How to grow cucumber Courage F1 in open ground and get maximum yield

Features of the hybrid

The most worthy variety for growing in open ground. Delicious cucumbers without bitterness, crispy with a number of positive qualities:

1. high productivity,
2. early ripeness,
3. resistance to diseases,
4. powerful root system,
5. cultivation without pollination and in different weather conditions,
6. not afraid of transportation.

You will get all these qualities by properly caring for the plant in the garden.

Planting scheme

When planting, it is important to consider the recommended density. There should be no more than 2 bushes on one square meter of land. A plant without shaping grows too lush and dense. The stem must be pinched.

Scheme for planting seeds or seedlings: the distance to the neighboring crop is 35 centimeters, between rows or beds is 50 centimeters. Seedlings are transplanted at the age of 20 days. Without removing it from the pot, it, together with the earthen lump, is transferred to a shallow hole. For sowing seeds, make a groove 4 centimeters deep. 2 seeds are planted in each hole. After two weeks, the seedlings are thinned out.

In the open ground

The culture is perfectly adapted to the weather conditions of a temperate continental climate. When grown in open ground, cucumbers of the Kurazh F1 variety are sown at the end of May. If the weather is warm, the soil has warmed up to 10 degrees, vegetables are sown in mid-May. With the seedling method, pre-grown seedlings at the age of 20 days are transferred to the garden bed in the middle or end of May.

First, the soil is dug up, loosened, fertilized with organic matter and minerals. As they develop, the stems are pinched and tied to a support. Culture must grow upward.

In the greenhouse

Courage F1 is grown in greenhouses, film or glass greenhouses. In areas protected from adverse weather conditions, an earlier and higher harvest is obtained. Before planting, the soil is renewed, fertilized with organic matter and minerals. For one square meter of greenhouse plot you need to add a bucket of rotted humus or compost, 30 grams of urea, 40 grams of superphosphate and 25 grams of potash fertilizers.

Cucumbers sown as seedlings in early May will ripen in early June. In greenhouse conditions, the plant is protected from the vagaries of the weather, but a too hot and humid climate can affect the quality of the fruit: they begin to rot. The greenhouse should be constantly ventilated, the soil should not become waterlogged, and the crops should be provided with good lighting.

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Description and characteristics

The agricultural company "Gavrish" occupies one of the first places among suppliers of seed material. She has been breeding new varieties for more than twenty years.

Courage F1 entered the State Register of Breeding Plants of the Russian Federation in 2002, and a year later became a sales leader.

The description for Courage F1 cucumbers states that they belong to the parthenocarpic type with predominantly female flowers. What does it mean?

A parthenocarpic hybrid is capable of forming ovaries without pollination. These cucumbers are ideal for growing in greenhouses.

However, the fruits have practically no seeds. The purpose of male flowers is to pollinate.

Since parthenocarpics do not need it, only female flowers are formed on the bushes, always with an ovary.

Courage F1 is an indeterminate variety, that is, a plant with unlimited growth.

Most of the ovaries form on the central stem. The liana grows up to three meters.

The shape of the cucumbers themselves is cylindrical, the weight of one reaches 120 g.

The color of the vegetable is dark green, the taste of the pulp is sweetish. Cucumbers contain vitamins and microelements.

The variety is mid-season, 45 days pass from germination to fruiting.

Courage F1 is resistant to powdery mildew, cucumber mosaic, root rot and olive spot.

A powerful root system ensures stable shoot growth. The ovaries have a bouquet structure.

Under favorable conditions, their number can be 12 pieces. 10 kg of crop is harvested from one square meter.

The purpose is universal; cucumbers are used both fresh and canned. Heat treatment does not change the color of the vegetable.

Among the characteristics of the Kurazh cucumber variety, its cold resistance and high immunity to diseases characteristic of cucumber crops are noted. Especially important is immunity to powdery mildew, real and downy, which affects plants during the fruiting period, when treatment with powerful drugs becomes impossible.

