Also called a Lebanese or Middle Eastern Cucumber, much of the breeding work on these varieties has been done in Israel. The Beit Alpha Cucumber is large, smooth, somewhat blocky, burpless, and a nearly spineless fruit that can either be pickled or eaten fresh. The flavor is very mild.

25 seeds

PLANTING

Cucumis sativus

Germination:4-10 days

Germination Temperature:Optimum soil temperatures 70-85F

Seed Sowing Depth:1/2-1″ deep

Sowing Indoors:3-4 weeks before the last frost.Provide70-85Fsoil temperature.Sow 2-3 seeds per cell/pot.Sowing into individual biodegradable peat/cow pots reduces rootdamage when transplanting. Transplant 36-48″ apart after the last frost.

Sowing Outdoors:Sow after the last frostwhen the soil temperature is over70F.Sow a few seeds every 36-48″.

Harvest:Check andpick every day to keep the harvest flowing.

Tips:The Beit Alpha Cucumber should be planted in fertile soil, amended with compost or well-rotted manure, and kept well watered. Trellising the vines allow for good air circulation, takes up less space, and provides shade for heat-sensitive crops like lettuce. They benefit from growing on black plastic and by using row covers for weed, insect control, and more rapid growth.