CUCUMBER-WEST INDIAN BURR – GHERKIN
CUCUMBER-WEST INDIAN BURR – GHERKIN
A$3.50
Availability: 23 in stock
Cucumis anguria
CUCUMBER-WEST INDIAN BURR-GHERKIN Once known as the Round Prickly Cucumber but now more commonly known as the West India Burr Gherkin. It’s reliable, drought tolerant, heat loving & hardy. For many years the presumed origin of this curious old vegetable was thought to be Jamaica, but in fact, it originated in Africa & was introduced into Jamaica in connection with the slave trade in the seventeenth century. Grows vigorously & produces small, oval-shaped, green plump, spiny fruit. 5 – 7cm. Used fresh in salads, soups, or pickled. Pick whilst still young. Does best in warmer weather. Heavy producer.
Sow seeds direct into well-prepared beds with added compost. Soil must be 20°C or above for best germination results. Press 4 seeds into a hole and then later to 2 seedlings. Can be grown on a small trellis.
| Germination Time (Days) | 10 – 15 |
| Maturity Time (Days) | 55 – 70 |
| Sowing Depth (mm) | 20 |
| Plant Spacing (cm) | 40 – 60 |
| Row Spacing (cm) | 100 – 120 |
| pH | 5 – 7.5 |
| Soil Temperature (°C) | – |
| Hardy / Frost Tender | Frost Tender |
| Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings | Sow Direct |
| Seed Preparation | – |
Scoville Heat Units (SHU)
Plant Height
20 - 180 cm (4 - 6 feet, vine)
Season of Interest
Summer
Temperature Range
20 - 30 °C
Determine / Indeterminate
Annual / Perennial / Biennial
Annual
Frost Hardy / Tender
Frost Tender
Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade
Full Sun
Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings
Raise seedlings
Soil
Well-drained, fertile soil
pH
6.0 - 7.5
Soil Temperature
20 - 30 °C (68 - 86 °F)
Seed Preparation
Soak seeds overnight for faster germination
Sowing Depth
1 - 2 cm (0.5 - 1 inch)
Plant Spacing
45 cm (18 inches)
Row spacing
60 cm (24 inches)
Watering
Moderate, keep soil slightly moist
Germination Time (Days)
10 -14 days
Harvest Time (Days)
60 - 80 days
Good Companion Plants
Corn,Radishes,Nasturtiums
Bad Companion Plants
Potatoes,Sage
Pests
Cutworms,Aphids,Spider Mites
Diseases
Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew, Bacterial Wilt
More About Us
When I started this journey in 2009, I found nothing existed commercially, that was reasonably priced and easy to use. There was a homemade system which I also found was not that user-friendly.
Then a friend of mine told me about a homemade method she used. However, when I tried her method, I found this also didn’t suit my needs, as it too had flaws that I considered where important. It did not keep vermin out, did not have a lockable lid and (to me) looked unsightly in the garden
