Cucumbers

Somebody mentioned cucumbers. I am very, very good at cucumbers. We concentrate on the mini ones used for pickling, and grow hundreds of plants, but the same applies to all types, and indeed, up to a point, to its relatives...........

Cucumbers are related to gourds, melons, zucchinis, pumpkins, and squashes, and they all look very similar as seedlings and small plants. They've been around a long time and can be found mentioned in Sumerian mythology.

We know them best in three forms:

1. The smallest varieties, which are primarily pickled.
2. Ridge varieties ("slicer" cucumbers) which are simply larger versions of these, with a tough skin
3. "English" cucumbers (which actually come from Syria), less bitter and with an edible skin.

You may notice a bit of bias there. I consider the skin of the ridge cucumber to be inedible, and in actual fact, I never use them at all. Like most things it's a case of what you are used to. I grew up with English cucumbers, while in some areas of the US, I'm told they are expensive and/or difficult to obtain.

The English cucumber is a wee bit trickier to grow, as it needs more heat. In cooler climates they are a greenhouse-only crop. If you want them straight like the ones you are used to buying you must grow them as a hanging vine, on strings, a fence, or a strong mesh. They will grow just fine on the ground but will curl.

Otherwise these are very undemanding plants, and will grow from seed simply dropped into a hole in the ground you can make with your finger. You don't need rich soil, it will just give you more leaves. But you do need space if not growing on a trellis, they sprawl. I've had plants reach 6 feet across.

Plant directly in the ground after the last frost date. Or start in a pot indoors (see previous blog) 2-3 weeks before that. Water WELL. These are thirsty plants. At full maturity I give each plant an absolute minimum of a litre (quart) of water a day. Never let them dry out.

Be careful when weeding or hoeing. Even if you plant the seed deeper than recommended, the roots will be very thin and delicate. There is a very sudden noticeable difference between the sturdy stem above ground and the whiskery roots below. You can encourage longer roots by using very well tilled soil, but you still have to be careful not to accidentally pull them out when working around them. If you accidentally uproot it, the chances of it recovering after re-planting are iffy.

At harvest time be prepared to check for ripe cucumbers daily. They grow very fast and they also hide under the big leaves. If you are growing pickling cucumbers, be prepared to do regular batches. After picking they go limp and wrinkly quite quickly even if refrigerated - I'm quite disgusted to see them being sold like this actually. When the time is right I'll post my customary world-class pickling recipe on my food blog.

This is a FUN plant, great for a beginner (even a child) and the leaves are interesting enough that you could grow one in a flower garden, just because. Certainly, if the only place you have to grow it is in front of your house, there's no reason why not. Because of their vertical ways, these also make great balcony plants.