Parthenocarpic hybrid of cucumbers “Claudine f1” from Dutch breeders

Claudine f1 cucumbers are an early-ripening parthenocarpic hybrid, characterized by high productivity, a long fruiting period and unpretentiousness to growing conditions. This is an improved form of the previously popular Dutch hybrid Claudius f1. Small fruits with a refreshing taste and a thin skin - a “Dutch shirt” with white prickly spines - are ideal for fresh consumption.

In this article we will talk about the basic methods of cultivating cucumbers, their advantages and disadvantages.

Description of the hybrid

Cucumber Claudine f1 is a product of selective work of biologists of the Dutch company Monsanto. The hybrid was included in the State Register of Selective Achievements of Russia in 2008. The crop is suitable for cultivation in all regions of the country in open ground, greenhouses and tunnels.

The plant is indeterminate, medium-sized, with dense foliage, female type of flowering and bunched ovary. Up to seven greens are formed in one node. Fertilization and fruit development occurs without the participation of pollen - that is, insects are not required to pollinate flowers.

In the photo - hybrid Claudine f1.

The distinctive features of the hybrid are presented in the table.

Composition, nutritional value and beneficial properties

Nutritional value of cucumbers (per 100 g):

• calorie content – ​​14 kcal;
• proteins – 0.8 g;
• fats – 0.1 g;
• carbohydrates – 2.5 g;
• water – 95 g;
• fiber – 1 g.

Table of vitamin and mineral composition

Benefit:

• quenches thirst;
• relieves heartburn attacks;
• improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• restores thyroid function;
• relieves swelling;
• whitens facial skin.

Agricultural technology for cucumbers

The crop is grown by seedlings and sowing methods. Direct sowing into the ground is carried out at the end of May or at the beginning of June.

Due to the poor tolerance of pickling, seedlings are grown directly in peat pots. This method eliminates trauma to the roots. Seedlings are planted in prepared soil in early June.

Caring for the plant is simple. It is enough to provide moderate watering at the beginning of the growing season, and frequent watering during the fruiting period. The culture responds gratefully to organic, nitrogen, potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

Planting by seedlings

Hybrid seeds do not require additional treatment with germination stimulants and disinfecting solutions. They undergo all necessary processing in production.

Cucumber seedlings are painful to pick, so the seeds are placed in individual 0.5-liter peat or paper pots.Fertile and loose soil is suitable for growing strong seedlings. To prepare it you will need 2 parts humus, 2 parts peat and 1 part sawdust or river sand. The components are mixed in a deep container and poured with a dark solution of potassium permanganate, then 25 g of nitrophoska are mixed in.

The pots are filled with moist soil and the seeds are planted to a depth of 1.5-2 cm, and a centimeter layer of peat is poured on top. The containers are covered with polyethylene and placed in a warm, dark place.

After germination, the film is removed and the containers are placed on the windowsill on the south side.

For irrigation, use settled water at room temperature. Watering frequency is once a week.

To feed seedlings, ready-made fertilizers “Aquarin” or “Kemira” are used.

The seedlings are ready to be transferred to a permanent location after 2-3 true leaves have formed.

Direct sowing into the ground

The soil for sowing seeds begins to be prepared in the fall: they dig it up and add a bucket of cow humus. In the spring, the soil is loosened and fed with ammonium nitrate - 20 g, superphosphate - 30 g, potassium sulfate - 15 g per 1 m² two weeks before sowing.

The optimal soil temperature is not lower than +8 °C, the air temperature is not lower than +10 °C. Sowing pattern – 50x30 cm, seed placement depth – 2-3 cm.

The soil is covered with black agrofibre to protect it from frost.

Advice. Sow seeds in moist soil for rapid germination.

Care

Rules for caring for cucumbers:

• thinning seedlings and removing weak shoots;
• at the initial stage of the growing season, plants are watered once a week, from the moment of fruiting the frequency is increased to 3-4 times, 2.5-3 liters per 1 m²;
• after each watering, the soil is loosened and weeds are removed;
• if development is delayed, the bushes are fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers;
• in addition to nitrogenous fertilizers, cucumbers are fertilized with organic matter, potassium and phosphorus;
• The harvest is harvested as the greens ripen to support abundant fruiting.

Feeding scheme:

• first - 14 days after sowing (planting): solution of chicken manure 1:15;
• the second - during the flowering period: 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 10 g of superphosphate, 10 g of potassium salt/10 l of water;
• third - during the fruiting period: 25 g of potassium nitrate/10 l or 50 g of urea/10 l.

Reference. An infusion of wood ash (300 g per 10 l) can be used for foliar feeding throughout the entire growing season of cucumbers.

