There is a wide variety of cucumber varieties. However, gardeners are more accustomed to growing long-stemmed species that creep along the ground. Today we want to draw your attention to a more compact variety of this vegetable crop - bush cucumbers, which grow well in open field conditions. This species does not require special attention and care to itself, unlike climbing crops. By planting such cucumbers in your garden, you will save time and effort.
These varieties for open ground will delight you with their taste and small size. Today we will introduce you to the best varieties of bush cucumbers, and also tell you how to rationally use a small piece of land.
general characteristics
Many cucumber varieties have highly branching stems. In bush species, the stems do not grow longer than 60-80 centimeters. On the central lash, there are several lateral shoots with short internodes, on which fruits are formed. Due to this, the plant takes the form of a bush with a lot of foliage. With the formation of a flower cluster, the growing season of the stems ends. Zelentsy are small in size - only 5-7 centimeters long.
The yield of such varieties of cucumbers is not too high, in contrast to climbing species. Each square meter of plantings can be harvested up to 5 kg.
Getting a small harvest is compensated by unpretentious care. Bush cucumbers can serve as a decoration for a personal plot due to their compactness. Their early ripening varieties give their first harvest 20 days after germination. A distinctive feature is that the fruits begin to ripen even before the onset of the main diseases of garden crops. The fruiting period lasts from three to four weeks.
Due to the fact that bush cucumbers take up little space in the garden, it is not difficult to process it. If earlier, when growing highly weaving varieties, you had to build a support for tying them up, then with bush varieties you will not have to waste time making trellises. Because such cucumbers do not require garters. For easy harvesting, supports can be installed, up to a maximum of 40 centimeters high.
Most bush cucumbers have a universal purpose.
Grown greens can be used for various pickling and pickling recipes. It is best to preserve them in small jars. Cucumbers are also good for making fresh salads.
Reviews of gardeners
Gardeners willingly share their experience in growing self-pollinated bush hybrids:
Andrey, 53 years old: “We have been growing this species for several years. It is perfect for a small vegetable garden. A huge plus is the absence of the need for the construction of trellises and a simplified care scheme. Bushes grow compactly, do not take up much space, have a decorative appearance. The fruits ripen on the 50th day of planting. We take off the harvest almost simultaneously. We define cucumbers for pickling and pickling. In winter, we get strong, crispy and very tasty cucumbers out of the jar. "
Larisa, 33 years old: “I planted several varieties at once. I am very pleased with the result. The sizes are small, the lashes are short. These cucumbers are easy to pick and do not need to be tied up.Zelentsy do not transform into overgrown, but remain small and green, retain their freshness for a long time. The yield is average, but the fruits are sweet, aromatic and juicy. "
Pavel, 47 years old: “I consider Shrub species unsuitable for our climate. In hot summer conditions, the leaves turn yellow and dry rapidly. It is also worth noting that the bushes bear fruit for less than a month. Appearance and taste are ordinary, many fruits are bitter at the base. The yield is low. I do not consider it expedient to grow this variety in the future. "
Self-pollinating bush hybrids are cucumbers of a new generation, for the successful formation of ovaries which do not require the help of insects. Such hybrids are distinguished by high fruiting and unpretentiousness.
Sowing seeds for seedlings
By using the seedling method of growing bush cucumbers, you can get an early harvest. Before planting seeds for seedlings, they must be placed in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate and sent to the refrigerator for one hour. This procedure is performed for the purpose of disinfection and hardening of the planting material. After that, you can plant cucumber seeds in peat tablets or cups. It is very convenient to use this method: when planting seedlings in the ground, the root system is not damaged.
You can fill seedling containers with purchased soil or soil from your garden, mixed with ordinary cow humus or overfilled chicken droppings. The most suitable for growing cucumbers, according to experienced gardeners, are loamy and sandy loam soils. If you maintain the air temperature within 20-25 degrees and provide the plants with moderate watering, then the first shoots will appear in your nurseries on the 6-7th day.
Prepared seeds can be sown directly into open ground, and then cover the bed with non-woven agromaterial. Under cover, the plant will develop better and bear fruit faster.
When the fifth leaf grows on your plants, feel free to plant seedlings in prepared beds. It is best to engage in planting cucumbers in open ground from the second decade of May to early June. Do not forget about the temperature of the soil, which should be warmed up to 18-20 degrees. Cover the plants with foil or agrofibre to prevent possible frosts in May from damaging them. The resulting greenhouse effect will provide young seedlings with comfortable conditions.
When the stems come into contact with the film, you need to open the shelter in the daytime. Otherwise, the leaves will rest against the film and get burned. Also, this procedure is performed in order to harden the plant.
You need to plant seedlings at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other. This is quite enough for airing the plant, for the convenience of removing weeds and hilling bushes. The distance between the rows must be at least 40 centimeters.
Care features
Caring for bush cucumbers is almost the same as for regular climbing varieties. The most important part of grooming is watering. Low-growing bush cucumber varieties do not require frequent watering, unlike conventional climbing varieties. It is enough to produce moderate watering every other day.
Bush varieties should not be flooded with water, because clinging can provoke the appearance of a fungus that can destroy the plants.
