The high-yielding variety of cucumbers Claudia F1 is not only distinguished by excellent taste, but also not demanding in care compared to other cultures. The main task of the farmer is to create optimal conditions for him. Read about the main advantages and disadvantages, as well as the conditions for growing this crop.
Characterization and description of the variety
Claudia refers to mid-early hybrids. From the time of germination to the appearance of the fruit, 50-60 days pass. Long lashes of the plant give rise to a large number of side shoots, which makes it possible to conveniently place them on trellises when grown in open ground and greenhouses.
One of the features of this variety is the female type of flowering. In one internode, 2-3 ovaries are formed, which makes it possible to get a large crop even when planting a small number of plants in small areas. This feature has made the variety especially popular among farmers.
The fruits are medium sized. Their weight varies from 60 to 90 g with a length of up to 12 cm. Small tubercles are located on the surface of the elongated cylindrical shape. The pulp of greens is dense, crisp, exudes a pleasant aroma.
A notable feature of this variety is the lack of ability to produce large quantities of cucurbitacin, which completely eliminates the possibility of accumulation of bitterness.
In addition, unlike other cucumber crops, Claudia tolerates temperature extremes when grown in open areas, which allows plants to actively develop, bloom and continue the fruiting period until the onset of frost.
In addition, the variety does not lose its ability to bear fruit even with minimal watering in a relatively arid climate.
Did you know? Cucumber is 95% water. Moreover, cucumber pulp contains water in a perfectly purified form.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
To properly organize work on the site and get the maximum productivity from the plants described by the manufacturer, you need to know the strengths and weaknesses of the variety.
- The main advantages of this culture:
- lack of bitterness;
- universality in use and long-term preservation of all quality characteristics;
- bundle laying of ovaries;
- long fruiting period;
- high level of adaptation to adverse weather conditions;
- the ability to grow plants in closed and open ground, as well as on the balcony;
- parthenocarpic type of pollination;
- relatively high resistance to characteristic diseases of cucumber crops.
- Among the shortcomings can be identified:
- susceptibility to powdery mildew and cucumber mosaic;
- the inability of seeds to maintain quality characteristics in the second generation.
Optimal time for landing
You can sow the seeds immediately in a permanent place or use the more traditional seedling method. Planting dates depend mainly on the climatic characteristics of the growing region. Regardless of the breeding method chosen, planting can only be done after the soil has warmed up to + 15 ° C.
In the southern regions, this period falls in the middle or end of May, in the northern - at the beginning of June.
When sowing seeds for seedlings, it is worth considering that 5-6 weeks will pass before the emergence of sprouts that can survive in the open ground after transplantation. In accordance with these calculations, it turns out that sowing should be carried out in early April - for the southern regions, in late April or early May - for the northern ones.
How to plant and grow a variety
The technology of sowing seeds directly to a permanent place is advisable in the southern regions and during cultivation in greenhouse conditions. In the northern regions and the central strip, a method of seedling cultivation is more acceptable.
With any of the selected methods, the soil on the site begins to be prepared ahead of time, even during the autumn harvest season. For this, the soil is dug 2 times with an interval of 10 days to a depth of 20 cm. After the first cultivation, the soil is treated with a 3% solution of Bordeaux fluid.
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After the second - 10 kg of manure and sand + 300 g of superphosphate or 400 g of wood ash are applied to each m² and again digged to a depth of 15 cm.
Seedling method
The soil for seedlings must be nutritious and loose.
You can purchase a ready-made soil mixture for seedlings or make a nutrient mixture yourself, mixing in equal proportions:
- compost;
- peat;
- sand.
In order to disinfect the soil and enrich it with phosphorus, potassium and calcium, a hot solution with wood ash is sprayed. To do this, add 300 g of ash to 3 liters of water and boil for half an hour. After removing from the fire, the liquid is immediately poured into the ground. 3 l of solution is enough to disinfect 10 kg of earth.
Seeds before planting can be placed in a solution of Silk. It is dissolved according to the instructions in 200 ml of hot water. After 15-20 minutes, the seeds are immersed in liquid for 2 hours, then they are dried on a paper towel and begin to plant.
For sowing seeds, it is best to use peat glasses or coconut tablets. This approach eliminates the need to additionally transplant seedlings before the main pick.
In addition, it becomes possible to protect plants from trauma to the rhizome at the time of the main transplant, since the seedlings are placed in the wells together with containers, which subsequently decompose and further enrich the soil with nutrients.
The tanks are filled with prepared soil, the moisture content of which ranges from 80%. In each glass, 2 seeds are placed to a depth of 1 cm. Then the surface of the container is covered with a film to create a greenhouse effect and set aside in a darkened room.
The air temperature in the room should fluctuate within +20 ... + 27 ° С at a relative humidity of 40–50%. Germination takes about a week. During this period, care is reduced to daily fifteen-minute airing and moisturizing as necessary.
With the advent of the first sprouts of the tank, you need to move it to a bright room, remove the films and lower the air temperature by 5 ° С. Seedlings need to be thinned, leaving 1 sprout. From this moment, watering is carried out through the spray gun with water of room temperature after the soil dries to a depth of 1-2 cm.
With the advent of 2 true leaves, plants begin to feed. You can use a solution of ash, made according to the above scheme. After cooling to room temperature, it is collected in a sprayer and leaves with soil are sprayed. You can also use the drug "Silk".
