Hybrid cucumber variety "Natasha f1": growing from sowing to harvest

The Natasha cucumber variety received the F1 prefix for a reason. It signifies that the buyer is looking at a hybrid bred to meet specific requirements. The breeders intended the variety to be early-ripening, productive, and suitable for outdoor cultivation. But it is not resistant to temperature changes, frosts and prolonged absence of comfortable temperature.

General information about the variety

The Natasha hybrid variety was developed by Dutch agriculturalists from the company Seminis. Their early-ripening hybrid was added to the Russian State Register in 2000 and has since enjoyed continued popularity among gardeners across Russia. Natasha grows well and produces fruit in all regions of the Russian Federation, but only under one condition: it must be planted within the country's climate. The hybrid can be grown without cover only in southern regions. In other parts of the country, it is recommended to grow it under cover, such as in hotbeds or greenhouses.

The Natasha hybrid plant grows into a strong, sturdy bush. It can twine and stretch if supported vertically, or spread horizontally across the garden bed. These bushes are called medium-climbing.

The hybrid's leaves are medium-sized and bright green. There's a fair amount of foliage, indicating that this is a medium-leaf variety. Fully ripened fruits have the following characteristics:

• high density (there are no voids in the cucumber);
• a small number of thorns;
• thorns are green;
• the seeds are small and inconspicuous;
• weight from 60 to 80 g;
• length – 8-12 cm;
• the taste is fresh, expressive, without bitterness.

The fruits of this hybrid variety are eaten at any stage of ripening. 45 days after germination, lovers of the small gherkin fruits harvest their first crops. These cucumbers are eaten raw or pickled like gherkins.

Natasha's fruits are suitable for any type of culinary processing:

• hot salting;
• cold salting;
• pickling;
• for quick salting (lightly salted cucumbers).

The cucumber's high density allows it to be transported over long distances. Its appearance and shelf life are prized by gardeners growing the fruit for sale. The fruits of this hybrid have excellent commercial qualities.

Variety indicators

One Natasha hybrid bush can produce at least 10 kg of fruit. Experienced gardeners recommend not waiting until the cucumber reaches its full size. This type of fruit is thick-skinned and not as sweet or aromatic as its shorter cousins.

The bush's growth isn't limited by its genetic makeup, so with favorable climate conditions and proper care, it continues to produce fruit until early autumn. Hybrid varieties bred for different climate zones and conditions offer numerous advantages and have few or no disadvantages.

The advantages of the Natasha variety include the following:

1. Possibility of growing for yourself and for sale.
2. Early maturity.
3. The taste of the fruit.
4. Productivity.
5. Transportability and shelf life.
6. Culinary versatility.

The hybrid variety is resistant to many diseases that cucumbers of pure varieties are prone to, and can grow in all climatic zones of the Russian Federation.

The disadvantages of the hybrid include the following:

1. The inability to independently prepare seeds for planting.
2. Pollination is essential. If grown in a greenhouse or hothouse, it's important to provide a way for pollination. For example, provide a window or opening through which insects can fly in and out.
3. Rapid overgrowth and overripening of fruits.

Cucumbers of this hybrid gain weight quickly, so it's recommended to harvest regularly, picking fruits no longer than 8 cm. For gardeners who aren't around their crops 24/7, this is a drawback. For others, having fresh cucumbers on the table every day is a perk.

Hybrid varieties are considered pollinators. The plant produces predominantly female flowers. Pollination can occur naturally, by insect pollinators, or artificially, by planting cucumbers bred specifically to pollinate related crops in a garden bed or greenhouse. When planting pollinator varieties, it's advisable to follow a pattern: they are spaced 5-6 times per bed, at the beginning and end of the bed.

The Natasha hybrid is resistant to cucumber diseases:

• to the mosaic virus;
• To powdery mildew;
• white rot;
• anthracnose.

Natasha's immunity to other diseases is weak, so agricultural experts recommend not neglecting protective measures for this garden crop:

1. The greenhouse or hothouse in which the seedlings will be planted must be treated with sulfur checkers.
2. The soil must be disinfected. This applies to both open ground and the soil in which the seedlings are planted.

To combat insect pests, you need to buy special products and use folk methods.

Features of agricultural technology of the variety

The Natasha hybrid is classified as a medium-sized climber. The vines can be trained along either vertical or horizontal supports. If the plant is grown outdoors and the beds are located near a fence, the vines can be trained along ropes stretched along the fence.

When growing the hybrid vertically, gardeners don't face the problem of fruit rot from prolonged contact with the soil. Cucumbers hanging from the vine are easy to pick, don't get dirty, and watering is hassle-free.

The Natasha hybrid cucumber variety requires little cultivation experience. Planting and caring for it is no different from other varieties. Seeds can be sown directly into the ground or grown indoors.

In the southern regions of the country, growing a bush from a seed directly in the garden is much easier than in those parts of Russia where the climate is harsh and changeable.

When growing seedlings at home, it is recommended:

• purchase biodegradable containers;
• use growth biostimulants;
• neutralize the soil;
• harden off seedlings before planting them in a greenhouse or garden bed;
• Treat seedlings before planting with a systemic preparation that provides protection for young plants from pests and major diseases.

In open ground conditions, the seed will germinate if a number of conditions are met:

1. The weather outside should be warm.
2. Forecasters will not predict frost.
3. The soil must be well warmed and moistened.

Gardeners planning to dedicate part of their garden beds to cucumbers are advised to carefully consider the crops that were previously grown in the soil. A number of vegetables and berries are detrimental to the soil and can introduce diseases to cucumbers. Avoid planting cucumbers in soil where the following crops were grown:

• melon and watermelon;
• pumpkin;
• zucchini.

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These plants extract minerals and microelements from the soil that are important for cucumber crops.

Cucumber is a crop that requires soft soil and regular moisture, so caring for it should include constant watering Root cultivation, weeding, and loosening the soil. Loosening the soil allows the bush's roots to be saturated with oxygen, gain strength, and transfer nutrients to the fruit.

The fruits of the Natasha hybrid variety keep well in the refrigerator, so if you harvest them early in the fall, you can enjoy raw cucumbers right up until mid-fall.

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Reviews

Seeds of the Natasha hybrid cannot be harvested independently, so gardeners who have once enjoyed a bountiful harvest from this variety purchase them in advance from stores or at major exhibitions. Once a hybrid has proven itself, it becomes a permanent fixture in garden plots, as evidenced by reviews.

Sofia Ivanovna, Leningrad region

My neighbors and I have been buying Natasha for four years now. The cucumbers grow quite well. Sweet and crunchy, just right. Sometimes, you'd grow a cucumber and it'd have a hole in it or be so bitter it would be terrifying. That never happens with Natasha, so we only plant her.

Nikolay Ivanovich, Moscow region

We ruined so many seedlings before we bought Natasha! My wife and I only plant her now. They're good cucumbers. They're good for eating and for canning.

Anastasia, 48 years old. Pskov

I have only good things to say about the hybrid. I followed the instructions on the seed packet. Everything worked out. The cucumbers are firm, and there are plenty of them. No complaints.

Gardeners facing difficulties growing varietal vegetables often turn to hybrids. Natasha F1, suitable for planting throughout the Russian Federation, produces a trouble-free and bountiful harvest with proper care and following breeder recommendations.