The cucumber variety Ira F1 is a hybrid crop. Brought out by German breeders and patented by Saatzucht Quedlinburg GmbH. It has become widespread in Russia since 1997. Included in the State Register for the Middle Volga region. They are grown not only in different regions of Russia, but in some other countries (Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus). Recommended for small gardens and small farms. Cultivated only in open ground. The variety is early ripening with very good taste.
Description of cucumbers Ira
Cucumbers Ira f1 are bee-pollinated and belong to the mid-season varieties. The harvest is harvested 40-45 days after emergence. The productivity of the variety is at a high level - from one square meter of plantings, with good care, up to 10 kg of fruits with an average weight of 90-110 g are collected.
Plants of the Ira cucumber species form powerful, climbing bushes, reaching a height of up to 2.3 m, with dense foliage of bright green color. The bush blooms predominantly with female flowers, which require bees for pollination. A bouquet of 2-4 ovaries is formed in one bosom.
Cucumbers of this type are consumed fresh, and they are also used to make various preparations for the winter.
The fruits grow cylindrical, slightly ribbed, 10-12 cm long. Their surface is covered with small tubercles with white spikes, dark green with small light stripes.
Cucumber Kuzya F1
Cucumber Kuzya F1 is an ultra-early ripening parthenocarpic hybrid for open and protected ground, which begins to bear fruit on the 38-40th day from germination. Using this hybrid, you will see a real inflorescence of gherkins on each plant, 3-5 ovaries are formed in each node, and the greens do not exceed 5-7 cm. The cucumbers are smooth, finely tuberculate, dark green with white pubescence and completely without bitterness. Ideal for canning and pickling in the form of pickles and mini gherkins. The hybrid has increased resistance to diseases such as downy and powdery mildew and cucumber mosaic virus.
Watch our video about these wonderful hybrids and choose yours
And in order to be guaranteed to get the maximum amount of harvest from one plant, we suggest you take note of the scheme for the formation of parthenocarpic hybrids in a greenhouse:
Dear gardeners! Almost every one of you, when growing classic varieties of cucumber, has encountered problems such as: empty flowers, diseases, bitter fruits and often a weak harvest. New times require new solutions. Using its many years of experience, AELITA Agrofirm offers you new parthenocarpic hybrids with bunched ovaries. With these hybrids, you are guaranteed to get crispy, juicy, appetizing cucumbers that will delight you not only on the table in the summer, but also in pickles all year round.
We have also prepared for you the material “So what is parthenocarpy, hybrids and GMOs?”, which will help you understand the intricacies and boldly choose for yourself new hybrids, created taking into account new times.
Have a successful harvest and good health in the new year!
The full range of cucumber varieties and hybrids of the AELITA Agrofirm can be found here.
Pros and cons of the variety
The cucumber variety Ira f1 has many advantages.
pros
- Wonderful taste.
- High productivity.
- Application for various purposes in cooking.
- Medium early ripening period for cucumbers.
- Disease resistance.
- Excellent presentation.
- Long shelf life.
Minuses
Among the disadvantages of the Ira f1 variety, it is worth paying attention to the fact that when overgrown, cucumbers lose their unique taste, so harvesting must be done in a timely manner
Resistance to diseases and pests
The hybrid can be grown in regions with high humidity levels and short summers, as it is resistant to:
- powdery mildew;
- brown spot;
- root rot;
- cucumber mosaic;
- peronospora.
The crop is practically not attacked by insect pests.
Note!
Resistance to parasitic insects and diseases will occur if the conditions of care, planting and preparation of seed material are carefully observed during cultivation.
Otherwise, you may run into trouble. Among the causes of infection are:
- A large number of weeds in the garden.
- High level of humidity, which can occur with abundant watering, use of cold water and lack of garter lashes.
- Illiterate crop rotation.
As a preventive measure, you need to constantly inspect the plant to identify various symptoms. If you find dark spots, chewed leaves or drying out, use products such as: Fitosporin, Bordeaux mixture, Quadris or Thiram.
Landing Features
It is preferable to grow cucumbers of the Ira variety in open ground. When cultivating a crop in a greenhouse, conditions should be created for bees to penetrate there for pollination. Planting of seed material is carried out immediately in open ground, when grown in a southern climate. In cooler conditions, it is worth sowing the Ira variety for seedlings.
Landing dates
The time for planting Ira-type cucumbers is determined based on the region where the crop is grown. A necessary condition for planting in open ground is an air temperature of at least +15 degrees during the day and at least +10 degrees at night. In central Russia, this variety of cucumbers is planted around the beginning of May.
Sowing of seedlings is carried out a little earlier - 20-25 days before the planned planting in the ground.
Description of site preparation
The cucumber variety Ira f1 is planted in sunny places with slight shade. The soil should be fertile, loose with neutral acidity. The soil should be prepared in advance, in the autumn. The following work is carried out:
- remove all weeds and their roots from the site;
- they dig up the earth on the bayonet of a shovel;
- apply organic fertilizers (rotted manure, humus or compost 4-5 kg per 1 sq. m);
- dig up the soil again along with fertilizers.
