Cucumbers Harmonist F1: variety description, planting, care, photos, reviews

Vegetable growing » Cucumbers

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Kira Stoletova

The Harmonist cucumber variety is a novelty in the modern vegetable market. It is characterized by high yield and taste, so every gardener wants to grow this variety on his own plot. Moreover, it does not require special care, which is great for beginners in the field of gardening.

Description of the cucumber variety Harmonist

Description of cucumbers Harmonist

Cucumber Harmonist f1 is a self-pollinating hybrid. Unlike the cucumber variety Rodnichok f1, the plant is medium-sized, no more than 1-2 meters. The leaves are medium sized, dark green in color. 3-4 shoots are formed in one node.

Fruit weight is from 90 to 120 grams.

The cucumber has the shape of a cylinder, a dark green hue, small tubercles on the peel and a barely noticeable white fluff. The length of the cucumber of the Harmonist variety is 10-12 cm. The diameter is 3-3.5 cm. The cucumber is juicy, crispy, sweet, with a small number of seeds.

Harmonist f1 female type of inflorescence, mid-season - fruits are observed on the 40-50th day. The plant bears fruit for a long time and has high productivity. The variety grows equally well both in greenhouses and in open ground.

Description and characteristics of the variety

A hybrid variety has been created, and one of the popular distributors is “Lucky Seeds”. In 2008, he received registration in the State Register, which recommends growing it throughout Russia, except for Siberia, the Urals and the Lower Volga region. But even in these areas it grows well in greenhouses.

The bushes of the hybrid are medium-sized, the lashes reach a length of about 160 cm. They have medium branches, a moderate amount of foliage, it is dark green. The flowers are predominantly female and do not require the participation of insects for fruit set. The greens are collected in small bunches of up to 4 pieces.

The fruits ripen quickly - approximately 40 days after the sprouts appear. They reach 10-13 cm in length and weigh about 100-130 g each. The diameter can reach up to 5 cm. The shape is elongated, cylindrical. The surface of the dark green skin is covered with many faint tubercles and white edges. The color of the skin is uneven; there are light spots and stripes, which are normal.

The taste of the fruit is excellent, the pulp is juicy and dense, without voids, and has a pronounced aroma. Greens have high pickling qualities; they are suitable for fresh salads and for freezing in slices.

Pros and cons of the variety

Information about Harmonist f1 cucumbers will be incomplete without touching on the positive and negative qualities of the variety.

pros

Description of the advantages of the Harmonist f1 variety:

self-pollinating;
mid-ripening;
the variety bears fruit for a long time;
has excellent taste;
has high productivity;
neatly shaped fruits;
unpretentious;
universal in use;
the variety is resistant to a number of diseases;
The harmonist is great for both salting and marinating.
resistant to transportation.

Minuses

Description of the negative characteristics of the Harmonist f1 variety:

Cucumber seeds are not suitable for planting.

Disease Prevention

This variety is quite resistant to common diseases. But it is important to understand that preventive measures will never be superfluous, because the future harvest depends on it. As a preventive measure, it is necessary to use preparations containing copper. They will prevent the emergence of diseases from which this species is not yet protected.

It is better to use external disinfection against the influence of insects. Since this species belongs to self-pollinating crops, you don’t have to worry that insects carrying out pollination will suffer from the drugs.

Landing Features

Harmonist f1 is suitable for planting both in a greenhouse and in open ground. The variety can be grown by direct sowing in the ground. However, to save time before the first harvest, gardeners plant cucumbers in seedlings.

Seeds of the Harmonist f1 variety are usually planted in late April - early May. Planted in the ground with 4 true leaves after 25-27 days. Approximately early June.

