Hybrid cucumber variety "Magnat f1": growing and care

Magnat F1 is a hybrid variety developed by Poisk agroholding breeders. It was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements Approved for Use in the Russian Federation in 2006 and is recommended for cultivation in the Northwestern and Central regions of Russia. Its intended use is listed as a canning variety.

General information and external characteristics

Like other hybrid varieties, it is sterile, requiring annual seed purchases. This variety can be grown in open beds, greenhouses, and under plastic covers, as with proper care, it thrives in any environment.

Grows to approximately 20-25 cm. The shoots are characterized by good growth and medium climbing. The plant produces:

• dark green color;
• with light longitudinal stripes;
• have a cylindrical shape.

The tubercles are large and whitish, the spines are white and not sharp, and the skin is thick. The fruit measures approximately 11 cm, weighing between 70 and 90 g.

The fruit has a fresh, vibrant aroma and a pleasant flavor. The medium-density flesh is tender and crisp when bitten into. Overall, the fruits are neat and proportionate. Bitter cucumbers are almost never encountered. The fruits do not turn yellow.

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Biological features

Magnat F1 is an early-ripening variety, meaning it takes no more than 45-50 days from seed germination to the first harvest. Thanks to its large number of ovaries, the harvest is abundant:

• approximately 8-10 kg per 1 m^2;
• 10-30 tons per hectare.
• You can get about 30 kg of cucumbers from a bush per season.

The plant is hermaphrodite, meaning it produces female flowers, meaning its seeds are useless and you'll need to buy new ones next year. It doesn't require pollination, making it ideal for indoor cultivation.

Thanks to their excellent flavor, cucumbers can be used in a variety of dishes. However, if the dish has a delicate texture, it's best to peel the cucumber. Cucumbers are ideal for pickling due to their compact size.

Diseases and pests

Regarding cucumber disease resistance, plants of this variety have quite high rates. Specifically, they are resistant to the following diseases:

• Olive spot or cladosporiosis;
• bacteriosis;
• are able to not show a negative reaction to stress.

However, there are diseases to which this crop is susceptible. Cucumber mosaic – a viral disease that infects living plant cells. It appears as light green and dark green spots on the leaf surface. As the disease progresses, the leaf edges begin to wrinkle and curl downward. The stem may crack.

There is no cure for this disease, so at the first sign of illness, all affected plants must be removed by the roots. It primarily affects plants grown in greenhouses. Unfortunately, even after the infected plants are removed, the virus can persist in the soil for several decades.

How to avoid:

1. Weed the area in a timely manner to remove unwanted plants, in particular quinoa, bindweed, and sow thistle.
2. Avoid placing it near pumpkins, as they can harbor this virus in their seeds.
3. Before sowing, treat the seeds with trisodium phosphate or potassium permanganate.
4. During the growth period, treat with a 3% solution of Farmaiod-3.

https://youtu.be/QaECc2fXn3Y

Root rot – a fungal, and less commonly bacterial, disease. It manifests as wilting of seedling leaves, but this symptom does not always indicate disease, so if you suspect this, inspect the roots. In a diseased plant, the stem at the base becomes thinner and turns yellow or purple, cracks appear near the central shoot, and the leaves at the base wither and turn yellow. The roots themselves turn purple and soften. The virus persists for a long time in unharvested grass and plants and also accumulates in the soil.

How to protect yourself:

• keep the area in order;
• do not overwater plants;
• ventilate the greenhouse periodically;
• cultivate the soil before planting;
• Do not water plants with cold water.

The simplest and most economical method of treatment is to dry the wounds at the initial stage using powdered ash, coal or chalk.

Growing methods

There are two main methods of growing. In open ground, it is advisable to sow in late May or early June, after ensuring that the air temperature has warmed up to at least 16 degrees. ^OC. However, this method is preferable only for relatively warm regions.

