What is a gherkin and what size should it be. we grow cucumbers

Small pickled cucumbers (cucumber) are an integral part of almost every feast. They are liked by many summer residents, who plant different varieties to suit their taste, producing small and tasty fruits. By the way, a gherkin is not a variety of cucumber, but a size, so you can collect it from different plants. Read on to learn how to choose the right gherkin varieties, why salad varieties are best suited for these purposes, and how to properly implement agricultural practices. Also from this review you will learn how and where the variety of small cucumbers appeared, what yields can be harvested on your site, and what you need to know about pest control.

Characteristics and description of gherkin cucumbers

Gherkins are a size, not a type, of cucumber. That is, theoretically, they can be collected from any crop, although salad crops produce the most delicious (in this case, juicy and crunchy) fruits. Gherkins are picked 1-2 days after the ovaries appear - when the length of the fruit is several centimeters (usually no more than five). Even such small, unripe cucumbers are quite tasty, have an appetizing crunch and are ideal for pickling. The characteristics of the fruit directly depend on the best varieties for pickling grown on the site. If you want the harvest to be tasty, beautiful and not bitter, choose appropriate crops.

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Gherkins differ from other cucumbers in their size

Gherkin (from the French cornichon) are small cucumbers from 3 to 5 cm long, harvested immediately after the end of flowering of the cucumber plant. They are used mainly for pickling and salting.

Features: gherkin sizes

Small cucumbers came from France - it was French breeders who set the fashion for crispy small fruits. Don't confuse gherkins with pickles - yes, some gherkins can be pickles, but not all. The first type of cucumber grows to a maximum of 9 cm, and usually no more than 5. It is a several-day-old fruit, which, from a botanical point of view, is more like an ovary. And the second type is any small pickled vegetables. That is, pickles can be cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, carrots, even corn cobs.

Gherkins have a number of differences from ordinary pickling and salad cucumbers. The main ones are high density and the absence of voids, due to which the vegetable turns out crispy.

What cucumbers should look like

Gherkins are cylindrical in shape and bright green in color (Meringue is a good example). The ripening time is short, the taste is high, and the fruits usually do not have time to acquire bitterness within a few days from the moment the ovaries form. Another important advantage of gherkins is their versatility (they can be pickled, salted, used for making salads, canapés, or eaten in their pure form). Hybrids are resistant to most pests, such as aphids, mites. The yield is not bad, the only disadvantage of the cucumber variety is the presence of prickly thorns.

They are cylindrical in shape and bright green in color.

Growing

Gherkins are most often sown in the ground 2 weeks after the last frost, when the soil is warm and soft enough for the seeds to take root. Please also note that it is not recommended to plant it later than 85 days before the first autumn frosts. Almost all varieties can be pre-planted in greenhouse conditions and then moved to the beds. In this case, sowing should be carried out 20 days before the last frost of spring. Place 3 to 5 seeds in a pot and thin out after germination. When the sprouts become crowded, leave the 2 strongest ones.

Carnichon harvest

The varieties of gherkins common today have been bred by breeders for many years. These cucumbers have such important characteristics as:

• resistance to diseases such as powdery mildew;
• early ripening - the first fruits can be harvested 38-45 days after sowing;
• stable fruiting throughout the season;
• amazingly pure cucumber taste without bitterness;
• attractive appearance in the photo.

To mulch the soil in which cucumbers of this subspecies were planted, it is necessary to use mown grass or chopped straw.

Experienced summer residents note that gherkins grow very well on a trellis. This adaptation not only increases yield, but also reduces the likelihood of disease, simplifies pollination and makes vegetables easier to harvest. To ensure that pollinating insects do a good job on the garden bed, it is recommended to plant plants with bright yellow flowers next to the garden bed.

After ripening, gherkins, depending on fertility, are removed from the branches almost every day. The main thing here is not to overexpose the fruit and pick it when it reaches 5-8 cm in length. These gherkins, pickled for the winter, will look just like the photos in cookbooks and will bring maximum nutrients to the body.

