Afonya

The Afonya cucumber variety is a high-yielding, mid-season, bee-pollinated hybrid with a long fruiting period. Plants are vigorous, predominantly female-flowering, with cluster formation of ovaries in threes per node. Cucumbers are short, cylindrical, finely ribbed, white-stemmed, weighing 85–105 grams, without hollows. This variety has excellent flavor qualities both fresh and for preservation, with no bitterness.

Afonya is suitable for cultivation both in open ground and under plastic coverings, demonstrating high yields — up to 7 kg per square meter in open ground and 12–13 kg under plastic. Seeds can be sown directly into warmed soil or transplanted seedlings, grown at 25°C, then reduced to 15°C after germination. Seedlings are transplanted into the ground after the danger of frost has passed; seeds are sown at a depth of 1–2 cm and covered with plastic for better germination.

For successful cultivation of Afonya cucumbers, medium loamy, well-aerated soils are recommended. Care includes regular weeding, loosening, watering with warm water after sunset, and 2–3 feedings with complex mineral fertilizers to ensure full nutrition. Harvesting is done as cucumbers ripen, allowing for fresh, tasty cucumbers over an extended period.