Cucumber - Cucumis sativus

Whether growing outdoor or indoors in a greenhouse or conservatory, cucumbers will need support to climb up. Pea and bean netting is ideal, but string and canes can also be used.

They are 95 per cent water so need regular watering.

They can be susceptible to downey and powdery mildew, especially if grown outside and we have a wet summer. If you are in a wet part of the country choose a disease resistant variety. Whilst mildew can be treated with a chemical sprays it's probably not financially worth spending the money to treat it. So affected plants should be lifted and put in the council green waste bin or burnt, putting the plants on the compost heap may allow the mildew to infect other plants.

The cucumber is botanically a fruit and is a member of the cucurbits family which also includes melons, pumpkins and courgettes. They've been grown in India for over 3,000 years, making it one of the oldest cultivated culinary plants.

Suggested sowing time:

(Key: sow indoors, sow outside, sow outside under cover.)

Culinary use:

Many essential vitamins our body needs are found in the skins and seeds of cucumbers.

Cultivars and varieties:

Cucumis sativus 'Anbar' F1 hybrid - An indoor variety which has good disease resistance so can also be grown outside in a sunny, protected area of the garden. 'Anbar' is an all female variety and will set fruit without the flower being pollinated. Produces long, straight and smooth cucumbers but will need support to climb up.

Cucumis sativus 'Bedfordshire Prize' - A good variety for growing outdoors.

Cucumis sativus 'Burpless Tasty Green' - An outdoor cucumber variety with a good disease resistance.

Cucumis sativus 'Femscore' F1 hybrid

Cucumis sativus 'Marketmore' [AGM] - Good disease resistance and produces plenty of fruit through the season. Pick the cucumbers when they are small for maximum flavour.

Cucumis sativus 'Masterpiece'

Cucumis sativus 'Mini Munch' F1 hybrid [AGM] - A good, reliable and heavy cropper. Pick the cucumbers whilst they are still small (8-10cm long), although they are still perfectly edible and delicious if left to grow longer.

Cucumis sativus 'Telegraph' - A favourite, traditional, heirloom cucumber variety that produces long, smooth-skinned fruit.

Cucumis sativus 'Telegraph Improved' - An improved variety of the traditionally grown 'Telegraph' cucumber producing a more reliable and heavier crop. Whilst this grows well as an indoor variety, they can also be grown outside, although don't transplant seedlings outside until all chance of frost has gone.