Cucumber Ekol

As you know, the number of cucumber varieties and hybrids bred by breeders around the world is in the thousands. In the last decade, there has been a marked increase in the interest of gardeners and farmers in hybrids. Due to targeted selection, gardeners have the opportunity to use hybrid varieties. Their common feature is high productivity, stress resistance. Ekol is a prominent representative of this group.

The hybrid variety was obtained by Dutch scientists, representatives of the seed breeding company Syngenta Seeds B. V. Quite quickly, the hybrid gained popularity not only in its country, but also at the world level. In Russia, the variety was approved for use in 2007.

The indeterminate parthenocarpic hybrid variety does not need outside help for pollination, since it is self-pollinated. Its fruits are distinguished by perfect uniformity, attractive presentation, excellent fruiting rates and high transportability. Cucumber hybrids are less susceptible to diseases traditional for this culture, including Ekol. Unfortunately, seed material is not able to inherit parental qualities, and it is impossible to obtain seeds on your own, but they are always commercially available. An interesting ability of Ekol is self-regulation of the filling of cucumbers. With the onset of extreme conditions (a sharp cold snap, drought, too many fruits, and so on), the plant continues to lay ovaries and maintain existing ones, but the filling stops. After normalization of weather conditions, the process resumes.

The compact plant has an average degree of branching, the shoots are covered with dark green, five-lobed, shallowly dissected leaves, whose plate is slightly pubescent and medium in size, sometimes quite large. The hybrid blooms mainly with female yellow flowers and forms bundle ovaries of 3-5 pieces, sometimes more. The short cylindrical fruits (5-10 cm) have a diameter of 1.6 cm and are of the gherkin type. Dark green large-lumpy cucumbers have a weak spotting, blurred stripes along the entire length and white thorns. The fruits require timely collection, otherwise they quickly outgrow and acquire a barrel-shaped shape, becoming almost round.

Ekol fruits have a universal purpose, they are used for fresh consumption, for making salads and various types of canning. The hybrid cucumbers have a sweet taste with pleasant freshness. Bitterness is not observed even in overgrown fruits.

The hybrid belongs to the mid-early ripeness category - from germination to the beginning of fruiting, it takes 43 to 48 days.

Ekol gives average yields. Usually it is 260-293 kg / ha, but the creation of ideal cultivation conditions allows you to increase the performance.

The regions for which the hybrid is adapted are the North Caucasian, Northwestern, Lower Volga, Ural, West Siberian and East Siberian, as well as the Central Black Earth Region.

The most reasonable planting option is to maintain a distance between the roots of 40 cm. There are 3 to 4 plants per square meter.

Ekol is intended for cultivation in open and protected ground: greenhouses and film greenhouses, structures with glazing and polycarbonate, as well as for winter heated spaces. Depending on the climatic characteristics of the region, seeds are sown for seedlings at the end of March and in April. Sowing in open ground is carried out much later, when the ground is sufficiently warmed up. This is May and early June.

The picking is very difficult for cucumbers, a large loss of seedlings is possible, therefore, growing by seedlings involves sowing in separate containers. Cucumbers are transferred to a permanent place at the stage of 3-4 true leaves.

Further care consists in timely watering. The soil under the crop should be sufficiently moistened, but at the same time, stagnation of water should not be allowed. If there is not enough moisture, bitterness may appear. Usually, before flowering, watering is carried out up to four times a week. During drought, the frequency of irrigation is increased. The best option for humidification during cultivation on an industrial scale is the organization of drip irrigation. After moistening, the soil should be loosened to prevent the formation of an earthen crust. Mulching successfully replaces this process. Top dressing is carried out several times per season, using complex mineral fertilizers, nitrophosphate, potassium formulations. Opponents of the use of chemistry in the garden use folk remedies. Mandatory weeding removes the crop from competing with weeds for nutrients. Tying up the shoots protects the plants from decay and provides the necessary level of ventilation.

Culture loves the sun, so when choosing a location, you should take care of good lighting. Planting or sowing seeds is carried out only in warm soil (+ 15ºC), otherwise the planting material will simply die. Observance of crop rotation favors plant development and fruiting. The most suitable predecessors are onions, legumes, potatoes and other nightshade crops. The soil should be loose, breathable, fertile, with a medium pH level. Acidic lands are subject to mandatory deoxidation with dolomite flour, chalk, gypsum or lime. Organic matter (humus, compost, bird droppings, manure for autumn digging), special complex mineral fertilizers, and superphosphate are introduced into depleted soils.

Growing cucumbers outdoors requires sufficient heat during the summer. For cultivation in a heated greenhouse, climatic features are not of great importance.

Ekol has good resistance to powdery mildew, cladosporiosis, cucumber mosaic virus. With prolonged unfavorable weather conditions, the risk of the appearance of white and gray rot, peronosporosis fungus increases.Growing in a greenhouse can cause plant pests such as whiteflies, aphids and spider mites. In any case, the treatment of plantings with insecticides and fungicides helps.