. cucumbers

cucumbers designed to be picked small (so you can stack them in jars). Try ‘Pick a Bushel F1’ (Kings Seeds).

‘Iznik F1’ cukes are great for pots. They’re delightfully tiny, so it’s a lot easier to get through eating them all than some of the larger varieties.

There’s no need to peel them either – the skin is sweet with no bitterness and the seedless flesh inside is crisp, crunchy and thoroughly delicious.

Pests and diseases

Powdery mildew is the cucumber’s biggest enemy, but as long as they’re planted in open, sunny situations with loose, well-drained soil and are watered infrequently but deeply at the base of the plant, it won’t normally affect them until the end of summer.

Take action as soon as you spot ghostly white spots usually on the oldest and lowest leaves.

Spray weekly with a mixture of 250ml whole milk (blue top), 750ml water, teaspoon baking soda and a few drops of dishwashing detergent.

Thoroughly cover all leaf and stem surfaces until they’re dripping.

The milk and baking soda form an alkaline barrier that isn’t conducive to the acid-loving fungi.

Check for whitefly and mites under the leaves too.

Harvesting

To keep fruit coming on, harvest daily and pickle or preserve any excess.