Cucumber Mama's favorite F1: variety description, planting, photos, reviews

Breeders were able to obtain Mama's Favorite cucumber F1 by crossing 2 varietal species. The plant crop bears fruit well both in the garden and in the greenhouse. When propagating a hybrid variety in open areas, the horizontal method is used. When plants are cultivated under cover, a vertical method is used to place a maximum of bushes in the available area. You can grow Mama's favorite F1 on your loggia at home, since the crop does not require pollination.

Description of cucumbers Mama's favorite

Mama's favorite f1 cucumbers are grown in the Northern and Central regions of the Russian Federation. This variety of cucumbers appeared as a result of crossing two types of cucumbers. Like the Podarok variety, this variety is grown both in open and closed plots of land (greenhouse, hotbeds). In addition, this variety of cucumbers is grown in a loggia, since it does not require pollination by insects.

In terms of ripening time, cucumbers are classified as mid-ripening varieties, since the fruits appear 40-50 days after planting.

Description of the variety:

The bush of the variety reaches small sizes: the height of the bush varies from medium to short;
The leaves of the plant reach medium sizes and do not create a shadow for the cucumber ovaries;
The ovaries are formed in bunches of up to 5 flowers;
The plant is characterized by female flowering of a bright yellow color;
The bush is a determinate plant with a small number of shoots;
Description of the fruit: cucumbers reach small sizes (gherkins) up to 100 mm long and have a light green color;
The peel of cucumbers is of medium density, with small spines and white pubescence;
The fruit pulp is quite juicy, without voids and seeds.

It should be noted that cucumbers of the Mama's Favorite variety are bitter only if the plant has not been properly cared for.

Cucumbers Mama's favorite f1 are grown not only in open soil, but also in closed soil. The variety is intended for consumption not only fresh: it is excellent for preparing salads and for pickling.

The cucumber variety is distinguished by its high yield: the average reaches 7 kg of fruit from 1 bush. However, the yield of the variety directly depends on care.

How to choose cucumber seeds

To get a good harvest, you need to take care of quality seeds in advance. But we often don’t know which seeds are right for us and what to look for when purchasing, so as not to complain later about the poor quality of planting material or unfavorable weather conditions. And all because many gardeners, buying seeds from year to year, make their choice based on the external picture on the bag and very rarely read the information on the back.

Winter is the best time to quickly select the necessary varieties or hybrids of seeds for future seedlings. By the way, many summer residents, including my closest neighbors, still do not understand the difference between a variety and a hybrid, which is designated F1 on a packet of seeds. According to one version that exists in my circle, sometimes even among experienced gardeners, this mysterious letter means frost resistance or disease resistance. And some even try to put the package with the F1 designation aside, believing that it is something not natural and not environmentally friendly. All the fears of ignorance, which I am going to, if possible, dispel. And I want to start by discussing the most popular crop - cucumbers. Sometimes, being afraid to try something new, we miss the opportunity to become the happy owner of the ideal variety of cucumbers specifically for our needs.

Variety or hybrid?

Cucumber seeds most often sold in stores are not varieties, but hybrids. What is the difference and what to choose?

A variety is a group of plants obtained by crossing specimens of the same species. If we sow varietal cucumber seeds, we should know that their shoots are first formed by only male flowers that go on the main vine. Male flowers, in turn, take a lot of energy from the plant, it develops slowly, and the harvest comes much later. Therefore, in order to get a harvest earlier and in greater volume, it is necessary to remove all male flowers from varietal cucumbers at the initial stage, and then, when the plant reaches 70 cm in height, pinch off the main stem. In this case, side shoots will appear, forming female flowers, which subsequently produce cucumber fruits. As for hybrids, plants grown from such seeds have much more female flowers in the initial growth phase. But it is still advisable to remove the first lower flowers, at a height of approximately 70 cm, so that the plant gains strength, a good leaf, a thick stem appears and, as a result, a harvest.

In order to get a harvest from varietal cucumbers earlier and in greater volume, it is necessary to remove all male flowers at the initial stage

The only advantage of varietal cucumbers is that you can take your seeds and improve their properties from year to year. And if you grow hybrid cucumbers, you will not be able to use their seeds, since the harvest will not be as high quality and beautiful as originally stated.

On varietal cucumbers, male flowers appear first

varietal cucumbers are suitable for seeds

What is an F1 hybrid?

