About three years ago, when I was choosing seeds, preparing for the planting season, I saw packets of cucumber seeds - the length of the fruits in the picture was simply not real. I asked if they would grow so long, if there was any catch. The seller answered me that these are Chinese cucumbers, but there are many varieties and, most likely, this is some kind of subspecies, because almost all of them have a long size - from 30 to 80 cm. I bought two bags of seeds then. Two varieties - Chinese heat-resistant F1 - with fruits of the usual cucumber color and F1 Bride - white. At home they laughed at me, saying that someday these experiments will leave us without a crop.
But they were wrong! There was a crop, and what a harvest! Since then, I became a fan of Chinese cucumbers. Every year I plant them in my beds. For those who are interested in these vegetables, I want to talk about my experience.
How I planted Chinese cucumbers
The first year I was afraid to plant them immediately in open ground with seeds - it was not known how they would behave in my garden. At the beginning of April, 4 seeds of a Chinese drought-resistant F1 were thrust, the same amount of F1 Bride seeds in separate plastic cups with moist soil. She covered them with film, and began to wait for seedlings. On the fourth day in the morning, all eight stood with cotyledon leaves, like soldiers, even raised the film. And after 4 weeks they were ready for landing in the open ground.
She planted something little known to me, did not know how Chinese cucumbers would behave in my garden. Therefore, the first week I covered the seedlings with plastic 5-liter bottles with a cut bottom so that they were not so cold - in April they were cool, but they unscrewed the lid so that they would not suffocate there. And then she took off the shelter - they began to grow with me under the same conditions as other varieties.
Externally, Chinese cucumbers, or rather, their whips, are absolutely no different from our ordinary, more familiar varieties.
In recent years, almost all varieties or hybrids of cucumbers have been planted on a trellis. So it’s more convenient to look after them, to harvest. Chinese cucumbers were no exception. The distance between the seedlings of any cucumbers I have is 30-40 cm.
Now, having little experience, I can say that due to the fact that the fruits of Chinese cucumbers are very long, lash garter should be given more attention at the initial stage. Several long fruits on one lash - this is a big burden for the plant.
There were several such moments that the Chinese long cucumbers fell inside the cell of the plastic trellis, lay across it, because of this they grew strangely curved. Of course, this did not affect the taste, but he had to be brought home separately from the others. That is, I advise you to closely monitor the young cucumbers on the trellis, in time to free them from such captivity.
I noticed such a feature. Cucumbers (fruits) generally grow very quickly, but the Chinese grow at such a speed that you can only be marvelous. Specially, leaving with the granddaughter from the dacha, they noted some small cucumber, the size of a little finger, and the next day he turned into a full-fledged cucumber almost 30 cm long, sometimes even more.
Another feature. The soil should be moist all the time. If ordinary cucumbers can forgive you for skipping watering, then the Chinese will be “offended”. The next day you will see a long cucumber curved in an arc, but very thin with many convex spikes, literally prickly, some cringed. That is, the poor man didn’t have enough moisture - he didn’t get drunk, didn’t pour, didn’t get enough.
By the way, the same thing can happen if you do not pluck them in time. That is, the "old" cucumbers will be poured, and the growth of young ones will be slightly inhibited.
By the way, the past year was not the best - peronosporosis (downy mildew) killed many cucumbers, and the Chinese heat-resistant survived this insidious disease, my 2-week absence, in addition, fructified almost to frost.
I will share my observations about the varieties I tested, or rather, the hybrids of Chinese cucumbers.
Chinese cucumbers - varieties, reviews
Chinese heat resistant F1
This is a hybrid characterized by high productivity, resistance to drought. Continues to bear fruit even at air temperature + 35 ° C, when other varieties cease to grow, tie fruit. Belongs to mid-early grades. The first cucumbers can be picked in 48-55 days after germination.
The plant is powerful enough, it branches well. Fruits are long - from 30 to 50 cm, dark green with large tubercles. The taste is sweet, crunches well, very fragrant, tasty. The skin of the fetus is thin. Good in salads, suitable for pickling or canning slices. In order to roll them up for the winter, just cut the cucumber into large pieces. Yes, outwardly they seem so "eccentric", but, what I like, the bushes bear fruit very abundantly, almost not affected by diseases.
The hybrid is resistant to the most common diseases - powdery mildew, peronosporosis (downy mildew), fusarium wilt. It can be grown in a greenhouse or open field. You can plant in the Kuban, not only in the spring, but closer to the fall - in August. Harvest can be removed before the frost.
Bride F1
This interesting hybrid with light skin was brought by Chinese breeders. The fruits have a light light white-green hue. Early ripening. From the time of germination to the start of the harvest no more than 40 days pass. Cucumbers are delicious, the shape is also elongated, but not as long as that of the Chinese drought tolerant. I usually plucked them when they reached a length of not more than 20 cm.
The peel on the fruit is thin. They will not be bitter under any growing conditions. After harvesting, they are well stored, without losing their taste for several days. We only ate them fresh, so I can’t say anything about what they taste like pickled or canned.
The variety is resistant to temperature fluctuations, both towards cooling and warming, that is, the variety is cold-drought-resistant.
By the way, before buying the seeds of the Bride F1, I read at many forums a lot of opinions about white cucumbers of this kind:
- I will never plant it at home, because I think that cucumbers should be green;
- I’m not planting, because the white mottled surface looks intimidating;
- scary to approach the garden on which such cucumbers grow.
As often happens, such sharply negative reviews only spurred me on. Moreover, these were reviews of people who saw such cucumbers only in pictures, they themselves did not grow them. I wanted to make my own opinion not only in the picture.
Here is my review. The color is original, unusual. Cucumbers are tender, crispy. The aroma is a very strong classic cucumber. Tasty, sweetish. There is a big plus - they did not get sick with peronosporosis, and the Phoenix, which I plant every year, did not survive until mid-July.
White cucumber has one minus - you can not let them outgrow. Otherwise, the peel becomes rough, and the cucumber itself loses taste, becomes "no."
But ... My family did not appreciate the cucumber with white skin. The reason is color. Could not abandon the usual opinion that cucumbers should be green. I didn’t plant them anymore ...
Over the past three years, I have tried Chinese heat-resistant, Chinese cold-resistant, Chinese disease-resistant. I liked everything. It is difficult to distinguish them in appearance from each other. But resistance to diseases, productivity, taste are excellent. By the way, I really liked the light-salted Chinese cucumbers - tender, aromatic, delicious.
In principle, Chinese cucumbers for cultivation and care are not fundamentally different from ordinary varieties familiar to us. But I want to remind you that from hybrids you will not get productive seeds suitable for harvest. Every year I buy new ones. Very pleased with the Chinese quality! Try to grow one of the varieties recommended by me, I think you will like the cucumbers!