Pros and cons of a hybrid

Parthenocarpic cucumbers Kurazh F1 have many advantages, the main one of which is high yield. Even if the summer turned out to be cold and cloudy, you can count on indoor hybrids.

The culture is drought-resistant. Since there are no seeds, the pulp has a delicate structure, and the cucumber is not bitter.

Plantings can be formed twice as densely, which saves space in closed ground.

According to reviews, Courage cucumbers are versatile in growing methods and are suitable for open ground and greenhouses. They have a number of advantages for which they are valued by both homestead owners and farmers who grow vegetables for sale.

Among the obvious advantages:

• fast ripening times;
• high productivity;
• lack of tendency to overgrow and bog greens if the harvest is untimely;
• Courage F1 cucumbers are immune to most diseases;
• good adaptation to sudden changes in temperature and humidity;
• excellent taste of fruits both fresh and canned;
• Kurazh F1 cucumbers form greens with an attractive appearance, which they do not lose during storage for 10-14 days and transportation.

Among the disadvantages, it is worth noting the need for care . It is expressed in the need to shape and tie up bushes.

Cucumber Courage F1 is also demanding on timely watering. During dry periods, with uneven watering, the fruits can form internal voids, and their skin acquires a bitter taste.

1. Indeterminate varieties have to be periodically shaped and additional supports used.
2. If the crop grows on depleted soils and fertilizing is applied rarely, the fruit may develop bitterness.
3. Water that is too cold for irrigation will cause the bush to wither and reduce yield.
4. For Courage F1 to bear fruit without problems, it requires a lot of light.

In open ground, parthenocarpics cannot avoid pollination by insects. Because of this, seeds begin to form. As a result, the vegetable is deformed.

Advantages and disadvantages, features, differences from other varieties

The number of varieties and hybrids of cucumbers known today is clearly too large, and even experts sometimes cannot distinguish similar varieties, much less give a clear comparison of certain characteristics. Cucumber Courage is a representative of universal vegetables, both in terms of use and in terms of growing conditions. Therefore, of course, it cannot but have disadvantages, but the number of advantages is much higher. The obvious advantages of the hybrid include:

• high productivity;
• self-pollinating;
• excellent presentation and taste of the fruit;
• transportability of the crop and duration of storage;
• resistance to main types of diseases (olive spot, powdery mildew, mosaic, etc.);
• adaptability to growing conditions;
• precocity;
• versatility of use.

Experts consider the disadvantages of a hybrid:

• the need for proper bush formation;
• the need for qualified care, without which the yield is sharply reduced;
• high cost of seeds.

The main feature of the hybrid is the “bouquet”, that is, the arrangement of cucumbers in bunches. True, there are more and more such varieties and hybrids, and it is difficult to clearly and unambiguously compare Courage with such well-known bunch-type cucumbers as, for example, Claudia, Thumb, Robin Hood, Junior Lieutenant, Children on a Branch and many others.

In recent years, even a fashion for bunched cucumbers has arisen, but, to be honest, the differences in the proposed options are so insignificant that experienced gardeners gradually stop rushing at each new name. In this sense, Courage is a consistently well-proven hybrid that has its many fans.

Does it make sense to pay a lot of money for seeds of such hybrids? This question also comes up more and more often. After all, the usual well-deserved varieties of cucumbers, such as Muromsky, Nezhinsky, Altaisky, Konkurent, etc., have not gone anywhere. And you can get your own seeds from them! Yes, in most cases, hybrids are more productive, disease-resistant, etc. But it is not a fact that a cheap Competitor will grow up less tasty than the expensive Courage. Although, of course, the difference in the properties of their fruits is enormous, and it is not entirely fair to compare examples from different weight categories.

Growing Courage F1 cucumbers in open ground

The cucumber hybrid Courage can be grown both in a greenhouse and in open ground. Summer residents successfully use both seedling and non-seedling growing methods.

Pre-sowing seed preparation

Even the advantages of this hybrid cannot contribute to obtaining a good harvest if the seeds are planted incorrectly. Therefore, proper planting and cultivation are very important.

