Cucumber, Suyo Long, Org

Description

Suyo Long Cucumbers are crisp and tender heirloom cucumbers from northern China that have ribbed dark-green skin. An amazing 10-18 inches long and 1.5″ diameter; they are almost seedless without any bitterness, and burp-less. Incredibly heat resistant and prolific, they remain sweet during hot spells. Great for slicing and salads.

Cucumbers require rich, well-drained soil, a long rotation cycle, consistent moisture and proper spacing help reduce stress on plants and avoidance of common cucumber diseases like scab and mosaic.  Cucumbers, corn and beans grow very well when planted together.  All three of these vegetables love warmth, rich soil and adequate moisture. Cucumbers also form a great duet with sunflowers using the sunflowers for strong support for the vines. Cucumbers do not like sage, potatoes or rue.

Germ:  5-7 days
Maturity:  60-70 days
Net Wt. per Packet: 1 gram
Approximate Seed Count: 35 Seeds/Packet

Planting and Care  Plant early in pots indoors or sow deep directly into loose, fertile garden soil that has been improved with compost, after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed.  Germination temp: 75-95 deg. Plant in rows 3′ apart or hills 3 apart.  Transplant seedlings at the 4-leaf stage. Keep soil moist through germination, then water regularly.  Thin young seedlings to 18 (46 cm) and fertilize regularly.

Harvest  Pick fruits when they reach 10 – 15 inches and the ribs are beginning to fill out and lose some of the spines.

Your Health  Cucumbers are low in calories and supply vitamins A & C and several minerals.  Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and caffeic acid in cucumbers are known to help soothe skin irritations and reduce swelling.

Tidbits:

The cucumber is believed native to India and has been cultivated in western Asia for 3,000 years. From India, it spread to Greece and Italy, where the Romans were especially fond of the crop, and later into China. It was probably introduced into other parts of Europe by the Romans, and records of cucumber cultivation appear in France in the 9th century, England in the 14th century. The Spanish introduced cucumbers to the New World and by the 1500’s, were cultivated by the Native Americans. The pilgrims were growing them by the 1600’s. Though cucumbers were brought early from the Old World, grown in many a garden, and are mentioned in several eighteenth-century advertisements, nothing is found to be said about varieties until 1806.
Boston Pickling, first available in the 1800’s, yields lots of short, plump cucumbers about 6 inches long that make great pickles.
Lemon Cucumber which looks vaguely like a lemon was introduced around 1894. They are very mild with a novel color and shape.