Site preparation

Description of the best soil for the Harmonist f1 variety:

The soil for cucumbers must be fertilized with compost, manure and ash.
The soil should not be highly acidic. The acidity of the earth is pH 6-7.
Windless area. Cucumber Harmonist f1 does not like drafts.
The area should be well lit. The cucumber variety loves the sun's rays, but does not like the scorching sun.
The best predecessors are potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, herbs, eggplants and onions.
Unfavorable predecessors are cucumbers and pumpkin crops.
Good neighbors are cabbage, onions, peas, sunflowers, beets and beans.
Bad neighbors are carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, berry bushes.

In order for the Harmonist to produce a better harvest, you need to dig up the bed allocated for sowing in late autumn and fertilize it with organic matter.

Planting seeds

Cucumbers are very difficult to transplant, so it is better to plant the seeds in peat containers. Description of planting cucumber seeds of the Harmonist f1 variety:

Fill the container two-thirds full with soil.
Water the soil with water.
Make a groove.
Place the seed in the furrow to a depth of 1-2 cm.
Cover the seed with soil.
Cover the container with film.

The plant begins to sprout on the fourth day. After germination, the film must be removed. The seedlings are grown at home for three days at a temperature of plus 16-18 degrees. Next, the thermometer scale rises to plus 20-23 degrees. Seedlings are planted in an open area of land after 25-30 days.

Planting seedlings

Transplant seedlings into open ground only after the ground has completely warmed up. Seedlings are planted in greenhouse buildings immediately after the appearance of 2-3 full-fledged leaves. Description of planting cucumber seedlings of the Harmonist f1 variety:

Prepare a bed 15-25 cm deep.
Fertilize the soil with wood ash and mineral fertilizers.
Water and loosen the soil.
Make holes.
Plant peat pots along with seedlings in the holes.

Cucumbers are planted from late May to early June. Harmonist f1 is a fairly compact variety with medium-long shoots, so the holes are made according to a 50 by 50 cm pattern, that is, 4 holes per 1 m².

Growing rules

If you follow the rules, you will get a good harvest

In cold regions of the country, this species should not be grown immediately in open ground. The thing is that the root system may freeze and rotting will begin, so planting should be done in a greenhouse. Seed preparation is not necessary. The breeders made sure that there was no need to germinate the seeds or treat them with special growth stimulants, because this species has high germination rates, even with normal planting.

The soil should not have a high concentration of chlorine or acid. This can negatively affect the root system. If you don’t have much choice, then you should add a small amount of lime to the soil. It will slightly reduce the level of negative substances. You should also wait until the soil warms up to a temperature of 18°C. The depth of introducing seeds into the soil should not exceed 2-3 cm. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for them to rise. Experts say that the first shoots are easy to notice within a week.

After planting, it is necessary to immediately water the plant. It is best to do this with water at room temperature and only in the evening. This will allow the moisture to fit into the soil better. It is necessary to maintain a distance of 30 cm between the rows. But between the holes it should be 40 cm (if planted in a greenhouse). Growing in open ground has slightly different parameters. Due to the fact that the description of this variety of cucumbers speaks of their compactness, the row spacing should be about 35-40 cm. But between the holes it is necessary to maintain a distance of 50-60 cm.

Care

The fruiting of the cucumber variety Harmonist f1 completely depends on proper planting and further care of the plants.

Watering

When the soil dries out, the cucumber requires watering. Usually, it is customary to water the cucumber variety twice a week, but at prolonged high temperatures, watering is carried out three times.

Harmonist f1 does not like cold water. After watering with such water, fruiting may decrease.

In the scorching sun, water getting on the leaves can cause the plant to burn. Therefore, irrigation occurs at the root. The best time to water the plant is early morning or evening.

