Characteristics and description of the Othello cucumber variety

Othello cucumber is a hybrid variety bred by breeders from Holland several decades ago. At the end of the last century, Othello was included in the State Register of the country and recommended for cultivation in the central regions of Russia. This hybrid can be grown in open ground, under film shelters, in glazed greenhouses.

Description and main characteristics of the variety

The description of the variety should begin with a story about the timing of the ripening of the crop. From the moment of planting the seed to harvesting ripe fruits, no more than 1.5 months pass. The vines of this vegetable crop can grow up to 1.8 - 2.0 m in height. The plant's upliftness is medium, the stems are well curly.

These cucumbers are bee-pollinated, most of the flowers blooming on the stems are female. In the axils of the leaves, up to 6 buds can simultaneously bloom. Since the shoots are very tall, they must be tied to trellises.

Othello F1 is a high yielding cucumber. With proper care from 1 m² collect 9 - 11 kg of fruit. Cucumbers of this hybrid are medium-sized, cylindrical in shape. Surface - pimpled, covered with small tubercles, shiny. Cucumbers are no more than 12 cm long. The skin is dense, rich emerald color with white stripes along the entire fruit, slightly pubescent. The pulp is crispy, tight, there are no voids, quite juicy.

Taste qualities are good, with a certain amount of juiciness, they have no bitterness.

The characteristics of this hybrid will be incomplete without a description of transportability and keeping quality. Due to the dense and fairly thick skin, Othello cucumbers perfectly tolerate transportation over fairly long distances, and their keeping quality is quite high - in a cool place the fruits can be stored without losing their taste and marketability for at least 1 - 1.5 months.

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The harvested crop is used not only fresh, but also in conservation - salted, pickled. It should be noted that the Othello hybrid is one of the few varieties whose cucumbers, after canning, improve their taste.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of the hybrid:

• early amicable ripening of the crop;
• early maturity of the variety;
• high yields;
• excellent taste of ripe fruits;
• the crop can be stored for a long time in a cool place without losing its presentation and good taste;
• fruits tolerate transportation well;
• the variety is highly resistant to major diseases affecting cucumbers.

Reviews of gardeners indicate that there are practically no negative qualities in the Othello hybrid. It should only be noted that sharp fluctuations in the weather can have a negative impact on the growth and maturation of the crop.

The nuances of growing and caring for Othello cucumbers

Seed material supplied by well-known companies is usually already processed (disinfected), etched and kept in growth stimulants. Before planting in open ground, Othello seeds do not require additional preparation. In order for the seeds to sprout faster and in the future there are few barren flowers on the shoots, they should be kept close to heating devices for a month.

Many summer residents pre-plant seed material in peat pots (1 - 2 seeds each) for seedlings. After 1 - 1.5 weeks, seedlings appear, which grow rather quickly. Already in 25 - 30 days after the emergence of seedlings, 2 - 3 true leaves appear on the seedlings, and all the seedlings are ready for planting in a permanent place. The soil in the beds should be light and loose - it can be fertile sandy loam or loam with a neutral pH.

Basic requirements for caring for these cucumbers:

1. Cucumbers require regular watering with warm water, but there should be no stagnation of moisture in the soil, otherwise the plants may begin to rot. Do not spray water on foliage.
2. The beds should be regularly cleaned of weeds that can clog this vegetable plant, and absorb nutrients from the soil.
3. After each watering, the soil should be loosened to remove the appearing crust.
4. Cucumbers are fed at least 5 times per season. Liquid cow manure, mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are used as top dressings.
5. Be sure to tie up the main shoot and the growing lateral stems.
6. Ripe cucumbers are harvested regularly, after 2 - 3 days.

It is not recommended to grow this hybrid in closed greenhouses, as the flowers are usually pollinated by bees. In a greenhouse, most often, ovaries are practically not formed or no fruit appears at all.