Cucumber Relay F1 pleases with continuous fruiting from spring to autumn. The gardener has a chance to get an abundance of fragrant herbs. Plants are planted in heated and cold greenhouses.
Features of the hybrid
The Relay cucumber was developed in the 80s of the 20th century by breeders from the Edelstein Experimental Station. In 1983, the hybrid was entered into the State Register. Recommended for cultivation in all regions in winter. In places with an unstable climate, Relay is grown from spring to autumn in unheated greenhouses.
Plant characteristics:
- average ripening period (from germination to the first greenery 55 days);
- high growth energy;
- leaves are large, green;
- flowers are predominantly female;
- pollination requires insects (bees);
- With proper agricultural technology, it is possible to get 44 kg/sq. m.
Everyone who planted this variety is happy with Relay cucumbers. Gardeners are pleased with the hybrid’s ability to adapt to changing growing conditions. It tolerates shade easily. The plant is not affected by the virus cucumber mosaic, rarely suffers from root rot.
Summer residents should take into account the dependence of the formation of female flowers on high night temperatures: at 20 degrees and above, male flowers grow. The hybrid is cultivated in heated greenhouses in autumn and winter.
What kind of cucumbers grow
Gardeners want to get aromatic sweet cucumbers. The relay fully satisfies this requirement. Breeders have created a hybrid with salad-type fruits.
Description of Zelentsy Relay:
- the greenery is shaped like a spindle;
- color - bright green;
- rare tubercles;
- pubescence white, sparse;
- length - 20 cm;
- diameter in the middle of the fruit - 4 cm;
- taste sweet;
- the pulp is juicy, crispy;
- the skin is tender;
- the seeds are small, not coarse.
Gardeners like the lack of yellowness when overripe. The fruits do not grow longer than 22 cm.
Agronomists recommend eating cucumbers fresh: cutting them into salads or making sandwiches. But the summer residents expanded the purpose. Overgrown greens are preserved for the winter as part of vegetable dishes, small ones are salted and pickled whole.
Rules for getting a good harvest
Choosing a cucumber variety is half the success. But a well-read gardener knows: to get what you want, you must strictly follow the requirements of agricultural technology.
When grown in heated greenhouses, you should sow 2-3 seeds per hole directly into the ground. Place 3-4 plants per square meter.After germination, leave 1 strongest plant, carefully cut off the remaining shoots with a knife.
Growing Relay in unheated greenhouses requires the following conditions:
- planting seedlings in a permanent place at the age of 20 days (the bush has 2-3 true leaves);
- soil filled with nitrogen fertilizer;
- mandatory garter to the support;
- blinding of side shoots after 8 leaves;
- turning the main stem around the upper support and lowering it down;
- blinding of the stem at a height of 1.5 m from the ground;
- mulching beds with mature organic matter (compost);
- regular watering and fertilizing;
- spraying plants in hot weather;
- night temperature control.
To attract bees and compact the plantings, you should place honey plants in the bed with Relay: hyssop, basil.
In hot weather, it is recommended to cover the plants with light non-woven material or whitewash the greenhouse.
To stop the negative effects of high temperatures at night, simple measures are required. For 2 weeks before and after planting, ensure the temperature at night is 16-18 degrees Celsius.
What gardeners say
Gardeners give good reviews about the hybrid. Summer residents like the taste, the purpose of using greens, resistance to cucumber mosaic and root rot, and long fruiting. On the forums they talk about long-term storage of collected fruits: up to 2 weeks without refrigeration. Cucumbers endure long transportation to the place of sale.
Unlike other varieties, Relay cucumbers easily tolerate fluctuations in temperature and light, and active formation of ovaries continues. Summer residents like the lower price of seeds compared to analogues from other manufacturers.
The disadvantage of Relay F1 cucumbers is considered to be sensitivity to heat and the amount of moisture in the soil (the fruits accumulate bitterness) and the dependence of the harvest on pollinating insects.
