CB—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 25,1984
Pickling cuke
growing tips given
NEWARK, Del.
cucumbers have been in important
vegetable crop on Delmarva for
many years. Acreage has in
creased slowly and steadily in
recent years. The crop is an im
portant commodity for both small,
part-time fanners and large,
specialized operators. On many
larger farms pickles are machine
harvested in a once-over,
destructive operation, a labor
saving practice which has altered
production methods.
According to University of
Delaware extension vegetable
specialist Ed Kee, standard
cucumber types have a
monoecious flowering habit that
is, they produce two types of
flowers on the same plant, male
and female. The male flowers,
which produce the pollen needed
for fruit development, are located
mostly on the main stem. The
female flowers grow primarily on
lateral stems and contain the
ovaries which ultimately develop
into pickles. Since standard
cucumber types produce more
male than female flowers, high
yields depend on continual vine
growth for more female blooms.
Plant breeders have developed
new gynoecious cucumber types
which give more concentrated
fruit set for once-over mechanical
harvest. “Supposedly,” says Kee,
“these hybrids produce only
female flowers, with male
pollinating blooms on separate
plants. But even female plants
have a few male blooms on them.
More female flowers mean more
fruit and higher yields, with
greater numbers of pickles
ripening at one time.”
Pickling cukes are usually
grown under a contract
arrangement between processor
and grower. The processor selects
the variety to be grown and
provides the seeds. In choosing the
hybrid, consideration is given to
yield potential as well as quality
factors like the length/diameter
ratio, shape, firmness, seed cavity
size, uniformity of color and spine
color. (The spines are the little
bristles on the fruit.) Kee says
white-spined varieties yellow and
soften more slowly than black
spined types. This is important if
harvest tends to be delayed, such
as with destructive mechanical
harvesting, or if large-sized fruits
are desired.
Top quality pickles have a
length/diameter ratio of 2.7:1 to
3:1. For example, a cucumber 3%
inches long and 1 1/8 inches wide
has a 3:1 L/D ratio. The pickles
should also be well-shaped
straight, with little or no taper at
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the ends. Uniform green rind, a
small seed cavity and firm, suc
culent flesh are other desirable
traits. And of course, the fruit must
be free of surface or internal
defects.
Pickling
According to Kee, only
gynoecious hybrids are used for
machine harvest pickles. They’re
also the main type grown now for
hand harvesting. Row spacing for
hand harvest varies between 36
and 60 inches, with plants spaced
from 12 to 24 inches apart in
narrow rows, and 9 to 15 inches
apart in wider rows.
Higher plant populations are
required for maximum machine
harvested yields, the specialist
says. Row spacings in this case
vary from 18 to 24 inches, with
plants spaced 4 to 6 inches apart.
This gives a population of 50,000 to
90,000 plants per acre. Precision
planters are used to plant pickles
for machine harvest.
Pollination is important when
growing cucumbers. In hand
harvested fields, the natural bee
population is often adequate,
though Kee says it’s wise to sup
plement this with hives. Machine
harvested pickles require ad
ditional hives. In these fields, a
good guideline is one hive per acre.
Since machine harvested pickles
have a short season (50 to 60 days),
early fields often do not require
fungicide sprays. Later plantings
maturing in August or September
may need treatment to protect
foliage as well as fruit, which is
susceptible to belly rot. The most
common belly rot is caused by the
organism Rhizoctonia. This
disease occurs on light, sandy
ground and causes distinct lesions
and cracks in the fruit.
Another fungus disease,
Pythium rot, is usually associated
with heavier ground or low spots in
a field. Affected fruit becomes soft,
watery and eventually disin
tegrates.
To control Rhizoctonia, Kee
recommends spraying Bravo on
the ground before vines start to
run. He says it may be necessary
to treat later plantings in fields
with a history of belly rot. Ridomil
will control Pythium but not
Rhizoctonia infections. Walk all
fields at least once a week and
check them carefully for signs of
rot.
Kee has several pickle variety,
growth regulator and disease
control studies under way this
summer at the University of
Delaware Substation near
Georgetown. He encourages
growers or processors interested
in visiting these plots to call him at
302-856-5250.
