Probably, every summer resident would like to grow something unusual on his site. Of course, getting a crop from some exotic southern culture in the middle of Russia is quite problematic. However, there are garden plants, the existence of which is almost unknown to domestic summer residents, which do not require special care and feel good in our cold climate. Among them is silver melon (or Armenian cucumber).
Fruit Description
The birthplace of this unusual culture is Central Asia. It is believed that no one specifically deduced it. It was obtained through prolonged selection over centuries of cultivation by the peasants of Armenia. Hence its name.
The main feature of the Armenian cucumber is an unusual smell. The pulp of the cylindrical ribbed fruits of this plant is tender, juicy, sweetish, without any hint of bitterness. She smells not cucumber, but melon. The size of the fruit can reach very large - up to 50 cm. They have the shape of a classic cucumber long. But in color, they differ from the fruits of ordinary varieties. The peel of the Armenian cucumbers is light green, slightly silver. It has a small thickness. Therefore, it is not necessary to peel the fruits of this cucumber before eating. When overripe, they turn yellow, lose their smell and taste, and therefore should be collected on time.
The fruits of the Armenian cucumber are stored very well. You can eat them both fresh and salted or pickled.
Biological features
The lashes of the Armenian cucumber grow quite long - up to 3 m. Its leaves are dark green, similar in shape to both melon and cucumber. The flowers of the variety are dioecious. Fruits grow on the main lash and on the shoots of the second order. This variety gives crops continuously throughout the entire warm season.
Caring for a silver melon is easy. The method of its cultivation is practically no different from the technology of cultivation of any other varieties of cucumbers. The only thing is that an Armenian cucumber with melon taste does not like frost and too low temperatures, it is usually grown in greenhouses by the seedling method. Although in the southern regions of Russia it is possible to cultivate this crop and, usually by technology, in open ground.
Varieties
For all the time of cultivation of this wonderful culture, several of its hybrids were bred. The most popular are the Armenian cucumber Bogatyr white, Melon silver and Mel on it flekhu-ozus. All these varieties give fruits with excellent taste and are characterized by relative unpretentiousness.
How to plant for seedlings
The soil in pots under this plant should be filled with nutritious and disinfected. Not bad for growing seedlings of Armenian cucumber suitable, for example, soil, consisting of the following components:
- garden land (one bucket);
- humus (3 kg);
- ash (1 tbsp.);
- superphosphate (1 tbsp. / l.).
Before planting, the seeds of the Armenian cucumber should be put in water for 20 minutes. In this way, germinating planting material can be selected. Seeds without seeds quickly pop up, full seeds remain below.
Seedlings of this crop are planted in April-May. 2-3 seeds are placed in one pot. Subsequently, one of the strongest plants is left. You should place the pots on the windowsill near the glass itself. This will provide better lighting. Armenian cucumbers do not like too much humidity. Therefore, when growing seedlings, no greenhouses need to be arranged. The optimum temperature is 23-25 degrees.
Armenian cucumber: growing in a greenhouse
After 2-3 real leaflets appear on the plants, you can transfer them to the greenhouse in the beds. The composition of the soil for adult plants is the same as for seedlings. The soil should be as loose as possible. This variety belongs to saline soils calmly - productivity does not decrease.
In the greenhouse, you must first install reliable support for the lashes. The beds themselves should have a width of 1 m and a height of at least 25 cm. If desired, Armenian cucumbers can be grown in central Russia and in open ground. In this case, the whips, as a rule, are simply let on the ground, as with ordinary cucumbers. But the maximum yield of this “melon” variety can be obtained only when grown in a greenhouse.
When transferring seedlings to a permanent place, you should be as careful as possible. The roots of an Armenian cucumber should never be damaged. Otherwise, the plants will take root for a long time and poorly. Seedlings should be planted together with an earthen lump. To make it easier to pull it out of the cup, the day before transferring the plants should be properly poured with warm water. Next, the bottom of the pot is simply cut off and squeezed out. The first few days after the transplant, young cucumbers should be shaded.
How to fertilize
Armenian cucumbers are fed during the season, usually alternating organic and mineral compounds. Fertilizing plants should be necessary, and especially when grown in a greenhouse. Otherwise, they will significantly reduce productivity. In this case, the fruits themselves will grow small, crooked and not too juicy.
The first top dressing is usually carried out approximately two weeks after disembarkation at a permanent place. In this case, superphosphate, ammonium nitrate and potassium salt are used (10 grams of each fertilizer for 15 plants).
For the second time, Armenian cucumbers are fed in two weeks. In this case, an infusion of mullein with a small amount of chicken droppings or ash is used. Watering the plants with such a composition must be done carefully, trying not to fall on the leaves and stems.
The following dressing can be done during flowering plants. This time, a mixture of urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate (1 teaspoon each) is dissolved in 10 liters of water. 5 liters of the resulting nutrient mixture should be spent per square meter of planting.
During fruiting, cucumbers can again be fed with mullein with the addition of ash. Some time after this, it is advisable to spray the plants over the leaves with a urea solution (1 matchbox per bucket of water).
How to water
It is necessary to moisten the soil under the Armenian cucumbers quite often - every day (sometimes every other day). In this case, you can use only warm water. If the watering is cold, the plants will certainly become ill. Before the ovary appears, for every square meter of planting, you should spend 4 liters of water. After the fruits begin to set in plants, this rate needs to be doubled. Watering should be in the morning or in the evening. The leaves of the Armenian cucumber are very tender. Water drops falling on them during the day in hot weather can cause severe burns.
Harvest Features
The fruit of the Armenian cucumber, as already mentioned, throughout the season. It is impossible to tolerate overripening of its fruits. They are cut off with a length of 20-30 cm. Just wonderful taste in such greens. This is what very good Armenian cucumber reviews have earned. Of course, you can eat the fruits of this culture fresh. But many summer residents, who have already managed to harvest this interesting plant, believe that their taste is especially pronounced when pickled.