Cucumber Finger - a tall variety with hybrid properties

Cucumber Finger is an early-ripening variety from Russian breeders, which attracts gardeners with its high immunity to various diseases, increased frost resistance and the versatility of using dark green fruits. It is noteworthy that the variety is characterized by long-term fruiting, and its yield is about 6.8-7 kg per 1 sq. m.

Cucumber Finger has a pleasant crunch and does not contain bitterness

Cucumber Finger

Cucumber seeds Finger

Description of the variety

The Palchik variety was bred in the Volgograd region by breeder V. A. Shefatov at the experimental station of the VNIIR named after. N. I. Vavilova. It appeared in the State Register of Breeding Achievements in 2001 for cultivation in the Central, Central Black Earth and Lower Volga regions.

The characteristics of this cucumber are presented in the table:

Cucumber Finger is an original variety with hybrid properties, which explains its disease resistance and cold resistance.

Diseases and pests

Lady's finger cucumber F1 is resistant to diseases such as cucumber mosaic virus, powdery mildew and downy mildew. It is enough to maintain optimal temperature and humidity in the greenhouse. If signs of the disease appear, plants are treated with copper-containing preparations, Fitosporin or Alirin-B.

The Lady's F1 cucumber variety can be affected by spider mites, like other varieties grown in greenhouses. Treating the bushes with an infusion of laundry or tar soap will help get rid of pests.

Agricultural technology

When cultivating the Palchik variety, you need to take into account the following agrotechnical rules:

• There are two ways to grow cucumbers: seedlings or direct sowing of seeds in open ground. In the first case, seeds for seedlings need to be sown in early May, so that 20-25-day-old seedlings can be planted in the ground at the end of the month. When sowing seeds directly into the ground, work should be carried out only after the soil warms up to +15...+20°C during the day, and to +8°C at night. At the same time, the threat of cold snap should completely pass.
• For bee-pollinated cucumbers, choose windless areas so that gusts of wind do not blow away the pollen that is attractive to insects. If the bushes grow in a draft, then the bees will visit them much less often, which will negatively affect the yield. The area must be protected from direct sunlight. Recent studies have shown that more intensive growth of greens occurs in the dark.
• For Fingers, choose loose, airy and moderately moist soil. The beds should not be arranged in places where groundwater accumulates, since with such planting there is a high probability of rotting of the root system of the seedlings and loss of the entire crop. In an excessively humid environment, the risk of developing fungal diseases increases significantly. So, the best option for vegetable crops are light sandy loams and loams.

• Follow crop rotation standards and do not plant cucumbers after other members of the pumpkin family. When growing the same crop in one area, “soil fatigue” occurs. It may contain pathogens that overwintered along with weeds and plant debris from the previous season. To follow the rules of crop rotation, it is worth studying the following table:

• Prepare a bed for sowing cucumbers in the fall. To do this, it needs to be cleared of plant debris and dug up, adding a mixture of 200 g of wood ash, 40 g of superphosphate and 25 g of potassium nitrate. For 1 sq. m area you will need 1 bucket of this composition. The soil can additionally be fertilized with manure at the rate of 25 liters per 1 square meter. m. To make it more fertile and with high aeration, you can add compost or sawdust to it. There is no need to dig up the soil in spring. It is enough to loosen it with a rake and water it generously.
  

  The composition of the soil must be treated with special attention, since the formation of lateral roots and the further development of sprouts depends on it.

• Do not allow the planting to become too thick. The optimal planting frequency is 3-4 plants per 1 square meter. m. Planting depth – 1.5-2 cm.
• Provide the cucumbers with proper care, which consists of systematic watering, fertilizing, weeding and loosening the crusts from the rows. The plant must be pinched above 3-4 leaves, otherwise its branching and yield will suffer.

Direct landing in the ground

When growing cucumbers without seedlings, planting can be done in mid-May, since by this time the average daily air temperature outside reaches +15°C. Sowing of seeds is carried out in pre-prepared soil according to the following instructions:

1. Cucumber seeds, which have a slightly convex shape and are almost identical in size, should be warmed up before planting in the ground and then soaked in a damp cloth for 2-3 days. After this treatment, they will sprout several days earlier than when planted dry.
2. Place the seeds in pre-prepared holes to a depth of 2-3 cm with the nose up and not vertically, but at an angle of 45°. Thanks to this arrangement, the sprouts from the hatched spout will be able to quickly get rid of the seed coat and go up without bending in the ground. In this case, the root system will be able to develop parallel to the top layer of the earth and go deep down. The optimal planting pattern is 30x50 cm.
   

   If you place the seeds in the holes lying down, the sprouts will have to bend to get to the light faster. If the spouts point down, it will be even more difficult for them to germinate. Having spent all your strength on this, the sprouts will turn out weak and sick, which will subsequently negatively affect the health and strength of the bush, so the chances of a rich harvest will be significantly reduced.

