Content
Cucumber is a unique crop that is successfully grown not only in open beds, greenhouses, tunnels, but also on window sills and balconies. Such an unconventional cultivation method allows you to get a harvest of fresh cucumbers in an apartment, regardless of the season. Breeders have developed a number of special indoor varieties, the root system of which is compact, undemanding to a large amount of soil. These unique varieties include the cucumber "Balcony Miracle F1". It is distinguished not only by its adaptability to growing on the window, but also by its high yield, excellent fruit taste.
Features of the variety
"Balcony Miracle F1" is a hybrid of the first generation, obtained by crossing two varietal cucumbers. This hybridity endowed the cucumbers of this variety with an excellent, sweetish taste, without any bitterness.
The cucumber is parthenocarpic and does not need the help of pollinating insects in the process of ovary formation. The flowering type of cucumbers is mainly female. The combination of these factors gives the variety an excellent yield, which can reach 9 kg / m2.
The cucumber is perfectly adapted to partial shade conditions and does not need intense lighting. The plant is weakly plaited, medium-sized. The compact root system allows you to grow crops in a pot or pots, which is especially convenient for a room, balcony, loggia. In addition to living conditions, cucumber is excellent for cultivation in open and sheltered beds.
The cucumber variety is easy to care for, unpretentious, resistant to drought and some diseases. This allows you to abandon the treatment of the plant with special chemicals and grow an environmentally friendly crop without much hassle.
Description
The cucumber variety "Balcony Miracle F1" is represented by a lash up to 1.5 meters long. In the process of growth, the plant abundantly forms side shoots, which must be pinched. Cucumber leaves are bright green, small. A large number of nodes are observed along the trunk and shoots, in each of which 2-3 ovaries are formed.
The cucumber variety is characterized by an average ripening period. Mass fruiting of cucumbers occurs 50 days after sowing the seed. However, the first cucumber harvest can be tasted approximately 10 days ahead of schedule.
Cucumbers "Balcony Miracle F1" belong to gherkins. The average length of a cucumber is 7-8 cm, its mass is approximately 60 g. The shape of the cucumber is cylindrical, small tubercles are observed on the surface of the vegetable. Zelentsy have a pronounced aroma and pleasant taste. Their pulp is of medium density, sweetish. Cucumber has a characteristic crunch and freshness. They consume vegetables both fresh and canned.
Agrotechnics
For all its "exoticism", cultivation of cucumbers "Balcony Miracle F1" is not difficult even for a novice gardener. However, the cultivation of cucumbers of this variety in an apartment requires compliance with certain rules. Also, do not forget that the variety can be grown in the traditional way in the beds.
The best timing for sowing seeds
"Balcony miracle F1" is considered a heat-loving plant that does not tolerate temperatures below +15 0C. Therefore, it is best to plant cucumbers of this variety in open ground at the end of May. The best time for planting cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse is the beginning of May.Having chosen a method of growing cucumbers of this variety, you should decide on the time of sowing seeds for seedlings. To do this, 20-25 days should be subtracted from the expected date of planting the plant in the ground.
Sowing cucumber seeds for cultivation at home can be carried out year-round. However, if you need to get a harvest of fresh cucumbers by a certain date, for example, by the New Year, then the day of sowing the seed should be calculated. So, sowing seeds in the period from 5 to 7 November, you can count on fresh cucumbers for the New Year's table.
Seed processing and germination
Pretreatment of cucumber seeds significantly affects the viability and productivity of the plant. With the help of certain procedures, harmful microorganisms are removed from the surface of the cucumber seed and the growth process is accelerated. Pretreatment of cucumber seeds consists of the following steps:
- warming up the seed. For this, cucumber seeds can be dried in an oven preheated to 500C either tie a bag of seeds to a hot battery for a few days;
- for disinfection, the seeds are soaked for several hours in a weak manganese solution;
- germination of seeds in a wet tissue with a temperature regime of +270C, will accelerate the growth process of the cucumber.
Seed germination is not only a plant growth accelerator, but also a sorting step. So, healthy, filled cucumber seeds in a moist, warm environment should hatch in 2-3 days. Seeds that have not sprouted during this period should be discarded. Germinated seeds can be sown in the ground.
Growing seedlings
Growing cucumber seedlings is used not only for subsequent cultivation in the beds, but also for indoor conditions. This is due to the fact that small containers are easier to place in a lighted, warm place, the cucumber needs less watering, the concentration of nutrients in a small amount of soil is optimal. For sowing cucumber seeds for seedlings, small containers and soil should be prepared:
- small containers with a diameter of about 8 cm or peat cups should be used as a container. In plastic containers, it is imperative to provide drainage holes;
- soil for sowing cucumbers can be purchased ready-made or made by yourself by mixing peat, sand, humus and fertile soil in equal proportions.
Germinated cucumber seeds are embedded in the soil to a depth of 1-2 cm.It is necessary to arrange seedlings before the appearance of cotyledon leaves in conditions with a temperature regime of + 25- + 270C. After germination of cucumbers, the seedlings need a lot of light and a temperature of +220FROM.
Seedlings of cucumbers need daily watering and feeding. Feed cucumbers it is necessary with a solution prepared in the ratio of 1 teaspoon of urea to 3 liters of warm water.
Planting cucumber seedlings
Perhaps every gardener is familiar with planting cucumber seedlings in the garden. However, pot cultivation is new and can be challenging. So, when planting cucumber seedlings in a pot, you should adhere to the following rules:
- capacity, a pot for a cucumber by volume should be at least 5-8 liters. Such containers can be cut plastic bottles, ceramic pots, bags;
- drainage holes should be made in containers for growing cucumbers, broken brick or expanded clay should be placed on the bottom of the container;
- to fill the containers, it is recommended to use soil similar in composition to that used for sowing cucumber seedlings;
- at the time of transplanting a cucumber, it is removed from the previous container as carefully as possible, keeping a clod of earth on the roots. It is not necessary to remove the seedlings of cucumbers from peat pots, such material decomposes in the soil.
Plant care, harvest
The rules for caring for cucumbers of the "Balcony Miracle F1" variety are the same for indoor and outdoor conditions. So for the safe cultivation of this variety of cucumbers it is necessary:
- Provide a garter. The cucumber has long lashes, so the trellis or twine should allow the plant to curl up to 1.7 m high.To do this, you can fix the twine on the ceiling on the balcony. It is also convenient to use a pots, in which cucumber lashes are twisted and do not require a garter at all.
- Pinch the cucumber. This will allow the formation of lashes, prevent excessive growth of the cucumber, accelerate the process of formation and ripening of fruits.
- Feed the cucumber. Top dressing is recommended once every 2 weeks. To do this, you can use organic matter, wood ash, tea infusion, eggshell or special fertilizers.
- Water the plants in the mode 1 time in 2 days. When watering cucumbers, you should use warm boiled or melted water.
You need to harvest cucumbers of the F1 balcony miracle variety every day. This will allow the plant to quickly form new ovaries and fully nourish small cucumbers.
You can learn more about the rules for growing the "Balcony Miracle F1" variety in an apartment, as well as hear the opinion of an experienced farmer in the video:
Conclusion
Cucumber variety "Balcony Miracle F1" is a godsend for experimenters and connoisseurs of ecologically clean, fresh product grown with their own hands. With its help, you can not only get a good harvest of cucumbers in the off-season, but also decorate, make your balcony, loggia, window sill original. Such natural beauty, carrying vitamins and fresh taste, is available to everyone, even an inexperienced farmer.