The water temperature must be at least 15 degrees. It is better not to water the plants with cold water, use settled water, warmed up in the sun. Watering should be done in the morning or evening, when there is no hot sun rays. Otherwise, burns on the foliage cannot be avoided. You can also apply drip irrigation, which will provide the necessary soil moisture in automatic mode.
Diseases and pests
Although bush cucumbers are less susceptible to disease, watering with cold water, excess moisture and proximity to infected plants lead to the development of diseases.
- powdery mildew;
- gray, white and root rot;
- peronosporosis;
- anthracnose.
In this case, the bushes and the ground around are treated with fungicides, and the diseased plant is removed and burned.
The most common pests are aphids, nematodes, and spider mites. For the fight, folk remedies and insecticides are used.
Important: a good remedy for diseases and pests is pre-planting soil cultivation with copper sulfate.
Growing in barrels
Let's talk about one unusual and interesting method of growing bush cucumbers in iron barrels. Make sure to make holes at the bottom of the container. Then fill the barrel with prepared nutrient soil. Several varieties of cucumbers can be planted in such a bed. As the plant grows, thick whips with small crunchy greens will hang down.
This growing method is very convenient for bushes care and harvesting. It also saves space on the site and acts as an excellent design solution. In a similar way, you can grow bush cucumbers on balconies and loggias, as evidenced by numerous Photo amateur experimenters.
How to plant
To get a rich harvest, you need to sow the seeds correctly. The first stage is one of the most important; plant immunity depends on it. Subject to simple rules, it is possible to fully reveal the potential of the variety.
Seedling method
To speed up fruit production when grown outdoors, it is best to use seedlings. The harvest of cucumbers ripens 2 weeks earlier than seeds planted directly in the ground. Bushes grow stronger and more adaptable to temperature fluctuations.
Before planting, the raw materials are soaked for 12 hours in a nutrient solution of fertilizer, water and wood ash. After the specified time, the seeds are washed with clean liquid and placed on a damp cloth for 2 days. The day before planting, the sprouted grains are sent to the refrigerator for tempering.
Seedling growing will speed up the fruiting process
For seedlings, cucumbers are sown in special boxes or separate pots. The culture is very demanding on the nutritional value of the land. A mixture of:
- peat;
- sawdust;
- humus;
- garden soil.
The components are thoroughly mixed, wood ash and a teaspoon of nitrophoska are added. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pots, after which soil is poured. One grain is sown into each container, sprinkled with a small amount of water and covered with polyethylene. As soon as shoots appear, the film is removed. It is necessary to plant it in a permanent place of growth after 3 adult leaves have formed.
Seed method
If there is no time to deal with seedlings, it is advised to start growing bush cucumbers directly from the garden. Before agricultural work, seeds are soaked in warm water for a day. The next day, the raw materials are laid out on a damp napkin for germination.
The place prepared for the garden is carefully dug up with organic or mineral fertilizers, and plant residues are removed. Unlike vegetable creepers, bush cucumbers need a denser sowing. On the day of planting, holes are dug according to the scheme:
- depth - 7;
- the gap between plants - 9;
- distance between rows - 45.
Excess soil over the grains stops growth. The pits are carefully sprinkled with loose earth, watered with warm water. If the spring is cold, cover the planting at night with a film.
The best varieties of bush cucumbers
As you already know, bush cucumber varieties are early maturing. Everyone will be able to take care of them, from a housewife and an amateur pensioner to a professional in gardening. The varieties you like can be purchased at seed shops. Here are the most popular varieties of cucumbers for open ground:
- "Kid F1". Medium-growing bush with a height of 30-40 cm.Dark green ellipsoidal greens. The delicate skin is covered with large tubercles and whitish thorns. Fruits for universal use are 8-9 centimeters long, and their weight reaches 100-110 grams. The cucumber is 3 centimeters in diameter. Up to 4 kg of crop can be harvested from one square meter of planting. The variety is resistant to cucumber mosaic and powdery mildew.
- "Shorty" is a bee-pollinated, universal variety. Cucumber bushes of medium height (up to 45 centimeters), weakly branched lashes, the female type of flowering prevails. The peel of the fruit is tender, light green, in a small strip. Zelentsy reach 9-10 centimeters in length. During storage they do not turn yellow for a long time. The cultivar is resistant to olive spot and powdery mildew.
- "Hector F1" is a compact hybrid variety with bunched ovaries and fragrant, crunchy large-tuberous greens. The delicate skin of cucumbers has white pubescence. Fruits are 10-12 centimeters long. Productivity from 3 to 6 kilograms per square meter. The variety is resistant to short-term temperature drops.
- "Malyshok" is an early ripening self-pollinating variety with dark green cucumbers weighing up to 80-90 grams each. Zelentsy are egg-shaped. Large tuberous skin with white pubescence. The variety is resistant to downy mildew and cucumber mosaic virus.
We have introduced you to the most popular types of undersized cucumbers. Now you can easily choose the variety you like for planting on your site. With proper care, cucumber bushes will grow healthy and withstand adverse weather conditions, and you will receive a rich harvest of delicious greens.
Everyone's favorite cucumbers have not only excellent taste, but also medicinal properties. They remove excess cholesterol and uric acid from the body. Undoubtedly, such a vegetable crop deserves a place in your garden, because there is nothing more useful than a cucumber plucked from your garden!
