Cucumbers: how to plant, harvest and care for the plants

Cucumber, refreshing and moisturizing, is an emblem of summer in the garden. Plant (cucumis sativus), of Asian origin, is annual, and its climbing stems and tendrils allow it to cling to other plants or rigid structures to reach the sun. It has palmate and pubescent leaves, which makes them rough to the touch. The roots are superficial and powerful, since they must be able to explore and absorb all the water and nutrients necessary for their development.

A peculiarity of the cucumber is that it is a “monoecious” plant, that is, it has separate male and female flowers, but on the same plant. Differentiating them will be easy for you: first the groups of male, small and tubular flowers appear. Later, the females alone, with the voluminous and elongated ovary.

Both are yellow and smaller than those of zucchini. For the magical formation of the fruits to occur, the intervention of pollinating insects will be necessary to transport the pollen from a male flower to a female one.

How to plant cucumbers

In spring and in the open sky, make holes every 0.5 m and sow 3 or 4 seeds about 2 cm deep. They will germinate in about seven days. Select one or two sites per hole and discard the rest.

If you want to advance the harvest, sow sheltered from the cold in small pots and, when there is no danger of frost, transplant on the terraces adding a handful of compost around the roots.

Place a stake of reeds or wood. As the plants grow, they will cling to it with their tendrils. If the shoots are cut, the formation of lateral branches is stimulated and accelerates the ripening of the fruits. It is a rustic crop, but sensitive to various pests and diseases such as aphids, whiteflies, thrips, red mites, especially powdery mildew.

Cucumber harvest

When the fruits reach the appropriate length and thickness, harvest them in stages. this happenedea 2 or 3 months after planting. Do it in the morning, before they turn yellow. Thus the pulp will be compact and crunchy.

The cucumber contains cucurbitacins, responsible for its bitter taste and difficult digestion. These compounds are found under the shell and at the end of the stem. The plant develops them to defend itself against herbivores that would otherwise eat it.

How to remove bitterness when preparing it

When you eat the cucumber with the peel, the cucurbitacins, with a bitter taste and responsible for the production of digestive gases. At the same time, when you chew the pulp, fatty acids are released from the membranes, which, when decomposed, give off volatile substances. These are then dragged by the gases formed by the cucurbitacins into the mouth, which makes you notice that peculiar cucumber aroma some time after eating it. That is, “repeat”.

One way to remove some of these compounds is to cut off the ends of the cucumber or peel it and soak it in a vinegar or lemon juice solution.

Basic cucumber care in the garden

Floor: Deep and rich in organic matter and nutrients. A straw padding refreshes and protects it.Light: They ask for sun and temperatures from 20º C to 32º C. The south orientation is ideal.Irrigation: Regular and plentiful. The drop by drop does not wet the leaves and prevents fungi.Associations: Basil, dill, and flowers like zinnias or cosmos will attract pollinators.

How to treat powdery mildew of cucumber

This fungus usually attacks the plant if you are in a shady place, the relative humidity is high or if the abundance of leaves accentuates these conditions.

It is well recognized, since it forms a whitish down on leaves or other parts of the plant.

To treat it, remove the affected leaves and improve aeration with selective pruning.