"Herman F1" - a fairly common variety of cucumbers. It can be grown without much effort in greenhouses, or in the garden in the penumbra. This hybrid was derived by Dutch breeders. This variety of cucumbers is early ripe, which attracts many gardeners.
Cucumbers "Herman F1": description of the variety
Cultivar variety “Herman F1” was bred by the Dutch company Monsanto Holland, namely its subsidiary Seminis. In 2001, he passed the registration procedure in the Russian State Register. The main goal of the breeders was to create a cucumber without bitterness, with sweet pulp that is capable of autogamy (self-pollination).
Did you know? The letter F in the designation "F1" is taken from the Italian word "figli" - "children", and the number "1" means the first generation.
Bushes this variety forms a massive, with dense fruiting. The fruits have a characteristic dark green color. The shape of the fruit resembles a cylindrical crescent with a length of 11-13 cm. The skin is covered with light white fibers, the coating is thick and dries out over time.
Hybrid does not affect powdery mildew, cucumber mosaic virus and cladosporia. Cucumbers will be very tasty both in salting and fresh. The yield of cucumbers "Herman" per square meter is about 15-18 kg. The flesh of the fruit is very juicy, tasty and, most importantly, without bitterness.
Important! Hybrid fruit 95-97% consists of water, so it can be used by diabetics and people with a strict diet.
The hybrid begins to bear fruit at 38-41 day after disembarkation. "Herman F1" loves a lot of sun and does not need bee pollinating. From one bag of seeds you can collect up to 20 kg of the crop. If you plant seedlings, then with 8 sprouts you can get 10-20 kg of fruit every 2-3 weeks. 
Pros and cons of a hybrid
Cucumber "Herman" has good reviews gardeners. This hybrid has more advantages than disadvantages. And for good reason, because hybrids are derived in order to bring great yields with little effort and time. The advantages of this variety of cucumbers:
- self-pollination capacity;
- lack of bitterness;
- universality: it is possible to preserve, salt or use fresh;
- high yield;
- protected from cladosporia, powdery mildew and cucumber mosaic virus;
- early ripe variety;
- excellent taste;
- a low death rate of seeds and sprouts (almost all the planted seeds germinate and soon give fruit).
For big lovers of green, crunchy cucumbers, found a way to allow the vegetable to stay fresh for a long time.
Of course, one can not do without flaws, but there are not so many of them:
- the hybrid does not tolerate the transplant;
- poor tolerance to low temperatures;
- cucumbers of this variety can affect "rust".
Did you know? Homeland cucumbers is considered to be India. For the first time, this plant was described in the VI century BC. In Europe, this culture was first started to grow by the ancient Greeks.
As you can see, there are only three flaws, and with proper care of the plant they can be avoided. But the benefits are good, and many gardeners have long grown "German F1".
Sowing seeds of cucumbers in open ground
This hybrid germinates very well, so you should not have problems with planting. With the right approach, this plant will only please the fruits. Cucumbers "Herman" can germinate, even if the seeds are simply thrown on the ground, so they can be planted and beginners who still do not know how to plant this vegetable. 
Presowing seed preparation
Before sowing seeds in the ground they can (and even need) to be slightly hardened. Calibrate the seeds. In a 5% salt solution, place the seeds and mix them for 10 minutes. All that come up, you need to throw away - they are not suitable for disembarkation.
Before planting cucumbers "Herman" seeds should be treated with micronutrient fertilizers. You can buy them, or use the usual wood ash. Seeds should be left for 4-6 hours in a solution of wood ash, after which they will absorb all the necessary trace elements.
Important! In the first days of the growing season in the variety "Herman F1“The roots are poorly protected from mechanical influences. Therefore, it is recommended to plant the seeds in peat containers with a volume of at least 0.5 l, in order to avoid damaging the roots when transplanting into open ground.
Also, seeds can be processed and hardened thermally. To do this, for two days they are kept at a temperature of 48-50 ºС.
Dates and choice of place for cucumbers
This is a heat-loving plant, so the landing should take place no earlier than the beginning of May. The daytime temperature should reach at least 15 ºС, and at night it should not fall below 8-10 ºС. The soil should be aerated (perekopan and clouded rake). It is advisable to make mulch in the form of rotted leaves.
"Herman F1" is best planted in partial shade. It will be good if last year corn or spring wheat grew in the sown area.
Seed plan
Seeds can be planted in the hole. The distance between them should be about 25-30 cm. The distance between rows should not be less than 70 cm - so the bush can grow, and it will be more convenient for you to harvest.
Nitrogenous fertilizers or humus and sand are added to the wells along with the seeds. Some warm water is also added. Top can be sprinkled with a thin layer of humus and cover with a film before the rising sprouts.
