Many gardeners are interested in what cucumber is, its description, cultivation and care. This term refers to a hybrid of cucumber and melon, which was created as a result of selection. Saraev worked to improve the resistance of crops to frost and decided to cross them with each other. The result was a rather unusual plant that was loved by many gardeners.
Description of the hybrid
In fact, today there is no consensus regarding the origin of cucumber.Some people consider this plant to be a tropical fruit-vegetable, while others claim that it is a hybrid that was obtained by crossing a cucumber with a melon.
In any case, it has been established that the cultivation of this plant began in Central Asia. Breeders managed to obtain a hybrid by crossing early varieties of melon and undemanding species of cucumbers. In appearance, the crop is similar to a cucumber bush, but has larger leaves and grows up to 2 meters in height. It is grown both vertically and horizontally.
The shape and taste of the fruit is influenced by the stage of their ripeness. Early specimens resemble cucumbers, but have thinner skin. Their size is 8-12 centimeters. These fruits are characterized by a light green color. In this case, the surface is covered with soft fluff.
What does it taste like
At the initial stage of ripening, cucumber is almost no different from cucumbers - neither in taste nor in smell. As the fruit ripens, it becomes more melon-like. They are characterized by juicy and sweet pulp of a yellow-orange hue. It has a delicate aroma and pleasant taste. It's difficult to describe in words. There seems to be a distinct melon flavor mixed with notes of banana, orange, cucumber and honey.
Instructions for use
At the milk ripe stage, the fruits can be eaten fresh. They are often used to make salads, pickled and salted. The product does not lose its taste and retains its original smell and color.
Compound
Cucumber is characterized by high nutritional value and a varied chemical composition. It consists of the following components:
- vitamins of group B, A, C, E, PP;
- minerals – sodium, magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium.
Useful and harmful properties
When consuming cucumber fruits, you can achieve a number of positive effects:
- destroy free radicals;
- get an antisclerotic effect;
- restore the functions of the digestive organs;
- cleanse the body of excess salts and cholesterol;
- stimulate metabolic processes;
- rejuvenate the body;
- obtain a mild diuretic and choleretic effect.
Cucumber does not harm the body. However, cases of individual intolerance to this product are sometimes recorded. Therefore, it should be introduced into the diet carefully.
Varieties
Thanks to the efforts of breeders, it was possible to obtain more than 15 varieties of this plant. All of them are characterized by excellent taste, resistance to frost and strong immunity. The most popular varieties of this plant include:
- Queen Anne is characterized by high productivity. This is an early ripening variety. It only takes 2 months from planting seeds to harvesting. The fruits are covered with stripes. There is some pulp inside. When fully ripe, it has a slightly bland taste.
- Matsarine - this variety has unusual fruits. They are distinguished by their elongated shape and look like zucchini. The peel has a light green color. At the maturity stage, the weight of one fruit reaches 400 grams. From 1 plant you can get up to 4 fruits. The pulp is greenish-yellow in color and has a pleasant taste.
- Manduria is distinguished by its juicy fruits, the weight of which reaches 1 kilogram.It takes 100 days from planting seeds to harvesting.
- Orenburg - the fruits of this melon are distinguished by their oval-oblong shape. The harvest can be harvested 1-1.5 months after planting. When unripe, the vegetables grow up to 12 centimeters and have a distinct cucumber taste. Ripe fruits can weigh up to 2 kilograms and are characterized by juicy and sweet pulp.
How to plant
It is recommended to plant seeds for seedlings at the end of April. The seedlings are moved into open ground a month after planting. It is important to prepare the bed in advance. In the fall, the area needs to be dug up and fertilized. For 1 square meter, use 25 grams of superphosphate, 12 grams of potassium sulfate, 15 grams of ammonium nitrate and half a bucket of humus.
Peat pots that decompose in the soil should be used as containers for planting seedlings. It is recommended to soak the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate, and then treat them with growth stimulants - for example, Epin.
Before planting seeds, the soil must be well moistened, and then the treated material must be deepened into it 1-1.5 centimeters and sprinkled with soil. Care consists of moving the container to a sunny place protected from the wind, timely watering and ventilation of the sprouts.
It is recommended to plant seedlings in open ground in warm and sunny weather. The soil needs to be loosened, holes made at intervals of 1 meter and fertilizer applied. After transplanting, the plants need to be well watered and insulated with greenhouses.
Features of cultivation
The vegetable does not need frequent watering. It is important to use only warm water for moisturizing. After fruit set, the number of procedures is reduced.This helps prevent cracks from appearing on them and reduce wateriness.
It is also worth carrying out the formation procedure. After 5-6 leaves appear, it is necessary to pinch the main stem. The application of fertilizers to the soil is of no small importance. To do this, use a mixture of 0.5 buckets of manure and 1 tablespoon of saltpeter. It needs to be filled with 1 liter of water, mixed and watered the soil around the bush. This composition must be used at intervals of 2 weeks.
To speed up the growth of greenery, cucumbers should be fed with bird droppings. When the plant begins to bloom, stop fertilizing the plants.
Harvesting
A distinctive feature of cucumber is that its fruits can be collected at the initial stage of ripening or at the stage of full maturity. Vegetables on the bush are constantly formed until autumn. Therefore, you can collect cucumber melon all summer long.
In this case, you should adhere to the following rules:
- To prepare salty dishes, vegetables must be collected 30-40 days after planting the seedlings. At this stage, they taste like cucumbers.
- To make jam, the fruits are picked only after they are fully ripe.
- Ripe vegetables must be removed from the bush on time. Thanks to this, they will not extract nutritious juices from it.
- Ripe fruits must be picked carefully so as not to damage the delicate skin.
- To increase the shelf life of fresh fruits during harvesting, it is necessary to leave the stalk up to 5 centimeters in size.
Nuances and difficulties
The main difficulty in growing crops is providing enough water without waterlogging the soil. Excessive amounts of moisture provoke rotting of the ovaries and bacterial infections. Before watering the plants, it is worth lifting the foliage and inspecting the soil. If it remains moist, there is no need to water the crop.
When choosing a growing method, it is worth considering that ripe fruits are easily separated from the shoots. When they fall to the ground they are damaged. Such fruits are only suitable for obtaining seeds.
Although cucumber is considered a heat-loving plant, it does not withstand extreme heat. Therefore, when grown in greenhouse conditions, crops often shed their ovaries at very high air temperatures.
Recipes using cucumber
Cucumber is a universal product. In addition to fresh consumption, it is suitable for preparing salads, desserts, preserves, compotes, and jams. To make delicious jam, you will need the following:
- 1 cucumber;
- 350 grams of sugar;
- 1 star anise;
- zest and juice of 1 lemon.
The fruit must be washed, cut into 2 parts and the seeds removed. It needs to be washed and cut into pieces. The peel does not need to be removed. Place the pulp in an enamel container, add star anise and sugar. Place on low heat and cook until sugar dissolves. When signs of boiling appear, add lemon zest and juice. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Place the mixture in jars, close tightly and keep in a cool place.
Cucumber is a tasty and healthy product that is becoming increasingly popular among gardeners. For the cultivation of a crop to be successful, it requires proper care.
