ISHS Acta Horticulturae 52: II Symposium on Timing of the Fieldproduction of Vegetable Crops
EXPERIMENT ON SOWING DATES FOR ONCE-OVER HARVESTING OF PICKLING CUCUMBERS |
| Author: | A.A. Franken |
| Abstract:
In 1970 and 1971 experiments were made with direct drilled pickling cucumbers. In 1970 and 1971 the hybrid Kora was sown 6 times in the period from 1 June to 21 July with 10 days intervals. In 1971 there was also sown on 11 May and 21 May. The experimental crop was harvested in 3 stages. After every harvest, the gherkins were graded and counted and weighed per grading. In 1970 the plants emerged better than in 1971, which was, amongst others, caused by a great difference in germinating power of the seed. In 1970 the harvest period was spread from 20 August to 1 October, and in 1971 from 9 August to 3 October. There was a regular supply in 1970 and a quite erratic one in 1971. Sowing earlier than 31 May does not considerably accelerate the crop. In both years the yield of the crop sown on 21 July was too low; in 1971 the result of sowing 11 July was bad owing to early night frost. Sowing later than the first week of July can therefore not be advised. The yield of the grading 0.7–5.0 cm 0 showed an optimum with an average fruit weight of 50 g. If, however, the fruits are harvested when the average fruit weight is 40 g, a somewhat lower yield is obtained with a higher percentage of finer grading and less waste. The growth of gherkins depends on the temperature. In hot weather, the optimum is soon reached and lasts but a short time. The yields in 1971 were lower than in 1970, which is mainly due to the lower average number of fruits per plants. | |
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