Many gardeners want to grow a crop that allows them to harvest earlier than usual. One of the popular early ripe varieties of cucumbers is Crispin. And what are its features, as well as advantages and disadvantages - will be described later.
History and Characteristics
This variety of cucumbers is suitable for growing in almost all climatic zones of the Russian Federation, which explains its great popularity.
Selection
The Crispin hybrid was bred by Dutch Nunhems breeders at the end of the 20th century. In the State Register of the Russian Federation, the hybrid has been listed since 2000. The purpose of this variety is cultivation in the open and in protected conditions.
Did you know? The homeland of cucumbers is India and the Himalayas. There, at the foot of the mountains, this plant still grows in the wild.
Grade description
Crispin cucumbers are a medium-sized crop with shoots of moderate length and a strong, developed rhizome. The leaves are small, their color depends on the light intensity: the more it is, the deeper the shade will be. Each sinus of the leaf is formed from 3-5 plates.
Fruits are formed almost the same: conical, 10–12 cm in length and 4–5 cm in diameter. The average weight of green stuff is 100–120 g. The color of cucumbers can be light or dark green, moreover, both shades can be present on one bush and even on one fruit.
The peel is covered with small pimples. The flesh of a mature cucumber is fragrant, crispy, not bitter. It is the palatability of the fruits that allows them to be used successfully for fresh salads, as well as for pickling and pickling.
In addition, the harvest perfectly tolerates transportation, which makes the variety attractive for commercial cultivation. The main feature of this hybrid cucumber is its ability to self-pollinate, and this simplifies the gardening process of growing.
It also has good immunity to standard diseases and resistance to weather changes.
Advantages and disadvantages
This plant has good resistance to standard diseases of cucumbers: cladosporiosis, simple mosaic, ashtray.
- Also, the hybrid has such positive characteristics:
- prolonged fruiting phase;
- long shelf life without loss of quality;
- early ripening;
- ease of care;
- the correct form of the fruit;
- solid yield and good transportability.
The main advantage of the Crispin hybrid is the almost complete absence of flaws. The only thing that gardeners emit is the appearance of bitterness in the fruits with a moisture deficit.How to sow seeds in open ground
The hybrid can be cultivated both in unprotected space and in greenhouse conditions. And the choice of planting can be either seed or seedling.
The timing
Planting cucumbers both in the open area and in the greenhouse proceeds in several approaches. First, choose good, sound seeds. Seeds should not be damaged and too small.
Did you know? Breeders are working not only to improve the taste of vegetables and ease of courtship, but also on their appearance. For example, a variety was bred in the UAE cucumbers with square fruits.
Given the characteristics of the region, it is important to monitor temperature readings. The soil before planting should warm up to + 15 ... + 20 ° C, and the air - up to + 10 ... + 15 ° C. As a rule, cucumbers are planted in open areas at the end of May.
Seat selection and crop rotation
Cucumbers are suitable soil with a low alkali content. Acceptable acidity is 6.2–6.5 pH.
To improve nutritional characteristics, before planting in the ground, the following elements are introduced:
- coconut fiber;
- humus;
- vermiculitis;
- potassium and nitrogen fertilizers.
Since cucumbers are photophilous, it is best to place them in a well-lit area. You can allow the presence of light partial shade. In addition, the site must be protected from the wind.
As protection, you can use corn, planting it on both sides of the cucumber planting. The southern direction should not be blocked.
Bushes develop at an average temperature of at least + 22 ° C. The plant will withstand short-term temperature fluctuations, but a slight cooling with frost can destroy the seedlings. In order not to lose the crop, it is recommended to cover the seedlings at night.
Cucumber plantings should not be placed in places where groundwater is too close to the surface. Also, you can not plant cucumbers in the area where beets and zucchini were grown in the previous season - Crispina's yield will decrease significantly.
This is due to the fact that such precursors take from the soil exactly those substances that are so needed for the normal growth of cucumber bushes.
- But such vegetables are good predecessors and neighbors of cucumbers:
- cabbage;
- siderates;
- legumes;
- corn.
The scheme and depth of crops
For cultivation in containers and in open ground, keep a distance between plantings of 40 cm, and depths of about 2-3 cm. When planting, beds are formed with a height of 15-20 cm.
Seedlings are transferred to open ground after 2-3 true leaves appear on it. The seedlings are buried by 2-3 cm. It is customary to grow a Crispin hybrid by the trellis method. The distance between the rows should be 80–90 cm, and the height of the trellis should be no more than 100 cm.
