Vegetable growers often boast about the small cucumbers they have grown and rolled into jars in front of their friends. But in most cases these are just unripe simple varieties; gherkin cucumbers for open ground are grown from specially bred varieties. They do not outgrow if harvested untimely and remain small. Let's look at the description of the best varieties of gherkins and find out the features of their cultivation.
The best gherkins
There are many varieties and hybrids of gherkins for open ground.Among them there are those suitable for growing in our weather conditions. They have excellent taste characteristics and are versatile in cultivation.
Parisian gherkin
This is an early ripening f1 hybrid pollinated by bees, so it is best to grow it in beds without film covers. The seeds produce the first fruits on the 42nd day after planting. The length of the vegetable varies from 6 to 9 centimeters. The cucumber is oval and oblong, green on one side and pale yellow on the other. The vegetable is covered with small tubercles. The taste is excellent.
Kai and Gerda
Parthenocarpic mid-season hybrid of the first generation. From the moment of planting in the ground to the harvest, 50 days pass. The type of ovary is bunched; in one bunch, from 2 to 6 fruits ripen at the same time. Cucumbers are oblong, light green in color with light lines next to the flower. The weight of a ripe vegetable reaches 75 grams. It is resistant to powdery mildew. Used for cultivation in open areas and for greenhouses.
Thumbelina
The gherkin variety has a medium ripening period, parthenocarpic type, does not require pollination of flowers by insects, and therefore can be grown in open and closed areas. Medium climbing plant. The fruits are green with small lines of light color around the flower. At maturity they weigh 95 grams. It has the best taste and is intended for fresh consumption and pickling.
Prepaid expense
An early ripening hybrid that does not require pollination by insects, bred for planting mainly in closed ground. The period from planting seeds in the ground to harvest lasts only 40 days. The greens are smooth, lumpy, and green in color. Covered with small thorns. Subtle bright stripes are visible on the surface. The hybrid variety is suitable for pickling and fresh consumption.
Harmonist
An early variety, produced for greenhouses and open beds. Bundle type of ovary - up to 8 fruits ripen at the same time in one inflorescence. The size of a ripe gherkin varies from 10 to 12 centimeters. It is characterized by increased yield; up to 11 kilograms of vegetables are harvested per square meter. Emerald-colored cucumber with yellow stripes.
Moravian gherkin
Has an early growing season. Developed for planting in open areas. The fruits are light green in color with small tubercles throughout the entire plane. A ripe vegetable weighs 65-95 grams and is 8–10 centimeters long. It has excellent taste and a large number of microelements. Grown for universal use.
Diva
A productive variety, up to 28 kilograms of ripe fruits are harvested from one square. From the moment of planting to harvest, 35–40 days pass. The fruits are dark green with a large number of small tubercles. The weight of one fruit reaches 90–100 grams. The average size varies between 10–12 centimeters. The vegetable is universal - suitable for all types of preserves.
Funny company
Precocity and quick returns are about him. The f1 hybrid bears fruit well in closed and open ground; the greens have a cylindrical shape and a light green color. The weight of a mature fruit is 70–85 grams with a length of 9–11 centimeters. Tufted ovaries with 3–4 fruits grow on the bush. A ripe cucumber is cylindrical in shape with sparse small tubercles. It has bright taste and salting qualities. Adapted to popular diseases and responds well to mineral supplements.
All hybrids are adapted for production in the climatic zones of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. You should pay attention to the growing conditions - hybrids pollinated by bees bear fruit best in open areas.
Review of mini gherkins
For lovers of small cucumbers rolled into jars, breeders developed mini gherkins. We have selected the best varieties from a variety and described reviews of their advantages and disadvantages below.
Children's
The bush of this hybrid is beautifully formed, the fruits are green, light green along the edges. There are a small number of tubercles. Excellent taste and high performance. Can be grown on balconies and window sills. The name matches the description.
Filipok
The vegetable is of medium ripeness, the ripening period varies within 50 days. It is grown mainly in open areas due to its pollination by insects. The bush bears fruit with the help of bunched ovaries. Up to 6 fruits are formed in one ovary. The cucumber is green in color with a large number of small tubercles. The color is monochromatic, the white stripes are almost invisible. The taste is cucumber, sweet. The fruits ripen without voids or seeds.
Son of the regiment
Hybrid variety of the first generation - characterized by early ripening of fruits. From the moment the seeds are planted in a good growing location until the first harvest is harvested, only 40 days pass. Miniature-sized vegetables - length 6-7 centimeters, in the pickling phase - 2-4 centimeters. When removing the pickles, it retains its taste characteristics. Resistant to fungi and infections.
Micron
The period of first fruiting of this mini-gherkin is about 40 days. The hybrid needs pollination by bees, so it is recommended to grow it in open beds. The vegetable reaches a size of 7–8 centimeters and stops growing. The fruit has sparse tubercles on the surface, the color is dark green with white lines along the entire surface.The plant has resistance to overgrowth and a long harvest period. Micron cucumbers are resistant to popular diseases.
Spring
Early hybrid f1 - 35–40 days pass from planting to the ripening of the first fruit. Parthenocarpic type of pollination, so cultivation in greenhouses and greenhouses is possible. It reaches 6–8 centimeters in length. Cucumbers are emerald in color, with yellow stripes around the flower. The tubercles with sharp spines are sparsely located on the surface. Long-term fruiting allows you to harvest two or three crops per season from one bush. The variety is not afraid of powdery mildew.
Rules for growing gherkins
To get an excellent harvest of small cucumbers, it is important not only to choose the appropriate variety or hybrid, but also to grow the cucumbers correctly. To do this, you should follow simple rules for growing gherkins in greenhouses and open ground:
- Planting seeds - before planting, you need to decide how cucumbers will be grown for the greenhouse: seedlings or direct. With the method of planting seeds for seedlings, the harvest will be obtained 14 days earlier.
- Determining where the bushes will grow - for this type of cucumber you need to choose a place with light and loose soil. The acidity level should not exceed 7.5 pH. Preliminary fertilization of the soil will increase the yield of cucumbers in the future.
- For constant fruiting, you need to water and loosen the beds as needed. The soil should be fertilized at least three times per season with mineral and organic fertilizers. Cucumbers respond well to yeast feeding. It's easy to prepare. A pack of dry yeast is diluted in a 10-liter bucket of water; when the fermentation process begins, the mixture is diluted in 50 liters of water. Plants are watered with this solution.
- Gartering and pinching, if necessary, will also improve the growth of borage and have a beneficial effect on the ripening of fruits.
What do you need to know about pests and diseases of gherkins?
A feature of growing in open beds is the accessibility of bushes to pests. This occurs due to improper use of organic matter. The aphids eat the young leaves, the plant dries out and growth stops. If insects are found on plants, you must immediately sanitize all beds with cucumbers and gherkins.
When watering in hot sunny weather, plant leaves may turn yellow. This occurs due to sunburn. It is recommended to water in the early morning or late evening, when the sun is already setting.
If harvested incorrectly, the bushes will produce fruits of different sizes. Due to old cucumbers, young ones do not have time to ripen, so timely harvesting is necessary.
If you follow these simple rules, you will get an excellent harvest of tasty and crispy gherkins.
