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Cucumber Dirigent is an unpretentious, versatile variety that can be grown on any personal plot. Fruit ripening begins in early spring and continues throughout the season until September. The variety was bred in Holland relatively recently; it has earned the attention of gardeners for its precocity and high palatability of the fruit.
Characteristics of Dirigent cucumbers
It is better to start a description of the Dirigent cucumber variety with a photo demonstration.
This is an early ripe, hybrid variety that does not require pollination. It can be grown in open and closed ground. For good fruiting, regular and plentiful watering is important.
The plant has strong, strong shoots that form and constantly regenerate on the main stem. The lateral processes are weak, often die, do not develop completely.
After sowing, the seeds germinate quickly and amicably. Fruit ripening occurs on the 40th day after planting seedlings in the ground.
Leaves small, toothed, sparse. Due to their small leaf size and small quantity, cucumbers are easy to harvest.
The fruits of the Dirigentne variety are large, up to 15 cm in length and up to 80 g in weight. Their size practically does not change at the entire stage of maturation. 2-3 cucumbers are formed in one fruit node. The skin of the fruit is dark green, thin, bumpy. There are short yellow stripes on the surface.
Taste qualities of cucumbers
The taste qualities of fruits are high: the pulp is tender, juicy, crispy with a characteristic cucumber aroma. There is no bitterness inherent in cucumber crops. The seed chamber is small, the seeds are small, soft, always in the stage of milky maturity.
Pros and cons of the variety
The negative qualities of the variety include the high cost of seed, it is impossible to collect it yourself at home.
Among the positive properties are:
- variety resistance to powdery mildew, brown spot, cucumber mosaic virus;
- high yield;
- rapid ripening of fruits;
- drought tolerance;
Optimal Growing Conditions
Cucumbers of the Dirigent variety are grown from seeds or seedlings. To get an early harvest in a greenhouse or open field, a seedling method of growing under a film is used. Seedlings are planted in greenhouses in May. Plants are rooted at the rate of 3 seedlings per 1 m2. When planting in open ground, use the scheme of 5 plants per 1 m2.
The optimum soil temperature for rooting in open ground should be + 18 ᵒС. Watering is carried out at least 2-3 times a week.
To obtain high yields, cucumbers are fed with organic or mineral fertilizers up to 5 times per season. Once every 1 days, weeds are removed, the plant is watered under the root, and the soil is mulched. When pests appear, spraying with chemicals or using folk remedies is used.
Cultivation of cucumbers Dirigent F1
The variety is recommended for cultivation in the central and southern regions of Our Country. In this area, cucumbers can be planted in May immediately in open ground. In the northern regions of the country, you can also grow a variety, but in a greenhouse or heated greenhouse. Farmers send reviews with photos and descriptions of Dirigent cucumber fruits from almost every region of Our Country. This only confirms the fact that the variety can be grown in any climatic conditions.
Direct planting in open ground
In the south of Our Country, seedlings or seeds of Dirigent cucumbers are planted in late April or early May in open ground. At this time, there are no more night frosts.
The site for planting is dug up, organic fertilizers are applied: manure, peat, humus. You can also use potassium-phosphorus top dressing. For seeds, long, narrow grooves are cut into which the seeds are placed with the sharp end up. Deepen them no more than 10 mm. After they fall asleep with earth and water. At the last stage of planting, the soil is mulched. This will retain moisture and retard weed growth.
Seedling cultivation
Cucumber seedlings can be purchased or grown at home. To do this, the seeds are planted in special containers. They are filled with soil from the garden plot or acquire a special planting soil. Furrows are cut in it and seeds are laid there, then covered with a thin layer of earth, watered. Containers are covered with foil and cleaned in a warm, well-lit place. After 3 days, the covering material can be removed.
As soon as 2-3 true leaves appear on the seedlings, the grown plants can be planted in the ground. Dirigent cucumbers take root well and grow on any type of land.
Seedlings are planted in holes filled with a third of humus or peat. The distance between each plant should be at least 30 cm. Before planting, the soil is also carefully dug up and fertilized. After rooting the seedling, the hole is covered with loosened soil, watered abundantly, mulched.
Watering and top dressing
In dry regions, cucumbers are watered daily. Do this in the evening so as not to burn the leaves under the scorching sun. In other cases, the culture can be watered every other day. Water is poured under the root – moisture should not fall on the leaves.
The first top dressing is carried out 2 weeks after planting the seedlings in the soil. Then it is necessary to fertilize 2 more times before the formation of flower stalks. During the formation of ovaries, cucumbers are fed 2-3 more times. Fertilize the crop with organic or mineral fertilizers designed to feed cucumbers.
Formation
The formation of cucumber culture is carried out to increase its yield. This stimulates the formation of ovaries, and not the growth of side shoots.
The formation of Dirigent cucumbers is done as follows:
- After planting the seedlings, she is given time to root (about a week).
- After the bushes are tied to the trellis.
- As soon as the top of the seedling grows to the level of the wire, pinch the plant, leaving no more than 3 leaves on the stem.
- After the stem is wrapped around a stretched rope. The side shoots of the Dirigent variety are not pinched, as they are underdeveloped.
Protection against diseases and pests
The Dirigent variety is resistant to pests and diseases, especially fungal ones. If aphids or mites have started on the seedlings, it is necessary to treat the plants with insecticides.
Of the types of plant protection against insects that are safe for humans, the following are used:
- soap solution;
- infusion of onion peel;
- infusion of garlic;
Any of the proposed means is sprayed onto the stems and leaves of the plant.
Productivity
The Dirigent cucumber variety is classified as a crop with high yields. On average, up to 3 kg of crops are harvested from one bush per season, or 10 kg from 1 m2. Yields may vary in one direction or another depending on the growing conditions of the variety.
Conclusion
Cucumber Dirigent is a light-loving crop that bears fruit well on any soil. The main condition for high yields is abundant watering. The variety can be grown in any region of Our Country. The main thing is to create the right conditions. In the south, Dirigent cucumbers are planted in open ground, in the central regions – in greenhouses, in the north – in greenhouses with heating. In any of these regions, the yield of the variety is always consistently high.
Reviews
The description and reviews of farmers confirm the data on Dirigent cucumbers. The variety has become popular in every region of Our Country, thanks to its excellent taste.