After planting, the soil is moistened. The planting process should be carried out in the evening or morning hours, so that the sun does not evaporate moisture.
Important! It is not recommended to plant cucumber planting next to tomatoes - the yield of both crops will be low.
Further plant care
It is not difficult to cultivate a Crispin hybrid after planting: only normal agricultural work should be performed.
Watering
Any culture can not do without moisture. Watering is especially important for cucumbers, since they are hygrophilous plants.
Cucumber bushes are watered daily only with warm water - otherwise the plants may be affected by rot. Of course, in the rainy season, the frequency of humidification must be reduced.
To help moisture hold out longer in the soil, the area around the seedlings is mulched. In this quality, it is good to use inorganic materials (peat, wood shavings, etc.).
Such a mulch not only retains moisture, but even when decaying, it generates heat and nourishes the soil with useful elements.
When watering, it should be borne in mind that excessive moisture causes compaction of the soil, which is why the root system of cucumbers lacks air. To give access to oxygen, it is recommended to combine watering with loosening the soil.
Important! It is better to loosen the ground under the cucumber bushes with a pitchfork - they pierce the ground and allow air to flow to the roots without injuring them.
Stepson
When growing cucumbers in protected conditions, the bush will have to be formed into the main single shoot with lateral processes. But if you wish, you can grow a culture and spread it.
When the plant appears 6–7 nodes, on the first 5 eyes it is necessary to completely remove the shoots and embryos of the fruits, leaving only 1 stem. At further 3-4 nodes, stepsons need to be pinched, but at the same time, keep a single ovary on each.
After this procedure, all ovules must be left and cut off the stepsons above the first leaf, then shorten the shoots above the second or third leaf (depends on the thickened bush).
After the guide stalk of the bush reaches the top of the lattice, it is sent parallel to the row at a distance of 0.7-1.0 cm and rush down. Pinch the main stem at a height of 0.9-1.0 cm from the ground.
As the bushes grow and age, the lower foliage is best removed - this improves air exchange and prevents the incidence of cucumbers.
Bushes garter
When grown outdoors, the Crispin hybrid does not need a garter - bushes are able to independently organize space so as not to interfere with neighbors. But in a greenhouse environment, garter lashes are required.
Fertilizer application
Crispin's hybrid develops a strong rhizome and a powerful above-ground segment. Therefore, nutrition for him should be maintained at the proper level. The culture reacts especially well to potassium-based fertilizing.
They can be applied either locally (directly to the ground) or through an irrigation system.
Did you know? People love cucumbers so much that they even erect monuments to them. For example, such monuments are installed in Nizhyn (Ukraine), Lukovitsy, Stary Oskol (Russia), Poznan (Poland), Shklov (Belarus).
After the crop is harvested several times, the bushes should be fed with potassium nitrogen mixtures. Organic compounds (manure, chicken droppings, etc.) or mineral fertilizers (calcium nitrate, potassium sulfate or potassium nitrate) are perfectly suitable for this.
Cucumbers are fertilized once every 10-14 days, performing the procedure under the root.
Soil care
The soil on which cucumbers grow should not be ignored. As soon as the soil is covered with crust, it must be loosened. Perform work with a rake or a shovel.
You can’t deepen the tool deep into the ground - this can injure the root system.
To avoid the appearance of diseases, the soil around the bushes is regularly cleaned of weeds. Timely harvesting of weeds will help the roots get proper nutrition.
It is also important that third-party objects are not in the soil - they can inhibit the development of roots and the bush as a whole. In places where the root system began to appear outside, it is worthwhile to carry out the earthing up, covering such places with a thick layer of soil.
Did you know? The first greenhouses for growing vegetables were built in ancient Rome. This happened at the behest of the emperor Tiberius, who wanted to enjoy cucumbers all year round.
Harvesting
Crispin cucumbers are shot in June-July. In order for the harvest to be plentiful, the fruits should be removed from the bushes in a timely manner. As a rule, new Zelentsy grow after 1-2 days, and so that they do not overripe, it is recommended to remove them after a day.
Harvesting is best done in the morning or evening, after the heat subsides. So, Crispin cucumbers do not take a lot of time and energy. After all, caring for them is not much different from agricultural activities when growing other varieties. Therefore, with a minimum of effort, you can get delicious and fragrant fruits.
