SPERLI Snackgurke Iznik F1

An F1 snack cucumber for raised beds and containers: Iznik is happy in a pot and brings green cucumbers to nibble from July to September.

The story

Origins & history

The cucumber comes from India, where it has been grown in the foothills of the Himalayas for around 3,000 years. It travelled via Persia and Greece to Rome; the scholar Pliny reports that Emperor Tiberius wanted it on his table all year round.

Uses

Iznik suits containers and raised beds, and so balconies and patios too, in sun or partial shade. Cucumbers are picked green and young; regular picking encourages the plant to set further fruit. Enjoy them straight from the plant, in salads or as a little extra with lunch.

Meaning

That we harvest cucumbers unripe is written into their name: the German word Gurke came via Polish ‘ogórek’ and goes back to a Greek word for ‘unripe’. Left to mature, a cucumber turns yellow and hard – we deliberately enjoy it before then.

A thought for giving

A cucumber finds support with fine tendrils on whatever it meets and climbs towards the light. A lovely thought for everyone who gives others something to hold on to.

At a glance

• Contents: 1 packet for approx. 5 plants
• Botanical name: Cucumis sativus
• Life cycle: annual
• Position: sunny, partial shade
• Suitable for containers: yes (raised bed, container)
• Sow indoors: March–May
• Sow outdoors: May–June
• Harvest: July–September
• Sowing depth: 1–2 cm
• Germination temperature: 20–25 °C
• Germination time: 7–14 days
• Plant spacing: 30 cm
• Row spacing: 80 cm
• Seed type: loose seed
• F1 hybrid: yes

How to sow

1. Sow indoors from March to May: place seeds 1–2 cm deep in Jiffy pots (Jiffy-Quelltöpfe).
2. At 20–25 °C the seeds germinate in 7–14 days.
3. Direct sowing outdoors is possible in May and June.
4. Plant in sun or partial shade, 30 cm apart with 80 cm between rows, ideally in courgette and pumpkin compost (Zucchini- & Kürbis-Erde).

Delivery time: 1–2 weeks. Manufacturer: SPERLI GmbH. Seeds, not a plant – the image shows the original packet.

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