In a greenhouse, sowing begins mainly at the end of May, perhaps earlier if the air temperature warms up to 12 ^OWith no frost. Select large, well-formed seeds for planting. There's an excellent way to identify poor-quality seeds:

1. They need to be soaked in 3% salt, which is prepared at a rate of 3 g per 100 ml of water, for about 10 minutes, after thoroughly mixing.
2. Poor quality seeds float to the surface.
3. The rest should be washed with warm water and dried.

To increase yield and cold resistance, you can pre-harden the seeds by placing them in the refrigerator for a couple of days, after soaking them in wet cheesecloth until they swell. You can also treat the seeds in a 1% potassium permanganate solution for 20-30 minutes or with special preparations, such asFitosporin-M.

Sow the seeds in holes no more than 2 cm deep. The distance between them should be at least 40 cm, otherwise the cucumbers will feel unwell. Typically, 1 to 3 seeds are placed per hole. However, the Magnat F1 variety has a fairly high germination rate, so 1 seed may be sufficient. In any case, the seedlings should be transplanted into separate holes. If the seeds were sown directly into the garden bed, remove the weaker ones with scissors to avoid damaging the roots of the remaining seedlings. Growing seedlings first will yield a much earlier harvest.

To sow seedlings, you need to warm up the seeds:

1. This is done at a temperature above 20 ^OC, by hanging the seeds in a bag near a battery or a kitchen stove for about 1 month.
2. A quick way is to place the seeds in the sun for about 1 week.
3. If you don’t have time to wait, heat the dry seeds in the oven at 60 ^OFrom about 3 o'clock.

Before sowing, wood sawdust or ash should be added to the soil.

The seedlings don't need much watering; a couple of times a week is enough. After 2-3 leaves appear, which takes about 3 weeks, you can begin transplanting them into the garden bed. Plants of this variety prefer well-drained soil with low nitrogen content. To reduce the soil's acidity, it should be treated with limestone.

Care

Watering Plants should be watered exclusively with warm water. Ice-cold water can stress the plant or damage its sensitive areas, causing illness. This should be done early in the morning or in the evening, when the sun is not blazing. While the plant hasn't yet produced fruit, water no more than once a week, and during the ripening period, at least every three days.

Care includes:

1. The soil needs to be loosened and weeded periodically. This should be done every two days while the plant is still small, and once a week as the seedlings become more established.
2. The plant needs to be fertilized at least five times per season. Both mineral and organic fertilizers are suitable. Any organic fertilizer is suitable for the initial feeding. Then, mineral fertilizers should be used approximately every two weeks.
3. Excess leaves and shoots should be removed to prevent vital nutrients from being wasted. All shoots up to 50 cm in length are removed, and then, as they grow, two or three shoots are left on the plant.

Store the harvested fruit in a dry, dark place. Refrigerated, the fruit will keep for no more than a week, while a cellar or icebox will keep for about 20-30 days. But the best option is definitely to make your favorite pickles or lecho.

Reviews

Hobby gardeners familiar with the Magnat F1 variety note its low maintenance, long-lasting qualities, and pleasant flavor. However, it's important to remember that this plant will not thrive in overly acidic soil.

Victor, 39 years old

I liked the variety. I had no problems growing it. The cucumbers look just like the picture and have a wonderful crunch. I planted them in June, and by August I had already harvested my first crop. I'll be planting more.

Elena, 58 years old

I love to delight my family with homemade pickles, and these cucumbers are perfect for that: small, neat, and simply stunning. And they taste simply wonderful. They're easy to grow. Just follow the basic care guidelines.

Valentina, 45 years old

Be sure to read the instructions on the package! For a long time, we couldn't figure out why the germination was so poor, and then the plant wouldn't take root at all. I threw the package away immediately after placing the seeds in cheesecloth to germinate, completely forgetting about the instructions. Thanks to a neighbor for the tip. It turns out they forgot to lime the soil, which is crucial for this variety. Oh well, we'll try again next year.

Magnat F1 is an easy-to-grow cucumber variety. It doesn't require any special care; standard measures are sufficient. The fruits are tasty and healthy.