The best varieties of cucumbers for growing outdoors: bee-pollinated and self-pollinated (parthenocarpic)

Naturally, each gardener has his own personal list of favorite varieties of cucumbers that show the best results specifically on his site for a long period when grown outdoors.

However, it will be useful for novice summer residents to learn about the hybrids and varieties of cucumbers that have received the most popularity and recognition among experienced gardeners. And here a rational approach will be needed to find the options that are right for you, giving the highest and most stable yields. As you know, the ripening time, taste, appearance and resistance to diseases and pests are very important.

What are the best cucumber hybrids and varieties for outdoor cultivation?

For obvious reasons, it is believed that for growing in the open field are optimal bee-pollinated hybrids and varieties, and in the greenhouse - parthenocarpic hybrids (not requiring pollination).

Interesting! On packs of some parthenocarpic cucumbers it is written that the hybrid is intended for indoor use (greenhouses). But this does not mean at all that you cannot plant it in the open field, because among the main advantages of growing parthenocarpic cucumbers in the open field are the following: they tolerate temperature changes better (for example, if you have an unstable climate), get sick less, store well , do not turn yellow and do not lose their presentation for a long time.

Also for pollination you don't need bees (bumblebees), which you may not have at all in sufficient quantities (although you don't need a lot of them).

Before buying cucumber seeds, namely choosing a specific hybrid or variety, you should ask yourself a few questions:

• In which place you will have cucumber bed - in the sun or in partial shade?

By the way! It is believed that only a few self-pollinated cucumber hybrids can bear fruit normally in low light conditions, but almost all bee-pollinated ones. However, a sufficient number of shade-tolerant both parthenocarpic and bee-pollinated cucumbers have now been bred.

• Are you planning collect cucumber seeds, that is, do you need varietal (then - yes) or hybrid seeds (then - no, because the seeds of F1 hybrids do not retain their maternal properties, it makes no sense to collect them)?

By the way! About, how to properly collect and harvest cucumber seeds, written in detail in this article.

• What harvest amount do you want to get (yield characteristics)?
• How much steady grade to diseases, Do you often have to carry out treatments for diseases?
• What do you want to do with the crop, how to use (type or purpose): eat immediately (for salad) or processing (salting, pickling, canning)? However, many hybrids and varieties - universal purpose... But as a rule, long cucumbers go to salad, and short ones (gherkins and especially pickles) are taken for pickling and canning.

Also, depending on the ripening period, cucumbers are divided into early (early ripening), medium or late ripening. But all popular varieties, as a rule, are exactly early or early maturing.

The following will provide a brief overview and description of the most popular hybrids and varieties of cucumbers for open ground depending on the type of pollination: self-pollinated (and it is more correct to say exactly “parthenocarpic"Or" not requiring pollination ") and bee-pollinated.

Interesting! How to easily distinguish a hybrid from a variety:

• the hybrid first has a small cucumber, and then it reveals flower.
• the variety at first just a yellow flower appears, which is not the fact that it will become a cucumber (perhaps it is a male flower).

The best bee-pollinated cucumbers for open ground: top-15

By the way! Unlike parthenocarpic bee-pollinated cucumbers share for hybrids and varieties.

Remember! Cucumber seeds can be harvested only varieties... Hybrids (F1) don't make any sense.

The list of the best bee-pollinated cucumbers for open field prepared on the basis of the popularity of hybrid names, reviews experienced gardeners, as well personal opinion of the author... List givenalphabetically.

Bee-pollinated cucumber hybrids: top 7 best

Loyal friends F1

• Early maturing bee-pollinated hybrid. It starts bearing fruit on the 37-39 day after germination.
• The plant is climbing, indeterminate, weakly growing, mainly of the female flowering type. Bundle ovary from 2-3 to 5-8 or more ovaries are formed in the nodes.
• For open ground, tunnels, spring greenhouses.
• The fruits are tuberous, black-spiky, oval-cylindrical in shape.
• Length - 8-10 cm, diameter - 3.5-4.1 cm, weight - 90-105 g.
• Productivity - up to 2.5-3 kg per sq. meter (in the open field).
• Salting and taste qualities are very high.
• Cold hardy, resistant to olive spot, cucumber mosaic virus, tolerant to powdery mildew and downy mildew.

