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.
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.
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:
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.