Nuances of cultivation and possible difficulties

Hybrid Claudine f1 is called an improved form of cucumber Claudia f1. The culture is easy to care for and resistant to heat and cold.

Like any other bunch-type cucumber, the plant needs proper shaping of the bushes:

• All shoots and flowers are removed from the leaf axils;
• one ovary is left in the axil of the fifth leaf;
• in the axils of 7-10 leaves, two ovaries are left;
• the stem is thrown over the trellis;
• The top of the head is pinched 1 m from the ground.

This procedure is called "blinding". It is carried out with the aim of extending the fruiting period and improving disease resistance.

From mid-August, the bushes are earthed up to stimulate the growth of new roots. For replenishment use: whey 1 liter and iodine 25-30 drops, boric acid solution (10 g/10 liters of hot water).

Diseases and pests

Claudine cucumbers are resistant to powdery mildew and tobacco mosaic virus, and tolerant to downy mildew (peronospora).

Signs:

• tiny brownish and yellow spots on leaves;
• purple-gray coating on the reverse side;
• yellowing and falling of leaves.

Causes:

• excessive humidity and air temperature below +9 °C;
• watering with cold water;
• increased alkali content in the soil.

For prevention:

• the soil is dug up and disinfected with copper sulfate or “Fitosporin”;
• infected bushes are dug up by the roots and burned;
• the beds are regularly loosened and weeded;
• follow the rule of crop rotation.

If infection cannot be avoided, the following is used for treatment:

• chemicals: 0.5% solution of Bordeaux mixture, Oxychom;
• folk remedies with ash, potassium permanganate, whey and iodine.

Recipes for folk remedies:

1. 10-15 drops of iodine, 1 liter of whey, 9 liters of clean water. Bushes are treated once every 1-1.5 weeks.
2. Add 500 g of wood ash to 1 liter of hot water and leave for 3-4 hours. Then the mixture is filtered through cheesecloth and the volume is adjusted to 10 liters. The bushes are irrigated once every seven days.
3. Add 1 g of potassium permanganate to 10 liters of water and spray the bushes with the solution once every 15 days.

Insecticides help fight melon aphids, mole crickets, whiteflies and spider mites on the site: “Fitoverm”, “Commander”, “Aktara”, “Nemabaktin”.

Slugs are collected by hand at night, traps are set from beer cans, tobacco shag and hot pepper are scattered on the beds, and the bushes are treated with a solution of ammonia (4 tbsp./10 l).

Harvesting and application

Harvesting begins approximately 40 days after the first shoots appear. The hybrid is amazingly productive. The fruits do not barrel, even if they become overripe on the bushes.

Cucumbers are suitable for fresh consumption, but are completely unsuitable for pickling And pickling due to the thin skin. They soften a lot in the jar.

Once collected, cucumbers can be stored for up to three weeks in a cool place.

Advantages and disadvantages

The table shows the pros and cons of the Claudine hybrid.

Reviews

Gardeners' impressions of growing "Dutch" are mostly positive. They note the external similarity with the Claudius hybrid, but evaluate the taste qualities much higher.

Olga, Balashov: “The Claudine cucumber is my favorite. I like the culture for its undemandingness to growing conditions, easy care and excellent taste. The seedlings seem weak, but after fertilizing with nitrogen they actively gain green mass. The cucumbers are tasty, juicy, and the skin is thin.”

Alexander, Stary Oskol: “I have been growing this Dutch hybrid on my plot for three years. During all this time there were no problems with him. Last year the summer was cold and rainy, and the bushes were affected by downy mildew. I dealt with the problem using whey with iodine.”

Victor, Balabanovo: “Claudine is an excellent hybrid for growing in a greenhouse. I form the bushes as they grow, remove the shoots and flowers, and plant them in one stem. For feeding I use chicken manure, ammophos, potassium and phosphorus. Productivity is consistently high until the onset of cold weather. One minus is that cucumbers are not suitable for pickling. Because of the thin skin, they soften a lot.”

Read also:

An early hybrid of cucumbers “Grasshopper” from domestic breeders.

Why do beet leaves turn red and what to do about it?

How to grow Bogdan pepper on your own plot.

Conclusion

Hybrid Claudine cucumbers have gained well-deserved popularity due to their excellent taste, ease of cultivation and subsequent care, high productivity and long fruiting period. Parthenocarpic does not require additional pollination by insects, since it is a crop with a female flowering type. The pollination process does not depend on male cells.

The plant is resistant to the main “cucumber” diseases, and when infected with powdery mildew, copper-containing preparations, ash, whey with iodine and potassium permanganate will come to the rescue.

The fruits are not prone to overgrowth, have a pleasant sweetish taste, crispy flesh and thin skin.