In recent years, Chinese cucumber has become popular among domestic gardeners. This rather original plant has not yet received truly widespread fame, although it fully deserves it. Excellent qualities have led to the fact that chinese cucumbers for open ground more and more actively penetrate into domestic garden realities.
Description
It is difficult to imagine a person in Russia who would not know what a cucumber is. Its Chinese variety, and the Chinese cucumber also belongs to the genus of pumpkin, both in name and in most external signs strongly resembles the usual one. In addition, care and many other agrotechnical measures are generally similar to those used for ordinary cucumber. Nevertheless, the differences are also quite noticeable.
Features of the
The main difference between the Chinese cucumber is, of course, the length of the fruit. It ranges from 30 to 80, and often more than 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 bitterness in Chinese cucumber, and the sweetest part is the skin of the fruit. There are practically no voids in his body, and the pulp is quite dense, somewhat resembling wax in consistency.
Chinese cucumbers have a narrow chamber passing through the center of the fruit, in which small 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, with proper and competent care, 30 kg from each bush of the plant.
When breeding currently widespread varieties, in most cases the task was to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse. The highest yield can be achieved precisely in the closed conditions of a greenhouse or greenhouse. But, as practice has shown, the Chinese cucumber takes root well in the open field, demonstrating good fertility and the ability to give 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 maturity. Only about 30-35 days pass between shoots and the collection of the first fruits, and sometimes even 25 days are enough. Considering the size of the fruit and the yield, 3-4 plants are quite enough for a full-fledged and regular salad in the season for an ordinary family. And with a planted bed, you can feed a fairly serious number of people.
Some of the features of the topic under consideration are displayed in the following video:
Dignity
As a summary of the above, the following benefits of Chinese cucumber can be summarized:
- consistently high yield, which is characteristic of the plant throughout the long part of the season and lasts almost until the very frost. It significantly surpasses the performance achieved by ordinary cucumbers;
- high resistance to the vast majority of diseases, which cucumbers suffer in domestic conditions. This quality, combined with unpretentiousness and undemandingness, greatly simplifies the cultivation of the crop in question;
- self-pollination, as a result of which there is no need for additional measures to attract bees;
- the ability to function normally in conditions of insufficient sunlightin other words, shade tolerance. Some varieties thrive even better in the most shady parts of the garden, where sunlight is most rare;
- attractive appearance.
disadvantages
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 outwardly beautiful and attractive, but already a day after they are harvested, they become soft and pliable under pressure. Therefore, it is advisable to consume or process the fruits of the Chinese cucumber directly on the day of harvest. Only an insignificant part of varieties and hybrids is intended for canning and pickling;
- some restrictions on the way of consumption... Some varieties of Chinese cucumber can only be used for making salads. This drawback is in many ways similar to the previous one;
- relatively low rate of seed germination... This minus is fully compensated for by the high yield of those that nevertheless ascended;
- the need and obligation of a vertical bandage, that is, additional rather labor-intensive care. If this event is not carried out and the whips are not tied up, the fruits in most cases will grow in 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 cultivation technique of Chinese cucumber generally coincides with the usual sowing. But there are several peculiarities.
Chinese cucumber, as a rule, forms one, but rather high - up to 3 meters, stem, practically without forming lateral 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 the demand for watering. As a rule, an ordinary cucumber easily tolerates a single skip of this important event. But Chinese cucumbers grow very, very quickly, so it is not recommended to skip watering, since almost immediately the plant will respond with the formation of a long and very thin fruit with many thorns, which, moreover, is likely to bend tricky.
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 young ovaries.
Popular and common varieties
Heat resistant Chinese cucumber 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. He continues to successfully harvest even when the temperature rises to plus 35 degrees. Most other varieties and hybrids in such conditions simply stop their growth and even more so the formation of fruits. At the same time, high yield - the main plus of the Chinese cucumber - is fully inherent in this hybrid. Belongs to the mid-early group. The first fruits can be harvested around the 45th day or a little later after germination.
The heat-resistant F1 Chinese cucumber has a fruit length of 30-50 centimeters, which is not particularly outstanding in terms of size. It has a thin skin, great for salads, and, importantly, for canning and pickling. For all the size of the fruits, to roll them, 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 domestic conditions. Allows growing both in greenhouses and hotbeds, and outdoors. In some southern Russian regions (for example, Kuban) it can land even in August. At the same time, plants will bear fruit until frost.
Chinese cucumber cold hardy F1
It is the opposite of the previous variety in terms of hybrid characteristics. It perfectly tolerates the effects of cold temperatures and continues to bear fruit. Otherwise, it has properties that are traditional for Chinese cucumbers: high yield and quality of fruits, the same success when grown in a greenhouse and open field, intensive growth and rather large fruits 30-50 cm long.
The hybrid belongs to medium early plants, the fruits begin to bear in 50-55 days after the first shoots. The color of the cucumbers is classic dark green, the skin is thin, covered with small but noticeable tubercles. Possesses high resistance to diseases: powdery and downy mildew, fusarium wilting and others. They perfectly tolerate the location in the most shady and poorly lit areas of the garden.
Chinese Cucumber Bride F1
A hybrid developed by Chinese breeders with an original appearance. Its fruits have a peculiar white-green shade of light tones. The hybrid belongs to early ripening, the first cucumbers that appear can be harvested within 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 are quite consistent with the typical qualities inherent in Chinese cucumbers: the skin is thin, bitterness is completely absent. The hybrid is versatile and equally successfully withstands temperature changes in both the cold and warm sides. As well as most other hybrids and varieties of Chinese cucumber, it perfectly resists diseases that are typical and common in Russian conditions. Considering the listed qualities, it is excellent for open ground, where in most cases it is grown.
Chinese miracle
A versatile variety that does not possess any outstanding properties, however, it develops and grows harmoniously and comprehensively, which allows achieving good results in everything. Refers to mid-season plants in which the picking of cucumbers begins 55-60 days after the first shoots. It can withstand both cold and hot temperatures equally successfully. It is extremely unpretentious to the conditions created for it during growth and fruiting, while having a fairly high yield.
The fruits harvested have a very recognizable traditional dark green color and a slightly curved shape. The skin is thin enough or smooth or covered with small tubercles. The size of the fruits, like everything in this variety, is average for a Chinese cucumber - 40-45 centimeters.
Farmer's chinese cucumber
A mid-early hybrid ideal for outdoor cultivation. The first fruits appear in 48-55 days. Possesses a powerful weaving structure of the plant. One of the few Chinese cucumber hybrids, prone to the formation of a sufficient number of side branches.
It has, as a rule, a smooth thin skin, regular cylindrical shape and sizes from 35 to 45 cm. The hybrid is versatile, unpretentious and highly resistant to both common diseases and adverse and difficult weather conditions.
Chinese snakes
It is not difficult to guess what was the reason for such an original name. Highly long, rather thin and elongated cucumbers have a length of 50-60 cm, and sometimes more. The plant is super early and begins to bear fruit as early as 35 days after germination. It is most often grown in greenhouses and greenhouses, but planting is also allowed outdoors.Preferably used in salads.
Chinese cucumber disease-resistant F1
As the name of the hybrid suggests, in addition to the traditional qualities for 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 medium early plants, begins to bear fruit in 48-55 days. Cucumbers have a classic and regular cylindrical shape, traditional dark green color, 30-35 centimeters long.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that Chinese cucumbers deserve to become more widespread in Russian conditions. They are perfect for a significant number of regions and will allow both to increase yields and improve the culture of horticulture.