Good varieties

Choosing the right variety is the key to successfully growing delicious gherkins. Most Popular:

• “Parisian gherkin” is an early-ripening crop, pollinated by bees. The first harvest is harvested 41 days after planting in the ground. The fruits reach 6-10 cm in size.
• “Moravian Gherkin F1” has high taste qualities and grows no worse in the ground than in greenhouses.
• “Gerda F1”, “Kai F1 ” - these varieties have similar parameters and give a good harvest even in conditions of lack of heat.
• "Advance F1" is an early ripening crop with excellent taste characteristics, the length of the fruit is 7-9 cm.
• “Thumbelina F1” is an early ripening variety, unpretentious to storage and transportation conditions.
• “Harmonist F1” - the crop has the longest fruiting period, bunched ovaries are formed during the growing season.
• “Chinese resistant” is a hybrid with high immunity that is not afraid of most diseases. Read about cold-resistant Chinese cucumber here.

Mini gherkins are harvested a few days after flowering ends.

Another recipe

Now we will look at another recipe for gherkins for the winter. These cucumbers go well with any dish.

To prepare you will need:

• two liters of water;
• one kilogram of gherkins;
• three cloves of garlic;
• one teaspoon of mustard beans;
• one small carrot;
• 70 ml vinegar 9%;
• two bay leaves;
• ten grams of dill with umbrellas;
• two teaspoons of salt;
• two tbsp. spoons of sugar;
• 4 things. allspice and the same amount of black pepper;
• two leaves of horseradish, currants and cherries.

Having collected all this, start cooking.

Choosing a place for beds

Loose and light soils with an acidity level of 6 to 7.5 pH are good for gherkins. If the soil is excessively acidic, it is advisable to carry out preliminary liming. Adding organic matter during the autumn digging of the garden will increase the fertility of the soil and supply it with the necessary amount of nitrogen.

The gherkin is a capricious culture in both light and cold. It is better to make cucumber beds in the form of ridges, with a slope to the south - this way they will be protected from the north wind. To avoid overcooling of the soil during late spring frosts, special mobile beds with film insulation can be made for gherkin cucumbers.

Popular with poultry farmers

Cornishes hold one of the leading places in popularity among poultry farmers when the question arises of choosing a breed for breeding.

This is facilitated by data characterizing the bird:

• high productivity;
• resilience and rare incidence of morbidity;
• moderate mobility;
• unpretentiousness in everyday life and adaptation to different climatic conditions;
• high growth rate.

Gherkins are very popular among poultry farmers.

Demand for young meat

The peculiarity of the breed is the valuable meat of gherkin chickens, which are raised until they reach a weight of 350-600 g (2-3 weeks of life), then sent for slaughter.

Gherkin meat is rich in vitamins PP, H, C, E and group B, as well as minerals, incl. potassium, phosphorus, iron, etc.

Chicken carcasses weighing up to 1.5 kg (from 8 weeks) are in demand due to their well-developed, wide breast and large mass of white meat.

Reviews from gardeners

Libre Commt levent

I plant varieties with a bunched ovary; 5-8 cucumbers grow from one node, which is why they are called bunched ovaries.

Source: ok.ru

Kitten, Moscow

My favorite variety at the moment is Claudia. This beauty has never let me down. The cucumbers are always neat, with small seeds and sweet!

This variety is also very good in twists, the jars have been standing for two years now (last year the harvest was simply gigantic), and they taste like new. Hard, crispy.

Source: forum.tvoysad.ru

Growing and care

Gherkins require more care than standard greens. They are very sensitive to soil quality, environmental conditions, and pests. Therefore, to obtain a good harvest, it is necessary to carefully monitor the plantings and provide proper care.

When planting seeds, work is done in a greenhouse or at home in special containers. The soil for cultivation is fertilized or ready-made soil is purchased in specialized stores.

Pre-treatment of seeds consists of soaking in growth stimulants or a solution of potassium permanganate for 3 hours. Then the seeds are laid on moist soil (temperature above 17 ° C ) and covered with slightly wet gauze. When roots begin to form, the seeds are planted 3 cm into the ground and watered.

In the event that seedlings are planted, the ground is pre-treated. Weeds are dug up and enriched with mineral and organic fertilizers.

Young gherkins on a bush

The landing site is leveled to facilitate work. The degree of soil moisture is also important. It is necessary to avoid excessive dryness (if necessary, water twice a day), but also not to overwater so that rot does not appear.

Basic rules of care:

1. It is necessary to regularly dig up the soil and get rid of weeds. Use extreme caution to avoid damaging the sensitive root system;
2. Systematically water the bushes at the roots. At elevated ambient temperatures, work can be carried out every day. When flowers appear - every other day. For additional replenishment, fertilizers can be periodically added to the water for irrigation;
3. Fertilizer with mineral and organic preparations. Throughout the summer, depending on the initial condition of the soil, work is carried out at least 5 times.
4. In order to prevent the bushes growing upward from falling, they must be tied to the upper crossbars of the greenhouse or greenhouse or to a stick installed vertically.
5. Harvesting is carried out regularly, at least once every 2 days.

