Description and characteristics of the Murashka f1 cucumber variety: planting and care

Cucumbers

Murashka is a hybrid cucumber variety with numerous positive qualities. The breeding work was conducted by scientists from the Moscow Research Institute of Selection and Seed Breeding (NIISOK) in collaboration with the Gavrish agricultural firm. The variety was added to the State Register in 2003. Approved regions include the North Caucasus, Northwest, North, Volga-Vyatka, Central, and Central Black Earth regions. You can enjoy the yield and excellent taste of the Murashka f1 cucumber only if you follow certain growing rules.

Description and characteristics

Hybrid recommended for growing in a greenhouse It can be grown under plastic, but in warmer climates, it can be planted in open beds; in this case, the bushes need protection from direct sunlight. Murashka tolerates short-term heat well, and continues to produce fruit even during cold spells and frequent rainfall. Ripening is early (38–45 days after germination).

Attention!

Murashka is a parthenocarpic hybrid, meaning it bears fruit even when grown on a windowsill.

The bush is vigorous, indeterminate, with a medium number of shoots. The lateral branches are determinate, and the internodes are shortened. Two to four cucumbers form in the axils; the flowers are female. There are numerous leaves, the blades are small, dark green, and smooth. The cucumbers are cylindrical, weighing 90 to 120 g, about 10–14 cm long, with large tubercles. The cucumbers have a gradient color from light green at the tip to darker toward the base. Light stripes from the tip extend almost to the middle of the cucumber. The skin is thin and soft, and the spines are black and prickly.

This variety is versatile; the taste of fresh cucumbers is slightly inferior to salad varieties, although it received a 5-star rating. The flesh is sweet, aromatic, juicy, moderately firm, and lacks bitterness. The hybrid is suitable for pickling, marinating, and winter salads. The cucumbers set before the first autumn frosts, yielding an average of 12 kg of cucumbers per square meter (with a standard planting pattern).

Main advantages:

Marketability, excellent taste, and versatility. Pickled cucumbers don't become soft, even when slicing into vegetable platters;
extended fruiting period;
growing in the open air, greenhouse and at home;
immunity to cladosporiosis and powdery mildew;
self-pollination;
bouquet type of flowering;
male buds appear rarely;
high yield;
absence of bitterness and voids;
cucumbers do not spoil during transportation;
resistance to temperature changes, short-term cold and heat.

The hybrid has few drawbacks, the most significant being weak immunity to downy mildew and root rot. Another drawback is that the cucumbers quickly overgrow, becoming barrel-shaped, and the seeds become coarse. The harvest is collected daily; if the vines are overloaded with mature cucumbers, the new ovaries dry out. You can't collect seeds from Murashka f1 yourself, as hybrid varieties don't produce viable seeds.

Planting and care

The method for growing the hybrid depends on the region. In cooler climates, seedlings are prepared, while in warmer climates, seeds are sown directly into the ground. Sowing time is also determined based on climate conditions; planting is acceptable when the weather is consistently warm, day and night, and any recurring frosts have passed. If sowing is done too early or if there is a sudden, sharp cold snap, temporary cover should be provided over the beds.

Attention!

Cucumber seedlings Murashka f1 can withstand cold temperatures down to +10˚C; a minimal drop in temperature will result in the death of the bushes.

The hybrid is demanding regarding soil composition and structure, growing well only in cultivated, loose, fertile sandy loam or loamy soil. If planted in heavy, poor soil, the yield will be poor, even with careful care, and the young fruits will become crooked and misshapen. A well-lit site, sheltered from gusty winds and drafts, is recommended. Lowlands and other areas where moisture stagnates are unsuitable.

Given Murashka f1's susceptibility to certain diseases, careful selection of predecessors is recommended. These can include any nightshade and cruciferous crops, herbs, and onions. Cucumbers are not planted after cucurbits, as they draw the same nutrients from the soil and are susceptible to similar diseases. If there is no other suitable planting site, the soil is cleared and fertilized with green manure, sown in the fall and spring, and incorporated into the beds before flowering.