F1 is a heterotic hybrid created by crossing plants of different species or through cross-pollination of different varieties. It is created by breeders over a period of 3–4 years (sometimes 10 years or more). First, the maternal line is selected, then the paternal line, after which they are crossed and about 2000 hybrids are obtained, which are reviewed, tested, and from them the best ten are selected in terms of yield and disease resistance. After two years of testing, 1–3 hybrids are born from a dozen selected varieties. Hybrids produce larger yields and are more resistant to diseases. The vitality of the seeds increases, and the fruits are better adapted to unfavorable climatic conditions than varietal ones. Modern hybrids are saturated with female flowers, and in order to get the maximum number of ovaries, it is sometimes necessary to have several male plants. Therefore, some manufacturers dye the seeds in different colors, thus indicating the sex of the plant.

Modern hybrids are saturated with female flowers, and in order to get the maximum number of ovaries, it is sometimes necessary to have several male plants

So, we have already learned that you should not trust just a colorful bag, because this fact will not affect the quality of the seeds in any way. First of all, pay attention to the data indicated on the back. Sometimes we can see the inscription on cucumber seeds: bee-pollinated or parthenocarpic. What does it mean?

Bee-pollinated - this is when the fruits set only after the plant is pollinated. More precisely, it would be necessary to write “insect-pollinated”, because summer residents are often afraid that their bees do not fly and the fruits will not be able to set. So I hasten to reassure you: bees are not always needed for pollination; other insects are also suitable; in extreme cases, the role of a bee can be played by you personally.

Pros and cons of the variety

Like other varieties of cucumbers, Mama's Favorite has its own positive and negative characteristics.

pros

Grown in open and closed soil;
Resistant to most diseases;
Does not require special care;
Resistant to adverse environmental influences;
Belongs to mid-season varieties;
Characterized by high productivity;
The fruits of Mama's Favorite cucumbers are juicy, not bitter and are distinguished by their taste;
Resistant to transportation;
They have an excellent presentation;
Does not require pollination by insects.

Minuses

The cucumber variety Mama's Favorite f1 has only one negative characteristic: cucumbers do not contain seeds, therefore, they are not suitable for subsequent planting. Thus, there is a need to purchase new planting materials for each planting.

Methods for growing a hybrid

Since Mama’s Favorite f1 cucumbers are bred for growing in indoor and outdoor areas, as well as at home, there are many ways to grow them:

growing in open beds;
on a balcony or loggia;
in a greenhouse under temporary shelter;
in a closed greenhouse.

Outdoor cultivation involves sowing seeds and caring for growing plants.

Before sowing, the seeds are disinfected, soaked for germination and planted in the ground. The planting period is different in different regions, but weather conditions must be suitable for this variety. So, daytime air temperature should not drop below 22 degrees, and nighttime below 16 degrees. If this condition is met, delicious cucumbers will definitely grow in the beds.

Plants are planted in the greenhouse earlier, at the end of April, beginning of May, provided that the night frosts have passed. If frosts are still expected, it is better to play it safe and heat the room where the seedlings are growing using a heater.

At home, cucumbers are planted on the windowsill all year round. Since this plant is heat-loving, it is necessary to prevent drafts, waterlogging or drying out of the soil, and provide access to lighting to the plants, otherwise the seedlings will get sick and develop poorly.

Landing Features

The cucumber variety Mama's Favorite is grown not only in open ground, but also in greenhouses or on balconies. For planting, not only seeds are used, but also seedlings. Let's look at a detailed description of planting Mama's Favorite cucumbers.

Landing dates

It is recommended to plant cucumbers of the Mama's Favorite variety at the end of May, when the ground temperature reaches 14 degrees Celsius.

Site preparation

Before planting the Mama's Favorite variety, the soil is loosened and saturated with oxygen. In addition, the soil needs fertilizing. As a rule, the soil is saturated with sawdust, leaves and manure.

Planting seeds

Before planting Mama's Favorite cucumber seeds, the planting material is disinfected and prepared for planting. Initially, the seeds are heated in the sun (about 2 weeks), then the seeds are sorted (spoiled and small seeds are removed), after which the seeds are treated with Thiram powder and washed.

Planting seedlings

For seedlings, Mama's Favorite cucumber seeds are planted 25 days before planting them in the ground. In one pot, place 2 seeds up to 2 cm deep. After this, the soil is sprinkled with warm water and moistened only after 24 hours.

