In recent years, Chinese cucumber has become popular among domestic gardeners. This rather original plant has not yet received truly wide popularity, although it fully deserves it. Excellent qualities have led to the fact that Chinese cucumbers for open ground are increasingly penetrating domestic garden realities.
Description
It is difficult to imagine a person in Russia who would not know what a cucumber is. It is a Chinese variety, and the Chinese cucumber also belongs to the genus Cucurbitaceae, both by name and by most external features it is very similar to a regular one. In addition, care and many other agrotechnical measures are generally similar to those used for a regular cucumber. Nevertheless, the differences are also quite noticeable.
Peculiarities
The main difference between the Chinese cucumber is, of course, the length of the fruit. It ranges from 30 to 80, and often more, centimeters. The taste that Chinese cucumbers have is characterized by a slightly more pronounced sweetness with a slight aroma of watermelon or even melon.
There is no, and never is, bitterness in the Chinese cucumber, and the sweetest part is the skin of the fruit. There are practically no voids in its body, and the pulp is quite dense, somewhat reminiscent of wax in consistency.
Chinese cucumbers have a narrow chamber running through the center of the fruit, in which small-sized seeds are collected. The predominant flowers are female; they are usually collected in bunches of several pieces.
One of the attractive points, which is quite natural and understandable for Russian realities, is the high yield of Chinese cucumber - it can reach 30 kg from each plant bush with proper and competent care.
When developing currently widespread varieties, in most cases the task was to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse. The highest yield can be achieved in the closed conditions of a greenhouse or greenhouse. But, as practice has shown, the Chinese cucumber takes root well in open ground, demonstrating good fertility and the ability to produce a stable harvest not only in the southern regions of the country, but also much further north.
Another feature of the Chinese cucumber is its early ripening. Only about 30-35 days pass between germination and the collection of the first fruits, and sometimes even 25 days are enough. Considering the size of the fruit and the yield, for a full-fledged and regular salad during the season, 3-4 plants are enough for an ordinary family. And a planted bed can feed quite a significant number of people.
Some features of the topic under consideration are shown in the following video:
Advantages
To summarize the above, the following benefits of Chinese cucumber can be briefly highlighted:
- consistently high yield, which is characteristic of the plant for a long part of the season and continues almost until frost. It quite seriously exceeds the performance achieved by ordinary cucumbers;
- high resistance to the vast majority of diseases, which affects cucumbers in domestic conditions. This quality, combined with unpretentiousness and undemandingness, greatly simplifies the cultivation of the crop in question;
- self-pollinating, as a result of which there is no need for additional measures to attract bees;
- ability to function normally in conditions of insufficient sunlight, in other words, shade tolerance. Some varieties develop even better in the shady parts of the garden, where sunlight rarely reaches;
- attractive appearance.
Flaws
Of course, with such undoubted advantages, the plant also has disadvantages. The main ones are the following:
- poor storage capacity. The fruits of the Chinese cucumber are visually beautiful and attractive, but within a day after they are harvested they become soft and pliable under pressure. Therefore, it is advisable to consume or process the fruits of Chinese cucumber directly on the day of collection. Only a small part of varieties and hybrids are intended for canning and pickling;
- some restrictions on the method of consumption. Some varieties of Chinese cucumber can only be used for making salads. This drawback has many similarities with the previous one;
- relatively low seed germination rate. This minus is fully compensated by the high yield of those that did emerge;
- the necessity and obligation of a vertical bandage, that is, additional rather labor-intensive care. If this action is not carried out and the lashes are not tied, the fruits in most cases will grow into an extremely unattractive hook-shaped shape. The unconditional presence of specific and time-consuming work is partially compensated by the fact that the rest of the plants are extremely unpretentious and undemanding.
Growing
As noted above, the agricultural technology for growing Chinese cucumber generally coincides with conventional sowing. But there are several features.
Chinese cucumber, as a rule, forms one, but quite high - up to 3 meters, stem, practically without forming side shoots. And even if they appear, they are of a very short length. Therefore, you can plant a Chinese cucumber more often than a regular one.
Another feature of the plant is its requirement for watering. As a rule, an ordinary cucumber can easily tolerate missing this important event once. But Chinese cucumbers grow very, very quickly, so it is not recommended to skip watering, since almost immediately the plant will respond by forming a long and very thin fruit with many thorns, which, moreover, will most likely bend in an intricate way.
It is also necessary to pick the fruits in a timely manner (that is, almost daily). Otherwise, the “old” ones will increase more and more, acquiring, in general, monstrous sizes, and this will happen to the detriment of the young ovaries.