When purchasing seeds, gardeners hope to receive high-quality seed material, however, it should be carefully checked.

Pre-sowing preparation begins with sorting using a saline solution:

1. The seeds are placed in the solution and stirred for about two minutes.
2. Those that float should be thrown away immediately, and those that sink to the bottom should be washed and dried.
3. It is also a good idea to pickle the seeds in a manganese solution.
4. Next, they are wrapped in gauze and placed on a radiator or in a warm place.

In order for the seed to grow faster, it can be placed in a growth stimulator. Some gardeners harden the seeds by placing them in the refrigerator for two days.

Courage F1 cucumbers can be planted with seeds directly in open ground or you can first grow their seedlings at home. In any case, in order to plant cucumbers in fertile soil, it must be cultivated.

Firstly , it is important to monitor crop rotation. Courage f 1 cucumbers should not be planted in a bed where legumes, cabbage crops or potatoes were previously grown.

Secondly , soil preparation has been carried out since the fall. Each square meter is enriched with three glasses of wood ash and three buckets of manure. About 70 g of nitrophoska is added. In spring, the soil is dug up and covered with film to warm the ground. Seeds should be planted in open ground in early May using a 50x50 pattern to a depth of four centimeters.

However, it is safer to grow Courage F1 cucumbers with seedlings. The seeds are planted in separate containers and covered with polyethylene on top. Before germination, the containers are placed in a warm place. Afterwards, the film is removed, and the seedlings are cared for in the form of regular but infrequent watering and feeding with slurry manure.

Cucumber seedlings are planted in open ground 25 days after emergence. You can't wait for cucumbers to outgrow. It is important that the soil has already warmed up to +14 degrees by this time. It is better to plant the hybrid in open ground in early June.

Some gardeners are sure that it is quite difficult to grow cucumbers in open ground. However, everything is quite the opposite: creating ideal conditions in greenhouses is problematic. Despite the fact that the air temperature inside them is much higher than outside, in extreme heat, Courage F1 cucumbers can burn, and if there is poor ventilation, they can get sick. Even the cucumber variety Kurazh, resistant to many diseases, can contract various types of rot or anthracnose.

In open ground, although not ideal, healthier conditions are created for high-quality cultivation of cucumber crops.

Several schemes can be used:

1. The horizontal type involves moving seedlings into holes, the distance from each other being 40 cm. You can also plant seeds. In this case, the seedlings are thinned out after 14 days. This growing method does not involve creating support for cucumbers, and the plants simply spread along the ground.
2. Vertical growing involves making supports in the form of pegs or trellises. Plants are planted in furrows, the distance from each other is 100 cm. The seeds are located at a distance of 15 cm from each other. And the seedlings are 35 cm.

Soil preparation

1. The optimal soil for the hybrid is neutral and fertile.
2. Before planting seedlings or sowing seeds, you need to dig up the soil with a shovel full and cover it with film for a couple of days so that it warms up well.
3. It is advisable to fertilize the area under Kurazh ahead of time, in the autumn, by adding 3-4 kg of manure per 1 m², 250 g of wood ash or soot, 1 tbsp. l. nitroammofoski.

Planting seeds in open ground

This method is suitable for gardeners in warm regions with hot summers and fertile soil. Heavy seeds are selected for planting.

It is better to purchase material from trusted manufacturers with a good reputation. In the fall, the beds are prepared in advance.

Suitable predecessors for cucumbers are legumes, onions or cabbage. The earth is dug up to 10-15 cm, cleared of debris and weeds. Add peat or humus to the soil.

In April, the soil is dug up again and ash or sawdust is added. Fertilizers make the soil more nutritious and fertile.

Before planting, the seeds are disinfected with soda. For 1 liter of water there are 10 g of powder. The material is soaked in the resulting solution for 24 hours. A solution of succinic acid also gives an excellent effect. For 1 liter of water you need 15 ml of acid. Processing time 18-25 hours.

