Heirloom Vegetable. Heavy yielding plants are loaded with perfectly formed, deep green fruit with black spines. The thin skin allows for ready absorption of pickling solutions and while fruit can be allowed to reach up to 12.5 cm (5″) in length without sacrificing quality, they are most often picked at a much smaller size for the “best gherkins” this side of Chicago! Resistant to scab and cucumber mosaic virus. Introduced in 1888.
How to Grow
35 seed/gram Cucumbers grow best in a rich, warm, sandy loam soil. Before planting, work into the native soil 30 cm (12″) deep large amounts of garden compost or composted manure. As cooler soil will reduce germination and increase the chance of the seed rotting before it sprouts, wait until the soil has reached a temperature of at least 18 C (66 F) before planting. Mound the soil up into hills about 15-20 cm (6-8″) high and about 30-60 cm (12-24″) across. Space the hills about 120 cm (4′) apart. Sow the seed 2 cm (3/4″) deep with 6 to 8 seeds per hill then after the seed sprouts, thin to 3 or 4 plants per hill. If you have limited space, most cucumbers grow on trellises. Protect the plants from any late spring/early summer frosts and keep the plants evenly watered through the growing season. Even soil moisture is very important as cucumbers become very bitter if the plant becomes moisture stressed by hot dry weather. To prevent damage to the plant, harvest the cucumbers by cutting them from the vine with a sharp knife – do not pull or twist them from the vine.