In the past I have grown a number of different cucumbers but the ones I keep coming back to and grow each year are Burpless and Marketmore. In 2018 I was introduced to Esmarald from Mr Fothergills as John had started off a load of cucumbers and was looking to distribute the love, by giving his babies to anyone on the plot that was happy to give them room rather than compost them.
I have to say Esmarald out grew Burpless Tasty Greens in 2018 and thankfully John had an excess again in 2019. I saved seeds in 2019 and will be growing from saved seeds, which is good because at the moment Mr Fothergill's web site says sold out.
Review Of Seed Stocks in Zippy Bags
Achocha Fat Baby - from Seed Circle saved 2014
Akito F1 - 8 Seeds - Lidl - Sow By 12/2015
Burpless Tasty Green - Kings Seeds - Sow by 09/2016
Esmarald - Self Saved 2019 Original seed from Mr Fothergill's - Say Sow by 2022
Marketmore - Suttons - Suttons Seed - Sow By 2013
Marketmore - Suttons - Suttons Seed - Sow By 2013
Marketmore - Mr Fothergill - On Magazine 2017
Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets
La Diva - 10 Seeds - £2.99 - unwins - Sow By 9/2018
Removed from the seedbox and will be offered to other plot holders who may want to give them a go.
The reason these cucumbers have not been used historically is because you have to remove the male to prevent pollination which may cause bitterness and quite franckly I would not know how to identify the male and female and it seems extra agro when there are varieties that don't need this to be done
Alphabetical Listing
Sowing Plant Out Harvest
Achocha Fat Baby Mar - Jul Jun - Oct
Akito F1 May Jul - Oct
Burpless Tasty Green Feb - May Jun - Oct
Esmarald Feb - May Jun - Oct
Esmarald Feb - May Jun - Oct
Marketmore - Suttons Apr - May Jun Jul - Oct
Marketmore - Mr Fothergill Feb-Apr Indoors Jul - Oct
Growing in the greenhouse
Start cucumbers off by sowing seeds from mid-February to mid-March if you have a heated greenhouse or similar environment, or in April if you have an unheated greenhouse. Sow seeds on their side, 1cm (½in) deep in pots.
Sowing outdoors
Sow seeds 2.5cm (1in) deep indoors in late April. Alternatively, sow directly outside in late May or early June and cover the soil above the seeds with fleece, a cloche or glass jar. This method can work well in southern regions and in warm summers.
Young plants are also available from garden centres in spring.
Growing indoors
Transfer young plants to 25cm (10in) pots of good potting compost in late March (heated greenhouse), late May (unheated greenhouse). Keep the compost evenly moist – little and often is the best way. You can also use growing-bags but plants will need to be carefully watered and looked after.
Train the main stem up a vertical wire or cane. Pinch out the growing point when it reaches the roof. Pinch out the tips of sideshoots two leaves beyond a female flower (recognisable by tiny fruits behind flower). Pinch out the tips of flowerless sideshoots once they reach 60cm (2ft) long.
Keep the humidity high by watering the floor and, once planted out, feed every 10-14 days with a balanced liquid fertiliser.
Growing outdoors
Either sow seeds or plant out young plants in early June, ideally under fleece or cloches. Any fertile garden soil in full sun is satisfactory.
Dig in up to two bucketfuls of rotted organic matter, such as garden compost, and rake in 100g per square metre (3½oz per square yard) of general purpose fertiliser.
Pinch out the growing tip when the plants have developed seven leaves. The developing sideshoots can be left to trail over the ground or trained up stout netting. Pinch out the tips of flowerless sideshoots after seven leaves.
For the varieties I grow, Don't remove the male flowers, and keep the soil constantly moist by watering around the plants – not over them.
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