Hector F1

• Early maturing bee-pollinated hybrid.
• The plant is determinant, bush, compact, predominantly female flowering type.
• For growing in the open field.
• The fruit is cylindrical, green, large tubercles (sparse tubercles), white pubescence.
• Weight - 95-100 g, length - 10-12 cm, diameter - 3.0-3.3 cm.
• Productivity - up to 3.94 kg per square meter.
• The taste is excellent.
• Universal: salad, canning.
• Resistant to olive spot, cucumber mosaic virus, powdery mildew.

Kids on the F1 branch

• Early maturing bee-pollinated hybrid (from germination to the beginning of fruiting 42-45 days).
• The plant is indeterminate, vigorous, medium-branched, predominantly female flowering type. Bundle ovary, in the bosom of each leaf, 2-3 cucumbers are simultaneously formed.
• Recommended for growing in open ground and under cover films.
• The fruit is short, cylindrical, small tuberous; pubescence is white, dense.
• Weight - 90-100 g.
• Productivity - up to 10-11 kg per sq. meter (in the greenhouse).
• Excellent taste, not bitter, no voids, juicy and crunchy.
• Universal use: great fresh, in salads, perfect for all types of pickling and pickling.

Brownie F1

• Medium early bee-pollinated hybrid, the period from germination to fruiting 45-48 days.
• The plant is indeterminate, medium-sized, medium-branched.
• Designed for growing in open ground and under film shelters.
• Fruits are short, even, fusiform, large tuberous, white pubescence, of medium density.
• Length - 6-9 cm, weight - 80-110 g.
• Productivity - up to 10-11 kg per sq. meter.
• Excellent taste, crunchy, no bitterness, no yellowing.
• Excellent fresh, salted and pickled.
• Resistant to cladosporium, true and downy mildew.

Libelle F1

• A mid-season bee-pollinated hybrid that starts bearing fruit on the 49-52 day after germination.
• The plant is long-leaved.
• For cultivation in open ground, film shelters and greenhouses.
• The fruit is elongated-elliptical, small tuberous, dark green.
• Length - 12-14 cm, weight - 100-150 g.
• Productivity - up to 5-10 kg per square meter.
• Possesses excellent appearance and taste.
• Universal use: salad and canning.
• Resistant to downy mildew, olive spot.

Lord F1

• Mid-season bee-pollinated hybrid. It starts bearing fruit 40-44 days after full germination.
• The plant is indeterminate, medium branched, female flowering type, the number of female flowers in a node is 1-2.
• For growing in open and protected ground.
• The fruit is small with a short neck, fusiform, slightly ribbed, green with short stripes, large tuberous, white-thorn.
• Length - 10-12 cm, weight - 90-120 g.
• Productivity - up to 9-13 kg per square meter
• Universal: pickling, canning and taste qualities are very high.
• It has good cold resistance. The hybrid is resistant to powdery mildew, olive spot, common cucumber mosaic virus, tolerant to downy mildew.

Spring F1

• Medium early (from germination to fruiting 40-48 days).
• A bee-pollinated hybrid of a predominantly female flowering type.
• For growing in the open field and under temporary cover films.
• The fruit is cylindrical, slightly elongated towards the base, green with light stripes, black and brown thorn, medium tuberous.
• Length - 9-10 cm, weight - 80-100 g.
• Productivity up to 5 kg from 1 plant.
• The taste is excellent.
• Ideal for pickling and preserving.
• Anthracnose resistant, relatively resistant to downy mildew, bacteriosis and olive spot.

Other bee-pollinated hybrids

Note! Some firms sell the same hybrids(usually Dutch or Russian author's selection).

