A Polish cucumber that does not turn yellow on the bed. Polan F1 is one of the first Polish hybrid varieties of outdoor cucumber and is still one of the most popular choices. It grows quickly, produces abundant yields, and its fruits—coarsely warted, green and 8–12 cm long—retain their color exceptionally long and do not turn yellow, even if you miss harvesting by a day or two. Its firm flesh without hollow seed cavities makes it an excellent cucumber for preserving in jars.
At a glance
- Type: outdoor cucumber, pickling cucumber, F1 hybrid
- Fruits: green, coarsely warted, 8–12 cm, resistant to yellowing
- Maturity: mid-early, very productive
- Sowing outdoors: first half of May
- Harvest: July–September
- Position: sunny, warm, fertile, well-drained soil
- Difficulty: easy
- Seeds per packet: approx. 180 (5 g)
What makes this variety stand out
Polan F1 has earned a reputation as a “low-maintenance” variety: the plants grow vigorously and set many fruits, while the fruits show resistance to scab and high tolerance to yellowing—for many varieties, overgrown cucumbers become pale and soft within a day, whereas Polan retains its green color and firmness for longer. This is convenient when you only visit your allotment every few days.
The fruits are short, well-shaped and uniform in size, with a small seed cavity. After pickling, they remain firm and crunchy rather than becoming hollow inside. In practice, this is a cucumber suitable for a whole range of preserves, while young fruits taste equally good straight from the plant.
Growing step by step
Sowing (first half of May, directly outdoors): when the soil has warmed to 12–15°C, sow in rows 80–100 cm apart, individually or in groups of 2–3 seeds every 15 cm, at a depth of 2–3 cm. Germination occurs after 7–14 days. Alternatively, sow in pots in the second half of April and plant out the seedlings after 15 May.
Thinning and protection: leave 1–2 plants per group. Horticultural fleece or perforated film laid over the bed until flowering speeds up growth and protects the plants from the cool nights that still occur in May.
Position: soil rich in organic matter, warm, well-drained and moisture-retentive—cucumbers grow best in the first year after manure has been applied or in a bed enriched with a generous amount of compost. Straw mulch limits weeds and retains moisture.
Care: water regularly with warm water at the base (drought causes bitter fruits) and feed every 2 weeks with a balanced fertilizer. Harvest every 2–3 days when the fruits are 8–12 cm long—the more often you harvest, the longer the plant will keep producing.
Uses
Polan F1 is a cucumber for preserving and pickling—the even, short fruits fit neatly into jars, while the firm flesh stays crunchy. It is also suitable for lightly pickled cucumbers, gherkins (harvest at 5–7 cm) and eating raw in salads. A good companion for dill, beans and sweetcorn in the vegetable garden.
Gardener's tip
Bitter cucumbers are almost always caused by water stress, not by the variety. Water evenly—preferably in the morning, using warm, standing water—and mulch the bed so the soil does not dry out between waterings. Once a plant has started producing bitter fruits, it usually continues to do so for the rest of the season.
Specifications
| Latin name | Cucumis sativus |
| Variety | Polan F1 |
| Fruit color | green |
| Position | sunny, warm |
| Seasonality | annual plant |
| Outdoor sowing time | first half of May |
| Harvest time | July–September |
| Spacing | 80–100 × 15 cm |
| Net weight | 5 g (~180 seeds) |
| Series | Traditional |
| Producer | W. Legutko |
| EAN code | 5903837451302 |