In the spring, before planting cucumbers, the soil is dug up and beds are formed. Longitudinal grooves are dug on the surface, filled with humus and sprinkled with fertile peat. Next, the ridges are covered with plastic film for 5-6 days to warm the soil.
Planting seeds
The seed material of the Ira cucumber variety, treated with a protective composition, does not need treatment and can be planted in the ground without prior preparation.
If the seeds do not have a colored shell, they must be kept in a solution of potassium permanganate for 15 minutes for disinfection, and then washed with warm water. Next, the seed material is placed on a damp cloth, wrapped in a plastic bag and left for 2-3 days for germination. When the cucumber seeds sprout, they can be planted in the ground.
The soil is first disinfected with a strong solution of potassium permanganate and moistened. Seeds of the Ira cucumber variety are planted in open ground, buried at a distance of 3-4 cm and placed with the sprouts facing up.
Description of growing seedlings
To grow seedlings, prepared seed material of the cucumber variety Ira f1 is sown in separate cups or peat tablets with fertile soil.
It is recommended to sow 2 grains in one container, and after germination, remove the weakest sprout, leaving a stronger plant.
The soil in the cups is moistened, the seeds are planted to a depth of 1 cm, and lightly sprinkled with earth. Seedling containers are kept in a warm, dark place until seedlings emerge, and then transferred to the windowsill. Watering the seedlings is carried out only with warm water and at the root. After 20-25 days, 4-5 leaves are formed on the young plants, and the cucumber seedlings are ready for transplanting into open ground.
Planting seedlings
Seedlings of the Ira cucumber variety are planted in a pre-prepared, heated bed. The soil is disinfected with potassium permanganate before planting. Next, perform the following work:
- dig holes 8-10 cm deep;
- moisten the dug holes;
- place cucumber seedlings in the holes along with a lump of earth from a seedling cup;
- Sprinkle the cucumber bushes with soil, tamping it around the stem.
Planting scheme
When planting the Ira cucumber variety, a standard scheme is used, which provides for the following intervals for placing seedlings:
- between rows – 50 cm;
- between plants -40 cm.
For 1 sq. m of plot, no more than 3-4 cucumber bushes are planted.
What gardeners say
Of course, as they say, “it depends on the taste and color...” But still, if you read reviews from gardeners, you can glean useful information that will help you decide on the choice of “greens” for growing in open ground.
“Springhead F1” and “Masha F1” are probably the most fruitful. The second one is also good for those who want to grow vegetables on their windowsill. But if, after all, cucumbers grow in open ground, the main thing for them is moderate watering. So there is a chance to harvest even in October.
Alexei
There is nothing better than Alligator F1 cucumbers. A long fruiting period and excellent taste - for those who prefer fresh fruits. But it’s better to salt this variety cut into slices.
Maria
“Chinese disease-resistant” F1, gherkins “Son of Polk” F1, cucumbers of the “Pickling” variety are distinguished by long and abundant fruiting, indicative taste and product characteristics, and therefore are recommended for pickling. In addition, they are resistant to the most common diseases.
Igor
Description of care measures
Plants of the cucumber variety Ira f1 love good care, rewarding them with a good harvest in return. Necessary care measures:
- Watering.
- Garter and formation of bushes.
- Feeding.
- Hilling
Watering
It is necessary to water the cucumber plantings of the Ira variety regularly and moderately. You shouldn’t flood it, but you shouldn’t let the soil dry out too much either. The optimal frequency of watering is 2-3 times a week. In hot weather, cucumbers need to be watered every day.
Moisturizing is carried out in the evening and only with warm water.
Garter and bush formation
The Ira cucumber variety is quite climbing, so its stem, including side shoots, should be tied to special structures - trellises. To tie cucumber bushes to trellises, use thin twine, nylon thread or fishing line. Some gardeners install a garden net to guide plant growth upward. Thus, ripe cucumbers are not laid on the ground, but grow at a height from the surface of the bed.
The main stem of the Ira cucumber bushes can reach a great height, so it should be pinched to limit growth. The lower leaves must be plucked from the bushes after the fruits from the lower branches have been collected. Yellowed and dried foliage is also removed.
Feeding
The Ira cucumber variety needs additional nutrition for active growth and fruiting. For this purpose, nutritional supplements are used using organic and mineral fertilizers. In total, 2-3 nutrient supplements are needed per season.
Fertilizing is applied at intervals of 2 weeks. It is recommended to alternate the addition of organic matter and minerals.
Infusions of mullein (1:10) or chicken droppings (1:20) are suitable for nutrition. Among mineral additives, complex mineral fertilizers are effective.
