Herman is a popular variety of cucumbers. Brought out by his subsidiary of the agricultural company Monsanto - Seminis. Since 2001, the variety is listed in the state register of the Russian Federation and can be used in any Russian region. It has many advantages, but there are also disadvantages. When growing, you need to take into account a number of nuances.
Seeds of German cucumbers
German cucumbers fresh from the garden
German cucumbers give a good harvest
Description of the variety of cucumbers
Herman is a hybrid variety. He is characterized by early ripeness and high productivity. The main direction for growing - garden plots, small farms.
For the cultivation of Herman, both protected and open ground are suitable. The plant is medium-sized and determinant - the growth of the main stem is limited. This variety has a female type of flowering and parthenocarpic type of pollination - pollination by bees for ovaries is not required. They are formed in leaf axils in bunches - each with 6-7 ovaries. The size of the leaves is medium, the color is dark green.
Fruiting begins 40-45 days after emergence. The fruits have a gherkin type - they reach a length of 8-10 cm. They have a cylindrical shape, a large tuberous surface, the color is usually dark green, but depending on the lighting it may be lighter. It is characterized by mild spotting, short white stripes on the skin, and a slight waxy coating. Fruits are characterized by frequent pubescence and white spikes.
One fruit weighs about 70-100 g, diameter is on average 2.5-3 cm. Herman cucumbers are characterized by delicious and crisp flesh, lack of bitterness even with a lack of moisture. The taste is sweetish, medium density, small seeds.
German productivity is up to 20-25 kg per 1 square. m with a 95 percent yield of marketable products. Cucumbers are not only fresh, but also used for canning.
Advantages and disadvantages
Herman is a popular variety of cucumbers in various regions. This is due to many of its advantages:
- the ability to grow not only in the greenhouse, but also in open ground;
- the variety is unpretentious, easy to grow;
- high resistance to diseases;
- parthenocarpic pollination - bees are not required;
- after germination, the crop is formed in an ultra-short time;
- the crop is stable and high, commodity indicators at a decent level;
- the fruit has an excellent taste, there is no bitterness;
- universal use - fresh, for preservation;
- storage without yellowness.
Against the backdrop of such positive characteristics, German varieties have few deficiencies.
This is poor tolerance to transplantation, sensitivity to lower temperatures (both air and soil), and instability to rust.
The video review will tell about the most fruitful variety of cucumbers Herman:
Soil requirements
Given one of the main disadvantages of the variety, an important requirement for the soil is its temperature. It should not be lower than 12 degrees, otherwise its high fertility will not save either - the seeds will sprout badly, the adaptation of seedlings will be unsatisfactory, as a result, productivity will suffer.
Another important requirement for soil is its fertility. Raise it with humus, peat, sand, fertilizers. Specific names and their proportions depend on the characteristics of the soil in a particular area and in a given region. The following combination is classic:
- humus - a bucket;
- peat and sand - half a bucket;
- ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate and superphosphate - in a tablespoon.
Fertilizers in this quantity are applied per 1 square meter.
Rules for sowing seeds, planting seedlings
Getting a high and early crop must be taken care of even at the stage of preparing seeds for sowing. It is performed according to the following algorithm:
- Sort material. It is good to use saline solution for this step. Most of the dropped seeds will be at the bottom - it is them that must be left for planting. The rest of the material is not full-weight, therefore it is recommended to reject it.
- Drying selected seeds.
- Warming up before sowing. This step takes 2 hours. The temperature should be no more than 60 degrees.
- Disinfection. It can be carried out in various ways. A popular option is a solution of potassium permanganate (1%). For dry disinfection use the drug TMTD or NIUIF-2.
Landing in open ground is carried out in late May or early June, when it is fully warmed up, and the positive air temperature becomes stable. The soil should be not only organically fertilized, but also loose.
For landing, you can use different schemes:
- ordinary method - 65 cm between rows, 10-15 cm between plants;
- scheme 90x30 cm, seeds are buried by 1.5 cm.
Prepared seeds can be planted in open ground immediately or first grow seedlings. Do it in separate landing tanks - each volume is at least 0.5 l. For filling use a nutritious soil mixture - it should be intended for vegetable crops.
