Ira F1 cucumber is an early-maturing, high-yielding hybrid of the cornichon type, suitable for cultivation both in open ground and under plastic covers. The vegetative period is 40-45 days from germination to harvest, allowing for early harvest. The plant is strong, reaches a height of up to 2.3 meters, and forms 2-3 fruits per flower cluster. For successful fruiting, bee pollination is required, so when grown in greenhouses, it is recommended to allow bees access by opening doors and windows.
The fruits of the Ira cucumber are uniform, slender, cylindrical in shape, 7-9 cm long, weighing approximately 80-150 g, with a length-to-diameter ratio of 3:1. The skin is dark green with longitudinal light stripes, and the flesh is juicy, aromatic, and genetically free from bitterness. Thanks to these qualities, the cucumbers are ideal for fresh consumption, home canning, and pickling. Fruit ripening occurs gradually, ensuring a prolonged fruiting period and a steady harvest every 2-3 days.
The hybrid exhibits high resistance to a range of diseases, including olive spot, true powdery mildew, brown spot, root rot, cucumber mosaic, and downy mildew. Yield under plastic cover reaches 17-25 kg per square meter, while in open ground it is 5-7 kg. For sowing, seeds should be planted dry in peat pots or other containers at a temperature of 18-25 °C; when grown as seedlings, sowing should occur in April with transplanting into the ground after the threat of frost has passed. Sowing in open ground is possible when soil temperature reaches 14-15 °C, usually in late May to early June, with seed depth of 2-3 cm and planting spacing of 70-90x30 cm.
