Popular varieties of cucumbers for the balcony
Everyone wants to feast on delicious juicy cucumbers grown in their own garden. But what if there is no land plot? Breeders came up with a way out of the situation and created varieties of cucumbers for a balcony or loggia. Consider which varieties are suitable for growing on the balcony.
Popular varieties of cucumbers for the balcony
Conditions for balcony cucumbers
It is clear that the agricultural technology for growing cucumbers on the balcony will not differ much from the conditions in the open field. But, it is necessary to think in advance about the conditions in which vegetables will be grown, because they will need to create a specific atmosphere.
What should be the balcony
Make sure the vegetables have enough light - add artificial lighting if necessary. Those cucumbers that are grown in a balcony, as a rule, are afraid of drafts, and therefore the balcony must be glazed.
The temperature regime is important: regardless of the season in which you decide to grow cucumbers, the standard temperature of 15-18 ° C should be maintained. If the temperature is lower, you will not be able to harvest a good harvest.
Features of the choice of culture
Not all varieties of cucumbers are suitable for a balcony. Some species can only grow in an open area or in a greenhouse. There are several varieties of cucumber crops:
- parthenocapic - pollinate themselves, do not produce seeds;
- self-pollinated (f1 hybrids) - they pollinate themselves, they have seeds, but they cannot be used for germination;
- bee-pollinated species are not suitable for growing on a loggia categorically, they simply will not bear fruit.
To successfully grow cucumbers on a loggia, you need to select plants in accordance with the following criteria:
- compactness;
- high yield;
- unpretentiousness to conditions;
- cold resistance;
- shade resistance.
Most popular cultures
What varieties of cucumbers are best for the balcony? The best species for growing on a loggia are self-pollinated and parthenocapic. The f1 hybrids have proven themselves very well. These are plants obtained in the first generation as a result of crossing 2 different crops, which have adopted the best genetic qualities of the parental specimens. Do not forget that in order to get a good harvest, you need to carefully read the manufacturer's recommendations and carry out all agrotechnical measures in accordance with them. For different varieties, the conditions and rules of care can be strikingly different.
Among the popular crops for growing on the loggia, the following varieties are distinguished: Window-balcony, Zozulya, Masha f1, Kolibri, April, Machaon, Debut, Calendar, City gherkin, Graceful.
Window-balcony
The name of the variety speaks for itself. The variety has been selected for breeding on the balcony, loggia and windowsill.The plant is undemanding to conditions and care. Bushes of medium branching, which allows you to grow cucumbers even in a small room. On the bushes, from 2 to 8 fruits are formed in each internode.
The plant is very easy to care for
A feature of the species is the sequential formation of ovaries, so the greens ripen alternately for several weeks. The fruits are lumpy, oval-cylindrical. The length of the greenery can reach 10 cm. The window-balcony variety belongs to the universal types. Planting seeds can be carried out already in the last days of March because the variety is not susceptible to temperature extremes.
Zozulya
Zozulya cucumbers are very popular among farmers. The species was bred in Holland. The culture is disease resistant. Bushes of medium size with moderate branching. The fruits ripen at the same time.
Zelentsy are cylindrical. The structure of the peel is medium hilly, with weakly pronounced thorns. The length of the greenery is 20 cm, the average weight is 180 g. The variety is prized for its good taste characteristics.
The pulp is sweet, with a pleasant aroma. One of the features of the product is the lack of bitterness. The fruits are used for fresh consumption and for conservation. Cucumbers remain crispy even after heat treatment.
Masha f1
The Masha variety is also a Dutch product. Planting seeds of this variety should be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's description. The seed is already treated with a disinfectant and growth accelerators, therefore it does not require additional soaking before planting. Fruits can be obtained within 38 days after seed germination.
Cucumbers retain their aesthetic appearance for a long time. They are universal in application. Bushes are medium in size, with little branching. Ripe fruit weighs about 100 g. They have a pleasant taste and aroma, crunchy. During heat treatment, the greens do not lose their elasticity.
Hummingbird
The gherkin species has a good yield. Up to 10 gherkins can form on each internode. The surface of the fruit is lumpy. The peel has dark and light streaks.
The length of the greens is 8 cm, and the weight barely reaches 80 g. Basically, the greens of this variety are used for canning. The advantage of the variety is its high resistance to many diseases.
April
Early maturing view. The first fruits appear within 1.5 months after the appearance of the first shoots. The bushes are undersized, their height does not exceed 25 cm. The crop is formed at a single time.
Zelentsy are cylindrical, large tuberous, small white thorns. The weight of one green leaf is about 200 g. The pulp has excellent taste. If the harvest is late, the fruits begin to outgrow and lose their taste.
Swallowtail
The gherkin hybrid is great for breeding on a balcony, loggia or windowsill. The bushes are large with multiple lateral branches. Up to 8 fruits can form on each node.
Double variety cucumbers are delicious in any form
Cucumbers have a lumpy structure. The length of the greenery is from 7 to 11 cm, the weight ranges from 60-100 g. The quality of the fruit is preserved even with a long stay on the bush. Cucumbers are great for pickling, eating raw and making all kinds of culinary delights.
Debut
Self-pollinated plant is perfect for growing on a balcony or loggia. The species is attractive for its high yield and early ripening of zelents. From 1 m2 you can collect 3.5 kg of greens. Sowing seed is carried out in March or April.
Bushes are medium in size. Lateral shoots are not formed very actively. The fruits are cylindrical in shape. The peel is thin, lumpy. The weight of the ripe fruit is 70 g, the length is 12 cm. Zelentsy has excellent taste.
The calendar
Growing such a plant on your balcony is a pleasure. Bushes branch weakly.However, up to 6 cucumbers can form at each node. Lateral shoots bear fruit more actively than the main one, therefore it is recommended to pinch the growth point to ensure good development for them.
The shape of the fruit is oval-fusiform. The structure of the peel is lumpy. Fruit color is dark green with longitudinal light stripes. Ripe fruits are 10 cm long and weigh 90 g.
City gherkin
One of the varieties of bundle gherkins. The bushes are distinguished by good branching of lateral shoots, therefore, as the plant develops, some shoots will have to be pinned. Up to 9 ovaries are formed in each node. The species is early ripe, fruit ripening occurs 40 days after planting.
Zelentsy are small in size 12 cm, weighing 90 g. A characteristic feature of the species is the presence of an elongated peduncle. For its graceful shape and long stalk, the vegetable was nicknamed the finger cucumber.
One of the advantages of the species is the long fruiting period. In addition, the bushes of this species perfectly adapt to conditions with insufficient illumination and do not require additional illumination. Urban cucumber is highly resistant to many diseases of cucumber crops.
Elegant
This is the only bee-pollinated variety that can be grown on the balcony. Recently, many hybrid varieties of this species have appeared, which allows you to get a good harvest, even without the presence of bees. From 1 m2 you can collect 7 kg of greens.
Sprawling bush, forms up to 5 lateral shoots. The form of zelents is elliptical, the color is dark green. The structure of the peel is lumpy. Suitable for fresh salads and pickling.
Among the main advantages of the plant are its high resistance to diseases, as well as the ability to be a pollinator for other species growing nearby. Cold resistance allows the bushes to develop even at relatively low temperature indicators and temperature drops. There are practically no disadvantages of this variety.
Final part
When choosing a suitable variety for growing on a loggia, you should focus, first of all, on what conditions you can create for plants. It is important to choose a variety that does not require pollination by bees, shade-resistant and immune to temperature extremes.
Do not forget about equipping the room with proper ventilation and maintaining an optimal humidity regime. The ideal option is to install drip irrigation for plants.