Description of Asterix cucumbers
Cucumber Asterix f1 is a hybrid variety that was developed by Russian and Dutch breeders in 1997. The variety is intended for cultivation in the soils of the Central and Central Black Earth regions and in the areas bordering them.
Asterix is grown not only in open ground, but also in film shelters, as well as in greenhouses and greenhouses. When growing cucumbers in greenhouses, vegetable growers have to pollinate the plant themselves.
Cucumbers ripen 40-50 days after the first shoots appear, so Asterix f1 belongs to the mid-season varieties. Cucumbers can be grown both in personal plots and in industrial quantities.
Characteristics of the variety:
- The hybrid bush variety is a medium-sized plant with moderate branching and the formation of a small number of lateral shoots;
- The roots of the Asterix plant are strong and branched;
- The foliage of the variety bushes reaches small sizes and has a rich green color with a wrinkled surface and wavy edges;
- Description of the fruit: cucumbers grow up to 13 cm and have an oblong-cylindrical shape;
- The skin of the cucumber is not thick, dark green in color with small white spines and bumps;
- Description of the pulp: the fruits of the variety have juicy, elastic and aromatic pulp that does not have voids;
- Taste characteristics of cucumber: sweet, crunchy, fresh and without bitterness.
Characteristics, features and description
The peculiarity of the variety is that the main bunches of ovaries are concentrated on the main lash. The lateral ones are poorly developed; experienced gardeners prefer to pinch them off altogether. The timing of fruit ripening greatly depends on what the weather conditions will be this year. The average time is 48 – 54 days.
The lashes are medium-sized, strong and well developed. The root system is powerful. The leaves are not very large, slightly wrinkled, normally dark green in color, with a slightly wavy edge. The fruit is cylindrical, slightly tuberculate, 10-12 cm in length (this parameter is very stable), with white spines and well-defined ribs. The cut is round. The average weight of a cucumber is 66-87 g. The maximum yield is 4.2 kg per 1 m2.
Pros and cons of the variety
The long cultivation period of the hybrid Asterix f1 allows one to judge the advantages and disadvantages of the variety. Since the variety is popular among vegetable growers, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the description of the positive characteristics of the cucumber.
pros
- Asterix is famous for its high productivity, since there are up to 15 kg of fruits per 1 m2, and 335 centners of cucumbers per 1 hectare;
- Excellent presentation of the product;
- Cucumbers have excellent taste;
- The variety is characterized by strong immunity to most common crop diseases;
- Developed resistance to dry weather;
- Asterix is versatile in its use of fruits;
- High shelf life and resistance to transportability of cucumbers.
Minuses
Thanks to their growing experience, vegetable growers have identified the disadvantages of growing a hybrid variety:
- Asterix is not susceptible to low temperatures;
- Cucumbers do not contain seeds for subsequent sowing, as a result of which the seed must be purchased anew.
Landing Features
In order for the cucumbers to be beautiful and uniform in shape, and for abundant fruiting, vegetable growers recommend following all the rules for planting the Asterix f1 hybrid. Since the variety can be planted using two methods (sowing and seedlings), experts suggest paying attention to the timing of planting each method and paying special attention to preparing the beds.
As a rule, vegetable growers who cultivate Asterix f1 in cold areas, where the soil reaches the required temperature in mid-June, use the seedling method. Below is a description of all the rules for landing Asterix.
Landing dates
Seeds are planted in open soil in late May - early June. By this time, the soil warms up to 15-17 degrees Celsius. Seeds are planted for seedlings in mid-April.
Site preparation
Since Asterix is a cucumber that does not tolerate low temperatures, it is recommended to plant the variety only in the southern part of the garden. The beds should be located in a sunny area, out of the wind.
After harvesting - in the fall - the soil is carefully dug up and all weeds are removed. The beds are fed with mineral components such as manure and compost.
In spring, the soil is fed with a mixture of peat, humus and sand. Other mineral components are also added to the soil and the soil is thoroughly watered with warm water. Afterwards, dig shallow holes for planting Asterix f1 seeds.
Planting seeds
Unlike the Monolith variety, Asterix seeds do not require treatment, since the seed is sold already treated with fungicides. However, vegetable growers recommend hardening the seeds. This is due to the fact that cucumbers are not resistant to low temperatures and, in the event of unexpected cold snaps, the plant may die.
