Features of growing cucumbers Zozul f1 in a greenhouse and open field
Zozulya f1 is an early ripening variety of cucumbers that has been one of the most popular among Russian gardeners for over 40 years. Cultivation of Zozul f1 cucumbers is carried out both in greenhouses and in open soil, in various climatic conditions. This variety has become widespread due to its versatility, unpretentious care, excellent taste and high fruit yield.
Description and characteristics of the variety
Zozulya f1 variety was bred in 1977 for cultivation in greenhouse conditions in all regions of Russia.
The main features of Zozul f1 cucumbers:
- bushes are large, spreading;
- the length of a rapidly growing wattle fence reaches 80-100 cm;
- the cultivation of Zozulya f1 cucumbers is carried out by tying the stems to the trellis;
- flower stalks self-pollinate without insects;
- ovaries are formed in the form of bundles.
Vegetable culture does not require pinching, it does not have dense foliage and a large number of wattle fences. Like all greenhouse varieties, the plant grows well in shaded areas. Cultivation of Zozul f1 cucumbers is also possible in the open field, but in this case the yield is much lower than in a greenhouse.
Productivity and fruiting
Cucumber variety Zozulya f1 is distinguished by the large size of oblong fruits. The length of vegetables can reach 20-25 cm, weight up to 200-300 g. Fruits are often even, in rare cases they can be slightly curved.
Cucumbers have a thin skin of a dark green color, the flesh is juicy and firm, with soft grains that are not felt when chewing the fruit. The taste is pleasant, without bitterness. The hybrid belongs to early maturing varieties - the ovaries appear already 43-48 days after seed germination.
Zozulya f1 is considered a high-yielding variety - from 1 m² you can harvest up to 15-20 kg of ripe fruits, which retain their presentation well after harvest.
Scope of the fruit
Many gardeners are interested in whether Zozul's cucumbers can be canned. This variety is considered salad - its fruits are consumed fresh, used in the preparation of salads and other vegetable dishes.
Zozulya f1 cucumbers are not used for canning, as their flesh becomes loose and tasteless. Fruits can be pickled, but they will not be crispy and remain soft.
Growing cucumbers in a greenhouse
Zozulya f1 variety belongs to early maturing and self-pollinated, therefore it is excellent for greenhouses... There are two ways to grow a vegetable crop - by seedlings or by sowing grains directly into the soil.
It is very important to correctly calculate when to plant Zozul cucumbers, because their yield depends on this. Planting too early will freeze the seedlings and will not take root. With late planting, it will slow down the start of fruiting.
When to plant Zozulya cucumbers for seedlings depends on the conditions of the greenhouse. In heated greenhouses, it is recommended to plant seedlings in the first weeks of March, in cold, glass or film ones - from mid-April or early May.
Planting seedlings
Vegetable seedlings can be grown at home. Before growing zozul cucumbers on the windowsill, prepare suitable containers - small plastic cups or peat pots with a volume of no more than 250-300 ml.
Growing seedlings on the windowsill:
- Pour moist soil into the bottom of the container and place 2 cucumber seeds on top.
- Sprinkle the cucumber seeds with a layer of fertile soil no more than 1-2 cm, then sprinkle with warm water using a sprayer.
- Place the cups with seeds on the windowsill and cover with plastic wrap.
- Seedlings must germinate at a temperature not lower than 24 ° C.
- After 6-8 days, shoots appear - only one of them needs to be left. If two shoots appear, remove the thinner and weaker.
- After the sprouts appear, remove the plastic wrap.
After 20-30 days, the seedlings can be transplanted into the greenhouse. The vegetable crop is planted in rows. The hybrid needs a lot of space for active growth, so the distance between the holes should be at least 20-30 cm. The row spacing should be 35-45 cm.
Growing in a seedless way
The optimal time for growing Zozul f1 cucumbers in a seedless way is the second half of April. This will require fertile soil made from peat, black soil and compostmixed in a ratio of 5: 2: 3.
Dig up and loosen the soil. Pour the prepared substrate on the beds, the layer height should be at least 20 cm. Before planting, pour the beds with a solution of potassium permanganate - 3 g per bucket of water. Wrap the store seeds in damp gauze and leave for 2-3 days. When seedlings begin to appear, they can be transplanted into the ground.
Make small holes in the beds and add compost mixed with ½ teaspoon of superphosphate in them. Pour 2-3 cups of heated water into each hole, put 3 cucumber seeds and sprinkle with soil. When sprouts appear, leave the strongest and strongest, remove the rest.
Care for cucumbers in the greenhouse
Caring for Zozulya f1 cucumbers is not particularly difficult. It consists in tying lashes to a trellis, timely feeding and watering plants. Good lighting is very important for cucumbers and the air temperature is not lower than + 24 ° C. For top dressing, you can alternate organic and mineral fertilizers.
Watering Zozul's cucumbers is necessary every 4 days, after flowering and the appearance of ovaries - every other day. The soil should remain moist without stagnant water. After watering, the soil under the cucumbers is loosened.
Ash is used for the subcortex of the culture - 100 g for each bush. Before flowering, cucumbers are fed with urea - a tablespoon of the product in a bucket of water. The prepared solution can be used for irrigation of the green part of the plant or for root application.
After the formation of the ovary, Zozulya cucumbers can be fed with mullein infusion mixed with water in a 1: 0 ratio. For each bush, you will need at least 1 liter of the prepared infusion. After 5-6 weeks, the first ripe fruits appear. It is very important to harvest regularly (every 2-3 days) - this increases the duration of the crop's fruiting.
Correct bush formation is very important as it helps to increase yields. The fruits of a vegetable crop are formed on lateral shoots. It is best to pinch the stem above 6 leaves - after that, young shoots with peduncles and an ovary begin to appear in cucumbers.
Growing cucumbers Zozul f1 in the open field
For growing Zozulya cucumbers outdoors, sunny areas are best suited, but with sufficient shading. It is recommended to sow vegetable seeds only after the soil warms up to + 16 ° C.
On the surface of the soil, make several grooves up to 3-4 cm deep, then spread the cucumber seeds at a distance of 8-10 cm. The row spacing should be at least 60-70 cm.
Taking care of Zozulya f1 cucumbers outdoors is similar to growing a vegetable in a greenhouse. The only exception is that when the temperature falls, the vegetable beds must be covered with agrofibre.
Diseases and pests
Care for Zozulya cucumbers in the greenhouse includes the prevention of various diseases and pests. This variety is highly resistant to spotting and various types of rot.
Vegetable crops can suffer from attacks by spider mites, aphids, whiteflies, slugs. To prevent infection of cucumbers, it is very important to maintain an optimal microclimate in the greenhouse and regularly carry out preventive treatments with insecticidal preparations.
Disease and pest prevention measures:
- regular but moderate watering;
- timely weeding;
- compliance with the rules of crop rotation (for Zozuli, soil after zucchini, pumpkin, melons and nightshade crops is not suitable);
- timely disinfection of the soil and all surfaces in the greenhouse;
- preventive treatments against insect pests and diseases.
Zozulya f1 cucumber is one of the most popular varieties among domestic gardeners. OH has become widespread due to the ease of growing and unpretentious care, high yield and good quality of fruits with a soft, pleasant taste. An equally important feature of the variety is its strong immunity to dangerous diseases of vegetable crops.
Growing cucumbers Zozul f1 in comfortable conditions - video