Cucumber Sonja F1 - Cucumis sativus

The Sonja F1 Long Cucumber from Organic Farming is an open field variety, early, productive, robust and naturally resistant to diseases. It offers beautiful perfectly cylindrical fruits with a length of 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12in), with a smooth skin of dark green color. It is a very reliable variety, with crunchy and non-bitter flesh. For small gardens, the cucumber can be trained on any type of mesh support, which also facilitates harvesting! The Sonja F1 Long Cucumber plants are planted from April to July, after the last frost, for a harvest from July to September-October.

Cucumber, along with tomatoes, is one of the star vegetables of summer. Refreshing and low in calories, it can be enjoyed in a composed salad or on its own, with, for example, a yogurt-based sauce, lemon and dill.
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 prickly, 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 appreciate light, loose, fresh 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 are harvested when they have reached their final size, before their color turns yellow. Be careful: overripe fruits become bitter. Remember to harvest regularly to encourage the formation of new fruits. Harvest traditionally takes place 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 fuzz 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 make sure to ventilate your greenhouse well if the cultivation is done under cover. A spray of nettle decoction can also be applied to strengthen foliage resistance.