Cucumber 'Muncher Burpless'
Growing Advice
Scientific Name: Cucumis sativus
Common Name: Heirloom Cucumber 'Muncher Burpless'
Family: Cucurbitaceae (Cucumber, Melon & Gourd)
Etymology
Cucumis: From Kykyon, Greek For Cucumber
sativus: Cultivated
Origin
The cucumber plant is native to India. This cultivar was first bred in the United States of America.
Description
Muncher Burpless is a Lebanese type cucumber with smooth, glossy green fruit 12cm long by 2cm across. Like other lebenese cucumbers this variety has sparse white spines, although these can easily be removed by kitchen scourer. This variety produces heavily. The skin of this variety is thin and tender and the flesh is crisp and never bitter. This variety is also resistant to cucumber mosaic virus.
Uses
While it's name would suggest that this variety doesn't cause the dreaded cucumber burps, I still get the odd burp when I eat them. However I eat them skin and all, if you peel them they probably wouldn't cause any burps at all. Best picked when young. As with all cucumbers, remove the sparse, fine hairs on the fruits by brushing off with a washcloth or your hands prior to eating so they don't end up poking you in the mouth.
Germination
In the tropics sow the seed from April to August. In subtropical and temperate regions sow during Summer or Spring after the last chance of frost has past. Sow the seed laying flat, 1.5cm deep spacing plants half a metre apart.
Cultivation
Takes 8 to 10 weeks from sowing to harvest. Grow on trellis for good fruit formation and to allow air to circulate around the plants. Keep well watered. Likes growing in rich, well drained soils. Add compost if soil is lacking in organic matter. Add garden lime to the soil if acidic.
A healthy, fresh cucumber hanging on the vine, and soon to be my breakfast.
If you notice that the female fruits turn yellow, fail to grow (or only grow a little) and then fall off, it's likely that there isn't sufficient pollinators around to pollinate the fruits. You'll have to hand pollinate the fruit by taking a male flower and rubbing the anthers onto the stigmas of the female flowers.