If you do not treat the plantings and do not provide proper care, the vegetable crop may be subject to a number of diseases and pest attacks:

• Aphid . Signs: the above-ground part dries out and turns yellow. The leaves of the plant bend and the flowers fall off. To fight, use solutions of laundry soap and ash, or onions and garlic;
• Rust . The green part is covered with dark burgundy rashes. Treatment is carried out with fungicides;
• Root-knot nematode . With this type of disease, the growth of the bush stops and it does not bear fruit. Fight with chemical methods or steam treatment;
• Downy mildew . Signs of infection are light inclusions that form on the leaves and subsequently completely affect the ground part of the bush. Chemical or folk methods are used to combat;
• Spider mite . The ground part turns yellow and fades. At the first signs, treat with a solution of soap and water.

Planting care

In the open ground

Gherkins are grown outdoors most often in regions with warm climates. To obtain an early harvest, plant seedlings (pre-grown on a windowsill or in a greenhouse). The start time of work directly depends on the temperature to which the earth has warmed up. It must be at least 14 °C , otherwise the bushes may die.

Work order:

1. Enrich the soil with fertilizers;
2. Make 5 cm indentations with a distance of 60 cm between them;
3. The beds should be located at a distance of about 2 meters from each other;
4. Carefully, without damaging the root system and above-ground parts, plant the seedlings;
5. Carry out watering.

The difference in harvest time between planting seedlings and seeds is approximately 14 days .

Gherkin seedlings

In the greenhouse

To grow gherkins in a greenhouse, it is advisable to choose self-pollinating varieties that are resistant to disease.

On a note ! The air humidity in the enclosed space where gherkins are grown should initially be 95% . When sprouts appear - 80% . Air access must be provided to the room to prevent the formation of mold.

Watering is carried out exclusively on the rhizomes, preventing water from entering the ground part and leaves. When the underground part reaches the surface, it is covered with treated soil.

Of course, the temperature regime organized in the greenhouse is important. After planting, the temperature should not fall below 26°C . When sprouts appear within a week - 23°C . Further not lower than 20°C . When the bushes get stronger, set the minimum temperature to 18°C .

Gourmet cucumbers

Productivity

You need to harvest the bushes often - every few days. Mini-hybrids are unlikely to outgrow 5-9 cm, but until the old fruits are removed, new ones are not set. The minimum growth period of the plant is 35 days (depending on the variety); from one bush, subject to the rules of care, you can collect 10 kg or more per square meter. The number of harvests is 2-3 per season. The fruiting period of gherkins lasts from June until approximately the end of August or early-mid September. At the end of the season, the fruits should be collected periodically, rather than waiting until they reach their maximum size.

Productivity is up to 10 kg per square meter

Mini-gherkin varieties acquire full commercial qualities in small-sized specimens. That is, a cucumber 3 cm long will be fully ripe.

About adult Cornish chickens

Standard chickens weigh between 2.5 and 4 kg. White roosters have the best meat qualities, therefore they are used as the father form for raising broilers. Chickens are characterized by white, fawn, red and brown plumage with a double border.

Breeders have bred decorative Indian Cornish chickens with an unusual dark color. In other indicators of productivity, they do not differ from their relatives.

External standards and photos

Birds have a massive build: a wide back and chest. Short and squat. The neck is short. The legs are strong and parallel. The head is large, with a large beak and deep-set eyes. Protruding brow ridges are characteristic of fighting breeds. The comb is bright scarlet. Roosters have large earrings. The plumage is dense and smooth, there is practically no fluff.

Birds have a wide back and chest.

Hatching instinct in chickens

Due to their calm nature, laying hens have a developed maternal instinct for incubating eggs. A hindrance is the extreme timidity of the hens, which, at the slightest rustle, can damage the eggs in their anxiety.

Poultry productivity

Representatives of the Cornish breed are distinguished by their rate of weight gain. At 2 months, young animals weigh about 1 kg, and at 3 months their weight increases 2-3 times. This dynamics ensures good productivity both in private farmsteads and on farms.

The egg production period for chickens is a little over a year. At 6-8 months, hens begin to produce large eggs (up to 60 g) of cream or brown color. The quantity is on average 150 pcs. in year.

