Characteristics of the hybrid "True Friends f1" and its advantages

"Vernye Druzya F1" is an early-ripening hybrid. Photos of smooth fruits with attractive bumps often prompt people to choose these cucumber seeds. The variety description provided by the cultivar's originator lists numerous advantages, but no drawbacks have been identified. According to farmers, the only drawback is the impossibility of growing vegetables from self-collected seed, which is sterile in hybrids.

Description of the hybrid, breeding history

This cucumber is the result of painstaking work by breeders at the Manul agricultural firm, which has developed numerous vegetable varieties. An application for inclusion of the hybrid in the State Register of the Russian Federation was submitted back in 1999. A year after the successful completion of variety trials, "Vernye Druzya" was approved for cultivation in garden plots and on small farms. All regions are recommended for cultivation.

Bushes

This hybrid features medium-sized plants with indeterminate growth. The vines are branched and strong. Medium-sized, wrinkled foliage is attached to the shoots via petioles. Flowering is predominantly female. Two to five inflorescences form at the nodes, requiring insect pollination, making it difficult to grow indoors.

Fruit

An ovary appears where the inflorescences once were, from which cylindrical cucumbers emerge. These cucumbers are covered in dark green skin with short white stripes extending to the center. The fruits are no more than 10 cm long and weigh approximately 100 g. The skin has characteristic tubercles and white pubescence. The flesh is dense and juicy. A crunching sound is audible when broken.

Features and specifications

Cucumber is valued for its cold tolerance, allowing for early sowing and harvesting in late spring or early summer. This early-ripening hybrid begins harvesting 40 days after germination. The crop is immune to cladosporiosis and cucumber mosaic virus. It is tolerant to specific diseases, such as downy mildew, powdery mildew.

Productivity, taste, purpose

With proper cultivation techniques, approximately 3.5 kg of gherkin-type fruits are harvested per square meter. Marketable yield is slightly lower, at 3 kg/m². The gherkins have an excellent flavor and retain it after cooking. There is no bitterness. They are versatile: they are suitable for both fresh consumption and for making pickles, including classic whole pickles.

Advantages and disadvantages

The commission didn't find any significant flaws during variety testing. However, vegetable growers point out several. Otherwise, the hybrid's characteristics are the strengths of this domestically developed variety.

Table: Pros and cons of a hybrid

Features of cultivation

In warmer climates, "True Friends" cucumbers are grown by direct sowing of seeds in open ground. If the region experiences a prolonged spring, it's best to start the seedlings first. This is done in individual peat pots to avoid picking out the seedlings with their sensitive root systems. A vegetable grower's work doesn't end with planting. To ensure a bountiful harvest, the bushes are regularly tended, taking into account the hybrid's characteristics.

Planting cucumbers

For vegetable crops, choose a site with loose, slightly acidic soil. Sandy loam soils with high fertility are ideal. If the soil is too acidic, lime it or add dolomite flour at a rate of 4 kg per 1 m². The beds should be well-lit and protected from the wind. Avoid a high groundwater table, as this can lead to water stagnation in the roots and the development of rot.

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The soil is prepared in advance. Weeds are removed from the area where cucurbits were not grown last season, then the compost is evenly distributed and the area is dug to a depth of a bayonet. In the spring, the area is harrowed to lock in moisture after the winter. Sowing seeds or planting seedlings in open ground begins only after the soil warms to 12°C at a depth of 10 cm. When sowing, the seed is embedded to a depth of 2 cm, placing 2-3 seeds in each hole.

Since hybrid seeds are purchased annually, they don't require treatment. "True Friends" cucumber seeds are sold coated. However, they can be soaked to swell. This should last no more than 12 hours. This will speed up germination. The key is to prevent the seed coat from cracking. Doing so will compromise the protective barrier created during production.

Caring for the crop

This hybrid plant is easy to care for. By following standard care procedures, you can achieve maximum vegetable productivity:

1. Watering – Moisten the plantings with warm water to prevent hypothermia and the development of root rot. A good time is morning or evening, when the sun is less active. The frequency depends on the amount of precipitation. Do not allow the soil around the tree trunks to dry out.
2. Weeding – to prevent weeds from robbing vegetable crops of nutrients, the soil is kept clean. To extend the interval between tillage operations, the soil is mulched using peat or compost.
3. Loosening – "True Friends" are sensitive to soil density. To improve aeration, loosen the soil around the tree trunks after watering or rainfall, allowing air to reach the roots.
4. Fertilizing – to enrich the soil with nutrients necessary for rapid development and full ripening of cucumbers, both organic and mineral fertilizers are used. If the soil is depleted, fertilize the plants four times: 14 days after emergence, and during the budding, flowering, and fruiting stages. Organic fertilizers are added during the first feeding.
5. Pest and disease resistance – the hybrid has excellent immunity. Even melon aphids rarely attack the bush shoots. If a farmer notices a pest, they should begin treating the bushes immediately. Before flowering, an insecticide solution can be used; after flowering, safe biological products or folk remedies are preferred.

Harvesting and storage

Harvesting begins after the cucumbers reach technical maturity, which occurs 40-45 days after germination. The cucumbers are picked early in the morning or evening, when they are at their firmest. Harvesting is done using sharp scissors or a knife to avoid damaging the vines by simply twisting the cucumbers. To ensure continued fruit set, harvesting is done systematically at two-day intervals.

Store the cucumbers carefully. Use boxes pre-treated with a manganese solution and thoroughly dried. Store the fruit in a cool, humid environment. A deep cellar is ideal. If you have only a few cucumbers, you can store them in the refrigerator compartment, in the vegetable compartment. Larger harvests are best processed.

Reviews

Ivan, 36 years old

"An excellent hybrid that delivers consistent yields. Our region is prone to powdery mildew due to high humidity. Thanks to their excellent immunity, 'Faithful Friends F1' resists fungal attack and produces high-quality, marketable green fruits. This is very important to me, as I sell part of my harvest."

Oksana, 42 years old

"I've been growing cucumbers for several years now. I've tried many varieties and hybrids. I liked the 'True Friends' variety for its excellent flavor and minimal care. The only drawback I've noticed is decreased productivity during rainy springs, when there are few insects needed to pollinate the flowers."

Marina, 54 years old

"An ultra-early hybrid that's been growing on my garden plot for five years now. Since our black soil is rich, I only fertilize the vegetable crops twice during the growing season. Standard farming practices include watering, weeding, and loosening the soil. Thanks to its resistance to pests, I don't waste energy or money on preventative treatments."

"Vernye Druzya F1" is a high-yielding cucumber with excellent flavor and marketability. Thanks to its self-regulating branching during development, the grower doesn't need to constantly nurture the growth of the vines or shape the bushes.