Description of Liliput cucumbers
Cucumber Liliput f1 is a hybrid crop intended for cultivation in central regions with moderate climatic conditions. Cucumber is universal in cultivation: suitable for growing in open soil and in film shelters (in hotbeds and greenhouses).
Lilliput is a cucumber variety famous for its large harvest. The variety of the crop belongs to the ultra-early varieties, since vegetable growers begin harvesting fruits 37-40 days after the formation of the first shoots.
Cucumber is also popular among vegetable growers due to its versatility in use. Due to its small size and uniform shape, Lilliput f1 fruits are excellent for seaming, pickling and canning. In addition, cucumbers are also used for fresh consumption.
Characteristics of the variety:
- The Lilliput f1 plant is a parthenocarpic variety because it does not require pollination by insects;
- The bushes reach an average height (up to 2 m) with an average branching rate;
- The leaves of the variety are medium-sized, dark green in color and have a wrinkled surface;
- Description of flowering: on the bushes of the variety, the number of female inflorescences of bright yellow color predominates;
- Cucumbers grow up to 10 cm and have an elongated cylindrical shape;
- Description of the peel: the skin of the cucumber is thin, rich green in color, with a small amount of white pubescence and medium tubercles;
- Fruit pulp: elastic, juicy, has no voids;
- Taste characteristics of cucumber: sweet with a taste of freshness, not bitter.
Soil preparation
We will talk about the quality of the soil at the permanent growing site, since soil from a flower shop is often used for sowing seedlings.
Regardless of whether cucumbers will be grown in a greenhouse or open ground, the substrate must first be saturated with minerals and organic matter. To do this, cover up humus, compost, sawdust or fallen leaves. Such fertilizers not only improve the nutritional value of the soil, but also its structure. As for the “mineral water”, it is enough to add a small dose of the main elements - phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium.
The substrate must have a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction, since acidic soils are not suitable for growing a hybrid. Clay soils are also not suitable, as they do not allow moisture and air to pass through well.
Pros and cons of the variety
Since the variety was bred by Russian breeders back in 2008, vegetable growers were able to highlight a list of advantages of growing the Liliput cucumber. However, like most other varieties, Lilliput also has disadvantages. We invite you to read the description of all the positive and negative characteristics of the variety.
pros
- High productivity of the variety: up to 13 kg of fruits are harvested from 1 bush;
- The variety is resistant to drought and rainfall;
- Excellent presentation of gherkins;
- Resistance to the most common complexes of cultural diseases;
- Excellent taste characteristics of the Lilliput variety;
- Resistance of the variety to fruit transportation;
- Cucumber is versatile in use and great for canning;
- Lilliput fruits are resistant to shelf life, as a result of which cucumbers do not lose their taste;
- The variety is unpretentious in agrotechnical procedures.
Minuses
Since Lilliput f1 has been cultivated for more than 10 years, vegetable growers have noted a drawback of the variety such as overgrowing fruits if timely harvesting is not observed.
History of selection
Lilliput cucumbers (F1) were bred by Russian breeders. This company has been known to vegetable growers since 1993 and is the originator of such high-yielding cucumbers as Emerald Earrings (F1), Shchedrik (F1). The hybrid was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 2008.
In what regions can it be grown?
Since the review variety is intended for cultivation under film and in greenhouses, it successfully bears fruit throughout Russia. In the southern regions, cucumbers are often planted in unprotected soil.
Landing Features
Despite the excellent productivity of the variety, the high yield of the plant directly depends on the correct planting of the bushes. Like other crop varieties, cucumbers are planted using two methods: seedlings and sowing. We suggest studying the description of the features of planting the Liliput variety in further sections.
Landing dates
To plant Lilliput seeds for the seedling method, choose a day in mid-April. If cucumbers are intended for cultivation by seed, it is recommended to plant Lilliput seed at the end of May, when the ground temperature reaches 14 degrees Celsius.
