Growing mini cucumbers in your own garden is actually very easy. However, it is best to follow our tips.
Mini cucumbers, often referred to as Mexican mini cucumbers, are not only popular with children because of their striped look, but also because of their unmistakable cucumber taste. And that, although the mini cucumbers actually belong to the pumpkin family!
The mini cucumbers, which are only up to 4 centimeters tall, grow in the form of a climbing plant, which you can also place on balconies and terraces without any problems due to their small space requirements.
» Tip:
Mini cucumbers are suitable for immediate consumption, but also perfect as a decoration on cheese platters and sausage platters as well as on salads. Children, on the other hand, even like to enjoy mini cucumbers as a he althy snack.
Cultivation
Seeds for this annual plant are available from well-stocked gardening shops. You can grow them in small pots on a sunny window sill or in a greenhouse at 18 to 25 degrees from the end of March/beginning of April - just like conventional cucumbers.
» Tip:
It is ideal if you use potting soil for growing the mini cucumbers that you have previously enriched with some horn shavings (fertilizing effect).
As soon as the first cucumber shoots have grown, you should place the plants one by one in small pots and grow them with small bamboo sticks (stabilization aid).
Alternatively, the mini cucumbers can in principle also be grown outdoors from mid-May. Of course, the fruit is then harvested later, but this is not a problem for the plant itself.
Deployment
After the ice saints - from mid-May - you can then also put the mini cucumbers that you have grown outdoors into the open air. It is recommended that you choose a wind-protected, sunny location where the small cucumbers can ripen well. It is also important that you keep a planting distance of at least 50 centimeters. Alternatively, you can also plant the mini cucumbers in large pots and put them outdoors.
» Tip:
Mini cucumbers do not tolerate freezing temperatures. You need toso protect the cucumbers with garden fleece on cold days!
In addition, the cucumbers, which can grow up to 3 meters high, need a trellis from the start that they can climb up. Of course, a wall trellis on terraces and balconies is also suitable for this.
Especially at the beginning of their growth, you should still braid the first shoots of the mini cucumbers around the respective trellis to give the plant sufficient stability from below.
Caring for the mini cucumbers
Water mini cucumbers:
The mini cucumbers, which also have yellow flowers - like the conventional cucumbers - are considered to be robust and grow practically all summer long. You should water them moderately, especially on dry days. Basically, you should never keep the mini cucumbers too moist, you must avoid waterlogging in the root area.
Fertilize mini cucumbers:
During their outdoor growth, the plants usually only need minimal fertilization - once or twice during the growth phase is perfectly sufficient.
Harvest mini cucumbers
As far as harvesting the slightly sour-tasting fruit (similar to watermelons when ripe) is concerned, all you have to do is pick the crunchy gherkins directly from the plant.
» Tip:
It is best to pickle larger crops in vinegar. As so-called mini gherkins, you can then enjoy the little crunchy gherkins all winter long!
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