Just a few years ago, a magnificent variety of cucumbers, bred by Dutch breeders, appeared and immediately became popular. Numerous positive reviews and descriptions characterize the Gunnar F1 cucumber as an early-ripening variety with excellent taste.
Tall, indeterminate hybrid cucumber bushes with short side shoots are excellent for growing in greenhouses, but they also grow well in outdoor beds.
History of variety development
The cucumber hybrid Gunnar F1 was bred by breeders from the Dutch breeding and seed company Enza Zaden at the beginning of this century. In a short time, this cucumber became known in many former republics of the USSR, is grown in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia and was included in the State Registers in these countries in 2010, 2013 and 2014, respectively. According to the descriptions, this hybrid is recommended for cultivation in greenhouse conditions in all Russian regions in spring-summer and summer-autumn rotation.
Growing cucumbers Gunnar
The timing of sowing Gunnar is in a very wide time range and depends on the location and purpose of cultivation:
- in a heated greenhouse for early production - February-March;
- for seedlings for planting in a summer greenhouse - end of April;
- for seedlings for planting in open ground - early May;
- for growing in a greenhouse without seedlings - May;
- for growing in open ground without seedlings - early June;
- to obtain an autumn harvest in a greenhouse - early August.
Description
Cucumber Gunnar F1
This parthenocarpic early-ripening hybrid grows well and bears fruit in greenhouse conditions, since it does not require pollination by insects - the ovaries are laid and filled without pollination.
In parthenocarpic vegetables, the seed material does not ripen completely, so the fruits grow smooth and beautiful and can be stored for a long time.
Cucumber Gunnar F1 is early ripening in terms of fruit ripening; from the moment of seed germination to the harvesting of ripe cucumbers, it usually takes about 45 days.
All collected cucumbers of this variety are 100% marketable.
This hybrid is indeterminate , so its central shoot has unlimited growth power, but the side shoots are quite short and medium-leafy.
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Cucumber Gunnar F1 in section
The foliage of these cucumbers is not too large, slightly wrinkled, and dark emerald in color.
Cucumber Gunnar F1 is quite demanding in terms of lighting, so it is recommended to tie its vines to trellises or special cucumber nets. Also, for better yield, it is recommended to form the bushes of this cucumber into one stem. This formation allows you to simultaneously strengthen the root system of plants, and all the forces of the plants will be directed to quickly filling the greens.
The flowers on the vines of this cucumber are mainly formed only of the female type, which are collected in bouquet inflorescences in the axils of the leaf blades - 2-4 ovaries in each.
Zelentsy - gherkin type, spindle-shaped, small in size (about 10-12 cm in length) and an average weight of about 90-100 g. The skin is dark green in color, smooth, compacted, coarsely tuberculate, with light spines and dense light pubescence.
The pulp of cucumbers is tender and juicy, quite dense, light green in color with a small amount of soft seeds in the central part of the fruit. The pulp has no voids and is not bitter. Tasting assessment of ripe cucumber greens Gunnar F1 – 4.9-5.0 points.
The harvested crop of these cucumbers can easily withstand transportation over any distance and is characterized by high shelf life, which is very important when growing this hybrid for further sale of products.
Reviews from vegetable growers
The cucumber variety Gunnar F1 is highly valued not only by summer residents, but also by farmers who grow it in greenhouses on an industrial scale.
Anna Peresporova, 45 years old, Voronezh
The cucumber variety Gunnar F1 differs from other hybrids in having more powerful and thick stems. Even in low light it gives excellent results. Responds well to feeding. If you follow very simple rules of agricultural technology, then you don’t need a better variety.
Kolpakov Gennady, 68 years old, Nizhny Novgorod
For the third year now I have been growing cucumbers of the Gunnar F1 variety on my plot and I do not regret my choice. High yield is combined with excellent taste and ease of care. Cucumber Gunnar loves feeding, as it consumes a large amount of nutrients during active fruiting. I feed it with rotted manure, bird droppings, and use mineral supplements. Excellent variety.
Popova Galina, 52 years old, Klin
I am engaged in the industrial cultivation of cucumbers. Last year I decided to try a new Dutch cucumber variety, Gunnar F1. He pleased with high yields and excellent presentation. It transports well, and most importantly – excellent taste, which consumers especially pay attention to. A good variety for greenhouse production.
Karamelkov Boris, 64 years old, Krasnodar
I have been planting Gunnar cucumbers in my garden for two years now. I plant the seeds directly into the ground when constant heat sets in. They quickly produce friendly shoots and do not require pollination by bees. Maintenance is simple - water, feed and tie up on time, as the bushes are very tall. The harvest is good. Cucumbers are delicious both fresh and pickled.
The main advantages of the hybrid
The main advantages of the Gunnar F1 cucumber include:
- early ripening of products;
- good taste and appearance of harvested greens;
- the possibility of growing crops in greenhouse conditions, in film greenhouses and in garden beds;
- the harvested crop easily tolerates transportation over different distances and has a long shelf life;
- greens - universal purpose;
- good yield;
- resistance to cladosporiosis, powdery mildew, cucumber mosaic virus;
- this hybrid grows well even on soils with a high amount of salts;
- resistance to short-term cold snaps.
