What are the best varieties of cucumbers to grow on the balcony?

Everyone wants to feast on delicious juicy cucumbers grown in their own garden. But what if there is no land plot? Breeders came up with a way out of the situation and created varieties of cucumbers for a balcony or loggia. Consider which varieties are suitable for growing on the balcony.

Popular varieties of cucumbers for the balcony

Conditions for balcony cucumbers

It is clear that the agricultural technology for growing cucumbers on the balcony will not differ much from the conditions in the open field. But, it is necessary to think in advance about the conditions in which vegetables will be grown, because they will need to create a specific atmosphere.

What should be the balcony

Make sure the vegetables have enough light - add artificial lighting if necessary. Those cucumbers that are grown in a balcony, as a rule, are afraid of drafts, and therefore the balcony must be glazed.

The temperature regime is important: regardless of the season in which you decide to grow cucumbers, the standard temperature of 15-18 ° C should be maintained. If the temperature is lower, you will not be able to harvest a good harvest.

Features of the choice of culture

Not all varieties of cucumbers are suitable for a balcony. Some species can only grow in an open area or in a greenhouse. There are several varieties of cucumber crops:

• parthenocapic - pollinate themselves, do not produce seeds;
• self-pollinated (f1 hybrids) - they pollinate themselves, they have seeds, but they cannot be used for germination;
• bee-pollinated species are not suitable for growing on a loggia categorically, they simply will not bear fruit.

To successfully grow cucumbers on a loggia, you need to select plants in accordance with the following criteria:

• compactness;
• high yield;
• unpretentiousness to conditions;
• cold resistance;
• shade resistance.

Most popular cultures

What varieties of cucumbers are best for the balcony? The best species for growing on a loggia are self-pollinated and parthenocapic. The f1 hybrids have proven themselves very well. These are plants obtained in the first generation as a result of crossing 2 different crops, which have adopted the best genetic qualities of the parent specimens.Do not forget that in order to get a good harvest, you need to carefully read the manufacturer's recommendations and carry out all agrotechnical measures in accordance with them. For different varieties, the conditions and rules of care can be strikingly different.

Among the popular crops for growing on the loggia, the following varieties are distinguished: Window-balcony, Zozulya, Masha f1, Kolibri, April, Machaon, Debut, Calendar, City gherkin, Graceful.

Window-balcony

The name of the variety speaks for itself. The variety has been selected for breeding on the balcony, loggia and windowsill. The plant is undemanding to conditions and care. Bushes of medium branching, which allows you to grow cucumbers even in a small room. On the bushes, from 2 to 8 fruits are formed in each internode.

The plant is very easy to care for

A feature of the species is the sequential formation of ovaries, therefore, the greens ripen alternately for several weeks. The fruits are lumpy, oval-cylindrical. The length of the greenery can reach 10 cm. The window-balcony variety belongs to the universal types. Planting seeds can be carried out already in the last days of March because the variety is not susceptible to temperature extremes.

Zozulya

Zozulya cucumbers are very popular among farmers. The species was bred in Holland. The culture is disease resistant. Bushes of medium size with moderate branching. The fruits ripen at the same time.

Zelentsy are cylindrical. The structure of the peel is medium hilly, with weakly pronounced thorns. The length of the greenery is 20 cm, the average weight is 180 g. The variety is prized for its good taste characteristics.

The pulp is sweet, with a pleasant aroma. One of the features of the product is the lack of bitterness. The fruits are used for fresh consumption and for conservation. Cucumbers remain crispy even after heat treatment.

Masha f1

The Masha variety is also a Dutch product. Planting seeds of this variety should be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's description. The seed is already treated with a disinfectant and growth accelerators, therefore it does not require additional soaking before planting. Fruits can be obtained within 38 days after seed germination.

Cucumbers retain their aesthetic appearance for a long time. They are universal in application. Bushes are medium in size, with little branching. The weight of a ripe fruit is about 100 g. They have a pleasant taste and aroma, crunchy. During heat treatment, the greens do not lose their elasticity.

Hummingbird

The gherkin species has a good yield. Up to 10 gherkins can form on each internode. The surface of the fruit is lumpy. The peel has dark and light streaks.

The length of the greens is 8 cm, and the weight barely reaches 80 g. Basically, the greens of this variety are used for canning. The advantage of the variety is its high resistance to many diseases.

April

Early maturing view. The first fruits appear within 1.5 months after the appearance of the first shoots. The bushes are undersized, their height does not exceed 25 cm. The crop is formed at a single time.

Zelentsy are cylindrical, large tuberous, small white thorns. The weight of one green leaf is about 200 g. The pulp has excellent taste. If the harvest is late, the fruits begin to outgrow and lose their taste.

Swallowtail

The gherkin hybrid is great for breeding on a balcony, loggia or windowsill. The bushes are large with multiple lateral branches. Up to 8 fruits can form on each node.

Double variety cucumbers are delicious in any form

Cucumbers are characterized by a lumpy structure. The length of the greenery is from 7 to 11 cm, the weight ranges from 60-100 g. The quality of the fruit is preserved even with a long stay on the bush. Cucumbers are great for pickling, eating raw and making all kinds of culinary delights.

Debut

Self-pollinated plant is perfect for growing on a balcony or loggia. The species is attractive for its high yield and early ripening of zelents. From 1 m2, you can collect 3.5 kg of greens. Sowing seed is carried out in March or April.

Bushes are medium in size. Lateral shoots are not formed very actively. The fruits are cylindrical in shape. The peel is thin, lumpy. The weight of the ripe fruit is 70 g, the length is 12 cm. Zelentsy are distinguished by excellent taste.

The calendar

Growing such a plant on your balcony is a pleasure. Bushes branch weakly. However, up to 6 cucumbers can form at each node. Lateral shoots bear fruit more actively than the main one, therefore it is recommended to pinch the growth point to ensure good development for them.

The shape of the fruit is oval-fusiform. The structure of the peel is lumpy. Fruit color is dark green with longitudinal light stripes. Ripe fruits are 10 cm long and weigh 90 g.

City gherkin

One of the varieties of bundle gherkins. The bushes are distinguished by good branching of lateral shoots, therefore, as the plant develops, some shoots will have to be pinned. Up to 9 ovaries are formed in each node. The species is early ripe, fruit ripening occurs 40 days after planting.

Zelentsy are small in size 12 cm, weighing 90 g. A characteristic feature of the species is the presence of an elongated peduncle. For its graceful shape and long stalk, the vegetable was nicknamed the finger cucumber.

One of the advantages of the species is the long fruiting period. In addition, the bushes of this species perfectly adapt to conditions with insufficient illumination and do not require additional illumination. Urban cucumber is highly resistant to many diseases of cucumber crops.

