Growing Cucumbers: Cucumbers Come in Many Sizes

Although all cucumbers originally came from India, through centuries of cultivation, they have evolved into some widely different types. Their wide appeal is shown by some names. There is the Chinese Long, Japanese Long Pickling, European or English Forcing, and West Indian Gherkin. The word Gherkin itself adds confusion to the cucumber world. Actually the West Indian Gherkin is not a cucumber at all, but only a relative with light green, oval, burr-like fruits that may be used to make pickles or relish.

However, the word gherkin is also commonly used in English to mean a small pickling cucumber. Gherkin evolved from an early word for cucumber. In some languages this is still evident, for example, the word for cucumber in German is gurke. There are two basic groups of cucumbers: slicers and picklers. The slicers are often 8 or more inches in length and picked for use when they are fairly well developed. The picklers generally grow much shorter, and are often harvested while immature. Pickler varieties are often prolific producers. Long cucumbers have become popular in recent years. One variety, Burpless, has had much publicity and wide acceptance.

This variety is a hybrid version of the Japanese Long and is used in the same way as other slicing cucumbers. Sometimes confused with burpless cucumbers is a plant more closely related to muskmelon than cucumber. It is often sold as Serpent cucumber, Snake cucumber, Japanese cucumber, or Armenian cucumber. The fruits are very pale green, quite long, and have ridges along their surface. They have a mild cucumber flavor, and for this reason are sometimes also sold under the name of Burpless cucumber.

Many people, however, find other cucumbers are more desirable, and the Serpent cucumber is best as a novelty or for pickling. Other novelty cucumbers are a special type produced in greenhouses. Fruits develop without cross pollination and are therefore seedless. They are more difficult to grow than the garden cucumbers. Cucumbers are one of our most productive home garden vegetables and should produce all summer unless they are infected by the destructive bacterial wilt.

This disease is introduced into the plant by insects, usually cucumber beetles, feeding on the plant, once inside the plant, the disease cannot be controlled, and vines eventually wilt and die. Good control of the beetles is necessary throughout the season to keep plants healthy. Several insecticides are available that help when used regularly. For best flavor, cucumbers must grow fast. They require adequate fertility as well as abundant watering during dry periods.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucumber