Cucumber hybrid "Shmel f1": planting, growing, and care instructions

The Shmel cucumber variety is labeled F1, indicating it is a hybrid. It is an early-ripening variety, with the first shoots appearing and the fruit ripening for harvest taking 40 to 45 days. The plants produce a good harvest in open ground and greenhouses and are resistant to a number of diseases. These cucumbers are suitable for cultivation throughout Russia. This bee-pollinated hybrid is a unique plant bred for insemination of summer cucumbers.

General information about the variety

The conditions in which gardeners grow cucumbers vary. Gardeners often face the problem of a lack of natural pollinators: insects and related garden crops capable of pollinating the plant's female flowers. Cultivators at the Manual agrofirm set a goal: to develop a hybrid that could pollinate adjacent crops. This work resulted in the development of several cucumber varieties. Among them, the Shmel F1 hybrid stands out. It not only increases the yield of the entire garden but also produces an excellent harvest itself.

The following features of the hybrid are highlighted:

1. One plant is capable of pollinating 5 to 7 seedlings located nearby.
2. Blooms with male flowers.
3. Capable of increasing the yield of a number of varietal and hybrid cucumbers.
4. It has a long flowering period, thanks to which one plant can increase the yield of neighboring plants by up to 70%.

Cucumbers of the Shmel F1 hybrid have the following characteristics:

1. The bushes are indeterminate.
2. The height of the bush is 1.5-2 meters.
3. Emerald colored leaves.
4. Flowers are bright yellow.
5. The fruits are short, cylindrical, with black spines.

The fruits of the Shmel hybrid have positive characteristics:

• low in calories, so they can be used in dietary nutrition;
• non-allergenic, suitable for small children and people with atopic dermatitis;
• quench hunger and thirst;
• combined with other vegetables in salads;
• consumed raw and cooked.

Distinguishing features of the hybrid's fruits include their shape and size. Cucumbers grow short (maximum 10-13 cm), cylindrical in shape, and no more than 4 cm in diameter at their widest point. The fruit is covered with a small number of black spines. Taste: cucumbers have a classic, fresh, subtle aroma and firm, crisp flesh. The flavor of a ripe cucumber is slightly sweet. The fruits transport well and have a long shelf life. They are used in cooking both fresh (salads, juices, smoothies) and canned. Pickling and marinating are also possible.

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Features of cultivation and yield

The hybrid is grown from seedlings. To plant the mature and strong seedlings in the ground in May, gardeners begin germinating them at home. The seedlings are kept on windowsills in apartments for a long time, where they are carefully tended, hardened off, and watered generously.

Experts who grow such crops recommend the following:

1. Plant the pollinator hybrid in the same bed with other plants.
2. Place the pollinator in the center of the plantings in the garden bed, as well as at different ends.
3. Keep in mind that one plant can pollinate no more than 5-7 other plants.

The Shmel F1 hybrid is a cross-planted plant with other cucumber varieties, so the initial goal of cultivating a high-yielding variety was not to produce one. However, the bush produces a decent yield, up to 4 kg per m2 in greenhouse conditions.².

The advantages of this variety include:

1. Resistance to a number of diseases common to cucumbers.
2. Unpretentiousness.
3. Appearance and taste of fruits.
4. Possibility of transportation.
5. Keeping quality.

Productivity is not the most important feature, but many gardeners mention it as an advantage.

The hybrid has no serious drawbacks. The plant requires good root watering and regular weeding.

Resistance to diseases and pests

Bumblebee F1 is a hybrid variety bred for cultivation in the Russian Federation, making it resistant to temperature fluctuations, regular lack of sunlight, and good viability.

Thanks to its high immunity, the hybrid is not susceptible to damage:

• powdery mildew;
• Cladosporiosis;
• virus cucumber mosaic.

As a preventative measure to protect plants from pests, it is recommended to treat the soil while the seedlings are still in their cups. A few days before transplanting into the ground, you can treat the soil with Aktau according to the instructions. This systemic product protects young seedlings from insects common in greenhouses and outdoors.

Agricultural technology of the variety

Growing hybrid seedlings from seed isn't much different from cultivating varietal cucumbers. Beginner gardeners rely on general recommendations, while experienced gardeners rely on a lunar calendar (calculating favorable and unfavorable times for growing seedlings and planting seedlings in open ground) and previous successes and failures.

There are two ways to grow Bumblebee F1: from seeds, directly planting them in open ground or a greenhouse, or by pre-germinating them at home in special biodegradable pots.

If the open planting method is chosen, then it is necessary to wait for favorable conditions:

• the soil must be warmed up;
• the air temperature should not fall below 0;
• The weather forecast does not promise frost.

At home, seedlings are grown, focusing on the timing of their planting in open ground or a greenhouse.

Recommendations for growing seedlings at home:

1. Use biodegradable pots.
2. It is possible to use a biostimulant.
3. Sow at least 2-3 seeds in each pot, no deeper than 1.5 cm.
4. Maintain room temperature at least 21 ^OFrom the moment of emergence of friendly shoots.
5. After emergence, use additional lighting.
6. Before planting in open ground, seedlings need to be hardened off.
7. Treat the seedlings with Aktau. It protects them from insect pests.

Recommendations for growing Shmel f1 in open ground:

1. Wait until the spring frosts end.
2. Keep the soil moist.
3. Sow 5 seeds in one hole.
4. Thin out the seedlings, leaving no more than 3 of the strongest and tallest.

Some believe that the Shmel hybrid should be grown at the same time as the plants for which it is being planted. However, experienced gardeners hold the opposite view and plant the pollinator a week or a week and a half earlier than the main cucumbers.

Caring for the hybrid is not difficult:

• water the bushes regularly at the roots;
• during fruiting, increase the frequency of watering;
• weed the beds, clear them of weeds;
• Loosen the soil regularly.

If the soil requires it, fertilize the plants during growth and flowering. Avoid watering cucumbers separately from the rest of the plants in the garden.

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Gardeners' reviews of the Shmel F1 hybrid

Hybrid cucumbers differ from rare cultivars in that they are adapted to growing in less-than-ideal conditions throughout the Russian Federation. This is confirmed by reviews from experienced and novice gardeners.

Maria Fedorovna, 53 years old, Tula

I stumbled upon this cucumber by chance. A neighbor recommended it. She's been growing them for a while, even though there are no bees in our area. The packet of seeds I bought produced excellent seedlings that yielded a good harvest. I'll be planting more.

Sergey Nikolaevich, 66 years old, Moscow

A good variety. I bought it as seedlings. I don't regret it. I don't have much time to care for it, so I didn't bother too much. I planted it in the same greenhouse with all the other cucumbers. The cucumbers grew strong, and there weren't even any bitter ones. Next time, I'll plant them directly in the ground.

Nadezhda Valentinovna, 68 years old, Leningrad region

Bumblebees were recommended at an exhibition. They said they were necessary if there weren't enough bees at the dacha. I didn't believe them at first, but it turned out to be true. The harvest was good. I sent some to my grandchildren in the city and pickled some for the winter.

The bumblebee is a unique plant. A pollinator bred by agriculturalists has proven resilient to adverse environmental conditions. The hybrid not only fulfills its primary function but also produces a bountiful harvest. Cucumbers can be eaten raw, pickled, and salted. Unlike other hybrids, the bumblebee boasts strong immunity and is resistant to a number of diseases.