A productive and easy-to-care variety of cucumbers “Palchiki” with excellent tasty fruits

Farmers love finger cucumbers for their taste without bitterness, ease of care and the shape of the fruit, suitable for preparations and fresh dishes. Its early ripening and uniform fruiting will allow even a small plot to have a good harvest all summer. In this article we will tell you in detail about the advantages and specifics of growing Finger cucumbers.

Description of the variety

Finger cucumbers are an early ripening variety. It is resistant to diseases and low temperatures, suitable for open ground and greenhouses. It is characterized by uniform fruiting, which lasts for two months.

The variety was bred for open ground, so to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse, a fan is placed there during flowering or a beehive is brought in. The beehive solution is suitable for cultivating vegetables in winter in large greenhouses. Insects are used at the rate of one family per thousand meters.

Distinctive features

This is a bee-pollinated variety of cucumber.. The plant has female flowers. Unlike other cucumbers, Fingers have almost no thorns on the fruit. They cannot be left on the bushes for a long time, as they become overripe and lose their taste and presentation.

Composition, properties, benefits, calorie content

When consumed in moderation, cucumbers are beneficial. In addition to water (95%), the composition includes potassium (141 mg per 100 g), iodine, calcium (23 mg per 100 g), magnesium (14 mg per 100 g) necessary for heart function and other minerals, vitamins A, C , RR, group B and others.

Due to the large amount of fiber, cucumbers help quickly remove toxins from the body and improve intestinal motility. Their low calorie content makes them an ideal dietary food. 100 g of cucumber contains only 10-15 kcal.

Characteristics

The height of the bushes reaches 2-2.5 m. The plant forms strong and thick lashes. The fruits are dark green in color and have a slightly tuberculate surface without spines. They taste sweet and crunchy, without bitterness. The maximum length of the greens is 12 cm, weight – about 130 g.

The fruiting period is two months. 40-45 days after planting the seedlings in open ground, you can already collect the first “fingers”. If agricultural practices are followed, one bush produces about 7 kg of cucumbers.

How to grow a variety yourself

The Fingers variety is easy to grow. Caring for it is no different from caring for other varieties of cucumbers. Plants need to be regularly water with a small amount of water, fertilize and ensure a comfortable air temperature. After heavy rain and each watering, the soil is loosened.

Important! Experienced gardeners recommend shaping plants. To do this, pinch the main vine of the bush above the trellis when growing in a greenhouse.

Planting by seeds and seedlings

The variety Fingers is grown both by seed and seedlings. If you choose the first method, then pay attention to the air temperature - it should not be lower than +15 °C. It is advisable to warm and soak the seeds. They are planted in the beds in mid-May. Before sowing, the bed is cleared of weeds, loosened and fertilized with fresh manure. Seeds are placed in the soil to a depth of 2-3 cm.

Attention! If you soak the seeds in a damp cloth for several days, they will sprout several days earlier than dry ones.

You can buy the substrate ready-made or make it yourself:

• turf soil - 4 parts;
• lowland peat – 4 parts;
• manure - one part;
• sawdust - one part.

Place the seeds in shallow longitudinal holes and cover them lightly with soil. Fertilizers are applied to nourish the soil. For 10 liters of soil you will need:

• urea – 6 g;
• superphosphate – 14 g;
• potassium sulfate – 8 g;
• magnesium sulfate – 2 g.

Growing in stages and care

Before the first shoots appear in open ground, the bed is covered with film.

Containers with seedlings are covered with polyethylene and taken to a room with a temperature of about +25 °C. After the first leaves appear, the room temperature is lowered by 5 °C. Seedlings need to be provided with lighting, temperature +20...23 °C, regular watering and nutritional feeding.

When the sprouts reach 25 cm in height and five true leaves form on the stem, the seedlings are transferred to open ground. Plants are planted according to a pattern of 50 cm by 30 cm.

During the period of mass flowering of cucumbers, phosphorus fertilizers are used for fertilizing; during the active growing season, nitrogen-potassium fertilizers are used.

