Cucumber MELS

The hybrid variety MELS was included in the State Register quite recently - in 2021. Its creators were representatives of the Chelyabinsk agrofirm "MARS". Despite the novelty, gardeners quickly appreciated the good yield and strong immunity of the emerging variety.

The MELS hybrid is parthenocarpic, that is, self-pollinated. In other words, its reproduction is carried out without the participation of insects, which, of course, is a significant plus for the gardener. This variety is suitable for growing both outdoors and indoors: in conventional greenhouses or film greenhouses. It shows good resistance to powdery mildew, olive spot and cucumber mosaic.

The MELS cucumber bush branches rather weakly, but it stands out in size. Its lashes are covered with leaf blades of medium size and dark green color. The variety is characterized by a female type of flowering. In each node of the bush, from 2 to 7 ovaries are formed, combined into bunches. Zelentsy varieties MELS have a bright green color and a length of up to 8-10 centimeters.

White pubescence in fruits is quite frequent, but not prickly. Short longitudinal stripes are observed on the lumpy surface. The mass of cylindrical cucumbers does not go beyond 60-75 grams.

Regardless of the care and conditions in which the culture develops, the taste characteristics of MELS cucumbers are always at their best. The crispy and firm flesh is very pleasant to the taste and lacks any hint of bitterness. The plus is that there are no voids in it. The aromatic salad product is ideal for preservation, but it is also very actively consumed raw.

The MELS variety can be called not even early-maturing, but ultra-ripening, because from the moment of emergence of mass shoots to the first harvest, a little more than a month passes - about 35-36 days. Moreover, cucumbers ripen at the same time, therefore, at the indicated time, the entire bush is covered with green fruits.

During the season, a gardener can collect an average of 7.8 kilograms of MELS fruits from each square meter of the garden.

Cucumbers of the MELS variety are grown using seedlings, or in a non-seedling way. Seeds can be sent directly into the soil in the first half of May, when the soil warms up to + 15 ... 16 degrees, and the air temperature is fixed at a level not lower than +16 degrees. The beds are prepared in the previous fall: they are dug up, cleaned of root residues and fertilized with organic matter. For each square meter, you will need to add about 12-14 kilograms of humus. In the spring, the beds will need to be fed again using superphosphate, wood ash and potassium salt.

The area where the seeds will be planted should be well lit and protected from drafts. It is important that this is not a lowland, which is characterized by stagnation of precipitation and melt water.The planting material is deepened by about 2 centimeters.

If the gardener prefers the seedling method, then he will need to start work somewhere 25-30 days before its transportation to open ground. As a rule, sowing for seedlings starts at the end of March and continues throughout the first weeks of April. The seeds do not require special preparation, since, being hybrid, they are purchased only in the store, which means that they undergo all the necessary processing. Nevertheless, the material will still have to germinate: for this, it will have to be placed in a constantly moistened gauze for several days. Soil for seedlings is purchased in the store, or it is compiled independently from peat, humus, river sand, deciduous humus and soil from the garden, taken in equal proportions. Homemade mixture must be disinfected by calcining or spilling with potassium permanganate.

The seeds of the MELS variety are immediately planted in separate containers so as not to injure the delicate roots in the future. The grains are deepened into moist soil, after which the crops are sprayed with water and covered with cling film. The emergence of seedlings is usually expected in 5-6 days, after which the shelter can be removed. Before planting seedlings in a permanent habitat, it will need to be fed and hardened several times. On the ground, cucumbers are arranged in such a way that there are no more than 2 copies per square meter. Plants are transplanted by the transshipment method.

Until the fruit appears, MELS cucumbers can be watered every 3 days, using about 4 liters of water per square meter. The mulched soil is irrigated directly through the protective layer. When the first portion of the crop is harvested, the plant will need to be intensively irrigated with warm water, ideally already in the late evening. In general, a fruiting plant requires watering 3-4 times a week using about 10 liters for each square meter. Moisture must always be directed under the root so that drops do not end up on the leaf blades.

If the culture was fed at the seedling stage, and the soil itself was well fertilized, it will not need the first feeding until the moment the first harvest is harvested. At this stage, gardeners prefer to use humus, dry ash or ash infusion. The humus bucket is simply installed in the beds and the combustion by-product is distributed over the surface before watering. Ash solution is obtained from 10 tablespoons of powder and 5 liters of liquid, which are infused with constant stirring for 8 to 10 days.