Content
Cucumber Merry gnomes is a hybrid of the latest generation. Created for cultivation in open ground (OG) and in protected areas. During experimental cultivation, it was fully adapted to the weather conditions of the Central regions, Moscow region, European part, Siberia and the Urals. The copyright holder of the variety is the Aelita agricultural company, the only supplier of planting material on the seed market.
Description of the cucumber variety Cheerful gnomes
The cucumber variety Cheerful Gnomes is of the semi-standard type, grows up to 1.2 m in length. The end point of growth is limited; the cucumber variety produces few side shoots; they do not unload the main stem. The bush is formed with one central shoot, the stepsons are broken off. The Merry Dwarfs cucumber is grown using the trellis method; the plant requires fixation to a support during fruiting.
The cucumber of the Merry Dwarfs variety is characterized by the bouquet formation of flowers. The parthenocarpic hybrid forms an ovary on each flower, and the fruits ripen in bunches.The crop does not require pollinators; the yield in greenhouses and greenhouses is the same. The plant is not tall, suitable for growing on balconies and in apartments on the windowsill. At home, the yield is less, but two bushes of the variety are enough for a family of 4 people.
External description of the cucumber Merry gnomes F1:
- A plant with a limited growing point, the central trunk is light green with a gray tint. The pubescence is weak, the surface is uneven, the fibrous structure is hard. There are a small number of lateral shoots; they are thin, underdeveloped, and a shade darker than the main stem.
- The foliage is medium, the leaves are small, opposite, heart-shaped with large teeth along the edge, on short stalks. The leaf blade is pointed upward, the surface is rough, intensely pubescent with short hair. The color is green on the top of the leaf, the underside is lighter.
- The root system is fibrous, superficial, branched, the root circle is small.
- Lemon-colored flowers, collected in a leaf node, in the form of a bouquet of 3-6 pieces. The plant produces female flowers, ovaries are formed 100%, there are no barren flowers on the plant.
Detailed description of the fruits
Cucumber variety Cheerful gnomes of bunch type. The fruits in each node are aligned, from the bottom to the top of the same weight and size. Zelentsy, when they reach biological ripeness, do not grow in length or width. During the aging process, they do not change color (do not turn yellow), retain their taste, acid and bitterness are completely absent. The only change is that the peel becomes tougher.
Characteristics of the fruits of the Merry Dwarfs variety:
- cucumber is cylindrical, slightly elongated, weighing 75-95 g, length 7-8 cm;
- the color is uneven, dark green near the stalk, becoming lighter at the top, with pronounced yellow stripes running from the point of attachment of the flower to the middle of the fruit. Greens at the stage of technical ripeness have a uniform green color;
- the surface is finely lumpy with a short white edge growing from the center of the irregularity;
- the peel is elastic, durable, thin, glossy, without a waxy coating. Resists minor mechanical stress well;
- the pulp has a dense consistency, light green, juicy, without voids, small seeds in small quantities;
- The taste of cucumber is sweet, with a pronounced aroma, without bitterness.
According to reviews from vegetable growers, cucumbers of the Merry Dwarfs variety, after harvesting, retain their taste and presentation for up to 3 weeks if stored in the refrigerator. The duration of storage without lowering the temperature is within 10 days.
The ability of the Merry Dwarfs cucumber to withstand transportation well and maintain its marketable appearance for a long time makes the variety suitable for commercial cultivation. The fruits have a high tasting rating, they are consumed fresh, they are an ingredient in vegetable salads. The shape and size of the fruit are convenient for preservation as a whole. After hot processing, the cucumber retains its crunch and elasticity, no voids are formed in the pulp, and the color does not change.
Main characteristics of the variety
The cucumber of the Cheerful Dwarfs variety does not require an excessive amount of sunlight for its growing season. In OG it grows in periodically shaded areas. The variety is frost-resistant; in the first phase of growth, the plant tolerates temperatures down to +70 C, at +200 C does not slow down development and can bear fruit if the temperature does not rise.
The drought tolerance of the Merry Dwarfs cucumber is excellent. The variety responds well to high temperatures, greens in a place exposed to the sun do not wither or bake, and the leaves do not turn yellow. The plant, like all representatives of the species, requires regular watering and moderate air humidity.
