The Dutch cucumber is a variety of sweet cucumber, cylindrical in shape and light green in color. It is grown in the Netherlands and other parts of Europe, and for decades also in Almería, which is why it is also called “Almería cucumber”.
This variety of cucumber is characterized by its sweet flavor and creamy texture. It is a popular ingredient in salads and sauces, and can also be eaten raw. It is one of the most common cucumber varieties in Europe.
Dutch cucumbers are generally longer than other types of cucumbers and have a thin, smooth skin. Most are around 20cm long, although larger varieties can also be found.
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Planting the Dutch variety of cucumber in the vegetable garden
For cucumber plant Dutch, you have to buy a mature plant from a nursery or garden store, although you can also get cucumber seeds for sowing. They can be planted in pots or on beds, but it’s important to make sure the container or soil has good drainage.
Once the plant is in its final place, it should be watered frequently, especially if the weather is hot. Dutch cucumbers also need lots of sun, so it’s important to place them in a spot where they get plenty of sunlight during the day. The ideal would be 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
When to plant it?
The Dutch cucumber is an annual plant and can be planted any time of the year in temperate climates. In cooler climates, it is best to plant after all danger of frost has passed.
Dutch cucumber care
To keep our Dutch cucumber plants healthy and productive, it’s important to water them frequently and, as we said, make sure they get enough sunlight. It is also necessary to prune the plants so that they do not become too large or woody.
It is important plant cucumbers if we want them to push up instead of crawling. And although it is not “mandatory”, as it is not in pumpkins or watermelons which can be dragged perfectly, it is better to do it with cucumbers.
Also, to prevent the growth of twisted cucumberit is important not to overload the plants and to avoid over-fertilizing, although it is also important to see other possible causes, such as fruit lying on a surface.
Diseases
The cucumber diseases The most common that affect Dutch cucumbers are black spot or cucumber rot and bacteria.
Black spot or black rot () is caused by a fungus called Phomopsis sclerotoides when the plants are too wet, it is therefore important to ensure that the soil is sufficiently dry, avoiding waterlogging with good drainage.
Cucumber bacterium is a bacterial disease that spreads easily in humid conditions and can kill plants within days.
But many other pests like the cucumber beetleThe aphidsthe red spiderthe white spiderthe white flyamong others can also affect this variety.
To harvest
The cucumber harvest time Dutch lasts between 60 and 70 days, although much depends on the climate of the region. Once harvested, Dutch cucumbers should be stored in a cool, dry place. They can be kept for a few days in the refrigerator, but they should never be frozen, as this will change their texture and make them inedible.
Some specimens are likely to be bitter, but as we explained in the post on why cucumbers are bitter, this is due to a component of the vegetable, also present in other plants of the same family, called cucurbitacin. This is not a problem, because this substance is not toxic and its seasoning solves it.
How many types of cucumber are there?
There are over 50 different types of cucumbers in the world. Some of the most common varieties are Italian cucumber, Japanese cucumber, Chinese cucumber, and Dutch cucumber which the article discusses. And their differences lie mainly in size, shape, color and taste.
Dutch cucumber: how do you eat it?
Like the other varieties, in salads. The ideal, when grown organically, is to eat it with its shell, to take advantage of the vitamin K present.
You can make pickles, or a very popular sauce in Greece called tzatziki, which is made with cucumber and Greek yogurt and is delicious.
