Characteristics of cucumbers of parthenocarpic varieties

Cucumbers – This is a vegetable crop, which is very popular due to its taste, dietary properties. The plant was cultivated for a long time, more than 4 thousand years ago. But cultivation has always been problematic because cucumbers are very demanding on temperature and humidity, susceptible to diseases, dependent on pollination by insects.Parthenocarpic variety of cucumbers is a great opportunity to avoid a situation where the material and labor costs of caring for the crop do not pay off due to the low fruit setting in the cool and rainy summer.

Characteristics of cucumbers of the partenocarpic variety

Partenocarpics are mostly greenhouse cucumbers. Pollination is a problem for closed ground. The process of artificial pollination of flowers takes a lot of time and energy of gardeners. This variety of cucumbers makes growing less laborious with a more guaranteed result.

Description of the variety

“Parthenocarpy” is a word of Greek origin. Translated means: “parthenos” “virgin”, “karpos” “fruit”, literally “virgin fruit”, i.e. the formation of the fruits of plants without fertilization. Parthenocarpy is known in many horticultural crops.There are parthenocarpic apple trees, pears, tangerines, grapes, tomatoes and many other crops.

Parthenocarpic properties are fixed genetically in different ways (mechanical, thermal, electromagnetic effects). Like any hybrids, even if parthenocarpics give seeds, they are not able to ascend and develop into an adult plant.

Parthenocarpic cucumber was found in nature in the wild in China and Japan. In the middle of the twentieth century, breeders received the first hybrids of parthenocarpics, created artificially. Initially, such plants did not receive wide recognition, because Zelentsy had an unusual length for gardeners – up to 40 cm. After a while, varieties with the usual fruit size appeared.

Difference from self-pollinating varieties

Many gardeners mistakenly identify parthenocarpic cucumbers and self-pollinating. The former form fruits on female-type flowers with no pollination at all, which is why seeds in fruits are very often completely absent. The probability of fruit setting is from 50 to 90%.

In contrast, self-pollinating cucumbers have flowers in which there are also pistils and stamens, i.e. there is no division into male and female. Self-pollination occurs, resulting in the formation of fruits with seeds.

Their common feature: neither one nor the other are dependent on weather conditions, the work of insects.

Advantages and disadvantages

Besides the fact that parthenocarpic cucumbers will produce crops even in the absence of pollinating insects, they still have a number of qualities important for the consumer:

• the fruits of such cucumbers are evened out, almost do not differ in size;
• continuously, for a long period bear fruit,
• greens have a great taste, there is no trace of bitterness that is so common these vegetables;
• suitable for fresh consumption, salting, pickling, canned salads;
• for a long time the fruits retain their bright green color, do not become yellow-brown when ripening;
• the crop is good keeping quality, suitable for transportation.

Among partenkarpikov there are varieties with bouquet , or bunch, fruiting, Their peculiarity is that at the same time several ovaries are formed in the axils of the leaves.

But there are also disadvantages. It happens that when pollinating such plants with bees, the seeds are tied in some part of the fruit, and the cucumber is deformed, becoming a pear, twisting.

Varieties

Cucumbers can be divided by ripening dates

Parthenocarpic varieties of cucumbers with pronounced properties are distinguished and partially pronounced properties.The latter are distinguished by the fact that on the lashes there are female flowers that do not need pollination, and flowers pollinated in the usual way. If you chose a similar variety, it means you need to grow it next to plants that form male flowers, to increase the degree of pollination.

Depending on the ripening period, such non-pollinated hybrids are distinguished:

• early – fruiting 36-40 days after germination;
• medium – after 45 days;
• late – after 50 days.

Varieties – Sprinters with a weakly branched bush are characterized by early fruiting. But after 1.5 months, the lashes will need to be cleaned after a friendly return of the crop. Strongly branching varieties have a long growing season, crops can be harvested until October.

The use of greens can also be different: for preparing salads, pickling and preservation, universal ones that are most suitable for raw consumption and heat treatment.

Dilution

Recall that parthenocarpic are not suitable for cultivation in open ground, because pollination by insects can lead to deformation of the fetus and a deterioration in taste (the appearance of bitterness). Although there are universal hybrids designed for greenhouses and open ground. The cultivation of parthenocarpic cucumbers has its own characteristics.

Seed preparation

If the seeds purchased have not undergone special processing, they need preparation: soaking and hardening.

To prepare for germination, the seeds are placed in a damp cloth. It must not be allowed to dry out during the day until the seeds hatch. To moisturize, you can use a special biostimulant. The use of a weak solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide will promote the disinfection of seed and at the same time stimulate germination.

To harden the seeds, they are placed in a bag with a napkin and sent to the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

Growing seedlings

Varieties can be grown in two ways

Varieties of parthenocarpic cucumbers are grown in seedlings and seedlings. In the first case, peat cups are used for sowing seeds (seedlings of cucumbers painfully transfer the transplant). The earth is preheated (can be calcined).

Planting material is closed to a depth of 2-2.5 cm. The temperature until the first shoots is maintained at 25-27 ° C. As soon as the shoots appear, it can be reduced to 18-23 ° C, and at night – to 16 ° C. Watering regular, warm water.

Plants are planted in the greenhouse on which at least 5 true leaves have developed (age about 3-4 weeks). The temperature in the greenhouse should be at least 14-16 ° C

Growing in a seedlingless way

Plant seeds can be sown on beds directly into the greenhouse.If it is not heated, you need to wait until the soil warms up to 15 ° C. Cucumbers are a thermophilic culture, seeds may simply not sprout.

Culture, especially parthenocarpic cucumbers, are responsive to soil fertility. In courses on vegetable growing, it is recommended to maintain a pH of 6-7. When preparing the soil usually make manure up to 10 kg per 1 sq.m. Mineral fertilizer application rates per 1 sq.m:

• nitrogen 18 g;
• phosphorus – 25 g;
• potassium – 20 g;
• magnesium – 5 g (all standards are given for the active substance).

Sowing (or planting seedlings from glasses) in the soil occurs according to the scheme: 0.5 m between the bushes, 1 5 m between rows. You need to pay attention to the type of bush, if the plant is highly branched, then it needs much more space for good lighting.

Care

Parthenocarpic cucumbers form differently than their ordinary brothers. Firstly, do not pinch the central shoot, at least until it reaches the trellis height (about 2 m). Leave no more than 6 lateral shoots up to 30 cm long, upper ones up to 50 cm.

Since the properties of parthenocarpy are more pronounced in the upper part of the stem, then for abundant fruiting below the sinuses remove all leaves and ovary.

Watering rates and frequency depend on the growth stage and plant variety. During the period of germination and the formation of ovaries, moderate watering is carried out.With the advent of the first cucumbers, the amount of water under the bush is increased from 4 liters to a bucket 2-3 times a week. Agronomists advise pickling and gherkin varieties to water more often.

Irrigation rules

The main irrigation rules are the same as for ordinary cucumbers:

• warm water;
• water under the root;
• choose the right time: before the fruiting starts in the morning, after the start in the evening.

Fertilize inorganic substances with organic matter . The first time after 4 sheets are formed, repeated every two weeks.

Harvesting frequency: gherkins at least once every three days, pickles daily. If you do not harvest the crop on time, new ovaries will not form and the fruits will dry.

Conclusion

Parthenocarpic hybrid (F1), according to many gardeners, requires a lot of care, but the result is a high yield of very good quality. In the summer, new hybrids appeared, suitable for greenhouses and open ground.

Everyone has the opportunity to choose the best option for themselves: by maturity, degree of manifestation of properties, by purpose and characteristics of fruits.