The Dutch series of cucumber crops is characterized by high quality products and plant resistance to various environmental disasters. Special attention deserves the grade Director F1. About the features of its cultivation, as well as the pros and cons, read below.

Characterization and description of the variety

Cucumber variety Director F1 is an early variety. From the moment of emergence of shoots to the technical maturity of the fruit, 40–45 days pass. This allows you to re-sow the crop after harvesting prolific plants.

The variety is resistant to temperature changes, which makes it possible to plant it earlier than other varieties, and can also grow in shaded areas, without compromising on quality.

Did you know? Tubercles with spines on young cucumbers are designed to remove excess moisture. In the morning, droplets of water stand out through them.

The variety is highly resistant to various diseases and pests, subject to timely preventive treatments and all agricultural practices.Indeterminate medium-sized bushes give an average number of lateral well-developed shoots, which makes it possible to place 2–3 plants per 1 m² of area. The leaves are large, saturated green, planted on long petioles. Leaf plates and petioles are covered with small, hard villi.

The dominant majority of female-type flowers are collected in inflorescences of 2-3 pcs., Less often 4-5 pcs. Deciduous sinus flowers are formed.

In place of flowers, an ovary is formed of small greenbacks up to 10 cm long. The average weight of the fruit is 70 g, the maximum is 80 g. The surface of the fruit is dark green, very tuberous. The thin skin is resistant to mechanical damage, which allows the transportation of fruits over long distances.

One of the main areas of use of products of this variety of cucumbers is commodity production. The fruit pulp is medium crispy, juicy. Unlike other varieties, no cavities form inside the fruit. The fruits are devoid of bitterness. They have a sweet taste and pronounced aroma.

Pros and cons of the variety

To be able to schedule work on the site, you need to know the advantages and disadvantages of the crop.

• The main advantages of the cucumber variety Director F1:
• high yields;
• excellent taste data;
• universality of use of products;
• shade tolerance;
• resistance to temperature fluctuations;
• the possibility of growing in open and closed ground.

• Among the minuses are:
• the inability of plants to maintain quality indicators in the second generation;
• expensive seeds.

Optimal time for landing

Seedling material can be placed immediately on a permanent place of cultivation or use the seedling technique. The first method is more suitable for the southern regions, the second - for the north.

Planting dates will vary depending on the chosen breeding method:

• direct - at an average daily temperature of + 14 ° С - at the beginning or middle of May;
• seedlings - at an average daily temperature of + 20 ° C - at the end of May.

Features of planting and growing cucumbers

In terms of planting and care, the variety is undemanding. But, in order to get the productivity indicated by the manufacturer, it is worthwhile to adhere strictly to some agricultural practices.

Important! Director F1 seeds do not require additional disinfection and soaking in solutions that accelerate growth. The manufacturer has already taken care of this.

Regardless of the method of planting you choose, in open areas you need to observe crop rotation. The best precursor plants are legumes and grains.

When growing in greenhouses at the end of the season, the topsoil, about 20 cm, is removed and replaced with a mixture:

• sand;
• peat;
• compost.

The soil is thoroughly shed with a hot ash solution and left until preparation for planting. Otherwise, the technology for open and closed ground is no different.

Seedling method

Cucumbers need light soil, good for water and air with a neutral acidity level - 6 pH.

The following soil composition is suitable for sowing seeds:

• garden soil;
• wood ash;
• peat;
• sand.

The components are mixed in a ratio of 1: 0.5: 1: 1. Ash is both a full-fledged fertilizer and a disinfectant, therefore, soil treatment with insecticides is not necessary. Before planting it must be moistened with warm, settled water (+ 30 ° C). Soil moisture should vary between 80%.

For planting seedlings, use peat glasses or coconut tablets. Ecotara can significantly reduce energy consumption at all stages of work with seedlings. Tanks are filled to the top with soil, and then in the central part form 2 depressions of 1 cm at a distance of 2 cm.

Planting material is laid out in mini-holes and sprinkled with dry sand. After that, the container is covered with a film and put in a darkened dry place for a week. In order to get seedlings faster, the air temperature in this period must be maintained within + 27 ° C, humidity - in the range of 50-60%.

Every day, you need to ventilate the crops and check the mold for mold. If there is fungal plaque, then it is immediately removed with a sterilized spoon, and when spraying is required, a solution of manganese is used instead of water.With the advent of the first shoots, the film is removed and seedlings are sent to a well-lit window sill. For the development of seedlings, southeast or southwest geolocation is the best option. Further, before the appearance of the first real (not cotyledonous) leaf, care consists in loosening and timely watering by spraying the soil.

At the time of the appearance of two cotyledonous leaves, the seedlings are thinned out, leaving one strong sprout. If both sprouts are equally developed, you can try transplanting the second into a separate pot when one real leaf appears.

When the first sheet is fully opened, you can feed. The universal complex fertilizer "Fortress" is suitable. It is available in granular and liquid form. To prepare a solution from granules, 10 g of the drug is diluted in 10 l of water at room temperature (+20 ... + 25 ° C).

To prepare a solution from a liquid substance, 10 ml of the drug is diluted in 1 liter of water. Top dressing is combined with watering and carried out every 10 days. Watering is carried out after drying of the soil 1 cm in depth.

Important! Seedlings of cucumbers can not be fed with manure - the risk is too great to burn the underdeveloped root system.

Transplantation into the soil is carried out at the time of appearance of 3-4 full leaves. From the time of sowing until the seedlings are ready for transplantation, an average of 4-6 weeks passes. 2 weeks before planting, the temperature in the room begins to decrease to the ambient temperature on the street.

