Cucumbers are the most important part of summer-autumn preparations for any housewife. And the jars lined up in long rows with various types of cucumber twists are truly a symbol of Russian hospitality. This is probably why it is so important, despite the abundance of varieties and hybrids of cucumbers currently offered, to choose for yourself the one that you want to plant again and again, and not worry about problems with growing it, but just collect all the new and tasty recipes for cucumber preparations . In many of its characteristics, the Elegant cucumber is just such a problem-free variety.
Advantages and disadvantages
According to reviews from gardeners, this bee-pollinated variety of cucumbers has the following advantages:
- early fruiting;
- low maintenance requirements;
- rich taste of the fruit;
- good frost resistance;
- relatively low cost of planting material;
- overripe cucumbers do not become covered with yellow spots.
An important feature of the Izyashchny variety of cucumbers for residents of the northern regions is that the fruits remain crisp for a long time after pickling.
Due to the fact that the plant was originally bred for the northern regions, this crop is not characterized by high yield. If the gardener removes the fruits late, the skin of the cucumbers becomes rough. Another disadvantage of the vegetable crop is that the number of male inflorescences on the stems significantly exceeds the number of female ones, which makes self-pollination more difficult. That is why cucumbers of the Graceful variety are not grown in greenhouses.
Varieties of cucumber varieties (for canning, self-pollinating, according to ripening period)
First of all, varieties of cucumbers are divided according to the method of their consumption. Therefore, there are salad varieties that are consumed only fresh, varieties whose fruits can be used for pickling and canning, and universal varieties that can be used for any purpose. Of course, this assumes that all types of cucumbers can be eaten fresh. But, for example, you won’t be able to get good pickles from the salad variety. This is explained by the fact that the peel of such cucumbers is thick, which does not allow the saline solution to penetrate inside the cucumber, and the pulp does not contain sugary substances. Pickling varieties have a thin peel and a lot of sugary substances in the pulp, allowing them to ferment and produce crispy, aromatic cucumbers. Cucumbers are also divided according to where they are grown. There are greenhouse varieties of cucumbers and ground varieties. Ground varieties are more unpretentious for cultivation, but their yield is somewhat lower than that of greenhouse varieties. Greenhouse varieties are more picky about growing conditions and require maintaining a certain temperature and humidity. But ground cucumbers are more tasty and aromatic. Since cucumbers have two types of inflorescences - male and female, in order for the fruit to set, pollination of the female flower by the male is necessary. Typically, this is done by insects, in particular bees. But, since this method is not very effective, breeders have developed varieties that do not require pollination. They are called parthenocarpic. Basically, these are hybrid varieties of cucumbers. This is where the division into bee-pollinated varieties and parthenocarpic varieties occurs. And according to the timing of ripening, varieties are divided into early - up to 45 days, mid-ripening - up to 50 days, and late-ripening - more than 50 days before the cucumbers ripen.
Main characteristics
Cucumbers of the Graceful variety are recommended to be planted in open ground due to the fact that there is a small number of female inflorescences on the tops (the plant is not a self-pollinating species). This vegetable crop has low maintenance requirements and is distinguished by branched stems, the length of which reaches 1.8 meters.
Pollination, flowering, yield
As mentioned, cucumbers of the Graceful variety are pollinated by insects. The plant grows well in open sunny areas and with abundant watering. Despite the increased frost resistance, the development of vegetable crops at low temperatures slows down. To avoid the development of diseases, it is recommended to cover the bed with cucumbers with film during cold weather.
The Graceful variety is one of the fast-growing plants. The first ripe fruits appear on the bushes within 1.5-2 months after planting. The crop produces a bountiful harvest. At the same time, the development of the plant quickly declines after the first fruits are harvested. On average, up to 6 kilograms of cucumbers can be collected from one square meter.
See also
Causes of diseases of cucumbers in open ground and their control
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Susceptibility to diseases and pests
The Graceful cucumber variety is characterized by increased resistance to the negative effects of the external environment. This characteristic simplifies the cultivation of the crop. However, in rainy and cool summers, white spots often form on the surface of the leaves, which indicates infection with powdery mildew.
In addition to this fungal disease, cucumber of this variety is susceptible to aphid attacks. Pests often attack densely planted plants.
In order to prevent infection, it is recommended to buy high-quality seed and comply with the requirements for planting the crop, avoiding shaded areas.
