Othello cucumber is a hybrid variety bred by breeders from Holland several decades ago. At the end of the last century, Othello was included in the State Register of the country and recommended for cultivation in the central regions of Russia. This hybrid can be grown in open ground, under film covers, or in glazed greenhouses.
Description and main characteristics of the variety
The description of the variety should begin with a story about the timing of harvest ripening. From the moment of planting the seed until the harvest of ripe fruits, no more than 1.5 months pass. The vines of this vegetable crop can grow up to 1.8 – 2.0 m in height.The climbing ability of the plant is average, the stems are well climbing.
These cucumbers are bee pollinated and most of the flowers that appear on the stems are female. Up to 6 buds can bloom simultaneously in the leaf axils. Since the shoots are very tall, they must be tied to trellises.
Othello F1 is a high-yielding cucumber. With proper care from 1 m2 9 – 11 kg of fruits are collected. The cucumbers of this hybrid are medium in size and cylindrical in shape. The surface is pimply, covered with small tubercles, shiny. Cucumbers are no more than 12 cm in length. The skin is dense, rich emerald color with white stripes along the entire fruit, slightly pubescent. The pulp is crispy, tight, there are no voids, and quite juicy.
The taste is good, with some juiciness, no bitterness.
The characteristics of this hybrid will be incomplete without a description of transportability and keeping quality. Thanks to their dense and fairly thick skin, Othello cucumbers are excellent at transporting over fairly long distances, and their shelf life is quite high - in a cool place, the fruits can be stored without losing their taste and marketability for at least 1 - 1.5 months.
The harvested crop is used not only fresh, but also for preservation - salted and pickled. It should be noted that the Othello hybrid is one of the few varieties whose cucumbers improve their taste after canning.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of the hybrid:
- early ripening of the crop;
- early ripening of the variety;
- high yields;
- excellent taste of ripened fruits;
- the harvest can be stored for a long time in a cool place without losing its presentation and good taste;
- fruits tolerate transportation well;
- The variety is highly resistant to major diseases affecting cucumbers.
Reviews from gardeners indicate that the Othello hybrid has practically no negative qualities. It should only be noted that sharp fluctuations in weather can have a negative impact on the growth and ripening of the crop.
The nuances of growing and caring for Othello cucumbers
Seed material supplied by well-known companies is usually already processed (disinfected), pickled and kept in growth stimulants. Before planting in open ground, Othello seeds do not require additional preparation. In order for the seeds to germinate faster and in the future to have few empty flowers on the shoots, they should be kept close to heating devices for a month.
Many summer residents pre-plant seed material in peat pots (1 - 2 seeds in each) for seedlings. After 1 - 1.5 weeks, seedlings appear and grow quite quickly. Already 25 - 30 days after the emergence of seedlings, 2 - 3 true leaves appear on the seedlings, and all seedlings are ready for planting in a permanent place. The soil in the beds should be light and loose - it can be fertile sandstone or loam with a neutral pH.
Basic requirements for caring for these cucumbers:
- Cucumbers require regular watering with warm water, but there should be no stagnation of moisture in the soil, otherwise the plants may begin to rot. Splashes of water should not fall on the foliage.
- The beds must be regularly cleared of weeds, which can clog this vegetable plant and absorb nutrients from the soil.
- After each watering, the soil should be loosened to remove any crust that appears.
- Cucumbers are fed at least 5 times per season.Liquid cow manure and mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are used as fertilizers.
- Be sure to tie up the main shoot and growing side stems.
- Ripe cucumbers are harvested regularly, every 2–3 days.
It is not recommended to grow this hybrid in closed greenhouses, since flowers are usually pollinated by bees. In a greenhouse, most often the ovaries are practically not formed or the fruits do not appear at all.
