Contents
Cucumbers are the most common vegetables found in any garden. When choosing a variety, gardeners are guided by several parameters: productivity, unpretentiousness in care, disease resistance. Cucumber April has been tested for several decades, and therefore continues to be popular. But this variety also has its own secrets that you should know.
Detailed description of the variety
The main advantage of this variety is that it does not need insects for pollination. This allows you to successfully grow April cucumber in a greenhouse, as well as on a windowsill or even on a balcony. These cucumbers were bred in 1977 and since then have been one of the most popular and versatile varieties. This is a hybrid of the first generation, which has a length of the central lash of about 2 m. At the same time, the lateral lashes do not grow. Most of the flowers on the plant are female.
Description of fruits
The variety of April cucumbers is distinguished by dark green fruits. Their length is 15-25 cm. The surface of the fruit is ribbed with slight fluff. The shape of cucumbers is cylindrical. This hybrid, together with the Zozulya variety, won first place at the international exhibition in terms of taste.
A feature of April cucumbers is that when overripe, they do not become bitter and do not outgrow. Also, the variety is not prone to yellowing.
The weight of one fruit varies between 200-250 g.
Is it possible to preserve April cucumbers
Cucumber April f1 is suitable for fresh consumption. It is mainly intended for salads, cold appetizers, soups. But it is quite possible to preserve cucumbers. The size allows you to pickle and pickle fruits in a whole state.
Main characteristics of the variety
Cucumbers of the April F1 variety, according to reviews, look like in the photo in the greenhouse, they do not belong to frost-resistant varieties. They like good light and enough warmth.
Cucumbers are resistant to most common diseases. At the same time, they are susceptible to white rot. Gardeners are pleased with the undemanding nature of the hybrid for care and the soil in which the variety grows. It does not require frequent top dressing, it is adapted to growing almost throughout Our Country.
Productivity
Cucumber varieties April are high-yielding varieties with early ripening. From the first shoots to the first harvest, 1,5 months pass. At the same time, the peculiarity of this hybrid is a friendly yield. These cucumbers are not enough for the whole season. It is advisable to plant another variety of later cucumbers.
Productivity from 1 square. m is up to 24 kg. In the first 2-3 weeks of fruiting, the yield from 1 m2 – 15-17 kg.
Pest and disease resistance
Apart from white rot, the rest of the April variety is disease resistant. Pests also do not greatly affect this variety if a competent crop rotation is used on the site and elementary preventive actions are carried out.
Pros and cons of the variety
Like other varieties of cucumbers, the April variety, according to descriptions and reviews, has a large number of advantages. But there are also disadvantages. This is important to consider when choosing cucumbers for planting.
Grade advantages:
- self-pollination;
- early maturity;
- friendly and simultaneous fruiting;
- high disease resistance;
- not capriciousness in care.
The disadvantages include:
- fruiting for a short period;
- predisposition to white rot.
But there are many more advantages, so this hybrid successfully thrives in the beds and balconies of cucumber lovers.
Cultivation of April cucumbers
Subject to the peculiarities of agricultural technology, cucumbers will give a stable and large harvest. Cucumber April f1 is suitable for growing both seeds and seedlings. Parthenocarpic properties that are inherent in this hybrid make it possible to grow it absolutely without the participation of pollinating insects, but if insects still pollinate a cucumber, then on average the yield increases by 25%.
Terms of sowing
The timing of sowing cucumbers depends on the method by which they will be grown: seedlings and not.
When planting seedlings, the optimal age of seedlings for transfer to open ground is 25 days, when 4-5 leaves are formed. Therefore, the timing of sowing depends on when it is necessary to plant seedlings in open ground. In the southern regions – the beginning of May, and in the more northern regions – June.
As for growing cucumbers without seedlings, in this case, the sowing time depends on the conditions of agricultural technology. For a greenhouse, sowing dates are mid-April, and for open ground, the end of May.
Choosing a place and preparing beds
For planting April cucumbers, it is necessary to select a site with loamy or sandy soils. It is better to choose a landing site on the south side of the site, in a sunny place. This is a light-loving variety that will not be able to give a full harvest in the shade. In the fall, rotted manure, superphosphate, as well as potash fertilizers are applied to the site for cucumbers.
After fertilization, the area should be dug up. If the soil is characterized by high acidity, then in the autumn dolomite flour, ash or lime are added to the site.
Site preparation continues in the spring. They feed the soil with nitrogen fertilizers and add compost to the hole immediately before sowing.
To comply with the basic rules of crop rotation, you should not plant cucumbers in the same place. The best predecessors are potatoes, garlic, peas, beans, beets.
How to plant
Cucumber seeds should be planted to a depth of no more than 1.5 cm. It is not worth laying deeper than 2 cm, since it will be difficult for seedlings to break through. 1-2 seeds should be invested in the prepared hole. After germination, planting should be discharged if they are frequent. The ideal distance between cucumbers is 30 cm. The distance between rows is 50 cm. When thinning, it is important not to damage the root system of a nearby growing specimen. It is better to cut near the ground.
When planting seedlings, it must be buried in pre-prepared holes. After thinning, it is recommended to treat the seedlings with a growth stimulator.
Aftercare for cucumbers
To get the maximum yield, you will need to create optimal conditions. It is important to follow all the basics of agricultural technology and to properly water, loosen, fertilize and prevent diseases. Cucumber April f1, according to descriptions and reviews, is unpretentious in care, but there are some nuances.
Watering is carried out depending on weather conditions. In open ground, April cucumbers in the presence of regular rains do not need to be watered. If there is little rainfall, then planting should be watered every 2 days. If there is no precipitation, watering is carried out every day.
Moreover, if the ambient temperature is above + 30 ° C, and there is no rain, then you need to water the cucumbers 2 times a day.
The water must be warm so that the root system does not undergo hypothermia.
After watering, it is recommended to loosen the soil. It is better to do this regularly before the cucumber flowering process begins. But weeding should be carried out constantly, as needed. Weeds can take away some of the nutrients and also spread disease.
For young plants, pinching is recommended only after the shoots have reached at least 6 cm in length.
To make it easier to care for cucumbers, it is recommended to tie up the plant. There are several ways to tie:
- Horizontal – a strong twine is tied to wooden or metal supports. The method has a minus – hanging shoots can create a shadow for the rest of the plant.
- Vertical – the twine is pulled vertically, and the cucumber stretches up along it.
- Grid – a special grid is used.
Cucumbers respond positively to feeding. The first time it is necessary to fertilize 2 weeks after sowing. Add ammonium nitrate.
Top dressing with potash fertilizers is carried out during the formation of shoots. At the beginning of the fruiting period, organic matter or mineral fertilizers are applied.
The April cucumber variety is resistant to most diseases, but it must be protected from white rot.
Rot may appear due to excessive thickening of the planting. It is important to constantly ventilate the greenhouse so that the air does not stagnate.
To combat the appeared white rot, it is necessary to spray with special solutions according to the instructions.
April Cucumber Conclusion
April Cucumber is a popular and unpretentious variety that is widely used by summer residents and gardeners. A distinctive feature of this species is the absence of the need for pollination. Also marked by its high palatability. This variety belongs to the early ones and is used as a salad cucumber.
Reviews