Soil preparation
As with most vegetables, and with the Elegant cucumber, soil preparation is of great importance in obtaining a decent harvest. In this case, all agrotechnical measures and correct crop rotation must be observed.
- The cucumber is an elegant, light-loving plant; moreover, it requires maintaining the necessary soil moisture during growth. Planting beds must be made at some elevation, since the cold in the lowlands negatively affects growth and fruiting. They should be located in areas well lit by the sun and protected from drafts.
- The best soil for planting is considered to be well-fertilized loamy and sandy loam soils with neutral acidity.
- The application of organic fertilizers has a good effect on yields, but it is best to apply them to the soil during the autumn preparation of the site for planting this crop.
- Experienced gardeners always follow the rules of crop rotation, and try not to plant the same vegetables in one place for several years in a row. Therefore, areas where onions, cabbage, tomatoes, and potatoes were grown last season are well suited for sowing cucumbers. Since these vegetables take completely different nutrients from the soil, and they have different diseases.
- If the soil is prepared in the spring immediately before planting, then it is advisable to add humus or compost, ash, ammonium nitrate, superphosphate in certain proportions to the area under the cucumbers and dig everything thoroughly. The soil should be loose and fertile, with a high humus content, which will definitely have a positive effect on growth and productivity.
- If the area has high acidity, then before planting an elegant cucumber, the soil must be limed.
How to grow a variety on a plot?
The Graceful variety is convenient because it is suitable both for growing seedlings and for planting seeds directly in open ground. In both cases, the optimal time for germination is considered to be early June.
Sowing seeds and planting seedlings
It is recommended to sow seeds for seedlings about a month before planting in open ground. To do this you need:
- sow seeds in prepared soil at a distance of 10 centimeters from each other;
- cover the container with seeds with plastic wrap;
- keep the container with seeds in a room at temperatures up to 30 degrees;
- When the first shoots appear, remove the polyethylene and water the seedlings.
Finally, the box with plants should be placed on a windowsill in a ventilated room. During this period, it is recommended to periodically apply mineral fertilizers. To achieve normal growth of seedlings, it is necessary that the temperature in the room be 16-22 degrees during the day, and no more than 20 degrees at night.
After the allotted period, the seedlings are planted in open ground, which must be fertilized with manure or wood ash in the fall.
Optimal timing
The planting time depends on the current ambient temperature. Due to the fact that this variety is an early ripening variety, the seedlings are transferred from the container to the garden bed in early June.
Preparatory work
Primary preparation for planting cucumbers is carried out in the fall. Before the onset of cold weather, it is recommended to dig up the bed, adding phosphate fertilizer or ash and removing weeds. Shortly before planting, the soil is re-fertilized. During this period, cow dung or humus is used.
Step-by-step guide to sowing and planting
It is recommended to plant cucumbers in soil warmed to 15-17 degrees. If seeds are immediately sown in the ground, the grains must first be soaked in salted water. Floating seeds are not suitable for sowing. Then the planting material must be kept for 30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
At the end of the preparatory stage, you can begin sowing seeds or transferring seedlings. To do this, you need to moisten the soil and make several holes in the garden bed with a diameter of up to 1.5 centimeters. The plant is planted at a distance of 20-30 centimeters. At the end, at a distance of 1 meter from the hole, you need to insert trellises and water the bed. To ensure that the soil retains moisture for a long time, after the procedure the soil is mulched with humus.
Seed selection criteria
Those who blindly trust promising advertising claims (such as “Harvest Explosion” or “Ideal for Pickling”) are often disappointed. And the point here is not only in the integrity (or vice versa) of seed producers, but also in the possible misunderstanding by the buyer of the rest of the information presented on the bright bags.
The main selection criterion is the conditions in which you plan to grow cucumbers: in open beds, in a greenhouse or in the house
Cucumbers are cultivated both in open and protected ground (under film covers, in stationary greenhouses); There are even some species intended for growing on a windowsill or balcony.
