Cucumber Grafted Plant - F1 Carmen

Cucumber Grafted Plants - F1 Carmen

Superb cucumber variety with excellent inbuilt resistance.

The cucumber ‘Carmen’ is a superb female variety with inbuilt resistance. This unique variety has a resistance to strains of powdery mildew, scab, and leaf spot. The F1 Carmen cucumber plant will produce fruits that are cylindrical, very straight, slightly ribby, dark, and glossy with a short neck. You’ll have an abundance of fruits that will grow top around 34-40cm long. Harvesting from June through to September the cucumber ‘Carmen’ can also be kept very well once picked. Height 301cm+ (118"); spread 60-70cm (24-28").

What’s so good about grafted veg plants? 

Grafting onto specific rootstocks, of course, creates bigger, better, more disease-resistant plants with increased yield. Consequently, we believe, the extra vigour which the plant obtains will provide even better protection to late Blight attack, and the plants will grow away from any infection even more rapidly.

Grow in the greenhouse or outdoors, little or no heating required. With excellent resistance to soil-borne pest and diseases - No more ring culture or grow bags you simply plant straight in the soil.

Caring for your Grafted F1 Carmen

On arrival water if necessary with tepid water. Leave them on a shaded windowsill or in a greenhouse for a few hours to settle before further handling, ensuring a frost-free non-draughty situation.

There is a possibility that your plant will include a grafting clip if it does, this is an integral part of the grafting process and that it should be left in place. As the plant grows it will naturally shrug off the clip.

Growing Information

On Receipt - Check the plants are moist and grow on in 10cm pots using a good quality potting compost maintaining a temperature of 16-18ºC (60-65ºF). Once the roots are filling the pot, transfer into 30cm (12") pots.

Growing-on - Plants should be trained up towards the roof with laterals tied to horizontal wires or strings. The tips of the laterals are usually pinched out after two leaves from the main stem, provided both axils of the leaves are showing fruit buds. All male flowers should be removed and also any fruits which are being produced on the main stem itself. It is most important to ensure that the plant receives no 'check' (e.g. temperature drop, incorrect watering, lack of nutrients, etc.) as its development may be affected.

Cropping - Over-cropping must be avoided and it is sometimes necessary to thin out the fruits in the early stages. Periodical top-dressing with a compost such as John Innes (No. 1) around the base of the plant is necessary, especially if young roots are showing. A constant supply of water at the roots is essential and the atmosphere should be kept reasonably moist by overhead spraying. Stagnant conditions must not be allowed to develop. When the first fruits start to swell feed at fortnightly intervals with a tomato fertiliser.