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Cucumber Cedric appeared on the seed market just a few years ago, during which time gardeners were able to appreciate it. Many people liked the early maturity of the vegetable, its taste, and high yield. In order for varietal characteristics to appear as clearly as possible, you need to know the subtleties and nuances of cultivation.
History of selection
Cucumber Cedric (Cucumis sativus L. Cedrik) is the result of the work of Dutch breeders from the Enza Zaden company. In 2015, the hybrid was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation and recommended for cultivation indoors in most regions of the country. It is appreciated all over the world and is successfully cultivated in spring and winter heated greenhouses.
Description of Cedric cucumbers
The Cedric cucumber is of the indeterminate type; its shoots are not limited in growth unless the tops are pinched. The foliage is medium sized, dark green. The Cedric cucumber produces few side branches.The root system is quite powerful; in unfavorable conditions, it is able to provide moisture and nutrients without discarding the formed ovaries. The plant only temporarily stops growing. The type of flowers of the cucumber variety Cedric is female. Three to five ovaries appear in the axils of the main stem along with the buds. Zelentsy at the moment of commercial ripeness have a length of 12-14 cm, with an average weight of 100 g. The shape of the fruit is elongated and cylindrical. The skin is dark green, with small tubercles, white spines and faint pubescence. There is practically no ribbing. The pulp is juicy, sweetish, dense, crispy, with a bright aroma.
Cedric cucumber seeds are small, often non-viable
Characteristics of Cedric cucumbers
Since the Cedric variety is parthenocarpic, cucumbers produce stable and regular yields in greenhouse conditions. Indeterminateness allows you to get a tall plant and collect the maximum number of fruits of excellent quality from one bush. The hybrid is early ripening. Transportability and keeping quality are high. It is valued for its resistance to major diseases - powdery mildew, cladosporiosis, cucumber mosaic. The purpose of the fruit is universal.
Productivity
Fruiting lasts about two months. The yield is not affected by temperature fluctuations and changes in growing conditions. Cedric cucumbers ripen evenly, subject to agricultural technology from 1 m2 15-18 kg are collected. By creating a significant humus layer, regular watering, and fertilizing, the yield increases to 24-26 kg/m2.
Ripening and flowering dates
Cucumbers of the Cedric variety begin to bloom a month after germination.The beginning of intensive and friendly fruiting can be observed at 40-45 days. They are collected once every two days. To remove fruits, use scissors or pruning shears to avoid damaging the shoots when picked by hand. Cedric cucumbers should be stored in the refrigerator or basement, where the air temperature does not exceed +10 ⁰C and the humidity is high. They are placed in containers with holes for free air circulation (cardboard boxes, baskets). Pre-sort, removing damaged or showing signs of disease.
Cedric cucumbers are harvested in the evening or early in the morning
Resistance to diseases and pests
Hybrid Cedric has high immunity to major fungal diseases. For preventive purposes, it is necessary to disinfect the soil in greenhouses using fumigation with sulfur bombs and treatment with copper sulfate. The room needs to maintain optimal humidity and periodically ventilate. Crop rotation and monitoring the level of nitrogen in the soil help to avoid diseases on the Cedric cucumber. The plant is sometimes attacked by pests. The greatest danger among them are:
- Melon aphid - it is identified by drooping foliage, drops of sweet dew and a cluster of ants.
Treatment with an infusion of dandelion roots with the addition of mustard helps to cope with an aphid invasion.
- Spider mite - white dots on the back of the leaf and entangling the tops of the shoots with a web.
To combat spider mites on cucumbers, use marigold infusion
- Whitefly - white larvae, which later turn into small moths, leave a sticky coating on the stems.
Against whiteflies, spray cucumbers with Datura infusion once every ten days.
- Cucumber mosquito - its larvae make holes on the cotyledon leaves, which leads to yellowing and death of the seedling.
You can destroy the cucumber mosquito by treating it with Aktara 3-4 days after planting
Advantages and disadvantages
Cedric cucumbers are a relatively new variety; it has only been used for a few years to produce early vegetables on private farms and on an industrial scale. During this time, the advantages of the hybrid and its disadvantages were identified.
