The Salinas F1 cucumber belongs to a group of hybrids that ripen early. This variety tolerates long-distance transportation well. Cucumbers of this type are eaten fresh, pickled, and preserved for winter.
About the plant and its fruits
For the Salinas F1 cucumber, the description and characteristics of the variety are as follows:
- The harvest is obtained 38-40 days after the first shoots appear.
- The bushes grow to over 1.5 meters tall. Cucumbers are grown both in open ground and in greenhouses. The leaves are green.
- The hybrid has an average number of shoots, and bunches of ovaries develop on it.
- Cucumbers are cylindrical in shape. Small bumps and white spines are scattered across the surface of the fruit. Cucumbers range from 60 to 90 mm in length and 30-32 mm in diameter. Fruit weight ranges from 90 to 100 g.
Reviews from gardeners growing this hybrid indicate a cucumber yield of 9-10 kg per square meter. Gardeners note the plant's immunity to diseases such as powdery mildew and tobacco mosaic virus. The hybrid produces consistent yields.
In the southern regions of Russia, this plant is grown by direct sowing of seeds in open beds. This is done when the soil temperature exceeds 12°C, and there should be no risk of a sharp drop in temperature at night.
In the central part of the country, it is recommended to cultivate the hybrid in plastic greenhouses. In the vast expanses of Siberia and the Far North, Salinas is best grown in heated greenhouses.
Methods of cultivating the culture
The hybrid can be grown by direct sowing of seeds in the garden beds or by using seedlings. First, the seeds are disinfected with potassium permanganate and then wrapped in a cotton cloth soaked in water. Until the planting material has sprouted roots, the cloth is moistened daily, but do not water it. After the seeds germinate, they are sown in the garden beds. Plant at a depth of 30-40 mm. If night frosts are expected, cover the soil with a warm cloth or film.
To obtain seedlings, sow the seeds in trays with light soil, fertilized with organic fertilizer. The first sprouts will appear in approximately 6-10 days. It is recommended to water them with warm water once every 5 days. Feed the seedlings with complex mineral fertilizers. When the seedlings are 20 days old and each sprout has 4-7 leaves, they are transplanted to their permanent soil.
The bed is loosened, disinfected with potassium permanganate or another preparation, and fertilized (organic or mineral, water-soluble mixtures). The hybrid is planted in a 0.5 x 0.3 m pattern. The optimal number of plants per square meter of planting area should not exceed 4. If a greenhouse is used for growing the hybrid, 5-6 plants are recommended within the specified area.
Sowing seeds for seedlings or directly into the ground is done in March or April.
How to care for plants before fruiting?
It is recommended to feed growing bushes once every 8-10 days. Initially, use nitrogen or organic fertilizers (manure, chicken manure). After flowers appear on the hybrid's branches, use a mixture of potassium and nitrogen fertilizers. When the first fruits form, the bushes should be fed with a complex fertilizer containing phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium.
The plants should be watered with copious amounts of warm water. The liquid is poured into a barrel and left in the sun. There, it warms to a comfortable temperature throughout the day. In the evening, after sunset, the bushes are generously watered with the resulting water. When doing this, be careful not to leave puddles under the stems, otherwise the hybrid's roots may rot.
Loosening the beds improves oxygen supply to the roots of the plants. Aeration accelerates plant growth and eliminates root-feeding pests. Experts advise gardeners to mulch the soil. This, in addition to improving root aeration, eliminates the risk of fungal and bacterial infections.
Weeding the beds destroys weeds and the insects living in them. The procedure prevents the possibility of the spread of diseases caused by fungi from weeds to cultivated vegetables.
If plants are grown in a greenhouse, the premises must be ventilated regularly to maintain the required humidity and temperature levels.
To protect against diseases to which the hybrid has no immunity, spray the bushes three times with medicinal products before fruit development. Gardeners most often use Fitosporin.
If a gardener notices aphids, mites, or flying garden pests on the hybrid's leaves, then to destroy them, the bushes need to be treated with chemical poisons or garlic infusions.
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Despite the modest size of the fruit, the taste of these cucumbers is very tasty and pleasant; you can tell that the structure is made conscientiously; I especially like using them in salads.