• Productionfirm "Manul"(for open ground and greenhouses): Farmer F1, Maisky F1 (all ordinary - classic), Alphabet F1, Acorn F1, Captain F1, Compass F1, Teremok F1, Saltan F1 (all with bunched ovaries). Relay F1, Olympiada F1, Manul F1 (ideal for preparing salads).
• Firm "Gavrish" sell a huge variety of bee-pollinated hybrids: Authority F1, Athlete F1, Bucks F1, Borovichok F1, Brigadier F1, Boomer F1, Valdai F1, Merry Notes F1, Blues F1, Uncle Fedor F1, Crane F1, Stash F1, Green Snake F1, King of the garden F1, Krakow F1, Cucuy F1, Kum da Kuma F1, Swallow F1, Maisky F1, Salted F1, Moravian Gherkin F1, Moskovsky Pizhon F1, Nasoli! F1, Otel F1, Cellar F1, Ambassador F1, Pososhok F1, Prince Mix F1, Razgulyay F1, Russian fun F1, RusCrust F1, Towel F1, Semcross F1, Slobodskoy F1, Nightingale F1, Tearaway F1, Topolek F1, Suitor F1, Khlebosolny F1, Khutorok F1, Gypsy F1, Chizhik F1, Southern Emerald F1, Fair F1.
• Firm"Aelita" sells no less number of bee-pollinated hybrids (Annushka F1, Appetizing F1, Aty-Bati F1, Afonya F1, Ajax F1 and many others, especially highlight -No hassle F1, Kumanek F1 and Guys from the F1 garden).
• And other companies, for example, agricultural firms "Search", "Sedek", "Partner" (Baikonur F1, Zhuravlenok F1, Swallow F1, etc.).
• Also excellent bee-pollinated hybrids for open ground are (company "Semko"): Twixie F1, Understudy F1, Actor F1, Stuntman F1, Artek F1, Eaglet F1, Semcross F1.

Video: bee-pollinated cucumber hybrids for open ground (review of seeds of the company "Semko")

Bee-pollinated varieties of cucumbers: top 8 best

Elegant

• An early maturing bee-pollinated variety (fruiting occurs in 40-50 days).
• The plant is medium-growing.
• For outdoor cultivation.
• Fruits are small lumpy, whitish.
• Length - 10-13 cm, weight - 140 grams (according to other sources, length -9-12, weight - 90-110 grams).
• Productivity - 1.1-7.2 kg per square meter (according to other sources 5-7 kg).
• Great taste. Perfectly suits both fresh consumption and for pickling, pickling, canning.
• Possesses high cold resistance. Resistant to olive spot.

Chinese snake

• Medium late bee-pollinated variety.
• The plant is powerful, intensively developing, with a long fruiting period.
• For outdoor cultivation using temporary cover films.
• To increase productivity, pinch the main shoot after 6-7 leaves.
• The fruit is very long, up to 60 cm, serpentine, dark green, large, sparsely tuberous, with a short handle.
• Productivity with proper agricultural technology is up to 30 kg per sq. meter.

Chinese cucumber varieties are famous for their unsurpassed taste and aroma of fruits: sweet, juicy, without voids, with a thin delicate skin and small seed chambers - ideal for preparing fresh summer salads.

• The variety is picky about soil fertility, regular feeding is recommended.

Competitor

• Mid-season bee-pollinated variety (46-52 days from sowing to fruiting)
• The plant is highly branched, the length of the main whip is 140-200 cm.
• Designed for growing in open ground and under temporary film shelters.
• The fruit is oval-cylindrical, green with longitudinal light stripes, large lumpy, complex thorns, black.
• Length - 10-14 cm, diameter - 3.5-5 cm, weight - 65-95 g.
• Productivity - up to 7.8 kg per sq. meter.
• The taste is high.
• Mostly ideal for canning and pickling.
• Resistant to a complex of diseases.

Kid

• Ultra-early maturing bee-pollinated variety (41-43 days from full germination to fruiting).
• The plant is bushy, compact (lash length 40-42 cm), slightly branched. Bundle arrangement of ovaries... Up to 6 ovaries are laid in the leaf axil.
• For growing in the open field and under temporary cover films.
• The fruit is elliptical, with large, sparse tubercles, with white pubescence,
• Length - 9-10 cm, weight - 80-115 g.
• Great taste. Used fresh and for canning.
• Productivity - 3.4-3.9 kg per square meter.

Nezhinsky

• A mid-season bee-pollinated variety (46-51 days from seedling fruiting).
• The plant is indeterminate, vigorous, highly branched, of a mixed type of flowering.
• Recommended for growing in open ground and under cover films.
• Fruits are short, ovate, green with stripes of medium length, large lumpy, black pubescence, rare.
• Length - 9-11 cm, weight - 80-110 g.
• Productivity - up to 4.9 kg per sq. meter.
• The taste is excellent.
• Universal use: salad, canning.
• Resistant to olive spot and cucumber mosaic virus.

