Cucumber Levina F1 - Cucumis sativus

The Levina F1 Gherkin is a disease-resistant variety (downy mildew, powdery mildew, and mosaic virus) that produces fruits that are dark green, covered in small bumps, and without bitterness. It is a high-quality cucumber, very flavourful and high-yielding. Sowing from March to June for harvesting from July to October.

Gherkins and cucumbers belong to the same species, but gherkins are picked prematurely to be pickled in vinegar, accompanied by small onions, peppercorns, and tarragon.

It is a vegetable that can be stored for a long time and is traditionally enjoyed in salads or to accompany cold dishes.

Gherkins 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-demanding vegetables that need regular watering.

Some varieties are labelled "F1 hybrid" or "F1", which means they are the result of carefully selected parent cross-breeding to combine their qualities. This results in varieties that can be particularly flavourful and/or early-maturing while also 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 not be possible to save the seeds for the following season.

Harvest: Gherkins should be harvested 3 to 4 months after sowing and before the fruits reach their final size. It should be done very regularly, ideally every two days during the peak production period, as they grow rapidly and will quickly transform into cucumbers, depending on the variety! Additionally, regular harvesting encourages the formation of new fruits.

Storage: Freshly harvested gherkins can be stored for a few days in the refrigerator before being pickled in vinegar.

Gardener's tip: Like all cucurbits, gherkins can be susceptible to powdery mildew: a white coating appears on the leaves. It is important to remove heavily affected leaves and spray with sulfur every 2 weeks. In case of minor infection, 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 ensure proper ventilation in your greenhouse if growing under cover. An extract of horsetail can also be sprayed to strengthen leaf resistance.