Cucumber varieties, united by one name “Chinese cucumber”, are very interesting not only in appearance. They have excellent qualities, thanks to which the interest and respect for them from gardeners is growing. Among the unusual new products of this variety is the Chinese snake, bred by breeders of Selectionnaya LLC. The new product was announced in 2013 and entered into the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Russia in 2015. It has access to all regions of the country. Recommended for growing on private farms in film greenhouses and under film covers. It is a hybrid, so it is always labeled F1.
Seeds of varieties called Chinese snakes or Chinese snake are available for sale, but they are not listed in the State Register. There is no F1 mark on the seed package. In the description, the varieties are described as bee-pollinated, which already contradicts the recommendations to grow this crop indoors. Therefore, we will rely on the State Register data, comparing this information with that obtained from other sources.
Description of White Snake cucumbers
Cucumber White Snake f1 is a hybrid variety distinguished by its unusual color and large fruit size. The culture belongs to the salad varieties - parthenocarpics. The variety belongs to the ultra-early variety, since harvesting begins already 35-38 days after the seedlings hatch.
White Snake bushes are distinguished by vigorous shoots, which are covered with female inflorescences, painted yellow. The fruits of the variety are distinguished by their friendly and long ripening. Cucumbers of the White Snake f1 variety are characterized by the following features:
- The fruits, like the Manul f1 variety, grow up to 35 cm and have an elongated oval shape.
- The peel of the cucumber is thin and tender, colored light green.
- Thick and large tubercles are observed on the skin of the White Snake.
- The pulp of this cucumber variety is crispy, elastic and juicy, and does not taste bitter.
Features of cucumbers Chinese snakes
Chinese cucumbers, like traditional ones, belong to the Cucurbitaceae genus. However, they have significant differences. The fruits are much larger, elongated, the length of each can reach 80 cm. Chinese varieties have no bitterness, the flesh is denser, without voids. The skin tastes sweetish, the vegetable has an aroma that is more reminiscent of watermelon or melon.
The Chinese Snake variety is very young, bred by breeders in 2015, and is famous for its long fruits (45-80 cm).
Cucumbers are early ripening, ripen a month after germination. You can enjoy the harvest at the end of spring.
Cucumbers are narrow (diameter no more than 7 cm), with dark green, bumpy skin and light stripes. The weight of each specimen is 300-400 g. Chinese cucumbers are perfect for pickling, canning (in pieces) and eating raw. When pickled, they taste like gherkins. Fresh vegetables do not last long and quickly fade.
The Chinese snake is traditionally raised in greenhouse conditions. Therefore, the fruits are easy to obtain in our latitudes.
Interestingly, the variety does not require pollination. Flowering is mixed; each node produces 1-2 female flowers that bear fruit.
Without shaping and pruning, the bush grows unlimitedly. Therefore, gardeners remove side shoots.
The variety is characterized by high productivity. From one bush it is possible to collect about 30 kg of vegetables. However, this volume can only be achieved by growing in a greenhouse; in open ground the yield is lower.
The plant is resistant to lack of moisture and undemanding to lighting. High temperatures do not affect the condition of cucumbers, provided timely watering. The bushes are resistant to most common diseases.
Landing Features
Hybrid White snake f1 is suitable for cultivation in open and covered beds. It is recommended to grow cucumbers using a trellis. Planting of the variety is carried out in two ways: seedlings and sowing. Cucumbers are planted for seedlings in mid-April. If the variety is cultivated by seed, planting is carried out in the second half of May.
Site preparation
It is advisable to cultivate cucumbers in fertile soil where potatoes or tomatoes were previously cultivated. They begin to prepare the beds in the fall, when the previous crop is collected.
The soil is cleared of tops and weeds, and then the beds are carefully plowed to a depth of 10 cm. The soil is dug up along with manure so that the soil is saturated with mineral components over the winter. In the spring, the beds are loosened and the holes are prepared for planting.
Germination of seeds
Before planting in the soil, the seeds of White Snake f1 must be processed, hardened and germinated. For processing, it is customary to use a manganese solution: the seeds are soaked in liquid for 30 minutes. Next, they begin to harden the seeds. For hardening, two containers are used: with hot and cold water. Initially, cucumber seeds are placed in hot water, and then in cold water. Soak White Snake seeds for 2 minutes in each container.
