Cucumber alligator

Cucumber is one of the most popular and eaten vegetables, therefore it is grown in every summer cottage. Among the many varieties, it is hybrids with early and medium ripening periods that are in high demand. These include the cucumber Alligator of domestic selection.

The alligator is a hybrid bred by a group of scientists from the Sedek agricultural firm: Dubinin S.V., Lukyanenko A.N. and Dubinina I.N. in 2009. A year later (in 2010), the vegetable crop was entered into the State Register of the Russian Federation.

The Alligator cucumber is a subspecies with medium ripening times and high disease resistance. It got its name from the shape of the fruit. The hybrid is zoned in seven regions: North-West, North, Central, Central Black Earth, Volgo-Vyatka, Middle Volga, North Caucasian. The variety is maximally productive, growing in film and unheated greenhouses.

Mid-early culture Alligator is a tall shrub with medium branching and moderate foliage with dark green leaves. The main stem can be up to 2.5 meters long. A characteristic feature of the plant is the vigor, bulkiness of the bush, which reaches 1.5 meters in diameter.

The flowering type of the plant is predominantly female. At the time of flowering, bright yellow large five-petal flowers form on the bushes. In one leaf sinus, from 1 to 3 cucumbers are formed. The plant is pollinated with the help of bees.

Alligator cucumbers are distinguished by their large dimensions and considerable length. On average, the weight of a vegetable is 300-320 grams. The length of a cucumber can reach 35-40 cm. The shape of the zelents is elongated-cylindrical, fruits with a medium lumpy surface. In order for the cucumbers to have the correct shape, they must hang from the lashes during growth and ripening. The peel of vegetables is thin and tender, covered with pubescence of medium density. Ripe greens have a dark green cover, diluted with shortened light stripes.

It makes no sense to overexpose ripe vegetables in the garden: despite the fact that they do not turn yellow and do not deform, their flesh becomes tough, losing taste. The harvested crop perfectly tolerates long-distance transportation if the vegetables are very carefully removed from the bushes. Zelens are not endowed with keeping quality, so it is better to eat the harvested crop fresh or immediately process it for conservation.

The alligator is characterized by excellent taste. The pulp of vegetables is tender, fleshy, juicy, without wateriness and voids. Balanced taste: light sweetness goes well with summer aroma. Cucumbers without bitterness. Seeds inside the flesh are fine fraction, not rigid.

This variety is ideal for fresh consumption: in the form of salads, vegetable cuts. For canning and pickling, vegetables must be cut, since they are large in size.

The alligator belongs to the category with medium ripening periods. The growing season lasts about 52-55 days. Seedlings appear amicably, and ripening of fruits occurs gradually, so the fruiting period is extended.Experts recommend extending the fruiting period by foliar dressing, for example, with a urea solution. Mass ripening of cucumbers occurs in July-August.

This type of cucumber is declared as a high-yielding cucumber. Providing the plant with proper care, under favorable weather conditions, an excellent harvest can be harvested from 1 m2 - an average of 9.4 kg. The maximum indicator is fixed at around 14-16 kg per 1 m2.

For the productivity of a vegetable crop, not only care is needed, but also proper placement on the site. 2-3 cucumber bushes can be planted per 1 m2, which will allow the plants to receive sufficient heat, sun and air. The correct scheme for planting is 70x50 cm.

There are two ways to grow cucumbers: sowing seeds and planting seedlings. It is the second method that is more effective and productive. Planting in greenhouses is carried out in late May - early June. In the southern regions, you can plant seedling bushes in open ground. For this, the air and soil must warm up well. As a rule, the first decade of June is considered a suitable time for planting. An ideal seedling bush has a height of 20-25 cm, 3-4 true leaves, a strengthened central stem and a developed root system. It is best to plant cucumbers in the place where tomatoes, carrots, eggplants and cabbage previously grew.

Intensive agricultural technology consists of the following activities: watering, loosening and weeding, fertilizing, tying bushes (trellises, strong supports), removing unnecessary stepchildren, preventing diseases and pest infestations. In greenhouses, one should not forget about regular ventilation, which allows you to control the level of humidity.

Water the bushes with warm water. It is important that the water gets under the root, and not on the greens. The soil should be fluffed and loosened regularly: this helps to remove weeds and the rapid penetration of moisture to the roots. Fertilization is carried out 3 to 5 times during the growing season.

Alligator cucumbers are quite whimsical to the quality and structure of the soil. For them, sandy loam, chernozem and loamy soils with a neutral acidity are considered ideal. The soil should be fluffy, air and moisture permeable, nutritious and moist. Stagnation of water, as well as waterloggedness of the soil, are unacceptable for the plant. If there is only clay soil on the site, then it is recommended to dilute it with sand: 1 m2 of soil is supplemented with 2 buckets of fine-grained sand.

Alligator cucumbers are resistant to sudden temperature changes, short-term drought and heat. For planting cucumbers, you should choose a sunny and spacious place, protected from drafts, where there is enough warmth and light.

The Alligator hybrid is a carrier of high immunity, therefore it is resistant to many diseases: cladosporiosis, cucumber mosaic virus, powdery mildew. The plant is less resistant to downy mildew.The most dangerous insects for vegetable crops are spider mites and melon aphids, which will help to get rid of pest control treatments.