Productivity
Cucumber variety Cheerful gnomes has an ultra-early fruiting period. In 40 days, cucumbers reach biological ripeness. Ripening times depend on growing conditions and climate zone. In a warm region in an open area, cucumbers ripen 7 days later. Fruiting is bunch-shaped, due to this feature the relatively low plant produces a good harvest.
The yield of one bush is within 7-8 kg, regardless of where the plant is cultivated, in a greenhouse or exhaust gas. The first harvest occurs in early or mid-June, fruiting lasts until the end of July. At 1 m2 3 cucumber bushes are planted, the fruit harvest is about 20 kg per 1 m2.
To extend the harvest time, the plant is planted at intervals of 3 weeks. If the first seedlings are planted in May and the next in June, this technique increases the fruiting period. The yield indicator is not affected by changes in temperature conditions, excess or lack of ultraviolet radiation, or the choice of growing in greenhouse structures or exhaust gas.
Resistance to pests and diseases
The Merry Dwarfs cucumber variety has the ability to resist most of the diseases that affect the crop. In exhaust gas the plant does not get sick.In a greenhouse, if growing conditions are not met (low temperature, no ventilation, too high humidity), anthracnose may develop. To eliminate fungal infections, bushes are treated with colloidal sulfur. For prevention after flowering - copper sulfate. Cucumbers grown indoors are not affected by pests. In the OG, the crop is parasitized by whitefly caterpillars. Eliminate the pest with the drug “Commander”.
Pros and cons of the variety
The advantages of the Cheerful Dwarfs cucumber variety include:
- frost resistance;
- undemanding to the amount of sunlight;
- high fruiting due to the bunch-shaped arrangement of flowers;
- yield does not depend on weather conditions and method of cultivation;
- the size of the fruit allows them to be preserved as a whole;
- gastronomic qualities are high;
- can be stored for a long time and transported safely;
- resistant to infection and pests.
The variety has no disadvantages. Like all representatives of the species, the Merry Dwarfs cucumber needs watering and staking to a trellis. The hybrid variety is prone to degeneration if cucumbers are bred with independently collected seeds from the mother bush.
Growing rules
Cheerful gnomes are propagated by planting seeds in the ground in a permanent place or by pre-grown seedlings. The seedling method is more used in regions with temperate climates, when cultivating cucumber varieties in greenhouses.
Sowing time
Cheerful gnomes cucumber seeds are planted for seedlings at the end of March. The plant grows quickly, in 25 days it forms 3 leaves - an indicator of planting in a permanent place. Seeds are sown in the ground when the soil has warmed up to at least +140 C, are guided by the climatic features of the region.Seeds are sown in the greenhouse in the 20th of April, and seedlings are planted in the second decade of May.
Selecting a location and preparing beds
The site for the garden bed is selected in an open area on the south or east side; periodic shading is allowed. The soil is fertile, well drained, without nearby water. The garden bed has been prepared since the fall. Add dolomite flour; if the composition is acidic, dig it up. Organic fertilizer and saltpeter are added. In the spring, the area is loosened and phosphorus-containing products are re-applied.
How to plant correctly
Seeds for seedlings are planted in peat cups; the plant does not tolerate transplantation well. Planting material is placed on the site along with the container. Make a hole 5 cm above the glass and fill it up to the first leaves. For seeds, deepen the hole by 2.5 cm. By 1 m.2 3 plants are planted. The planting scheme in an unprotected bed and in a greenhouse structure is the same. One hole is spaced 35 cm from another, the row spacing is 45-50 cm.
Aftercare for cucumbers
Agricultural technology varieties:
- Constantly water the cucumber before sunrise or after, water it at the root. Sprinkling is done once every 7 days; these measures are relevant in dry weather. The irrigation regime is adjusted according to the frequency of precipitation. In the greenhouse, the Cheerful Gnomes cucumbers are watered using the drip method every day.
- Feeding at the time of flowering - with superphosphate, during the period of fruit ripening - with organic matter.
- Loosening and weeding are carried out as necessary.
Merry Dwarfs cucumbers are grown using a trellis method, tied to a support during the growing season. Remove side shoots and lower leaves.
Conclusion
Cucumber Merry Dwarfs is an ultra-early parthenocarpic hybrid of category F1, non-GMO.Plants of the variety are cultivated in a greenhouse and in an open area. A high-yielding hybrid does not change the level of fruiting under any weather conditions. Does not require special care, produces fruits of universal use with high gastronomic characteristics.