Gherkins are distinguished by their rate of weight gain.

Plumage change and molting

Feather changing begins in August and lasts 2-4 months. The number of eggs is reduced. It is possible to reduce the period and postpone the molting to September by providing good lighting to the chicken coop and introducing cottage cheese, skim milk, shells, chalk, shells, and sprouted grains into the diet.

Breeding Features

Chickens are kept in cage and free-range farming.

Individuals housed in a cage are protected from dangerous viruses, but lack of physical activity due to cramped space causes obesity and disrupts the process of reproduction and egg production.

Such maintenance of poultry intended for slaughter affects the taste of the meat, making it tough and dry. The method is mainly used in large poultry farms.

Chickens should be kept in cage and free-range farming.

Floor housing is considered the most suitable for raising meat chickens. Walking in the fresh air has a positive effect on the development of young animals and improves the taste characteristics of meat, regulating weight standards.

To increase the productivity of the flock, the poultry farmer must follow several breeding rules:

• maintaining a temperature in the chicken coop not lower than +10...+15 °C, humidity within 60-70% and protection from drafts;
• ensuring the safety of hens and placing nests in remote areas of the chicken coop to avoid stressful situations;
• equipping a small pit filled with sand and ash in the walking pen, which will allow the chickens to get rid of fleas by bathing in a kind of bath (the short neck does not make it possible to reach all parts of the body with their beak if they are bothered by the bites of parasitic insects);
• placement of the pole and perch at a low level, because due to the large size of the corniches, they can fall and be injured.

It is better to postpone the purchase of a breeding chicken for improving and breeding the breed until the bird is 4-4.5 months old. At this time, it is already possible to assess the potential of Cornish.

The Cornish breed is characterized by a decrease in meat productivity over a generation. For long-term breeding, it is recommended to mix another maternal breed, such as Plymouth Rocks, into the sire parent form.

Diet of adult chickens

At 2 months, Cornish cats are transferred to an adult diet consisting of the following components:

• wet food in the form of mash during morning feeding;
• vegetable protein - legumes and cereals, which are added to grain mixtures;
• animal protein necessary before egg laying to improve the quality of the offspring;
• greens, vegetables and root vegetables to reduce fat mass.

The bird is fed 4 times a day, 40-42 g of food for each meal. It is impossible to exceed the portion norm, because when gaining excess weight, the bird’s ability to reproduce deteriorates.

An adult drinks up to 1 liter of liquid per day, so drinking bowls must be regularly filled with fresh water, which is also suitable for humans.

Small cucumbers turn yellow. Why did the cucumber tops turn yellow?

Yellowing of the tops is a common occurrence. For some, only part of the leaf turns yellow, for others, absolutely all the tops may turn brown and dry out. Sometimes this happens: a gardener notices a light border on the green mass of a bush.

Most often, the reason for this kind of “change” cannot be found out. But you cannot despair, otherwise there is a risk of losing absolutely the entire harvest. It's better to try to find out the reason.

If you know the reason for this kind of change, then you can take the necessary measures to save the harvest. There can be many of them:

• the plant does not have enough sunlight;
• the cause may also be an excess of sunlight;
• if watered with cold water;
• the plant is not pollinated enough;
• it became ill with a fungal infection or was attacked by aphids;
• her lifespan has simply expired;
• The yellowing was due to a lack of minerals in the soil.

Aphid

We need to take a closer look at some of the reasons:

1. Lack of light. This is the most common reason why cucumber tops turn yellow. Especially on the lower leaves. In central Russia this is a fairly typical situation, and there is no need to worry. But if even in ideal lighting the tops of cucumbers turn yellow, what should you do? Inspect the beds, do they resemble dense thickets? It is difficult for the rays to get through the thicket of plants, so some of them will turn yellow. You just need to remove them in time.
2. Fungal infection and aphids. A solution of soda will help against fungal infections. A tablespoon of this mixture is dissolved in 10 liters of water. Then you need to water the bushes with the resulting solution. The following remedy is effective against insects: a decoction of onion peels should be infused throughout the day. Then you need to dilute it with water and spray the leaves with it. If the gardener is sure that the cause is aphids, then an infusion of hot pepper and garlic will help him.
3. Aging due to natural causes. In July, the tops turn yellow for natural reasons. By mid-summer, the vast majority of gardeners have already managed to harvest their harvest. So few people think about the problem of yellowing of tops.