Cucumbers

This page is an open source resource guide for cucumber. It is for growing and maintaining the most bio-diverse, delicious, and broadly applicable cucumber selection possible. It contains cultural considerations, planting guidelines, descriptions, and the best places we’ve found for purchasing the species we’ve listed. As part of the One Community Highest Good food component of global transformation, this page will continue to evolve indefinitely to contain maintenance and care tips, accessioning and plant breeding and sharing information as part of the One Community open source botanical garden model, and even recipe’s, preparations, and preservation methods used on the property.

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Click these links to be taken directly to the relevant sections on this page:

• Cucumber Overview
• Cultural Considerations
• Planting Guidelines
• Specific Varieties
• Plant Material/Seed Providers
• Other Cucumber Resources
• Cucumbers as Part of the Botanical Garden Model
• Cucumber Preparation, Preservation, and Recipes
• Links to Other Edible Plant Pages

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CUCUMBERS

(Click here for cucumber purchase details)

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus, Cucumis anguria)

Rich sources of vitamins and nutrients, cucumbers are eaten fresh, pickled, (though this reduces nutrient levels, particularly Vitamin C) or canned, but not commonly dried due to the high moisture content. Cucumbers are among the most commonly grown greenhouse crops in cold winter climates. The so-called Armenian cucumber is actually a type of melon, but is treated like the true cucumbers.

CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Some varieties will set seedless fruit without pollination
• Cucumbers are subject to several insect pests and diseases
• Hot dry conditions will cause increased bitterness in the fruit
• Cucumbers prefer a warm soil temperature of 70F for best growth
• Cucumbers need high fertility to produce well, but avoid excess nitrogen

PLANTING GUIDELINES

Cucumbers are native to warm temperate to tropical regions of Asia and like a long warm growing season. Start plants indoors in late winter or early spring, and transplant out after last frost when soil has warmed sufficiently. Soil should be well worked and amended with humus or well-rotted manure. Provide a trellis or other support for the vines as they grow.

VIDEO COMING: Planting tutorial followed by timelapse growth videos
SEE OUR HOW TO HELP AND/OR CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN PAGE IF YOU’D LIKE TO GET INVOLVED AND/OR SUPPORT ONE COMMUNITY’S DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Wikipedia ” Cucumber

GCu#1 :: Ashley Cucumber Ashley cucumbers are a long, straight, and dark green fruit with pale green stripes extending halfway from blossom to stem end. Full-sized fruit measure 6-10 inches long, about 1.6-2.6 inches wide, and average 11-13 oz in weight. They have white spines, superficial bumps, and slight ribbing with mid-season maturing to produce a moderately sweet taste and a crunchy juicy texture, with slightly thick skin and no bitterness. GCu#2 :: Cengelkoy (Salatalik Tohumu) Cucumber Cengelkoy (pronounced “chengel-kooey”) seed is from Istanbul, Turkey, where it is a well-known favorite. It is a rare, tender, and mild black-spined cucumber with thin skin, no bitterness, and slender and delicate 5-6 inches long and 1-2 inches in diameter fruits. They are delicious when eaten raw, marinated, and also pickled, retaining crispness and fitting perfectly into jars. Plants are very productive and fairly cold tolerant. GCu#3 :: Cornichon de Bourbonne Cucumber Cornichon de Bourbonne is an old French heirloom cucumber traditionally used to make Cornichon pickles (called “gherkins” by the English). The high-yielding vines produce tasty tiny cucumbers that are about an inch and half in length and less than a quarter inch in diameter (about the size of your pinky finger). These little cucumbers are nubby and bumpy and best pickled very young to produce pickles that are especially tart, crunchy, and fun to eat. GCu#4 :: Cornichon de Rusie Cucumber Cornichon de Russie is a pickling cucumber from Russia. The plants are early and productive, providing pickles smaller than a chicken egg but both bigger and sweeter than conventional pickles. The flesh of this cucumber has also been described as “particularly fine.” GCu#5 :: National Pickling Cucumber National Pickling cucumbers were developed by the National Pickle Packer’s Association and are considered one of the best pickling varieties available. The fruits are ready for harvest in 50-60 days, short (6-7 inches long), and thick with tender dark-green skin and crisp flesh. Aside from pickling, these cucumbers are also great fresh-sliced and added to salads. GCu#6 :: Poona Kheera Cucumber Poona Kheera cucumbers are yellow-skinned pickling cucumbers that are light yellow-green when young and begin turning russet-brown at full maturity. They are traditionally sold at the light-green stage, but the flavor is best when harvested just as browning begins. The skin of this cucumber has a sugary sweet flavor and the flesh is juicy, crisp, and described by some as “unusually spicy.” Poona Kheeras are originally from India, heavy producers, climb easily (5-6 feet) on a trellis,and have demonstrated a field resistance to disease compared to similar varieties. GCu#7 :: Timun Hijan Cucumber Timun Hijan cucumbers are small, averaging only 4-6 inches. They are a great slicing cucumber with thin skin that is not in the least bitter, and mild flavored flesh. The small fruit is a good shape for pickles and snacks.

