The tasty, one-bite, seedless baby cucumber - ideal for snacks, salads and box lunches
Zvi Howard Wener Chief Agronomist
Zvi@zeraim.co.il

Cucumbers are generally fat-free, low in Sodium, low in calories and a good source of Potassium and vitamin C. Seedless Baby cucumbers from Zeraim Gedera have all these traits and are an ideal tasty, crunchy snack for people of all ages. They are crunchy and tasty because there is a higher percentage of dry matter, sugars and acids than in regular cucumbers.

Planting Season for Greenhouses: It is recommended to plant in the early spring and early fall. Picking begins about 30 days after planting and continues for approximately 90 days. In hot climates with hot summers Zeraim recommends the variety Cucino whereas, in more moderate climates and in fall, winter and spring, the variety Rocky is the number one choice.

Plant Description: The Baby Cucumber is a compact plant with medium-to-small leaves and nodes with approximately 7-10 flowers. The fruits are 8-10 cm long and weigh an average of 30-40 gm each.
Plant Stand and Density: For the autumn/winter planting, plant density is usually 2.2 to 2.5 plants/m2 (22,000-25,000 plants/ha). The spring plantings can have an average plant density of 2.5 to 3.0 plants/m2 (25,000-30,000 plants/ha).

Pruning, Trellising & Cleanliness: The side shoots should be removed at the first 5 internodes. If any other side shoots develop they should be de-headed after the second node. After the harvest begins, leaves are removed up to a height of 50 cm as well as any other leaves showing symptoms of disease.
Cleanliness and sanitation in and around the greenhouse are important factors in disease and insect control. The greenhouse should be well ventilated as good aeration helps prevent many diseases.

Harvest Period: Harvesting can begin 23 to 45 days after planting and continues for a period of 75 to120 days depending on weather conditions and the vigor of the crop. Harvesting should be done in the early morning while the fruit is firm and cool. It is not recommended to pick hot soft fruit. Fruit should be harvested every day and the pieces should be 8-10 cm in length.

Fertilizers: The following tables are general fertilizer recommendations for Israel. In sandy soils, proportional-feeding methods should be used.

Grams per day per ha of NPK for Zeraim Baby Cucumbers

Proportional Feeding of NPK for Zeraim Baby Cucumbers (ppm)

Additional Notes:
Calcium and Magnesium should be added when necessary. A rate of 60 to 80 ppm of Calcium and 30 to 40 ppm of Magnesium in the irrigation water is usually sufficient.
If it is necessary to add these elements then do not mix them with phosphates.
A microelement mixture should be added throughout the crop and, when necessary, an Iron chelate should be added at the rate of 5 kg/ha.