Cucumber Cascade: reviews + photos

Cucumber Cascade is one of the oldest, but still popular varieties of cucumber culture of the pumpkin family. The appearance of the Cascade cucumber variety at the end of 1977 was preceded by painstaking selection work by employees of the Far Eastern Research Institute of Agriculture and Crop Production. Only 5 years later, the Cascade cucumber was included in the State Register of Approved Plants with accreditation for the Far East Region.

Description of the variety of cucumbers Cascade

For the cucumber variety Cascade, the formation of stems (lashes) of medium length up to 1,5 m is characteristic, with the presence of obligatory pubescence. This factor is genetically incorporated in cucumbers and has a protective function. The nodes are evenly distributed along the entire length of the stem, from which leaf plates, lateral shoots, flowers or antennae subsequently emerge. The formation of lateral lashes in the Cascade cucumber is of an averaged nature, which allows us to say about the average level of wickerness of this variety.

The leaf plate has a rich green color with an emerald sheen, and the shape is closer to round, with five-lobed pointed endings. The upper and lower surfaces have soft pubescent spines, and wrinkled grooves are clearly visible on the leaf surface. The largest leaf plate can be from 12 to 18 cm in diameter.

The root system of Cascade cucumbers is well branched, but along with this, it does not go deep into the soil. This indicates a weak development of root processes, as a result of which they develop closer to the soil surface, not exceeding 30 cm in depth.

Flower stalks of Cascade cucumbers are determined by the presence of both male and female flowers, with the latter predominating.

Detailed description of fruits

The description of the Cascade cucumber variety will not be complete without a detailed description of the fruits themselves. In shape, they resemble an elongated ellipse with clearly defined tubercles, small in size, with the presence of miniature black spikes. For the Cascade cucumber variety, a characteristic feature is the evenness of the fruit without the appearance of hooks.

The fruits of the Cascade cucumbers are green. Sometimes it is possible to show longitudinal stripes of milky green color. The fruits of the Cascade variety are gherkin-type cucumbers, which is due to their size:

• length – no more than 14 cm;
• diameter (cross section) – no more than 4,5 cm.

Weight indicators of one Cascade cucumber can vary from 90 to 120 g, which depends only on the growing conditions and care of the plant.

The description of the Cascade cucumber variety must be continued with its taste characteristics and, importantly, the scope of ripe products.

The taste of cucumbers is quite tender and crispy, without bitterness. The use of fruits is universal:

• fresh;
• in salting;
• in canned;
• in freezing.

Due to the dense and elastic structure, ripe fruits have the ability for long-term storage without yellowing. This fact allows not only to store for a long time, but also to transport finished products without loss.

Main characteristics of the variety

Since the Cascade cucumber variety is zoned in the Far East region, it is safe to say that these cucumbers are quite hardy and tolerate short-term temperature changes perfectly. But, when choosing a place to land, it is worth giving preference to a site that is less prone to drafts.

For watering, the Cascade cucumber is quite demanding, which does not allow us to talk about its increased drought resistance.

One of the characteristic features of this variety is the versatility of planting. Despite the fact that the Cascade cucumber is a variety type, not a hybrid, and belongs to bee-pollinated varieties, it can be grown both in open and closed ground.

Productivity

From sowing the seeds of the Cascade cucumber to harvesting, 45 days pass, which corresponds to the category of early ripening varieties, with a friendly yield. Judging from the photos and reviews of gardeners, Cascade cucumbers are able to please with the number of ripe fruits – up to 4 kg of cucumbers can be collected from one plant.

When determining the yield from 1 square. m, it is worth considering the method of cultivation:

1. When grown in spread, the yield will be 16 kg.
2. When grown on trellises – 12 kg.

The methods of planting and methods of growing cucumbers Cascade will be discussed later.

Pest and disease resistance

The Cascade cucumber variety has an increased immunity to downy mildew, but resistance to other diseases that cucumber crops are most often susceptible to is above average. When the first signs of disease appear, treatment with fungicidal preparations should be carried out:

• Bordeaux mixture;
• previkur;
• previkur energy;
• alyette.

Cucumber Cascade does not have high immunity to attacks by pests such as aphids and whiteflies. But insecticidal-acaricidal preparations will help gardeners get rid of them:

• Aktara;
• Decis Profi;
• Fitoverm;
• Biotlin.

