Cucumber Telegraph improved - Cucumis sativus

The 'Telegraph Improved' cucumber is an old English long cucumber variety, renowned for its slender, very elongated and exceptionally sweet fruits. Selected in the late 19th century for English greenhouses, this variety remains a reliable choice. Its long climbing stems become covered in fruits from mid-summer, in a cold greenhouse, polytunnel or conservatory, or outdoors in a very sheltered vegetable garden. It will delight collectors keen to grow and preserve varieties of character.

The cucumber or Cucumis sativus belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. The gherkin, from the same species, is simply a cucumber harvested very young. In the garden, it is an annual plant, with a cycle of about four to five months, which does not survive frost.
'Telegraph Improved' is a cultivar from the old English line 'Telegraph Long', developed for "under glass" cultivation in the late 19th century. It is an improved strain, more regular and productive, now widely available in organic seed ranges. The stems, angular and rough to the touch, bear tendrils that allow the plant to climb easily on a string, trellis or netting. On a support, its height commonly reaches 2 to 3 m in a few weeks. The foliage is composed of large triangular to rounded leaves, palmate-lobed, 10 to 20 cm in diameter, medium to dark green, rough and slightly prickly to the touch. The flowering, typical of cucurbits, appears from May-June to August depending on the sowing date. The plant is monoecious: the bright yellow male flowers open in small clusters, while the solitary female flowers bear a small ovary at their base already shaped like a cucumber. Pollination is mainly carried out by insects (bees, bumblebees). This cucumber line produces many female flowers, which promotes good fruit set under sheltered conditions.

The fruits of 'Telegraph Improved' are cylindrical, very straight when hanging freely, long and elongated (30 to 40 cm), with thin, smooth or very faintly ribbed skin, of a uniform deep green. Their flesh is white to very pale green, firm but juicy, crunchy, with few seeds if the fruits are harvested regularly.
It is an excellent slicing cucumber for salads, sandwiches, tzatziki or juice. The fruits reach ripeness from July to October depending on the region and sowing date. The seeds, flat, light beige, are produced inside fully mature fruits. Isolate this variety from your other cucumbers to harvest your own 'Telegraph Improved' seed.

Storage: cucumbers keep for a few days in the refrigerator. To enjoy your harvest for longer, you can also preserve them in jars through lacto-fermentation or in vinegar.

The gardener's little tip: like all cucurbits, cucumbers can be susceptible to powdery mildew, which appears as a white felting on the foliage. Remove badly affected leaves and spray with wettable sulphur every two weeks if necessary. As a preventative measure, avoid watering the foliage and ensure good ventilation in your greenhouse if growing under cover. A spray of horsetail decoction also helps strengthen the plants' natural defences.

In the vegetable garden, cucumbers thrive alongside low-growing leafy vegetables like lettuces, spinach or beetroot, which occupy the soil at its base without hindering it. It can also be paired with sweetcorn or climbing beans, which offer some shade in high summer. Kale, turnips or onions can be included in the same bed, provided good air circulation and a soil rich in compost for all are ensured.