Cucumber Carmen - Cucumis sativus

The Carmen cucumber is a climbing variety, early and productive, with long fruits (32 - 38 cm (13 - 15in)) offering good resistance to most known diseases. This cucumber is particularly well suited for organic gardening under cover or in open ground. Sowing from February to May, for a harvest from May to August. Carmen can produce 50 to 100 fruits per plant. Its flesh is without bitterness. Sowing is done from February to May, for a harvest from May to August.

Cucumbers appreciate light, loose, moist and humus-rich soils. They like sunny exposures and temperatures between 18 and 22 °C. They are quite water-hungry vegetables that need regular watering. Cucumber is, along with tomato, one of the star vegetables of summer: refreshing, low in calories, it can be enjoyed in a composed salad or alone, for example, with a yogurt-based sauce, lemon and dill.
There are two main types of cucumbers: the "forcing" varieties which are intended for greenhouse cultivation and those that are suitable for open ground cultivation. They 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.

Harvest: cucumbers should be 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.

Storage: cucumbers can be stored for several days in the refrigerator. 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, cucumber can be prone 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 cultivation takes place under cover. A decoction of horsetail can also be sprayed to strengthen foliage resistance. A spray of nettle manure effectively combats aphid attacks. Plant your lettuces and beans alongside, as cucumbers appreciate their company.