To germinate White Snake seeds, vegetable growers recommend wrapping them in damp gauze and waiting for the sprouts to hatch. Afterwards, the White Snake seeds are planted in peat vessels to a depth of 2 cm, moistened with warm water and placed in a well-lit place - on a windowsill. While the seeds of the variety germinate, it is advisable to keep the room temperature at 27 degrees. After pecking the cucumber seeds, the temperature is lowered to 20 degrees.
Planting seedlings
White Snake seedlings are planted in a permanent location when the soil temperature warms up to 15 degrees. Planting is carried out keeping a distance so that no more than 2 bushes of the variety are planted per m2.
Cucumbers are planted with a seed depth of 4-6 cm. The bottom of each hole is sprinkled with manure, and after planting, the beds are thoroughly moistened with warm water. If cucumbers are grown in open soil, it is advisable to cover the beds with a thick film.
Agricultural technology
Since this variety is recommended for indoor soil, it is best to choose seedlings as the growing method. True, the germination of seed often leaves much to be desired, therefore, if you plan to plant a large number of bushes, it is best to purchase seeds with a reserve. Seeds for seedlings are sown 20 - 30 days before the intended transplantation into the ground; seedlings that have 3 - 4 true leaves are considered ready for planting. Typically, plants are planted in a greenhouse in late May - early June. The powerful Chinese snake bush definitely needs support, so after transplanting the cucumber is tied to a vertical support. The originators recommend forming the plant into 1 stem, and pinching the side shoots over 2-3 leaves. This method will avoid thickening and unnecessary interweaving of shoots. There are also tips for increasing the productivity of the bush; to do this, pinch the main stem above the 6th - 7th leaf to allow side shoots to develop. Considering the size of the plant, the recommended planting density in the greenhouse is 2 - 3 pieces per 1 square meter. Watering is carried out at the root, as needed, preferably with warm water. Otherwise, care is the same as for the crop as a whole.
The Chinese snake is not at all a fun or joke for breeders. This variety is distinguished by remarkable characteristics - high immunity, good yield, high taste and commercial qualities of greens. These plants can be planted even in the shade - there will still be a harvest. But, as in any barrel of honey, there is, albeit a small, fly in the ointment. In addition to the fact that gardeners complain about the poor germination of seed, there are negative reviews that grown plants are barren flowers. But this problem, most likely, lies on the conscience of the distributors of cucumber seeds, who may allow re-grading.
Care
The agricultural technology algorithm is an important criterion for growing a crop. To ensure that cucumber varieties are not susceptible to diseases and also have different taste qualities, it is necessary to adhere to certain recommendations for planting the variety.
Watering
Water the beds with the White Snake hybrid in the evening. The watering liquid should be left in the sun throughout the day and should not be less than 20 degrees. It is necessary to water the bushes of the variety strictly under the beds so that water does not get on the tops.
Afterwards, vegetable growers advise loosening the soil to remove the dense layer of soil. To do this, use a pitchfork: the tool pierces the soil, thus allowing oxygen and moisture to pass through to the root system of the White Snake.
Top dressing
It is necessary to feed the White Snake f1 variety with organic matter and minerals. During the entire growing season, it is recommended to apply about three fertilizers to the soil.
Description
The plant is indeterminate, tall and fast growing. According to some reports, the height of cucumbers in a greenhouse reaches 3.0 meters or more. The branching is strong, the foliage is good, making the bush look quite powerful. The leaves are large, three- or five-lobed, long-petioled, dark green, rough. Mixed flowering type. Of the flowers formed in one node, there will be from 1 to 2 female flowers.
The green Chinese snake has an elongated cylindrical shape, with a short handle, long - from 50 cm and more. Up to a certain point, the fruit is erect, but then its top begins to bend like a snake’s tail; it is because of this similarity that the hybrid got its name. The color is dark green, with short stripes. The surface of the cucumber is coarsely tuberculate, the tubercles with spines are located quite sparsely. The skin is thin, tender, and does not become rough during growth. The pulp of the variety is dense, without voids, very tender, juicy, aromatic, with a small seed chamber. The taste is sweetish, there is no bitterness. The taste is excellent. The weight of the fruit according to the State Register is 300 - 400 grams.
Diseases and pests
Despite their resistance to some crop infections, cucumbers can be susceptible to pathologies such as powdery mildew and root rot.
