Characteristics and secrets of growing the cucumber variety "Atlantis f1"

Dutch-bred cucumbers are prized for their high yields and good seed quality. The Atlantis F1 variety has been popular among gardeners and farmers for over 10 years, as it is well suited for growing in temperate climates and produces good results both in open ground and in greenhouses. It is distinguished by high productivity, ease of care and good resistance to most diseases.

Key Features

The cultivar was developed by the renowned seed company Bejo Zaden BV in the 1990s. It was added to the State Register of Plants of the Russian Federation in 2000 and is zoned for cultivation in all regions of the country. It is recommended for cultivation in home gardens and small farms. It is suitable for greenhouses, plastic shelters, and open beds.

Distinguishing characteristics

The main advantage of this variety is the low price of its seeds. They are much cheaper than not only Dutch varieties but also many domestic ones. At the same time, their quality and fruiting characteristics are in no way inferior to most similar varieties. However, it's best to buy planting material from reputable stores, as low-quality counterfeits are often found on the market. The main features are:

1. This is a bee-pollinated hybrid. Unlike most Dutch varieties, insects are required for fruit formation. Many gardeners pollinate it themselves using a cotton swab; this is easy in small areas.
2. The plants are indeterminate. Growth is not limited by the fruit bud, so the shoots grow up to 2.5 meters or more. To limit growth, the top needs to be trimmed. pinch at the required level.
3. Ripening time is early. From germination to harvesting the first cucumbers takes 46 to 52 days. Under unfavorable conditions, such as insufficient light or low temperatures, ripening time can increase by a week.
4. The plants are vigorous. The stems are quite robust and prone to abundant shoot formation. The five-lobed leaves are medium to small in size, with a medium to heavily wrinkled surface and a rich green color.
   
5. The yield ranges from 12 to 14 kg per square meter. These figures are possible with proper agricultural practices; any violations will reduce the yield. Under favorable conditions and with good care, significantly more cucumbers can be harvested.
6. This variety has high resistance to a number of diseases, including cucumber mosaic virus, powdery mildew, and brown spot. It also has good resistance to downy mildew and above-average immunity to other diseases.
7. Plants adapt well to adverse conditions and tolerate low nighttime temperatures. This allows for a good harvest even in open ground in temperate climates. However, timely feeding is crucial; only when provided with all the necessary micronutrients will they tolerate fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

Since this is a hybrid, you can't collect seeds yourself, as they won't retain all the characteristics of the parent plant. You need to buy planting material every year. It's best to use seeds that are 2-3 years old; they germinate better than fresh ones and produce more female flowers.

Fruit characteristics

Cucumbers of this variety have a long shelf life. They remain fresh for 10-14 days after harvest. The key is to ensure optimal storage conditions; a refrigerator or darkened room with a temperature of 1 to 5 degrees Celsius is ideal. These cucumbers travel well during transportation, so many farmers grow them for sale. Key features:

1. These versatile fruits have excellent flavor, making them popular in salads and other fresh dishes. They also make excellent preserves, retaining their firmness and pleasant flavor.
2. The cucumbers are cylindrical in shape, ranging from 12 to 14 cm in length with a diameter of 3-3.5 cm. The appearance is very neat, and the fruits grow almost identically.
3. The average weight is 120 to 130 g. The fruits can be harvested before they reach technical maturity if used as gherkins. The cucumbers are not prone to quickly becoming overgrown or turning yellow.
4. The skin is dark green, lighter at the top, with small light stripes and spots.
   The surface is coarsely bumpy, the spines are white and not very prickly. The skin is medium-thick, yet it protects the fruit well from damage.
5. The flesh is tender and juicy, with a distinctive aroma. The seeds are small and barely noticeable when eaten. Cucumbers are resistant to bitterness.

For the best yield and rapid fruit growth, the seed producer recommends harvesting the cucumbers daily. This will prevent the plant from wasting nutrients on larger cucumbers, encourage faster growth, and stimulate the formation of more ovaries.

Growing recommendations

This growing method has a number of specific considerations. To ensure a good harvest, follow simple recommendations and adhere strictly to the growing schedule. It's also important to consider all the climatic conditions of the region to ensure rapid plant development and protection from adverse influences.

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How to grow seedlings

This method is suitable for early harvesting, as the plants are planted immediately after the soil warms. It's important to choose the right planting time and prepare the seeds to ensure they germinate well and the seedlings are disease-free. Seedlings are used for both greenhouses and open ground.

It needs to be grown like this:

1. Prepare the seeds before planting. Atlantis seeds are most often sold unprocessed. First, sort them, removing any damaged or empty seeds. Then, place them in a salt solution (a teaspoon per glass of warm water), stir, and let sit for 10 minutes. Discard any seeds that float to the surface, rinse any that settle, and disinfect them in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water.
2. Select a container and prepare the soil. Use special containers or suitable-sized hand-held containers for growing. Peat cups are a good option; they don't need to be removed when repotting, preventing damage to the roots. Prepare a soil mixture of 2 parts humus, 2 parts black soil, and 1 part sand. Fill the container to 3-4 cm above the top.
3. Choose the right planting time. Seedlings of this variety should be planted at 20-25 days old, with an additional 5 days for germination, bringing the planting time to 30 days. When planting in a greenhouse, sow the seeds in mid-April, and when planting in the ground, in late April or early May. If the greenhouse is heated, the planting time should be calculated individually.
   
