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To get fresh vegetables as quickly as possible, gardeners select the earliest varieties, which have the shortest period from sowing to harvesting the first harvest. This goal is best met by the Harmonist cucumber, an early ripening hybrid intended for growing indoors.
History of appearance
Cucumbers Harmonist F1 (Cucumis sativus L) are the result of the work of Russian breeders (Gavrish S., Portyankin A., Shamshina A., Shevku). The variety was obtained by the seed-growing company Gavrish, entered into the State Register in 2008 and recommended for cultivation under greenhouse conditions in most regions of the country.
Cucumbers Harmonist F1 – first generation hybrid
Description of cucumbers Harmonist F1
The shoots of cucumbers of the Harmonist F1 variety are rough, creeping, and form a bush with moderate lateral branching. The length of the plant stems is 160-200 cm. If there is a vertical support, they cling to it with tendrils located at the tops.The leaves are bright green, medium in size, heart-shaped, five-lobed. The flowers are yellow, female. Up to 4-5 ovaries develop in one sinus. The fruits of cucumbers of the Harmonist F1 variety are cylindrical in shape, with small tubercles. At the stage of technical ripeness, their length is 10-13 cm, diameter - 3.5 cm, average weight - about 100 g. The skin is slightly pubescent, dark green, the tips are lighter. Small whitish spots or blurred stripes are acceptable. The fruits have a dense structure, without voids.
The pulp of cucumbers of the Harmonist F1 variety has an excellent taste without bitterness, with a characteristic aroma
Characteristics of cucumbers Harmonist
The variety is parthenocarpic, i.e. self-pollinating. The type of flowering is female; already during the budding period, ovaries appearing in the axils are visible. The level of branching is low. The plant is moisture-loving and does not tolerate drought well. With a lack of moisture, it withers and stops growing. If there is no watering for a long time, the greens turn yellow and dry out. Harmonist F1 cucumbers are sensitive to low temperatures and develop slowly if the soil is not warmed up enough.
Productivity
The yield depends on the stage at which the fruits of the Harmonist F1 variety are harvested. When harvesting cucumbers at technical ripeness, it is 13 kg per m2, in the pickle phase – 5 kg. The final result depends on the correct preparation of the soil, the absence of dense plantings, regularity of watering, loosening, and ventilation of the greenhouse. It is equally important to carry out timely feeding and preventive measures to protect against diseases and pests.
Ripening and flowering dates
Harmonist F1 is a parthenocarpic hybrid with female flowers that do not require pollination. Cucumber buds form after the foliage and roots of the plant slow down their growth. The variety is early ripening. 30 days after emergence, flowering begins and ovaries form. The first buds bloom on the main stem, gradually moving to the lateral ones of the first and second order. The fruits ripen two weeks after the start of flowering.
If agricultural practices are followed, plant fruiting lasts from 30 to 60 days.
The fruits of cucumbers of the Harmonist F1 variety do not form seeds
Resistance to diseases and pests
The hybrid is immune to most diseases, but if agricultural practices are violated, the likelihood of cucumbers being affected by powdery mildew, cladosporiosis, and root rot increases.
Cladosporiosis
Young plants are most often affected by the fungus. It gets on the foliage of Harmonist cucumbers along with water, garden tools, shoes, and insects. A network of red spots appears on the bushes, which gradually become wet, necrosis develops, and the plant dies. To destroy the fungus, at the first signs of the disease, spray with Bordeaux mixture.
To prevent cladosporiosis, Harmonist F1 cucumbers are sprayed with a solution of copper oxychloride (0.4%)
Powdery mildew
The disease can be detected by a white coating on the back of the leaf; later, whitish spots grow along the outer part. Then the leaf blades darken, curl and dry out. As treatment, spraying with soda solution (0.4%) and Fitosporin is used.
Harmonist cucumber fruits affected by powdery mildew are not juicy and have a bitter taste
Root rot
Dark spots appear on the roots of plants, the stem gradually becomes thinner, dries, withers and dies. The cause of the disease is a violation of agricultural technology and irrigation regime. The disease spreads very quickly, therefore, at the first signs, the affected bushes are removed and burned, and the soil is treated with a solution of bleach (150 g per 1 m2).
Watering cucumbers of the Harmonist F1 variety is reduced to a minimum when the first symptoms of root rot appear
Insect pests are no less dangerous to plants.
