Cucumber Monolith

Hybrid types of cucumbers are in high demand among gardeners and farmers. This is due to the fact that hybrid varieties have many advantages: they are unpretentious in care, quickly adapt to the climatic characteristics of the growing zone, and also give excellent yields. One of the popular hybrid species is the monolith cucumber of Dutch selection.

Monolith cucumbers appeared thanks to the painstaking work of Dutch breeders of the NUNHEMS company in 2009. The vegetable crop was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation in 2013.

Monolith is a versatile salad variety of cucumbers. The variety is adapted for cultivation in the Lower Volga region (Saratov, Astrakhan and Volgograd regions). It is recommended to grow cucumbers in garden beds. The plant is very resistant to the vagaries of the weather.

The Dutch cucumber is a medium-sized shrub of an indeterminate type (infinitely growing lashes), which has a thickened central stem, moderate foliage with rich green foliage with a slightly wrinkled surface, long, fairly strong lashes, growing up to 3 meters, and a superficial root system. There are few lateral processes in the cucumber bush. It is important that the type of bush is open. This simplifies the process of care and harvesting.

Only female flowers form on the bushes, so there are no barren flowers. The plant has abundant flowering: large bright yellow flowers are collected in a pre-leaf node of 3 pieces. The plant does not need pollination.

The monolith belongs to the category of shortened cucumbers. On average, greens ripen on the bushes weighing up to 105 grams and up to 12-13 cm long. The shape of the vegetable is correct: cylindrical or oval-elongated. Vegetables grow aligned, neat, endowed with attractive commodity data. The color of the cucumbers is dark green, diluted with small beige stripes. The peel of vegetables is thin, harsh, abundantly covered with small tubercles and soft light thorns. The surface of the vegetable has a pronounced gloss, but without a waxy coating.

A huge advantage of the variety is the high transportability of the harvested crop and long-term keeping quality subject to storage conditions: up to 6 days at a temperature of +4 and a humidity of 80%. During storage, vegetables do not wither, do not dry out, do not lose their taste and presentation.

The taste of Monolith cucumbers is excellent. The pulp is characterized by a firm, fleshy, tender and juicy texture. The taste is balanced, with pleasant sweetness and refreshing aroma. There is no bitterness and sourness in the pulp. In addition, the seeds are very small inside, there are no voids.

The variety is universal: cucumbers are eaten fresh, put in various salads, canned in large containers. It should be noted that the variety is massively grown by farmers, as it is ideal for processing in the food industry (various types of conservation).

The variety is early maturing. The growing season lasts only 40-45 days. Cucumbers ripen evenly, so the yield period is very short, but this has its advantages: there is time for one more planting. In regions with long summers, summer residents manage to plant and harvest three times.

Even if the fruits are not collected in a timely manner, this will not affect their taste and marketability, since vegetables are not prone to yellowing, overgrowing.

The culture is high-yielding. Providing the plant with good care, you can collect 338-347 centners of cucumbers from 1 hectare of plantings. On average, up to 10 kg of cucumbers can be removed from one healthy bush.

The plant loves space, so it is important to leave a distance between the plantings. It is recommended to place 2-3 cucumber bushes per 1 m2. Suitable for planting is a 40x60 cm scheme.

It is recommended to plant seedlings in the first week of May, when the air and soil are well warmed up, and at night the temperature does not drop below +8 degrees. Seedling bushes should have a strengthened central stem, 3-4 true leaves and a height of 20 cm.

Intensive farming is a guarantee of high yields regardless of the weather. The vegetable culture Monolith needs timely irrigation with warm water, the introduction of organic and mineral fertilizers (five times per season), the formation of a bush (garter, trellises, removal of side lashes), loosening and weeding of the soil, which will clear weeds and provide good air permeability , in the prevention of diseases and pests.

Dutch cucumbers grow comfortably in fertile, fluffy, breathable and moisture-permeable soil with a neutral acidity index. In order to remove acidity, it is enough to add dolomite flour. The best will be a site with loam or sandy loam, supplemented with peat. The occurrence of groundwater must be deep (1.5-2 meters).

Monolith is a stress-resistant vegetable crop that tolerates recurrent spring frosts and temperature drops of up to + 6-8 degrees. In addition, cucumbers easily tolerate shade, so they can grow in a not very sunny place, and are also resistant to extreme heat: the leaves on the bushes do not get burned, but this is subject to moderate daily watering in the evening. It is very important that the plants are protected from northerly winds and drafts.

The culture has a good immune system capable of resisting many viruses and diseases. Cucumbers are resistant to powdery mildew and peronosporosis. With excessive dampness due to heavy rainfall, the plant can get sick with anthracnose. To prevent fungal infections, treatment with copper preparations or colloidal sulfur is sufficient. Monolith cucumber bushes do not attract pests of insects.