At the beginning of 2000, a new Dutch hybrid of cucumbers, “Amur f1” from Bejo Zaden, appeared on the seed market. Cucumber Amur f1 quickly entered the list of the best among amateur and professional vegetable growers.
Description of the cucumber variety Amur f1
The breeders did their best and laid down a universal set of characteristics:
- parthenocarpic;
- ultra-early;
- high-yielding;
- small and beautifully cylindrical in shape;
- resistant to major diseases;
- strong stem with little branching;
- high taste qualities;
- suitable for fresh eating and canning;
- stores well and is suitable for transportation.
Cucumbers grow small, neat, with small pimples and thorns, rich green in color with a light tint. The skin is dense and elastic enough to use the crop for canning and transportation, but not tough. Juicy pulp without voids with a delicate cucumber taste will not leave any vegetable lover indifferent.
Parthenocarpic properties of cucumbers
Sometimes in the description of “Amur f1” cucumbers you can find the definition “self-pollinating”. This is fundamentally incorrect and raises doubts about the author’s education.
There are two types of cucumbers: bee-pollinated and parthenocarpic, and these definitions are not mutually exclusive. Breeders introduced into the hybrid the ability to set an ovary without pollination. These cucumbers will be without seeds. But flowers have the ability to be pollinated if there is access for insects.
Important! Parthenocarpic and self-pollinating are not the same thing. There are no self-pollinating cucumbers.
This quality is important for hybrids grown in closed greenhouses, where insect access is limited. In open ground, parthenocarpic properties are not of particular importance and should not be a priority for the vegetable grower when choosing seeds. The cucumber variety “Amur f1” is a pronounced parthenocarpic, which allows it to be grown both in greenhouses and on the balcony, as well as in open ground.
Growing and care
Vegetable growers very quickly appreciated the amazingly high yield and early maturity of the Dutch hybrid. The manufacturer's description of the Amur variety states that within 38-45 days after planting the first cucumbers will begin to ripen.
This is indeed possible, but only if all necessary conditions are met:
- temperature regime;
- fairly balanced soil composition;
- timely feeding;
- bush formation;
- water mode.
Temperature
The main condition for rapid seed germination and bush development is soil and air temperatures above 24 ℃. This is especially true when planting seeds directly into open ground. In spring, the air temperature during the day is much higher than at night. And the soil does not have time to warm up even on fairly warm sunny days.
Having planted Amur cucumber seeds in soil with a temperature below 20 ℃, it makes no sense to wait for quick germination and crazy growth of bushes. If you really want early cucumbers, it is better to first germinate the seeds and sow seedlings.
Soil and fertilizing
The high yield and early ripening inherent in the Amur hybrid cause a large load on the soil, depleting it very quickly. Already at the stage of growing seedlings, it is important to bring the soil composition closer to the ideal for cucumbers. To form a soil mixture, humus, peat, forest soil and sand, mixed in equal parts, are suitable. For 10 liters of this composition it is useful to add a tablespoon of nitroammophoska and 3-4 tablespoons of ash.
This mixture will satisfy the demands of the demanding Cupid in the first 2-3 weeks. After 3-4 leaves appear, watering with liquid fertilizers begins, alternating potassium and nitrogen every 10-14 days. The soil for a permanent place to grow cucumbers of the Amur f1 variety is prepared in the fall. The soil is dug up and superphosphate is added. In the spring, before planting seedlings, wood ash and rotted manure are added to the soil. Cucumbers respond well to mulching after planting with crushed peat and sawdust.
Feeding
Without timely fertilizing, such a demanding variety as Amur f1 will not give those amazing results, reviews of which can often be heard from vegetable growers.
Three stages of development can be distinguished, requiring several feeding regimes:
- rapid development and growth of the bush: nitrogen and potassium fertilizers;
- flowering and ovary: phosphorus and potassium supplements;
- fruiting: complex fertilizers, including potassium and nitrogen.
Bush formation
The manufacturer indicates that the Amur cucumber hybrid has a small branching bush. But this does not mean that you should forget about the formation of the plant. When planting seedlings in open ground, cover almost the entire sprout with soil. This will help form a strong root system. It is important not to disturb the earthen ball with roots while transplanting seedlings. One of the best options is to plant it in peat cups.
If cucumbers are sown immediately in a permanent place, after the appearance of the fourth leaf, high hilling should be carried out. Important! A bountiful harvest is possible only on a powerful plant with a well-developed root system, therefore the Amur f1 variety requires the formation of a bush. To get a high yield, you need to allow a strong bush to develop. The first inflorescences will have to be removed until the bush grows to 5-6 leaves. Cupid f1 requires a garter to a strong base, since there are a lot of cucumbers, 4-8 in each inflorescence, the stem is not able to withstand such a load.
Watering and harvesting
Cucumbers are a moisture-loving crop. And the Amur f1 hybrid, with its artificially inherent characteristics of high yield and early maturity, consumes water in huge quantities. Watering is carried out twice a day with water heated to 24-25 ℃.
Cold water will cool the ground each time and stop the development of the bush. Even such a disease-tolerant variety risks rotting of the root system.Timely watering will allow young cucumbers to quickly fill up without bitterness. You should try to harvest this variety every 3-4 days. Greens that have been waiting for harvest will slow down the filling of the next cucumbers.
Conclusion
In general, the characteristics of the Amur f1 variety turned out to be quite optimistic. Reviews from vegetable growers about it are the most positive. With the right agricultural technology, you can get more than 20 kg of delicious crispy cucumbers from 1 m² and enjoy them all season long.
