Cucumbers "This Colonel F1": description of the variety, care and cultivation

When choosing cucumber varieties for a private plot, most of the gardeners are guided by good germination, vegetable simplicity and excellent yield.These criteria are fully met by the early ripening variety “Real Colonel F1”.

Cucumbers "This Colonel F1" refers to the early ripe self-pollinated hybrid, intended for cultivation in open ground. However, if desired, it can also be planted in a greenhouse or under a covering material. The emergence of the harvest occurs within 40-45 days after the appearance of cucumber shoots. In the State Register, the plant appeared in 2004 as recommended for cultivation on private plots and medium-sized horticultural farms. The optimal growing regions are Central, Volga-Vyatsky, North Caucasian.

The plant has a powerful ground part, rather climbing bushes, the leaves are of medium size and rich green shade. The bush has mostly female inflorescences that do not require pollination. The yield of the variety is high - up to 13 kg per 1 m2. More crop can be obtained by tying bushes to the trellis. Harvest ripen amicably, cylindrical spindle-shaped fruits ripen on the bush with small pimples. They belong to the gherkin type, the length is 7-9 cm, diameter is not more than 4 cm, the mass of one cucumber is about 100 g. The skin is quite thin, the flesh is crispy, juicy, without bitterness. In short, cucumbers have an attractive appearance and excellent taste characteristics.

Cucumbers can also grow up to 13-15 cm, but this is reflected in their taste. However, this sort of cucumber-overgrown does not. When grown in a greenhouse, the fruits are larger, but inferior in taste to their counterparts grown in open ground. Like most early ripe varieties, the “Real Colonel F1” is good for fresh consumption, as well as in salads, and can also be used for preservation. As a result of this procedure, the appearance and taste of the vegetable does not change.

The variety is characterized by resistance to most diseases of the crop, including powdery mildew and cladosporia. Please note that the "Real Colonel F1" is a hybrid of the first generation, which for a gardener means the annual purchase of a new bag of seeds.

It is possible to plant cucumbers of this grade both seedlings, and sowing seeds directly into the ground. However, in the latter case, the harvest is 2 weeks later. In any case, "This Colonel F1" requires light, non-acidic, fertilized soils.

When growing bushes seedlings, it is recommended to purchase a special mixture for this crop, as well as to use individual peat pots for cultivation. This variety does not tolerate picking and damage to the root system, so you need to plant one seed in the pot.

To grow seeds in the ground last need to prepare in the fall. First of all, it is required to dig a plot and add humus or manure - 5-7 kg per 1 m2. In the spring, repeat the digging, form a cucumber ridge and once again introduce humus, covering it with 20-25 cm with a layer of sod soil. Do not apply manure immediately before planting seedlings, because the fertilizer causes the soil to heat up - the roots can simply burn. A couple of weeks before planting seedlings or seeds, you need to make mineral fertilizers - ammonium nitrate, nitrophosphate.

On the eve of planting should moisten the soil. It is better to use for this a weak solution of potassium permanganate, which also produces a disinfecting effect. After this moistening, the beds are closed with a film and left in this condition until the next day. When planting seeds with seeds, they are recommended to be pre-disinfected using a weak solution of potassium permanganate and hardened. To do this, the treated seeds are wrapped in a bandage and placed in the fridge for a day.

The landing scheme provides for the creation of grooves with a distance of at least 70 cm between them.In the groove, seeds are planted in 7 cm increments. Planting depth is not more than 2 cm. The manufacturer recommends planting no more than 2-3 bushes per 1 m2 when cultivating the variety in greenhouses, no more than 3-4 bushes per 1 m2 in open ground. It is important to observe the principles of crop rotation, not planting cucumbers of this variety for 2 years in a row at the same place. You can return to it after 3-4 years.

This variety is responsive to supplements. The first feeding is made on the 7-10 day after transplantation of seedlings with a mixture of urea and cow manure. The following fertilizer is applied in the period of active growth and the formation of bushes. Strengthen the green shoots and root system, to stimulate their growth will help nitrogen-containing fertilizer. However, as the flowering period approaches, nitrogen should be replaced with phosphorus, otherwise the plant will begin to increase the green mass to the detriment of fruiting. Finally, during the formation of the ovaries and during the period of fruiting, the shrub is fed with nitrogen and potassium.

For the season requires 4-5 dressings, and the root and foliar procedures should be alternated. 2 weeks before harvesting, fertilizers should be discarded so as not to increase the nitrate content in the fruit. Cucumbers "This Colonel F1" do not tolerate drought. They need abundant watering 3-4 times a week. With frequent precipitation, the frequency of irrigation is reduced. The procedure should be watered in the evening or morning, using separated not very cold water.

Watering with cold water will provoke a sharp cooling of the soil, which can cause the death of this thermophilic culture. In addition, cold water is not absorbed by the roots, stagnates in the soil, threatening to provoke root rot of the bushes.

The optimum air temperature for growing this variety is 24-26 C, the soil - 18-20 C. At lower temperatures, plants should be covered. At temperatures extremely low for a culture, its death occurs, a slight decrease is usually fraught with a lack of color. If cold weather falls on the period of fruiting, then cucumbers ripen hollow. For high-quality and abundant harvest, the use of trellis is obligatory. In addition, it facilitates the care of the plant and reduces the likelihood of the development of rot and powdery mildew.

The variety is demanding of lighting, most of the day the sun should fall on the bushes, but not direct, but scattered. In this regard, it is recommended to plant corn on the sunny side not far from the garden. Her shoots will give a small shadow. It is important that the beds are located in a place protected from drafts. The use of trellis will help to achieve uniform lighting of the bushes, but will prevent the fruits from “burning” by the sun's rays.

Despite the resistance of the variety to most diseases, the plant needs periodic preventive measures. Spraying with a solution based on iodine, milk and laundry soap will be helpful. It helps prevent the development of powdery mildew. In the fight against rot helps the solution with the addition of baking soda.

The variety was quite appreciated by gardeners. Reviews make it possible to judge that the “Real Colonel F1” is relatively unpretentious in care. This is largely due to its ability to grow in the open field, resistant to diseases. Like gardeners and the fact that the fruits ripen in a month after planting. Fruits are tasty, suitable for sale (attractive in appearance, transportable, long preserved fresh). Gentle and thin skin, as well as small size allow the use of cucumbers for pickling. After this treatment, the gherkins remain tasty and crispy.

But not 100% seed germination of summer residents is not happy. As the majority notes, the germination ratio is about 2/3. More experienced gardeners recommend even before planting to check the seeds for germination. To do this, in half a glass of warm water to dissolve a teaspoon of salt. Throw the seeds in the resulting solution. Those of them that will be on the surface are unsuitable for sowing, they will not ascend.

You can also recommend germination of seeds for 3-4 days. To do this, they are placed in a damp cloth (it must be moistened periodically as it dries) and left at room temperature. Sometimes, the need to purchase a new sachet of seeds annually is referred to as negative properties of a variety. However, this is unfair to refer to the "minus" varieties, since this is a feature of all hybrids of the first generation.

Review the variety of cucumbers "This Colonel F1", see the following video.