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Cucumber Khrustik F1 is an almost universal hybrid. This also applies to the methods of its cultivation, and the possibilities of using the crop, and the region of cultivation. Gardeners have known him for more than ten years and continue to cultivate, despite the new varieties and hybrids that appear on sale every year. These cucumbers are also appreciated by consumers for their taste qualities.
The story of
Khrustik F1 is a cucumber hybrid created by one of the most famous agricultural companies Gavrish. This is the achievement of a whole team of breeders. The work was carried out on the basis of and with the participation of the Moscow Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding, therefore both organizations are the originators. An application for admission for registration on the territory of the Federation was submitted in 2011. In the same year, the hybrid was included in the State Register.
Also, its prevalence is facilitated by suitability for planting in closed and open ground. Officially, it is considered a hybrid for unheated greenhouses, but the experience of gardeners shows that plants successfully develop and bear fruit on ordinary beds.
According to the official conclusion, Khrustik cucumber is suitable for cultivation in any region.
Description of cucumbers Khrustik F1
The hybrid belongs to the category of indeterminate. It does not have a “programmed” shoot growth limit. If they are not cut, cucumber lashes can stretch 3-3,5 m. Growth rates are quite high, but the stems do not branch intensively. The foliage is medium, the leaves are not too large.
The flowers are predominantly “female”. Each of them is a future fruit ovary. Flowering is tufted. According to the originator, each “bundle” consists of 7-8 flowers, the State Register and the experience of gardeners indicate that most often there are 2-3 of them.
The shoots are quite powerful, but Khrustik cucumber bushes still need support
Cucumbers Khrustik F1 are one-dimensional (weighing about 120 g and 10-12 cm long), with a regular cylindrical shape. The skin is thin, but strong, almost monophonic rich green color, slightly “diluted” with lighter thin strokes and blurry spots. There are few large tubercles and white spines, the edge is light, relatively rare.
The pulp of cucumbers is very dense, juicy, without voids, with a pronounced fresh cucumber aroma and small, almost imperceptible seeds when eating. The sweet taste is officially described as “excellent”. The lack of bitterness is genetic.
The purpose of the fruit is universal. Khrustik cucumbers are very good fresh (both by themselves and as a component for salad, okroshka) and homemade. Often, for salting and pickling, “gherkins” weighing 60-80 g and 7-8 cm long are removed.
The characteristic distinct crunch and texture of the pulp are retained by the fruits even after salting, pickling.
Characteristics of Khrustik cucumbers
In addition to the appearance of bushes and fruits, their taste, gardeners take into account other indicators when choosing a variety. You need to determine in advance for yourself the most important criteria and be guided by them.
Cucumber yield Khrustik
The originator in the description of the hybrid indicates its yield in the range of 10-11 kg / m². According to the State Register, the figures are higher – 14,4-15,3 kg / m². Cucumbers ripen en masse, in several “waves”.
Regular harvesting of Khrustik cucumbers has a positive effect on the possibility of further fruiting of plants
Ripening and flowering time
Khrustik F1 is an early ripe hybrid of cucumbers. It takes 44-48 days from the moment of emergence of shoots from seeds to the collection of the first fruits. Sometimes gardeners indicate a longer period – 50-60 days. This variation is due to different ways of growing, significantly different climatic and weather conditions.
The first flowers appear on plants in phase 5-7 of the true leaf. It takes 14-17 days for the formation of fruit ovaries and the ripening of Khrustik cucumbers.
Disease and pest resistance
Breeders provided Khrustik cucumbers with innate immunity against powdery mildew and cladosporiosis. The experience of gardeners shows that they are practically not susceptible to mosaic virus and various types of rot. The most dangerous disease for the hybrid is peronosporosis (downy mildew).
Khrustik cucumbers have no protection against pests. Therefore, they are often attacked by aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites.
Peronosporosis is easily identified by yellow spots on the front side of the sheet and a continuous layer of lilac-gray bloom on the wrong side.
Advantages and disadvantages
The official description of the Khrustik F1 cucumber hybrid and the reviews of gardeners allow us to highlight the following advantages:
- early ripeness and mass fruiting;
- the ability to adapt to a wide range of climatic and weather conditions;
- suitability for cultivation in open and closed ground;
- the presence of immunity from certain diseases dangerous to the culture;
- consistently high seed germination and yield;
- fast shoot growth;
- female type of flowering, the formation of fruit ovaries without the participation of pollen from male flowers and pollinating insects;
- external presentability, one-dimensionality;
- versatility of the appointment of cucumbers;
- excellent taste and complete absence of bitterness;
- good transportability and keeping quality for an early variety (up to 10-12 days at room temperature, up to a month in a basement or cellar).
The disadvantages of Khrustik cucumbers are much less significant than their advantages:
- the need for regular harvesting (if this is not done, the formation of new fruit ovaries slows down);
- exactingness to lighting and moisture-loving.
