Description
1/16 oz
Days to Maturity: 60 DAYS
Thin, tender skin, crisp flesh and a small seed cavity.
Green Finger blew away hybrids in our trials for quality and yield. Unusually durable for this type; no wrapping needed! A field or open tunnel variety bred by Cornell University; requires pollination for fruit set. Beit Alphas are similar to European/Dutch types with the same ribbed skin but smaller.
Monoecious
Gourmet Beit Alpha-type
6-8" fruit
Disease Resistance Details: High Resistance: Powdery Mildew, Papaya Ringspot Virus, Watermelon Mosaic Virus, Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus
Soil Nutrients and Requirements: Cucumbers prefer well drained fertile soil high in organic matter with neutral pH. Cucumbers are heavy feeders. Sidedressing is recommended one week after blossoming and again 3 weeks later, especially if there are signs of deficiency. Nitrogen deficiencies cause yellowing, and bronze leaves are a sign of potassium deficiency.
Seeding Depth: ½”
Plant Spacing: For slicing cukes 12-24", for pickling cukes 8-12”, for greenhouse cukes 20”.
Row spacing: for slicing and greenhouse cukes 5-6’, for pickling cukes 3-6’.
When to Sow: Cucumbers can be direct seeded or transplanted one week after all danger of frost has passed. Start transplants 3-4 weeks before planting date. Plants with one or two true leaves transplant best. Optimal soil temperature for germination is 85°F. Soil temperatures below 50°F slow growth and impair water uptake by roots. Cucumbers prefer an air temperature of at least 70°F during the day, 60°F at night. Plastic mulch and row covers are commonly used for field cucumbers to increase soil and air temperature and ward off insects. Make sure to remove row covers when plants begin to flower to ensure pollination.
Other Considerations
- Greenhouse cucumbers should be kept pruned to one central leader and trellised with a wire that can slide laterally to create space as vines grow. Greenhouse cucumbers are parthenocarpic, able to produce fruit without pollination. Seedless cucumbers are attained by excluding insects from the greenhouse. If insects are present, they will pollinate flowers and fruits will produce seed.
- Cucumbers can be misshapen from low fertility or poor pollination
Harvest: Once plants begin to bear, it is important to harvest every day or two. Plants carrying overripe fruit will slow production.
