What cucumbers to plant in a greenhouse in the Moscow region in 2021

Cucumbers

The best cucumber varieties for 2021 greenhouses in the Moscow region must be resistant to specific diseases that thrive in greenhouses. Furthermore, the most productive varieties are self-pollinating, ensuring consistent yield. To ensure abundant, high-quality fruit, familiarize yourself with the names of varieties zoned for your region, along with photos and brief descriptions, well before planting.

Agroclimatic features of the Moscow region

The nuances of growing vegetables indoors are dictated by the region's climate. To ensure a bountiful harvest, factors such as the number of sunny days, temperature, humidity, and length of summer are taken into account. The Moscow region experiences a long spring. Summer begins late, not earlier than mid-June. It ends in the second half of August, when nighttime temperatures become critical for most heat-loving crops.

To harvest cucumbers early and extend the fruiting period, people in the Moscow region resort to growing cucumbers indoors. Mid-season varieties are sown in unheated greenhouses in the first half of May. The region has poor soils, which also affects the productivity of vegetable crops. Soil composition is improved by regularly applying complex mineral and organic fertilizers.

The best varieties for indoor cultivation

Early-ripening cucumbers, when properly cultivated, can produce an abundance of uniform cucumbers even in open beds. However, with this cultivation method, you shouldn't expect the first harvest in early summer, much less late spring. Late-ripening varieties are ideal for canning, but they won't ripen in open ground, so avoid growing them. Choosing cucumbers for greenhouses in the Moscow region can help resolve these issues.

Murashka F1

Fruiting begins as early as 35 days after germination. Developed by the domestic breeding company Gavrish, this variety features indeterminate bushes. During the budding phase, female inflorescences form, which do not require insects for successful pollination. Internodes are short. Up to four ovaries develop in the leaf axils. Shoots are densely covered with smooth, small foliage with serrated edges. The cucumbers, 12 cm long, weigh no more than 110 g. The spines are black.

"Elegant"

The finely tuberculated cucumbers begin to ripen 50 days after sowing the seeds in open ground or seedlings. The yield is high. During the fruiting period, cucumbers up to 13 cm long and weighing up to 140 g are harvested from the vines. The flesh is crisp, without voids, with a distinct flavor and aroma. The advantage of this variety is its cold resistance and tolerance to temperature fluctuations.

Hercules F1

This indeterminate plant is vigorous, highly branched, and features mixed flowering and clustered ovary formation. The smooth, medium-sized foliage is dark green. After 60 days of active growth, elliptical cucumbers weighing up to 170 g ripen in the leaf axils. The hybrid is immune to cucumber mosaic virus and olive spot. It is tolerant of root rot.

For your information!

The value of the hybrid, included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation for cultivation in winter-spring turnover, lies in its high productivity and marketability, as well as resistance to pathogenic organisms.

Annushka F1

The bushes are vigorous and medium-sized. They do not climb vigorously. Although this hybrid is productive, producing an abundance of delicious fruits that are suitable not only for salads but also for canning (they retain their characteristic crunch even after cooking), it does have a drawback. It requires careful watering and soil structure due to its underdeveloped root system. The root system requires constant oxygenation by loosening and mulching the beds.

Emelya F1

This early-ripening cucumber is the result of the work of the Manul company, whose fields are located in Mytishchi. Although the hybrid is recommended for cultivation in plastic and heated greenhouses, some growers grow it on balconies. The vigorous bush does not require pollination by bees and produces an abundance of ovaries. With proper planting and cultivation practices, commercial yields in greenhouses reach 16 kg/m². The cucumbers are short, uniform, and weigh 150-160 g.

White Angel F1

This highly parthenocarpic hybrid with clustered ovary set was introduced to vegetable growers in 2002 after successful variety testing. The period from full germination to harvesting of the first gherkins is 44-50 days. The cylindrical fruits are covered with a medium-thick skin with small tubercles. With a length of 10 cm and a diameter of 3.5 cm, they can weigh up to 100 g. With proper care, they can yield 4 kg per plant.

Zozulya F1

Developed by Russian breeders at the V.I. Edelstein Vegetable Experimental Station, this hybrid is suitable for most regions. It can be grown outdoors, but produces consistently high yields only under plastic cover. This early-ripening hybrid produces its first fruits as early as 45 days after sowing. Fruiting is prolonged. With timely harvesting of the cucumbers, it can reach a yield of 20 kg/m² by the end of the ripening period.

Marta F1

A high-yielding parthenocarpic hybrid. Vigorous growth and good lateral shoot regrowth, combined with self-regulating branching and cold tolerance, ensure long-lasting, uniform fruiting. The 15-20 cm long, tuberculate, white-spined cucumbers are suitable for pickling and salads. The hybrid is resistant to cucumber mosaic virus, olive leaf spot, and root rot.

"Solar"

Medium-branched with a mixed flowering pattern. The cucumbers are covered in a thin skin with darker green stripes on the sides. The spines are black, and the tubercles are large. The tasty cucumbers begin to ripen 50 days after sowing, making this a mid-early variety. The marketable cucumber weighs 140 g. It is versatile and has excellent flavor.

Courage F1

Parthenocarpic with cluster-like ovary formation. Cucumbers reach technical maturity as early as 35 days after sowing pre-prepared seeds. The cylindrical fruits have pronounced ribbing and a characteristic cucumber-like flavor and aroma. Vegetable growers value this hybrid for its ultra-early ripening and excellent immunity to most specialized diseases.

For your information!

