Cucumber 'Poinsett'
Growing Advice
Scientific Name: Cucumis sativus
Common Names: Poinsett Cucumber, Green Gem Cucumber
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Origin
Poinsett is an open-pollinated heirloom cucumber variety that was first bred during the 1970s in the USA.
Culinary Uses
Poinsett produces high yields of medium-length, bumpy green cucumbers. Home grown cucumbers are naturally spiny, to dislodge them simply run your hand up and down the cucumber under running water. Poinsett is an excellent variety for slicing into salads, it has a crisp texture and a traditional cucumber flavour with little bitterness.
Growing Tips
Cucumbers will produce best when planted in a position that receives full sun, however growers in warmer climates may prefer to plant them in light shade to reduce heat stress on plants during the hottest parts of the day. Poinsett has good resistance to powdery mildew and handles extreme heat better than most other cucumber varieties so is suitable for growing in warm, humid climates. Cucumbers grow best in a free-draining, fertile, loam soil rich in organic matter. If your soil is sandy, heavy with clay, or lacking in organic matter you can improve it by placing down a layer of compost or well-rotted manure over the surface prior to planting cucumbers. Top dress around cucumber plants with a nitrogen-rich organic fertiliser such as blood and bone early during the growing season to promote good leaf growth which will provide the energy required to support heavy fruit set later in the season. Avoid over-watering cucumber plants as this can cause stem rot. Despite the good disease resistance of this variety it's advisable to only water around the base of your cucumber plants to avoid wetting the leaves which will reduce the chance of spreading fungal spores. Mulching around your cucumber plants will help to reduce splash-back of fungal spores from the soil onto the leaves during watering. Mulching around cucumber plants will also help to retain moisture and keep their root systems cool. Poinsett is a vigorous variety, its vines grow several metres long and are heavy when laden with fruit so be sure to provide a sturdy trellis for them to grow on. Trellising cucumber plants will allow the fruit to hang and grow straight downwards and keep them off the ground where they may otherwise fall victim to pests. Trellising also promotes good airflow around the vines, allowing the leaves to dry quickly which will further reduce the chance of any fungal disease occurring. If immature cucumber fruits turn yellow and drop it's likely that pollination hasn't occurred and you'll need to pollinate the flowers by hand. Cucumber plants have both male flowers that have a plain stem behind them and female flowers which have a small immature fruit instead. To hand pollinate cucumbers simply take a fine paintbrush and dab it on the anthers at the centre of the male flowers to pick up pollen, then dab it on the central stigmas of the female flowers to transfer the pollen to them.
When to Sow
In temperate regions of Australia sow cucumber seeds during Spring or Summer. In frost-free subtropical regions of Australia sow cucumber seeds from late Winter to late Summer. In tropical areas of Australia cucumbers should be grown during the dry season and can be sown from mid Autumn to late Winter.
How to Sow
Sow cucumber seeds 1.5cm deep either in punnets or directly where they are to grow. Sow a couple of seeds per hole and snip off the weaker seedling after a few weeks growth, doing this will ensure you end up with seedlings that have optimal vigour. Protect cucumbers seedlings when young if there are possums in your garden because if they find them they'll bite the leaves off and leave only a nub that is unable to re-sprout. Space planting holes for cucumbers at least 50cm apart to allow adequate airflow between plants. Cucumbers that are planted too close together are more likely to suffer from powdery mildew and will also produce fewer fruit.
Germination Time
Cucumber seeds will germinate quickly and consistently with seedlings taking between 7 and 13 days to emerge once sown.
Time to Harvest
Poinsett cucumbers take 10 to 11 weeks to begin producing fruits. Pick cucumbers regularly to ensure ongoing flowering and fruit production. Cucumber vine growth and flowering may stall if mature fruit are left unpicked for too long.