Ultra-early varieties and hybrids of cucumbers

Cucumbers

By planting ultra-early cucumber varieties and hybrids, you can harvest within 38-45 days of germination. These cucumbers are ideal for summer salads and quick pickling, although many early-ripening varieties have been bred for winter canning and marinades.

Early cucumbers: what to look for

The exact timing of harvesting cucumbers depends on a number of factors:

growing conditions (in beds, under cover);
weather conditions;
correct agricultural technology.

This group includes cucumbers requiring pollination, parthenocarpic varieties, long-fruited varieties, and gherkins. Planting in greenhouses and hotbeds in temperate climates is mid- to late April, and in raised beds is done in late May. In Siberia, the Urals, and Northwest Russia, planting seedlings in permanent locations is typically done in the first ten days of June.

Note!

When growing cucumbers outdoors, it's recommended to cover them with non-woven material. This will protect them from potential frost and accelerate growth and fruit set.

Rating of the best ultra-early cucumbers

The choice is determined by gardener preferences, yield, and the taste of the variety or hybrid. To help, here's a review of popular early-ripening varieties that have performed well in various climate zones across the country.

June early ripening F1

The packaging of these cucumbers reads: "Early ripening joy – the envy of your neighbors." Indeed, the owners are harvesting the first crisp cucumbers after just 40-42 days, while for many gardeners, the plants are just beginning to grow.

This hybrid doesn't require pollination and produces clusters of 2-4 cucumbers. The main advantages of this cucumber include:

ultra-early maturity;
stress resistance;
good yield indicators (up to 20-25 kg of fruit are harvested from one square meter);
low susceptibility to disease.

Skorospel is noted for its excellent taste and vigorous, even fruiting. The cucumbers are firm, cylindrical, and richly green. They grow no more than 10 cm tall, with thin, ridged skin. The flesh is not bitter.

F1 Pro

An ultra-early hybrid from Dutch breeders, it stands out among other cucumbers for its high productivity even in unfavorable conditions.

Pros:

good taste;
excellent pickling properties;
early harvesting of cucumbers (30-35 days);
resistance to powdery mildew, downy mildew.

Bidretta F1

Tasty and aromatic—that's how the fruits of the hybrid variety, Bidretta, are characterized. The cucumbers are elongated, with a bumpy surface, up to 16-18 cm long. Each cucumber weighs 100-120 grams and is pubescent.

The plants are medium-sized, with clustered ovaries. Bee pollination is required for fruit formation, so honey plants are planted near the beds. The first harvest is ready in 28-30 days (data for temperate climates, open ground).

Note!

Bidretta F1 is a hybrid for those who prefer cucumbers with a distinct cucumber aroma.

This hybrid is resistant to various diseases, including powdery mildew. It has a shelf life of up to two weeks and is highly transportable.

Advance F1

This hybrid is suitable for planting in garden beds and greenhouses. It is prized for its abundant yield of cucumbers, excellent flavor, and early ripening time.

The first harvest of cucumbers begins in 39-44 days. The bushes are vigorous, with limited lateral shoot growth. Ovaries form in clusters, with 3-5 ovaries per node.

Cucumbers up to 13 cm long, with numerous bumps on the skin and white spines. They have excellent flavor. This hybrid is most often grown for fresh consumption and summer salads. Resistance to all types of rot and olive spot is noted.

Finger

A Russian-bred variety, intended for planting in open-ground beds. Palchik is a disease-resistant, early-ripening cucumber with increased frost resistance.

The cucumbers are smooth, slightly elongated, up to 12-14 cm, with few tubercles. The skin is thin, green, with slight light spots. The flesh is very dense, crisp, and has a good flavor. Unlike many early-ripening varieties of cucumbers, Palchik is not bitter.

Usage:

salads;
pickling.

Special feature: early harvest time, yet long-lasting fruiting, up to two months. This variety has vigorous growth, with a main stem up to 2.5 meters long. Plant 2-3 plants per square meter, and ensure regular fertilization and watering. The Palchik cucumber is resistant to downy mildew and maintains its green vines for a long time.

F1 debut

This early hybrid requires bee pollination to produce cucumbers. Productive Debut is grown in raised beds, in tunnels under film, and in polycarbonate greenhouses. It is valued for a number of positive qualities:

fast ripening (40-42 days);
compactness (the shoots are short, a small area is required for the bushes);
stable yield indicators;
good taste of fruits.

These cucumbers have large, sparse tubercles, are bright green, and grow up to 11-12 cm long. The skin has distinct whitish stripes. The flesh is firm and juicy when cut, with a few seeds.

Meringue F1

This variety with a "tasty" name and sweet, aromatic flesh has become a staple in many gardeners' plots. Developed in the Netherlands, it was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 2007 and is cultivated in all regions.

In the Northwest and Siberia, early harvests are obtained by planting seedlings in greenhouses and hotbeds (in mid-May). The variety is also suitable for planting in open ground. The parthenocarpic hybrid ripens in 40-41 days.

Note!

F1 hybrids don't need to have their seeds collected for sowing. To grow your favorite cucumber, you'll need to purchase new seeds each season.

The plants are tall, with three ovaries typically forming at each node. The cucumbers are uniform, bright green, and have white spines all over the skin. A definite advantage of Meringue is its resistance to yellowing and overgrowth, so even if the cucumbers hang on the vine a little longer, their marketable appearance and flavor are preserved.