Elegant

This is the only bee-pollinated variety that can be grown on the balcony. Recently, many hybrid varieties of this species have appeared, which allows you to get a good harvest, even without the presence of bees. From 1 m2 you can collect 7 kg of greens.

Spreading bush, forms up to 5 lateral shoots. The shape of the zelents is elliptical, the color is dark green. The structure of the peel is lumpy. Suitable for fresh salads and pickling.

Among the main advantages of the plant are its high resistance to diseases, as well as the ability to be a pollinator for other species growing nearby. Cold resistance allows the bushes to develop even at relatively low temperature indicators and temperature drops. There are practically no disadvantages of this variety.

Final part

When choosing a suitable variety for growing on a loggia, you should focus, first of all, on what conditions you can create for plants. It is important to choose a variety that does not require pollination by bees, shade-resistant and immune to temperature extremes.

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Reviews and comments

More and more city dwellers are using their balconies to grow a variety of vegetables there. And most often you can see cucumbers for the balcony. It is these unpretentious vegetables that have become the main vegetation of tireless gardeners, who, even on the perimeter of city housing, do not forget about their modest hobby.

In addition, varieties of cucumbers for the balcony are presented in fairly large quantities - there is plenty to choose from.There are both completely unassuming varieties and quite capricious representatives. And their choice depends solely on how much time you are willing to devote to your hobby.

Yes, yes, as a rule, the main reason that city dwellers plant vegetable beds on their loggias is not the desire to ensure the availability of fresh vegetables to the table (although this also plays a significant role). Cultivating varieties of cucumbers for growing on balconies is a completely harmless hobby that does not disturb the peace with barking and growling and does not require walking. Nice, sometimes funny and completely harmless weakness, which is also available to everyone.

Let's talk about which cucumbers on the balcony are worth paying attention to. And in general, what are the novelties at the moment exist in the field of urban gardening. And also about the advantages of cucumbers for balconies, the varieties of which are presented below.

back to content ↑ The benefits of growing cucumbers on the balcony

Any gardener is ready to confirm: a glazed balcony or loggia will be just an ideal place to plant cucumber seeds there.

And, of course, it would be foolish not to take advantage of such an opportunity when you have everything you need to grow a magnificent harvest at home.

But, of course, a beginner in this field will ask first of all: what kind of cucumbers on the balcony should you choose?

The variety of varieties that are intended for greenhouses and balconies is very wide. In addition, every year more and more new varieties appear that can literally capture the imagination of a novice breeder.

So how do you choose a future growable specimen? In fact, there are three criteria for selection: the degree of early maturity, the conditions that are needed for growth, and the nature of pollination.

If you are going to grow cucumbers on the balcony or even on the windowsill in the kitchen or room, you need to know: the most suitable varieties for greenhouses are parthenocarpic ones - those that do not require insects to pollinate them.

You can also choose special balcony cucumbers or turn your attention to F1 hybrids.

Back to content ↑ Partenocarpic cucumber varieties

Taking into account the fact that the area on which you can place cucumbers on the balcony is quite limited, and the need for soil for cultivation is relatively significant, in this case it is required to purchase seeds with the maximum return.

These will be early ripening cucumbers, which will bear a lot of fruits and, in addition, boast a high yield per bush. This means that when choosing cucumbers, first of all, you need to pay attention to what kind of harvest they bring and whether they are suitable for growing indoors or in greenhouse conditions.

A distinctive feature of such cucumbers, as well as a hybrid variety, is that they can create ovaries without the need for pollination.

They have no bitterness in taste, are disease resistant, and grow quickly.

Another advantage is that almost all types of parthenocarpic cucumbers for the balcony are ampelous. They have long stems that need to be tied up. They can also hang freely from the edges of the container where cucumbers grow.

And this allows you to decorate your loggia with the help of a home cucumber plantation in an original way, placing your home plants along the wall, or organizing a hedge from them along the balcony fence.

Now let's move on to a look at some of the well-known and well-recommended varieties and hybrids that have garnered a significant amount of positive feedback from consumers.

Back to contents ↑ Cucaracha and Machaon

The most famous and popular varieties intended for balcony breeding are called so: "City gherkin" and "Balcony miracle"... And their names are direct confirmation that these seeds are specially bred for home use.

They have a good yield, and this point is not affected by the fact that their roots are in a confined space. Abundant fruiting is characteristic, but you should not expect a super harvest. Both varieties are gherkin.

And the size of a ripe fruit is no more than 6-7 cm. There is also an alternative to the named varieties, which, although they are adapted to the balcony, are not suitable for winter harvesting. And this alternative is called "Machaon".

It is also considered a balcony, but the fruits of "Makhaon" are much larger in size than the previous varieties.

Ripe "Machaon" is a delicate skin, small seeds that are not felt during eating, as well as dense pulp, in which there are no voids.

Also on the loggia, you can grow varieties intended for greenhouses:

• "Cucaracha"
• "Hummingbird"
• "Balagan"
• "Zozulya".

The main thing is to create the right conditions and provide proper care.

back to contents ↑ Let's talk about China

Chinese cucumbers will become a strong competitor for special greenhouse and balcony varieties. Their characteristic feature: strong fruit elongation: from 50 to 70 cm.

The most attractive in a decorative sense are the varieties that are called "Chinese snakes":

• "Sindyay"
• "Lifent Senius"
• "Flax-Min"

They are accompanied by hybrid varieties, as well as the development of domestic selectors based on originals from China.

White Delicatessen has an almost white color - a very exotic product. You can also see the "Chinese Miracle", "Boa constrictor" and "Emerald Stream".

These varieties are distinguished by the fact that they reach lengths of up to 45-80 cm wriggle and resemble a snake in shape, for which they received this name.

Chinese varieties will be a real godsend for those who need a significant balcony harvest that satisfies the nutritional needs of the gardener.

One bush can give up to 30 kg. cucumbers in just a season. One fruit half a meter long will become the basis for a salad for a whole family!

Chinese cucumbers taste good and don't have any bitterness when watered regularly. They have no voids, and their seeds are very small in size.

The skin is usually smooth, thin, although thorny varieties are sometimes found. Such a variety is capable of replacing an ordinary one and will in no way yield to it in terms of taste or yield indicators.

The Chinese varieties also have disadvantages. For example, they cannot be stored for a long time. Already on the second or third day, they will become soft, flabby and should not be eaten.

In addition, not all varieties can be canned. As a rule, they are mainly used in salads.

back to contents ↑ Drawing conclusions

Breeding cucumbers in balcony conditions is more of a whim than a necessity. Plus it's a decent hobby that's just as good as any of the others.

