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Cultivating Gardeners

EXCELSIOR

EXCELSIOR

Product Description:

50 days. Beautiful, emerald-green cukes have exquisite flavor—perfect for fresh eating or pickling. The prolific, disease-resistant plants produce barrels of 4–5 inch, stocky fruit. Excelsior was originally developed for trellised cultivation in the greenhouse, but it performs equally well in the garden. PAT. CMV, CVYV, PM, S, TSP.
  • Key Features:

ORGANIC SEED

$7.45

$7.45

  • Key Features:

Customer Reviews

Based on 4 reviews
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M
Mary
Amazing cucumbers!

Had an amazing abundance of incredibly delicious cucumbers from my plants this year despite a wierd growing season (SF Bay area) this year and a somewhat sun challenged site. Growing up the side of an enclosed garden bed.. Everyone who tries them loves them raw and wants to know what type of cucumber they are. I've also made delicious refridgerator pickles.

R
Rita D.C.
Second year of success with this pickling cucumber

This is my second year with this cucumber - having great success. Last year, toward the end of the season we ended up with bigger than is feasible for pickling - missed finding them; we found that peeling and eating them as is was delicious as well. This year, it's been much hotter in my area and the bees aren't as prolific - so I've had a little more flower loss and less pollination. But still very happy with the quantity and quality of this cucumber - I'll use it again next year.

M
Michelly7
Not producing

I have A LOT of female flowers, my plant is six foot high and in perfect health, however, not one cucumber growing past flowering stage. My soil has been tested and in perfect balance. I have been gardening for over twenty years and always had bumper crop. I don't know what is wrong with these Excelsior seeds but I lost out on two months of growing and I am so mad. I will never by this variety again.

R
Rita C.
Days of Pickles

I planted all 25 seeds and thinned to 12; these performed as indicated. I have been pickling gallons of pickles and still have at least 3 - 4 more gallons to go. I have been picking for 5 weeks (got a slow start on my garden planting) and these haven't stopped producing. These are on my wishlist to purchase for next year. I live in Zone 9.

Soil Temp for Germ 65–90°F
Seed Depth ½"
Seed Spacing 4–6/hill
Days to Emergence 4–13
Thin Plants to 1–2/hill
Row Spacing 3–4'
Fertilizer Needs High
Minimum Germination 80%
Seeds per Gram ≈ 25–30
Seed Life 3 years

Cucumis sativus A favorite in cuisine worldwide, cucumbers possess health benefits too numerous to mention. Incorporate cucumbers in your diet to aid with weight loss, as they are exceptionally low in calories (only about 8 calories in 1/2 cup), aid digestion, and rid toxins from the body. Among the more unusual qualities of the humble cuke is its ability to ease skin irritations. Use a piece of cucumber skin to soothe burns.

Days to maturity are calculated from date of direct seeding.

Culture
• Cucumbers perform best in fertile, well-drained soil with a pH 5.5-7.0
• Consistent, even watering is critical for best plant growth and fruit development
• Raised beds, plastic mulch, and trellising can improve yields, keep fruit straight and scab free
• Incorporate a shovelful of compost and 1/2 cup TSC's Complete fertilizer per hill

Direct Sowing
• For best germination, keep soil evenly moist but not too wet
• Cover hill with Kozy-Coats, Victorian Bell Cloches, or a row cover to speed up germination
• Thin to the strongest 1-2 plants when first true leaves emerge

Transplanting
• Start indoors in 4 inch pots, 3-4 weeks before anticipated transplant date
• Avoid letting starts get root bound; transplant carefully as to not disturb roots

Pests & Diseases
• Common pests: Striped and spotted cucumber beetles, aphids, squash bugs, stink bugs
• Pest control: Pyrethrin
• Common diseases: See chart below
• Disease prevention: 3-4 year crop rotation, Zonix for Powdery Mildew

Harvest & Storage
• Consistent harvest will keep plants productive
• Store at 45°F and 95% relative humidity
• For pickling, harvest cukes when small, before seeds form

KEY TO FLOWERS AND FRUIT SET
GY | Gynoecious - Has nearly all female flowers.
HE | Hermaphrodite - Flowers contain both male and female reproductive parts.
MO | Monoecious - Has separate male and female flowers on the same plant.
PAT | Parthenocarpic - Has the ability to set fruit without pollination.

KEY TO CUCUMBER DISEASE RESISTANCE AND TOLERANCE
HR indicates high resistance.
IR indicates intermediate resistance.
A | Anthracnose*
ACu | Alternaria Leaf Blight
ALS | Angular Leaf Spot
C | Cercospora
CCa | Corynespora Blight & Target Spot
CCu | Scab & Gummosis
CMV | Cucumber Mosaic Virus
CVYV | Cucumber Vein Yellowing Virus

CYSDV | Cucurbit Yellow Stunting Disorder Virus
DM | Downy Mildew
PM | Powdery Mildew
R | Common Rust
S | Scab
TSP | Target Spot
WMV | Watermelon Mosaic Virus
* Numbers indicate specific disease race.

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