For use as fertilizer, it is bred according to the instructions, and after cooling, add the necessary amount of water. Use similarly to a solution of ash. Before transplanting, it will be enough to carry out one feeding.
Important! So that the seedlings do not stretch and outgrow, at night the temperature is reduced by several degrees. The gap in day and night temperature should not exceed a threshold of 5 ° C.
2 days before the transplant, the room temperature should be gradually reduced to the average daily street rate. 5 days before transplanting, seedlings are gradually beginning to be taken out onto the street, first by 3-4 hours, increasing this interval every day. The last day before planting seedlings should be spent in tanks already in a new place.
The transplant is carried out when there are 4 full leaves on the sprouts. Shoots sown in April can be dived already in early June, and if weather permits, then at the end of May.
Open Seed
The place for sowing seeds should be well-lit with fertile soil. A month before planting, the soil is cultivated according to the autumn scheme.
Seeds are treated in the same way as in the seedling propagation method. Immediately before planting, 2 cm deep trenches are formed. The distance between the trenches is 40 cm. The seeds are laid out at a distance of 5 cm from each other and covered with soil.
When the sprouts reach a height of 5 cm, they are thinned out, leaving the strongest at a distance of 15 cm from each other.
Cucumber care after planting
After planting cucumbers, care consists of the following activities:
- fertilizing;
- watering;
- aeration of the soil.
Top dressing and watering
Watering mode is selected in accordance with weather conditions and is carried out:
- daily in hot weather;
- once a week - on a cloudy day.
On average, 3 liters of water are left per bush.
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Top dressing combined with watering:
- The first is carried out a month after transplantation with a yeast solution. To do this, 12 g of yeast is dissolved in 5 l of water at room temperature and 100 g of sugar is added. The liquid is insisted for a week at a temperature of + 30 ° C. After this, add to a solution of water to get 10 liters, and make 1 liter under each bush. When combined with watering: in the morning 1 liter of fertilizer is applied, in the evening, 2 liters are irrigated under the bush.
- The second top dressing is carried out after 10 days. At this stage, you can use the infusion of ash with nettles. For 5 liters of boiling water, add 100 g of ash and 0.5 kg of nettle. The liquid is insisted for 24 hours, filtered and mixed with water 1: 1. Nettle can be used as mulch.
In the phase of active fruiting, foliar application is carried out. A yeast solution will do. Only for spraying it must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 5. A day after the "yeast shower" is sprayed with ordinary water.Bush garter and shaping
A support up to 2 m high is installed next to each plant. Several ropes stretch from the support, onto which, as they grow, the lashes begin to be tied. The main lash is tied to a rope when it reaches a height of 15 cm.
When growing in open ground, pinch the growth point at a height of 100 cm, in a greenhouse - at a height of 120 cm. The side lashes of the first order are shortened to 50 cm, the second to 15 cm.
All manipulations are carried out with a sharp tool, sanitized in alcohol. After trimming, the affected tissue is treated with a mixture of ash and Fundazole, combined in a 1: 1 ratio.
Soil care
The soil around the main stem is loosened to a depth of 5 cm, between rows - 10 cm every 2 weeks.
Important! With high-quality mulching in hot weather, watering is carried out not every day, but once every 3 days.
In parallel with loosening, weeds are removed. Immediately after this, the soil is mulched with compost or fresh, juicy grass.
Diseases and pests of the variety
The main diseases characteristic of this culture are:
- Powdery mildew - a fungal disease, the symptom of which is a white coating on the leaves and stem. First of all, the affected parts of the plant are removed, and then they are treated with a boiled ash solution with the addition of laundry soap. Processing is carried out 3 times with an interval of 10 days. 3 days after the last treatment, spraying with ordinary water is carried out.
- Cucumber mosaic - a viral disease, manifested by yellowing of foliage and fruits with subsequent loss of dense structure. The main carrier of the virus is aphids. The only way out is to remove the affected specimen from the garden bed and burn it. For healthy plants, preventive treatment with Fundazole is carried out according to the instructions.
Pests that are dangerous for cucumbers of this variety are:
- aphid - eliminated by spraying tobacco dust with infusion (200 g per 10 liters of water);
- the bear - It is eliminated with the help of the Medvetox preparation (the agent is buried in the soil by 3-5 cm).
Avoiding problems with the incidence of plants and the spread of pests will help timely soil aeration and fertilizing according to the schedule.
Harvesting and storage rules
Harvest of this variety must be harvested as the fruit ripens, thereby freeing up space for new ovaries. It is best to use a sharp knife or scissors, cutting the fruit along with the stalks.
Products intended for salting and canning are used immediately. If you plan to keep the fruits fresh longer, then the products are stacked in 1-2 layers in boxes. When laying in 2 layers, a sheet of paper is placed between them.
Next, the container with cucumbers is moved to a cool, darkened room, where the relative humidity varies between 60% and the temperature is +6 ... + 10 ° С. In this case, the product is able to maintain a dense structure for up to 1 month. When stored in the vegetable section of the refrigerator, this period is reduced to 1-2 weeks.
Important! Fresh cucumbers intended for storage must not be washed.
The cucumber variety Claudia F1 is a universal option for growing in any region of the country, which is characterized by high productivity and quality. Its main advantage is undemanding care, which makes the variety attractive not only to beginning farmers, but also to enterprises growing products on an industrial scale.