Planting seedlings is usually carried out in early to mid-June, when nocturnal frosts are no longer expected. When transplanting, deepening is carried out to cotyledon leaves. Recommended cultivation in an ordinary way.
Cucumbers can be planted in protected ground already in the beginning or middle of May.
After landing care
Growing Herman hybrid cucumbers is easy, but certain rules must be followed to get a high yield.
When planting in open ground, it is necessary to remember the temperature regime. For watering only warm water is used. Water cucumbers should be every 2-5 days, focusing on rainfall. Watering should be speeded up on dry days, with the formation of ovaries, at the peak of crop formation.
When growing cucumbers in protected ground, watering should be done every 2-3 days. About 10-15 liters of water are required per square meter of landings.
In the open ground, it is better to water cucumbers in the evening. When grown in greenhouses, watering can be moved to the early morning.
An important condition for growing cucumbers is loosening the soil. This should be done carefully and after each watering. Loose only aisles.
Required hilling. It is necessary to produce it when the third leaves appear.
As a base fertilizers use slurry and bird droppings. Foliar top dressing is also carried out. For them resort to mineral fertilizers. The use of chlorine-containing potassium salts is prohibited. Top-dressing by the root and root method is carried out at least three times per season, preferably 5-6 times.
The important point is bush formation. It is recommended to do this in one stalk. First, pinch the ovaries and shoots when the first 4 leaves appear in the sinuses. This technique provides the formation of strong roots.
Pinch the shoots again in the sinuses of the 5th and 6th leaves, but leaving one ovary. The next removal of shoots is in the sinuses of the 7-10th leaf, but with the remaining two ovaries. After this, the formation of the bush can be completed.
Upon reaching the top of the trellis bush, the plant can be let go along it or directed downward - pinching is necessary at a height of one meter.
Weed management held regularly throughout the season.
Watch additional video on growing this hybrid of cucumbers in a greenhouse and its formation:
How to achieve a generous harvest?
You can get a high crop by timely producing all the necessary actions. This applies to the characteristics of planting, proper watering, the formation of bushes, top dressing. Be sure to regularly inspect the plants, carry out the prevention of diseases and pests, and if necessary, properly treat.
After the first wave, the yield subsides by August. To stimulate, they resort to earthing up and foliar top dressing:
- 35 drops of iodine per liter of whey or milk;
- 10 g of boric acid per liter of hot water (almost immediately after boiling).
Such solutions are used for spraying. You can use both tools by making a 10-day interval between dressings.
Diseases and their prevention
The German cucumber variety is little susceptible to disease, but nevertheless they are not excluded. The main problem is rust - the appearance of orange spots on the leaves and shoots. For prevention, they resort to Fundazol and other fungicides. Processing begins at an early stage, and ends 10 days before harvest. A solution of Fundazole (1 g per liter of water) is used twice a season, 1.5 liters per 10 square meters. m
Another possible problem is peronosporosismanifested by white spots on the leaves. They also fight fungicides with such a disease.
Dangerous and pests - aphids, gall nematodes, spider mites. Various infusions help from aphids:
- tobacco;
- laundry soap and wood ash;
- onions or garlic.
Steam treatment helps from the gall nematode; if necessary, change the topsoil. Soap mite or herbs cope with spider mites: celandine, horse sorrel, yarrow. Use them in the form of infusion.
Harvesting and storage rules
Harvest time depends on the timing of planting. This period begins from mid-end of June and lasts until August-September. It is recommended to start harvesting immediately after flowering and without waiting for the record size of the fruit - small cucumbers are tastier. It is better to collect them every other day in the evening or in the early morning. Fruits must be cut, not broken off.
Cucumbers of this variety are not fresh stored for a short time - only a few days. In the refrigerator they can be kept for up to a month, but the taste and hardness of the fruits are significantly lost. Cucumbers of this variety are good to pickle or salt.
German cucumbers have a lot of advantages, including their unpretentiousness and excellent taste. For such qualities, the variety fell in love in many regions and is very popular. If you follow all the rules of cultivation, you can get an excellent crop.