Real Colonel cucumbers are a hybrid whose fruits have a sugary taste with a complete absence of bitterness. In marinades and pickles, the culture retains excellent qualities. The plant is convenient to grow in greenhouses and greenhouses because it does not require pollination. Judging by the reviews of summer residents, the variety is one of the best today
The variety True Colonel practically does not form barren flowers on the bushes
Description of cucumbers Real Colonel F1
The variety of greens is indeterminate, unlimited in growth. The bushes are powerful, tall, have average branching, the formation of ovaries occurs in bunches. The leaves are medium in size, bright green in color, and 3-4 fruits are formed in the axils. Each cucumber weighs from 110 to 130 g, grows to a length of 13, maximum 15 cm (does not outgrow), size in diameter is 4-5 cm. The fruits are cylindrical, slightly curved, with dense pubescence and an attractive presentation. Their taste is juicy, crispy, slightly sweet, there is no bitter aftertaste. The color is dark green with pale, barely noticeable light stripes. A cucumber with a thin skin, the surface is covered with large tubercles. The pulp is aromatic, dense, crispy, the seeds are medium-sized. Cucumbers A true colonel of universal use, but, according to some gardeners, they taste better fresh than pickled.
In greenhouse conditions, cucumber varieties grow juicier and larger
Description of the variety
Real Colonel cucumbers belong to the hybrids. Work on it was carried out in the breeding room. The crop is grown in most regions of the country and neighboring countries.
Reference! The breeding plant has been known on the Russian seed market for more than 20 years. This is one of the largest operating companies for the production and sales of seed material.
Distinctive features
In 2004, the crop was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements. The main difference from other hybrids is that they belong to the parthenocarpic type, which means that cucumbers do not require pollination. It is convenient to grow such plants in closed structures where bees do not fly.
Reference! For a long time there was an opinion that parthenocarpic vegetables are unsuitable for preservation. Modern selection has refuted this opinion: the parthenocarpic hybrid in pickling is no worse than other varieties.
The photographs show cucumbers Real Colonel f1.
Composition, benefits, calorie content
The beneficial properties of these cucumbers are undeniable. They contain a high content of microelements and vitamins necessary for health. Real Colonel cucumbers are rich in iron, phosphorus, potassium and iodine. They also contain vitamin C, A, B2 and B9.
Due to their low calorie content (12-14 kcal per 100 g), ripe vegetables are successfully used for dietary nutrition. Scientists have proven that cucumber diets contribute not only to weight loss, but also to increased immunity.
This vegetable is also used in cosmetology, and not only at home. Cucumber lotions, masks, creams rejuvenate facial skin, relieve fatigue, and eliminate bags under the eyes. Cosmetics based on cucumber juice deeply cleanses pores and has a slight whitening effect.
Plant characteristics
The type of flowering is female, indeterminate (not limited in growth). The branching is average, the leaves are medium-sized, bright green. Each leaf axil forms 3-4 fruits, the ovaries are formed in bunches. The bush is powerful.
The ripening period is average, from the moment of emergence to harvest, 38-42 days pass. Fruiting lasts for a long time, until frost.
Productivity is high and stable, from 1 sq. m, 10-12 kg of fruits are collected, provided that 3-4 seedlings are placed in open ground, and in a greenhouse - 2-3 seedlings per 1 sq. m. m.
The culture is characterized by increased immunity to diseases such as cladosporiosis, cucumber mosaic virus, root rot and powdery mildew.
The hybrid quickly adapts to temperature changes. Recommended for cultivation in open ground and in protected structures.
Fruit characteristics
Average weight 100-115 g, length 10-13 cm, cylindrical shape, slightly curved, dense pubescence. The color of the fruit is dark green with faint light stripes. The taste is sweet, without bitterness. The fruits are juicy and crispy.
The use of ripe vegetables is universal, but according to reviews, people like the taste of fresh cucumbers more than pickled ones. Nevertheless, all kinds of pickles and marinades are made from them.
Characteristics of cucumbers Real Colonel
The hybrid has established itself as a variety with high fruit yields and excellent commercial characteristics. A real colonel quickly adapts to unfavorable weather conditions and grows on almost any land. The variety is recommended for cultivation in protected structures and in open areas.
Cucumber yield Real Colonel
The variety is distinguished by extended fruiting; in some regions, summer residents collect fresh cucumbers until the beginning of October. Productivity is stable and high. From a seedling, with proper care of the crop, you can get up to 3 kg of fruit in one harvest, about 12-13 kg per square meter.
Comment! It is better to pick cucumbers in the morning, and it is advisable not to pick them, but to cut them.
Ripening and flowering dates
True Colonel is a variety with a medium ripening period. After the shoots appear, 40-45 days should pass until the final ripeness of the cucumbers. The bushes bloom approximately 1.5 months from the date of planting.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Cucumber variety Real Colonel is not very susceptible to diseases common to the crop. But taking preventive measures, as well as observing the law of crop rotation, will help make the plant’s immunity even stronger and eliminate infection with root rot, tobacco mosaic or powdery mildew.