To harden Asterix seeds, dip them in hot water at a temperature of 50 degrees for 2 minutes, and then dip them in cold water for 2 minutes. After completing the steps, the cucumber seeds are placed on gauze and allowed time to dry.
In open soil, Asterix seed is planted in holes, the depth of which reaches 1.5-2 cm. The top of the holes is sprinkled with earth, mulched to a depth of 1 cm and the future plant is covered with a thick film.
Planting seedlings
To grow Asterix seedlings, purchase containers with a volume of 500 ml and plant them in special soil, or in a mixture of substrate, garden soil, humus and sawdust. Cucumber seeds are placed in a container up to 2 cm deep, watered and put in a warm room.
After the first sprouts of the Asterix variety appear, containers with seedlings are moved to a window on the south side of the building. Before planting cucumber seedlings in open beds, the roots of the plant must be treated with a stimulant such as “Epin” or “Zircon”.
Seedlings are transplanted at the age of 3 weeks, or when the soil temperature reaches 15 degrees Celsius. After planting, the plant is watered with warm water and covered with film for several days.
Planting scheme
The Asterix f1 cucumber is planted according to the 40x60 scheme: 40 cm are left between the bushes, and 60 cm between the beds. This planting scheme allows the Asterix bushes to grow without intertwining with their neighbors and without interfering with their development. In addition, such planting does not complicate harvesting and carrying out all plant care procedures.
Care
Like most other varieties of cucumber crop, Asterix f1 needs standard agrotechnical procedures: watering, fertilizing and hilling the beds, forming and tying up the bushes of the variety. To ensure that the care procedure does not lead to the death of the plant or transformation of the cucumber, vegetable growers offer a list of recommendations, the description of which is presented below.
Watering
It is recommended to water Asterix when the sun is not too hot: in the morning or evening. To water cucumbers, as a rule, warm water is used, infused in the sun's rays, or heated independently. Sprinkling of bushes is occasionally allowed.
Watering work must be carried out strictly at the root of the bushes of the variety so that the plant is not subject to root rot. As a rule, more than 25 liters of irrigation liquid are used per 1 m2. The amount of watering work depends on weather conditions. If there is a drought, Asterix bushes need to be watered daily. In warm weather, cucumbers are watered once every 2-3 days.
Garter and bush formation
Asterix is a cucumber variety that needs to be shaped to a vertical trellis. As a rule, the main stem is fixed to the trellis, and its top is directed downward. Vegetable growers also suggest pinching the side shoots of the cucumber. At the time of pinching, the lower branches and the main stem of the variety should not be cut off. The remaining strands of the cucumber must be pinched at a distance of 50 cm.
Top dressing
Over the entire season, Asterix is fed 3 times. All fertilizing of the variety is carried out with complex fertilizers “Clean List”, “Agro Nova” or “Rodnichok”, and also feeds the soil with potassium, superphosphate, urea and nitrophoska.
Hilling
To prevent bark from forming on cucumber beds, the soil must be loosened and hilled. Due to the fact that the root system of the cucumber is located close to the surface, the soil is carefully pierced with a pitchfork. Hilling up beds with cucumbers is carried out so that the roots of the plant can strengthen and the plant has the opportunity to form new roots.
Diseases and parasites
Despite the resistance of Asterix f1 to diseases such as powdery mildew, olive blight, cladosporiosis and cucumber mosaic, if not properly cared for, the cucumber variety is susceptible to downy mildew and pests such as aphids and thrips. In order to promptly notice a disease or pest, experts recommend familiarizing yourself with the description of infections and methods of combating them.
Downy mildew
Downy mildew (PDM), or peronosporosis, is a dangerous infection that can destroy all bushes and fruits of the Asterix variety. The first signs of the appearance of downy mildew are the formation of spots and holes in the leaves of the plant, the formation of oily spots of a wide variety of shapes. In addition, the leaves of the plant acquire a brown color, and a white coating with small black spots forms on the lower part of the leaf.
The disease also destroys cucumber varieties: the fruits acquire a light color and lose their taste (they become not juicy and tasteless). To prevent infection of the variety, cucumbers are treated with the chemical components “Alirin-B”, “Ordan”, “Topaz”, “Acrobat MC” or “Quadris”.
