Cucumber Bereket F1 - Cucumis sativus

The Bereket F1 GRAFTED Short Cucumber is a disease-resistant and powdery mildew-tolerant variety. It produces short cucumbers (approximately 16 to 19 cm (6 to 8in)), with smooth skin. For small gardens, the cucumber can be trained on any type of mesh support, which also makes harvesting easier! The grafted plug plants of the Bereket F1 Short Cucumber can be planted from April to July, after the last frost, for a harvest from June to September. Grafting allows for a faster and more abundant harvest in particular.

The grafting technique consists of giving a desired variety (here 'Bereket') the root system of another specially selected variety, called a rootstock. This rootstock has excellent resistance to soil parasites and diseases, which provides extra vigor to the plant: it is then more resistant to difficult external conditions (such as cold climates) and will yield significantly higher than a non-grafted plant. The fruiting of grafted plants starts earlier and lower on the main stem.

Cucumber, along with tomato, is one of the summer's flagship vegetables. Refreshing and low in calories, it can be enjoyed in a mixed salad or on its own, with, for example, a yogurt, lemon, and dill sauce.
There are two main types of cucumbers: "forcing" varieties, which are intended for greenhouse cultivation, and those that are adapted to open-field cultivation. Cucumbers can be smooth or spiny, long or semi-long. In addition to these classic varieties, there are also more "exotic" cucumbers such as the Kenyan Cucumber or the Snake Cucumber, which are generally more heat-demanding.

Cucumbers prefer light, loose, moist, and humus-rich soils. They like sunny exposures and temperatures between 18 and 22°C (64.4 and 71.6°F). They are quite water-hungry vegetables that need regular watering.

Harvest: Cucumbers should be harvested when they have reached their final size, before they turn yellow. Be careful: overripe fruits become bitter. Remember to harvest regularly to encourage the formation of new fruits. Harvesting is usually done from June to September.

Storage: Cucumbers can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. To enjoy your harvest for longer, you can also preserve them in jars through lacto-fermentation or in vinegar.

Gardener's tip: Like all cucurbits, cucumbers can be susceptible to powdery mildew: a white coating appears on the foliage. It is advisable to remove heavily affected leaves and spray with wettable sulfur every 2 weeks. As a preventive measure, avoid watering the foliage and ensure good ventilation in the greenhouse if cultivation is done under cover. Spraying with a horsetail decoction can also be done to strengthen foliage resistance.