Among insects, slugs, whiteflies and spider mites are dangerous to the variety. Pest control should begin immediately after detection.
Diseases and pests
The hybrid is immune to diseases dangerous to the pumpkin family. These include: powdery mildew, tobacco mosaic virus, cladosporiosis and root rot. Carrying out preventive measures and following the rules of crop rotation will further strengthen the crop’s immunity and ensure maximum yield.
Carrying out prevention does not imply any specific actions. It is enough to control the level of humidity in the beds and maintain the temperature in the greenhouse (22-25°C). When these indicators increase, there is a risk of developing fungal infections.
A pest that can cause serious damage to plantings is the whitefly. This is a butterfly that not only lives on unprotected ground, but also penetrates closed structures. The drug "Aktara" or a soap solution will help get rid of the pest. It is prepared from one piece of laundry soap dissolved in a bucket of warm water, and not only the stems, but also the leaves of the plants are treated.
According to the rules of crop rotation, if crops of the pumpkin family are planted next to cucumbers, preventive measures are also applied to them. Otherwise, if any plant gets sick, the cucumbers will also get sick.
Powdery mildew
The disease can affect cucumbers with cold watering and high humidity in rainy summers. Dew can be identified by a whitish powdery coating on the leaves and stem. In the early stages of infection, Real Colonel f1 is sprayed with an infusion of nettle or whey. In difficult cases, the variety is treated with drugs such as Topaz or Quadris.
Root rot
A cucumber can become infected with this disease in a waterlogged area at high temperatures. The disease is characterized by brownish rotting ulcers on the roots of the plant variety, gradually rising up the stem. To prevent the Real Colonel from completely rotting, the root collar and lower part of the plant stem are sprinkled with powdered coal or wood ash. The drugs Fitolavin, Gamair and Alrin-B also help well.
Slugs
This parasite attacks cucumbers with high humidity and insufficient weeding frequency. Slugs eat up young shoots of the variety Real Colonel f1. The most effective way to control pests is traps made from cabbage and pumpkin leaves. They are laid out throughout the area under the cucumber in the evening, and early in the morning the parasites hiding under the leaves are collected. To repel slugs, nettles, parsley and balsam are planted around the area under the variety.
High-yielding cucumber variety Real Colonel - video
Advantages and disadvantages
The variety has a lot of advantages compared to many other varieties of this vegetable crop.
A real colonel took the strongest sides from his “parents”
Advantages:
- high productivity;
- weak weaving;
- strong immunity;
- simultaneous ripening of fruits;
- ease of care;
- lack of bitterness;
- marketable condition;
- fruitfulness before frost.
Flaws:
- formation of voids due to temperature changes;
- long seed germination.
Harvesting and application
It is convenient to collect ripe fruits, since they ripen simultaneously on one bush. Ripe vegetables are the same in size and have an attractive presentation. Fruiting is extended, so fresh cucumbers are guaranteed until frost. Fruits, as a rule, do not outgrow - when they reach 15 cm, they stop growing.
The use of cucumbers is universal. They perfectly decorate and complement the taste of any fresh dish and are suitable for making pickles and marinades.
Features of cultivation
The variety Real Colonel can be grown either by direct sowing in the ground or by seedlings. Each option has its own characteristics. The versatility of the hybrid is amazing. A cucumber can even be planted on the balcony, and this will not at all affect the taste and fruiting of the plant.
Sowing in open ground
When growing without seedlings, Real Colonel cucumber seeds are placed in prepared soil heated to a temperature of +16 °C or more. Usually the favorable time for planting the variety is the beginning or middle of May. The plant is best suited to light, non-acidic soil and a well-lit area. Before the procedure, it should be dug up, fertilized with manure, beds should be formed and moistened. The seeds of the Real Colonel are sown in small holes 2 cm deep with an interval of 50 cm. After sowing, the bed is covered with film. When sprouts appear on the surface of the earth and the threat of a sharp night cooling has passed, the shelter from the garden bed is removed.
Advice! To make the soil light, it is useful to add sand or peat, and to reduce acidity, add lime or dolomite flour.
Seedling method
The Real Colonel cucumber is sown as seedlings a month and a half before the intended planting in the ground. To do this, use a nutritious soil mixture and high-quality planting material purchased from a specialized store. It is advisable to take individual containers to avoid subsequent picking of seedlings, which always brings stress to the young plant. Peat pots are best suited for this purpose. The seeds of the Real Colonel are sown in two pieces at a depth of 1-2 cm, after which the plantings are watered with settled water at room temperature and covered with glass or film. Leave the containers in a room with a temperature of +25 ° C until germination. When the sprouts hatch, the pots are moved to a lighted windowsill, the cover is removed, and the air temperature is lowered to +22 0C. During the growth of Real Colonel cucumber seedlings, they carry out the usual care: if necessary, moisten and loosen the soil. When four true leaves are formed on the sprouts, they can be transplanted to a permanent place.