The distance between the holes should be at least 50 cm. The seeds are placed in grooves to a depth of 3 cm. 4-5 seeds are placed in each hole and sprinkled with loose soil on top. After 10 days, the seedlings are thinned out, the distance between the sprouts is reduced to 40 cm.

Seating arrangement

In addition to disinfected seeds, seedlings require a suitable container. The plant is planted in wooden boxes, flower pots, plastic cups, and kefir bags.

Experienced gardeners purchase special peat capsules. The container is made of environmentally friendly material, easy to use, and inexpensive. Peat tablets take up little space; they are placed on the windowsill in a tray.

The soil for seedlings is also prepared in advance:

• To do this, use soil from the garden mixed with manure and ash.
• Before planting, the soil is disinfected with a solution of manganese or aloe juice.
• The seeds are placed in holes and covered with soil, then watered abundantly with warm water.

The optimal temperature for seedlings is 28 degrees Celsius. As soon as the first shoots appear, the temperature is lowered to 18 degrees. Water the seedlings every 5 days.

How to form a bush

The plant should not grow chaotically on the ground; it is necessary to form a bush. A lattice support is better suited for this, both for greenhouses and open ground. This way you can achieve high yields and make harvesting easier.

Correct bush formation:

1. in 4 leaves from the bottom of the plant, remove the ovaries and shoots;
2. leave the fruits in the areas between the base of the leaves and stems of the horizontal vines, except for the last three axils;
3. Wrap the main stem around the horizontal wire 2 times and pinch.

For proper growth of the bush, it is necessary to pinch the tendrils and shoots, establish the correct direction of shoot growth, and remove excess leaves.

How to prepare seedlings?

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Courage F1 cucumbers are usually grown using the seedling method. Before planting seeds for seedlings, they need to be disinfected. To do this, use specialized products “Epin-Extra”, “Baikal EM-1” or simply a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.

Cucumbers are sown in separate pots (peat can be used) and covered with film to germinate. The optimal air temperature in the room where they germinate should be 27-28 degrees, otherwise seedlings may not appear. To ensure this temperature at the end of April or beginning of May (when seedlings begin to grow), you can set it near the radiator.

Courage F1 is usually grown using the seedling method.

After the shoots emerge, the film is removed and the seedlings are placed on the windowsill. Now the suitable temperature is 18-20 degrees Celsius. They are watered from time to time and can be fed with an ash solution. A week before planting in a permanent place, Courage F1 cucumbers are hardened. After 4 weeks, when 4 leaves have formed, the seedlings can be transplanted. This period usually occurs at the beginning or end of June. The earlier the planting is done, the greater the gardener’s chances of getting the maximum yield from the plant.

It is worth noting that the crop can also be grown by seeds; the seedling method simply saves time on the growth of cucumbers. Seeds are planted in the ground in mid-June.

Outdoor care for Courage cucumbers

First of all, follow the watering regime.

Drying out the soil negatively affects the taste of the vegetable, which becomes bitter and watery. Water the beds with warm water, as cold water leads to the formation of gray rot and inhibited growth.

To retain moisture, the soil is mulched, that is, straw or fresh mown grass is added to the beds. Before watering, the soil is loosened so that it becomes more nutritious and airy. The loosening depth is no more than 10 cm, so as not to damage the delicate and fragile roots.

The hybrid needs nutritional supplements. Usually mineral and organic fertilizers are alternated.

During the flowering period, yeast is added to the beds (a pack of yeast is dissolved in 10 liters of water and left to brew for 3 days). Fertilizing stimulates the growth of cucumbers and improves taste.

After 2 weeks, chicken manure is added, which is rich in zinc, potassium, iron, copper and zinc. Use fertilizer 2-3 times per season.

