Delicious and aromatic cucumber "Alligator" for fresh consumption
Every year summer residents grow a variety of vegetable crops in their gardens. From the very beginning of the season, the main task is to choose which varieties to plant this year, because everyone wants to try something unusual and collect more crops than last year.
The cucumber hybrid Alligator is among the new crops with an unusual shape, interesting taste and high yield.
The content of the article
Description
The bee-pollinated hybrid, yielding about 45 days after germination, is characterized by long fruiting. Included in the State Register of Varietal Achievements in 2010.
The alligator is recommended to be grown in greenhouses, greenhouses or in the open field. It has good resistance to adverse conditions, weather changes.
Distinctive features
High yield: 1 square meter can yield up to 16 kg of cucumbers. From 6 to 8 fruits are formed on one plant at a time. Easy to carry, do not lose their appearance. The hybrid is resistant to major growing stresses.
Composition, properties, benefits
The calorie content of cucumbers is approximately 14 kcal per 100 g. The composition contains vitamins A, K, C, minerals fluorine, copper, magnesium and calcium, which improve the functioning of the heart and kidneys.
Specifications
The bushes of such cucumbers have a well-developed root system. The leaves are deep green, small in size, pentagonal in shape. The Alligator hybrid gives a high yield.
Fruits of an unusual shape are elongated, cylindrical, which attracts many gardeners. They can grow in length up to 40–45 cm. At the same time, they have a small diameter, and the average weight is 300 g. The pulp is light in color, with a uniform consistency.
Short thorns and small bumps can be seen on the surface of the seeds, making this cucumber look like a crocodile. This feature gave the name of the variety. But despite the thorns, the fruit has tender and soft skin. The taste is pronounced cucumber, with a slight sweetness.
In the photo cucumbers Alligator.
How to grow yourself
Alligator cucumbers can be grown using seedlings and seeds.
Planting by seedling and seed method
It is recommended to warm up the seeds in advance; for this, the material is kept for 30 days near heat sources, where the temperature does not drop below + 25 ° C.
Before planting, it is worth disinfecting the seed material. Garlic mixture is especially effective in this regard. To prepare it, add 30 g of garlic to 100 g of water, mix everything, drop the seeds. Hold for 60 minutes. Take out, rinse with water and put on a damp cloth, leave for two days.
Important! The seeds should not be allowed to germinate, they should only swell.
Then the seeds are placed in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
It is recommended to plant cucumbers in prepared containers in April. It is best to prepare the earth in advance by taking sawdust, peat and humus in equal parts. For every 10 kg of this mixture, add two tablespoons of nitrophoska.
Fill containers with prepared soil, place seeds without deepening too much. Pour the soil from a spray bottle. The seedlings will be ready for planting in the ground in a month.
Some summer residents do not grow cucumbers using seedlings, but sow seeds directly into the ground... It is worth doing this no earlier than mid-May so that the soil has time to warm up. To begin with, the seeds are soaked in potassium permanganate, then dried.
Small holes are made in the ground, where 2-3 seeds are placed. Then, when shoots appear, it is necessary to remove weak shoots. The planting depth of seeds should not exceed 3-4 cm, the holes are placed at a distance of at least half a meter.
Attention! Weak shoots cannot be pulled out. They are removed only by pinching so as not to damage the roots of a strong plant.
Step-by-step cultivation and care
The most important thing to care for is watering with warm water. The bushes are watered twice a week, the leaves are periodically watered with clean water. Feed twice a season, this will significantly increase yields.
The lashes of cucumbers grow and curl strongly; it is best to fasten them to strong trellises.
Features of cultivation and possible difficulties
Growing cucumbers Alligator has its own characteristics:
- The plant must grow upward, so it needs good, stable support, otherwise the fruits will deform into ugly hooks.
- The hybrid needs frequent watering and regular feeding.
