Cropedia:Cucumber

From UBC Wiki

Cucumber

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source: [1]

Years grown at UBC Farm/LFSOG: 10 years/ None

Growing conditions

The cucumber is a semi-tropical vegetable and grows best in hot summer months as it is unable to handle frost. Cucumber plants do not grow well in cool, damp weather as they are sensitive to low temperatures which can impede their growth and production of fruit. Cucumbers require warm soil and once the soil is at a temperature warm enough seeds should be planted deep within the soil. In combination of high humidity with cool weather, these plants can easily develop mildew and thus such conditions are unfavorable. A powdery mildew will form covering the leaves with a whitish dust. The powdery mildew impedes photosynthesis and can kill the plant (Solomon, 2000).

After sowing the seeds, the seeds should not watered. Hopefully it does not rain, so that when the shoot comes up through the soil it is not subjected to moisture and therefore the development of mildew before it blooms in the sun. If the soil is watered the temperature will decrease slowing the rate of sprouting and make the seedlings more vulnerable to disease (Solomon, 2000).

Growing vines require continuous fertilization and plenty of room. Only one plant should be grown per spot, giving the plant plenty of room to grown prevents competition between plants. The varieties grown in North American required the pollination of their flowers for successful fruit growth, whereas, the European varieties are able to set fruit without pollination and are referred to as parthenocarpic (Johnny's Seeds, 2010).

Picking cucumbers once rip from their vines makes the vines more productive. Optimum pH for soil is 5.8 to 7 and the soil should be kept moist but not wet. Greenhouse production of cucumbers is popular to supply off season demands. Due to the controlled growing conditions of greenhouses, greenhouse grown cucumbers tend to be more uniform (Solomon, 2010).

Seasonality

Cucumbers are grown during warm season and are harvested in the months of July to late September (Solomon, 2010).

Nutritional Information

Cucumbers are composed of about 90% water and are a healthy nutritious low calorie food. They are also a good source of biotin and beta carotene. Biotin is a B vitamin and is necessary for the production of fatty acids, the metabolism of fats and amino acids, cell growth and is a coenzyme for numerous metabolic reactions. Beta carotene is a carotenoid with the highest vitamin A activity. It is a precursor of vitamin A which has a key physiological role in night vision, cell differentiation, growth of epithelial cells, and is essential for the reproductive process (The World's Healthiest Foods, 2010).

Nutrition Facts/Valeur Nutritive
Serving Size: 1 Medium Cucumber (201 g)
Amount Per Serving %Daily Value*
Calories 24
Total Fat 0.5g 1%
   Saturated Fat 0g 0%
   Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 5%
   Dietary Fiber 1.5g 10%
   Sugars 3g
Protein 2g
Vitamine A 0%
Vitamine C 10%
Calcium 3%
Iron 3%
* % Daily value based on a 2000 calorie diet


Note: Nutritional information derived from data provided by Health Canada.

Recipes

Spicy Green Mango and Cucumber Salad

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Source

This recipe is easy, quick, and delicious! It is a perfect snack for anyone of the go. Thai chiles are a great way to add flavour to any salad and compliment the fresh taste of cucumbers.


NGREDIENTS

1 medium English cucumber, peeled

2 green mangoes, peeled and pit removed

1 red Thai chile (also known as bird chile), finely sliced into rings, seeds removed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint (15 ml)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (15 ml)

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (15 ml)

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (30 ml)

1 teaspoon fish sauce (5 ml)

large pinch of sugar (1 ml)

2 tablespoons black sesame seeds, for garnish (30 ml)


DIRECTIONS

With a veggie peeler, peel lengthwise down the cucumber to create long wide strips. Turn the cucumber after several strips, to use another side. Place cucumber strips in a medium-sized bowl. Discard inner section of cucumber with seeds. Repeat technique with the green mangoes adding the strips to bowl. Add the sliced chiles, mint and cilantro to the cucumber. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix the ginger, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir to combine. Toss dressing with the cucumber strips, mango strips, herbs and chile. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Courtsey of Christine Cushing from Christine Cushing Live.

Additional Usage Inventory

Due to their high water content, cucumbers have been used as hydrating skin nourishment most often used to alleviate the puffiness of skin underneath the eyes. Their cool temperature and hydrating properties reduce the swelling of skin (The World's Healthiest Foods, 2010).

Cucumber-Mint Facial Mask

INGREDIENTS

5 fresh mint leaves

1/4 medium cucumber

1 large egg white

Bottled or spring water


DIRECTIONS

1. Place the mint in a food processor or blender and give it one short burst to chop. Peel and seed the cucumber. Add it to the mint in the processor or blender and puree. Beat the egg white separately until it stands in stiff peaks. Fold it very gently in to the pureed cucumber mixture. 2. Apply evenly to the face and neck and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse with bottled or spring water and pat dry.

Academic Connections

None to date

References

Spicy Green Mango and Cucumber Salad. (2010) Christine Cushing from Christine Cushing Live. Retrieved from http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/Salad/Fruit/recipe.html?dishid=6904

Johnny's Seeds. (2010). Cucumber. Retrieved from http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-6226-socrates-f1.aspx

Solomon, S. (2000). Growing vegetables west of the Cascades : the complete guide to natural gardening. Seattle, WA: Sasquatch Books

World's Healthiest Foods. (2010). Cucumber. Retrieved from http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=42

Additional Notes

  • Cucumbers belong to the Cucurbitaceae family which also included melons, pumpkins, and squashes. All of fruits from this family are referred to as cucurbits and grow from vines originally from desert plants. Cucumbers, also known as Cucumis sativus, are divided into 2 general groups: slicers for slicing and picklers for pickling (Solomon, 2010).
  • The human olfactory response varies to the taste and smell of cucumbers. Most people describe cucumbers as having a watery, light melon taste, while a small percentage of people report a repungant, bitter taste. This repungant taste is cause by an organic compound called phenylthiocarbamide. One common method believed to remove this bitterness is by cutting off the ends of a cucumber and rubbing the now-exposed ends with the sliced off ends until forthing occurs (The World's Healthiest Foods, 2010).

Lessons from the UBC Farm:

  • Difficulty of Growing: 1 (on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is the easiest and 5 is the most difficult)
  • Plants as early as weather allows using high quality hybrid-type seeds, expect to pay ~$0.50/seed. Socrates is a recommended variety and a very prolific producer in good conditions (Tim Carter, UBC Farm Production Coordinator, personal communication, March 16, 2010).