Content
You can harvest fresh vegetables from your plot even in late autumn. To do this, some gardeners plant late varieties of cucumbers. Their fruits are mainly used for winter preparations. They are also consumed fresh.
Late varieties They are resistant to temperature changes and diseases. Self-pollinating varieties can be grown in greenhouses.
Key differences between late varieties
While the cucumbers are not yet ripe, the bush continues to develop its root system. When the first flowers appear, its development slows down, and all the nutrients go to the development of the above-ground part of the plant.
For early varieties, the ripening period can be a little more than a month. Then the development of the root system ends. The bush can bear fruit abundantly, but only for a short period of time. Within a few weeks, yellow leaves appear. Even with the use of nitrogen fertilizers, the fruiting period is extended only slightly.
Late varieties have a different picture of the development of the root system. In 45-50 days it grows twice as large. Although cucumbers appear later, in general fruiting continues longer and more abundantly.
Thus, late varieties have the following differences:
- harvest later;
- the fruiting period lasts longer;
- the fruits are elastic with a dense skin;
- cucumbers are ideal for pickling.
Late cucumbers are resistant to temperature fluctuations and bear fruit well until autumn, even in not the most favorable conditions. They can be planted both in open ground and in a greenhouse, where they are placed self-pollinating plants. The fruits are mainly used for winter storage.
Some of the late varieties
As the name implies, late varieties begin to bear fruit later than others. If you plant such seeds in the garden, fresh fruits can be harvested until frost. Self-pollinating varieties can be planted in a greenhouse.
Several late varieties are listed below.
"Winner"
These cucumbers are perfect for pickling. The variety is resistant to fungal infections and drought, fruiting continues until frost.
This variety is distinguished by elongated vines and high yield. The fruits are yellow-green in color, the skin is covered with large tubercles. The shape is cylindrical.
"Phoenix"
High yield, fruiting period lasts until frost. The fruits themselves are up to 16 cm long, weigh approximately 220 g, and the skin is covered with large tubercles.
One of the late varieties, the first fruits appear 64 days after the seeds sprout. The plant is bee-pollinated, branched, and flowers mostly female. Cucumbers have a pleasant taste without bitterness, are crispy, and are suitable for both direct consumption and for preparation. It tolerates heat well, yield does not decrease. Resists downy mildew and other diseases.
"Solar"
From the moment the seeds are sown until the start of fruiting, this variety takes about 47-50 days; it is classified as mid-season. Bee-pollinated, disease-resistant, produces a bountiful harvest.
The lashes are of medium length, the lateral branches are long. Both types of flowers are present. The fruits are oblong in shape, covered with light green veins, slightly spotted, with large and sparse bumps. Cucumbers up to 12 cm long, weighing 138 g.
"Nezhinsky"
This variety is suitable for planting in open ground and under film cover.
Bee-pollinated, resistant to a number of diseases, including powdery mildew. Bush with elongated vines, flowering mainly female. The fruits are ideal for preparations; they have a pleasant taste without a bitter note. The average size of a cucumber is 10-11 cm, weight up to 100 g.
"Chinese climbing"
Fruiting of this variety begins 55-70 days after the seeds sprout. Designed for planting in open ground, bee-pollinated, combined flowering. The lashes are long, the branches are of medium length. The plant resists downy mildew and low temperatures. The variety has a constant yield and is perfect for harvesting. The fruits are oblong, size 10-12 cm, weight just over 100 g.
There are many varieties of cucumbers with a long fruiting period. At the same time, late varieties are less popular than early self-pollinating ones. To make a choice in the store with seeds, you should carefully read the information on the back of the bag.
What does the mark “F1” mean?
Some packages are marked "F1". She points out that these seeds are hybrid, that is, they were bred as a result of crossing varieties.
As a rule, such seeds (self-pollinated or bee-pollinated) are more expensive. The difference in price is explained by the complexity of breeding work and the high quality of the resulting seed.
The following are several varieties of late hybrid varieties.
"Crunch F1"
This hybrid variety is suitable for planting in open ground or under film cover. It produces a bountiful harvest and bears fruit for a long time. It has excellent taste, is consumed fresh and used for preparations. These cucumbers have crisp flesh without a bitter tint. The length of the fruits is up to 10 cm, weight is about 70-80 g. The plant is resistant to many diseases.
"Brownie F1"
Fresh fruits can be collected until late autumn. Primarily intended for canning, cucumbers have a pleasant taste without a hint of bitterness.
This late variety can also be grown in open ground or under film cover. The bush is highly climbing and is particularly resistant to a number of diseases. The length of cucumbers is about 7-9 cm.
"Farmer F1"
This variety will bear fruit until autumn frosts. It is resistant to low temperatures and a whole range of diseases, including powdery mildew and the common cucumber mosaic virus.
Planted in open ground. The fruits grow 10-12 cm long, covered with large tubercles and white spines. The plant is distinguished by a powerful root system and increased growth of lateral branches.
Conclusion
It is worth noting that even cucumbers that are resistant to low temperatures will take longer to develop in cold weather. Therefore, it is worth planting them at a certain time: for open ground this is the beginning of June, for unheated greenhouses - mid-May. If cucumbers are planted on time, they will begin to bear fruit within the time period indicated on the package.
Late varieties are suitable for those gardeners who expect a bountiful harvest by the end of summer and beginning of autumn. Cold-resistant cucumbers will bear fruit steadily until the first frost. They can be eaten fresh, but they are especially good for canning.