Cedric cucumbers are distinguished by a bunched method of ovary formation
Advantages of a hybrid:
- early ripening;
- high and stable yield;
- self-pollinating;
- resistance to infections and attacks by insect pests;
- excellent taste;
- versatility of use;
- tolerance to temperature changes and insufficient lighting;
- preservation of presentation during storage and transportation.
The disadvantages of Cedric cucumbers include the impossibility of collecting seeds yourself, since they do not retain varietal characteristics.
Planting cucumbers Cedric
Cedric cucumbers can be grown in a greenhouse, open ground, on a balcony and even on a windowsill. Its tolerance to lack of lighting and sudden changes in temperature helps to grow an equally rich harvest in any conditions. They use both the seed method and using seedlings.
Sowing in open ground
Hybrid Cedric is resistant to most diseases, which greatly facilitates its cultivation in open ground and planting with seeds. Choose an area well lit by the sun with loose, fertile soil.
Seeds of the Cedric variety do not require preliminary preparation, since they are purchased from specialized manufacturers who carry out complete processing of the seed material. The area is dug up to the depth of a spade bayonet, removing the roots of weeds. Sawdust, peat, and chicken droppings are added to the soil. Form ridges 70 cm wide and 20 cm high and level their surface. After the air warms up to +18 ⁰С, and the soil to +15 ⁰С, sowing begins. Make a furrow 3 cm deep in the center of the ridge and pour it with a hot solution of potassium permanganate. The seeds are laid out at intervals of 25 cm, covered with a 3 cm layer of soil. Arcs are installed on top and covered with agrofibre or film. The optimal time for sowing cucumbers of the Cedric variety in the middle zone is the end of May. They should be adjusted depending on the climatic conditions of the region. The best predecessors for Cedric cucumbers are potatoes, radishes, peppers, peas, and cabbage.
You should not grow Cedric cucumbers after pumpkin or carrots.
Seedling method
To speed up the harvest of Cedric cucumbers, the growing method using seedlings is used. Peat glasses, tablets, cassettes or plastic containers are used as containers. They act according to the algorithm:
- The container is filled with a moist soil mixture consisting of sand, humus and garden soil, taken in a ratio of 1:2:2.
- Seeds are planted one at a time to a depth of 1.5-2 cm.
- Cover the top with glass or film and transfer to a warm place (+25 ⁰C).
After 5-6 days, the first shoots appear. Containers with seedlings of Cedric cucumbers are transferred to a well-lit place. The air temperature is gradually reduced to 15-18 ⁰С.
Cedric cucumber seedlings are watered with clean, warm water at least twice a week.
Transplantation to a permanent place is carried out when four true leaves develop on the plants. Planted in a greenhouse according to a 20x50 cm pattern, spaced 1 m2 at least three plants. Water the cucumbers, lightly hill them, and create support for vertical growth.
Rules for caring for cucumbers Cedric
For successful vegetation and fruiting of cucumbers of the Cedric variety you need:
- Maintain a constant temperature of +20 ⁰C in the greenhouse.
- Water with settled water.
- Regularly loosen, removing weeds by the roots.
- Correctly form and tie the bushes to the trellis.
- Apply fertilizer periodically.
Cedric cucumbers are fed several times - before flowering with complex mineral fertilizer, during it - with superphosphate and urea, three times with potassium sulfate and Agricola during the fruiting period.
Plants of the Cedric variety must be properly shaped:
- Blind the first five leaf axils.
- Remove the shoots from the main stem, leaving the ovaries.
- Pinch the top after reaching a height of 2-3 m.
Yellowed lower leaves should be periodically cut off and removed.
Conclusion
Cucumber Cedric is a young, promising early variety that does not cause much trouble when growing. Experienced and novice gardeners are increasingly choosing it, since the bare minimum of care is sufficient to produce high-quality vegetables in a short time.
Reviews from gardeners about Cedric cucumbers