Spider mite
Ticks are difficult to notice because their size does not exceed 1 mm. The pests are revealed by the cobwebs that envelop the foliage. If treatment with acaricides (Keltan, Phosfamide) or biological products (Bitoxibacillin) is not carried out in time, the death of Harmonist cucumbers will occur.
The mite sucks the juice from the leaves and weakens the entire plant
Aphid
Pests settle in colonies on the underside of leaves. Hordes of insects infect flowers and ovaries, suck out the juice and dehydrate the plants. To destroy pests, biological products (Aktofit, Fitoverm) are used, and in advanced cases, insecticides.
Peak activity of aphids on cucumbers is mid-summer
Advantages and disadvantages
It will take only a month and a half to get the first harvest of Harmonist F1 cucumbers. The early maturity of the variety is not its only advantage. The fruiting of the Harmonist hybrid is abundant and long-lasting.
Pros:
- self-pollinating variety;
- disease resistance;
- excellent taste without bitterness;
- good transportability;
- high productivity;
- versatility of application.
The variety has practically no downsides. The disadvantages of the Harmonist F1 hybrid include the inability to collect and use seeds.
Planting cucumbers Harmonist
Harmonist F1 cucumbers can be grown by sowing seeds or using seedlings. In any case, they are provided with shelter - temporary or permanent. A greenhouse or greenhouse helps to obtain optimal conditions for plants, shorten the ripening period of crops, and protect from unfavorable weather.
Sowing in open ground
When choosing a place to plant Harmonist cucumbers, preference is given to the southern side of the site, protected from drafts and northern winds. It should not be swampy, shading is unacceptable. Ideal predecessors for cucumbers are legumes, wheat, rye, tomatoes or cabbage. To sow seeds in open ground, it is necessary to prepare the soil. They dig it up, remove weeds, disinfect it, add compost, wood ash, and potassium sulfate. Medium-height ridges should be formed in advance and covered with film to warm the soil.
Harmonist F1 cucumber seeds are calibrated, disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate, hardened, and bubbled. Sowing is carried out in grooves 3-4 cm deep. They are laid out at intervals of 20-30 cm and covered with a layer of soil 2 cm thick. A shelter is made of arcs, film or non-woven material over the ridge.
Sowing dates are calculated so that seedlings appear after the threat of frost has passed.
Seedling method
Growing Harmonist F1 cucumbers from seedlings significantly accelerates their growth, development, and fruit formation. Sowing of seeds begins in the third ten days of April. Containers, plastic or peat cups are used as containers for seedlings. They act according to the algorithm:
- The containers are filled with ready-made soil mixture to two-thirds of the volume.
- Water with warm, settled water.
- Make a hole 1.5 cm deep in the center.
- Place one seed at a time at the bottom.
- Cover with soil.
- Cover with film and transfer to a warm (+27 ⁰С) place.
After 3-4 days, the seeds of the Harmonist F1 cucumbers produce their first shoots. The shelter is removed, and the containers are moved to a cooler (+18 ⁰C) and well-lit place. In the phase of 2-3 true leaves, the seedlings are transplanted into the greenhouse using the transshipment method or together with a peat glass. The plants are placed at a distance of 50 cm from each other, watered and create a support to which the Harmonist F1 cucumbers will be tied as they grow.
It takes 25-30 days to grow seedlings of the Harmonist F1 variety
Rules for caring for cucumbers Harmonist
The Harmonist variety is very demanding in terms of moisture. It is carried out twice a week, and in hot weather - every other day. The water should be warm and settled.
During the season they feed several times:
- In the flowering phase - infusion of chicken manure, diluted in a ratio of 1:20.
- During the fruiting period - liquid manure (1:20).
- To increase productivity - ammonium nitrate (15 g) and double superphosphate (20 g).
To ensure uniform illumination of cucumbers, they are periodically tied to a trellis. To prevent the bushes from thickening, pinching is carried out - 2-3 side shoots are removed. At a height of 1.5 m, the tops of the plants are pinched.
Cucumbers of the Harmonist variety are watered in the evening, and in the morning they loosen the soil, remove weeds, and mulch the soil surface.
Conclusion
Cucumber Harmonist F1 is one of the best options for growing indoors. If all the rules of agricultural technology are followed, fruiting occurs early and lasts until autumn. The variety is not capricious and responds well to care, so even novice gardeners can get an impressive harvest of vegetables.
Reviews from gardeners about cucumbers Harmonist F1