Useful properties of the variety
The Ira F1 hybrid contains vitamins of different groups from C to B. They also contain a high concentration of beta-carotene and microelements. The advantage of the vegetable is that it is 100% digestible by the body, despite the fact that 90% of it consists of structured water. Consumption promotes:
- improvement of general condition;
- increasing immunity;
- improving the functioning of the thyroid gland;
- preventing diseases of the genitourinary system, such as kidney stones;
- prevention of varicose veins;
- improving the cardiovascular system;
- reducing the concentration of cholesterol in the blood.
Experts have repeatedly proven that if cucumbers are present in the diet, the body will be cleansed of waste, toxins and heavy metals. The digestibility of greens is due to the high concentration of fiber, and the calorie content is 15 kcal per 100 g. Doctors advise giving cucumbers even to small children in order to maintain their healthy spirit and proper nutrition.
Diseases and parasites
Cucumber plants of the Ira f1 variety must be carefully protected from pest invasion and disease. Descriptions of some diseases and pests that can cause damage to the crop are given below.
Powdery mildew
The disease is fungal. The causative agent is a pathogen that infects the stems and leaves of cucumber bushes of the Ira variety. A whitish coating forms on the foliage, which spreads completely over the entire bush. Further, the leaves acquire an irregular shape, the stems bend and dry out. If you do not take any action, the plant will die.
To prevent and treat the disease, use the drug Novosil, preparing the solution according to the attached instructions. Traditional methods of protecting and treating this disease include milk or kefir. The dairy product is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10, and borage is processed.
Anthracnose
This disease is also a fungal infection. The disease manifests itself in the form of the appearance on the leaves of cucumber bushes of the Ira variety of small, round, brown spots, which gradually develop into large ones and cover the entire leaf. The foliage curls and dries out. Orange growths form on the stems. The disease then affects the fruits. Rotting ulcers appear on cucumbers. Affected vegetables are unsuitable for food.
To prevent the development of the disease, borage is treated with copper-containing preparations.
Treatment of the disease is possible at an early stage of damage with the drugs Fitosporin, Alirin B.
Spider mite
A dangerous insect that entangles the leaves and stems of cucumber plants of the Ira species in a sticky web. First, the parasite spreads a web on the lower part of the foliage, then moves higher. Yellow spots and gray blotches appear on borage leaves. The foliage and stems may further dry out and die, so you should carefully inspect cucumber plantings for pests. If a spider mite is detected, the bushes are treated with copper sulfate or boric acid.
Review of reviews about Ira
This hybrid develops and bears fruit in all regions of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Therefore, it has already received numerous reviews.
Polina writes: “I experimented a lot with varieties in search of one suitable for my site. Finally, I found Ira, this hybrid gives excellent results in the greenhouse and in the open garden. Not sick. The fruits are neat and beautiful, the taste is excellent, they are not bitter. Sweet and crunchy. This quality remains even after marinating. The variety adapts instantly to my conditions of cold nights and warm days. One year there were frosts, the temperature dropped to -1 degree, the plants were sitting in a greenhouse without heating. And nothing - not a single bush was missing.”
Growing technology
How to grow a cucumber on a windowsill? For rapid growth and good fruiting of cucumbers on the windowsill, you need to follow a certain technology for growing the crop:
- Prepare high-quality soil. You can buy soil in a store or prepare it yourself. cucumbers love light, fertile soils consisting of: garden soil, humus, peat, wood ash and sand. To improve the quality of the soil, you need to add the required amount of mineral fertilizers.
- Prepare containers for planting - flower pots with a capacity of 8 liters for each plant. It is worth remembering that cucumbers do not tolerate stagnant water, so you need to prepare drainage, this can be fine brick, perlite or crushed stone.
- Prepare planting material by doing the following:
- calibration;
- disinfection;
- germination.
The seeds are selected, then soaked for 1 day in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and washed in running water. Sprout on damp gauze or cotton pad.
Sowing seeds
Planting material can be planted in small peat cups, or directly in pots. Sow two seeds in each cup with a 2.5 cm hole. Before planting, the soil should be well moistened. Until the seeds hatch, the pots are covered with glass or film and placed in a warm place with an air temperature of +25 degrees. As soon as the seeds hatch, remove the covering material and transfer the pots to a sunny windowsill.
Bush formation
When growing cucumbers on a windowsill, you need to form a lush bush that does not require a high garter. To do this, you need to pinch the growing point at the height of the fifth true leaf. Side shoots will begin to form - only three are left. they will need to be pinched after the 10th sheet. We also form three layerings from each shoot. All tendrils should be removed, as they take up the nutrients the plant needs.
Productivity
Cucumber Marinda F1 is a high-yielding hybrid; with timely care, up to 3 buckets of harvest can be harvested from the bush. To increase yield, gherkins are removed several times a day. Cucumbers begin to be harvested 50 days after sprouts appear, in the morning or evening. The fruits are separated from the stalk with a sharp tool, being careful not to damage the lashes. Fresh cucumbers are not stored for a long time, so with a large harvest it is better to carry out timely pickling or canning.
Advice! To keep Marinda cucumbers fresh for up to a month, they are placed in a plastic bag, covered with a damp cloth and stored in a cool room. When storing, the bag must be open.
