Gift from German breeders - cucumbers "Libella" (Libelle)

The cucumber hybrid Libelle is known mainly in the European part of Russia. This is one of the most productive crops grown in our country. At the same time, its cultivation does not present any particular difficulties - the main thing is to know the basic rules and subtleties, which we will discuss below.

Description of the hybrid

Libelle F1 - mid-season hybrid of the first generation, bred by breeders from Germany. It is grown mainly in the Central and Northwestern regions of Russia.

The composition and benefits of cucumbers

100 g of cucumbers contain:

• water - 90-95 g;
• proteins - 0.6 g;
• fats - 0.1 g;
• carbohydrates - 3.6 g;
• calorie content - 15 kcal.

Cucumbers contain vitamins and trace elements (iodine, copper, manganese, phosphorus). These substances have a beneficial effect on the body:

• promote the assimilation of food;
• lower the level of stomach acidity;
• help with kidney and liver diseases, rheumatism and diabetes mellitus;
• improve the functioning of the thyroid gland.

Specifications

The root system of cucumbers is poorly developed, it goes into the ground shallowly. The bushes are covered with a large number of leaves with a large leaf area. Fruits with an elongated shape, when ripe, reach a length of 10-15 cm and a weight of 0.1-0.15 kg.

The surface of the fruit is covered with small tubercles and small white thorns. They have juicy, crunchy and pleasant flesh without a bitter aftertaste.

Libelle is notable for its high yield... With good care and favorable conditions, up to 4-5 kg ​​(maximum - 8-10 kg) of fruits can be harvested from one plant per season. When grown outdoors, such a high result is not always achievable.

How to grow yourself

Cucumbers can be planted with seeds or pre-grown seedlings... In the Russian climate, summer residents mainly use seedlings grown on the windowsill to get an early harvest.

Landing

For growing seedlings prepare peat tablets or cups of sufficient volume and substrate... The latter is a store-bought vegetable potting mix or soil from your site that has been calcined and disinfected.

Before sowing, the planting material is sortedimmersed in salt water (a tablespoon of salt in a glass of warm water). The seeds that float up are thrown away, the rest are allowed to dry out and planted in pots (when grown through seeds - directly into the open ground).

Attention! When unpacking store-bought seeds, pay attention to their appearance. The colored-coated seeds have already been processed. Before planting, seeds without shells are soaked in a manganese solution or in hot water (+ 50-55 ° C) for 20 minutes to disinfect their surface.

At the turn of April and May, seedlings or seeds can be transplanted into open ground... This is done not earlier than several full-fledged leaves will form on the plant, and warm weather will set outside the window without night frosts. It is advisable to place the cucumber bed in an unshaded and windproof place.

Before planting, the topsoil is loosened, places for holes with a depth of 1.5-2 cm are planned at a distance of at least 30 cm from each other. For 1 sq. m. beds will accommodate 3-4 plants. Together with the seeds or seedlings, a little rotted compost is placed in the holes.

Transplanting seedlings is painfully tolerated by plants, therefore, it is planted together with an earthen lump, carefully removed from the pot (if necessary, the size of the holes is expanded). In this sense, planting with peat tablets is preferable.

Growing and care

After planting, the seeds or seedlings are watered with warm water... In the early days at night, the garden bed is covered with a thick cloth to protect the cucumbers from the cold.

Optimum air temperature - + 25-27 ° C, soil - +20 ° C... When the air temperature drops below +10 ° C, the yield and immunity of the plant sharply weaken, growth slows down. At temperatures above + 35 ° C, fertilization becomes impossible.

The plant needs soil rich in humus and trace elements.... The hybrid grows well on any type of soil, be it loam, sandy loam or black soil. Soils with a high level of acidity and a predominance of clay are undesirable. The acidity of the soil is reduced by the addition of dolomite flour or lime (1 liter per sq. M of the garden), the excess of clay - by the addition of coarse sand.

The first fertilization is permissible 2-3 weeks after planting.... In the future, fertilizers are applied no more than once a week, alternating between mineral (potash additives, wood ash) and organic (infusion from fresh cow dung).

