Cucumber variety Connie f1: description and characteristics, reviews

Cucumbers

The Konni F1 cucumber variety has been known to Russian gardeners for almost two decades. It is chosen for its excellent taste, ease of care, and early maturity. The description and photos of the hybrid in the catalogues are appealing, and as reviews indicate, the results in practice correspond to the stated characteristics.

Description of cucumber Connie F1

The early hybrid was bred by the Biotekhnika Association (St. Petersburg). Connie F1 was registered in the State Register in 1999 and is recommended for cultivation throughout the country.

It has gained popularity among gardeners and is grown on many farms for sale and processing. It is valued for its long fruiting period, rapid adaptation to various conditions, and the ability to be planted both in open ground beds and under cover.

Main characteristics

The Connie F1 cucumber is a mid-season hybrid, with the first fruits harvested in just 47-50 days. The bushes are vigorous, indeterminate, and the stem grows without restriction. Lateral shoots reach medium size, and the foliage is dense. The leaf blades are dark green with a wrinkled surface.

Note!

It is recommended to grow the hybrid vertically in greenhouse conditions using trellises.

Connie's flowering habit is female, with ovaries forming in clusters. Each axil may contain from 3 to 8-9 ovaries, with no sterile flowers. This cucumber is parthenocarpic and requires no pollination. This hybrid is less dependent on weather conditions, producing consistent cucumbers without sacrificing yield.

The cucumbers are smooth and attractive, no more than 9 cm long. When cut, they are rounded, with juicy, crisp flesh. The surface is finely ridged, the skin is thin, covered with a whitish, non-spiny pubescence. The fruit is bright green, and the inside contains a dense, uncavity-free interior with a small number of seeds.

Those who have grown the Connie cucumber note its excellent flavor, distinctive cucumber aroma, and crunch. It is genetically engineered to be free of bitterness. The fruits are uniform, have excellent marketability, and are suitable for short-term storage.

Usage:

for salads;
pickling;
pickling;
conservation.

The cucumbers don't overgrow, and even when harvested irregularly, they retain their flavor and color. The cucumbers are well-suited for long-distance transportation.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The hybrid has been cultivated since 1999, and despite the large number of new varieties, the Connie cucumber remains popular.

It is valued for the following qualities:

easy care;
unpretentiousness;
good harvest of cucumbers (yield is from 9 to 16 kg from one “square”);
excellent taste of cucumbers;
early ripening;
long-term return of cucumbers.

Connie's gherkins are distinguished by their high commercial qualities, which is why they are in high demand among buyers.

The hybrid is resistant to major crop diseases and is rarely affected by powdery mildew and root rot. It produces well indoors and consistently in open-air beds. It does not suffer from adverse conditions or temperature fluctuations, and tolerates low light and mild drought.

Canned and pickled cucumbers are delicious, preserving their flavor and characteristic crunch. Canning prevents the pulp from becoming hollow.

Flaws:

the need to form a vigorous bush (to achieve maximum yield);
it is impossible to take seeds for sowing, since Connie is a first-generation heterotic hybrid (marked F1).

Hybrids retain all their characteristics only in the first generation, so collecting seeds from them is pointless. If you want to grow cucumbers, you'll need to purchase new seeds each season.

Features of cultivation

The cultivation method is standard: either by seedlings or by sowing seeds directly into the ground (in raised beds or under cover). The latter option is suitable for southern regions; gardeners typically sow cucumbers as seedlings in pots and then transplant them to their permanent locations.

Sowing seeds

The sowing date is determined based on the future growing location and local climate. When sowing directly into the ground, the soil should warm to 15ºC; the same temperature should be reached when planting cucumber seedlings. Count back 20-25 days from the estimated planting date, adding another 4-5 days for germination to arrive at the approximate sowing date.

For seedlings, use cups and peat pots.

Note!

Hybrid seeds are sold in packs of 8-10 seeds. They have a good germination rate, so it's recommended to sow one seed per pot.

Manufacturers indicate on the seed packaging whether additional treatment is required. However, most hybrids are already fully prepared for sowing.

Planting in the ground, greenhouse

When grown from seedlings, seedlings are planted in the ground at 22-25 days old. In temperate climates, they are planted in raised beds in late May, and in northern regions, early June.