Site preparation
Cucumbers are a crop that loves the sun, so it is necessary to grow Lilliput in sunny beds that are protected from the winds. Experts clarify that for cultivating the variety it is better to choose a site located to the south of the house.
Before planting, the selected area needs to be prepared: in the fall, the soil is dug up, all unwanted plants are removed, and future beds are fed with compost, turf, or vermiculite. Sand is also added to the soil to a depth of 2 cm. In the spring, before planting the variety, the beds must be loosened to a depth of 3 cm and potash or phosphorus fertilizers applied.
Planting seeds
Before planting cucumbers, vegetable growers suggest treating the seeds and hardening them. Lilliput seed must be treated in a solution of 1% manganese. To do this, manganese is diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio and the cucumber seeds are soaked for 30 minutes.
To harden, Liliput seeds are dipped in hot water for 3 minutes, and then in cold water for the same time. After the procedure, the seeds are placed on gauze and given time to dry.
In open soil, the variety is planted in holes with a seed depth of up to 2 cm. Afterwards, they are sprinkled with earth, watered with warm water and wrapped in film until shoots appear.
Planting seedlings
Peat or plastic containers are used to grow seedlings. Liliput seeds are planted to a depth of 2 cm, watered and placed in a room with good lighting and a temperature of at least 27 degrees Celsius. After the cucumber seeds germinate, the room temperature is reduced to 20 degrees.
Liliput seedlings are planted in open beds when the ground is warmed up to 13 degrees, and up to 5 leaves have formed on the bushes. Bushes are planted deep to the bottom leaf (as a rule, holes up to 8 cm are dug), sprinkled with soil and watered.
Planting scheme
To plant Liliput f1 you need 4 bushes per 1 m2. This method of planting ensures abundant fruiting of the bushes and does not create inconvenience during harvesting and all processes for caring for the bushes.
Care
Despite the fact that Liliput, like the German f1 variety, does not need work, to obtain a tasty and beautiful, and most importantly, stable harvest, the plant must be watered, tied up, fed and loosened the soil of the beds. Below is a description of all necessary agrotechnical procedures.
Watering
It is recommended to water the Liliput f1 variety once every 2-3 days. If there is a drought, watering work is carried out daily. As a rule, cucumbers are watered with warm water in the early morning.
The amount of water a plant needs depends on the growing season: before flowering, up to 6 liters of liquid are poured onto 4 bushes, and up to 9 liters at the time of fruit set.
Agronomists note that Lilliput must be watered at the root and ensure that water does not fall on the leaves or stems of the plant. Otherwise, the bushes of the variety are susceptible to infection such as root rot.
Garter and bush formation
Since Lilliput has an intense growing season, cucumber plants need to be pinched on their side shoots. As a rule, when forming a bush, the first branches and the main shoot of the plant are left behind. It is recommended to pinch branches at a distance of 50 cm from each other.
Lilliput f1 bushes are formed to vertical trellises. During tying, the top of the main stem, if it reaches a size larger than expected, is shaped downwards.
Top dressing
For high productivity of the variety, vegetable growers suggest regularly feeding the beds with mineral components. As a rule, Liliput is fed up to 6 times throughout the entire season. As mineral substances, experts recommend adding potassium and superphosphate, as well as urea and nitrophoska, to the beds with cucumbers.
Excellent fruiting is also observed after using complex fertilizers “Rodnichok”, “Agro Nova”, “Clean Sheet” and “Agricola”.
Hilling
To protect the beds with cucumbers from covering the top layer of soil with bark, while loosening (using a fork) the Lilliput bushes must also be hilled up. Hilling allows you to strengthen the root system of the plant variety and form new roots of the bush.
Productivity
Liliput cucumbers begin to bear fruit 40 days after germination, the yield is 10-12 kg/m2. The quality and volume of the harvest depends on several factors:
- soil composition, proper fertilizing;
- timely landing;
- optimal amount of moisture, light, heat;
- normal planting density;
- disease prevention;
- timely harvesting.