St FT*
Montour-DeLong Fair winners reported
BY MARGIE FUSCO
WASHINGTONVILLE -
Champions were plentiful at the
Montour-DeLong Fair, Aug. 13-18
in Washingtonville, Montour
County.
Dairy cattle were judged by
breed in both 4-H and open classes.
Four cows owned by Bonny Sue
Wolfe of E 2 Sunbury, took 4-H
Grand Champion and Reserve
Grand Champion in both Brown
Swiss and Guernsey categories.
Other 4-H winners were Michael
Hertzler, R 2, Milton, Grand
Champion Guernsey; Karen
Hertzler, R 2, Milton, Reserve
Grand Champion Guernsey. In the
Ayrshire category, Brad Shulft of
R 3, Danville, took both Grand
Champion and Reserve Grand
Champion. The Holstein Grand
Champion was owned by Greg
Shultz, R 5, Danville. Kathy Jo
Wolfe, Rl, Milton, owned the
Reserve Grand Champion
Holstein.
Susan Moslock of Rl, Danville,
took Open Grand Champion and
Reserve Grand Champion in the
Jersey competition. The Open
Grand Champion and Reserve
Grand Champion in the Ayrshire
group went to William and Carl
Sandel of R 3, Danville. Greg Shultz
of R 5, Danville, owned the Grand
Champion Holstein in the open
class and Randy Kitchen, R 5,
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A youth class was also judged in
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In other livestock judging, the
winning 4-H market steers were
Jr. swine winners listed
HONESDALE Results of the
Junior Swine Show at the Wayne
County Fair include:
Grand Champion Market Hog Holly Reed
Reserve Grand Champion Market Hog Sue
Swartz
lightweight 1 Christine Meed 2 Mark lewis,
3 Scott Lewis
Medium Lightweight 1 Jennifer Davis 2 Mark
lewis 3 Cindy Barrett
Heavy Lightweight 1 Kevin Unan 2 Robert
lewis 3 Robert lewis
Champion Lightweight Kevin Unan Reserve
Champion Lightweight Robert Lewis
Light Middleweight 1 Jennifer Davis 2 Joe
Davis, 3 Billy Tanimes
Medium Middleweight 1 Bruce Rutledge 2
Brian Worobey 3 Cliff Jones
Heavy Middleweight 1 Clarke Tenimes 2 Jim
Edsell 3 Dean Rutledge
Champion Middleweight Clarks Tenimes
Reserve Champion Middleweight Jim Edsell
Light Heavyweight 1 Sue Swartz 2 Anthony
Robinson 3 Kevin Edsall
Medium Heavyweight I Holly Reed 2 Anthony
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owned by Paul Wertz (Grand
Champion) and Jason Brokenshire
(Reserve Grand Champion), both
of R 5, Danville. Open class Grand
Champion market steers, judged
by breed, were owned by Jason
Brokenshire (Angus), Paul Wertz
(Charolais), Jackie Reed, R.D. 5,
Danville (Hereford), and Matt
George, R.D. 5, Danville (Other).
Heavyweight 1 Matthew Marks 2 Josh
Sheard.3 Launs Baldwin
Champion Heavyweight Holly Reed Reserve
Champion Heavyweight Sue Swartz
Fitting
Senior Division Pitting 1 Lisa Hellmers. 2 Sue
Swartz, 3 Mark Lewis
Middle Division Fitting 1 Cliff Jones. 2 Julie
Worobey JoshSheard
Intermediate Division Fitting 1 Jim Edseli 2
Dean Rutledge, 3 Roland Travis Jr
Junior Division Fitting 1 Scott Lewis. 2 Clarke
Tammes 3 Dana Curley
Champion Fitter Jim Edseli. Reserve Champion
Fitter Cliff Jones
Showing
Senior Division Showmanship- 1 Robert Lewis
2 Rich Terrel, 3 Bill Terrel
Middle Division Showmanship 1 Julie Worobey
2 Josh Sheard, 3 Joe Daivs
Intermediate Division Showmanship- 1 Ann
Mane Peters, 2 Matthew Marks, 3 Brian
Worobey
Junior Division Showmanship 1 Angela
Pieman 2 James Knehr, 3 Scott Lewis
Champion Showman Julie Worobey Reserve
Champion Showman Robert Lewis
CALL