Cucumbers of this variety need regular and careful watering. Overmoistening of the soil is fraught with the appearance of fungal diseases and rotting of the roots. Early in the morning, before sunrise, the bushes are watered at the roots with warm water. To do this, use water that has stood under the sun's rays.

Important! Cold water is not suitable for irrigation. It can cause massive shedding of ovaries and cause a poor harvest.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

This variety likes to grow in well-drained soils. The area is first cleared of the remains of plants that grew on it before.

It should be borne in mind that the rate of seed germination in the ground depends on their position. Lay down seeds nose up, at an angle of 45 degrees. This will help the sprouts quickly get rid of the seed coat and grow upward. In this case, the root system of the cucumber will form parallel to the ground and go deep.

Important! The variety is grown on vertical trellises and care is taken for pollination by insects.

Greenhouses with cucumbers are well ventilated so as not to disturb the thermal regime, and foliar fertilizing is applied.

Diseases and pests

The variety has good immunity to diseases. Plants practically do not suffer from downy mildew, but are often attacked by mites and aphids. To avoid this, plants are treated with copper sulfate or soap solution for prevention. Slugs and parasites on the roots of bushes are destroyed using ash or ash flour, which is applied directly to the soil.

To get rid of aphids, do the following: leave 400 g of shag in a bucket of water for two days, then add 80 g of soap. Black aphid on cucumbers will disappear with this treatment. You can also get rid of it with the help of ladybugs: you can buy larvae or collect the insects yourself.

Destruction of spider mites guarantee insectoacaricides ("Aktellik", "Fitoverm") and acaricides ("Neoron").

Harvesting and application

It is not recommended to leave ripe cucumbers on the bushes for a long time.

Reference. Ripe fruits that hang on the vine for a long time become overripe and become yellow and watery.

The Fingers variety is often used for pickles or pickling. After heat treatment, cucumbers of this variety do not lose their crunch. Fresh cucumbers are suitable for various dishes - for example, salads, okroshka, sandwiches.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Among the advantages of the variety, gardeners note the following:

• long fruiting period;
• excellent taste of the fruit;
• good presentation;
• resistance to spring and autumn frosts;
• immunity to many fungal diseases;
• resistance to downy mildew;
• high productivity;
• the variety does not lose its appearance during transportation.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• the need for timely harvesting;
• the need to pinch cucumbers;
• Bees are needed for pollination.

Reviews

On the Internet there are many positive reviews about the Fingers variety, which confirm its characteristics.

Maria, Minsk: “This year I purchased “Palchiki” cucumber seeds. I planted them in open ground at the beginning of May, but covered them with white covering material, and removed them at the end of May. The seeds sprouted together. They grew and were pleasing to the eye. Interestingly, my cucumbers were exactly like in the picture. At one time I was away for a long time, we went on vacation, and upon arrival my cucumbers did not grow much, or rather they grew, but only in length and at the same time did not lose their attractive appearance, did not get fat or turn yellow. I used them to make a fresh salad.”

Tanya, Tyumen: “The variety doesn’t overgrow too much - that’s its beauty. Cucumbers with thin, rather prickly spines hold tightly to the branches, so I cut them off with scissors. The taste is good! The fruits are tender, juicy, and sweetish. I didn't eat bitters. The skin is thin."

Olga, Vitebsk: “Last year I tried a new variety of cucumbers called Fingers. I planted seedlings. Almost all the seeds sprouted perfectly. This certainly made me happy. I planted the seedlings in open ground. The cucumbers grew one to one. Handsome guys - strong, small.Crispy, the core is not watery, without bitterness. Towards the end of summer, I began to pickle the harvest. The cucumbers are small in size and fit perfectly in a liter jar. I took my simplest recipe. Cucumbers delighted the family not only in summer, but also in winter.”

Conclusion

The Fingers variety is attractive due to its excellent taste and high resistance to diseases and cold. Cucumbers ripen early and bear fruit well. Crispy and juicy fruits are suitable for fresh consumption and as part of various dishes. By following the simple rules of agricultural technology, you will certainly be able to get a wonderful harvest - one that will lick your fingers!