Parisian gherkin

• An early maturing bee-pollinated variety (the period from germination to the beginning of fruiting is 38-45 days).
• The plant is indeterminate, medium-sized, medium-branched, mainly of the female flowering type. FROM bundle arrangement of ovaries.
• Designed for growing in open ground and under temporary film shelters.
• Fruits are short, fusiform, large tuberous, black-spined,
• 8-9 cm long, weight 60-80 g.
• Productivity - 3-4 kg per sq. meter.
• Excellent taste, no bitterness, dense, crunchy.
• Universal purpose. Ideal for cooking lightly salted, pickled and canned cucumbers.
• Resistant to true and downy mildew.

Variety beam, which means that it requires daily collection of gherkins.

Finger

• Early maturing bee-pollinated variety (44-46 days from germination to fruiting).
• The plant is indeterminate, strongly plaited, medium-branched, with a bundle of ovaries.
• Recommended for outdoor cultivation.
• The fruit is elongated-cylindrical, dark green, with medium-length stripes and weak spotting, large tubercles, sparse tubercles, white pubescence.
• Length - 9.2-12.7 cm, diameter - 2.7-3.4 cm, weight -114-120 g.
• Productivity - 1.8-2.9 kg per sq. meter (in the open field).
• The taste is excellent.
• Universal use: for preparing salads, canned food, pickling.
• Differs in long-term fruiting - more than 60 days.
• Tolerant to downy mildew.

Phoenix 640

• Late ripening, fruiting 55-65 days after germination.
• Bee-pollinated variety.
• The plant is vigorous, the length of the main stem can reach 3 meters.
• Designed for growing in open ground and under temporary film shelters.
• The fruit is green, oval-cylindrical, with longitudinal light stripes, large lumpy, complex thorns, white.
• Length - 12-16 cm, weight - 120-180 g.
• Good taste.
• Salad: intended for fresh consumption.
• It has complex resistance to powdery mildew and cucumber mosaic virus.
• Differs in a long fruiting period.

Other bee-pollinated varieties

Of course, the whole variety of bee-pollinated cucumbers is not limited only to the aforementioned varieties. Also, the following are still quite popular:

• Stork;
• Altaic;
• Vyaznikovsky 37;
• Far East 27;
• Salting;
• Reliable;
• Monastic;
• Muromsky.
• Phoenix plus.

The best self-pollinated (parthenocarpic) cucumbers for open ground: top 5

Note! Bee-pollinated and parthenocarpic cucumbers cannot be grown on the same bed., otherwise, with such a joint planting, the greens will turn out to be crooked and ugly, as well as, as a rule, pear-shaped (bottle-shaped). The fact is that pollinating insects (bees, bumblebees) will, among other things, also pollinate the flowers of parthenocarpic cucumbers, which do not need it and will only harm them (their shape will change).

Most Popular Parthenocarpic Cucumbers: Top 5 Biggest Hits

Note!The list of the best parthenocarpic (no pollination) cucumbers for open field prepared on the basis of the popularity of hybrid names, reviews experienced gardeners, as well personal opinion of the author... List givenalphabetically.

Herman F1

An ever popular hybrid of Dutch breeding.

• Early maturing parthenocarpic hybrid, fruiting in 40-45 days from germination.
• The plant is determinate, medium-sized, with limited shoot-forming ability.With bunched ovaries... With sufficient nutrition, it forms 6-7 fruits on each node.
• Designed for growing in open ground, under temporary film shelters, as well as in protected ground (film greenhouses).
• The fruits are dark green, even, cylindrical, tuberous, with white pubescence.
• Length - 10-12 cm, diameter - 2.9-3.1 cm, weight - 70-90 g.
• Productivity - up to 8.5-9 kg per square meter.
• Taste good or great. There is no bitterness.
• Universal use: perfect for pickling, pickling and fresh consumption.
• It is resistant to cucumber mosaic virus, cladosporium disease and powdery mildew.

Zozulya F1

One of the oldest (bred in the 70s) domestic varieties.