A person simply communicates with nature and additionally receives tasty, healthy and practically environmentally friendly products to the table. Of course, this is not exactly the same fruit that grows in an ordinary garden in the fresh air and away from the city.

However, even balcony cucumbers can be a real source of pride!

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Which variety of cucumbers is best for a balcony: an overview

Growing cucumbers on a balcony, loggia or kitchen window has its own characteristics. In order to be able to get a harvest, the gardener must understand the peculiarities of the agricultural technology of cucumbers and choose for sowing those intended for this variety.

How to grow cucumbers on the balcony

Elderly people who find it difficult to visit summer cottages are often fond of growing cucumbers on the balcony, but at the same time they have enough free time, they carefully look after the plants, so they can boast of significant achievements and good harvests of zelents. The correct choice of the variety plays an important role in achieving this goal. Breeders have bred many varieties and hybrids of cucumber, intended for cultivation in a confined space inaccessible to bees.

Popular cucumber hybrids

Classic varieties of parthenocarpic (self-pollinating) hybrids that are guaranteed to yield crops on loggias, balconies and even on the kitchen window: "April", "Zozulya". The disadvantages of these hybrids include their low resistance to diseases and a relatively short fruiting period, as well as unsuitability for canning - these plants are good for fresh consumption. To stretch out the harvest time, you can plant cucumbers at intervals of 15-20 days. With the correct distribution of crops, you can achieve fresh cucumbers throughout the season.

Modern balcony varieties

If you need to grow a good harvest of cucumbers suitable for pickling and canning, you need to pay attention to modern gherkin-cucumber hybrids. Among them are the "City Cucumber", "Balkonny". Scourges of these plants are compact, cucumbers grow in bunches - several pieces from one bosom. Gherkins are distinguished by their miniature size, good taste; they are crispy, fragrant, great for laying in jars for the winter. Larger greens are near "Makhaon" and "Blizzard", but their fruiting is distinguished by a quick return of the harvest, so you need to regularly plant new plants. For large loggias, where there is no shortage of space, hybrids "Berendey", "Emerald Stream" are suitable - the quality of zelents is excellent, fruiting is extended in time, but the length of the lashes does not allow growing a large number of these plants. If the balcony is in the shade most of the day, shade-tolerant hybrids adapted for balcony conditions are suitable for it: Masha, Zadavaka, Prestige, Kosinsky. Whichever variety or hybrid of cucumbers you choose, they all need timely watering and top dressing, which, in a confined space, are even more relevant than when growing plants in a greenhouse. Especially for balcony cucumbers in specialized stores, you need to purchase a nutritious earthen mixture, complex mineral fertilizers, and regularly feed the plants throughout the growing season in order to get a good harvest.

Growing cucumbers on the balcony - planting and care features

Many people living in large cities, deprived of the opportunity to grow their vegetables in greenhouse conditions, dream of pampering all family members with spring, fragrant salads from fresh cucumbers in the cold winter. Of course, you can use commercial vegetables, but their taste and aroma will be very inferior to homemade counterparts. So why not try to figure out how to grow cucumbers on your balcony? At the same time, the technological process of arranging a vegetable garden in an apartment is within the power of even inexperienced vegetable growers.

Despite the fact that cucumber is a demanding vegetable crop, anyone can create favorable conditions for its cultivation. on the balcony of the apartment... For a long time, breeders have bred many different varieties of cucumbers that are suitable for planting in limited areas for sowing. The main difference between such varieties from ordinary garden cucumbers is primarily in small leaves with short internodes on the stem, which make the bushes more compact and the root system more powerful.

Also, the balcony variety of cucumbers is characterized by a slow growth rate of zelents, elongated stalks and, most importantly, the formation of a large number of ovaries in nodes that resemble a bunch of grapes. At the same time, cucumber greens do not outgrow and have a finger or cylindrical shape of the so-called gherkin. A feature of such hybrids is the ability to form fruits without pollination, and the cucumbers themselves have no seeds.

What requirements should the varieties of balcony cucumbers meet?

In the absence of your own backyard or summer cottage, but in the presence of a loggia or balcony on the southern sunny side, with some effort, you can organize your own home garden.However, at the same time, you need to understand that for growing cucumbers on the balcony, only varieties that meet certain requirements, due to the peculiarity of growing vegetables at home:

• The vegetable culture must be resistant to lack of light and moisture.
• The cucumber must have a long branching stem, short internodes, miniature leaves and a developed root system.
• For cucumbers grown on the balcony, the timing of the onset of the fruiting period is very important (it is advisable to plant early ripening hybrids and, as fruiting ceases, replace them with new analogues).
• Fruiting should be bunch or bouquet - several fruits in each knot.
• The fruits of gherkin cucumbers ripen quickly, and a new ovary appears in their place.
• For maximum yields, it is important to choose female cucumber hybrids.

Naturally, not all standard cucumber varieties will meet these requirements. These are mainly salad hybrids that are used fresh or lightly salted for short-term storage.

Balcony cucumber varieties

If you plan to get large yields of this vegetable crop, suitable for conservation and pickling, it is necessary to dwell on modern cucumber-gherkin hybrids, among which deserve special attention "Urban" and "Balcony". The lashes of these varieties are quite compact, with a bundle of fruit development - several cucumbers in one bosom. The gherkin fruit is miniature, very tasty, without bitterness, crispy, aromatic and perfect for rolling in jars for winter storage.

Larger greenbacks include "Swallowtail" and "Winter storm”, But their fruiting period is insignificant with a quick return of fruits, so you have to constantly plant new cucumber bushes. For owners of large balconies, where there is no question of saving space, varieties "Berendey" and "Emerald», Which have excellent quality greens, extended period of fruiting and a long lash, because of which it is impossible to grow many bushes at the same time. Shade-tolerant varieties are planted on the balconies located in the shady part of the house: “Masha», «Kosinsky" and others.

Preparing the container and soil for growing cucumbers on the balcony

In order to grow bountiful harvests of tasty, and most importantly, environmentally friendly cucumbers on the balcony, it is not easy to choose the right hybrid, but also to worry about the minimum conditions for good plant growth. To do this, you can use useful tips from experienced gardeners, gardeners, who will allow you to create a vegetable garden in an apartment:

1. The optimal place to grow cucumbers, as mentioned earlier, is South side at home. It is with this arrangement of the balcony that the plants will receive enough light. It is also important to consider that the cucumber crop does not tolerate drafts, which are simply disastrous for her. If winter planting of plants is planned, then the balcony must be heated.
2. 

