"Suyo" Cucumber

Cucumis sativus

A very old Chinese heirloom cucumber that is delicious, high yielding and disease resistant. Suyo is a uniquely curved cucumber with very stunning ribbed and textured outer skin. It is one of our favorites for its superb flavor and beauty! Suyo is a parthenocarpic variety meaning it can produce fruit without the help of pollinators. So, this cucumber is great in both the field and an enclosed greenhouse. It has high resistance to downy mildew and good resistance to powdery mildew. Judge ripeness by the size of the fruit’s blossom end (not the end with the stem) as the cucumber, when ripe, will be fuller and larger on the blossom end.

Growing Instructions: 

Sow indoors 2 to 3 weeks before setting out after last frost or direct seed after last frost. You may want to plant two plantings of cucumbers a month apart to extend cucumber season.

Space plants 8" apart. If allowing vines to grow on the ground, give 36" between rows. We recommend trellising cucumbers for better fruit quality and plant health. Trellising also saves space to plant other crops where vines would otherwise occupy.

Amend soil with good compost. We also recommend a fall or spring cover crop of peas or another annual legume to fix nitrogen in the soil where the cucumbers will be planted.

Mulching cucumbers is a good idea, however mulching in mid spring will keep soil temperature cooler and may slow growth. Mulching can be done once soil has warmed. Make sure soil pH is between 5.8 and 7.0. If plant needs a growing boost, water with nitrogen tea or compost tea a few times. If trace minerals are inadequate, sprinkle a small amount of woodash in each planting hole.

Harvest:

Suyo grows in irregular shapes therefore, judge ripeness by the size of the fruit’s blossom end (not the end with the stem) as the cucumber when ripe will be fuller and larger on the blossom end.