Description and characteristics of the Nezhinsky cucumber variety

The Nezhinsky cucumber was grown in Rus' back in the days of Empress Catherine II. Many years have passed since then, but the classic pickling cucumber can still be found in garden beds. The Nezhinsky cucumber got its name in honor of the Ukrainian city of Nezhin. In their work, many breeders use the variety when creating new varieties and hybrids. The variety was registered in the State Register in 2009. Reviews on the Internet indicate the popularity of the variety.

Features of the variety

Nezhinsky is a variety of cucumbers, indeterminate in growth type and mid-early in ripening time. Technical ripeness of the fruit occurs at 45–50 days.In practice, the ripening period depends on weather conditions; in different climatic zones it may differ slightly from the stated one.

The variety is bee-pollinated and bears fruit better in open ground. When grown in greenhouses, there may be problems with pollination. To obtain an early harvest of cucumbers, it is worth using greenhouses, warm ridges, temporary shelters in the form of arcs and covering material.

The main characteristic of a cucumber intended for pickling is the quality of the pulp. Nizhyn greens have always been famous for their dense, juicy pulp. Cucumbers remain crispy when left in brine for a long time.

The taste of the pulp is slightly sweet. Cucumbers are covered with thin light green skin. The presence of small, black spikes on the skin is a sign of a pickling variety.

The shoots are powerful, strongly climbing. The length of the vines can reach two meters. The leaf size is medium, the color is green. Type of flowering - mixed. To get a good harvest, pinching the central shoot and first-order shoots is required.. A larger harvest is obtained on second-order vines. The description of the variety and its main characteristics are given in the table:

Advantages and disadvantages

The variety has advantages and a number of disadvantages - both of them need to be assessed when choosing a variety for the garden. Advantages of the variety:

• fresh greens have an excellent taste;
• salted and pickled cucumbers always have a good taste;
• weather conditions have little effect on the performance of the variety;
• good immunity to a number of diseases;
• fruits retain commercial quality during transportation;
• in the fall you can release your seeds;
• long fruiting period.

Among the disadvantages, two points can be noted: bees are needed for pollination, the bush requires formation.

Reproduction methods

Nezhinsky is propagated in two ways. The first method is to plant dry or sprouted seeds directly on the ridge. The second method is to grow seedlings from seeds at home, transplanting 30-day-old cucumber seedlings into open ground or a greenhouse.

Cucumber seeds germinate on the seventh day. You need to sow the seeds 25 - 30 days before transplanting the cucumber seedlings into the ground. Planting cucumber seeds it is necessary in separate containers: plastic containers, peat pots. You can use peat tablets. Cucumbers do not tolerate transplantation well, so summer residents do not practice sowing seeds in boxes.

Growing cucumber seedlings is not easy. To obtain strong and healthy plants, you must follow the following recommendations:

1. Use artificial lighting (fluorescent lamps, LED lamps, phytolamps) in addition to natural lighting.
2. Maintain the room temperature during the day - from 18 ° C to 22 ° C, at night you can reduce it slightly.
3. Avoid drafts and overcooling of the soil in pots.
4. Maintain a certain soil moisture (do not flood).
5. Every week, combine watering with fertilization, use liquid complex fertilizers for vegetable seedlings.
6. Monitor the condition of the leaves. When pathogens (aphids, thrips) appear, treat the entire plant multiple times. Use traditional recipes whenever possible, and in severe cases, low-toxic insecticides.

How to grow Nizhyn cucumbers

The variety should be grown in open ground.For greenhouses there are many hybrids and varieties that do not require pollination. There is no need to burden yourself with additional work artificial pollination of cucumbers.

Cucumber seedlings are planted in the ground depending on the weather. If there is a threat of frost in May, the right time is early June. By the time the cucumbers are transplanted, the soil should warm up to 12 °C. Measure the temperature in the shade at a depth of 25 - 30 cm - this is where the root system of cucumbers will develop.

Fill the cucumber bed with organic matter: humus or compost. Before digging, scatter mineral fertilizers over the ridge: urea, potassium nitrate, superphosphate. Apply fertilizers to cucumbers according to the standards indicated on the package.

For the variety, a planting pattern of 30 cm by 50 cm is recommended. Dry seeds are sown directly into holes, 3 to 4 seeds each. The seeding depth is 2.5–3 cm. The surface of the hole is mulched with peat, humus or compost. The ridge is covered with two layers: the first layer is covering material, the second layer is PVC film. As soon as the cucumber seedlings hatch, the film is removed.

Bush formation

Growing a good harvest of this variety of cucumbers requires effort. The formation of a bush requires attention and time. When the fifth leaf appears on the cucumber, pinch the crown. After some time, first-order side shoots will emerge from the axils of the cucumber. They need to be allowed to grow and pinched at 4-5 leaves.

From shoots of the first order there will come shoots of the second order. These cucumber vines do not need to be touched; the main fruiting will be concentrated on them. Do not remove male flowers on cucumbers - they are necessary for pollination.

Disease Prevention

Good prevention of any diseases and pests is the cleanliness of the beds. Weeds are the main source of infection and pests in cucumbers.To reduce weeds, the soil under the cucumbers can be covered with black material or mulch. Any type of mulch benefits cucumbers:

• retains moisture in the soil;
• inhibits the growth of weeds;
• prevents the penetration of infection;
• cucumbers are always clean and healthy.

The immunity of cucumbers can be disrupted by bad weather: heat, prolonged rains. Will solve the problem foliar feeding of cucumbers boric acid, urea solution, milk with iodine.

Any of the listed foliar fertilizing helps cucumbers fight diseases and pests. To prevent aphids on cucumbers, you can sprinkle the soil under the bushes with ash or tobacco dust.

Summer residents about the variety

Andrey, Krasnodar region:

“For many years I planted my mother’s favorite cucumbers - she always planted the Nezhinsky variety. I sow my seeds and release them in the fall from the ripened seed. I am sowing seeds from two years ago. Germination is always good. The harvest, although small, is stable. The taste of pickles of this variety is always excellent.”