Cucumber Gherkin is a fast growing outdoor type producing a mass of small slightly prickly fruits for pickling.
SOW April, May and early June
HARVEST Late July onwards
TYPE Salad vegetable
PLOT Glasshouse
WHERE TO SOW:
April sowings under glass at 20-21°C in small pots. May and June sowings direct outside with 2 seeds to each station on a well prepared bed, covered with glass or polythene. Planting about 60cm between stations.
WHAT TO DO NEXT:
When outdoor seedlings have developed 2 pairs of leaves, remove one plant and allow remainder to grow on and remove covering. Glasshouse sowings should be gradually hardened off for planting out from late May. Water and feed well to ensure rapid growth.
HANDY TIPS: The planting site should be well manured in early spring and for best results make regular pickings while fruits are still young and small. High water content, low in calories, high in potassium. Skin is rich in carotnoid antioxidant.One of the traditional ways to ensure germination is to fold a damp sheet of kitchen paper in half, and place the seeds on their edge in the fold. Then place ina plastic bag and put them in the airing cupboard. Check daily and once germinated, place in compost and grow on as normal. The planting site should be well manured in early Spring and for best results make regular pickings while fruits are still young and small.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE: High water content, low in calories, high in potassium. Skin rich in carotnoid antioxidant.
