Cucumber
| Lifespan: | ⌛ | annual |
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| Origin: | ✈ | India |
| Exposure: | ☼ | full sun"full sun" is not in the list (sun, part-sun, shade, unknown) of allowed values for the "Exposure" property. |
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| Water: | ◍ | [[Water::maintain even moisturesn]] |
| Features: | ✓ | edible fruit"Edible fruit" is not in the list (evergreen, deciduous, flowers, fragrance, edible, fruit, naturalizes, invasive, foliage, birds, ...) of allowed values for the "Features" property. |
| Sunset Zones: | [[Sunset zones::all zones sn]] |
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Cucumis > |
sativus > |
Cucumbers are creeping vines that grow on the ground, or up trellises fences and other supporting frames. They have thin, spiraling tendrils that can cling to poles, wires and branches. They have large leaves which create a canopy over the fruit.
The fruit is approximately cylindrical, elongated, and has tapered ends. Fruit can reach 60 cm long and 10 cm in diameter in some varieties. Cucumbers grown for eating fresh (called slicers) and those grown for pickling (called picklers) are very similar.
Cultivation
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Plants often need at least 25 square feet, though they can be grown on walls and trellis' to save space. Along fences they can be planted 1-3 feet apart, allowing the main stem to grow to the top. Bush varieties are much more compact, and don't require much space.
Covering cucumber rows with a protective row cover while they're seedlings will reduce pests like the cucumber beetle and flea beetle. Covers must be removed when flowering begins to allow pollination.
Warm air is needed for pollinationsn. Most cucumbers require pollination, which is is more than adequately provided by various bees. Some varieties, like English cucumbers, must not be pollinated, which is detrimental to the fruit. They are usually grown in greenhouses to avoid bees. Misshapen fruit is usually due to poor pollination, or uneven wateringsn. Some varieties are all or mostly female flowers, producing more fruit. These may either require other varieties interplanted for pollination, or be self-fertile like 'Sweet Success'.
Harvest cucumbers while young to encourage fruit productionsn.
Propagation
Grown from seed. Seeds require warm soil to sproutsn. Sprout indoors to get a head-start on the growing season outdoors, and extend the fruiting period. Outdoors plant seeds 1 to 2 weeks after the average date of the last frostsn, 1 inch deep in the soilsn.
Pests and diseases
Cucumbers are prone to cucumber beetles, flee beetles and whiteflies.
Varieties
- Slicers grown commercially for the North American market are generally longer, smoother, more uniform in color, and have a tougher skin. Slicers in other countries are smaller and have a thinner, more delicate skin.
- Novelties
- Armenian - up to 3 feet long, curving, pale green, ribbed, thin skin (no need to peel), technically a melon. Best when under a foot long.
- Orientals - long, slim, very mild
- English cucumbers can grow as long as 2 feet. They are nearly seedless and are sometimes marketed as "Burpless," as the seeds give some people gas.
- Mediterranean cucumbers are small, smooth-skinned and mild. Like the English cucumber, Mediterranean cucumbers are nearly seedless.
- In North America the term "wild cucumber" refers to manroot.
Bush cucumbers are varieties the are compact, and need relatively little spacesn.
Pickling
Cucumbers can be pickled for the taste, and to extend their shelf life. While pickling cucumbers can be eaten fresh, and often are (like 'Kirby' or 'Liberty'), they usually tend to be shorter, thicker, less regularly-shaped, and have bumpy skin with tiny white- or black-dotted spines. They should never be waxed, but color is not important. They are often harvested very young, like the tiny gherkins used for sweet pickles.
Gallery
If you have a photo of this plant, please upload it! Plus, there may be other photos available for you to add.
A Mediterranean cucumber, whole and cut open, with AA battery for size.
A Marketmore Ridge cucumber.
An English cucumber, ready for consumption.
References
External links
- w:Cucumber. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
- Cucumber QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)