3. Cover the cucumber bed with film to protect the crops from night frosts. It will need to be removed in about a week, when the first shoots appear. Some gardeners insulate the garden bed with newspapers, laying them out in several layers. To retain moisture in the soil, the area should be regularly watered on top of the newspaper. Some of it will disintegrate and remain in the ground. The remaining thick pieces of paper should be disposed of in manure, since when they decompose they will saturate the soil with micronutrients.

Description of cucumbers Lady fingers F1

The bushes of the cucumber variety Lady's fingers F1 consist of a main stem and side shoots. The main stem reaches 1.5 - 1.7 m in height, light green in color, large, dense, and bears fruit well.

The leaves are round, medium in size. This feature gives the bushes openness and does not interfere with fruit harvesting. The upper side of the leaves is green, and the lower side is lighter.

The flowers are large and funnel-shaped. Collected in inflorescences of 2–4 pieces.

Interesting fact: Lady's finger cucumbers are a hybrid, which means it is unlikely to be possible to collect seeds from grown fruits. Seed material collected from hybrid varieties does not retain its quality during subsequent planting. What will grow from such seeds and what the harvest will be is unknown.

The fruits of the Lady Fingers cucumber variety have a juicy, green color and an elongated shape that resembles thin, graceful lady fingers. They are covered with small tubercles, the pubescence is grayish in color, the length of the cucumber is 7-10 cm, and the weight is 80-100 g. The pulp of the fruit is dense, with small and not hard seeds, sweetish and without bitterness, and has a bright cucumber aroma. The skin is thin but durable, so cucumbers retain their fresh appearance and taste for a long time.

Judging by the photos and reviews of gardeners, the cultivation of Lady Fingers F1 cucumber can be carried out: in greenhouses, greenhouses, balconies, loggias, and in summer cottages. The variety grows well in unpretentious conditions, but needs good lighting, loose, nutritious soil and moisture.

Planting cucumber through seedlings

The seedling method is often used for year-round cultivation of cucumbers in a greenhouse. In this case, to obtain a rich harvest, it is necessary to grow strong seedlings. It needs to be prepared 20-25 days before transplanting the seedlings to a permanent place, following the following instructions:

1. To grow seedlings, prepare a substrate from turf soil, lowland peat, manure and sawdust in a ratio of 4:4:1:1. For 10 liters of this composition add 6 g of urea, 14 g of superphosphate, 8 g of potassium sulfate and 2 g of magnesium sulfate. In order not to prepare the substrate yourself, you can purchase it at a garden store.
2. Pour the soil mixture into containers, moisten and sow the seeds to a depth of 1-2 cm, but no more, otherwise germination will be delayed, since the greens will emerge from under the soil only after the formation of lateral roots. As with direct sowing in open ground, place the seeds with their nose up and at an angle of 45° so that the hatching sprout can easily split the seed coat and then be able to develop without any obstacles.
3. Cover containers with crops with polyethylene or 2-3 layers of newspaper and keep them in a room with good lighting at an air temperature of about +25°C. The newspaper needs to be sprayed from time to time to keep it wet and allow oxygen to reach the seeds. Without the right amount of moisture and air, the plant may die. When the first shoots appear, remove the shelter and gradually lower the air temperature by 5°C. During this period, there is no longer any need to water the seedlings, since there is already enough liquid in them.

With the arrival of consistently warm weather and warming of the soil to +15...+20°C, the seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent place of germination. As a rule, the optimal time for planting is at the end of May. By this time, the seedlings should grow to 25-30 cm and acquire 4-5 true leaves. When transplanting it into the ground, it is worth considering the following recommendations:

• optimal planting pattern – 30x50 cm;
• before planting, you can add a little manure or compost to the prepared trenches, and then sprinkle the fertilizer with a layer of soil;
• the roots of the seedlings should be deepened by 30 mm, but if the height of the bushes exceeds 25 cm, it is better to make the holes deeper - by 40 mm;
• After the seedlings are placed in the hole, carefully guide them, sprinkle them with soil and press them with your hands.

After planting in open ground, the plants can be covered with film. When the night temperature returns to normal and the threat of frost has completely passed, the secondary cover can be removed and cucumbers can be grown on a trellis.

Seedling care

After planting the finger cucumber in open ground, it is necessary to organize proper care for it, which consists of carrying out a number of agrotechnical measures.

Organization of an optimal microclimate

If a vegetable crop is grown in a greenhouse, the air temperature in it must be maintained at +21...+23°C, since it is optimal for the growth, development and abundant fruiting of cucumbers. To bring in fresh air, the room must be regularly ventilated.

Watering and loosening

The cucumber crop loves moisture, but it must be watered carefully, since excessive moisture will lead to rotting of the roots and the development of fungal diseases. There should also be no lack of moisture, as this will cause bitterness in ripened cucumbers.

