White Wonder Cucumber
Seed Count: Approx. 30 seeds
Days to Maturity: 60
Description: Try these ivory white cucumbers, and enjoy their very mild, crisp and delicious fruit. This variety was introduced in 1893, and the plants are very high yielding. Great for salads, or pickling.
How To Grow
Sowing: Cucumbers don’t take well to transplanting, so either start them early in peat pots or sow them directly. When 2 or 3 leaves appear on each plant, cut off all but the strongest plant with a scissors. Since they love to climb, providing a trellis will save space in your garden, and produce straighter cucumbers that are easier to pick. Planting several radishes with cucumbers seems to repel damaging cucumber beetles, but they don't like being planted near potatoes or aromatic herbs.
Growing: White Wonder cucumbers can withstand fairly high temperatures. Moisture is the key to growing excellent cucumbers so keep the soil
consistently moist. Cucumbers have a shallow root system, mulches help retain soil moisture and maintain even soil temperatures. Keep plants well watered; they need 1-2 inches of water per week. Avoid wetting leaves to prevent mildew issues. Also, watch out for cucumber beetles, and remove them immediately to prevent too much damage to your plants. Try not to move the vines too much because they get easily injured. Other companion plants for cucumbers include bush beans, peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes.
Harvesting: Like most vegetables, cucumbers are tender and tastiest when harvested young before their seeds are fully developed. Slicing cucumbers are generally ready for harvest when about 6-8 inches long; pickling cucumbers at 3 -5 inches. To avoid damage, cut fruit from the vine rather than pull. Don't allow the fruits to become overripe on the vine as this signals to the plant that the seed development process is nearly complete, and it will shut down. Keep mature cucumbers picked to encourage further production. During hot weather cucumbers grow very fast, you may need to harvest every day. Harvest the cucumber fruits early in the morning before the sun hits them for the best flavor and texture. Cucumbers store very well in the fridge. Allow the them to mature past the eating stage for seed saving. It will be very soft and the skin will turn either white, brown, yellow, green, or orange, depending on the variety. This may take up to 5 weeks. Remove the cukes from the vine and allow them to cure in a dry, cool place for another two weeks. Cut open the cukes and scoop out the seeds into a bowl; add an equal amount of water and let ferment for 36 hours. Remove the water and debris, and spread out the good seeds on a flat surface to dry for about two weeks. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 8 years.