To increase productivity, it is recommended to collect the fruits of Lilliput F1 cucumbers every day, this prolongs the fruiting time. Experienced gardeners advise resorting to foliar feeding with nitrogen-containing mixtures.
Diseases and parasites
Lilliput f1 cucumbers are genetically resistant to diseases such as powdery mildew, downy mildew, root rot and olive spot. However, during an epidemic, the immunity of the plant variety is weakened and there is a risk of contracting infections such as bacteriosis, as well as being attacked by slugs and spider mites. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the description of all diseases and methods of combating them.
Bacteriosis
Bacteriosis is a disease in which the following symptoms are observed on the plant:
- The leaves of the plant begin to turn yellow, and then the process of withering, curling and dying begins;
- The fruits also become covered with yellow spots, become soft, change in shape and begin to rot;
- During prolonged rains, an ulcer with a cloudy liquid forms on the plant, and the seedlings in the soil begin to die.
To get rid of bacteriosis, experts recommend using the chemicals Apron XL, Acrobat MC, Quadris, Metaxil and Plant Doctor.
Slug
The slug is a pest that can cause damage not only to the leaves of the plant, as many believe, but also to its fruits. Cucumbers are a delicacy for such a pest. When slugs appear, through holes are observed on the leaves of the bushes, and small nibbles form on the cucumbers. To combat slugs, vegetable growers use the chemicals “Groza”, “Meta” and “Akarina”.
Spider mite
Spider mites are a small pest that is the most dangerous insect, capable of destroying all cucumber bushes. If a spider mite appears in your garden, you must immediately begin to fight it.
As a result of the spider mite invasion, Lilliput bushes begin to slow down in development, small white dots form on the underside of the leaves, and white cobwebs appear on the stems and upper leaf plates.
Also, when affected by this pest, cucumbers stop forming or begin to deform and ugly, twisted gherkins grow. If the bushes are not treated with special preparations, the pest will destroy the entire crop. To combat spider mites, the chemicals Actellik, Apollo, Neoron, Karbofos, Sunmite, Antimite and Fitoverm are used.
Harvesting and storage
It is recommended to harvest when the cucumbers are at the gherkins and pickles stage. Lilliput f1 fruits are collected, as a rule, once every 2 days. If you do not harvest in a timely manner, the cucumbers begin to expand, but do not outgrow.
To ensure that cucumbers do not rot or turn yellow, but continue to retain their excellent taste and appearance, Lilliput is recommended to be stored in basements where the air temperature does not exceed 4 degrees Celsius.
To prevent Lilliput f1 fruits from starting to rot, they are stored in wooden boxes, since such containers allow enough oxygen to pass through and the product does not begin to rot. If any cucumber begins to rot, it is immediately removed from the container along with the cucumbers that came into contact with it. This is due to the fact that nearby cucumbers can also rot.
Reviews
Gardeners characterize Lilliput f1 as a hybrid that does not require special attention, bears fruit in unfavorable conditions, and has a pleasant taste.
Tatyana, Arkhangelsk: “I always buy seeds, I thought there were no better seeds than Zyatek and Mother-in-law, but I accidentally bought Lilliput f1. I was amazed by this hybrid during fruiting: from the roots to the very top it was strewn with cucumbers, as in the photo on the Internet.”
Stanislav, Barnaul: “I plant this hybrid all the time and call it cucumbers “for the lazy.” I rarely go to the dacha, I often can’t water it, but the cucumbers still grow beautiful and tasty.”
Natalya, Lipetsk: “We love cucumbers very much, we plant them every year. We bought it to try and was attracted by the fact that it does not require pollination. I was pleased with the cucumbers: beautiful appearance, crispy flesh, not watery, thin skin. In salads it goes well with other vegetables – peppers and tomatoes.”