To summarize the recommendations for choosing a suitable variety or hybrid, we provide basic data for some of them (see table):
| Growing conditions | Main characteristics | Varieties and hybrids |
| Open ground | Bee pollinated | «», «», «», «», «», «» |
| Indeterminate or determinant | ||
| Zoned | ||
| Mid-early and mid-season | ||
| Protected ground or home conditions | Parthenocarpic | «», «», «», «», «», «» |
| Determinant | ||
| From early to late ripening |
In addition, it is important what you are going to plant cucumbers for: for fresh consumption or for pickling. Salad varieties are distinguished by a delicate sweet taste - these are all smooth varieties of cucumbers or with white tubercles on the skin, and pickling varieties are prickly, tuberous, pimply with black pubescence or thorns
There are also universal ones that are suitable for any purpose.
Salad cucumbers are usually longer-fruited with thin skin. Among them are “Phoenix”, “Rezastr”, “Refectory F1”, “Taste of Childhood F1”, “Hercules F1”, “Noble F1”, etc.
If for experienced gardeners all the listed characteristics are clear, then for beginners it is better to decipher the standard terms and designations.
Cultivation care
Cucumbers of the Graceful variety are unpretentious. For normal growth, the crop requires regular watering and fertilizing. In addition, it is recommended to spray the leaves with insecticides to prevent infection.
What and how to fertilize the plant?
Organic or mineral fertilizers are used to feed cucumbers. The latter are applied directly under the bush. If liquid fertilizers are used, then the leaves must be sprayed with this fertilizer.
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Description of the cucumber variety Vyuga f1 and growing rules
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Organic fertilizers
To feed cucumbers of the Elegant variety, use:
- infusion of cow manure (mix with water in a ratio of 1:5, leave for a week and add more liquid in a ratio of 1:10);
- bird droppings (mix with water in a ratio of 1:20, leave for 10 days and re-add liquid in an amount of 1:10);
- infusion of weeds (mix with water in a ratio of 1:2 and leave for three days).
Organic fertilizers are applied a week after planting the cucumbers. Then the procedure is repeated every 10 days.
Mineral supplements
The following brands of fertilizers are used as mineral fertilizing for cucumbers:
- Bio-Master;
- Agricola;
- Tseovit Cucumbers.
You can also prepare mineral fertilizers yourself by mixing 7 grams of potassium sulfate, 10 grams of superphosphate, 20 grams of urea and 10 liters of water. This fertilizing should be applied at the root of the plant immediately after watering.
Watering rules
It is recommended to water cucumbers 1-2 times a week using warm and settled water. At the same time, it is important to prevent the bed from becoming waterlogged. Due to waterlogging, powdery mildew develops on the plant. Watering should be done in the morning, as the bed must dry before the cool of the evening.
Formation of the lash
Most of the flowers of the Graceful cucumber are male. Therefore, this plant is practically not pinched to form a lash. However, in some cases this procedure will be required.
To form a lash, it is recommended to remove the main branch from 4-6 leaves. Side shoots must be directed towards the trellis. There is another option for forming a lash that gardeners use. Gardeners, in order to increase productivity, press side shoots to the ground so that they take on new roots.
Loosening and weeding of soil
The bed with cucumbers is loosened after each watering. It is especially important to carry out this procedure during flowering and fruiting. If weeds are found, they should be removed from the garden bed.
Preventative treatments
Cucumbers of the Graceful variety are not able to self-pollinate. Therefore, during the flowering period, it is recommended to spray the leaves of the crop with sugar or honey syrup to attract bees.
To prevent the development of powdery mildew, it is necessary to treat the plant with a weak solution of mullein.
If white spots are found on the leaves, you need to remove the affected parts of the bush and apply potash fertilizer.
Spraying with a solution of 200 grams of wood ash, 10 liters of water and 50 grams of laundry soap helps in the fight against aphids.
Plants that grow well next to cucumbers
Plants that are well suited for growing next to cucumbers include, first of all, legumes. Peas, beans and clover have root systems that colonize Rhizobium bacteria and fix atmospheric nitrogen, which is then converted to nitrates. Some is used to grow legumes, and some ends up in the surrounding soil as the plant decomposes and is available to any companion plants that grow nearby. It may also be smarter to use a shared rack for both green beans and cucumbers.
Good neighbors for cucumbers: broccoli and cauliflower, corn, lettuce, peas, beans, radishes, onions, sunflowers.
Flowers other than sunflowers can also be useful to plant next to cucumbers. Marigolds repel beetles, and nasturtiums help against aphids and other insects. Tansy also repels ants, beetles, flying insects and other insects.
