Characteristics and advantages of the cucumber variety "Obilny"

The "Obilny" cucumber variety was introduced 20 years ago and has become widely popular among both gardeners and farmers. It requires little attention during cultivation and produces fruit well even under unfavorable conditions. It's suitable for gardeners who aren't at their plots every day. It is intended for open ground, but if the region has cool summers, it is grown under film shelters.

Description of the variety

The Obilny cucumber was developed at the Volgograd Experimental Station of the Vavilov All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Growing. It was included in the State Register in 1999 and zoned for three regions: the Lower Volga, Central Black Earth, and Central regions. It is intended for outdoor cultivation.

Key Features

This variety is used both in the private sector and for commercial cultivation. In southern regions, it can be grown in both spring-summer and summer-fall rotations. It's not a hybrid, so seeds can be harvested at home. Key characteristics:

1. This is a bee-pollinated variety. The plant produces both male and female flowers, and pollinating insects are essential for fruit formation; without them, cucumbers will not grow. When grown in a greenhouse, the greenhouse must be opened daily. As a last resort, pollinate the cucumbers yourself by using a cotton swab to first touch the male flowers, then the female ones.
2. The ripening period is early. It takes 40 to 45 days from germination to harvesting the first cucumbers. For an early harvest, it's best to grow cucumbers from seedlings.
3. The shoots are indeterminate. Growth can be limited by pinching the top at the desired level.
4. Bushes with a strong main stem. Medium-sized, moderately dissected, dark green leaves densely cover the shoots.
5. Cucumbers ripen evenly. The plant yields 75 to 95% of its harvest in the first month. This is a big plus for those growing cucumbers for canning: they ripen quickly and require no further work for 2-3 months.
6. The yield of commercial products is 95%. Almost all fruits have an ideal marketable appearance. Therefore, this variety is often grown for sale.
7. Plants tolerate temperature fluctuations and long periods of high humidity well.
8. They keep for about two weeks in a cool, dark place. They transport well and retain their marketable appearance for a long time.
9. The variety is intended for canning, but is also good fresh.
10. Disease and pest resistance are average. The variety is often affected by penosporosis and downy mildew, but plants typically yield almost their entire crop before the onset of unfavorable conditions.

Plants produce fruit quickly, so they consume a lot of nutrients in a short period of time. It's important to fertilize the soil well before planting and don't neglect feeding, otherwise the yield will be much lower than indicated on the packaging.

Fruit characteristics

Most gardeners grow this variety for its excellent flavor. There are many hybrids that produce higher yields, but they all fall short of the Obilnyi variety in terms of flavor. Its main characteristics are:

1. The yield is approximately 7 kg per square meter. This is a good figure for standard varieties; hybrids produce much higher yields.
2. Cucumbers are a regular cylindrical shape. Length is approximately 10 cm with a diameter of 2.7-3 cm. The surface is heavily ribbed, and the fruits are round-triangular in cross-section.
3. The tubercles are large and few in number, with white spines. The base color is deep green, with light stripes running along the entire length.
4. The skin is medium-thick, the flesh is very juicy and aromatic. There's virtually no bitterness or hollowness inside.

This variety is excellent for pickling and salting. However, many cooks prefer to use it fresh, as it's juicier and more flavorful than many salad varieties. And thanks to its long shelf life, it's always on hand.

The main advantages are: excellent taste, long shelf life, good presentation, uniform ripening of fruits, high resistance to unfavorable conditions, early ripening.

There are also some disadvantages: low yields compared to modern high-yielding hybrids, weak resistance to foamy mildew, and demands on the quality of the soil in the garden bed.

How to grow correctly

A suitable planting site should be selected. The bed should be well-lit for most of the day. A high water table is undesirable; in this case, it's better to create raised beds with drainage furrows. If acidity is high, add dolomite flour to the soil every spring at a rate of 600 g per 1 m².

Preparing seeds and growing seedlings

This method allows you to harvest your first crop 2-3 weeks earlier. When the favorable season arrives, plant the plants in the soil. If they're properly prepared, they'll quickly adapt to the new conditions and begin to grow. The process is as follows:

