Cucumber Harmonist

The Harmonist cucumber variety was bred relatively recently. It shows a fairly high yield level and has good taste. It does not require special care, it is resistant to common types of diseases. According to horticultural standards, it is intended for planting in open ground, but greenhouse cultivation is not excluded, which is more suitable for northern regions. Cucumbers can be eaten both fresh and canned and salted with them.

Cucumbers of the Harmonist variety belong to the parthenocarpic self-pollinating type, in which the formation of fruits occurs without pollination. The culture shows a female flowering type. The ovaries can be seen already during the bud formation. This results in a small number of seeds.

A feature of the variety is its moisture-loving nature. With insufficient watering, the plant can stop growing and wither, and in the case of a prolonged lack of moisture, yellowing and drying of the greenery is observed. And also the culture can be demanding on the temperature regime. The lack of heat in the air and soil leads to a noticeable slowdown in its development.

The plant's resistance to diseases such as olive spot, powdery mildew and root rot can be noted.

Stems with medium branching usually reach a height of 160 cm. The medium-sized five-lobed leaves have a green or dark green tint. With the beam type of flowering, the Harmonist has 6-8 zelents in one beam.

Cylindrical fruits are classified as short, 10-12 cm long and 3-3.5 cm in diameter when ripe. The weight of one cucumber can reach 95 g. The surface of the fruit is small tubercles with a dense arrangement of tubercles. The skin is green with stripes of medium length and slight pubescence. The standard allows for some blurring or the presence of small white spots. The pulp is firm, crispy, without voids.

In terms of its agricultural and taste qualities, this variety is suitable for both experienced farmers and novice gardeners. The consistency of the fruits makes them quite suitable for preparing salads and other cold dishes, as well as traditional pickling and canning for the winter. The pulp is crispy, soft, juicy, sweet. Cucumbers have an excellent taste, devoid of bitterness even from the tail.

Referring to the early ripening varieties, the hybrid yields a crop within 40-45 days after germination. In open ground, sowing of seeds, as a rule, is carried out in late May - early June, when the soil warms up to +25 degrees. At the same time, it is planned to plant seedlings, which they begin to germinate from seed material a month and a half before planting. The seedling method is more suitable for areas where the spring is colder and longer.

About 40 days after the first shoots appear, the flowering period begins with the formation of ovaries. On the main shoot, the first buds open, then the process moves on to the lateral stems. Full ripening of the fruit occurs in 14-16 days. Observing agrotechnical standards, you can achieve a fruiting period of 1-2 months.

The yield of a variety can depend on several factors.Among other things, it is influenced by how the rules for preparing the soil and its further processing, watering, thinning the beds and ventilating the greenhouse were followed. And it is also necessary to observe the fertilization schedule, and to carry out prophylaxis to protect against weeds, pests and diseases.

If you harvest gherkins and pickles in the early stages of ripening, 5 kg can be harvested from 1 m2. With a state of technical ripeness, this indicator on average can be at the level of 12.5 kg / m2.

As already mentioned, the Harmonist is planted by direct sowing or seedlings. Optimal conditions are created when growing cucumbers in a greenhouse or greenhouse. This helps to protect the plant from bad weather conditions, and also shortens the ripening time.

When planting seeds in open ground, it is important to choose the right location for the garden bed. The place should be protected from cold winds and drafts. And also it is necessary to exclude excessive shading and soil moisture. It is advisable for the Harmonist to set aside a plot on the southern side of the vegetable garden.

Cucumbers show good growth in places where tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes or legumes were planted last season, since in this case there is already a certain amount of organic fertilizers in the soil.

Before sowing, the soil must be treated in a special way. The process includes digging up the soil, weeding, spraying with insecticides and adding fertilizing ingredients (wood ash, compost, potassium sulfate).

The calibrated seeds, pretreated by the bubbling method and washed in a solution of manganese sulfate, are planted in even rows to a depth of 3-4 cm and at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other, after which the bed is covered with a greenhouse.

Sowing seed for seedlings is done at the end of April. The soil mixture is poured into suitable containers, seeds are planted (one for each container) to a depth of 1.5 cm, and covered with foil. For seedlings, a temperature regime of more than +26 degrees is shown. On day 4-5, after the sprouts sprout, the containers must be transferred to a place with good lighting and a cooler temperature (+18 degrees). As soon as the seedlings give 2-3 hard leaves, they should be transplanted together with the ground into a greenhouse, placing them at a distance of half a meter from each other.

Since the Harmonist is a rather moisture-loving variety, it is important to observe the watering regime when caring for it. Cucumbers are usually watered twice a week. In dry weather, humidification is performed every other day. For this, settled and warm water is used.

When watering, the stream should be directed under the root of the plant, preventing moisture from getting on the leaves, as this can cause burns.

Top dressing of cucumbers is done 3-4 times per season. When the first flowers appear, an infused solution of chicken droppings is added to the soil. When fruiting, fertilization is carried out using liquid cow dung. Experienced gardeners also advise fertilizing the soil with double superphosphate and ammonium nitrate - this helps to increase yields.

Being a successful innovation of domestic breeders, Harmonist is one of the optimal varieties for breeding both outdoors and in greenhouse conditions. Having received the necessary care in accordance with all agrotechnical rules, he can produce a crop from mid-June to the end of September.