How to grow “Ekol” cucumbers on your plot and get an excellent harvest for universal use

Ecole cucumber is a universal hybrid crop. Due to the early ripening of the fruits, it is popular among farmers and gardeners. Gherkin fruits are great for both canning and making salads.

Ecole f1 is grown in open ground and in greenhouse conditions. In closed structures, farmers get a double harvest if desired.

Description of Ecole cucumbers

The Ecole f1 cucumber was bred by the Dutch company Syngenta Seeds. The first tests were carried out in 2001, and in 2007 it was included in the State Register of Russia. It grows up to 2.5 m, in greenhouse conditions it reaches 3 m. The shoots do not grow to the sides, but weave vertically. It blooms according to the female type and produces from 3 to 5 fruits at each node.

Distinctive features

The cucumber is parthenocarpic, that is, self-pollinating. It can be grown in stationary greenhouses and under film. However, these cucumbers ripen well in open ground in the North Caucasus region and other southern regions.

In other regions of Russia, cucumber is grown in open beds under film.

Benefits and calories

Cucumbers Ecole f1 belong to early ripening crops of this type, which allows you to begin harvesting within 45–50 days after planting. You can use cucumber for salads and other dishes as gherkins or pickles.

However, according to the majority of summer residents, the hybrid is most suitable for early salting. Cucumbers of this type have almost the same compact shape, retain their calorie content, characteristic taste and elastic pulp for a long time.

Characteristics

Hybrid Ecole is resistant to many diseases of the pumpkin family. It is unlikely that the plantings will be affected by powdery mildew, cucumber mosaic virus or cladosporiosis.

During periods of lack of moisture, the ovaries will not fall off the vines, as happens with many other varieties of cucumbers. The hybrid has no preference for light: it will successfully bear fruit both in the shade and in a brightly lit garden bed.

Bush

Differs in the following qualities:

• relatively tall, with proper care it can grow up to 3 m, therefore, under the film it requires an appropriate height of the ceiling and supports;
• characterized by medium climbing;
• leaves are green, small in size;
• bunch-type flowering;
• ovaries usually form quickly, 4-5 pieces in one lobe.

The hybrid is classified as indeterminate, that is, it is able to grow in height quickly, forming a strong central stem.

Fruit

Hybrid Ecole f1 cucumbers have the following characteristics:

• by type they can be classified as pickles, gherkins;
• cylindrical shape;
• length reaches 10 cm, but on average - 7-8;
• The average weight of a cucumber is about 70 g, but sometimes reaches 95–100;
• the skin is dense, green, has tubercles and characteristic spines;
• cucumber pulp is juicy and dense;
• there are no voids;
• the seed chamber is small;
• taste qualities are characterized by freshness.

Productivity

If you collect fruits in the form of pickles, that is, small cucumbers, you can remove 7-8 kg from the bush. When growing them to the size of full-fledged fruits, it is realistic to get 19-20 kg.

How to grow

Growing Ecole cucumbers is not difficult. Medium loamy soil with pronounced looseness is best suited for them.

Planting by seeds and seedlings

Cucumbers of this hybrid can be planted in open ground using seeds or seedlings. It is recommended to make beds in places where they grew last year. certain previous cultures:

• potatoes - provided that no chemicals were used to grow this crop last season;
• pepper – we mean sweet varieties;
• cabbage;
• onions are the most suitable option.

The place should be well lit, but without drafts.

Planting in open ground in warm regions is carried out in the following stages:

• begin at the end of spring, when the average air temperature reaches +15 °C;
• Initially, the seeds are soaked overnight in a nutrient solution of nitrophoska with ash;
• Holes are made in advance in the garden bed with an interval of a little more than 10 cm in the row;
• the distance between rows is determined to be 60 cm;
• the holes are watered with heated water;
• seeds are sown to a depth of 2-3 cm and covered with earth;
• It is recommended to plant several seeds in one hole in order to later carry out a dive with a selection of the strongest plants;
• crops are covered with film until shoots emerge.

The seedling method speeds up harvesting by 10-15 days. It is preferable to plant the Ecole hybrid immediately in separate cups with a capacity of 0.3–0.5 liters, since when planted early, the seedlings do not tolerate picking well.

First of all, prepare the soil. It is recommended to bake a mixture of peat, leaf humus, sawdust and soil in the oven for 40-60 minutes - this will destroy pests and fungal spores.You can buy ready-made soil mixture at a specialty store.

Other “Dutch” for your site:

Time-tested and beloved by gardeners, the Othello cucumber

Hybrid "Connie f1", resistant to weather conditions and diseases

What is good about the Pasalimo f1 hybrid and why is it worth growing?

