Greenhouse cucumber varieties

Added on 18 February 2020

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Greenhouses provide an ideal environment for producing cucumbers, as they are sun-loving vegetables that require a steady temperature. Greenhouse varieties are gynoecious, with plants producing only female blooms. This increases the crop and eliminates the need for bee pollination. Before settling on the ideal cultivar, consider the common diseases that infect cucumbers in the geographic area, the size and color of the fruit, the total crop yield and the space that is available for growing.

Salad Varieties

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The three main types of greenhouse salad cucumbers are the American slicer, the Japanese cucumber and the European greenhouse cucumber. These are all burpless and have delicate skin that does not require peeling. Mature fruits weigh about one pound and are 12 to 14 inches long. Of these three, the European F1 hybrids are most commonly grown in the United States. This includes the Sandra, Toska 70, Farbio, Corona, Vetomil, Silvia, Bella and Fidelio.

Pickling Varieties

Fast-growing and spiny, beit-alpha or "mini" cucumber varieties can be eaten fresh or used for pickles. Popular varieties include the Diamant, which produces an abundant, early crop of sweet fruit that is excellent for fresh eating and pickling. The Manar variety should be grown only during the high-light months, while the Jawell F1 hybrid can be grown with fewer daylight hours. The County Fair pickling cucumber is especially popular with hobby greenhouse growers with its attractive medium-green, crunchy fruit that is nearly seedless.

Disease-Resistant Varieties

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Disease resistance is important to consider when selecting a greenhouse cucumber variety. Fungal diseases such as downy and powdery mildew are hard to control once they have developed. The County Fair pickling variety offers good resistance to bacterial wilt. Diamant plants are resistant to the mosaic virus, downy mildew, powdery mildew and scab. The Sandra, Toska 70, Farbio and Corona varieties combat gummosis, leaf spot and downy mildew. The Vetomil, Silvia, Bella and Fidelio plants have excellent resistance to powdery mildew. The Diva cucumber is a greenhouse favorite because of its tolerance of scab, powdery mildew, downy mildew and angular leaf spot. The Diva foliage is also less bitter than other varieties, making it less attractive to cucumber beetles.

Bush Varieties

Invest in a bush cucumber cultivar if space is limited in the greenhouse. These plants produce compact vines without compromising the vegetable yield. Varieties include the Burpless Bush, a slicer that produces dark green, seedless fruit. The Little Leaf variety is a space-saving pickling cucumber with dark green skin and white spines. Orient Express plants are semi-compact and produce large, high-quality fruit that can be eaten fresh or pickled. The Pepinova variety is another good choice for small greenhouses and produces high yields.

Source: Homeguides
Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash

Source: Homeguides