In the shade, the growth and development of bushes slows down, the yield of Khrustik cucumbers decreases.
Planting Cucumber Khrustik
Gardeners practice the cultivation of Khrustik cucumbers in greenhouses, greenhouses, and open beds. You can immediately sow the seeds in the soil or pre-grow seedlings at home. Depending on the chosen method, the harvest time differs by 7-15 days.
Seedbed method
Khrustik cucumber seedlings develop quickly, so the seeds for seedlings are planted during the last week of April. Like any hybrid, they undergo pre-planting treatment, so there is no need for germination, soaking in a solution of biostimulants, dressing with fungicides and other procedures.
Growing seedlings is a doable task even for a novice gardener:
- Plant seeds one at a time in small pots filled with well-moistened all-purpose seedling soil. They are deepened by a maximum of 1 cm, sprinkled with soil, sprayed from a spray bottle.
- Turn containers into a “greenhouse” by tightening with cling film or covering with cut plastic bottles.
- Remove to a dark warm place, providing a temperature of about 25 ° C. It is necessary to constantly monitor the level of soil moisture, preventing it from completely drying out, and to get rid of the accumulated condensate in a timely manner.
- Emerging seedlings provide daylight hours lasting 10-12 hours. Natural light in most regions will not be enough, lamps will be required for supplementary illumination. Lower the temperature after emergence to 20-22 °C. Seedling care consists only in timely watering.
- 8-10 days before planting, start hardening Khrustik cucumber seedlings, gradually increasing the time they spend outdoors from 1,5-2 to 10-12 hours. Hardening should be abandoned if the temperature outside drops below 12 ° C, it rains heavily, a sharp cold wind blows.
Khrustik cucumber seedlings are planted in the garden 2,5-3 weeks after germination, in phase 2-3 of the true leaf. The recommended planting pattern is 30-40 cm between bushes with row spacing 60-70 cm wide.
The depth of the hole for seedlings is approximately 10 cm, seedlings cannot be buried deeper than in the container
Sowing in open ground
Seeds are planted in the second half of May (gardeners in the Urals, in Siberia, in the Far East sometimes have to wait until early June) in well-moistened soil, deepening by 2-3 cm. The planting pattern is either the same as for seedlings, or 50×50 see. In order for seedlings to appear faster, it is recommended to close the bed with Khrustik cucumbers with plastic wrap or black covering material on arcs.
The soil at the time of planting the seeds should warm up to 15-16 ° C
Planting Khrustik cucumbers in a greenhouse
Compared to planting in open ground, only the timing differs. Here they shift to the very beginning of May, respectively, seeds for seedlings are planted in early April.
Khrustik cucumbers are placed at intervals of 20-30 cm. Depending on the area of the greenhouse, 2-4 rows are formed, the bushes in each of them are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.
Both seeds and seedlings of Khrustik cucumbers can be planted in the greenhouse
Caring for Khrustik Cucumbers
Khrustik cucumbers require the following agrotechnical measures:
- Watering. In the greenhouse and in the open field in the absence of precipitation – daily or every other day. When planting on ordinary beds, it is necessary to take into account the frequency and abundance of precipitation.
- Tie and trim. In open ground, you will need a trellis; in a greenhouse, bushes, as a rule, are tied to a wire stretched under the roof. Experienced gardeners recommend forming Khrustik cucumbers in one stem. When the shoot reaches the desired height, pinch it. The lower drying leaves are regularly removed.
- Application of fertilizers. Khrustik cucumbers are fed three times. In phase 3-4 of this leaf or 7-10 days after planting, seedlings are watered with a solution of any mineral nitrogen fertilizer. Immediately after flowering and the first mass fruiting, store dressings are used specifically for cucumbers.
- Prevention of diseases and pest attacks. To protect the Khrustik hybrid from downy mildew, the bushes and the soil under them are sprayed with a biofungicide solution every 7-10 days. You can also use folk remedies – an infusion of colloidal sulfur, kefir diluted with water or yogurt with the addition of iodine. Pests are repelled by planting any flowers, herbs with a pungent aroma next to the garden bed or in the greenhouse. If the attack could not be avoided, they are treated with suitable insecticides (if a spider mite appears, with acaricides).
The watering rate varies from 1-1,5 to 4-6 liters as the Khrustik cucumber bushes grow
Conclusion
Cucumber Khrustik F1 is invariably popular with amateur gardeners due to early and massive fruiting, very good yields, excellent taste, the ability to use both fresh and for home-made preparations. It can be cultivated in open or closed ground, planted in beds with seeds or seedlings. In any case, he does not impose special requirements on agricultural technology; even novice gardeners can handle the cultivation of Khrustik cucumbers.
Reviews of gardeners about cucumbers Khrustik F1
