Cucumber Gerasim

The Gerasim cucumber variety is a hybrid with a decent yield and good immunity. In this article, you will learn how to plant it properly, grow it and protect it from disease.

Gerasim was included in the State Register for the Russian Federation in 2010, but he appeared a year earlier thanks to the work of a galaxy of domestic breeders.

The hybrid is parthenocarpic and is intended for cultivation in film greenhouses.

The plant has medium branching. Lateral shoots are poorly developed, small leaves have a rich green color. The bush has a female flowering type. There can be up to 8 zelents in a bundle.

Gerasim's fruits are relatively short, but strong. The length of one reaches 10-12 cm, and the weight is 120 g. The color of the fruit is dark green, with short stripes and weak spotting, the surface is small tuberous, with white thorns.

Gerasim cucumbers are suitable for salads, pickling, preservation, and also for eating fresh. The taste of the fruit is good, excellent.

Gerasim is an early variety. After the emergence of seedlings, the first wave of the harvest is expected for about 40 days.

The hybrid belongs to medium-yielding varieties. 10.8 kg are collected from one square meter.

Gerasim is often found in the gardens of the southern regions. But it can also be found in the following regions:

• North;
• Northwest;
• Central;
• Volgo-Vyatsky;
• TsCHO;
• North Caucasian;
• Middle Volga.

When planting seeds or seedlings, they adhere to the 30x70 cm scheme. It is important to check that the bushes are well lit and do not shade each other.

Correct planting is also needed in order to notice diseases or the presence of pests in time.

Gerasim is planted in the greenhouse in two ways:

• sowing - seeds are laid in open ground;
• seedlings - the method is popular in the northern regions and among those who want to get the harvest a week earlier.

In the first case, planting is carried out in the second half of May, the soil should warm up to +15 degrees. When grown in the second way, the material is sown in mid-spring. Cucumbers are transferred to open ground when the soil warms up to +10 degrees Celsius.

Gerasim lands in a sunny area where there is no strong wind and draft. In the fall, the site must be dug up, weeds removed and a mixture of humus, wood ash, compost must be added. In the spring, the beds are superficially loosened, manure is introduced and sprinkled with a solution of mullein or bird droppings.

Before planting, the seeds are selected and processed. The seeds are dipped for half an hour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Next, the Gerasim grains need to be hardened: they are dipped in hot (no more than 50 degrees) and cold water. For a complete set, the seeds can be germinated. This is done by laying the material in a damp cloth for 1-2 days.

Seeds are planted in pairs in 2 cm holes, watered abundantly and placed in a well-lit warm place. Seedlings are transferred at a time when each bush has 4-5 full leaves. They are also well watered and covered with foil.

Watering is carried out with warm, settled water, ideally of natural origin. This is an important condition, since cold water provokes rotting of the plant roots. The bushes are moisturized in the morning or evening every three days. During the period of heavy rains, the number of approaches decreases, during the period of intense heat, it increases, up to daily watering. Gardeners are advised to pour water at the root.

The bush has long vines, so it requires shaping. Lateral and weak branches are pinched, leaving 1-2 main shoots.

The variety responds well to feeding. The first introduction is carried out during the formation of the second sheet. Manure, mullein solutions, or bird droppings will do. Next, you can apply mineral fertilizers (mixtures containing phosphorus and potassium) at intervals of 2 weeks.

Experienced gardeners use a pitchfork to loosen. It is more necessary for the variety than, say, hilling. Thus, the stagnant soil layer is renewed, which poorly passes oxygen and moisture to the root system of the bush.

The long-awaited harvest is collected almost every day. It is stored in cool rooms or places with a temperature of no higher than five degrees Celsius. Cellars or basements will do. The variety also tolerates transportation well and has an excellent presentation.

Gerasim's fruiting period is not particularly long, compared to other varieties. Therefore, it is important to see in time any other changes in his health.

The hybrid has good resistance to:

• root rot;
• cladosporiosis (brown olive spot);
• powdery mildew;
• peronosporosis.

In other situations, proceed as follows.

• Ascochitis. It manifests itself in the form of grayish spots interspersed with black. On shoots and stems, white-brown spots are also possible. From biological agents "Fundazol" and "Topaz" are advised. Of the chemicals, Topsin-M and Rovral are suitable.
• Cucumber mosaic. With a disease, wrinkles appear on the leaves, and the stem cracks. Fruits stop growing and become stained. The disease is treated with drugs "Aktellik", "Aktara" and "Pharmayod".
• Fusarium. The plant begins to wither gradually, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. The disease is treated with the drug "Previkur".