Pros and cons of the variety

Cascade cucumbers, like any other cultures, have positive and negative qualities that should be discussed in more detail.

The main advantages of this variety include:

1. Early ripeness.
2. friendly maturation.
3. Gherkin type of greens.
4. Lack of bitterness and yellowness.
5. The versatility of using ripe fruits.
6. Transportability.
7. Resistance to downy mildew.

Reading the reviews of gardeners, we can conclude that, as such, Cascade cucumbers have no shortcomings. Most fans of country farming consider the fact that the cucumber does not belong to self-pollinated varieties to be a minus. But even despite this, the popularity of the variety has not faded for a long time.

Growing rules

Several growing methods are suitable for Cascade cucumbers:

1. Rassadny.
2. Reckless.

When choosing a seedling method, you should be very careful when transplanting finished seedlings into open ground or a greenhouse. The root system of cucumbers is very delicate, and can be injured during transplantation. This, in turn, can lead to the death of a young seedling.

Terms of sowing

If the gardener decides to grow seedlings, then planting the seeds of the Cascade cucumber should be started in late March or early April. To plant seeds in open ground or a greenhouse, you should wait until the weather is warm and there is no threat of spring frosts. The best time for planting seeds will be the second half of May.

Choosing a place and preparing beds

As already mentioned, for planting cucumbers in open ground, it is necessary to choose a site that is not subject to drafts. But these are not all the conditions that must be met before planting cucumber seeds or seedlings.

The best solution would be to choose an open area where they grew last season:

• beans;
• peas;
• beans;
• potatoes;
• radish;
• beet;
• bow;
• garlic.

If cucumbers grow in a greenhouse, then they must be planted where tomatoes and sweet peppers grew last year.

If the crop rotation was carried out correctly, then the Cascade cucumber will delight the gardener with a bountiful harvest.

The soil of open and greenhouse soil must be prepared in the fall. For this you need:

1. Dig the soil to the depth of a shovel bayonet.
2. Remove weeds and fallen leaves.
3. Plant green manure herbs – mustard, oilseed radish, phacelia.

With the advent of spring, the soil will need to be dug up again along with the ascended green manure, which will enrich the soil with useful substances.

A good solution for open ground would be the preparation of “warm beds” in which Cascade cucumbers will feel much better.

Rules for the preparation of high “warm beds”:

1. It is necessary to dig a trench 25 cm deep.
2. At the bottom of the trench, you need to lay branches, needles or sawdust.
3. Cover “natural drainage” with earth.
4. Spill well with water.
5. At this stage, you need to make fertile soil, consisting of earth, humus and sand. All components are taken in equal proportions and mixed.
6. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are applied – per 1 m² you need 8 tbsp. l. wood ash and 3 tbsp. l. superphosphate.

The soil or beds are ready, now you can proceed to the planting itself.

How to plant

When planning the planting of seeds or seedlings of cucumbers of the Cascade variety, it is necessary to take into account the method of cultivation:

1. When growing in spreading, planting is carried out only in open ground with a planting density of 4 plants per 1 m².
2. It is possible to grow cucumbers by vertical production on stakes or trellises in greenhouse conditions and in open ground with a planting density of 3 plants per 1 m².

Planting seeds in the soil should not exceed 2 cm in depth, and when planting seedlings, the most important thing is not to damage the root.

Cucumber seedlings should be planted by transferring from a pot into a prepared hole up to 5 cm in diameter. Carefully placing a seedling in it, the root must be sprinkled with earth and shed well.

Aftercare for cucumbers

In the future, care for Cascade cucumbers will consist of timely watering, loosening and top dressing.

Cucumber Cascade is quite demanding on watering, it is this feature that should force the gardener to provide the plants with the right amount of moisture – up to 5 liters of water for each root with an interval of 4 days. After watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil with the simultaneous removal of weeds.

There are no special rules for the formation of a bush. But more yield can be achieved when growing the Cascade cucumber in one trunk, with the removal of side shoots.

Until the start of flowering, Cascade cucumbers will need complex fertilizers – NPK 20:20:20. During the flowering period, it is necessary to give top dressing with a smaller amount of nitrogen.

Conclusion

As can be seen from the description, the Cascade cucumber is quite unpretentious in its care, but most importantly, it is able to give gardeners a friendly and early harvest of tasty and juicy fruits. By picking cucumbers once every 3 days, you can subsequently cook a large number of your favorite dishes that you can enjoy all winter.

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