Cucumber is a juicy and refreshing vegetable which is mainly used as a salad. It belongs to the family of Cucurbitaceae and is an important summer crop. There are various names of cucumber in India like kamal kakdi, kakkari, kakdi, keera and vellarikkai.
The nutrients present in cucumber
In the 100 gram Cucumber
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Water - 96.3 %.
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Carbohydrate - 2.7 %.
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Protein - 0.4 %.,
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Fat - 0.1 %
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Mineral - 0.4 %
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Abundant amounts of Vitamin B.
Types
There are two types of cucumber plants:
1. Vining cucumbers
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It is the most common variety grow which has large leaves.
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Growth of this type is faster and its yield is abundant if you care for them properly.
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They grow up a trellis or fence.
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They are easier to pick.
2. Bush cucumbers
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They are mostly grown at home or you can say home garden.
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They make successive plantings.
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They grow and ripen in about six weeks.
How to grow cucumber?
Suitable climate
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It requires a moderately warm temperature and the maximum temperature should be 40 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 20 degrees Celsius.
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The best temperature should be between 25 to 30 degrees Celsius for good growth and flowering.
Suitable land
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This crop can be grown on a wide range of soil but sandy loam or loam land is for the cultivation of cucumber.
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The land should have proper management of drainage.
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pH value of soil should be between 5.5 to 7
Land Preparation
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First plowing should be done with a soil-turning plow.
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Then make soil brittle with 2 to 3 plowing harrows and after that, it should be potted.
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So that the field becomes flat.
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15 to 20 tons of cow dung should be thoroughly mixed with rotten manure, before the last plowing.
Time of Sowing
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Summer - January to March
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Rainy - June to July
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Seed Rate - 2 - 3 kg of seeds per hacter.
Method of sowing
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The seed should be sown at a depth of 1.5 meters.
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Row to Row spacing should be 1.5 m to 2.5 m.
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Plant spacing should be 60 cm to 90 cm.
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The ring and basing methods should be preferred.
Irrigation management
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The rainy crop type does not require irrigation.
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The summer crop type should be watered for 5 days.
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The winter crop type for 10 to 15 days.
Harvesting
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Harvesting should be done in a soft state.
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It should be done at an interval of 2 to 3 days.
Yield
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The average yield should be 200 to 350 quintals per hectare.
