What is a hybrid of cucumbers? A natural product or a dangerous mixture

Dacha residents do not have time when they do not think about their beds. That's the time of purchase of seeds begins in winter. We need to think about the place of planting, to plan what to plant, how much to buy seeds, what sorts, in what quantities. Of course, your favorite vegetable is a cucumber. Today, a wide variety of colored bags are spread out on the shelves, but attention is drawn to bright, not very common names - hybrids of cucumbers. True, beginning gardeners may not understand what a hybrid is and what is its difference from ordinary varieties. Let's try to figure it out together!

What is a hybrid?

This is the crossing of cells of genetically different forms. This crossing is most often used in botany. Seeds are obtained by mixing two different varieties. Both of them should bring the best qualities to the resulting hybrid variety and exceed in all parameters of their parents. This ability was called a hybrid force. There is one more name - heterosis - it is a hybrid that has received all the best signs of the best of parents. Usually these properties are manifested only in the seeds of the first generation.

Seeds of the first generation

All such seeds are much better in quality than ordinary, non-hybrid. They are much tastier, there is no bitterness in the fruits, much more resistant to temperature changes, less sick. There are a lot of such cucumbers. You only need to look at the annotation and choose the ones you like. Now there are super-early seeds, the period of their ripening from shoots to fruits of only 35-40 days.

What is the F1 hybrid?

This labeling can often be seen on bags with seeds. The symbol F1 is an indication that the variety was created by the method of crossing, and the seeds are obtained from the first generation. They tend to be more expensive. Works on breeding varieties of the first generation are carried out in strict accordance with all agrotechnical techniques and only manually. It is this that guarantees the really excellent quality of the seeds.

Which seeds to choose

First of all, it is necessary to understand that hybrid seeds are of two kinds: bee-dusted and parthenocarpic or growing without pollination. So, you can choose what to put in a greenhouse, and what is better in the open ground, directly to the garden. It is worth noting, and such a positive quality of hybrids of cucumbers, as the inability to accumulate a large number of nitrates.

Hybrid seeds are distinguished by a beautiful friendly germination, less exposed to various diseases, well tolerated short-term cooling without serious consequences, are characterized by high yield, even in years with unfavorable weather. After all, what is a hybrid? This combination of the best characteristics!

Of course, experienced gardener prefers to give varieties that grow without pollination or parthenocarpic. These varieties are the most productive, rarely are bitter, do not require careful care. They need only fertile, well-fertilized soil and frequent abundant watering. Such cucumbers are good in summer in salads, and also for winter conservation. Small cucumbers, mostly gherkin type, can be marinated even in small-sized jars.

Methods and timing of sowing, methods of cultivation

Early onset of fructification makes it possible to sow cucumbers in different periods, and all the summer to obtain an excellent harvest. Sorts of this type usually give a lot of ovaries, in the nodes are formed up to a dozen, and in some varieties and more, medium-sized cucumbers.

In early spring, you can plant seeds in seedlings in a polycarbonate greenhouse and get the first cucumbers by the beginning or middle of June. You can put the seeds in the greenhouse directly into the ground and the next wave of fruit will come to the time of the beginning of the conservation time.

It is possible to plant and directly to the garden, without any shelter. You can have time to enjoy fresh cucumbers and collect a good harvest and with this method of cultivation. But lovers of harvesting their seeds need to bear in mind that hybrids can not be taken for seeds, because the crop can not be obtained for the next year. The second generation may be either infertile, or completely infertile.

Now you know what a hybrid is. So dare! Do not forget to carefully read the recommendations for growing on a sachet of seeds. Then there is a hope that the harvest will be such that it will have to be exported if not by truck, then by a car like the Toyota Prius Hybrid. All in your hands!