Advice! To improve the germination of seeds, before planting, they should be soaked for eight hours in growth stimulants Zircon or Epin.
The cucumber has a vulnerable root system; it is better not to injure it when transplanting.
Reviews
“I came across a photo of the “Real Colonel” on the Internet and decided to plant it in my beds. For pickling, I choose small cucumbers, and we eat these fresh or cut them into salads. There are a lot of vitamins and the taste is excellent. The bushes are not very branched and are not demanding in care.” Elena, 45 years old.
“I have been growing this variety of cucumbers in a spring greenhouse for several years now. I collect fruits right up to autumn. Delicious and multi-yielding. I store greens in the refrigerator. The seeds do not always germinate, so I germinate them the old fashioned way - on a damp cloth. There were also barren flowers, but this did not in any way reduce the number of ripened fruits. The description of the “Real Colonel F1” cucumbers is true.” Alexey, 49 years old.
Rules of care
A real colonel is an unpretentious variety of vegetable crop. Caring for it involves the following manipulations:
- Watering. The plant needs regular but moderate moisture, which is carried out at the root. In a greenhouse, it is enough to water the crop 1-2 times a week, in the garden based on the temperature regime, frequency and abundance of precipitation.
- Fertilizer. The Real Colonel cucumber is fed for the first time 14 days after planting in open ground. For this purpose, it is better to choose a good mineral complex. The next time the beds are fertilized at the moment the ovaries form, organic matter is used, for example, mullein infusion diluted in a ratio of 1:15. The third feeding occurs at the time of fruiting. At this time, the plant most needs potassium fertilizers.
- Loosening. To improve air exchange, the soil where cucumbers grow should be loosened after each watering, thereby getting rid of weeds.
- Formation of bushes. The variety forms vines with a low growth rate, so there is practically no need for this procedure. Attention should be paid only to the shoots, which are cut off with pruning shears as they grow. For ease of harvesting, the Real Colonel cucumber lashes can be tied to supports.
- Mulching. It is advisable to perform this procedure, but not necessary. It is better to use straw or peat as mulch. This way, the root system of the plant will definitely be protected from temperature changes and pest invasion. In addition, mulch will help retain a sufficient amount of moisture in the ground.
- Disease prevention. At the stage of growth and development, it is advisable to spray the True Colonel cucumber with a mixture of milk, soap and iodine, 1 liter, 30 g and 25 drops, respectively, or a solution prepared from 3 tbsp. l. soda and a liter of water. This procedure will help protect the crop from powdery mildew and rot.
If the rules for caring for the plant are not followed, there is a risk of voids forming in the fruits.
Apparently landing is in progress
Hybrid seeds can be planted in various ways, the most popular of which are: growing in greenhouses, on open ground, and the trellis method.
It is necessary to maintain a distance of 0.5 m between the rows so that the plant does not suffocate as a result of heap growth. In addition, increased acidity and excessive soil moisture can have an adverse effect. The greatest damage will be caused to the root system of the plant, but it is also possible that the taste of the fruit will deteriorate.
Most often, the crop is planted using seedlings, but in the southern regions of the country it can be planted directly in open ground. When planting in a greenhouse, only high quality seeds should be selected. The seed bed must first be loosened.
The soil of dense rocks will block the plant’s access to moisture, as a result of which it will begin to dry out. It is best to plant the variety in areas where apples or tomatoes were planted in the previous season. An excellent harvest can also be achieved by planting cucumbers of this variety in soil rich in nitrogen and potassium. The deficiency of mineral substances is replenished unnaturally with wood ash and humus.
Sowing of seeds should take place exclusively in the warm season, at temperatures above +14 C. In frost conditions, the death of seedlings is possible.
Pest treatment
The hybrid origin makes the variety resistant to many standard fungal and bacterial diseases. However, their prevention ultimately minimizes the risk of infection of the bushes. The rapid ripening of fruits does not allow the use of strong chemicals, as this will make the crop toxic. However, you can treat the bushes with solutions made at home:
- To prevent powdery mildew, a mixture of iodine, milk and soap is prepared. Add 25 drops of iodine, 1 liter of milk and 1 spoon of soap to a bucket of water. This solution should be sprayed on the foliage of the bushes.
- Gray mold is vulnerable to baking soda diluted in water.
- The risk of bacteriosis infection is reduced by two Trichopolum tablets per 1 liter of water.
Among insects, the variety is susceptible to attack by spider mites and slugs. The fight against them should begin in the fall by digging up the area and leaving it to freeze. This will lead to the death of weeds and larvae of harmful insects.