The only drawback of "Courage", which is inherent in all hybrids, is the impossibility of using self-collected seeds for sowing next year.

"Babayka F1"

Small bumps on the skin of the cucumbers enhance the hybrid's commercial quality. This cucumber is suitable for cultivation on small farms. The ovary setting is cluster-type. The flavor is slightly sweet, without any bitterness. The fruits are suitable for a variety of fresh salads, sliced dishes, pickling, marinating, and canning.

Tom Thumb F1

A self-fertile cucumber with high productivity, demonstrating stability when grown indoors. This hybrid is prized for its early maturity and long-lasting yield, which can last up to two months if ripe cucumbers are harvested in a timely manner. The cucumbers are gherkins. At 10 cm long, they weigh 65 g. The flesh is firm and crisp.

The nuances of growing crops in a greenhouse

All cucurbits, including cucumbers, are sensitive to transplanting. They have sensitive roots that don't take root well, and the plants are prone to illness for a long time. The optimal method for growing them is direct sowing (direct sowing of seeds into the garden bed), but planting pre-planted seedlings allows for an earlier harvest. To avoid disturbing the roots, seedlings are grown in peat pots.

Landing

Greenhouses are best for cultivating not only the most productive vegetable crops, but also shade-tolerant ones, as indoor cultivation typically lacks sufficient light. Before sowing, cucumber seeds for the Moscow region are prepared:

The seeds are warmed by placing them near a heating device. The warming process lasts for 2 hours.
Specimens are disinfected by placing them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
The seeds are then wrapped in a damp cloth bag to speed up germination.
After 72 hours, the seed material is moved to the refrigerator for stratification.

When calculating the sowing time for seedlings, consider that by the time of planting, the air temperature should reach 18-20°C and the soil temperature should reach 12°C. In the Moscow region, this temperature range is observed in late spring. Furthermore, the seedlings should be one month old and have three true leaves. Accordingly, the optimal time is late April.

Seedlings are planted only in prepared soil. Key steps:

The soil is dug up, while urea is added at a rate of 5 g/m².
The soil is watered with hot water in which chicken manure is diluted, in a proportion of 200 g of the product per 10 liters.
The beds are covered with film and left for 10 days.

For your information!

In autumn, the greenhouse is disinfected by fumigation using sulfur checkers.

When transplanting time arrives, make small pot-sized holes in the greenhouse, spaced 50 cm to 60 cm apart. Row spacing is 1 m (although the spacing may vary slightly depending on the variety). For additional soil disinfection, the planting holes are watered with a solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 10 liters of water). The water should be warm (50°C). The application rate is ½ liter per hole.

To ensure good growth of young plants, the greenhouse must maintain an appropriate temperature: 20°C during the day and 15°C at night. If the thermometer readings are above the maximum allowable level, open the windows. Otherwise, the seedlings may begin to stretch and weaken. Since greenhouse varieties prefer high humidity, containers of water are placed around the perimeter of the greenhouse to ensure this.

Caring for cucumbers

In protected soil, the optimal method for growing cucumbers is a trellis. The height of the structure is 2 meters. To ensure good ventilation (preventing fungal diseases) and to grow a healthy bush capable of producing an abundance of ovaries, the plant is trained into a single stem immediately after being tied to the trellis.

At the first four nodes, remove all ovaries and side shoots. At the next three, leave one cucumber and half-meter-long side shoots. Growth is allowed to continue unimpeded. The central shoot is folded over several times after reaching the top of the trellis. pinchTo avoid damaging the shoots when tying them up, use soft twine.

Plants are watered after the surface layer has dried, taking care not to overwater the soil around the tree trunks, but also not to allow it to dry out. Stagnant moisture in the roots is the main cause of the dangerous fungal disease gray mold. If plants are dehydrated, the fruit's flavor may be affected by bitterness.

Vegetable crops are fed systematically, every three weeks. After seedlings emerge or seedlings are planted in the beds, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are applied. These stimulate rapid root and vegetative growth. Starting with the flowering phase, nitrogen is eliminated from the fertilizer, replaced by phosphorus and potassium. These macronutrients are responsible for the transfer of nutrients from one part of the plant to another, the abundance of ovaries, and the ripening of cucumbers.

To ensure the soil remains porous, the beds are periodically loosened. Weeds are removed as they appear. If the shoots show signs of disease, or the grower notices pests, the cucumbers are treated with pesticides. These can only be used before the ovaries set. During the fruiting period, when pest infestations are low or pathogens are not actively developing, protective measures should be avoided.

For your information!

In urgent cases, during the formation of the cucumber harvest, when the fungal infestation is significant and the insect colonies are numerous, the bushes are sprayed with folk remedies - a soda solution, tobacco infusion.

Reviews of varieties

Alena, 27 years old:

"Last year, a neighbor shared some 'Courage' hybrid seedlings with me. I was very pleased. The fruits have excellent commercial flavor. The plants are resistant to powdery mildew, making them very valuable for growing indoors. They're suitable for both salads and preserves."

Anna, 36 years old:

"I've been growing the 'White Angel' hybrid for several years now. One downside I've noticed is that the cucumbers' flavor deteriorates as they get too big. But this is easily overcome by picking them as soon as they begin to turn green. Otherwise, I'm pleased with the variety's productivity and ease of care. The fruits look very beautiful when preserved in a jar with tomatoes and green cucumbers."

Growing cucumbers in a greenhouse in the Moscow region is no more labor-intensive than in warmer regions. The key is to select a regionalized variety suitable for growing indoors.