Aphid
Aphids are small pests that have an insatiable appetite for plant food. The insect reproduces extremely actively and rapidly destroys the crop. Often, melon aphids grow on cucumbers. When aphids appear on a plant, sticky droplets form on the bottom of the leaves, and the leaves begin to change shape, curl and wither. In addition, as a result of the invasion of aphids, the ovaries and flowers of the plants begin to fall off, and a large number of ants appear on the beds themselves.
To combat aphids, vegetable growers suggest using the preparations “Karbofos”, “Iskra-Bio”, “Aktara” and “Tanrek”.
Thrips
Thrips is a small and common pest, as a result of which thin stripes of gray or white color are formed on the leaves of the plant. There is also a slowdown in the development of cucumbers and the plant itself, wilting and falling of leaves, and ovaries stop forming on the bushes. To get rid of thrips, you need to use the substances “Aktelik”, “Karate”, “Karbofos”, “Fitoverm” or “Vertimek”.
Diseases and pests
Breeders have declared that the hybrid is resistant to a typical set of cucumber diseases, which makes it a very practical choice for gardeners.
Asterix f1 cucumber has a high degree of resistance to:
- cucumber scab (fruit cladosporiosis);
- cucumber mosaic;
- powdery mildew.
It has an intermediate degree of resistance to downy mildew (may appear as a result of severe waterlogging). On the affected leaves, mottling first appears, and then light yellow spots appear. Over time, these spots merge and turn into affected areas, the color of which ranges from yellowish-brown to brown.
To defeat the fungus, remove and burn damaged parts of the plant. The remaining ones should be treated with fungicides (0.5% solution of Bord mixture, Ridomil, Kurzat and Oksikhom), following the instructions.
Of the pests, the greatest damage to cucumbers is caused by:
- spider mite;
- aphid;
- thrips.
You can use Actellik, Talstar, etc. against them. The biological product Actofite is also effective against spider mites (maximum effectiveness at temperatures above 18-20˚C).
Compliance with the rules for caring for crops is an excellent prevention that will minimize the risks of all diseases.
Harvesting and storage
Since Asterix f1 has a high productivity rate, it is recommended to collect cucumbers once every 2 days. If you do not harvest in a timely manner, cucumbers prevent the formation of new fruits and also begin to outgrow.
It is recommended to store cucumbers in cool rooms where the air temperature reaches 5 degrees Celsius. As a rule, basements such as a cellar or basement are suitable for storage.
How to grow
The cultivation method is chosen at your discretion: sowing in open ground or seedlings. If we are talking about seedlings, the sowing time is early May. They are sown in the ground 2 weeks later, when the soil does not cool below +8°C at night.
Sowing
If seeds are sown in seedling pots, their diameter must be at least 8 cm. Planting depth is 2 cm. Pre-soaking the seed in a weak solution (1%) of manganese or humate fertilizer will significantly speed up the emergence of seedlings.
Boxes with seedlings need additional lighting, since the optimal daylight hours are at least 10 hours. In this case, hardening for 2-3 hours in the afternoon must begin 7 days before planting in the ground, since a sharp transition from room conditions to the scorching sun will lead to the formation of burns on the leaves. At night the boxes are taken into the house.
Seedlings are planted in beds at the age of 20-25 days, when they have 3-5 true leaves. Scheme: 30 cm between plants and 50 cm between rows.
Care
The first fertilizing with organic fertilizer is carried out at stage 1 of the true leaf. Watering is necessary every 3-4 days. Moreover, water consumption is up to 30 liters per 1 m2. Plants need regular loosening to a shallow depth and feeding alternately with humate and complex mineral fertilizers (1-2 times a month). Good results are achieved by mulching the rows with peat or sawdust. The cucumber will not get too dirty on the ground, and the soil will not dry out too quickly.
Harvesting
Collection should be done frequently - with a maximum break of 2 days. If you delay picking, the cucumbers outgrow and lose their taste, and the vine tends to dry out, believing that it has fulfilled its reproductive function.
Among the important advantages of this hybrid:
- High and stable yield.
- Resistant to drought and disease.
- Excellent taste of cucumbers and their keeping quality.
Flaws:
- Does not tolerate even short-term cold snaps.
- Self-collected seeds are not suitable for sowing.
All these circumstances ensured high demand for Asterix seeds not only among gardeners, but also among agricultural firms specializing in the commercial production of cucumbers. Everyone can grow a good harvest.
