Cucumber Finger

Cucumber is the second most popular vegetable after potatoes, so it is grown in almost all vegetable gardens and summer cottages. Early varieties are in great demand, which can be added to salads and canned. These include the early ripening variety Finger of domestic selection.

Finger is a relatively new variety that quickly attracted the attention of both gardeners and farmers due to its features and numerous advantages. A vegetable crop was bred in 1999 at the Volgograd experimental station of VNIIR im. N.I. Vavilov. The authors of the early cucumber variety are breeders A.M. Popova and L.P. Malychenko. Included in the State Register of cucumbers approved for use in the Russian Federation in 2001. Recommended for cultivation in six regions of Russia. A productive culture growing in garden beds.

Vegetable culture Finger is a tall, indeterminate type of bushes (growing throughout the growing season). The plant is characterized by a powerful central stem, long lashes growing up to 2-2.5 meters, moderate branching and medium foliage with large, dark green leaves.

It is also worth noting that more than 80% of the flowers in the plant are female, and the ovaries are formed in a bundle-like manner. During the flowering period, large bright yellow five-petal flowers appear on the bushes. The flowers of the plant need pollination by bees and other insects.

Cucumbers are mostly medium-sized. Vegetables weighing up to 120 grams can be removed from a healthy bush (average length 9-13 cm, and diameter up to 3.5 cm). The shape of Zelentsy is correct - cylindrical or elongated-cylindrical. Fruits of practically the same size and shape ripen. The color of vegetables is uniform - dark green, diluted with thin light stripes and small blurry specks. The peel of cucumbers is moderately dense with a pronounced tuberosity of the surface, but there are few tubercles. In addition, gloss and white thorns are visible on the surface.

The harvested crop lends itself to transportation, and can also be stored for a long time without loss of marketability and taste.

Finger cucumber is famous for its excellent taste. The flesh of the vegetable is characterized by a fleshy, dense and juicy structure. The taste is balanced - sweetish notes are expressed, perfectly combined with a bright, refreshing aroma. A feature of the variety is a pronounced crunch of pulp, which is preserved even in a canned vegetable.

Harvested cucumbers have a universal purpose - they are eaten fresh from the garden, added to salads, pickled, canned, and salted.

The cucumber belongs to the early ripening varieties. It takes 44-46 days from the moment the seedlings are planted to the appearance of vegetables on the bushes. The fruiting period of the culture is extended - it can last about 2 months. You can taste the first harvest from the end of June. Harvesting ends from mid to late September.

The vegetable crop is declared as high-yielding. Subject to all agrotechnical recommendations from 1 m2, you can choose up to 7 kg of one-dimensional and tasty cucumbers. On average, 2-3 kg are collected from one bush during the fruiting period. It is recommended to choose vegetables every 3-4 days, since greens are prone to overgrowing and yellowing, which negatively affects the taste.On an industrial scale, you can count on an average of 208-434 centners of cucumbers harvested from 1 hectare of plantations.

In recent years, the geography of growing the early culture of Finger has expanded significantly. Cucumbers are grown in the Central, North Caucasus, Northwest regions, as well as in the Far East, in the Central Black Earth region and in the lower Volga part of the country. In addition, the variety is popular in Ukraine and Moldova.

In addition to agricultural technology and compliance with the temperature regime, when planting, it is important to observe the distance between the bushes and the scheme. The correct scheme is 40x40 cm. 3-4 bushes are allowed to be planted per 1 m2, thus, the plants will receive a sufficient amount of heat, light and air.

Vegetable crops are cultivated by both seed and seedling methods, but the second method is more used, since it promotes the fastest growing season, and also makes it possible to obtain large yields.

For planting, you need to choose a time when the soil is warmed up to + 7 ... 8, and the air - up to + 15 ... 20 degrees. Planting is carried out at different times - it all depends on the climatic characteristics of the region: in the south - the end of April, and in the central part - the first week of May. In the Urals and Siberia, cucumbers are planted in early summer. Bushes with a strengthened central stem 20-25 cm high and the presence of 4-6 true leaves are suitable as planting material. To get a high yield, you should not plant a crop annually in the same place, since the soil is depleted, nutrients become less, which slows down growth and negatively affects yield indicators.

The plant's agricultural technology is standard, not too different from the agricultural technology of other types of cucumbers - timely watering with settled or warm water (do not allow water to get on the leaves, watered at the root), the introduction of organic and mineral fertilizers three times during the growing season, the installation of a trellis, since the bushes are tall, loosening and weeding of soil, prevention of viruses and bacteria.

The plant loves soil that is loose, light, nutritious, with good moisture / air permeability and a neutral level of acidity. Despite the fact that moist soil is favorable for cucumbers, the flow of groundwater must be deep, otherwise moisture stagnation can lead to irreversible processes - rotting of the rhizomes of the bushes. Loam and light sandy loam are considered optimal for growing cucumbers.

Cucumbers Finger is a thermophilic vegetable crop, endowed with good cold resistance, withstanding temperature drops to + 3 ... 4 degrees (but not more than 5 days), and drought tolerance.

For cucumbers, it is recommended to choose a place that is well lit throughout the day, but so that during the period of solar activity, the cucumber bushes are protected from direct sunlight. In addition, protection from gusty winds and drafts is required, otherwise all the pollen will be showered.

The variety has excellent resistance to fungal diseases. The plant is resistant to downy mildew and can also withstand other common diseases if properly cared for.When attacking pests such as ticks, caterpillars, aphids and beetles, it is recommended to use both chemical and folk remedies. Wood ash, which is scattered under the bush, will provide protection from slugs.