There is no time for summer residents when they do not think about their beds. So in winter, the time to purchase seeds begins. You need to think over the place of planting, plan what to plant, how much seeds to buy, what varieties, in what quantities. Of course, the favorite vegetable grown is the cucumber. Today, a wide variety of colored bags are laid out on the shelves, but attention is drawn to bright ones with a not very common name - cucumber hybrids. True, it may not be clear to novice gardeners what a hybrid is and how it differs from ordinary varieties. Let's try to figure it out together!
What is a hybrid
This is the crossing of cells of genetically different forms. Such crossbreeding is most often used in botany. Seeds are obtained by mixing two different varieties. Both of them should bring the best qualities to the resulting hybrid variety and surpass their parents in all respects. This ability was called hybrid power. There is another name - heterosis - this is a hybrid that has received all the best signs of the best of the parents. Usually, these properties appear only in the seeds of the first generation.
Seeds of the first generation
All such seeds are much better in their qualities than ordinary, non-hybrid ones. They are much tastier, there is no bitterness in the fruits, they are much more resistant to temperature changes, they get sick less. There are a lot of such varieties of cucumbers. You just need to look at the summary and choose the ones you like. Super-early seeds have now appeared, the ripening period of which from germination to fruit is only 35-40 days.
What is F1 hybrid
This marking is often seen on seed packets. The symbol F1 is an indication that the variety was created by crossing, and the seeds are obtained from the first generation. They tend to cost more. Work on breeding varieties of the first generation is carried out in strict accordance with all agricultural practices and only manually. This is the guarantee of really excellent seed quality.
Which seeds to choose
First of all, you need to understand that there are two types of hybrid seeds: bee pollinated and parthenocarpic or growing without pollination. This means that you can choose what to plant in a greenhouse, and what is better in open ground, right in the garden. It is worth noting such a positive quality of cucumber hybrids as the inability to accumulate a large amount of nitrates.
Hybrid seeds are distinguished by excellent friendly germination, are less susceptible to various diseases, tolerate short-term cooling without serious consequences, and are characterized by high yields, even in years with unfavorable weather. After all, whatis a hybrid? It's a combination of the best features!
Of course, experienced gardeners prefer varieties that grow without pollination or parthenocarpic. These varieties are the most productive, rarely bitter, do not require careful care. They only need fertile, well-fertilized soil and frequent abundant watering. Such cucumbers are good in summer in salads, as well as for winter preservation. Small cucumbers, mostly of the gherkin type, can be pickled even in small jars.
Methods and timing of sowing, growing methods
Early start of fruiting makes it possible to sow cucumbers at different times, and get an excellent harvest all summer. Varieties of this type usually give a lot of ovaries, up to a dozen are formed in the nodes, and in some varieties even more, medium-sized cucumbers.
In early spring, you can plant seeds in seedlings in a polycarbonate greenhouse and get the first cucumbers by the beginning or middle of June. You can plant seeds in the greenhouse directly into the ground and the next wave of fruits will arrive in time for the start of the conservation time.
It is possible to land directly on the garden, without any shelter. You can have time to enjoy fresh cucumbers and harvest a good harvest even with this method of cultivation. But lovers of harvesting their seeds need to keep in mind that hybrids cannot be taken for seeds, because the next year's crop may not be obtained. The second generation may be either infertile or completely sterile.
Now you know what a hybrid is. So keep it up! Don't forget carefullyRead the growing instructions on the seed packet. Then there is hope that the harvest will be such that it will need to be taken out, if not by truck, then by a car like the Toyota Prius Hybrid. Everything is in your hands!