   Cucumber belongs to a light-loving culture and therefore it is necessary to equip an additional artificial extension of daylight hours, using special lamps... At the same time, in the winter season, the backlight is turned on for 10 hours a day, and with the onset of spring this period is reduced to 4 hours. Moreover, the number of lighting fixtures directly depends on the area of ​​the balcony.

3. For growing a cucumber crop on a loggia, almost any available container is suitable: a box, a large flower pot, and even a plastic bag. The main thing is to equip quality drainageto prevent stagnant water.

The soil for sowing cucumbers must meet all the requirements. An earthen composition of 40% compost, 30% peat, 20% sod soil, 10% sawdust and urea in a volume of no more than one matchbox per bucket of soil, as well as superphosphates and potassium - one matchbox of each fertilizer is well suited. As a prophylaxis for various kinds of diseases, the soil is disinfected with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.

For sowing cucumbers at home, various seeds are suitable, but it is best to choose early ripening varieties for planting in open soil.Before direct sowing of the seed, it is recommended to process it with specialized microelements, as well as to warm up the seeds and soak in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 10-15 minutes, then rinse under running water.

To accelerate the germination of seeds, they are soaked in warm water for up to 12 hours, after which they are wrapped in damp gauze, which is further moistened as it dries. In this case, the temperature regime should correspond to 22-25˚C. To obtain both male and female flowers, which are necessary for pollination of cucumbers, seeds are planted at intervals of 6-7 days.

Basic rules for growing cucumbers on the balcony

Planting cucumber seeds for seedlings for growing on a balcony or windowsill is best done in small plastic or paper cups or peat tablets, which are sold in specialized stores. This is necessary in order to select quality seedlings for further cultivation in boxes in a permanent place.

Each seed of a cucumber is placed in a separately made hole and sprinkled with a half-centimeter layer of soil. Then the cups are placed in a common container with high sides and covered with plastic wrap. You can build a kind of greenhouse on the balcony, in which all the optimal conditions for the growth of seedlings will be provided, or you can purchase a ready-made structure with automatic temperature support and watering. However, such a mini-greenhouse is not a cheap pleasure.

After 25 days after sowing the seeds, the seedlings move in boxes for further cultivation on the balcony. To do this, you can use shelves made from wooden boards yourself. At the bottom of each box, it is necessary to equip a drainage layer of expanded clay granules, on top of which to fill in slightly moistened soil, into which the seedlings are planted. If peat tablets were used to grow seedlings, then the seedlings are placed in the ground with them. When growing cucumbers from the northern part of the house on a poorly lit balcony, it is necessary to arrange additional lighting.

When forming the first 5 full-fledged leaves on the seedling, you need to stick it into the soil next to the shoot garter peg cucumber tendrils. In order for the lashes to bring maximum yields, experienced gardeners recommend cutting off the top above the eleventh leaf, and also removing side shoots with a certain regularity.

Pinching seedlings is performed after the formation of the third full sheet. At the same time, it is cut off together with the growth point. The axillary bud of the second leaf should remain intact. This is due to the fact that it is from it that the lateral shoot will grow, which will form the basis of the future lash of the plant. The second pinching is performed directly over the 6th leaf, and the next one after two more.

Cucumber pest control

Most often, the cucumber crop is susceptible to attack by aphids, ticks and whiteflies. Having discovered problems associated with cucumber parasites, you do not need to immediately use various kinds of pesticides, you can try to resort to folk waysso that the fruits are environmentally friendly.

First processing plants, for preventive purposes, they are carried out with a composition of dry onion husks in the volume of half a bucket, 1 glass of ash and half a glass of tobacco or makhorka. The bucket is poured to the brim with boiling water and infused for 24 hours. After that, the resulting infusion is filtered and a tablespoon of soap or one glass of milk is added to it.

Second processing carried out a week later from a mixture of a glass of onions, ground in a meat grinder, and half a glass of dandelion leaves and rhizomes, to which are added wood ash in the volume of one glass and a tablespoon of soap. The resulting composition is poured with boiling water, mixed thoroughly and also left to infuse for 24 hours.Before processing, the broth is filtered and poured into a spray bottle. Cucumber leaves are sprayed with a solution from both the outside and the inside, where parasites mainly accumulate.

Professional tips for growing cucumbers on the balcony

To get a rich harvest of cucumbers on the balcony both in winter and in summer, it will take not so much effort and time. At the same time, there are several simple, but at the same time effective advice from professional gardeners on how to grow cucumbers on the balcony:

• cucumbers - plants are very moisture-loving, so it is important to ensure that the soil in the boxes does not dry out, but you should not plant a swamp either;
• as soon as the first cucumbers rise on the balcony, they must be nourished and repeat this procedure weekly using mineral-based fertilizers;
• if the root system in the boxes is bare, then it is necessary to cover it with a small layer of soil;
• when an excessive number of feminine flowers are formed, they need to be cut off in order to accelerate the formation of greens;
• cucumber greens are harvested at the stage of reaching maturity, so that the depletion of the plant does not occur.

Subject to all these simple conditions for growing cucumbers on the balcony, you can get bountiful harvests throughout the year. Even from a small garden bed, you can collect at least 30 fruits during the fertile period. Moreover, the more often ripe fruits are cut, the faster new cucumbers will be tied.

As you can see, growing cucumbers on the balcony is not only possible, but also necessary. Many cucumber varieties grow without any problems, even in seemingly unsuitable conditions for this. At the same time, the main thing is the choice of suitable varieties, high-quality preparation of the soil mixture for planting seeds and compliance with the minimum climatic conditions for growing vegetables at home on the balcony or windowsill.

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Fragrant homemade cucumbers grown on the windowsill or on the balcony

The cultivation technology is not particularly complex and is within the power of even novice vegetable growers. Although cucumbers are quite demanding, you can arrange for them the optimal conditions for development, both on the kitchen windowsill and on the balcony.

Introduction

Do you live in a city apartment and are deprived of the opportunity to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse? And how you want to pamper yourself with a spring salad of fresh cucumbers in the cold season! You can, of course, use store vegetables, but they are much inferior to homemade ones in taste and aroma.

So why don't you try growing indoor cucumbers? The cultivation technology is not particularly complex and is within the power of even novice vegetable growers. Although cucumbers are quite demanding, you can arrange for them the optimal conditions for development, both on the kitchen windowsill and on the balcony.