We will also be growing the following additional cucumbers:

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus, Cucumis anguria) :: GCu#8 -GCu#10

8. Aunt Rita’s Monastery 9. Big Potato 10. Cornichon Vert de Massy

Cucumber Plant Material/Seed Providers:

• SSE = Seed Savers Exchange http://www.seedsavers.org
• J.L. Hudson, Seedsman http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net

Cucumber Purchase Details

REF #	VEGETABLE	VARIETY	SOURCE	QUANTITY	UNIT COST	TOTAL COST
GCu#1	Cucumber	Ashley	SSE	3 pkt.	$4	$12
GCu#2	Cucumber	Cengelkoy (Salatalik Tohumu)	SSE	3 pkt.	$4	$12
GCu#3	Cucumber	Cornichon de Bourbonne	SSE	3 pkt.	$4	$12
GCu#4	Cucumber	Cornichon de Rusie	SSE	3 pkt.	$4	$12
GCu#5	Cucumber	National Pickling	JLH	2 oz.	$5.00/oz	$10
GCu#6	Cucumber	Poona Kheera	SSE	3 pkt.	$4	$12
GCu#7	Cucumber	Timun Hijan	SSE	3 pkt.	$4	$12
GCu#8	Cucumber	Aunt Rita’s Monastery	SSE	3 pkt.	$4	$12
GCu#9	Cucumber	Big Potato	SSE	3 pkt.	$4	$12
GCu#10	Cucumber	Cornichon Vert de Massy	SSE	3 pkt.	$4	$12

 

OTHER CUCUMBER RESOURCES

We are seeking awesome cucumber resources. If you know of one, please click here to share it with us so we can make this page better.

• Cucumber Mosaic Virus
• Calories in Cucumber
• What’s New and Beneficial About Cucumbers
• Cucumber Genome Database
• Peeled Cucumbers and Vitamin K
• Cucumber Nutrition
• Uses for Cucumber
• Guide to Juicing Cucumbers
• Energy Snack: Cucumbers
• Planting Growing and Harvesting Cucumbers

 

CUCUMBERS AS PART OF THE BOTANICAL GARDEN MODEL

This section will evolve to include accessioning and plant breeding and sharing information as part of the One Community open source botanical garden model.

 

CUCUMBER PREPARATION, PRESERVATION, AND RECIPES

This section will evolve to include testimonials, recipe’s, preparations, and preservation methods used on the property first, and then later with additional information from other Highest Good collaborators and teacher/demonstration hubs.

• Cucumber and Black-Eyed Pea Salad
• Cucumber Jelly
• Asian Cucumber Salad
• Cucumber Celery and Gin Sorbet 
• Cucumbers Stuffed with Crab Mango Salad
• Cucumber Ranch Dressing
• Preserving Cucumbers
• How to Prepare Cucumbers

Tomato Cucumber Salad

Recipe courtesy of: Cooking Weekends

Total Time: 15 min Prep: 15 min Cook: 0 min

Yield: 4 Servings Level: Easy

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Ingredients 1 large cucumber 3 tomatoes (about 1 lb) Small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped 1 tbsp olive oil Juice from 1/2 lime or more to taste Salt and freshly cracked pepper

Directions Wash and peel the cucumber if it has a lot of wax coating. Cut into small dice and place into a non reactive bowl. Wash and dice the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes and chopped cilantro to the bowl as well. Dribble the olive oil over the salad and start off with a small amount to freshly squeezed lime juice as well as a bit of salt and pepper. Toss the salad and adjust the quantities of lime, salt, and pepper until you are happy with the balance and taste. Allow the salad to sit for a few minutes or more before serving. This gives the flavors a chance to meld a bit.

Pineapple Cucumber Gazpacho

Recipe courtesy of: Sassy Spoon

Total Time: 15 min Prep: 15 min Cook: Chill

Yield: 4 Servings Level: Easy

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Ingredients 2 cups fresh (must be fresh) cubed pineapple 2 cups chunked peeled English cucumbers (no seeds) 1 cup pineapple juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 sprigs fresh mint, torn 1 finely chopped jalapeno 3 tablespoons finely chopped onions 1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Directions Place all in a blender and pulse till well blended but still a little chunky. Serve with additional nuts on top or a sprig of mint. This will keep up to a week in the refrigerator.

LINKS TO OTHER EDIBLE PLANT PAGES