Further algorithm:

1. Fill the cups with soil mixture and plant the seeds to a depth of about 3 cm.
2. Moisten the soil with warm water and place the containers in a well-lit place, covered with film.
3. After the first leaves appear, the film is removed. The soil continues to be watered regularly, avoiding waterlogging.
4. If there is insufficient daylight, additional lighting must be provided. Two weeks before planting in open ground, the seedlings are hardened by taking them out to the balcony or yard for a short time.
5. When 3-4 true leaves appear, which acquire a distinctly bright green color, begin planting. Otherwise, the sprouts will stretch out and take root poorly. At the time of planting in open ground, the seedlings should reach a height of about 30 cm.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

Water the plants every 3-4 days warm water in the early hours or in the evenings.

Important! All cucumber hybrids love moisture. If there is not enough of it, the yield will noticeably decrease.

For 1 sq. m consumes 25–30 liters of water.

Watering largely depends on the weather. In hot, sultry periods, the intensity of this procedure is increased, and in rainy periods, vice versa.

It is also recommended to follow the following rules:

• It is better to water by sprinkling or along furrows;
• Do not use a powerful stream of water on the bush - strong pressure will damage the root system, which in this hybrid is located close to the surface;
• avoid getting water on the leaves, especially in hot weather;
• It is advisable to loosen after each watering.

Seedlings are regularly fed with mullein, bird droppings or ash.. You can also use special mineral fertilizers.

Tying the bush to a support is mandatory, since it tends to stretch several meters. If the stem falls to the ground, the fruits in contact with it will become infected with diseases or become deformed.

When the seventh stem is formed, it is recommended to pinch the main one. Then select and leave one or two strong stems. The ovaries on the lower internodes should be removed - it is believed that this technique will increase the fruiting of the bush.

During the growing season you need to know Features of growing cucumbers that will help you avoid difficulties:

1. If the soil is not loose enough, the development of the root system will slow down, and you will have to carry out the procedure every day, including after every rain.
2. The bush's growth may suddenly slow down. This happens after too vigorous removal of unnecessary stems: feed the plant with organic matter.
3. Each mineral fertilizer is first applied in small doses, otherwise the effect of fertilizing may be the opposite: all plants react to the procedure individually.

Resistance to diseases and pests

Although hybrids of this type are characterized by increased immunity, there are diseases that are dangerous for them:

• powdery mildew It usually affects cucumbers in cloudy weather; it can be seen by a white coating on the leaves;
• peronosporosis also occurs in conditions of high humidity and is characterized by brown spots on the leaves;
• white and gray mold is manifested by a corresponding coating.

At the primary stage of diseases It is enough to treat the plants with a solution of potassium permanganate and sprinkle the leaves with ash. At a later stage, fungicides are used, completely affected leaves are removed and burned.

Pests also bother the hybrid:

• aphids suck the juices from the leaves, they are repelled by “Karbofos” (use a small amount of the product);
• spider mites are destroyed with the drug "Vertimek" or infusion of potato tops;
• to remove whitefly, it is recommended to carefully wash the leaves with soap and water.

The main preventive remedy against these pests and diseases — regular loosening and timely watering with inspection of seedlings.

Harvesting and application

It is better to pick cucumbers when they are not ripe., and do this in the morning and evening.

The collected fruits can be stored for several days, but it is better to use them immediately for food or marinate. They are especially good when pickled, as they are almost never hollow.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The obvious advantages of the variety include the following qualities::

• high productivity;
• long fruiting period;
• resistance to many diseases;
• lack of bitterness even with rare watering;
• self-pollinating.

There are also disadvantages:

• overripe fruits have a hard skin;
• since this is a hybrid and not a variety, you will have to buy seeds every time;
• they have characteristic spikes.

Reviews

Dutch developments have always enjoyed well-deserved popularity among gardeners. Ecole f1 is no exception. The hybrid captivated me with its yield, beautiful appearance and taste of gherkins.

Irina, Odintsovo: “I usually don’t like hybrids, but I liked Ecole. Especially because these cucumbers are great for pickling and pickling. Firm, crispy, great taste".

Semyon, Novorossiysk: “I didn’t always succeed with seedlings of other hybrids. Either the seedlings stretched out, or, on the contrary, withered. I took the risk of trying Ecole f1 - it worked! He turned out to be unpretentious and pleased with his large harvest and miniature cucumbers.”.

Elena, Omsk: “I am pleased with the high yield of the Ecole hybrid. At the same time, the bushes can be planted relatively compactly, because they do not grow much in width. Well, the fruits – small cucumbers – look very neat in a jar, tasty and crunchy. I advise everyone to grow this hybrid.”

Conclusion

Each new hybrid of any garden crop is the result of the painstaking work of many breeders. Recent advances in this area are becoming more and more interesting and effective. Hybrid Ecole f1 is a clear confirmation of this.

These cucumbers are easy to care for and by following the above recommendations, you can provide yourself and your loved ones with a good harvest of small, neat fruits of excellent quality. They will taste good both fresh and canned.