Cucumber – Straight Eight

An American heirloom variety,  Straight Eight is a vigorous and productive open-pollinated Cucumber that is excellent for slicing. Straight Eight has cool, firm white flesh and an excellent taste. For peak flavour and texture, pick when 20cm long. It’s best grown on a trellis or fence. This variety is named for its nearly perfectly straight cucumbers.

Cucumber plants are best grown in full sun. Choose a location that will receive at least 6 hours of full sun each day.

Cucumber plants need a well drained soil enriched with plenty of organic matter. Prepare soil by weeding it thoroughly, digging it over to loosen it and adding aged animal manure or compost. Keep the area free of weeds until planting. Learn more about preparing soil for planting here.

Cucumber plants may need watering during the growing season. Water when the soil is dry about 5cm below the surface (test this by scratching away a little soil with your finger). Water deeply in the early morning or late afternoon. Avoid watering the leaves of plants to avoid fungal diseases. Learn more about watering here.

If soil was well prepared no extra fertiliser should be necessary. In poor soil or to give your plants an extra boost, application of a balanced fertiliser or one formulated for fruit and vegetables can be beneficial:

• Apply slow release fertiliser at the recommended rate when transplanting or when seedlings are 5-10cm tall.
• Apply liquid fertiliser at the recommended rate and frequency while plants are fruiting or flowering.

Vines can sprawl along the ground or be grown up a strong trellis. If growing on the ground, allow at least 2 square metres per plant. If growing on a trellis, plants will attach themselves using their tendrils but extra support can be provided by tying plants gently using twine or plant ties. Make sure you have the support in place when you sow seed or transplant seedlings to avoid disturbing the plant’s roots later.