Care and cultivation of cucumbers "German F1"
Cucumbers "Herman" after planting require special care. But do not be afraid - you will not spend a lot of time on caring for plants.
Watering and loosening the soil
When the cucumbers sprout, they need to be watered regularly. Watering should be done every three days, preferably in the evening. For 1 square meter of soil should be about a bucket of water (10 liters). After such irrigation, the soil is taken by a crust and water and minerals do not reach the root of the plant, so the soil needs to be loosened.
It will also be useful for you to know how to organize watering your plot, and what is needed for this.
Loosening can be done with a rake, hoes or cultivators. The best time for this procedure is morning or evening the next day after watering. Loosening is carried out until the earth is leveled and all the lumps and lumps are removed.
This process should be carried out carefully to avoid damage to the root of the plant. It is not recommended to deepen hoe or rake to a depth of more than 10 cm.
Did you know? In some coastal areas of the Mississippi River cucumbers are soaked with a sweet drink, Kool-Aid. This treat is very popular with children.
Hilling bushes
Hilling should be done very carefully, as there is always a risk of damaging the root. Some agronomists with experience do not recommend spud cucumber bushes. However, if you have such a desire, then it can be done. Hilling advantages:
- additional roots grow;
- the bush does not flood and does not form a crust;
- Minerals are better.
Fertilization
Cucumbers "Herman" by their characteristics are practically not afraid of different viruses and give an excellent harvest. But the harvest can always be increased by adding a little fertilizer. Fertilizer can be both mineral and organic fertilizers. For the entire growing season, you need 3-4 times to fertilize. Both root and non-root method of fertilizer are suitable.
It is best to feed the cucumbers 4 times per season. The first time fertilizer should be applied on the 15th day after planting, the second time - during the flowering period, the third - during the fruiting period. The fourth time you need to fertilize at the end of fruiting, so that new flowers and fruits appear.
To make our harvest excellent, you can use organic fertilizers, such as, ammonium nitrate, Azofoska, Ammophos, and from organic fertilizers, you can use chicken droppings, such manure as sheep, pork, cow and even rabbit manure
If fed with organic fertilizers, then they need to be made at the root. Almost all organic mineral substances are introduced into the soil as root fertilizers.
Organic fertilizers consist of substances of animal and vegetable origin, which, decomposing, form mineral substances, while carbon dioxide necessary for plant photosynthesis is released into the surface layer.
Important! When growing this hybrid, it is recommended to form a plant in one stem and grow shoots upwards. If necessary - tie up the bushes so that they do not break.
Mineral fertilizers contain nutrients in the form of various mineral salts. Depending on what nutrients are contained in them, fertilizers are divided into simple and complex. All substances that are sprayed plants belong to the foliar type of fertilizer.
Soils usually have all the nutrients the plant needs. But often individual elements are not enough for satisfactory growth of plants.
Harvesting and storage of the crop
Cucumbers "Herman" are suitable for growing both indoors, and in open ground. On the yield is not much affected. Is that in areas with a cold summer climate this hybrid in the greenhouse will be slightly better.
Harvesting of cucumbers begins on the 38-41 day after planting, and continues until the first frost. If you fertilize the bushes with nitrogenous minerals, then the yield will be much higher, and you will have to harvest more often. In general, cucumbers need to be collected every 1-2 days in the morning or in the evening.
Fruits 9-11 cm long can be canned, all others are suitable for salting. But the most important thing is not to let the cucumbers overgrow so that they do not become "yellow ones".
Did you know? Napoleon loved to eat fresh green cucumbers during long hikes. Therefore, he offered a reward in an amount equivalent to 250 thousand dollars, to those who come up with a way to preserve fresh fruit for a long time. This award so no one received.Cucumbers need to be carefully cut near the stalk itself. Cut fruits should be put in a cold place, so they will be stored longer. If you want a long time to keep the hybrid green and fresh, then for this there are several ways:
- Fresh fruit can be wrapped in a plastic bag and put in a cold place. So you can extend the shelf life by 5-7 days.
- Before the start of frost, cucumber bushes can be pulled out along with the fruits. The plant is placed in a vessel with water down the roots. Pour a lot of water is undesirable, it is best to 10-15 cm from the bottom of the vessel, and change it every 2-3 days. So cucumbers will last about two weeks.
- Fruits can be coated with egg white, while they can remain fresh for two or three weeks. When using this method, cucumbers will not need cold.
- If you live near a small pond, then a barrel of cucumbers can be immersed in it. But the pond should not freeze to the very bottom in extreme cold. By preserving cucumbers in this way, you will eat fresh fruit the whole winter.
