Cucumber Fitness F1 - Cucumis sativus

The Fitness F1 Cucumber is a high-quality variety, without bitterness, intended for cultivation under cover. The sowing period extends from April to June for a harvest from June to October. Very productive, it bears smooth dark green fruits that can reach a length of 40cm (16in). It is a disease-resistant cucumber that performs well on trellises.

Cucumbers appreciate 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 fairly water-hungry vegetables that need regular watering.

Cucumber is, along with tomatoes, one of the star vegetables of summer: refreshing and low in calories, it can be enjoyed in mixed salads or on its own, with, for example, a yoghurt-based sauce, lemon and dill.

There are two main types of cucumbers: "forcing" varieties, which are intended for cultivation under cover, and those that are suitable for cultivation in open ground. 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.

Some varieties are labelled "hybrid F1" or "F1", which means they are varieties resulting from carefully selected parent cross-breeding to combine their qualities. This results in varieties that can be particularly tasty and/or early while being resistant to certain diseases. F1 hybrid seeds are therefore very interesting for their uniformity and resistance, but unfortunately, these qualities do not pass on to the next generation: it will therefore not be possible to save the seeds for the next season.

Harvest: Cucumbers should be harvested when they have reached their final size but before their colour turns yellow. 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.

The gardener's little trick: Like all cucurbits, cucumbers can be susceptible to powdery mildew: white fuzz appears on the foliage. It is necessary to remove heavily affected leaves and spray with sulfur every 2 weeks. In case of minor infestation, you can also treat the plants with skimmed milk, diluted at 10 to 20% in rainwater. As a preventive measure, avoid watering the foliage and make sure to ventilate your greenhouse well if cultivation takes place under cover. Spraying with horsetail extract can also be done to strengthen foliage resistance.