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The Emerald Stream cucumber is a variety bred for fresh consumption, however, some housewives have tried preserved fruits, and the results exceeded expectations. The manufacturer claims that the crop can be grown in any corner of Russia; whether this is actually true can be judged by reviews from gardeners.
Description of cucumbers Emerald Stream
The Emerald Stream variety is a first generation hybrid of cucumbers, as indicated by the F1 prefix in the name. The description indicates that the crop was included in the State Register in 2007. The seed producer is the Russian agricultural company SeDeK, which occupies a leading position in the market.
Cucumbers are grown everywhere. In regions with warm climates, Emerald Stream is cultivated in open ground; to obtain an early harvest, it is planted under film. In areas of harsh agriculture, where many crops bear fruit poorly, cucumbers of this variety are grown in greenhouses. It is for these reasons that summer residents love cucumbers so much.
The plant is medium-sized with moderate shoot formation, the side branches are long.They are often shortened to produce a large harvest of cucumbers. The stems are powerful, the leaves and flowers are large. The first fruits are harvested after 45-50 days.
In the catalog of the original company, the hybrid Emerald Stream is declared as a parthenocarpic cucumber. Initially it was positioned as a bee-pollinated hybrid. Today, to get a good harvest, you don’t need to wait for pollination by insects; fruits set safely even without them, despite the weather.
Agronomists at SeDeK recommend growing Emerald Stream hybrid bushes exclusively on trellises so that the fruits do not spoil.
Detailed description of the fruits
The Emerald Stream is often called the Chinese cucumber due to its size. The fruits are long - more than 20 cm, in a greenhouse they can grow up to 25 cm. They appear thin, with a characteristic elongated neck, slightly ribbed. The color of the peel is dark green, the stalk is almost black.
The average weight of a cucumber of this variety reaches 150 g, sometimes reaching 200 g, which is easy to achieve by feeding the bushes during the growth period. The surface of the fruit is lumpy, with sparse spines. The skin is thin and tender. The cucumber pulp is moderately dense, juicy, and crispy. According to reviews from summer residents who have tried to preserve the fruits of this variety, these characteristics are preserved in pickling. When cutting through the greenery Emerald Flow F1, you can see that the seed chamber of the cucumber is small. This is confirmed by photos and reviews of the variety. There are few grains, they are small. The taste of the fruit is excellent, with a pronounced sweet note. Bitterness is absent at the genetic level.
Main characteristics of the variety
Based on reviews from summer residents from different parts of Russia, we can conclude that the Emerald Stream F1 cucumber is quite hardy. The bushes tolerate cold weather, heat, scorching sun and shading in a greenhouse equally well. Fruiting does not suffer from this.
Productivity
When growing the Emerald Stream cucumber in a greenhouse and open ground, long-term and continuous fruiting was observed. The ovary appears until frost. In an open bed, the yield of the variety reaches 5-7 kg/sq.m. m. In a greenhouse you can collect up to 15 kg/sq. m, but subject to compliance with all agricultural practices. Up to 4-5 fruits will ripen on the bush at the same time.
Resistance to pests and diseases
The originator of the Emerald Flow variety claims that cucumbers are highly resistant to major diseases, including powdery mildew. Culture resists well:
- cucumber mosaic;
- anthracnose;
- cladosporiosis;
- bacterial rot.
However, moderate resistance to viral wilt was noted.
In general, cucumbers of the Emerald Stream variety rarely get sick. Reviews from summer residents about cucumbers confirm that this is practically the only hybrid that does not have to be sprayed often. If you create all the conditions for growing, then the plant won’t care about pests.
Pros and cons of the variety
This is a truly tenacious hybrid that consistently bears fruit in difficult conditions. It has many advantages and only one drawback.
Among the positive characteristics are:
- stable yield;
- high resistance to diseases and pests;
- ability to withstand heat and cold;
- long fruiting period;
- early harvest;
- low maintenance requirements.
The only disadvantages include poor keeping quality of the fruit.The description says they don't stay fresh for long. Cucumbers are used for salad. But one can argue with this. Many summer residents have already tried to preserve the Emerald Stream hybrid, and the variety has shown good results.
Growing cucumbers Emerald Stream
Emerald Flow - cucumbers that are grown from seedlings at home, and only then transferred to a permanent place in a greenhouse or garden bed. Proper agricultural technology plays an important role in this regard.
Sowing time
Sowing of cucumbers begins in early spring. The timing may vary in different regions. The Emerald Stream cucumber can be grown in open ground by sowing seeds directly into the soil. In the southern regions, they begin planting under film at the end of March or at the very beginning of April. In central and northern Russia, this can be postponed until mid-May, until the frosts pass.
Growing seedlings is possible in a greenhouse, where the bushes will continue to grow. As a rule, sowing is carried out immediately when the ground warms up. The soil temperature should not be lower than +15°C.
For seedlings, Emerald Stream cucumber seeds are planted 25-30 days before planting in the ground. During this time, the plants will gain strength and will be ready to be transplanted to a permanent location.
Selecting a location and preparing beds
Emerald Flow is a variety of cucumbers that cannot be grown on acidic soil, as evidenced by reviews of this crop. Good results can only be achieved when grown on fertile soil. If the land is poor, then it needs to be enriched with mineral fertilizers with a high content of potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen.
The bed for the Emerald Stream cucumbers is dug up in advance, and fertilizers are applied before that.It is better to prepare the soil in the fall so that it has time to settle and absorb all the nutrients.
How to plant correctly
Seeds are planted using the trench method. The depth of the furrow is no more than 5 cm. The distance between the seeds is about 15-20 cm. Before sowing, it is better to germinate them in order to obtain good germination. Plant the seeds to a depth of 2.5-3 cm.
Emerald Stream cucumber seedlings are planted in shallow holes. The distance between them is no more than 20-25 cm. Each hole is filled with a mixture of ash and humus. After planting, the bushes are covered with film so that the plants do not fall under return frosts.
Aftercare for cucumbers
Agricultural technology for Emerald Stream cucumbers is simple:
- The soil must be loosened, but very carefully so as not to damage the root system. It’s good if you can do this after each watering.
- Water the bushes regularly, because cucumbers are a moisture-loving crop. Moisten the soil in the evenings, but water should not fall on the leaves or erode the soil at the roots.
- Cucumbers of the Emerald Stream variety are fertilized throughout the growing season, because the lack of nutrients affects the yield. Mostly organic matter is added.
- The bushes are formed into one stem, which is pinched when it reaches the top of the trellis.
According to reviews from gardeners who grew cucumbers of the Emerald Stream variety, it is better to fertilize 3-4 times. It is necessary to fertilize after the appearance of the first true leaf, so that the crop actively begins to grow, then after 3 weeks. The last fertilizing is done 14 days before harvest. Such a scheme is guaranteed to help you get a good harvest.
Conclusion
The Emerald Stream cucumber entered the market relatively recently, but has already found its fans.The crop is grown throughout the country, because the hybrid is quite hardy and suitable for greenhouses, open ground and film shelters. In addition, the taste of the fruit and the long fruiting period are pleasing. The variety is suitable for professionals, but amateurs should not refuse it.