Plants love when soil and air are saturated with moisture... Due to the high rate of evaporation of moisture from the leaves, the water exchange of the plant is intense. It is therefore important to provide abundant and regular watering cucumber beds. Watering with cold or tap water is not allowed.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

Cucumber yield Libella depends on the experience of the gardener, as well as from factors such as temperature and humidity, the number of sunny days, pest activity. In practice, bountiful harvests of cucumbers are harvested only once every 4-5 years. However, even in less successful years, the yield remains at a good level. Growing in a greenhouse increases the overall yield.

Greenhouse cultivation complicates the process of pollination by bees and, accordingly, the formation of fruits. Therefore, it is recommended to regularly ventilate the greenhouse so that pollinating insects can enter it (but avoid drafts). Cucumbers tend to let go of long shoots, so adult plants need support.

Libella cucumbers can also be grown on the balcony... In this case, soil containers are important to have a volume that does not constrain the growth of roots, and the balcony itself must be regularly ventilated.

Diseases and pests

Libella demonstrates excellent resistance to many diseases, and, above all, olive spot and powdery mildew.

However do not forget about precautions:

1. Powdery mildew - almost not dangerous for Libelle. It appears when the air humidity is high (for example, as a result of stagnant air in the greenhouse), sudden changes in temperature, or watering with cold water. Symptoms: white spots of powdery bloom on the leaves, passing to shoots and stems, gradual drying of plants. Treatment: destruction of affected leaves, spraying with a solution of copper sulfate and fungicides.
2. Olive spot (cladosporium) - occurs with high humidity and sharp temperature fluctuations. Symptoms: small ulceration and brown spots on leaves and stems, drying and crumbling of the plant, deformation of the stems, cessation of growth. It flows rapidly. Treatment: fungicides, greenhouse ventilation.
3. Root rot - wilting and drying of all parts of the plant. Risk factors - stagnant water and excess nitrogen in the soil, sudden temperature changes. Treatment: replacement or disinfection of the topsoil, destruction of all affected plants.
4. Aphid - it is treated by spraying with an infusion of wood ash or garlic.

Harvesting and application of the crop

The fruiting phase of plants begins approximately 50-60 days after sowing... Harvesting begins in June, with the peak yield at the end of summer. The fruits quickly outgrow, so it is not advisable to delay their collection.

Important! Unripe fruits ("greens") are healthier and much tastier than overripe ones.

Cucumbers can be eaten in any form: raw, added to homemade preparations or salads. Due to their attractive appearance and long shelf life, Libella cucumbers are well suited for sale in markets and shops. The harvested fruits have good keeping quality and retain useful substances until spring.

In some cases, cucumbers may have a bitter taste. or ugly whitish spots on the skin. Bitterness to fruit gives cucurbitacin, a substance that prevents the formation of tumors. Therefore, bitter cucumbers are not at all more harmful, and even healthier than ordinary ones, and they can be safely mixed into salads.

Advantages and disadvantages

Libelle cucumbers have both strengths and weaknesses... See the table below for details.

Reviews

Let us give a few reviews from summer residentswho have already tried Libella cucumbers.

Daria, Kazan: “We have been growing Libella cucumbers for the third year already and their harvest has never disappointed. When planting them for the first time, I did not count on much, since the soil on our site is far from ideal. But the cucumbers still grew delicious. We will plant them in the future ".

Irina, Moscow: “I have always been distrustful of photos and descriptions of varieties on the packaging, so when I first bought a bag of Libella cucumber seeds, I was incredulous. The seedlings did not sprout very amicably and did not look good, but after transplanting to the garden, the cucumbers began to grow better. I was especially pleased with the harvest - delicious, juicy and abundant. Recommend".

Pavel, Orenburg: “The hybrid is disappointing. We took some seeds for testing, the cucumbers grew bitter. It's hard to say why this happened. There is no desire to plant next year ".

Conclusion

Libelle cucumbers are an excellent choice for a novice gardener and summer resident who wants to get bountiful harvests of delicious cucumbers. Their cultivation is possible in almost any conditions: outdoors, in a greenhouse and on a balcony and does not require a lot of money and time.