Cucumber ( Cucumis sativus )

1. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) Introduction • Both cucumbers and melons are members of the same genus: Cucumis • Cucumbers and melons can not cross • Originated in Asia or Africa • First cultivated in India around 3000 years ago • Originated in mountains of northern India • Were cultivated by the ancient Greeks

2. Characteristics of cucumber • Warm season vegetable • Do not tolerate frost • Separate male and female flowers • Monoecious • Require bee pollination • Will produce male flowers first • Produce 10-20 times more flowers • Release pollen and fall off

3. Cucumbers: Unique types • Gynoecious cultivars • Have all female flowers • Why use a gynoecious cultivar? • Energy not used to produce male flowers • Can produce more fruit • Usually a small amount of seed from a standard cultivar is mixed in as the pollinator

4. Cucumbers: Culture • Vining habit, like other cucurbits • Can be trellised • Dwarf or bush cultivars recommended for gardeners with space constraints • Can be grown in large pots • Easy to provide warm soil • Pots should be at least 12” in diameter • Will need both male and female flowers

5. Cucumbers: Culture • Field Planting • Cucumbers are usually direct seeded in the garden • Plant when soil is at least 60 to 65 F • Watering • Cucumbers have shallow root systems • Require ample moisture at all stages of growth • Critical phase is when fruit are on the plant • Fertility • Require a rich soil with high nitrogen levels

6. Cucumber – types • Slicing • Used fresh without addition preparation • Used for salads, fresh on sandwiches, uncooked in soups

7. Cucumber - types • Pickling • Used for making pickles and sometimes fresh • Types of pickles depend on: • Preparation (i.e. dills) • Size

8. Slicing Cucumbers vs. Pickling

9. Cucumbers: Unique types West Indies Gerkin or bur cucumber • Derived from an African species • Extensively grown in West Indies and grown in Florida and Texas • Almost spherical fruit used for pickles

10. Cucumbers: Unique types • Burpless cucumber • These are mild in flavor and thin-skinned • Some people get stomach problems when they eat cucumber skin • Probably don’t stop burping and name comes from Burplee Seed Company

11. Cucumbers: Greenhouse production • A popular greenhouse crop, common in supermarkets • Generally the highest yielding cucumbers • Differences from field grown cucumbers • Longer and thinner • Plants are grown upright • Seedless • Parthenocarpic: Produce fruit without pollination • Flavor is better? • Is it worth the additional cost

12. Cucumbers: Harvesting • Pick cucumbers every day • Size to harvest depends on use

13. Cucumbers: Harvesting • Pick before the seeds become hard • Fruit that contains immature seed is preferred • Do not allow cucumbers to turn yellow • Yellow fruit are overly mature • Often have a bitter taste

14. Cucumbers: Problems • Cucumber beetle • Must be controlled because they transmit bacterial wilt • Control • Synthetic insecticides • Exclusion with row covers • Poor fruit quality • Incomplete pollination • Drought during pollination and fruit development