Cucumber variety Zhuravlenok f1: description and characteristics, reviews

The Zhuravlenok F1 cucumber is known for its excellent characteristics and positive reviews from gardeners across the country. This early hybrid is suitable for planting in open-ground beds and under temporary plastic greenhouses. It produces fruit reliably in high-risk farming zones and, judging by the description, photos, and reviews, is in no way inferior to new foreign varieties.

Description of the hybrid Zhuravlenok F1

This cucumber was bred at the Crimean branch of the All-Russian Institute of Plant Breeding and Inspection (VIR), underwent trials beginning in 1993, and was registered in the State Register in 1996. It is approved for cultivation in seven regions of Russia, including West Siberia, East Siberia, and the Urals. The hybrid is cultivated throughout the country, noted for its high yield and ease of maintenance.

Belongs to a bee-pollinated hybrid variety, growing well in open ground and under temporary plastic shelters. The main crop comes from the side shoots, while the central stem produces a few gherkins.

Main characteristics

A medium-sized plant, the main stem reaches 1.8-2 meters in length, with strong lateral shoots. The leaves are small, dark green, and slightly wavy. Zhuravlenok F1 is a cluster-type cucumber, producing over three ovaries per axil. However, the formation of cucumbers depends on proper nutrition and care; otherwise, only one fruit will remain per node.

This easy-to-grow hybrid is suitable for those just learning the basics of gardening. It requires bee pollination, so it's important to consider ways to attract pollinating insects to the garden. The cucumbers are even, cylindrical, and richly green with diffuse light stripes. They weigh between 80 and 110 grams and reach 11-13 cm in length.

The skin is pimpled, black-spined, and matte. Inside is very dense, crisp flesh. There are few seeds, and the flesh has a good flavor. There are almost no empty spaces, whether fresh or pickled or salted.

A versatile cucumber, its fruits are used in all types of processing, including salads. Zhuravlenok cucumbers are delicious in marinades, pickles, and preserves. They are noted for their crunch, characteristic cucumber aroma, and lack of bitterness. Harvested cucumbers have a shelf life of 8-12 days and are suitable for transportation.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Zhuravlenok F1 has proven itself to be an excellent choice for planting in temperate climates. It is valued for the following characteristics:

• mid-season (the first cucumbers are harvested after 45-48 days);
• long period of fruit production (the harvest continues until the very cold weather sets in);
• resistance to diseases (powdery mildew, bacteriosis);
• excellent fruit taste, sweetness;
• easy care;
• high yield rates (up to 10-12 kg of cucumbers are harvested from 1 square meter);
• resistance to adverse weather conditions;
• simple scheme for bush formation;
• shade tolerance;
• cold resistance.

Grows well in greenhouses, open-air beds, and tunnels.

Flaws:

• It is advisable not to allow the cucumbers on the bushes to grow too large, otherwise the cucumbers will turn yellow;
• every year you need to buy new seeds, since Zhuravlenok is a first generation F1 hybrid, and your own seeds are not suitable for planting;
• dependence of crop yield indicators on insects;
• the need to plant hybrid pollinators.

Growing cucumber Zhuravlenok F1

Bee-pollinated hybrids are recommended for cultivation in open ground. In greenhouses, for better pollination, it will be necessary to remove covers, constantly open vents and transoms, and conduct artificial pollination. In most parts of the country, cucumbers are grown using seedlings, sowing seeds in pots 20-25 days before planting in their permanent location.

Growing seedlings

For seedlings, prepare containers (pots, cups) and soil mixture in advance.

The sowing date depends on the local climate and the growing location (greenhouses or beds). Seedlings should be approximately 22-25 days old, and planting should occur when the weather is consistently warm and the soil reaches 15ºC. In temperate regions, sowing is done in April, followed by transplanting in May (greenhouses). Peat pots or tablets are suitable for growing cucumbers; in these cases, the seedlings are transplanted directly into their permanent locations.

Hybrids are usually sold ready for planting (the seeds are dyed). If there is no information on the package, pre-soaking and germination are recommended. A pink solution of potassium permanganate is used to disinfect the seeds.

Seedlings are grown at daytime temperatures ranging from 20ºC to 23ºC, decreasing to 18ºC at night. Provide moderate watering and fertilizing as needed. Protect the seedlings from drafts and over-drying of the soil mixture. For additional nutrition, use complex fertilizers or ready-made seedling formulas (Fetika, Agricola).

Seedlings with 3-4 true leaves, strong and healthy, are planted in a permanent location. Maintain a distance of 30-40 cm between plants, planting no more than 3-4 plants per square meter. When planting with subsequent use of a trellis, plant no more than three plants per square meter.

The plants in the beds are covered with arches covered with film or non-woven material. The seedlings are not watered for approximately 4-6 days, allowing the cucumbers to adapt to the new conditions.

Caring for cucumbers

Further care follows traditional agricultural practices, but takes into account the hybrid's characteristics. Since Zhuravlenok F1 is a bee-pollinated cucumber, insect pollinators will be required when grown in a greenhouse.

Basic agricultural practices:

• watering of plantings;
• application of fertilizers;
• loosening the soil (can be replaced by mulching);
• weeding;
• pollination.

