Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Sideshoots
Forming
fruit
Lateral
Fruit
Main stem
FIGURE 4.8
Renewal umbrella system of training European cucumbers.
(Drawing courtesy of George Barile, Accurate Art, Inc., Holbrook, New York.)
to continue growing. This is the renewal umbrella system of training
(Figure 4.8). Remove all tendrils as shown in Figure 4.9 (those monstrous
stringing growths that wrap around everything) to prevent them from
deforming fruits and leaves. Remove all the suckers that form between the
leaves and stem on the main stem until the last few near the supporting
cable as mentioned earlier (Figure 4.10). Sometimes a second set may form
later on the main stem, so be vigilant to prune all of them as soon as they
are about 1-inch long. Pull them off by hand. The first seven to eight fruit
should also be removed so that the plant can become vigorous enabling it
to yield heavily later. Remove the small fruits when they are about 1-inch
long (Figure 4.11). Use these as a special delicacy by deep-frying them in
batter for a few minutes as you would do with zucchini flowers. They are
delicious with the sweet nectar of the flower. The plant will normally only
be able to bear four to five fruit at a time. If the fruit set is more, small
fruits above will begin to abort until the mature ones are harvested.
Train the top two laterals (side shoots) over the support wire with several
plant clips placed about one foot on either side of the main stem and let the
laterals grow back down (Figure 4.12). Keep removing tendrils. Usually