Photo of cucumbers on the windowsill

Not all varieties of cucumbers can be grown at home. It is best to choose self-pollinated hybrids: Debut, Zozulya, Cucaracha, Anprelsky, Gribovchanka, Stella. Bee-pollinated large-tuberous hybrids of bright green color are very tasty: Pallas' cat, Ladoga, Marathon, Northern Lights, Fregat, Relay, Olympics. Together with them, it will be necessary to plant pollinator hybrids (one pollinator for five plants): Ermine, Gladiator, Hercules - they will give male flowers, but there will also be fruits. For growing cucumbers at home, late-ripening hybrids with strong vegetative growth are well suited. Video about cucumbers on the windowsill

The choice of location, container and soil

Light and warmth are very important for cucumber plants, so it would be ideal to place cucumbers on the windowsill of the south window. Make sure that cold air does not enter the seedlings: insulate the window, cover the window with polyethylene, exclude any possibility of drafts when airing the plants.Put a board or a piece of isolon on a cold windowsill so that the roots of the seedlings do not freeze, and you can stick a reflective film on the glass to improve illumination. Growing cucumbers on the balcony is only possible if it is heated.

In the photo, growing for cucumbers

Since the daylight hours are short in the cold season, you will need to provide artificial lighting with lamps, providing cucumber plants with daylight from 10 hours in December to 4 hours in March. Two lamps are enough for one window sill.

Cucumbers on the windowsill grow well in winter both in boxes and in strong plastic bags - whatever is more convenient for you. The main thing is that the containers have a volume of at least eight liters per cucumber plant. Make a couple of holes in the bottom of the container to allow air to reach the root system and drain excess water into the sump. Lay drainage at the bottom, soil will be poured on top.

In the store you can buy a specially prepared mixture for growing seedlings, or you can mix it yourself:

• 40% compost;
• 30% peat;
• 20% sod land;
• 10% sawdust;
• urea - an incomplete box of matches for 10 liters of soil mixture;
• potassium sulfate and superphosphate - two matchboxes.

In the photo, a mixture for growing seedlings

In order to prevent diseases of cucumbers, the earth can be shed with a solution of potassium permanganate. Then mix the entire mixture thoroughly, moisten with warm water and pour into a container with drainage, leaving about 5 cm to the edge.

Growing seedlings on the balcony and on the windowsill

It is better to pre-grow seedlings in small cups or peat pots from sprouted cucumber seeds - it will be more convenient to select the strongest seedlings later. Carefully place each seed in the hole in the middle of the pot and sprinkle it on 0.5 cm with loose earth. Put all the seed pots in one box and cover with transparent film on top. Move the box to a warm place, and when the seedlings have expanded, move the cucumber seedlings to the prepared windowsill or balcony.

In the photo, growing seedlings of cucumbers

25 days after the seeds have been sown, the seedlings are transplanted into large pots or boxes to a permanent location. The bottom of the permanent pots should also have a layer of fine gravel drainage. Sprinkle the soil mixture with warm water before replanting the seedlings. Plant seedlings with an earthen clod or together with peat pots. Cucumbers on the balcony or window should be facing the light with the top of the leaf. Video about growing cucumbers on the windowsill

When 5-6 leaves appear on the seedlings, stick pegs next to the stems or pull the twine along the balcony wall and tie the cucumber whiskers. To make the cucumbers begin to bear fruit faster at home, cut off the top of the young shoots above the 11th leaf and regularly remove the side shoots.

Important subtleties of how to grow cucumbers on a windowsill:

• water the soil in the boxes little by little, but daily, the soil should not dry out;
• as soon as the cucumbers at home rise, provide them with a weekly fertilizing with mineral fertilizers;
• if you notice that the roots of the seedlings have appeared on the surface, add a little more soil to the box;
• with the abundant appearance of female flowers, some of the flowers will need to be cut, otherwise the greens will form more slowly;
• do not be late with the collection of greens in order to prevent depletion of the overloaded plant.

Photo of cucumbers

If you follow the above recommendations, growing cucumbers on a windowsill will bring excellent results, and you can collect up to 30 fragrant homemade cucumbers from one plant. The more often you remove the cucumbers from the lashes, the more often new ones will form.

Such a composition can be purchased at a gardening store.

2nd composition. For one bucket above the proposed composition, add 10 grams of urea and 15 grams of nitrophoska.Mix everything thoroughly and plant the seeds.

3rd composition. A more profitable and economical option for preparing the soil is to prepare the mixture with your own hands in the garden. Take half a bucket of sod land and compost, then two glasses of wood ash, 50 grams of lime, 5 grams of fertilizers: potash, nitrogen, phosphorus. Mix everything thoroughly and tamp in a plastic bag. Then dig a deep hole, place a bag of potting soil and cover with earth. After a while, the mixture will rot and become loose.

Before planting seeds, the soil must be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate - this will protect the plants from various diseases.

If you follow the advice of gardeners and prepare high-quality soil, this will significantly increase the chance to grow cucumbers and harvest a decent harvest without leaving your home.

Seed growing conditions

If you decide to start growing cucumbers on a loggia or balcony, you must adhere to some rules and tips. Caring for plants is simple, but most importantly, you need to create all the appropriate conditions for their favorable growth.

First, in the room, create and maintain the optimum required temperature, which should be between 22-25 degrees. If the air temperature is less than the prescribed value, the seeds and future seedlings will slow down in development. Before planting seeds in the soil, the container must be well washed and rinsed with a solution of potassium permanganate. This will protect the seedlings from unwanted diseases.

When planting seeds, they must be deepened into the ground up to 2-3 cm. Place the pots with seedlings on the balcony, which is prepared in advance for growing cucumbers, namely: it is sufficiently well insulated, equipped with additional light and ventilation.

We grow cucumbers on the balcony ourselves

After about 25-28 days, the first shoots will sprout. After the appearance of the first shoots, the soil is fertilized twice: the first - after 2 weeks and after 10 days - the second. The necessary fertilizers can be purchased at the Ogorodnik store.

Important! The direct rays of the sun should not hit the plants.

As for the answer to the question "how often to water the plants", here it is necessary to adhere to a certain soil moisture, for this watering must be done daily and with settled water at room temperature.

Planting seedlings

The first stage of cultivation has been completed. The first shoots have appeared and now you can proceed to the second stage of growing cucumbers - transplanting seedlings.

To do this, you need to purchase boxes with a double bottom in the store or construct the necessary container from plastic bottles. And cucumbers on the balcony - growing in plastic bottles - you can view in detail with a photo in the gallery of this article. So that the soil does not dry out, the container must correspond to the proper parameters: height - 20 cm, width - 30 cm, length - 60 cm.

When transplanting ready-made seedlings, you should fill the pots with the previously prepared soil mixture, about 13 and pour abundantly with a weak solution of potassium permanganate at room temperature. Then, after 20 minutes, a clod of earth from the cups together with the seedlings must be placed in a box and covered with a substrate. Such a transplant will protect the roots from unwanted damage. Watering the seedlings must be done once a day.