Powdery mildew
The most common infection of cucumber crops is powdery mildew. The main signs of the disease are the tops of the variety being covered with white mold. Subsequently, the White Snake bushes begin to rot. Chemicals help fight the disease:
- "Gamair";
- "Alirin";
- "Albite";
- "Bayleton";
- "Tiovit";
- "Raek."
Root rot
Root rot is a disease expressed in patches. The first signs of infection are limp tops and darkening of the roots of the plant variety. Thinning of the stem of White Snake f1 and the formation of small cracks are also observed. The roots begin to darken, soften, and the lower leaves become yellow. The following medications will help prevent infection:
- "Alirin-B";
- "Gamair";
- "Previkur".
Description and characteristics of the variety
The hybrid is notable for its unusual coloring and large size. Refers to new salad hybrids-parthenocarpics.
Female flowers predominate on vigorous shoots, and the fruits ripen evenly and uniformly. Fruiting lasts a long time - from July to mid-autumn.
Country of origin, growing regions
The originator of the hybrid is Russian agro; the cucumber variety is similar to its Chinese counterparts. It is intended for such regions
- like Northern;
- Central;
- Central Black Earth;
- Northwestern;
What are the characteristics of the fruit:
- length 30-35 cm;
- weight 200-240 g;
- diameter 3-4 cm;
- the skin is delicate and thin;
- the flesh is crispy, juicy, elastic;
- the tubercles are large and dense;
- seed chambers are small;
- The taste has sweetness and a fresh aroma.
Features of growing the variety
The greenhouse hybrid needs to be prepared for spring sowing in the fall.
Preparing beds in autumn
The beds in the greenhouse for the Chinese kite have been prepared since the fall. This requires a mixture of humus, sawdust and black soil in a ratio of 1:1:2. The mixture is scattered on the beds so that it decomposes over the winter. In spring, ammonia fertilizers are added to the beds, for example, saltpeter (20–25 g per 1 m2) and superphosphate (30 g per 1 m2).
You can add ash - 1 tbsp. per 1 m2. Phosphorus fertilizers have a positive effect on the formation of ovaries, ash - on the development of vegetative mass.
The beds for cucumbers should be as loose as possible. To prevent the soil from drying out, the surface must be mulched with sawdust or humus.
Variety of varieties
Let's move on to specifics and present the most common varieties of cucumbers from China.
"Chinese miracle"
Bushes of this variety grow very tall. Cucumber plants are powerful with a well-developed root system. From the moment of sowing the seeds until the harvest of the first harvest, up to 70 days pass (late variety). The fruits are relatively small - 50 centimeters. Curved greens are cylindrical in shape (see photo) and have a thin skin with small tubercles. Chinese cucumber of this variety is characterized by excellent taste: sweet, aromatic pulp without bitterness. The plant is resistant to various diseases. The fruits tolerate transportation well.
This is one of the few Chinese varieties that can be canned. Due to their large size, the fruits are first cut into pieces and then placed in jars. And it is best to use them for preparing salads for the winter.
The seedling method of growing cucumbers is preferred. Seeds can be sown throughout March. Embed the planting material into the ground no more than 4 centimeters. Seedlings of the “Chinese Miracle” variety do not require special attention and care; it is enough to provide regular watering and good lighting. When two true leaves appear, the plants need to be pruned.
Growing and care
Seeds planted for seedlings are sown towards the end of the second ten days of April. The grains are planted in the ground after May 15th. Trellis are equipped in advance for tying up long cucumber vines. This is done both in greenhouses and in open ground.
If the crop was grown by seedlings, then the seedlings should be taken out into open ground only after the latter has warmed to +15 degrees. The bottom of the planting hole must be covered with a layer of manure and spilled with warm water. The resulting mixture is sprinkled with dry substrate so that the manure does not burn the roots.
Watering the White Snake is carried out in the evenings, for this they take water that has been in the sun since the very morning. Do not allow drops to fall on the leaves. Irrigate the cucumbers regularly as the top layer dries. Usually this is once every two days, in hot weather - twice a day. After irrigation, they harrow the soil with a pitchfork, releasing oxygen to the roots.
The feeding regime is the same as for other varieties of cucumbers. It will be necessary to add both organic and mineral compounds. The White Snake responds gratefully to feeding with ash, infusions of green herbs, and mullein. Complex mixtures with an emphasis on superphosphate are used from minerals. During the growing season, the variety is fed at least three times.
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