• An early ripe hybrid, fruiting 45-50 days after germination (according to other sources, 40-45 days).
• Partially parthenocarpic. It has mainly female flowers, but bears fruit better at the initial bee pollination.
• The plant is medium-growing, branching is weak.
• For indoor cultivation (film greenhouse).
• Can be grown on the balcony.
• Fruits are cylindrical, slightly lumpy, whitish.
• Length - 14-24 cm, weight - 150-300 grams.
• High yield - up to 40 kg per sq. meter (according to other sources up to 15-25 kg).
• Great taste. The fruits do not taste bitter, do not turn yellow and retain their presentation for a long time.
• Mainly for salad purposes, but young greens can go for salting.
• Relatively cold-resistant.
• Differs in amicable and long-term fruiting.
• Resistant to olive spot and cucumber mosaic virus.

Courage F1

A permanent hit from the Russian breeding company "Gavrish".

• Early ripening parthenocarpic hydride, from germination to fruiting 45-50 days.
• Designed for growing in film greenhouses.
• Plants are indeterminate, vigorous, shoot-forming ability is average. With bunched ovaries, in the nodes 2-4 ovaries are formed (up to 5-6 pieces).
• The fruit is dark green, with light stripes, lumpy, white-thorn.
• Length - 12-15 cm, diameter - 4.0-4.5 cm, weight - 120-130 g.
• Productivity - 6-8 kg per plant or up to 16-18 kg per square meter.
• The taste is good and excellent, without bitterness.
• Universal use (for salad and canning).
• Relatively resistant to major diseases.

Masha F1

Along with Hermann, this is one of the most popular Dutch breeding hybrids.

• An early ripening parthenocarpic hybrid, fruiting occurs 37-39 days after germination.
• The plant is determinate, medium-sized, with limited shoot-forming ability. With bunched ovaries... With sufficient nutrition, the plant forms up to 6-7 fruits in each node.
• Suitable for growing in the open field and under a film cover.
• Fruits are cylindrical, leveled, dark green, lumpy, whitish.
• Length - 8-9 cm, diameter - 3.0-3.5 cm.
• Productivity - up to 10-11 kg per sq. meters.
• Excellent taste. Without emptiness and bitterness.
• Universal use: for fresh consumption and canning.
• Resistant to cucumber mosaic virus, downy mildew and downy mildew, cladosporiosis.

Shosha F1

The biggest hit among the new hybrids in 2018. The originator of the variety is Blokin-Mechtalin Vasily Ivanovich.

• Early maturing parthenocarpic hybrid, fruiting occurs 39-43 days after germination.
• The plant is indeterminate, medium-branched. In the knot, from 1 to 3 ovaries are formed (with a tendency to beam type of ovary arrangement).
• For growing in the open field and under temporary film shelters, as well as in closed ground (film greenhouses).
• The fruit is dark green, cylindrical, medium tuberous, with thorns and white pubescence.
• Length - 9-11 cm, diameter - 3-3.5 cm, weight - 50-80 g.
• Productivity - up to 12 kg per sq. meter in open ground and up to 18 kg per sq. meter in a protected (greenhouse).
• The taste is good.
• Universal use: for fresh consumption and canning.
• Resistant to major diseases: cucumber mosaic virus, powdery mildew, target leaf spot and cucumber vein yellowing virus. Tolerant to peronosporosis.

Other parthenocarpic hybrids

Naturally, there are a huge number of equally excellent and proven parthenocarpic cucumber hybrids for open ground (alphabetically):

• Adam F1;
• Cupid 1801 F1;
• April F1;
• F1 artist;
• Garland F1;
• Gunnar F1;
• F1 Director;
• Zyatek F1;
• Emerald F1 earrings;
• Emerald Stream F1;
• Claudia F1;
• Connie F1;
• Marinda F1;
• Meringue F1;
• Goosebump F1;
• Real Colonel F1;
• Paratunka F1;
• Mother-in-law F1;
• Ecole F1.

By the way! More about the above and others less popular but good hybridsparthenocarpic cucumber read in this overview article.

Now you just have to choose the most suitable hybrid or variety of cucumbers for yourself and your growing conditions, which you will sit in your garden (in the open field) this season.

Advice! And next year, be sure to try a new one.

Video: an overview of cucumber seeds for open ground