When watering a plant, you should proceed from the following rules:

• Water the bushes every day in the evening or early in the morning, before sunrise. Adjust the frequency of watering depending on weather conditions. So, on dry days the bushes can be irrigated 2 times a day, and on cloudy days - once every few days.
• Pour at least a bucket of water under each bush. However, you cannot flood the roots, since stagnation of moisture around the plant will lead to the development of fungal infections. To definitely avoid such consequences, if possible, it is worth organizing a drip irrigation system. On hot days, it is advisable to spray the leaves of the plant to protect them from premature falling and prolong the fruiting period.
• For irrigation, use only settled warm water. If it is cold, it will cause a temperature shock in the plant, which will lead to a massive discharge of ovaries, so the harvest will be meager.

After watering, the soil between the rows should be loosened from crusts, which is necessary for the rapid growth of the plant. At the same time, it is worth weeding from weeds. After such manipulations, it is recommended to mulch the bed with dry grass or straw to prevent excessive evaporation of moisture on hot days.

An overview of the rules and methods of watering cucumbers in open ground and greenhouses can be read in this article.

Top dressing

During the entire growing season, the cucumber needs to be fed several times in clear sunny weather. Here is an approximate scheme for applying fertilizing:

• on the 14th day after emergence or after transplanting seedlings into the ground, apply nitrogen-potassium fertilizers under the bush, which will help the plant grow green mass and become stronger;
• at the stage of mass flowering, fertilize the plant with phosphorus;
• if the thermal regime is violated, foliar fertilize the plant with potassium, phosphorus and iron in order to stabilize the shaken balance in its body;
• When filling greens slowly or developing weak and small fruits, add diluted liquid mullein (1:10) to the soil, and also periodically feed the plant with urea or humus.

Bush formation

Cucumbers of the Finger variety are tall, so they should be grown on vertical trellises along which the seedlings will climb. This will make it easier to spray the plant and harvest.

If the vegetable crop is grown in a greenhouse or greenhouse with a high ceiling, with the appearance of 3-4 true leaves, the main vine of the bush must be pinched over the trellis.

Protection from diseases and pests

To protect the plant from fungal diseases, you must follow all watering rules, avoiding excessive waterlogging of the soil. Preventive treatment of bushes with chemical and poisonous preparations will help protect the crop from cucumber diseases and pests.

Good results in the fight against mites, various beetles, caterpillars and aphids are shown by folk remedies that are harmless to the plant. Among them, the most effective for the bee-pollinated variety Finger are decoctions of potato and tomato tops. Spraying the leaves and stems with copper sulfate also helps. If this is not the case, you can use a soap solution.

To scare away slugs and parasites that settle on the roots of bushes, the bed should be sprinkled with wood ash or ash flour.

Advantages and disadvantages

Considering the advantages of these cucumbers, it is worth highlighting the following positive aspects:

• high productivity;
• early ripening;
• long fruiting period;
• resistance to major diseases
  ;
• versatility of fruit use;
• bitterness
  in them .

Advice. These cucumbers are great not only for canning and pickling, but also for fresh consumption - raw and for cutting into salads along with other vegetables.

Among the disadvantages of this hybrid of cucumbers, one can note the small size of the greens and some unevenness in their ripening.

Pros and cons of the variety

Cucumber Finger has the following undeniable advantages:

• long fruiting period (about 60 days);
• excellent taste and attractive appearance of universal greens;
• bunch formation of cucumber ovaries;
• good transportability;
• high immunity to many fungal diseases, including tolerance to downy mildew;
• resistance to spring and autumn frosts;
• wide area of ​​zoning;
• high yield (up to 7 kg per 1 sq. m).

The disadvantages of the variety include:

• the need for timely pinching;
• pollination by bees;
• loss of taste and marketability by greens if they are overgrown.

Cucumber Finger is a variety of hybrid origin that is not afraid of downy mildew and bears fruit for 60 days. It can be grown both in open ground and in film conditions. Ripe fruits can be eaten fresh, and can also be used to prepare preparations for the winter.

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Characteristics of the variety

Cucumber Lady fingers F1 is an early ripening, high-yielding variety. The first greens appear a month after sowing. It usually takes another 10-14 days before active fruiting begins. Considering the cold resistance of the variety and the possibility of growing it by seedlings, if you have a greenhouse, it is quite possible to enjoy fresh cucumbers at the end of May. And if you try, you can get two harvests per season by planting the second batch of seeds at the end of June.

However, the Lady Fingers F1 cucumber bears fruit for at least a month. Then the number of new ovaries decreases, but they continue to form. If the plants are healthy and the care is correct, the greens are removed before the end of summer.

Cucumber Lady fingers F1 shows excellent productivity. Especially when cultivating the variety in greenhouses, where you can get up to 30 kg of vegetables from 1 m². In open ground, the yield does not exceed 16-18 kg per 1 m² of area.

To get the most out of your Lady's F1 cucumber, it needs proper care. Namely: timely watering, application of organic and mineral fertilizers. Regular collection of greens plays an important role. During the period of active fruiting, it is recommended to collect them every other day. On the one hand, this stimulates the formation of new ovaries, on the other hand, it will not allow the cucumbers to outgrow. It's still a gherkin.