Top dressing

Courage needs to be fed approximately 6 times during the growing season:

1. The plants need to be fed for the first time as soon as a couple of true leaves appear. The best option in this case is to use urea - 1 tbsp. l per bucket of water (this is the norm for 1 m² of soil).
2. The second fertilizing should be done 14 days after the first; it is advisable to dissolve 0.5 liters of mullein in a bucket of water and distribute this fertilizer per 1 m² of soil.
3. The third fertilizing can be done at the very beginning of flowering, for which you need to dissolve 300 g of wood ash or soot and 1 tsp in a bucket of water. urea - the norm per 1 m² of soil.
4. The remaining three feedings are carried out during the fruiting period, focusing on the growth of the fruit (if there is a normal yield of the crop, then you can limit yourself to four feedings, if the cucumbers grow poorly, then you can carry out an additional fifth and sixth feeding).

To feed Kurazh cucumbers during the fruiting period, they usually use: 0.5 liters of chicken manure per bucket of water and 250 g of ash, also dissolved in a bucket of water - the norm per 1 m² of soil

You should not think that pinching and shaping the bush ends with caring for a varietal hybrid. Proper care includes regular fertilization and soil moisture.

Stages of fertilizing:

1. 2 weeks after planting the seeds. Cucumbers are fertilized with fresh cow manure, which is diluted with water 1 to 10.
2. At the beginning of the bush's flowering. Such feeding is carried out on the basis of herbal infusions.
3. During the period of active fruiting. It is performed using herbal infusions, as well as the addition of wood ash.

It is recommended to water Courage cucumbers in the evening. Water with slightly warm water without flooding the crop. Moisture is introduced at the root without touching the tops.

When and how to harvest

The first fruits can be collected 35-40 days after planting the crop. Harvesting takes place in the morning or evening over several days. Thus, gradually torn off fruits will give the opportunity to form new ovaries.

The harvested cucumber crop can retain its beneficial properties for up to 7-10 days. It is worth taking into account that belatedly harvested fruits practically do not outgrow and remain the same color and size.

When you do everything right, the harvest will not take long to arrive.

How to collect

• To prevent cucumbers from overgrowing and inhibiting the ripening of the others, the crop must be harvested every 2 days.
• As soon as the first frost hits, the entire crop must be harvested at once and the vines removed.
• The fruits of the Courage hybrid must be cut with a knife so that the stalk remains on the stem, but it is not recommended to shift the lashes.

How to save

1. You need to harvest either early in the morning or in the evening, it’s great if an hour after watering. Cucumbers collected at this time can lie in a closed plastic bag in the refrigerator for a week without spoiling and remain completely fresh.
2. If there is no refrigerator at the dacha, but you need to preserve the fruits, then you can fill a bucket with cold water and place the cucumbers there. If you change the water every day, they will last for about 10 days without spoiling.

Reward for labor: harvesting

How to pick cucumbers?

You can start harvesting Courage around mid-July. This should be done at least every 2 days. It is undesirable to keep cucumbers on the bushes for several reasons:

• this slows down the ripening of other fruits;
• The taste deteriorates and the skin becomes rougher. The most appetizing cucumbers are the unripe ones.

The optimal length of the fruit ready to go to the table or in a jar is up to 10 cm. Collection should be planned for early morning or late evening. It is better to use pruning shears or sharp scissors so as not to injure the lash and leave the stalk on it.

Do not turn over the leaves and vines to avoid harming the plant.

Where and how long to store Courage F1?

The best storage container is a wooden box.

At temperatures up to 10ºC, the harvested crop will last for about a week, or even 10 days, without losing its pleasant taste and marketable appearance. The main thing is to provide the cucumbers with suitable conditions:

• high humidity (up to 90%);
• protection from sun rays;
• covering with opaque but breathable material.

If you place Courage in a cellar, it will last for about a month at a temperature of 0°C. It is stored in one layer on wooden pallets, boxes or cardboard boxes, the bottom of which is covered with film. The harvested fruits must be free from defects.

Please note: at room temperature, Courage becomes lethargic after 2-3 days.

How to use the collected fruits?

Courage is delicious fresh, so many gardeners are not lazy to prepare salads with it every day. This variety of cucumber is also suitable for processing in different ways:

• pickling;
• pickling;
• use in combination with other vegetables in cold appetizers.

