Characteristics of cucumbers of the Graceful variety
Not all crops are suitable for growing in cooler regions, but the Graceful cucumber is a good choice. It was developed in the village of VNIISSOK, Moscow Region, and feels calm in Siberia and the Far East. And gardeners speak about him mostly positively.
Characteristics of cucumbers of the Graceful variety
Characteristics of the variety
Cucumber Graceful mid-season, the harvest can be collected in one and a half to two months after planting. The weave is medium, can give about 4-6 lateral shoots. The variety is suitable for open ground and spring greenhouses, requires pollinating insects. Produces many male flowers and will be good as a pollinator for neighboring plants.
Fruits grow to a size of 9-12 centimeters and weighing 130-150 grams, do not turn yellow over time. The peel is thick, light green in color, does not taste bitter. The pulp does not form voids, except after salting. The yield of the variety is 5-7 kilograms per square meter.
Dignity
Cucumber Graceful is endowed with quality characteristics of such a plan:
- early ripeness;
- looks good and tastes great;
- resistant to low temperatures and olive spot, has medium resistance to bacteriosis;
- suitable for salads, does not taste bitter;
- overripe, does not turn yellow, and the seeds remain soft;
- easily transfers transportation;
- low cost of seeds.
disadvantages
- a lot of white-sided fruits that look bad in conservation;
- when pickling, voids appear, sometimes sour;
- dense skin will not be to everyone's taste;
- relatively low yield.
The Graceful cucumber is far from the best characteristics, so that it can be used in salting. Use other varieties for it so as not to disappoint yourself. And "graceful" is better to eat fresh, by the way, they are well stored.
Growing seeds
By growing seedlings, you will be able to harvest earlier and the productivity of the crop will be higher. Start sowing Graceful cucumbers in late April or early March. To do this, soak the seeds in water, add a growth stimulant if desired, and place them in pots with the first sprouts. The planting depth should be no more than 2 centimeters, the place for seedlings should be chosen warm and sunny. A glazed balcony is perfect for these purposes.
But even putting the seedlings in an ideal place, she will not have enough light, and she needs it 16 hours a day. Therefore, build a supporting structure with a fluorescent lamp on top and light the cucumbers when there is no sun. And to protect the plants from stretching, it is supplemented with a decrease in temperature.
Cucumbers that have passed the hardening procedure take root easier after moving. For this purpose, they are taken out into the open air and left for a couple of hours. At the same time, they are shaded and protected from drafts, aggressive sun and wind can harm delicate sprouts. You will know when the seedlings are ready to plant on dark green leaves and short internodes, the stems should be thick. And the temperature of the soil will warm up to 15 degrees.
Soil preparation
It is better to get rid of weeds right away
When choosing a place for a crop, follow the rules of crop rotation: plant them after potatoes, tomatoes, onions or cabbage. Or plants that are specially embedded in the soil, giving the earth "rest". But after planting pumpkin seeds, refrain, the soil in this case will not be fertile enough. In addition, they have common pests that have managed to properly settle in the ground during the season.
For an elegant variety, loose soil, in which humus predominates, is well suited. To determine the type of soil on your site, there is a special test. Take some earth and knead it like a dough, then roll into a sausage.
The sandy loam soil will immediately fall apart, and the light loam will pass the test. If you can roll the earth into a ring, it is heavy loam. You can relieve heavy soil if you bring sand to the area, it is distributed evenly and plowed.
In the fall, you need to add fresh manure to the soil. Rotting, it creates a beneficial structure, holding together too loose and loosening clay soil. Having fertilized the garden well in this way, the mineral fertilizers added later will reveal themselves much better.
In the spring, the area for cucumbers must be loosened again. If you didn't apply the manure in the fall, add humus and dig up the ground with a bayonet. Monitor the condition of the garden: you need to get rid of weeds immediately. Approximately May 20-25, add mineral fertilizers, dig up the bed and level it with a rake.
Landing rules
Planting this vegetable will not create any special problems even for inexperienced gardeners.
Timing
When the soil warms up to 15-18 degrees, the seedlings can be transferred to an open area. And at the same time, make sure that return frost does not threaten your seedlings. To be sure, check the weather from several sources.
But weather forecasts are not always accurate. To protect the cucumbers from unexpected frosts, you need to build a temporary shelter for them from metal arcs and polyethylene. Do this immediately after disembarkation, and it is better to prepare materials in advance.
At the end of May-April, dig holes the size of a seedling pot, their density should not be higher than 3 plants per 1 square meter. Gently remove the clod of earth from the pot and place it in the hole. Try not to break this lump, cucumbers do not tolerate diving well and will start to hurt with a damaged root system.
Compact the soil around the sprout and sprinkle some earth over it to retain moisture, otherwise a crust may form. Then water the bush generously with warm water and build a temporary shelter from unexpected frosts. As soon as the threat of night frost has passed completely, remove the shelter so that the plant can fully absorb the sunlight.
Bush care
The characteristic of Graceful table cucumbers states that you do not need any complicated care of the bush. Like all plants, he loves regular watering with warm water.
Use a barrel for this, in which the water will be infused in the sun. Also, you can combine watering with feeding every ten days, these plants are very dependent on nutrients and feeding will have a good effect on yield.
By forming a cucumber bush, you can make it much more efficient, and simplify the cultivation at times. Pinch the stem over the third leaf for 5-6 shoots. And in addition, do your daily harvest, so the juices of the plant will go into growth and form new ovaries.
Pest control
The description of an elegant variety of cucumbers, in addition to what has been said, requires touching on the topic of pest control. If a melon aphid has settled on your cucumber garden, ferment 1 kilogram of grass in 10 liters of water throughout the day. Or prepare a solution: 200 grams of ash and 50 grams of grated soap in a bucket of water. Then spray the insects with a spray bottle.
You can get rid of spider mites with a tincture of garlic, or onions: 200 grams of husk per 10 liters of water. You need to spray periodically, up to five times per season. And to remove voracious slugs, scatter ash or slaked lime on the soil.
Conclusion
Gardeners often choose the cucumber variety. Its graceful characteristic makes it clear that it is good in cooler regions as it is a very resilient species. At the same time, its yield is not high, the culture is poorly suited for salting. And not everyone will like the thick skin.
But this cucumber is unpretentious in cultivation and ripens quickly. Its fruits keep well, taste good, without bitterness. And thanks to the large number of male flowers, it can act as a pollinator. These points make up for the shortcomings well, making it a good variety in its place.