Garter and bush formation

Shoots of cucumbers of the Harmonist f1 variety must be tied up, since the variety needs the formation of a bush. Thanks to this, growth and fruiting increase. Tying can be horizontal or vertical. Vertical tying to a trellis is considered the best and most effective. Description of the advantages of tying cucumbers Harmonist f1 to a trellis:

Saving land. With a trellis, you can collect as many fruits from a 1 m² bed of cucumbers as from 5 m² of cucumbers tied horizontally.
Good lighting. Vertical tying improves plant growth conditions, as each cucumber receives more light.
The plant is better ventilated, thereby reducing the risk of cucumber disease from excessive moisture.
Easier plant care. It is convenient to form a bush, water it, and inspect it for symptoms of disease.
Easy to harvest. Each fruit is clearly visible.
Purity of the fruit. The cucumber does not lie on the ground, so it is always clean.
Slugs do not get to the fruits, since the cucumber is not in contact with the ground.

Tying is carried out after the plant has 4-5 leaves and reaches a height of 30 cm. It is also necessary to form a bush by removing 4 leaf axils. Above 65-85 cm, stepchildren stop removing. At a height of 1.6 m, the growing point is removed.

Top dressing

Fertilizing should be done no more than 5 times per season. During flowering, cucumbers must be fertilized with chicken droppings diluted with water. The ratio is 1 to 20. During fruiting, chicken manure with water is also added at a ratio of 1 to 20.

To improve fruiting, minerals are used. Mix 20 grams of double superphosphate with 15 grams of ammonium nitrate. The mixture is diluted with a 10-liter bucket of water and the plant is fertilized at the root.

Hilling

To improve productivity and increase fruiting, cucumbers need to be hilled. Hilling is carried out once every 2 weeks, that is, when the bed begins to fly. When hilling, it is important not to damage the root system. First you need to water the cucumber, since dry hilling is contraindicated. Then use a scraper to loosen the soil. We lower the tool into the ground no deeper than 3-5 cm, as the root can be damaged.

Harvesting

Harmonist cucumbers ripen within 40–45 days after emergence, since the variety is early ripening. Harvesting must be done in a timely manner, which will give the bush the strength to produce a high-quality harvest. If cucumbers are picked when they are overgrown, the number of ovaries may decrease.

Cucumbers of this variety are universal and suitable for:

canning;
pickling;
fresh use for salads.

Cucumbers of the hybrid variety Harmonist do not require special growing and care conditions, they are not susceptible to many diseases characteristic of this crop. Even novice farmers can grow them; the variety has high yields.

Diseases and parasites

Cucumbers are susceptible to diseases that can destroy the crop.

Powdery mildew

Powdery mildew or powdery mildew is the most common disease of cucumbers. If you do not take urgent measures, you can lose the plant and the harvest. The main sign of powdery mildew is the simultaneous appearance of spots on the outside of the leaves and a white coating on the inside. Over time, the spots begin to darken and grow, and the leaves begin to deform and dry out. If you start the disease, the root itself will be affected.

There is a disruption in the supply of nutritional components to the fruits. The growth of cucumbers decreases and the fruit becomes bitter. At the first signs of the disease, bactericidal drugs help: Albit, Gamair, Bactofit. In case of mass infection, chemicals are used: bayleton, topaz, speed. They are used for diseases of most plants. To work with chemicals, you must wear protective clothing and a respirator. To rid the plant of the disease, one spray is enough.

Fusarium

Fusarium or dry rot is a fungal infection. Fungal spores spread through the soil and are carried by wind and water. The plant becomes sick and begins to wither. To get rid of the disease, you need to remove the infected bush. Healthy seedlings and the ground around them should be sprayed with a solution of potassium permanganate, and the cucumber should be sprinkled with ash.

Meloidogynosis

Meloidogynosis or nematode is a multitude of microscopic white worms that live in the tissues of the plant, and sometimes in the cucumbers themselves. The nematode pierces the plant tissue and sucks the sap, causing the plant to weaken and stop growing. Having penetrated to the root of the plant, the worms also suck out the sap. Swellings - galls - appear. The water balance and supply of nutrients to the cucumber trunk and its leaves are disrupted. The leaves begin to wither. If the root system is affected, the plant must be destroyed to stop the development of garden pest larvae.