- lemon pickle
- propagation
- substrate
- maintenance
- To harvest
- Diseases
- planting partner
- frequently asked Questions
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If you soon see plump yellow fruits on climbing plants in your garden neighbors, they could be lemon cucumbers. The yellow cucumbers are an eye-catcher in the garden and taste wonderfully exotic.
In a nutshell
- Lemon cucumber grows by climbing
- Lemon-sized fruits that change color from green to yellow as they ripen
- fresh cucumber taste
- high yield
- Can be grown in a greenhouse or outdoors
lemon pickle
In summer when the temperatures are high, cucumber dishes are a hit. Cucumber salads, cucumber soups and smoothies are refreshing, tasty and healthy.
More and more bright yellow is mixed in with the usual green of cucumbers. The lemon cucumber, scientifically named Cucumis sativus 'Lemon', has made its way into gardens and onto plates. We show you how to successfully grow the tasty and equally attractive vegetables.
description
- lemon-yellow, apple-sized fruits
- Yellow skin, white, cucumber-typical flesh with seeds
- Taste mild, slightly sweet, refreshing
- Can be eaten raw, perfect as a break snack
- also suitable for insertion
- Ripeness for consumption recognizable by the yellow color
- strong climbing
Source: Jamain, Lemon cucumber J1, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
location
Like all cucumber varieties, the lemon cucumber likes it warm and sunny. The plant spreads quickly on the wind-protected bed. The large cucumber leaves cover the ground and protect against drying out. In the greenhouse, the cucumbers need a climbing aid. We recommend equipping the climbing vegetables with a trellis or climbing aids outdoors as well. In this way the fruit hangs in the air. Lying on moist soil can damage lemon cucumbers.
If you don't have a garden, you don't have to do without the delicious fruits. Cucumber cultivation is also successful in large buckets on the balcony.
Tip: The cucumber variety Curcuma sativa 'Lemon' is ideal for greening garden fences. However, it can happen that every now and then passers-by steal some of the delicious fruits.
propagation
Cucumbers are propagated by seeds. We do not recommend self-harvesting of seeds. With cucumbers, it often happens that the properties of the plant change and inedible substances develop. Use verified seeds if you want to grow lemon cucumbers in the garden.
You can grow lemon cucumbers on the windowsill as early as April.
Prefer Instructions:
- Fill trays with potting soil.
- Put the cucumber seeds inside.
- Cover the seeds with a layer of soil one to two centimeters thick.
- Spray the floor with water.
- Cover the bowls with a glass plate or cling film.
- Prick out the cucumber plants when at least four leaves appear.
- Plant the seedlings in threes in small pots.
- On frost-free, sunny days, place the plants on the balcony during the day to acclimate.
- At the end of May, after the ice saints, the young plants can move to a sunny spot on the bed.
Alternatively, you can sow the seeds directly outdoors from the end of May.
Instructions for outdoor sowing:
- Loosen up the bed and carefully remove weeds.
- Rake a smooth surface and make 2 cm deep seed furrows.
- Put the seeds in evenly.
- Close the seed grooves with the back of the rake.
- Water the area carefully with a watering can and sprinkler.
- Keep the bed moist. Prick out the plants when at least four leaves appear.
- Plant the lemon cucumbers sixty to eighty centimeters apart in a sunny spot.
Notice: To save space, you can let lemon cucumbers climb on trellises or fences. If you want to grow the vegetables in tubs, support from climbing aids or plant stakes is required.
substrate
Cucumbers are heavy feeders. They need nutrient-rich, well-drained substrate for optimal development.
maintenance
Regularly weed the cucumber bed. Check the leaves for discolouration so that diseases such as powdery mildew can be combated in good time. As soon as the first fruits appear, cucumber plants should be equipped with a climbing aid. This prevents the beautiful cucumbers from lying on the ground and getting damaged when wet.
Fertilize
Potted plants in particular require regular fertilizer application. Use a commercially available organic vegetable fertilizer. Supply the young plants with fresh compost. Lemon cucumbers on the bed develop excellently if you fertilize them from time to time with horn shavings and home-made manure.
pour
The refreshing vegetable needs regular watering. The best time to water is early in the morning before the sun comes out. Always water cucumber plants from below, without wetting the leaves with water. Damp leaves are susceptible to disease.
In the case of potted plants, care must be taken to ensure unhindered water drainage. Waterlogging is a common cause of cucumber disease and needs to be prevented.
Tip: Cover the soil with a layer of mulch to prevent dehydration.
To harvest
From the end of June to September, the lemon cucumbers gradually ripen. At first the fruits are green. When the skin turns yellow, it is the right time to harvest.
Harvest ripe lemon cucumbers regularly, this stimulates the formation of new fruits. Using a sharp, clean knife, cut the cucumbers off the plant.
storage
Lemon cucumbers do not keep for long. They should be processed or consumed after harvest. Do not store the variety together with apples. All apple varieties emit ethylene, which accelerates the perishability of cucumbers.
use
Lemon cucumbers can be eaten like an apple as a low-calorie snack during breaks. Sliced, the refreshing vegetables make a perfect accompaniment to fish and meat dishes. Prepare fresh salads or delicious soups.
Lemon cucumbers are an eye-catcher on the buffet. Surprise your guests with the extraordinary decoration.
Notice: The apple-sized, round fruits are not suitable for grating or slicing. Cut the cucumbers into slices or cubes.
Diseases
Cucumbers come from subtropical regions. Above all, they need heat to develop well. Cold combined with moisture can damage plants.
The most common diseases are:
powdery mildew
- fungal disease
- Characteristics: white spots on the leaf surfaces
- Control: Spraying with a milk-water solution or watering with garlic broth
Wrong mildew
- fungal disease
- Characteristics: light green to yellow-brown spots on the cucumber leaves, grey-violet coating on the underside of the leaves
- Control: Destroy infested plant parts
Sclerotinia wilt
- fungal disease
- Characteristics: white, soft coating first on the stalks, later on the fruits
- Control: Avoid moisture on the leaves
cucumber mosaic virus
Source: DieterO, Cucumber Mosaic Virus, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
- viral disease
- Characteristics: light, mosaic-like spots on leaves and fruits
- Control: Fight aphids as carriers of the viral disease at an early stage
planting partner
The arrangement of plants in a bed has a decisive influence on their development. Ornamental and crop plants can strengthen each other, but they can also weaken each other. Those who cleverly design planting partnerships can look forward to healthy plants and high yields.
Suitable planting partners for lemon cucumbers are:
- asparagus
- onions
- beans
- celery
- basil
Don't belong on a bed with lemon cucumbers:
- pumpkin
- zucchini
- melons
frequently asked Questions
Is the lemon cucumber a new breed?The lemon cucumber is an old type of vegetable. She is from America. She was forgotten for many years. Today, the cucumber variety with the decorative fruits is receiving more and more attention.
Are bitter-tasting cucumbers still edible?If cucumbers taste bitter, they should no longer be eaten. The development of bitter substances can be caused, for example, by incorrect fertilization. We recommend stopping eating cucumbers that taste bitter.
How can lemon cucumbers be preserved?Lemon cucumbers only last a few days. They should be eaten when they are ripe. The tasty cucumbers can be pickled sour or sweet and sour. This variety is not suitable for freezing.