During the growth process, the leaves of the plant may turn yellow or get sick with powdery mildew. To prevent this from happening, the seedlings are covered overnight, and potassium is added to the top dressing.
Typical diseases and pests
Powdery mildew most often appears on the leaves of the plant, less often on the fruits themselves. After infection, several lashes can fall off the bushes. Such a plant begins to die slowly, and if it grows, then the fruits will be of low quality and in small quantities.
For prevention diseases high humidity, frequent temperature changes, weeds must not be allowed.
Attention! If you plant cucumbers in the same place every year, it can lead to disease.
If you do not notice the disease downy mildew (downy mildew) in time and do not help the plants, entire fields may die. Yellow-green spots appear on the leaves, covered with a light green bloom. They attack the upper part of the leaf, quickly spread to other plants.
Downy mildew spreads due to high humidity and cold watering. It affects cucumbers quickly, because even the wind can transfer the disease to other cucumbers.
White rot covers the entire plant, covering it with white bloom and so-called mucus. It spreads especially quickly on plantings in greenhouses, since there is high humidity and many closely planted plants.
Slugs most often crawl out in the dark, when the flesh of cucumbers can be eaten without obstacles, which makes the fruits unsuitable for eating, and the quality of the crop decreases.
Harvesting and application of the crop
Cucumbers are harvested with care. It is necessary to "unscrew" the vegetable crop together with part of the stalkso as not to damage the fetus itself.
After picking, it is best to put the cucumbers in wooden or plastic boxes, laying them with paper, and transport them in this form. However, you cannot count on long-term storage - it is better to eat cucumbers as soon as possible.
Attention! Since it is a salad variety, cucumbers are not processed, but eaten fresh.
Advantages and disadvantages
Pros of the Alligator hybrid:
- Unusual. The presence of pimples makes cucumbers look like alligators, which is surprising, especially when compared to other varieties.
- Can be eaten fresh, because they have a sweetish taste without bitterness. When cut, you can see a juicy pulp, from which juice will immediately flow.
- Has a fresh, bright and persistent scent. When preparing a dish with such a cucumber, its aroma will spread very quickly throughout the room.
- Great for brining. You don't need to mess with them for a long time, you only need put a jar and pour with brine. It penetrates well through the pimples, and in a few days delicious salted cucumbers.
- High productivity. At the peak of fruiting, 6-8 fruits can form on the plant at a time.
The hybrid has very few cons:
- Thorniness. This can be easily corrected by swiping your hand up and down several times, breaking off the thorns.
- Big size. Since fruits can reach 40–45 centimeters, they are inconvenient salt... To fit in a jar, you need to cut them into slices or cubes.
Reviews
Summer residents fell in love with the Alligator hybrid for its unusualness and high yield of fruits.
Valentina and Igor, Nizhny Novgorod: “We have been looking for a good variety of cucumbers for open ground in the country for a long time. We became interested in the Alligator variety, began to study the intricacies of planting. They followed the advice of colleagues and in a few weeks they harvested the first harvest of cucumbers. We are satisfied with the result. "
Alexandra, Belgorod: “My husband and I found a good way to escape from the bustle of the city and began to grow cucumbers in the country. Friends advised to pay attention to the varieties of Chinese cucumbers, which can be called the Alligator and the Chinese miracle. We still thank them for this valuable advice and are ready to recommend them to everyone who wants to start farming. "
Timofey Alekseevich, Uslan: “It is important for me that with the minimum expenditure of time and effort in the garden, a good result is obtained. Alligator cucumber hybrid fully meets the requirements. Fruits grow large, are stored for a long time, are good in salads. I advise everyone. "
Conclusion
Alligator hybrid - cucumbers are large, early ripening and unusual, therefore they attract the attention of many summer residents. They have a sweetish taste without bitterness, they are used fresh for salads.
If you follow simple rules, it will not be difficult to grow cucumbers on the site, which will bear fruit within 45 days after sowing and give large tasty fruits.