Preparing a site with depleted, poor and uncultivated soil:

In the fall, weeds and other debris are removed from the selected location.
12 kg of rotted compost and 30 g of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer (per m²) are evenly scattered over the beds.
The area is watered with a strong (dark pink) solution of potassium permanganate, covered with film, and left like that until spring.
Two weeks before planting, remove the plastic film and sprinkle a bucket of sand over each square meter to help structure the heavy soil. Excessive soil acidity is neutralized with lime or dolomite flour.
The area is dug up to the depth of a spade, clods are broken up, the ground is leveled and beds are marked out.

This hybrid grows vigorously, so the bushes are planted in a single row with wide spacing between rows. If space is limited, staggered planting is acceptable, but spaced appropriately. Overcrowding will significantly reduce yield, degrade the quality of the cucumbers, and increase the risk of fungal and bacterial diseases. No more than three plants should be planted per square meter, leaving approximately 70 cm between each bush. Immediately after planting, the beds should be thoroughly watered.

How to care

When planting seedlings in unprotected soil, cover the beds with shade netting (on arches or stakes) until the plants are fully established and begin to grow. Weeds should be pulled out immediately as they grow, as they shade the young plants and interfere with normal root development. Loosen the soil around the cucumber trunks once a week, but do so very carefully. The greenhouse must be ventilated day and night; damp, stale air is an ideal breeding ground for diseases.

Water the bushes daily, but sparingly; the hybrid grows equally poorly in both over-dried and over-watered soil. Watering too frequently and too much can increase the risk of developing dangerous diseases, such as various fungi and rot. In the morning, water the cucumbers only at the roots, and in the evening, spray the leaves as well. To prevent moisture from evaporating quickly, mulch the beds with straw or dry grass.

Attention!

In cool weather, reduce watering frequency to once every 3 or 4 days. Avoid pouring water directly at the roots; it's better to dig furrows around the bushes.

Murashka f1 cucumbers respond very well to fertilization. Before flowering, they are fertilized with nitrogen, such as ammonium nitrate or chicken manure infusion. After budding and during the period of mass ovary formation, potassium-phosphorus mixtures or special complexes (such as Hera, Rodnichok, Dobraya Sila, etc.) are used. Fertilize the bushes every 10-15 days throughout the growing season.

Treatment of diseases

Downy mildew initially appears as yellowish, diffuse spots on the leaves, concentrated near the veins. The spots gradually enlarge, and the leaves become brown, wrinkled, and dry. The leaf surface becomes covered with small black dots called sclerotia. The disease progresses rapidly with excess moisture and sudden and frequent weather changes. Prevention and treatment:

Before sowing, seeds are soaked in Fitosporin according to the instructions;
once every 2 weeks the bushes are sprayed with whey - 500 ml per 5 liters of water;
the stems are tied at the base with copper wire;
All damaged leaves of affected plants are cut off and treated with Horus, Strobi or Topaz.

When cucumbers are infected with root rot, the green foliage loses turgor, stops developing, and droops. Leaf petioles (near the vines) and stems become black and slippery, and mold is sometimes visible on the soil surface.

Reviews

Elena, Vologda:

In my opinion, Murashka f1 is the most easy-to-grow cucumber variety. We used to grow them in Podolsk, but after moving to Vologda, I planted them in a plastic greenhouse. There are no problems with either. When it gets cold outside, I reduce watering and only ventilate the greenhouse during the day. During warmer periods, I leave the windows and doors open 24/7, only covering them with mosquito netting. The only problem is the uncontrolled growth of the bush; it needs frequent pruning to guide the shoots.

Julia, Samara:

My dacha is quite far from home; I only go there on weekends. I don't grow varietal cucumbers; without constant attention, they often get sick. I've narrowed down my selection to a few hybrids, with the Murashka f1 being my favorite. These are delicious, high-yielding cucumbers perfect for summer salads and various processed foods. It's recommended to harvest the cucumbers frequently, which isn't possible, but I've never seen any barrel-shaped ones, let alone ones with hard seeds. I have automatic drip irrigation, and I cover the beds with mulch just in case. I've noticed that the cucumbers taste better with regular feeding.