Planting time for seedlings in shelters is 10-15 days earlier. To protect against possible cold snaps, cover the seedlings with non-woven material. Plant 2-3 Connie bushes per square meter. This vigorous hybrid requires a large feeding area; densely packed plants will produce fruit more slowly.

Organic matter (cow manure, rotted compost, humus) and ash are added to the soil beforehand. The seedlings are planted carefully, being careful not to damage the cucumber roots. Plastic cups are convenient; they can be cut open and the plant removed along with the root ball.

Care

After planting, cucumbers are not watered for 4-5 days, allowing the plants to adapt and develop their root system. Subsequently, water regularly and generously, taking into account the plant's condition and weather conditions.

Note!

It's best to irrigate the crop in specially prepared furrows or between rows. Avoid getting moisture on the plant's leaves.

As fruiting begins, increase watering rates (especially for greenhouse cucumbers). Use only settled and warmed (to 20ºC…22ºC) water.

Watering is combined with top dressingDuring the green mass formation stage, nitrogen supplements (mullein, urea) are added; from the time of budding, nitrogen is reduced, giving priority to potassium and phosphorus fertilizers.

Approximate diagram:

before flowering – organic matter, Agricola-5;
at the flowering stage – humates, potassium sulfate, superphosphate;
in the fruiting phase – nitrophoska, grikola-5, universal fertilizer Barrier.

Fertilize plants in the evening or early morning, following the recommended fertilizer application rates. After watering and fertilizing, loosen the soil, preventing a hard crust from forming. Starting in the second half of summer, when cucumbers are growing rapidly, it is recommended to pierce the soil several times with a pitchfork instead of loosening. When growing in a greenhouse, monitor the air and soil humidity. Cucumbers thrive in warm conditions but do not tolerate drought or drafts.

Note!

It is not recommended to grow tomatoes and cucumbers in the same greenhouse, as these crops have different growing conditions and agricultural techniques.

Protection from pests and diseases

To prevent the appearance of pests, cucumbers are sprayed:

infusion of tobacco dust, chamomile (against cucumber bugs);
a solution of the drug Actofit (against whiteflies);
tomato tops decoction (against spider mites).

The Connie hybrid is resistant to various infections, but only with proper agricultural practices and preventative treatments. Gardeners often grow different varieties and hybrids in their gardens, so the risk of infection is always present.

Particular attention is paid to plants in greenhouses, as shelters create favorable conditions for fungal and bacterial infections.

Prevention:

seed treatment before sowing in a solution of Epin, zinc sulfate;
spraying bushes with Bordeaux mixture, copper oxychloride (2 times per season).

Harvesting

The first cucumbers are harvested approximately 47 days after germination. This hybrid is characterized by a prolonged fruiting period, so cucumber harvesting continues until autumn.

Even though the fruits don't overgrow or turn yellow, it's best to harvest cucumbers every 2-3 days. This will allow all the fruit to ripen, increasing the overall yield. The first batches are used for summer salads and fresh eating, while cucumbers harvested in August and September are used for pickling and marinating.

Reviews

Irina, Veliky Ustyug

I've been growing the Connie hybrid for a long time. I plant 10 seedlings per greenhouse. Previously, it grew in a plastic greenhouse, but for three years now, I've been planting it in a polycarbonate greenhouse. It pleases me everywhere with its harvest and excellent taste. I start harvesting cucumbers in early or mid-July, and they last until autumn.

Elvira, Moscow region

For the past 6-8 years, I've been planting only hybrids in my garden beds. Connie is one of my favorites because it requires minimal care and always produces a harvest. Even in a bad year, I harvest cucumbers by the bucketful. I'm not a big fan of long cucumbers, so I prefer gherkin-type varieties that don't overgrow. I believe Connie is suitable for all gardeners; even those with little experience will still get a harvest.

Oleg, Novosibirsk

I always grow a lot of cucumbers; I spend all summer at my dacha. I grow 5-6 varieties in the greenhouse and another 3-4 in the garden beds, trying different ones every year. But I also have my favorites, including Connie. When I bought it, I thought it was a foreign hybrid, but it turned out to be our own, domestic. It grows well and isn't particularly susceptible to any diseases. The cucumbers set fruit quickly; Connie grows in a bed under lutrasil. I really like the taste and the firm, watery flesh.

The Connie F1 hybrid is a worthy product of Russian breeders, distinguished by its consistent fruiting and excellent flavor. This cucumber is rarely affected by diseases and produces high yields in any season.