Popular and common varieties
Chinese cucumber heat-resistant F1
Based on the name, one can easily draw a logical conclusion that the main feature of this particular hybrid is its ability to withstand drought and high temperatures. It continues to successfully produce crops even when the temperature rises to plus 35 degrees. Most other varieties and hybrids simply stop growing under such conditions, much less fruit formation. At the same time, high yield - the main advantage of the Chinese cucumber - is fully inherent in this hybrid. Belongs to the mid-early group. The first fruits can be harvested approximately on the 45th day or a little later after emergence.
Heat-resistant F1 Chinese cucumber has fruits 30-50 centimeters long, which is not something particularly outstanding in terms of size. It has a thin skin, great for salads and, importantly, for canning and pickling. With all the size of the fruit, to roll them up, you just need to cut the cucumber into pieces.
Like most other representatives of the species, it is highly resistant to the most common diseases in our country. Allows cultivation both in greenhouses and greenhouses, and in open ground. In some southern Russian regions (for example, Kuban) it can be planted even in August. At the same time, the plants will bear fruit until frost.
Chinese cucumber cold-resistant F1
It is the opposite of the previous variety in terms of hybrid characteristics. It tolerates cold temperatures well and continues to bear fruit.Otherwise, it has properties traditional for Chinese cucumbers: high yield and quality of fruits, equal success when grown in a greenhouse and open ground, intensive growth and fairly large fruits 30-50 cm long.
The hybrid belongs to the mid-early plants; it begins to bear fruit 50-55 days after the first shoots. The color of cucumbers is classic dark green, the skin is thin, covered with small but noticeable tubercles. It is highly resistant to diseases: powdery and downy mildew, fusarium wilt and others. They tolerate location well in the most shady and dimly lit areas of the garden.
Chinese cucumber Bride F1
A hybrid bred by Chinese breeders with an original appearance. Its fruits have a peculiar white-green tint of light colors. The hybrid is an early ripening one; the first cucumbers that appear can be harvested 40 days after germination. One of the shortest varieties of Chinese cucumber. The fruits acquire the necessary taste when they reach 20 cm in length. Otherwise, they fully correspond to the typical qualities inherent in Chinese cucumbers: the skin is thin, bitterness is completely absent. The hybrid is universal and equally successfully resists temperature changes in both cold and warm directions. Just like most other hybrids and varieties of Chinese cucumber, it perfectly resists diseases that are typical and widespread in Russian conditions. Considering the listed qualities, it is excellent for open ground, where in most cases it is grown.
Chinese miracle
A universal variety that does not have any outstanding properties, however, it develops and grows harmoniously and comprehensively, which allows you to achieve good results in everything. Refers to mid-season plants, in which the collection of cucumbers begins 55-60 days after the first shoots. Can withstand both cold and hot temperatures equally well. It is extremely unpretentious to the conditions created for it during growth and fruiting, while possessing a fairly high yield.
The harvested fruits have a very recognizable traditional dark green color and a slightly curved shape. The skin is quite thin or smooth or covered with small tubercles. The size of the fruit, like everything else in this variety, is average for a Chinese cucumber - 40-45 centimeters.
Chinese farm cucumber
A mid-early hybrid with ideal qualities for growing in open ground. The first fruits appear after 48-55 days. It has a powerful weaving plant structure. One of the few Chinese cucumber hybrids that is prone to forming a sufficient number of lateral branches.
As a rule, it has smooth thin skin, a regular cylindrical shape and dimensions from 35 to 45 cm. The hybrid is universal, unpretentious and highly resistant to both common diseases and adverse and difficult weather conditions.
Chinese snakes
It is easy to guess what was the reason for such an original name. Very long, rather thin and elongated cucumbers have a length of 50-60 cm, and sometimes more. The plant is a super early plant and begins to bear fruit already on the 35th day after germination. It is most often grown in greenhouses and hothouses, but it can also be planted in open ground.Preferably used in salads.
Chinese cucumber disease-resistant F1
As the name of the hybrid suggests, in addition to the traditional qualities of Chinese cucumbers, namely: high yield, unpretentiousness to growing conditions and others listed above, this variety has increased resistance and the ability to withstand almost any disease that is possible in domestic conditions.
Refers to mid-early plants, begins to bear fruit in 48-55 days. Cucumbers have a classic and regular cylindrical shape, a traditional dark green color, and are 30-35 centimeters long.
Conclusion
Chinese cucumbers, without a doubt, deserve to become more widespread in Russian conditions. They are perfect for a significant number of regions and will allow you to both increase yields and improve gardening culture.
