Growing Cucumber

Where a cold frame or barn-type cloches are available, the frame cucumbers may be grown; where there is no glass then one may still enjoy summer cucumbers by growing those known as ridge cucumbers. These are the hardiest of all the forms, those for frames being also suitable for growing in a heated greenhouse. For flavor and tenderness the frame varieties are the equal of greenhouse cucumbers and as they are most prolific and easily grown they should be more widely cultivated. Even more delicious is the apple cucumber, which is so mild and tender that those who suffer after-effects from other varieties will suffer none from this unique variety. It is about this type that Parkinson says, ‘in many countries they do eat cowcumbers as we do apples, paring them’. It was for that reason that these ball-like fruits came to be called apple cucumbers.

With all types of the cucumber we usually allow them, as we do most other vegetables, to grow too large before removing them. This not only greatly reduces the quality but also the cropping capacity of the plant. No member of the summer salad is more appreciated than those tender slices of the frame or apple cucumber, and their value is that they may be grown in a sunny corner of any back garden, taking up but little room in comparison with the size of the crop they yield. And how inexpensive they are compared with the greenhouse varieties so of 1 en offered sof 1 and pulpy, or far too big.

Frame cucumbers These are prolific, and grown and marketed attractively will be the equal in appearance of greenhouse grown fruits, and have very much better flavor . If they have a disadvantage it is that being in frames through the summer, the plants will require detailed attention as to watering and ventilation. But the trouble is well worth while for they will continue to fruit until well into October—even in the north—and where one is away all day at some other occupation, then the care of the frames could he undertaken by the housewife. For this reason 4 feet by 4 feet frame lights should be used, so that a woman can easily handle them.

Though frame cucumbers may be grown quite cold in a well manured bed, growing over a gentle hot bed will result in an earlier crop and so give an additional month’s fruiting. Cucumbers, like tomatoes are required as soon as the weather becomes warm and are more appreciated in July and August, than in September when we are thinking of warm food again. So use a hot bed wherever the compost can be obtained or artificially prepared.

Sowing The hot bed should be made up at the end of March, the compost being placed 18 inches deep in the frames and covered with 5-6 inches of soil. When the bed temperature has fallen to just below 8o”F. the seed is sown. As cucumbers resent root disturbance, the seed is best sown where the plants are to grow rather than in small pots as for marrows. Where two, 5 feet x 4 feet lights are together, the frame will accommodate three plants, two seeds being sown close together in three parts of the frame, the strongest plant in each group being retained.

If no hot bed is being used, then the soil should be thoroughly enriched to a depth of 6-8 inches with well decayed strawy manure. The seed is sown early in April and being slower to germinate owing to lack of bOttom heat, the plants will bear fruit a month later. If two frames are available, it is better to delay planting the seed until early May so that the plants will be bearing their largest number of fruits when the hot bed plants have passed their peak.

After sowing the seed into soil made damp, cover with the lights and place sacking over them at night to retain as much heat as possible. Keep the frames closed to maintain a warns, damp atmosphere until the seed has germinated. The sacking should be placed over the lights each night until the end of the day, for hard frosts are of 1 en experienced until that time. Should the temperature of the frame be falling due to the hot bed losing its heat, fresh compost should be placed round the frame boards to give additional warmth, especially at night. In the south this should not be necessary.

Keep the plants comfortably moist but not wet, and always use slightly warm water for spraying and watering. Until the end of May any damping down should be done before mid-day, so that the moisture will dry off the plants before the cooler temperature of night. But regular spraying must be done to keep down red spider; cucumbers must be given a humid atmosphere and a high degree of moisture at their roots. If the plants are kept too dry they will never be a success. Attention should be given to watering throughout the life of the crop.

As the plants grow they should be trained about the frame, spacing out the shoots and carefully pegging them down so that each has room to develop. The laterals should be stopped at the second leaf, the sub-laterals being trained about the frame as they grow, and if the frame becomes too crowded, should be removed altogether. It is important to remove the fruits before they become too large for they will not only lose texture and flavor, but will crowd the frame, at the same time taking too much out of the plants.

As the plants make growth the soil should be kept quite moist which, during a sunny period may mean watering twice daily, also syringing the plants to guard against red spider. Ventilation now calls for attention as the early summer sunshine gathers strength. It is essential to keep as even a temperature in the frames as possible, so that the plants are not wilting in considerable heat by day and then having to endure greatly reduced temperatures at night. So ventilate freely whenever the day is warm. Hand pollination of the flowers is not necessary with cucumbers.

Before the frame becomes too full of plant growth it is advisable to give a light top dressing around the roots, using finely sifted loam to which has been added a small quantity of decayed manure. This will provide any surface roots with nourishment, and will act as a mulch in keeping the roots cool and moist. Sonic peat may also be added or used instead of the manure.

Watering with dilute liquid manure when the first fruits begin to limn will result in a vigorous plant and in the ultimate formation of a large crop. As the fruits have a tendency to decay as they come into contact with the soil and they may also grow slightly mis-shapen, each fruit should be carefully placed on a flat piece of wood until it has matured and been removed. Glass is used for this purpose but tends to hold moisture, and the fruits may decay on the side next to the glass especially if the weather is dull and the fruits are slow to mature.

For exhibition the fruits must be fresh and pale green, straight, and of uniform thickness. Yellow crooked fruits with long necks are not required, and the same may be said for those fruits that are being marketed.

Cucumbers do well under barn-type cloches. Ground the width of the glass should be well enriched with decayed manure to a depth of 12 inches. This should be done during March, the glass being placed in position for a frill week before the seeds are sown at the end of April. They are best planted 4 feet apart. Planting in this way gives protection from stem rot. At all times the plants from the seedling stage should be kept well watered, a humid atmosphere being created exactly the same as when growing in frames.

The plants should be stopped at the fourth leaf, two laterals only being allowed to develop, which in turn should be stopped at the fifth leaf .A mulch of peat and soil, regular syringing during hot weather, and placing narrow pieces of wood beneath the fruit to mature, should be done during the life of the crop. If the plants should make too much foliage as the season advances, defoliation must he done with care and by degrees, so as not to upset the balance of the plant.

Pests and Diseases

GUMMOSIS The fungus causes grey spots on the leaves which burst open whilst they may also occur on the fruits when they will exude a gummy liquid. It occurs mostly in dull wet seasons but may be kept under control by dusting the plants regularly with flowers of sulphur. Soil which has grown infected plants should be treated with fimnalin (i part to too of water) about a month before planting.

LEAP BLOTCH Small pale green spots appear on upper surfaces of the leaves. They continually Endive increase in size and later turn grey and then brown before falling away to leave holes in the leaves. The fruits may also be attacked. Infected leaves should be removed and burnt whilst spraying with liver of sulphur solution should give control.

POWDERY MILDEW This may attack plants growing tinder glass where there is insufficient ventilation. It is recognised by the white mildew-like growth on the leaves and shoot tips. “There are now resistant varieties but to control, spray with Shirlan to which is added the spreader Agral N.

ROOT-KNOT EELWORM The pests attack the roots and in a severe attack will devour them entirely, causing the plant to collapse. There is no cure but raising the young plants in sterilised compost will usually prevent a serious outbreak.