Cucumber Rollison's Telegraph - Cucumis sativus

The Rollison's Telegraph GRAFTED Cucumber (Smooth Cucumber) is an improved variety of the famous English Long cucumber. This cucumber is very productive and offers up to 8 fruits, measuring 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20in), per plant. They have a very good taste: they are bitter-free, firm, and contain few seeds. The plug plants are certified organic. They can be planted from April to July, after the last frost, for a harvest from June to September-October.

The grafting technique consists of giving a desired variety (in this case, 'Rollison's Telegraph') the root system of another specially selected variety, called rootstock. This rootstock has excellent resistance to soil parasites and diseases, which provides extra vigor to the plant: it is then more resistant to difficult external conditions (such as cold climates) and will yield significantly more than a non-grafted plant. The fruiting of grafted plants starts earlier and lower on the main stem.

Cucumber is, along with tomato, one of the star vegetables of summer. Refreshing and low in calories, it can be enjoyed in a composed salad or on its own, with, for example, a yogurt, lemon, and dill sauce.
There are two main types of cucumbers: "forcing" varieties that are intended for greenhouse cultivation and those that are suitable for open-field cultivation. Cucumbers can be smooth or spiny, long or semi-long. In addition to these classic varieties, there are also more "exotic" cucumbers such as the Kenyan Cucumber or the Snake Cucumber, which are generally more heat-demanding.

Cucumbers prefer light, loose, fresh, and humus-rich soils. They like sunny exposures and temperatures between 18 and 22°C (64.4 and 71.6°F). They are quite water-demanding vegetables that need regular watering.

Harvest: Cucumbers are harvested when they have reached their final size, before their color turns yellow. Be careful: overripe fruits become bitter. Remember to harvest regularly to encourage the formation of new fruits. Harvesting usually takes place from June to September.

Storage: Cucumbers can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. To enjoy your harvest for longer, you can also preserve them in jars through lacto-fermentation or with vinegar.

Gardener's tip: Like all cucurbits, cucumbers can be prone to powdery mildew: a white coating appears on the foliage. It is necessary to remove severely affected leaves and spray with wettable sulfur every 2 weeks. As a preventive measure, avoid watering the foliage and ensure good ventilation in your greenhouse if growing under cover. A spray of horsetail decoction can also be applied to strengthen foliage resistance.