Content
Many buyers who carefully read all the information on the packaging with cucumber seeds paid attention to the fact that now not just early varieties are gaining more and more popularity, but ultra-early ones. The main question that worries gardeners is why late varieties are needed then, because no one likes to wait long. This question is the secret that we will talk about.
Variety categories
According to the degree of ripeness, all cucumber seeds are divided into four categories:
- early (no more than 42 days of ripening);
- early ripening (ripening in 43-45 days);
- mid-season (46-50 days);
- late varieties (over 50 days).
Sometimes the producer simply specifies the category without bothering to indicate the number of days of ripening. This description will help beginners easily determine how long a particular variety is ripening.
Difference between early and late varieties
To understand what is the difference between some varieties of cucumbers from others, you need to understand how this plant grows. After the first shoots appear from the seed, the cucumber grows not only up, but also down, that is, the root system is formed and well developed. The plant gives a huge amount of energy to this development.
During the flowering period, the situation changes. Rhizome growth slows down, a new life cycle of cucumbers begins. As soon as the ovaries appear, all the forces will be spent on their growth, but the increase in the rhizome will stop. Thus, early varieties can bear fruit accordingly:
- either in large quantities, but for a very short period;
- or in small quantities.
The reason is trivial: plants of this type have too little strength to develop. The late varieties have more time to develop, and they can be successfully grown not only in the open field, but also in greenhouses.
In Russia, cucumber is considered a particularly beloved crop. It is impossible to imagine summer fresh salads and winter pickles without them. That is why the cultivation of cucumbers is very popular and is of interest to a huge number of summer residents. Often this vegetable can be found on window sills and glazed balconies in apartments, let alone greenhouses! Additional benefits of late varieties:
- disease resistance;
- the ability to tolerate lower temperature conditions;
- high vitality.
Growing conditions for late varieties
For growing cucumbers, regardless of whether they are early or late, general conditions must be observed. Cucumber is a special plant, it is quite capricious, you cannot call it unpretentious. So, it is necessary:
- observe the temperature regime (over 12 degrees Celsius);
- the air must be sufficiently humid;
- cucumbers require a lot of sun.
Most importantly, they don't like the cold. If the soil is not warmed up, the seeds may die. Late varieties, especially hybrids, are bred with the expectation that they can easily tolerate small fluctuations in temperature.
Seed selection
Given the positive qualities of late varieties of cucumbers, you need to be able to plant them in greenhouses. First, in the store, the seeds have to be chosen correctly. What should you pay attention to?
- It should be a hybrid, not a variety.
- Cucumbers should be self-pollinated, since insects are reluctant to fly into the greenhouse, and in the fall they may not be at all.
Below we describe some popular late cucumber hybrids for planting in greenhouses.
Planting seeds in a greenhouse
On the eve of planting, you can harden the seeds in a simple way. This will allow them to germinate under supposedly worse conditions than those described on the packaging. To do this, they are placed in wet gauze and stored on the refrigerator door for two to three days. The temperature should not be too low.
Then the seeds are kept in a solution enriched with trace elements. They are sold in the same place as the seeds.
Pay attention to the seating pattern on the package. If the planting of cucumbers is carried out in the summer, it is better to foresee a reduction in daylight hours in advance and place the bushes more widely.
Late varieties can be planted both in late spring and at the end of summer in a greenhouse. They do this both in special cups with subsequent transplantation, and immediately in the beds, although not everyone seems to be comfortable forming bushes in this way.
Care
Cucumbers will need to be constantly watered and fed. There are a few secrets to know for these two processes. They are as follows:
- plants do not require special care, subject to the temperature regime and the abundance of the sun (for example, in the southern regions);
- if the temperature drops and autumn comes, watering can only be done with warm water;
- it is better to water the bushes at dawn, when the temperature inside the greenhouse drops, this should be done every few days;
- when ovaries appear, watering is usually significantly increased (at least twice), but this is possible only in a warm greenhouse;
- control watering and temperature (if the temperature drops, watering is reduced, as this can destroy the plants);
- when the temperature drops, weekly feeding with a solution of nettle and dandelion is shown (can be replaced by the introduction of complex fertilizer).
This will preserve the plants and get a rich harvest. Autumn late cucumbers are delicious. They can be used both raw and salted. Please note that the purpose of the cucumber is also often indicated on the packaging. Some varieties do not go into canning, which the gardener may simply not know about.
If in your region it is already cold enough in September, and the greenhouse is not heated, you can add mulch to the soil in the form of a layer of humus (10 centimeters is enough). Remember that dew is dangerous for plants of late varieties of cucumbers and in greenhouse... Cold drops, falling on the leaves and stems, provoke hypothermia and the development of diseases. It can lead, for example, to the development of fungal diseases in all varieties, without exception. If the temperature is low, after watering, it is better to cover the cucumbers with a non-woven fabric until the sun warms up the air.
In the case when brown spots began to form on the leaves, the plants are sprayed with an aqueous solution with a mixture of milk (natural milk in an amount of 50% by volume of water).
In the case when you are just planning to grow some varieties of cucumbers in the greenhouse, consider this fact even at the construction stage.
Do not forget that today a huge number of different preparations are sold for the care of cucumber seedlings, which allows you to effectively fight both pests and diseases. Late varieties of cucumbers can only suffer from them in an unfavorable environment, more often with abundant watering during the cold period.
A video with tips for planting late varieties of cucumber will also be helpful.
Some late varieties
Let's describe the popular varieties of late cucumbers that can be grown in a greenhouse. All of them belong to the type of hybrids and are pollinated independently without the participation of insects.
Name | Zelents length | Yield | Sowing depth | Fruiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Alyonushka | up to 11 centimeters | 15 kilograms per 1 m2 | 3-4 centimeters | in 60-65 days |
Obskoy | an average of 8-9 centimeters | up to 485 centners per hectare | 3-4 centimeters | in 55 days |
Rais | up to 18 centimeters | 28 kilograms per 1 m2 | 2-3 centimeters | in 58-61 days |
Salad | 10-16 centimeters | 12 kilograms per 1 m2 | 3-4 centimeters | after 47 days |
Sapphire | 36 centimeters | about 24 kilograms per 1 m2 | 3-4 centimeters | in 70-76 days |
Seryozha | up to 18 centimeters | no more than 22 kilograms per 1 m2 | 3-4 centimeters | in 70-74 days |
Forward | on average 20-21 centimeters | no more than 14 kilograms per 1 m2 | 3-4 centimeters | in 60-65 days |
Conclusion
Due to the fact that the early varieties are gaining immense popularity, the later ones are losing ground. They are becoming less and less on the market. Some of them are intended for landing in open ground. Of course, pollination in a greenhouse of a bee-pollinated variety is also possible, but this process is complicated and few people like to spend their time on this tedious task.
When planting cucumbers in heated greenhouses, the problem of cold weather is excluded, but in this case it is important not to destroy the plants with dry air. This is the most common problem with these greenhouses. Cucumber is a rather capricious plant, regardless of the variety, not everyone succeeds in growing a rich harvest in the first season, but experience is important for any business, and it does not come immediately.