It should be borne in mind that seedlings need sunlight. The optimal temperature for planting material is 22 degrees Celsius.

Planting scheme

Mama's favorite cucumber seedlings are planted mixed with lumps of earth in a pre-prepared hole. As a rule, up to 0.2 m is left between rows, and up to 0.5 m between beds. This method of planting bushes provides access for harvesting and for oxygen circulation.

Methods for growing a hybrid

Since Mama’s Favorite f1 cucumbers are bred for growing in indoor and outdoor areas, as well as at home, there are many ways to grow them:

growing in open beds;
on a balcony or loggia;
in a greenhouse under temporary shelter;
in a closed greenhouse.

Outdoor cultivation involves sowing seeds and caring for growing plants.

Care

Caring for Mama's favorite cucumbers involves watering, fertilizing, weeding and loosening the plant.

Watering

It is recommended to water Mama's Favorite cucumbers 3 times a week. For irrigation, they use warm water that has been heated by the sun's rays, or they heat the water to the temperature of the earth themselves.

Water only the root system of cucumbers. Water should not get on the leaves of the plant, as the leaves will be burned and the yield level will decrease. During drought, the frequency of watering is increased: cucumbers are watered every day.

Garter and bush formation

To tie up cucumber bushes, use a thick rope. The sprouts are loosely tied with a rope and raised to a height of 1.5 meters.

Top dressing

It is recommended to feed the soil with minerals when growing Mama's Favorite cucumbers 4 times per season. Initially, the soil is saturated with organic matter: manure, bird droppings and peat. Afterwards the soil is fed with nitrogen and potassium. At the time of flowering, cucumber bushes are fertilized with phosphorus.

Hilling

Like other varieties of cucumbers, Mama's Favorite f1 does not need hilling, since this procedure can lead to the death of the plant. This is due to the fact that the root system of the bushes is located quite close to the soil surface.

Instead of hilling, you can loosen the soil using a fork. This method allows you not only to supply the bushes with oxygen, but also to get rid of weeds.

Methods for growing a hybrid

Since Mama’s Favorite f1 cucumbers are bred for growing in indoor and outdoor areas, as well as at home, there are many ways to grow them:

growing in open beds;
on a balcony or loggia;
in a greenhouse under temporary shelter;
in a closed greenhouse.

Outdoor cultivation involves sowing seeds and caring for growing plants.

Diseases and parasites

Mama's Favorite cucumbers are distinguished by their immunity to the main diseases of cucumbers:

Root rot (affects not only the rhizome, but also its above-ground part);
Cucumber mosaic (formation of spots not only on the leaves of the plant, but also on its fruits);
Olive spot (affects the leaves of bushes: brown spots form on the leaves).

Quite rarely, the Mama’s Favorite variety is susceptible to diseases such as powdery mildew, downy mildew, alternaria blight and anthracnose. Let's look at the description of each disease.

Powdery mildew

Powdery mildew is a fungal plant disease that damages not only plants grown in open soil, but also in closed soil. With powdery mildew, damage to the leaves, stems and fruits of the plant is observed.

Description of the characteristic signs of the disease:

The formation of small spots on the lower plate of the leaves and have a white or red color;
The shoots and leaves of the plant are covered with white dust;
The plates on the leaves begin to curl and dry out;
Cracks form on the fruits of the plant;
The shoots become darker and begin to dry out.

To prevent powdery mildew, Mama's Favorite cucumbers are sprayed with Topaz, manganese, or Trichodermin.

Alternaria blight

Alternaria blight is a disease that reduces yields by 50%. Signs of Alternaria blight are the formation of dry and slightly raised light brown spots on the lower leaves of the plant.

For preventive spraying of plants, a solution of copper sulfate or copper oxychloride, chemical solutions Bravo, Skor, Consento, Quadris and Ridomil Gold are used.

Anthracnose

Anthracnose is a fungal disease that causes yellow spots to form on cucumber leaves. Anthracnose also forms on fruits: oblong spots of light brown color appear on cucumbers.

If you do not start treating cucumbers in time, anthracnose will destroy the plant.

For prevention, watering the roots with 1% Bordeaux solution, as well as Fitosporin, Previkur, Quadris, Oksikhom and Fundazol, is used.