4. Sow the seeds.
   Space the seeds 3-4 cm apart, placing two in each cup. Cover with a layer of soil no more than 1.5 cm thick. Cover the container with plastic wrap and place in a dark place with a temperature of about 25 degrees Celsius. Once sprouts appear, move them to a windowsill or other bright location and remove the plastic wrap.
5. Maintain a temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius. Spray the plants with water morning and evening. Water as the soil dries. Avoid overwatering to prevent blackleg disease. Fertilize with a complete seedling fertilizer two weeks after germination.

Before transplanting into the ground or a greenhouse, measure the soil temperature. It should be at least 15 degrees Celsius at a depth of 5 cm. Otherwise, the seedlings will not grow and develop. Although the Atlantis variety is resistant to adverse conditions, young plants do not tolerate them well.

How to plant seeds in open ground

This option is often planted directly into a garden bed or greenhouse. This greatly simplifies the process, as there's no need to monitor the seedlings or create optimal conditions for their development. However, in this case, choosing the right time for planting is crucial, otherwise the seeds won't germinate. Keep the following in mind:

1. Plant seeds in soil that's at least 12 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit). To speed up the warming process, you can use black agrotextile. Lay it over the bed a week before planting to allow the soil to warm up.
2. Prepare the seeds as described above. However, to speed up germination, you can pre-germinate and harden the seeds. Germinate in a damp cloth in a warm, dark place. After sprouting, refrigerate the seeds at a temperature of 2 to 5°C for 8-10 hours.
   
3. Apply fertilizer to the bed. If using organic matter, apply only well-rotted fertilizer at a rate of one bucket per square meter; if using a mineral fertilizer, apply according to the dosage specified on the packaging. Dig over the surface and rake it to level the soil and break up any large clumps.
4. Make furrows 15 cm deep. Water them generously to wet the surface to a depth of at least 5 cm. Then plant the seeds at intervals of 10 cm. Spread them out carefully to avoid damaging the sprouts and cover with a 1 cm layer of soil.
5. Cover the furrow with plastic wrap and press it down around the edges. Leave it on until sprouts appear, then remove it during the day, but be sure to replace it at night. Remove the plastic wrap once the nighttime temperature reaches 12°C or above.

If the plants have grown and the nights are still cool, install small arches to cover them at night and prevent the leaves from being crushed. Avoid keeping cucumbers under plastic on warm days, as they will become accustomed to the high temperatures and will then have to re-adapt to the outdoors.

Provide proper care

Although this variety is easy to care for and produces fruit well even in shaded conditions and low moisture, these factors reduce yield. Care is simple and doesn't require much time. To achieve good results, follow these simple tips:

1. Water the plants As the soil dries out, water twice a week until fruiting. During the fruiting period, water every other day or every day if temperatures are high. Use only warm, settled water, and water in the evening or morning. The Atlantis cucumber responds very well to drip irrigation systems.
2. Fertilize at least once a month. This highly productive variety draws a lot of nutrients from the soil during fruiting. It's advisable to alternate organic and mineral fertilizers; mullein solution, wood ash, and ready-made cucumber fertilizers are best. If possible, dilute the fertilizer in water for better absorption.
3. Tie the vines to a trellis. This increases yield, reduces the risk of disease, and simplifies maintenance. Begin early to avoid damaging the stems once they've matured.
4. Form the bush correctly.
   To ensure the hybrid reaches its full potential, it requires special care: first, remove all buds and shoots from the four lower axils. Then, remove only the shoots, leaving the buds. At the very top of the trellis, leave 2-3 lateral shoots, which are pinched after the second leaf.
5. Harvest cucumbers daily. This variety responds very well to frequent harvesting; with this schedule, you can get approximately 20% more yield per bush. Harvest carefully, being careful not to damage the vines; it's easiest to cut the stems with small pruning shears.

On hot days, it's advisable to cover mature plants with agrotextile. This will protect the leaves from the scorching sun without interfering with air circulation. It's important to cover the entire plant, but only on the sunny side, so insects can pollinate the flowers.

Reviews from gardeners

Olga, Tula

I've been planting this variety for a while now. I like it for its consistent fruiting and ease of maintenance. Of the Dutch varieties, it has adapted best to our conditions. Initially, I always keep it under plastic, removing it in June, when it becomes warm both day and night. I feed them with a solution of manure before fruiting and with herbal infusion with ash during the harvest period.

Nikolay, Krasnodar

In our climate, Atlantis cucumbers grow well outdoors. I sow them directly into the beds in the first half of May, covering them with bottles until the shoots emerge. I fertilize them frequently—the plants respond well. They fruit for a long time, until the cold nights arrive.

The Atlantis variety is distinguished by its low seed cost and good adaptability to the local climate. It can be planted from both seedlings and seeds; the plants prefer loose, micronutrient-rich soil. It's best to harvest the young fruits daily.