Note. If the windows on the loggia are open and the air temperature is comfortable enough for the plants, the pots should be placed in the place where the gusts of wind are least felt.

The seedlings are transplanted and the growing process takes place within 30-40 days.

Top dressing

If the ideal conditions for growing cucumbers are created on your balcony and the seedlings are developing well enough, watering alone is not enough. After two weeks, as the first shoots appeared, you should know how to feed and how to fertilize young plants.

The first feeding, based on 10 liters:

You don't have to buy cucumbers to make a fresh salad, you can grow them yourself on your balcony. The cucumbers on the balcony are well received and grow if your windows are facing the sunny side. If the balcony or loggia is located in the northern part of the house, then it is worth making an effort to create a suitable atmosphere for the cucumbers.

The density when planting cucumbers on the balcony is no different from planting cucumbers in a greenhouse and is 2 plants per 1 cm or 3-4 plants per 2 cm. On this basis, the number of seeds required for sowing is calculated.

Cucumbers on the balcony

To make you happy with the harvest, it is worth choosing the right varieties in advance. In order not to carry out work on pollination of seedlings, purchase varieties that do not require further pollination work. There are varieties that are ideal for growing on balconies and loggias: Altai early variety, Nezhensky early ripening, Moscow hothouse.

It is better to grow cucumbers on the balcony in wooden, small boxes or plastic cups, while planting one plant in each cup, no more than 2 seeds.

What does a beginner gardener need to know?

Before starting a garden on the windowsill, answer yourself a few main questions:

• which variety will grow better "in captivity";
• where the seedlings will feel better - which side of the balcony;
• decide on pots, containers, cups - what to grow seeds in;
• ask gardeners what soil is best for seedlings.

Choosing a suitable variety of cucumbers, you do not have to limit yourself to any particular variety. The main thing is that these are self-pollinating varieties, since you don't need wasps and bees on the balcony.

When planting cucumbers, place the seedlings in sunny, warm places, but remember that such seedlings are afraid of drafts. Cucumber containers are best suited from old flowers: pots that you replace with new ones and store old ones on the balcony. Peat cups are also very convenient, which can be planted directly into the open ground. But if you plan to grow cucumbers on your balcony until the end of the season, then the sprouted plants from such cups need to be transplanted into wider pots, troughs.

When planting cucumbers, place the seedlings in sunny, warm places.

On average, a cucumber bush will occupy 30 cm of the window sill area, that is, you can grow 5 cucumber bushes for 1.5 m of the window sill length, just do not forget to insulate the windows to prevent drafts. One plant will also require 4-5 liters of soil, but put broken brick, pebbles, expanded clay on the bottom of the pot.

Planting cucumber seeds

For planting cucumber seeds, you can choose purchased land already with prepared minerals and top dressing, or you can take a little planting soil from a flower bed. But before sowing cucumber seeds, it is necessary that the earth is calcined on a fire with the addition of manganese tincture at the rate of 1 g per 5 liters of water to destroy soil pests. The planting soil must be well loosened so that the roots of the plant can breathe.

When cucumbers are growing, loose soil, slightly moist, is the most important factor for the plant. The planted seeds are sprinkled on top with soil no more than 1 cm, while the temperature on the balcony should be 25 ° C. When the plant begins to germinate, the seedlings can be moved to a cooler place with a temperature of 20-23 ° C.

You can start planting cucumber seeds at the end of April. When growing hybrid varieties of early ripening cucumbers, the germination and first fruits will take 40-50 days. Breeders do not advise diving cucumber seedlings, and tomatoes, too, for those who are engaged in sprouting cucumber seedlings at home, because when diving, the branching of the roots is disrupted, which leads to their further death. To prevent this from happening, you need to plant one stem at a time in a separate glass to avoid further picking and transplanting.

It is recommended to plant one stem per cup

After the plant sprouts a little and leaves appear, it will need to be pinched. To do this, you need to cut off part of the leaf together with the growth point of the third leaf from below, while not touching the bud of the lower second leaf, from where side shoots will grow in the future and cucumber lashes will form.

The most important thing in germinating seedlings is caring for them in sunny weather. To prevent the stems from drying out, the seedlings must be rearranged in the shade and, if necessary, water and spray the leaves with water.

Cucumber seedling care

With the emergence of seedlings, plants need a lot of light and heat, and therefore, as soon as the sprouts hatch, they should be located in a place where direct sunlight will fall. If there is not enough light, you can create it using an artificial lighting lamp within 15 hours a day with a further decrease to 8 hours a day. Seedlings should be kept at a distance from each other without darkening each other.

As the seedlings of cucumbers germinate, it is necessary to feed it 2 times a week until several leaves appear on the stem. When the seedlings sprout up to 4-6 cm, each shoot will need to be tied up for further growth and fruit setting. With proper care of the cucumbers, the inflorescence appears 40 days after germination.

You can plant vegetables at home not only by planting cucumbers, but also tomatoes. Tomatoes that grow on balconies perfectly tolerate the rays of the sun and can sprout in direct sunlight on any windowsill and balcony. For a higher yield of cucumbers or tomatoes harvested from the windowsill, it will be relevant to plant dwarf varieties of these vegetables - undersized, but prolific.

Tomatoes on the balcony

Important rules for caring for young cucumber seedlings:

• watering the seedlings a little bit once a day, on cloudy days - once every 2 days;
• once every 2 weeks - fertilizing with fertilizer;
• when 5-6 leaves appear on the stem, remove excess antennae and tie the plant to a peg;
• as soon as there are more than 10 leaves on the plant, the plant needs to be pinched.

How to make the soil yourself?

In order not to buy the substrate, but to prepare it by hand, you can mix ordinary soil from a flower bed with humus or peat in equal parts. For a better composition, the soil can be diluted with superphosphate and a tablespoon of ash. The mixture mixes well. Expanded clay is laid out at the bottom of the container for seedlings, filled with ready-made soil.

When planting seeds, do not tamp the top layer of the soil so that a crust does not form, which will prevent the plant from germinating. Also, periodically watering the ground with still unsprouted cucumbers, it is sometimes worthwhile to slightly loosen the top layer of the soil so that a crust does not form from the water.

Growing tomatoes on the balcony

Just like cucumbers, tomatoes that grow in pots or boxes on the balcony must be planted in separate, peat cups with calcined and slightly water-soaked soil. You can also buy a ready-made substrate on the market or in florist shops, which is called that - for seedlings, for cucumbers and tomatoes, that is, for fruit-bearing crops. This will simplify the task of special soil preparation.

