Balcony F1 Cucumber Seeds, 10 seeds

A cucumber variety with small leaves and an open growth habit. Ideal for growing on balconies and loggias, as well as in open and protected ground.

F1 Balcony - a parthenocarpic cluster gherkin with female or predominantly female flowering.

Characteristics:
- Branching is average or above average. 
- Characterized by long-lasting and consistently high fruit set.  
- Each node produces 2–4 to 6–8 or more fruit set, with sequential fruit development within the node.
- Green fruits are bumpy, white-spined, and 6–10 cm long. When the load of ovaries and green fruits is high, the green fruits do not overgrow for a long time and remain small. 
- The frequency of bump placement is average. 
- High pickling quality.    

Features: the hybrid is resistant to olive spot, common cucumber mosaic virus, and powdery mildew, and is tolerant to downy mildew.

Planting density: in greenhouses - 2.5–3 plants/sq. m, in open ground - 4–5 plants/sq. m.

Producer — Manul Breeding and Seed Production Company LLC.

You can purchase Balconny F1 cucumber seeds on our website with fast delivery to all regions of Ukraine.

Parthenocarpic bunch-type gherkin hybrids of the "Balconny" variety

"Balconny" cucumbers, which belong to the bunch-type gherkin group, are unlike any other varieties or hybrids currently available. Their distinctive features:

1. An abundance of ovaries at the nodes. There are more ovaries than in other bunch hybrids; the ovaries are “active” and do not “dry out.” Externally, the numerous developing fruits and ovaries resemble clusters (a cluster-type cucumber!).
2. Short internodes.
3. Small or medium-sized leaf blades.
4. Fruits are pickle- or gherkin-sized and do not overgrow for a long time. The fruits are smooth, regular in shape, without thickening or constrictions. The percentage of standard-sized produce is very high. In some balcony cucumber varieties, the fruits are thin and elongated (“finger-shaped fruits”).

Why are these cucumbers called “balcony” varieties? The compact growth habit of these plants (short internodes, small leaves, and a long main stem) allows for efficient use of the limited space on a balcony or veranda. And the numerous small fruits, which do not overgrow for a long time, allow for a high yield of excellent quality over an extended period, especially if harvesting is done irregularly. Thus, balcony cucumbers are better suited than others to the specific conditions of a balcony or loggia.

Balcony cucumbers have their own characteristics regarding cluster formation. By the time of mass flowering, only 2–3 ovaries may initially appear on the lower tier of the main stem, with additional ovaries appearing later. On the middle and upper tiers of the stem, female flowers form in larger clusters. At all nodes (regardless of their location), new ovaries continue to appear in the clusters as the plants grow and develop.

When a large number of simultaneously growing ovaries form on the plant, their growth slows down, and the ovaries and small fruits do not grow much larger for a long time.

It should be noted that balcony cucumbers can also be grown with equal success in spring greenhouses (unheated and heated) and in open ground (traditional growing method or trellis cultivation).

Balcony cucumbers deserve the closest attention from canning factories. The abundance of fruit set allows for a much higher yield of high-quality pickles and gherkins for processing per unit area compared to other hybrids.

Features of balcony cucumber yield formation

Hybrids of this variety type are adapted to any conditions in open and protected ground, but the highest yields are obtained when grown in greenhouses. Large clusters of ovaries (up to 10–12 ovaries per node and more) do not appear in the leaf axils immediately. Initially, at the start of flowering, 2–3 fruits form at each node. Then, as the plant continues to grow, once the side shoots have developed (these are pinched back just like on all other cucumber varieties) and fruiting begins, numerous additional fruits will appear in the leaf axils. It is undesirable to allow the first fruits to overgrow (especially in open ground, where the plants’ growth habit is smaller than in greenhouses)—this will inhibit the formation of new ovaries. Once balcony cucumbers have developed sufficient biomass (plenty of leaves, side shoots, and ovaries), the plants will be unable to “feed” a large number of simultaneously developing ovaries, and their growth will begin to slow down. As a result, a large number of small cucumbers (in the pickle and gherkin stages) will appear on the plants, which are used for canning or fresh consumption. It should be noted that in this case, these small cucumbers must be harvested on time. The growth period for marketable cucumber fruits, from flower opening or pollination to harvest, is 10–12 days. If they are not harvested on time, they will remain small in appearance, but biologically they will already be overripe fruits.And the taste of overripe fruits deteriorates: sugar content decreases, the amount of organic acids increases, and the flesh becomes less tasty and not as crisp. In addition, such small but already overripe cucumbers may exhibit a "dissolving" effect of the ridges.

If, for some reason, the plants have not developed a large biomass (for example, due to cold soil or drought)—i.e., the plants have grown short—large clusters of ovaries may not form; each node will have no more than 2–4 ovaries. Balcony cucumbers can be grown from older seedlings compared to other hybrids. A sturdy, thick stem and small leaves prevent the seedlings from "falling over" for a long time, which preserves the high quality of the mature seedlings, improves their survival rate, and thus ensures "plant growth"—creating conditions for earlier fruiting. To achieve the maximum yield of green cucumbers, you need to strive to create favorable conditions for the plants’ active growth and development: comfortable soil and air temperatures, watering, and nutrition. Despite the increased cold tolerance of Balcony cucumbers, you should not rush to sow or plant them if the weather is cold. Prevent outbreaks of spider mites (especially in greenhouses). Another feature of the Balcony variety type is a robust root system, which provides increased plant resistance to stressful conditions, as well as tolerance (relative resistance) to root rot.