compact bush with short internodes. The growth of the plant is unlimited, since the variety belongs to the indeterminate hybrid varieties. The height of the bushes varies from 2 to 2.5 m. In greenhouse conditions, cucumbers can grow up to 3 m in height.
The leaves of the Ecole variety are dark green and small. Flowering in the hybrid occurs according to the female type - female flowers predominate over male ones. Each node produces 3 to 5 cucumbers.
A feature of the development of the Ecole variety is its upward direction - the shoots weave vertically and practically do not grow to the sides.
Description of fruits
The Ecole variety cucumber produces cylindrical fruits. Their length varies from 5 to 10 cm, the average weight is 90-95 g.Reviews note that the surface of Ecole cucumbers is lumpy, and the skin is covered with many small white spines, as can be seen in the photo, for example.
The peel of the fruit is dark green. The pulp of cucumbers is tender and crispy. There are no voids and no bitterness in it. The taste of the fruit is described as moderately sweet, the fruit is not bitter.
The scope of application of Ecole cucumbers is universal. They are mainly grown for fresh consumption, however, they are also widely used for pickling and preservation. The small fruits and dense structure of the pulp earned many positive reviews from those summer residents who used cucumbers for pickling.
Characteristics of Ecole cucumbers
In the State Register of the Russian Federation, cucumbers of the Ekol variety are indicated as a form suitable for growing in open ground and greenhouses. The key characteristic of the variety is resistance to many diseases. In particular, plantings rarely suffer from powdery mildew, brown spot (cladosporiosis) and cucumber mosaic virus.
The frost resistance of the Ekol variety is average. During periods of prolonged drought, fruits do not fall from the shoots, as happens in most other species. The bushes bear fruit well both in the sun and in the shade.
Productivity
Fruiting of cucumbers of the Ecole F1 variety occurs on average 40-45 days after the appearance of the first shoots. The peculiarity of fruit set is that the bushes do not need pollination - the hybrid is classified as a parthenocarpic type of cucumber.
The yield of the variety is 7-9 kg of fruits per bush. Fruiting can be stimulated by timely blinding of the lower nodes on the shoots.To do this, the axillary ovaries are removed, which promotes the development of the plant’s root system and an increase in the total number of fruits.
Resistance to pests and diseases
According to reviews from gardeners, cucumbers of the Ecole F1 variety have excellent immunity. They are resistant to many diseases that are typical for cucumbers, however, there are a number of diseases that may pose some danger to plantings, namely:
- downy mildew;
- tobacco mosaic virus;
- white rot.
The main cause of infection is stagnation of water as a result of excessive watering and ignoring the rules of crop rotation. Prevention of these diseases comes down to spraying the beds in advance with a solution of Bordeaux mixture and copper sulfate. Treatment of plants with mullein solution also shows good results. To prevent the disease from spreading to neighboring bushes, the affected areas of cucumbers are removed.
Insects infect cucumbers of the Ecole F1 variety infrequently, however, this does not mean that preventive measures can be neglected. The following pests pose the greatest threat to the hybrid:
- whitefly;
- melon aphid;
- spider mite
Plants are sprayed against whiteflies with a soap solution. As a preventive measure against the invasion of this pest, it is recommended to fertilize cucumbers with manure. Sticky traps have also proven themselves to be effective in the fight against whiteflies.
Spraying with pepper infusion helps against spider mites. Melon aphids are repelled by the Karbofos solution.
Pros and cons of the variety
The positive characteristics of Ecole cucumbers include the following qualities:
- consistently high yields;
- resistance to many diseases;
- attractive appearance of the fruit;
- drought resistance - fruits do not fall for a long time even with a lack of moisture;
- shade tolerance;
- the possibility of harvesting part of the harvest in the form of pickles;
- possibility of long-term storage without loss of presentation and quality of fruits;
- good taste - cucumbers do not taste bitter.
The disadvantages include, first of all, the fact that planting material for cucumbers of the Ecole F1 variety cannot be prepared independently. The fact is that this is a hybrid form, which means you will have to buy seeds in the store every year.
Also in the reviews, the disadvantages include the thorniness of the fruit, which makes harvesting difficult, and vulnerability to downy mildew. In addition, if the harvest is not harvested on time, the cucumbers begin to barrel.
