Cucumber – vegetable garden

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is botanically categorized as berries, which are available in many different sizes shapes and colors. They range from thick, stubby little fruits (10 – 12 cm long) to Dutch greenhouse varieties (of up to 50 cm long). The most popular variety is the long smooth salad cucumber which has a smooth, dark-green skin. It’s little brother, the “gherkin” is actually a cucumber that has been harvested when little and pickled in brine. Cucumber may not contain a lot of food value,
but they make up this lack of nutrients with a wide variety of healthy substances. They were already used in ancient times to dissolve stones caused by uric acid. Their cleansing effect on the intestines, kidneys, lung and skins was also known. People suffering from stomach or liver diseases also benefit from the consumption of
cucumbers. They have been known to cure some headaches, bleeding, dizziness, and pale skin. Cucumber juice contains a substance, which promotes blood circulation of the skin. It is for this reason that it is widely used in cosmetics.

Scientific Name: Cucumis sativus
Common Name: Cucumber

How to grow and maintain cucumber:
Seeding:

The seeds are sown in a porous medium at a depth of ½ to 1 inch. If growing only a few plants, sow seeds directly into individual containers or directly into the ground of a hoop house to reduce transplanting shock. For large-scale production, sow seeds in flats with large cells for good root development.

Temperature:

The optimum germination temperature for seedless varieties is 80° to 82°F while seeded varieties germinate well at 70° to 75°F. The soil temperature should not drop below 60°F during germination. Cover the seeded flats with glass or plastic to reduce heat loss and to prevent drying. Remove the cover as soon as the seeds have germinated and emerged. Soil temperatures should be between 70° and 75°F during the day and at least 65°F at night. Keep seedlings moist and provide a minimum of 14 hours of light each day.
Watering:

Watering the plants for at any rate around 1-2 inches every week, particularly when they are blooming and bearing the organic product, is critical as it needs a great deal of dampness to develop. On the off chance that the cucumber plants are not hydrated appropriately, it can make them taste bitter.

De-weeding:

Cucumbers are influenced by weeds, bugs, bacterial shrink, mold and different infections. these influence the plant and control the development. It is imperative to keep them weed and bug free. They should be consistently controlled while planting cucumber. It is likewise critical not to utilize an excessive number of bug sprays while pollinating. Utilizing a brown or a black mulch will likewise keep the weeds away. Mulch additionally enhances the general cucumber generation by keeping the dampness adjust in the soil.

Harvesting:
The natural products are prepared for collecting when they have achieved 2-4 inches (contingent upon the assortment), which is around 50-70 days from planting. They must not turn yellow, as the vegetable tends to become bitter with size. It is said that, the shorter and immature the cucumber, the better and crisp it tastes.

Storage:

Because of their high water content, cucumber cant be stored for more than a week in the refrigerator as it could form mildew and spoil the entire lot.