Do this gradually, lowering temperature indicators by 4 ° C per day. Plus, you need to provide fluctuations in day and night temperatures. Daytime should be 3 ° C higher.A week before planting, the plants are taken out onto the street. First, leave them for 3 hours, then gradually increase the time interval so that by the end of the week the plants spend outdoors around the clock.

In a reckless way

The advantage of this variety of cucumbers is the ability to grow plants in partial shade, for example, on the western or eastern side of the site. The main requirement is that the terrain should be protected from draft and not be in a lowland.

To prepare the site begin in the fall. First, plant residues and weeds are harvested, then the soil is dug up to a depth of 20 cm and irrigated with a 3% solution of copper sulfate. After 10 days, 10 kg of manure and sand mixed with peat are added, then they are again dug up to a depth of 20 cm.

In the spring, a similar procedure is carried out, except for the introduction of sand with peat, and manure is replaced with compost. Wells are formed on the site at a distance of 40 cm from each other. To do this, make indentations with a diameter of 15 cm and a height of 5 cm. Pour 1 liter of a warm solution of urea (40 g / 10 liter of water) into the wells.

After absorbing moisture, planting material is buried by 1 cm and sprinkled with sand. 2 seeds are placed in each well. With the advent of the first true planting leaf, thin out.

Did you know? Man cultivated wild cucumbers more than 6 thousand years ago.

Cucumber care after planting

Performing basic agricultural techniques helps not only increase productivity, but also protect plantings from the spread of diseases and pests.

Watering and fertilizing

Watering regime is determined by the level of humidity in the region. In extreme heat, plants are watered every day in the morning or in the evening. In cloudy weather, watering is carried out once a week. Water consumption - 3 liters per bush. The water temperature should not differ much from the ambient temperature.

The maximum allowable limit is 5 ° C. If the soil is qualitatively mulled, then on hot days, watering is carried out every 3 days, and the ground parts are sprayed daily.

It is best to carry out soil moistening with a watering can with an elongated nose under the root.

Top dressing is carried out 3 times for the entire season:

• 2 weeks after planting with seedling propagation method and after 1.5 months with seed;
• during flowering;
• in the phase of active fruiting.

For the first time, you can use any dung available. It must be diluted with water 1: 1 and applied in 500 ml per well in the evening, and in the morning, 2.5 liters of water are poured. The second time will be effective infusion of ash.

500 g of ash are added to 10 liters of water and boiled for 20 minutes, then fresh nettle leaves (1 kg) are immersed in it for 2 hours. The solution is drained and diluted with water 1: 0.5. Nettle is used as mulch. In the phase of active fruiting, foliar application is used.You can use the infusion of yeast with nettles. For this, a pack of yeast (25 g) and 100 g of sugar are added to 10 liters of warm water (+ 30 ° C). After 2 hours, put 2 kg of nettle in a liquid and insist on the sun for 3 days. The resulting mass is decanted, diluted 1: 1 with water and sprayed on the inside of the sheet.

Did you know? The first greenhouses for year-round cultivation of cucumbers were built in ancient Rome to please the emperor Tiberius, who loved to enjoy refreshing fruits daily.

Shaping and garter bush

Near each bush you need to install a support. If this is not done, the plants will lie on the ground, which increases the risk of developing fungal diseases and reduces yield. The easiest option is to install a horizontal support. To do this, from two sides of the hole drive 2 sticks with a height of 1.5 m.

Between them stretch 5-6 ropes at a distance of 25 cm from each other. With the advent of each new shoot, it is attached to a new rope. To avoid the growth of lashes and entanglement of the side supports, pinch the growth point when 8 pairs of leaves appear on the plant.

When the skeletal side lashes are formed, the extra antennae and new leaves are periodically removed after they reach a length of 2-3 cm.

Soil care

Once every 2 weeks, the soil is loosened to a depth of 5 cm near the bush and 10 cm between plants. At the same time, weeds are harvested and the bushes examined for pests and disease. After the soil is mulched with compost.If there is waterlogging of the soil, for example, it rained for a long time, mulching is carried out with sand mixed 1: 1 with peat.

Pest Control

The culture is resistant to major diseases and pests.

However, if you do not follow the rules of care, you may be affected:

• powdery mildew - in order to eliminate the ailment, the affected leaves and shoots are removed, the remaining parts and healthy plants are sprayed 3 times with an interval of 10 days by “Fitoverm” (40 ml / 10 l of water);
• cladosporiosis - if a problem is detected, watering is canceled for 3 days, then the treatment is carried out according to the Fitosporin sheet according to the instructions.

Of the pests for this variety, it can become a threat to aphids. It is best to use insecticides immediately to combat it, since folk remedies have little effect against rapidly breeding stocks. You can use Inta-Vir (1 tablet per 10 liters of water) or Fitoverm.

Important! In order to avoid poisoning, all treatments with insecticides and fungicides should be carried out with gloves and a protective mask.

Harvest Features

With the onset of mass fruiting, harvesting is carried out every day. A long stay of fruits on the lashes provokes a decrease in the commercial quality of the products and a delay in the growth of new ovaries. Remove the fruit from the lashes with sharpened scissors along with the stalks.The stem length should be 2-3 cm. Harvesting should be done early in the morning.

The variety of cucumbers Director F1 has a lot of advantages and unpretentious care. Perfect for growing in adverse climatic zones.