Cucumber is one of the most popular crops cultivated by individual gardeners and agricultural enterprises. This plant ripens early and gives good yields. According to the chemical composition, the fruits are 95-97% water, and the rest are carotenes, vitamins and a number of micro and macro elements.
Cucumber belongs to the pumpkin family, and has been known in our country since the 16th century. His homeland is supposedly located in the tropical and subtropical regions of China and India. At the foot of the Himalayas one can meet wild species of cucumber with small bitter and inedible fruits. They started cultivating the culture about 5-6 millennia ago. Now cucumber is ubiquitous. Several varieties and hybrids of the plant were bred. One of the most popular varieties in Russia was the Cucumber Competitor (photo).
History of occurrence
Cucumber Competitor (variety description below) was bred in 1980 at the VIR experimental breeding station in the Crimea. The competitor is intended for cultivation in a certain area - the southern regions of Russia. But it is widely cultivated in the non-chernozem zone of agriculture.
Breeders brought the "competitor" (cucumber) as precocious. Fruits weighing more than 100 grams with good taste are ripened on the plant. About one and a half months pass from planting in the ground until the first harvest, while the variety is resistant to disease.
Cucumbers Competitor: description of planting in the ground
Depending on the climatic zone, seeds can be planted in indoor and outdoor soil. But to accelerate the growth and ripening of fruits in the middle lane, it is recommended to use a temporary film shelter. At a temperature of 20 to 25 degrees and sufficient moisture, the first seedlings appear 3-5 days after sowing. Overheating of seedlings is not recommended. Temperatures above 35 degrees are fatal for young shoots, they inhibit plant growth.
According to the observation of gardeners, it bears fruit better when planting on a trellis than on a regular garden bed. The "competitor" cucumber survives well on fertile loose soils with a high humus content. The plant is demanding on soil moisture and its temperature. A landing scheme within 40x40 centimeters is recommended for use.
Growth rate and structural features
"Competitor" (cucumber) is classified as an early ripening variety. Seeds are sown for seedlings in early May, planting in the ground occurs in late May or early June. The root system during the growing season develops much stronger than the ground part. On the 10th day, the proportions of the height of the sprout to the depth of the root are 1: 3, at the age of 20 days this ratio looks like 1: 2. Only after 50 days, the ground part of the cucumber will become equal to the underground, and then begin to surpass it. The rough and creeping stalk is quickly extended in length. It ends with antennae, with which the plant can catch on a support. Heart-shaped leaves with five lobes are formed on the stem.
Cucumber Competitor: Variety Description
Flowering occurs shortly after the start of seed germination. The reproductive organs are dioecious: male (empty flowers) and female (with ovary). The variety is classified as monoecious, that is, flowers of the male and female types are placed on the same plant. The color of the corolla is bright yellow. Flowers open at about 6 a.m. in the northern latitudes, and in the south - at 4-5 a.m. Pollen is viable in the first hours after the opening of the corolla. Pollination is carried out by bees.
After about 12 days, all the inflorescences fall off and green leaves form from the resulting ovaries. Under favorable conditions, the plant begins to bear fruit on the 45th day after emergence.
Plant care
The competitor is a cucumber unpretentious and resistant to disease. The plant is not susceptible to infection by powdery mildew, bacteriosis (bacterial spotting). Thanks to this, maximum harvesting volumes are guaranteed.
The plant is highly branched - the main branch can reach two meters in height. Therefore, it is necessary to install special poles in the ground or equip suspension structures to ensure uniform growth. The young stem is sometimes tied to a vertical support.
Basic rules for the care of cucumber varieties "competitor":
- timely watering;
- regular weeding;
- top dressing with special additives;
- loosening the soil.
Cucumbers poorly extract water from the soil and do not spend it economically enough. With a lack of moisture, plants can seriously lag behind in development - the ovaries fall, the fruits are formed small. Therefore, it is important to provide a sufficient amount of fluid for full growth.
The resulting soil crust must be destroyed by loosening. This procedure ensures that the roots of the plant receive a sufficient amount of oxygen, which is very small in the soil.
In addition to oxygen, cucumber also needs carbon dioxide. The plant converts it through photosynthesis into organic matter. A number of experts recommend using fertilizing for this, in particular, ordinary manure is well suited.
Variety Productivity
At the time of harvesting from a square meter of plantings, with proper care, you can get from 3.3 to 3.8 kilograms of cucumbers. Yield indicators are affected by the duration of fruiting - it can reach 90 days. A sharp drop in temperature shortens the period of fruit formation and the yield of the variety.
Fetal characteristics
Cucumbers Competitive description of the fruit have the following. This is a false berry (or pumpkin). The interior consists of several chambers filled with seeds. The fruits are oval-cylindrical, dark green in color, large in size, the surface is dotted with large tubercles and contains soft black spikes. Ripened cucumber in length can reach 14 centimeters. In this case, the mass of each reaches 130 grams. Convenient for harvesting, as Zelentsy has a long fruit stem from 5 to 7 centimeters.
Gardeners appreciate the high taste qualities of the competitor cucumber, both fresh and canned. There is no bitterness, the pulp is sweet and juicy. Basically, the "competitor" variety of cucumbers collected the most positive reviews.
Disadvantages of the rival cucumber variety
Despite the fact that the cucumber Competitor reviews (photo attached) gathered good, the variety has drawbacks. Fruits quickly turn yellow when they are left in the garden for a long time after ripening. At the same time, the skin is covered with cracks, a specific cucumber smell disappears due to the beginning of the process of seed formation. If when leaving, not enough water was used to water the plant, then bitterness in the pulp may occur. A specific unpleasant taste is felt in the region of the peduncle and is associated with the accumulation of glucoside cucurbitacin in the skin. High air temperatures and bright sunlight enhance this defect.
However, observing the rules of plant care, it is possible to achieve high plant yield. And the fruits grown on the garden are ideal for pickling and preservation.