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
Season of Interest
Temperature Range
Determine / Indeterminate
Annual / Perennial / Biennial
Frost Hardy / Tender
Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade
Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings
Soil
pH
Soil Temperature
Seed Preparation
Sowing Depth
Plant Spacing
Row spacing
Watering
Germination Time (Days)
Harvest Time (Days)
Good Companion Plants
Bad Companion Plants
Pests
Diseases
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