Gunnar cucumbers are increasingly found in Russian vegetable gardens. Reviews from those who have already grown this variety praise the virtues of this culture. And this is not surprising, given the number of positive characteristics that the variety has.
Grade Features
Gunnar cucumbers of Dutch selection. They belong to ultra-mature varieties. Only 38-45 days will pass from the moment of the first seedlings to the moment when it will be possible to harvest the first crop. Recommended for planting in greenhouses. But in a warm climate, you can grow in open ground.
The variety forms small bushes of medium density and short length. Thanks to this, harvesting is much easier. The variety is self-pollinated. Flowering is female. The formation of ovaries occurs in a "bunch" of 2-4 fruits.
Gunnar is a hybrid F1 breeding variety. This makes it more resistant to diseases and pests. In addition, the plant is not exposed to diseases such as powdery mildew, cucumber mosaic, yellowing of leaves. Powdery mildew is the only disease that Gunnar cucumbers undergo. Reviews of gardeners suggest that this variety is more suitable for experienced vegetable growers. Beginners will not always be able to get a high yield due to the susceptibility of the plant to this disease. This is the only drawback that this variety has.
Characteristics of Cucumber
Gunnar is the variety that allows you to collect a high crop. Moreover, this can be done in two stages. In the spring-summer period, the yield reaches 18-22 kg. In the summer-autumn - 9-12 kg.
The fruits are dark green. Their average length is 12-14 cm. Large tubercles form on the surface. The pulp is dense, has no bitterness. On average, picking cucumbers is carried out 3-4 times a week. With good yields, a daily harvest is required. The difference is that cucumbers can be collected late. Overgrown fruits will not turn into a “barrel”, they are quite suitable for eating.
Gunnar cucumbers withstand transportation without damage. They can be eaten raw or in the form of preparations (pickled, salted). The fruits are distinguished by good keeping quality.
Landing
A high crop can be harvested only with the correct planting and care. The variety is undemanding to the composition of the soil. It can be grown even in high salt conditions.
Begin planting seeds for seedlings at a temperature of 26-28 degrees. It must be preserved until all seeds have sprouted. After germination, the temperature can be reduced to 20 degrees. The next decrease in temperature occurs at the time of transplanting seedlings into the ground. At this time, the temperature can be reduced to 18 degrees.
In this case, the soil in the greenhouse should be warm. Its temperature can not be lower than 20 degrees. Therefore, in the case of unheated greenhouses, the planting period is shifted. In such situations, the seeds are sown in late April or early May. Seedlings are planted in mid-May.
Possible planting of cucumbers in the open ground. In this case, the soil should be warm to a depth of 10 cm (temperature not lower than 15 degrees). Only then can seedlings be planted or seeds sown. Seeds are sown to a depth of 2 cm.
Care
Due to its compact size and the absence of long shoots, it is easy to care for the plant. The first five sinuses are cleared. Next, all shoots are removed. Ovaries remain. The resulting lash is twisted on a trellis. For this, a height of 2.2 meters will be sufficient. As they age, the lower leaves are also removed.
At one time, 3-5 cucumbers can grow on the shoot. This amount is optimal. Due to the high yield, Gunnar cucumbers require a large number of mineral fertilizers. They are fed more often than other varieties.
Watering should be timely. The best option is to use a drip irrigation system. So that the soil does not dry out, it must be mulched. In addition, this will allow less frequent weeding from weeds, which should also be cleaned regularly.
Gunnar cucumbers, described above in this article, are a good option for experienced growers to grow in a greenhouse. They will give a good harvest of tasty, juicy, without bitterness, beautiful and even small cucumbers that are stored for a long time and easily transported.