Such a substrate should not be fertilized immediately after planting seeds in it, because it is already saturated with useful substances, and an excess of fertilizer can lead to wilting and damage to the seed. Watering plants should be done a couple of days a week with a water temperature of at least 20 ° C.

Tomato seedlings in peat cups

Also, once a week it will not hurt to feed the plant roots with organic mineral fertilizers, but only when the plant has sprouted and looks healthy. Tomatoes can be planted from the end of February to March, and the first fruits, with proper sowing, should appear at the end of July.In order for the plants to sprout and take root during cultivation, before sowing, the seeds should be soaked in water at a temperature of 45 ° C and left overnight. It is best to pour water into a thermos and place the seeds there.

Seeds should be planted in soil saturated with moisture, making holes 1 cm deep, or even less. When sprouting 3-5 cm seedlings, you can leave the plants on an open balcony, but at an air temperature of at least 15 ° C. Water the tomatoes in the morning and evening, and loosen the soil each time you water. The best balcony varieties of tomatoes are considered to be Cascade, Yellow Pearl. With proper plant care, one bush can yield a yield of 10 tomatoes.

When caring for seedlings, it is important to remember that during night frosts it must be covered with agrofibre, and when the sun is scorching, sprinkle the plants with water from a sprayer.

Planting seedlings of vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers) on your balcony gives the following advantages:

• fresh harvest on the table;
• shading from cucumbers on the windowsill: cucumbers will attract moisture near your balcony, in appearance the branching plant looks like grapes. That is - you are provided with comfort if cucumbers grow in balcony pots or in flower pots on window sills;
• plant care is simple, you will have a full balcony of greenery without worries.

By following all the basics of proper growing vegetables at home, you can get a basic vegetable set without leaving your home, and all the valuable vitamins in fresh vegetables will be at your fingertips.

Cucumbers from your own garden are a great way to get an environmentally friendly product yourself. Many summer residents love to grow this particular crop for its unpretentiousness and good harvest performance. And, of course, most people like fresh, aromatic and crunchy cucumber.

Such a culture is easy to grow both on uncovered ground and in a greenhouse. In addition, recently it has become popular to grow cucumbers on windowsills and loggias using varieties of balcony cucumbers specially bred for these purposes. After all, not everyone has a personal plot, some do not have enough strength or time to cultivate dozens of acres of land. And everyone wants to taste the cucumbers grown with their own hands.

Conditions necessary for balcony cucumbers

As a rule, the agricultural technique for growing balcony cucumbers is no different from cultivating vegetables in summer cottages or in a greenhouse. But the conditions that need to be created have their own specifics. What are the requirements to follow when choosing a suitable place for balcony cucumbers?

What should be the balcony?

The balcony should face south, east or southeast, as the lashes should not suffer from a lack of heat and light.

Balcony cucumbers are afraid of drafts, and gusts of wind can break fragile stems. Therefore, the loggias must be glazed.

Whenever a cucumber is grown on the balcony - in winter or summer, the temperature indicators should remain unchanged - + 18 ° С and higher during the day, not lower than + 15 ° С at night.

If the temperature indicators are below permissible, and the balcony is blown from all sides, then it is unlikely that it will be possible to get a good balcony harvest of cucumbers. Therefore, it is advisable to glaze and insulate the loggia before organizing a "home garden".

When growing cucumbers on the balcony in an unsuitable season for this (autumn, winter, early spring), you should provide the plant with a sufficient amount of light. For this, the balcony must be equipped with artificial light lamps.

Containers and soil for balcony cucumbers

It is best to grow balcony cucumbers in small containers (dimensions: length - 85 cm, width - from 15 cm).

In containers, the bottom should be with holes to drain excess moisture. It is also necessary to put a pallet so that water with the ground after irrigation does not flow out onto the balcony cladding and does not spoil it.

It is imperative to take care of drainage, which will prevent the roots from rotting and provide air access to them. It is best to select small-sized crushed stone or expanded clay for these purposes.

It is advisable to purchase the soil ready-made in the store of agricultural products. But you can make it yourself: humus, peat, finely chopped sawdust, turf. All components are taken in equal parts. For greater "fluffiness" of the soil, it is a good idea to add vermiculite. It can also be purchased at gardening stores. After that, a little wood ash is added (50g per bucket of soil) and everything is thoroughly mixed.

The soil made by yourself must be etched a few days before planting with a 1% hot solution of potassium permanganate (1 g of powder / 1 liter of boiling water). Then spill with plain water and apply fertilizers, the main elements of which will be potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen.

Variety selection, planting and care

When choosing which cucumbers can be grown on the balcony, you need to pay attention to the variety's ability to self-pollinate and the compactness of the bush.

Before planting, cucumber seeds must undergo standard processing: calibration, germination testing, disinfection, germination.

When young cucumber sprouts appear, they must be protected from drafts and sharp drops in temperature. Therefore, when airing the balcony, the seedlings should be taken out into a warm room.

Lighting is an especially important element in the care of cucumbers on the balcony. If the plants do not have enough light, then they need to provide additional lighting with artificial lighting lamps. In this case, the cucumber shoots should not be directly under the lamp, but slightly to the side. As a rule, all varieties of cucumbers for the balcony and windowsill are very fond of sunlight, but not direct, but diffused. In summer, plant containers should be positioned so that direct sunlight does not hit the cucumber shoots. If you do not follow this, then the leaves of cucumbers can stick or "burn" under the aggressive influence of the hot sun, reinforced by window glass.

Watering is very important for cucumbers, as they are almost entirely water. In balcony conditions, you need to water cucumbers once every two days, but carefully: you should not allow the soil to dry out, as well as its excessive moisture. The water is preliminarily settled and warmed up to room temperature.

A garter of cucumber vines is a prerequisite for caring for this plant.

Balcony cucumber varieties

Speaking about which varieties of cucumbers can be grown on the balcony, it should be said that there are specially bred varieties for home growing, but you can also use some hybrids intended for greenhouses.

Today, cucumbers for the balcony and window sill are presented in a fairly wide range: Debut, Stella, Masha, Stresa, Zozulya, April, Balcony miracle, Barnaulets, Courage, Parus, Matrix, Dubrovsky, Biryusa, Gorodsky, Balkonny, Emerald, Machaon, Blizzard, Berendey , Kosinsky.

Cucumbers for the balcony and windowsill of such varieties as Hercules, Gladiator, Bianca, Cucaracha, Marinda F1, Claudia F1 are good.

Variety Balcony miracle

In conditions of balcony cultivation, the main requirements for the variety are self-pollination, a small root system and compact bushes that do not take up much space and do not require large containers.