Diseases and pests

Even the most disease-resistant hybrids get sick from time to time. Cucumber Courage is no exception.

The most common diseases are:

1. Powdery mildew appears as a white coating on the leaves. The causes of infection lie in high humidity and improper care. For prevention, spraying with ash solution, Bordeaux mixture, and potash fertilizers is used. If measures are not taken in time, the leaves will dry out and the cucumbers will stop growing. An effective remedy for combating powdery mildew is the drug “HOM”.
2. Cladosporiosis is a brown olive blight. It develops quickly in rainy and cloudy weather. The source of infection can be soil, weeds, seeds. To prevent disease, gardeners water the beds only with warm water and follow the rules of crop rotation. Fundazol or Oxychom products help in the fight against cladosporiosis.
3. When infected with gray rot, the leaves, stems and fruits become covered with a light gray coating. Bacterial disease occurs due to an excess of minerals and low temperatures. If the disease has just appeared, then the bushes are treated with Rovral. For a more serious fight against gray rot, use Bordeaux mixture or the drug “Bayleton”.

Among the pests, the root-knot nematode will attack cucumber beds. Small worms are difficult to see with the naked eye. The pest damages the roots, causing the entire plant to dry out. Sterilization of the soil and treatment with a solution of copper sulfate help fight the worm.

If not properly cared for, you can find mole crickets, whiteflies, and aphids in the garden beds. To avoid their negative effects, experienced gardeners follow the rules of crop rotation, care for the plant in a timely manner, and fertilize the soil.

During growth, monitor the condition of the plants. This variety is well protected from most diseases, but some may still occur.

1. Anthracnose
   - light spots on plant leaves. Bushes affected by this disease are destroyed, the remaining sprouts are sprayed with a solution of potassium permanganate.
2. Bacteriosis
   is angular brown spots on the leaves and fruits of the plant. Remove infected leaves and fruit. Spray the bushes with a solution of copper sulfate diluted in lime milk.
3. Fusarium
   is the complete wilting of a plant. The plant is not cured and is simply removed. To avoid disease, treat the soil before planting with potassium permanganate and water.
4. White rot
   is a manifestation of a white fluffy coating on a plant. Remove affected leaves and infected parts. Spray the plants with water and copper sulfate.

It is recommended to carry out preventive treatment with fungicides, for example, Ridomil.

Table: Pests attacking the plant

Photo gallery: What do harmful insects look like?

Due to mites, which Kurazh is susceptible to, the leaves turn yellow and wither over time.

The growth fly loves young cucumber shoots

Collecting slugs by hand is not difficult, but it is a hassle. Better to use traps

Interesting fact about Courage

Cucumber of the Courage f1 variety is the painstaking work of the Gavrish company. Since 2002, the hybrid variety has been listed in the State Register.

Cucumbers Courage f1 are one of the most successful developments of the agricultural company. After all, after the appearance of the hybrid, several very important problems were solved:

1. The vegetable crop has a bouquet arrangement of ovaries, which gives 100% yield.
2. Such cucumbers are parthenocarpic.

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Advantages and disadvantages

The strengths of the Courage variety are:

• high yield (6-12 kg per unit area);
• the ability to self-pollinate, so it can be successfully grown in a greenhouse without creating special conditions for the formation of ovaries;
• resistance to many cucumber diseases and heat;
• fruiting of greens with excellent taste and commercial qualities;
• good transportability;
• Possibility of cultivation in different climatic regions.

As for the disadvantages of the hybrid, they look like this:

• high cost of seed;
• demanding care and formation of bushes;
• the possibility of bitterness and voids appearing in fruits due to insufficient watering.

Cucumber Courage is a hybrid that attracts gardeners with its precocity, early ripening and excellent taste. The plant has a bouquet type of placement of ovaries, therefore it is distinguished by high and stable yield. In addition, it is parthenocarpic, so it does not require pollination by bees or other insects.

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