Growing rules
Cucumbers of the Ecole F1 variety can be grown using both sowing and seedling methods. When planting in open ground, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of crop rotation - cucumbers develop best in areas where legumes, potatoes, sweet peppers and onions previously grew.
Growing in a greenhouse requires regular ventilation of the room. Otherwise, air humidity will reach a critical level, which contributes to the development of fungal infections.
Sowing time
Using the sowing method, cucumbers of the Ecole F1 variety are planted in open ground or a greenhouse in mid-May, when the soil temperature reaches at least +15°C.
Planting using the seedless method is carried out in mid-May, when the soil has completely warmed up. Cucumbers are sown for seedlings in late March - early April.
Selecting a location and preparing beds
The place for planting cucumbers of the Ecole F1 variety is chosen taking into account the following recommendations:
- Cucumbers bear fruit best in medium loamy, loose soils with good air circulation.
- The Ecole F1 variety is a heat-loving plant. Despite the fact that the hybrid is quite shade-tolerant, it demonstrates its best qualities when grown in sunny areas.
- Plantings should be well protected from strong gusts of wind. The variety is very tall, so the stems can break under the influence of frequent drafts.
Preparing the soil for planting cucumbers begins in advance - in the fall. It includes the following steps:
- First of all, it is necessary to remove all debris from the site. Tops left over from previous crops are collected from future beds and weeded weeds.
- Before planting in a greenhouse, it is recommended to remove the top layer of soil. This is done in order to protect cucumbers from pest larvae and fungal spores.
- After this, the soil is dug up onto the bayonet of a shovel. The procedure is combined with the application of organic fertilizers, which will not only serve as a source of nutrition for cucumbers, but will also help increase soil temperatures. Horse manure is best suited for these purposes, as it also kills harmful bacteria.
- Heavy soil can be adjusted by adding wet sawdust.
How to plant correctly
Planting cucumbers of the Ecole F1 variety for seedlings is carried out as follows:
- Seedlings are grown in individual containers, the volume of which is 0.5 liters.Ecole F1 cucumbers are not sown in common containers - picking is stressful for this variety.
- A soil mixture for planting seedlings can be purchased at any gardening store or you can make it yourself. To do this, mix fertile soil, sawdust, humus and peat in equal quantities.
- Before sowing seeds, it is advisable to soak them in a solution with the addition of a growth stimulator (Kornevin, Zircon).
- Before sowing seeds, the soil is disinfected with a weak solution of manganese.
- The seeds are buried no more than 3 cm. Thus, the seedlings will quickly form a full-fledged root system and break through the thickness of the earth.
- Immediately after planting the seeds, the containers are covered with glass or plastic film to create a humid microclimate. As soon as the first shoots appear, the cover is removed. A month after this, the seedlings can be moved to a permanent place in open ground or a greenhouse.
- Water the seedlings abundantly, but rarely. Use only warm water for this.
- The seedlings are fed with complex fertilizers.
When planting in open ground, cucumber seeds are sown at a distance of 30 cm from each other. The recommended row spacing is 65 cm.
You can learn more about the peculiarities of growing cucumbers of the Ecole F1 variety from the video below:
Aftercare for cucumbers
It is not difficult to care for planting cucumbers of the Ecole F1 variety. The main thing is to adhere to some recommendations:
- Water the bushes exclusively with warm water. Under no circumstances should the plantings be flooded. In addition, it is advisable to water in small grooves dug around the plants, since introducing moisture directly under the stem can damage the root system of the bush.
- Shoots whose length does not reach the trellis by 25-30 cm must be removed.
- Cucumbers are fed with organic solutions. It is not recommended to add organic matter to the soil in dry form. The Ekol F1 variety responds especially well to fertilization with a solution of wood ash.
- For better development of cucumbers, it is recommended to periodically loosen the soil under them. This procedure improves air circulation in the soil, saturating the plant root system with oxygen. In addition, loosening the soil prevents moisture stagnation.
Conclusion
The Ecole cucumber, despite its youth, has already earned noble reviews from gardeners. The popularity of this hybrid form is explained by consistently high yields, excellent immunity of the variety, lack of bitterness in cucumbers and the versatility of the fruit. Also, cucumbers of the Ecole F1 variety are quite unpretentious, so even beginners can grow them.
