Content
Quite often, even among quite qualified gardening enthusiasts, disputes arise as to whether pickles are a specially bred cucumber variety or is it just a kind of fruit of a certain age and size. This seems all the more surprising since there are no difficulties with the description and definition of the notion "pickuli".
Determination of the pick
In order to clearly understand what this word means, it is necessary to reveal several semantic layers.
These could be eggplant ovaries or tiny heads of garlic, miniature corn cobs, or small onions. It should be said that the word has English roots and literally translates as "pickled".
A little later, the concept of "pickuli" acquired a second meaning, which became much more common. Namely - small, one might say, tiny, cucumbers, collected at one or two days of age. Strictly speaking, this is more of an ovary than a more or less formed fruit. Their size is about 3-5 centimeters. The special value and piquancy lies in the fact that at this age, pickles combine a cucumber taste with a hint unique to them.
What are the advantages of pickle varieties that have allowed them to become widespread in recent years? Of course, the original taste is important, but the reason is not only in it.
The fact is that pickled cucumber varieties (as well as gherkins) begin to bear fruit 35-40 days after the shoots have appeared. The fruiting process rarely lasts more than a month. During this time, cucumbers remain as healthy as possible, simply not having time to get and accumulate any diseases, and also remain almost completely free from the influence of chemicals. In addition, an additional plus is that after the fruiting period, the area they occupy is freed up and can be used for other purposes.
Features of growing varieties of pickles
It is difficult enough to find information about what special requirements must be met for the correct cultivation of pickle varieties of cucumbers. For the most part, caring for them differs little from the agricultural technology of gherkin or green cucumber varieties. Part of this can be found in the video:
Nevertheless, some features do exist.
Some nuances of pickle care:
- the soil should be somewhat more fertilized and loose than for conventional cucumber varieties;
- the acidity level of the soil should be pH 6-7;
- during all 1-1.5 months of crop formation, regular, balanced and evenly distributed nutrition is necessary;
- before planting pickle seedlings of cucumbers, it is necessary to introduce organic matter into the soil (manure - per 1 sq. m. up to 10 kg.) and fertilizers with minerals (per 1 sq. m. - 5 g of magnesium, 20 g of potassium, 25 g. phosphorus, 18 g of nitrogen, all dosages for the active substance);
- feeding of pickle varieties of cucumbers usually begins 10-15 after planting. It is carried out according to traditional methods and in quantities that do not differ from the feeding of conventional varieties;
- an important nuance - pickled cucumber varieties need more frequent watering, although it is not entirely clear why this is due.There are two possible reasons: fast ripening of fruits or weaker root system in comparison with ordinary cucumbers;
- a mandatory requirement - picking pickles-fruits must be carried out daily. This is due to the fact that, otherwise, adjacent bundles may dry out.
In addition to all of the above, it should be noted another important feature of pickle varieties. They are highly susceptible to cold temperatures. Therefore, in most regions, it is recommended to grow seedlings for 3-4 weeks and plant them after the soil warms up to +14 - +16 degrees.
Most popular varieties
Son of the F1 Regiment
One of the most common early maturing bee-pollinated hybrids, it has a high yield, can be used both for open and closed ground. The female type of flowering predominates, the degree of branching is medium.
Pikuli of this variety, as a rule, have a light green, cylindrical shape. The fruits have light stripes, large tubercles and white thorns. There are usually 2-3 cucumbers in a bunch.
The cucumber variety has increased resistance to most diseases and pests, in particular, the cucumber mosaic virus, powdery downy mildew and the common scab of pumpkin crops.
Filippok F1
An equally common mid-season hybrid that is used for film shelters and open ground.
Fruits practically do not outgrow, remaining firm and crispy and not turning yellow.
They are, as a rule, dark green in color, cylindrical in shape, as well as light stripes and are large lumpy. The yield of this variety of cucumbers reaches 10 kg / sq.m. The plant is vigorous and highly branched, with a predominance of the female type of inflorescences. This variety is characterized by intense fruiting. It is considered one of the highest quality in terms of taste. It is immune to several diseases such as downy mildew, spotting and cucumber mosaic virus.
F1 White Angel
Medium early hybrid of pickled cucumbers. Most often it has short fruits of light green color, which, like a significant part of analogues, have white thorns and characteristic light stripes. The tubercles are located much less frequently than in most other pickles. In addition, the variety is genetically predisposed to lack of bitterness.
This species is practically immune to a disease that is often found in various varieties of cucumbers, namely, downy mildew. The node usually contains 2-3 cucumbers.
Moth F1
The variety is a mid-early hybrid with a ripening period of up to 55 days. It can be used both for film shelters and for open ground. The arrangement of the ovaries is traditional for these varieties, 2-3 fruits each. The yield reaches 10 kg / sq.m. The shape of the cucumbers is cylindrical, short, the fruits have a slightly glossy shade, do not contain bitterness and voids during processing.
Sweet crunch
An original pickle cucumber variety with a bright and unique taste. In addition, the surface of the fruit has a distinct lettuce color, in places almost white, with characteristic black thorns. The mass of one cucumber reaches 50-65 grams.
Marinade F1
One of the most productive early-ripening hybrid pickle varieties. It has a beautiful shape with small tubercles of a classic dark green color. It is used both in greenhouses and outdoors. Possesses high resistance to the vast majority of diseases occurring and characteristic of cucumber varieties: cucumber mosaic, brown spot, powdery mildew.
