<p>65 days. This Eastern cucumber is intermediate in size between table cukes and picklers at 10-15cm (4-6 in.). It has a thin, smooth, delicate skin that doesn’t require peeling. Very productive in our garden but may need protection in cooler areas. We found the taste to be exquisite.</p><p>CULTURE: If the growing conditions aren’t warm and dry, cucumbers fall prey to various diseases and/or make very slow growth. However, under good conditions, they mature quickly and produce many more fruits than most people can use. So the best idea is to wait until early to mid-June before sowing. In damp, chilly soils the seed rots without sprouting, or the seedlings die from powdery mildew before they emerge. Plant deeply so the seeds don’t have to be watered before they sprout. Like rain, watering cools the soil and retards sprouting. Sow 5-6 seeds per clump, 3cm (11/2 in.) deep with the clumps 1m (3 ft.) apart in all directions, and thin later to the best one or two plants per clump. Try to cut, rather than pull out, the seedlings you are thinning. Use of a black plastic mulch, such as Weedblock, and a floating row cover (see page 76), can provide favourable growing conditions and earlier yields. If starting indoors, use individual peat pots to minimize root disturbance and start them mid-April to early May. Transplant no later than 3 weeks after seeding as cucumbers have a tap root that can be easily damaged. Working 1/2 to 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer into the soil under each clump will produce abundant growth all season. To avoid bitterness, keep plants evenly moist at all times. Vining cucumbers should be trained on a trellis to save garden space. <br>DISEASE: Powdery mildew was a big problem for us last year. We’ve heard that gardeners use 1 tablespoon of baking soda in a quart of water to spray on the plants. A squirt of dish soap in the mixture works as a sticking agent. <br>INSECTS: Control striped and spotted cucumber beetles by hand picking the adults or bright orange eggs. Pyrethrum or rotenone work if applied regularly. <br>HARVEST: Keep them picked and they’ll keep producing.</p><p>Cucumbers germinate and grow best when summer really gets going. They require a soil temperature of 27-29 deg. C (81-84 deg. F).</p>