1. Prepare the seeds for planting. First, soak them in a salt solution (a teaspoon per glass of water) for half an hour. Discard any that float to the surface, then rinse and soak the remaining seeds in a pink solution of potassium permanganate to disinfect. Then, use any growth stimulant to increase germination and soak the seeds in the solution for the time specified in the instructions.
2. Prepare a soil mixture: 1 part humus, 1 part fertile soil, and 1 part coarse sand. Fill seedling containers with it; cups with a capacity of 350 to 500 ml are best. Water the surface generously and make a hole 1-2 cm deep in the center.
3. Plant the seeds. Place two seeds at a time, in case one doesn't sprout. Cover with a 1 cm layer of soil, but don't compact the surface. Cover the surface with plastic wrap or transparent lids and place in a dark place with a temperature of about 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit). Leave until sprouts appear, then move to a windowsill or other bright location with a temperature of 15-20 degrees Celsius (59-68 degrees Fahrenheit).
4. Grow seedlings until they are 40-45 days old. This is the best time to transplant them. During growth, water the soil as it dries out, and apply a complete seedling fertilizer two weeks after germination. Apply a foliar fertilizer solution 15 days after the initial application. Harden off the plants before transplanting by leaving them near an open window for a day.
5. Plant in pre-prepared soil. Ideally, add organic matter in the fall, and dig the bed in the spring before planting. If using a greenhouse, change the soil at least every three years. Make planting holes in a 70x40 cm pattern. Carefully remove the cups to avoid damaging the soil ball. After planting, water generously. waterto completely wet the root system.

After planting seedlings It's best to cover the plants with plastic bottles overnight, or install arches and cover them with plastic film. This will protect the plants from cold temperatures, and they'll grow and develop much faster. If the nights are warm, there's no need to cover the plants with plastic bottles.

Planting in the ground

You can plant seeds directly in the garden bed. It's much easier, as you don't have to deal with seedlings and transplanting them. The harvest will be a little later, but it will require less time and effort. The process is as follows:

1. Prepare the planting area. In the fall or spring, add rotted manure or compost at a rate of one bucket per square meter. Plow the area or dig to the depth of a spade. Instead of organic fertilizer, you can use a ready-made mineral fertilizer for cucumbers; application rates are indicated on the packaging.
2. Mark out the bed. Break up any clods and level the surface with a metal rake. Make furrows 10-15 cm deep, spaced 70 cm apart. Be sure to measure the soil temperature beforehand. It should be at least 15 degrees Celsius, otherwise the seeds will not germinate.
3. Plant the seeds. First, water the furrows thoroughly and wait for the moisture to be absorbed; this is easier than watering later. Place them 2-3 at a time, 40 cm apart. Gently press them into the soil so they're no more than 1 cm deep. Then cover the furrows with plastic film: stretch it taut and press it down around the edges. Leave the film on until the seedlings emerge, then remove it for a day.

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You can install small arches over the rows to create greenhouses. In these conditions, the plants will grow much faster. On warm days, you can remove the plants during the day, but it's best to cover them at night until the cucumbers have developed.

Plant care

Cucumbers need to be cared for from the moment they're planted. Before flowering, the plants don't require much attention, but after fruit set, proper care becomes increasingly important; any improper care will reduce the yield. Key features of agricultural practices:

1. Water the plants as the soil dries out. Cucumbers have a shallow root system, so they require frequent watering. Water twice a week before fruiting, and daily thereafter. Use only warm, settled water to avoid stressing the cucumbers. The recommended rate is one bucket per 1 m².
2. Fertilize every 3-4 weeks. You can use an herbal infusion before flowering (soak the herbs in water and let them ferment for 2 weeks) or an ash infusion during fruiting (a liter of wood ash per bucket of water, let steep for 24 hours). Alternatively, you can use a complex solution for cucumbers; a water-soluble option is best, as the roots absorb it much faster.
3. Form bushesIn the first 3-4 axils, remove both shoots and ovaries. Then, remove most of the shoots, leaving the ovaries. Pinch the top at a certain height to prevent the bush from growing too large. Train the side shoots horizontally.
4. Tie the whips on trellisYou can construct a simple structure using a crossbar and tie pieces of twine to it above each plant. The stems are raised upward, and the tops are pinched off once they reach the crossbar. If the vines are lying on the ground, it's best to mulch the soil with straw or grass; this will make harvesting easier.
5. Monitor the condition of your plants. At the first sign of disease or pest infestation, purchase the appropriate product and treat your cucumbers immediately. The sooner you detect the problem, the easier it is to deal with it.

Cucumbers should be harvested as often as possible, ideally every day. This way, the plant devotes all its resources to growing new fruit, increasing the yield. The best time to harvest is morning or evening; it's best to leave the plants alone during the day.

Reviews from gardeners

Alla, Smolensk

The cucumbers are not very large, green, with juicy and aromatic flesh. I use them for everything from fresh to salads and various preserves. I plant them mostly outdoors; I've also tried them in a greenhouse, but you have to keep the doors open to allow bees to come in and pollinate the flowers.

Olga, Dolgoprudny

I've been planting this variety for many years. My husband loves these cucumbers lightly salted—they're crisp and firm. There are never any empty spaces inside, which is also important. The plants prefer rich, fertile soil and don't transplant well, so I plant them from seeds in open ground.

Gardeners value the "Obilnyi" cucumber variety for its excellent flavor and lack of bitterness and hollowness. It's versatile: suitable for pickling and fresh consumption, and has a long shelf life. It can be grown using both seedlings and direct-seeded methods.