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Water the crop in furrows and between rows, avoiding root irrigation. Cucumbers' root systems are located in the upper soil layers, so watering exposes the roots. To prevent this, mulching the soil with straw, hay, grass clippings, or peat is recommended.

Watering rates depend on the growing location (in shelters or open ground), the age of the seedlings, and weather conditions. Initially, 1-1.5 liters per plant is recommended; once flowering and fruiting begin, the rate increases to 3-4 liters per plant. Water early in the morning or in the evening. Avoid overhead irrigation in hot weather, as it can cause sunburn on cucumber leaves.

The water should be warm and settled. Rainwater collected and settled in barrels or canisters is suitable. It warms up quickly during the day in the sun and does not contain any additional components.

Cucumbers require regular fertilization. They respond well to organic fertilizers and complex formulations. It is recommended to alternate mineral and organic fertilizers, as well as spray foliar nutrient solutions. Here's a sample fertilizing schedule:

• 14-16 days after planting, add diluted mullein (a liter of solution per bucket of water), nitroammophoska (25-30 grams per 10 liters of water);
• During the flowering period, cucumbers are fed with superphosphate, urea, potassium sulfate (20-30 grams of each fertilizer per ten-liter bucket of water);
• During mass fruiting of the crop, it is useful to feed the plants with a complex composition (30 grams per bucket of water), potassium sulfate in the same proportion.

It's helpful to add green "cocktails" to the beds—infusions of dandelion and nettle—and feed cucumbers with a yeast solution (once a season). A good fertilizer is wood ash infusion, which contains a lot of potassium, which improves the flavor of the fruit and promotes increased yields. Excellent results are achieved by using humate compounds, as well as chelated fertilizers, which are easily absorbed by plants.

The Zhuravlenok hybrid produces a larger number of female flowers. To stimulate flowering and prevent the formation of empty flowers, pinch the main stem (when the plant has 8-9 true leaves) and remove shoots that form in the axils, but leave the ovaries. It's essential to reduce the density of the bush to ensure adequate nutrition and adequate light for the fruit.

For pollination in greenhouses, pollinator varieties (Nectar F1, Shmel F1) are planted, and bees are attracted by spraying the plants with sugar water. If inclement weather persists for a long time and the insects are unable to fly, hand pollination is used. This transfers pollen from male flowers to the opening female flowers.

In open ground, to attract pollinating insects, spray the plantings with sweet water, plant strong-smelling herbs around the perimeter of the cucumber bed - mint, watercress, cilantro, as well as flowers that bees love: clover, petunias, cornflowers.

Disease prevention and pest control

The Zhuravlenok hybrid is relatively disease-resistant, a fact noted by many gardeners across the country. It successfully resists fungal infections and is tolerant of downy mildew. With proper agricultural practices and irrigation, problems should not arise.

For prevention, treating plants with biological preparations (such as Fitosporin) is recommended. For pest control, use proven folk remedies such as ash infusions, garlic, laundry soap solutions, and onion peels.

Harvesting

Cucumbers are mid-season varieties, beginning to ripen around early July. Zhuravlenok F1 is a hybrid with a long harvest period, so it's recommended to harvest the cucumbers early to allow all the ovaries to ripen.

With proper care, the fruits do not overgrow, but to avoid complaining about poor-quality greens, it is advisable to harvest regularly, once every 2-3 days.

The fruits grow in small clusters and ripen gradually. Cucumbers harvested in July are perfect for summer salads, while August cucumbers are suitable for pickles and marinades. Cucumbers can be stored in a cool place for up to 6-10 days without losing flavor or appearance. Cucumbers harvested for canning should ideally be processed the same day or the next day.

Reviews

Larisa, Mirny

In our climate, where summers can be very cold, it's not easy to grow cucumbers in the garden. They grow well in my greenhouse, but I prefer cucumbers grown in the open ground, so I plant Zhuravlenok in the garden. The cucumbers are crisp, tasty, and not stunted. They're very good for pickling; they remind me of the cucumbers my grandmother used to pickle. This variety is easy to care for, but it does produce barren flowers.

Ivan, Samara

I have a lot of cucumbers, including Zhuravlenok. I happened to be on sale one day and bought several parthenocarpic hybrids, and for dessert, a couple of bee-pollinated ones. We've been growing this cucumber for five years now. I like the taste, although the yield is a bit lower than others. I stretch the packet of seeds over two to three years; germination is good, so I plant three to four plants at a time. I only plant them in a bed and then cover them with spunbond.

Irina, Kirov

I gave up on the Zhuravlenok because the harvest wasn't impressive. I admit, the cucumbers are delicious and long, compared to my beloved gherkins. But there weren't many on the plant, and the summer wasn't particularly warm, with lots of rain. Perhaps that played a role, although the other hybrids yielded abundantly. Perhaps this isn't my kind of cucumber, as it requires more attention and care.

The bee-pollinated hybrid Zhuravlenok F1 deserves attention for its excellent flavor and versatility. A little effort and diligence will reward you with a bountiful harvest of delicious cucumbers.