Cucumber Gunnar F1
Agricultural technology
"Gunnar" forms a compact plant, which makes harvesting easier and care less labor-intensive.
The first 5-6 axils are blinded, that is, shoots and ovaries are removed. Next, only the ovaries are left, and all side shoots are removed. The lash is twisted on a trellis (height approximately 2.2 meters), the growth point is pinched behind the 3-5th leaf. The lower leaves are removed as they age. The optimal number of simultaneously ripening fruits on a cane is 3-5 pieces.
Since “Gunnar” bears fruit very actively, it requires an increased amount of minerals for a full growing season. This must be taken into account and fertilizing should be done more often than for other varieties of cucumbers.
In order to keep the soil moist, it is recommended to mulch the soil, and for watering it is better to use a drip system.
Planting and care
To get a good harvest of these cucumbers, it is necessary to follow the rules of agricultural technology when planting seeds and further caring for the plants.
The seeds of this hybrid should be planted in the beds when the soil warms up to 20 degrees Celsius. Before planting, the soil should be shed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection, and organic matter and mineral fertilizers should be added to it to increase fertility.
If this hybrid is grown by seedlings, then it is better to sow the seeds in separate containers, on the bottom of which it is necessary to lay a layer of drainage so that irrigation water does not linger in the nutrient mixture.
The nutrient substrate for sowing cucumber seeds Gunnar F1 can be purchased annually in gardening stores, or you can prepare it yourself at home, preparing all the necessary ingredients in the autumn.
To prepare a loose nutrient substrate, you need to mix the following components in equal parts: garden soil, humus, peat, and 1 cup of wood ash. A pair of seeds is placed in each container, sprinkled with a 1 cm thick layer of soil on top, watered and covered with polyethylene so that the seed material germinates faster. During seed germination, the room temperature is maintained within 25-27 degrees Celsius.
After sprouts appear in the cups, the polyethylene is removed and the room temperature is reduced to 20 degrees Celsius. You need to moisten the soil in glasses regularly as the soil dries, but do not allow it to become too wet.
When one true leaf appears on the sprouts, leave the strongest one in each container and remove the rest. The seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place approximately a month after the sprouts appear, when 5-7 permanent leaves appear on the seedlings.
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Seedlings of this cucumber can be transplanted into greenhouses already in the second ten days of May, and into garden beds - in the last ten days of May - the first ten days of June, depending on the climatic growing conditions in a particular region.
The beds for this cucumber crop are arranged in sunny areas protected from strong winds, directing them from north to south. You also need to take into account the rules of crop rotation, and plant cucumber crops after various types of cabbage, peas, beans and other green manures.
Most Frequently Asked Questions
We have systematized readers' questions, and here are the most effective recommendations for them.
What to do if the leaves turn yellow
Nitrogen fertilizing is required. Urea in the form of 15 g per 1 m2 or in a solution of 40 g per 10 liters of water is suitable.
Why fruits grow poorly
It is important to establish temperature, water and food regimes. Conduct regular fertilizing with organic matter, do not skip watering, and shade the greenhouse in extreme heat.
Flowers are falling off, what should I do?
Spraying flowers with boric acid helps solve the problem. Also, avoid overheating and drying out the air in the greenhouse.
The cucumber is bitter, how to fix it?
Establish regular watering, eliminate nitrogen-potassium starvation of plants.
Feeding
The soil in the area where the Gunnar F1 cucumber grows should be loose. However, you need to remember that the root system of these cucumbers is located close to the surface of the earth, so ordinary loosening of the soil can lead to their damage. Typically, sufficient soil aeration is ensured by adding organic fertilizers to the soil and mulching the root zone with peat.
Usually, all ovaries and shoots are removed from the first 5 axils, and only one ovary is left in the next four. In the future, as the lash grows, all side shoots should be removed, leaving flowers with ovaries. When the central vine reaches a height of 2 m, its top is pinched, and the shoot itself is wrapped around the upper edge of a trellis or cucumber net.
When cucumbers of this variety begin to ripen, they are harvested slightly unripe within 12-14 days. In the future, it is recommended to collect ripe produce regularly, every other day.
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What to feed?
For best growth, cucumbers must be treated with complex fertilizers at various stages of cultivation. Offer plants nitrogenous fertilizers. As an option: dilute 60 grams of superphosphate and 20 grams of urea in ten liters of water. Or use the following recipe: take 10 grams of ammonium nitrate, superphosphate, potassium salt and pour into a bucket with ten liters of water. As an addition to mineral fertilizers for cucumbers, rotted compost based on cow manure or chicken manure can serve.
The cucumbers are then fed just before flowering. Makes the following mixture: take and mix 20 grams of potassium and ammonium nitrate, 40 grams of superphosphate per 10 liters of water.
It is recommended to sprinkle the soil with ash obtained from burning logs after watering and before loosening. If you don’t want to get fancy with your own prepared cucumber fertilizers, then you can use ready-made mineral fertilizers purchased in the hardware department of the store. For example, such as:
- "Radifarm".
- "Magnisal".
- "Gumat".