The best self-pollinated varieties of cucumbers for the balcony is the hybrid Balcony Miracle F1. This variety belongs to gherkins, the length of which does not exceed 7-8 cm, and the average weight is 50-60 grams. The cucumber Balcony miracle F1 is characterized by a pleasant, sweetish, fresh taste. The pulp is crispy, the density is medium. A characteristic feature of the variety is that female flowers prevail on the stems. This significantly improves the yield of the variety.

Features of growing varieties Balcony miracle

Basically, growing cucumbers at home Balcony Miracle F1 is not difficult.

Even an inexperienced gardener can easily grow them.But still, you need to know some of the features of agricultural technology.

1. Hybrid cucumbers Balcony Miracle react poorly to cold air temperatures, and even more so to the soil. If the balcony is unheated, then the seedlings should be planted in containers for "permanent residence" closer to the end of May. At this time, the air temperature has already warmed up and is kept at + 15 ° C and above. This mark on the thermometer is considered the minimum starting point for planting seedlings.
2. Each region has its own climatic features. But everyone knows for sure when a steady heat comes in their region, and the frosts are guaranteed not to return. To determine when to sow cucumber seeds for subsequent cultivation on the loggia, you need to subtract from the first warm days 20-25 days required for the growth of seedlings.
3. If the balcony is completely insulated, consecrated and provided with year-round heating, then cucumbers can be grown by any date. To do this, you just need to calculate the time correctly. For example, cucumbers planted on November 12-14 will ripen by Christmas. When calculating the time, it is necessary to take into account the fact that in winter daylight hours are shorter and the plant will need an additional 10 days to form a crop.
4. Processed and germinated seeds for seedlings are planted in containers (preferably separate). The planting depth is 1-2 cm. The pots or boxes with the planted seeds are covered with a film and left in a warm place (t + 25 ° C) until the first two (cotyledonous) leaves appear. After that, containers with seedlings must be placed in a bright, warm room, where a constant temperature regime of + 22 ° C is observed.
5. Seedling care consists in timely watering and feeding. Fertilize cucumbers with urea. One teaspoon of fertilizer is placed on one three-liter jar with warm, settled water.
6. When the seedlings are ready, they are carefully transplanted together with the soil into large containers for further cultivation.
7. The length of the cucumber lash Balcony miracle is 1.5 meters. When the plant reaches a height that is the maximum permissible by the conditions of the loggia, the top is pinned to stop growth upward. Excess lateral shoots are also removed so that the lashes do not waste energy on greens, but intensively nourish the cucumber ovaries.
8. Watering cucumbers Balcony miracle every two days. Fertilize - once every two weeks.
9. Cucumber Balconnoe miracle does not require additional treatment against diseases, since the variety is hybrid and is designed to be resistant to all kinds of "infections",
10. This hybrid belongs to the mid-early varieties of cucumbers. The vegetative period lasts about 50 days. From this time on, picking gherkins should be harvested every day. This way you can extend the fruiting time and increase the amount of the crop.

Variety Balcony F1

A characteristic feature of the Balkonny F1 cucumber is the formation of ovaries in bunches of 4-8 pieces. Moreover, inflorescences are formed mainly from female flowers. This cucumber looks very decorative and gives a good harvest of small fruits. The average length is 5-10 cm.

The Balcony F1 cucumber is not particularly whimsical: planting and caring for it does not require much effort. The variety is resistant to most "cucumber diseases" and bears fruit for a long time. Numerous reviews of the Balkonny F1 cucumber indicate that this variety is constantly forming new ovaries, and the fruits are not prone to overgrowing. Therefore, there is no need to continuously harvest.

In general, the cultivation of cucumbers Balcony F1 is no different step by step.

Not only for indoor beds, varieties of cucumbers are used for the balcony: growing on a window, in greenhouse conditions and in open beds is also quite feasible.

Variety City cucumber F1

Speaking about which varieties of cucumbers on the balcony are the most suitable for indoor conditions, one cannot fail to mention the F1 City Cucumber. In terms of ripening, it belongs to the early maturing. Vegetation lasts about forty days.This variety thrives in shaded conditions, so it can be grown both on balconies and on window sills. It does not need pollination, which makes it easier to cultivate in closed conditions.

By the shape of the fruit, the variety belongs to the "finger". Cucumbers are elongated, narrow, collected in bunches of 4-8 pieces. One fruit weighs about 80 grams, its length reaches 9-11 cm. Such mini-cucumbers retain their shape for a long time, without outgrowing to large sizes.

The best assessment of those who grow cucumbers on the balcony: reviews of varieties, among which the City F1 cucumber takes a leading position. The variety received such "high ratings" thanks to a stable yield of fruits of the same "caliber", resistance to many diseases and because of the good taste properties of cucumbers. In addition, cucumbers of the City Cucumber F1 variety are versatile in use: an excellent ingredient for salads, a beautiful decoration for dishes, a good choice for pickling.

Variety Machaon F1

Larger cucumbers in balcony conditions can please the variety Machaon F1. Fruit weight is 50-100 g, length - 8-10 cm. One bunch contains from 2 to 10 ovaries. Cucumbers of a beautiful emerald color with thin, white stripes. A variety of early ripening, disease-resistant. The taste of cucumbers of the Machaon F1 variety is wonderful - the pulp is of medium density, the peel is thin, there are few seeds and they are practically not felt when eating. There are no cavities inside the fetus. This kind of cucumber is not suitable for pickling; it is grown exclusively for fresh consumption.

Balcony cucumber, native to China

An alternative to balcony-type gherkins can be Chinese long-fruited varieties. They are distinguished by unusually elongated fruits, the length of which reaches 40-65 cm. Quite often, the shape of Chinese cucumbers is wriggling, therefore they look like snakes.

Such outlandish lodging varieties include: Chinese miracle, Boa, Xindyai, Flax-Ming, Emerald Stream, Lifent Senius, White delicacy.

Cucumbers from the Middle Kingdom will help solve a difficult problem: how to get a good harvest in cramped room or balcony conditions. For example, the Chinese variety White delicacy will not only surprise you with a completely unusual white color for a cucumber, but will also give a bountiful harvest - up to 4 kg per plant.

Indoor Chinese cucumbers are distinguished by an unusually delicate pulp, in which the seeds are practically not felt. The rind is thin, covered with "pimples", or it can be completely smooth. Having bought a pack of Chinese snake cucumbers, the home gardener not only gets fresh vegetables all year round, but also decorates his house, since these varieties are unusually decorative. Read the article: How to grow a Herman F1 cucumber and what are its advantages?