Cyclanthera pedata
Inca cucumber
Common names: horned cucumber, caigua
Photo: Zyance · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The Inca cucumber is a vigorous climbing vine from the Andes whose hollow, cucumber‑like fruits can be eaten raw, stuffed or steamed. It is hardy, vigorous, and quickly covers a trellis or fence with delicately feathered foliage in summer.
Care instructions
Sow warm in March and plant seedlings after the last frost in mid‑May in a sunny spot with strong support. Water evenly and add some compost in summer. Harvest the young, still tender fruits from August onward as long as they are soft; older ones become fibrous and are then suitable for stuffing and braising.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
humus-rich, well-drained, nutrient-rich, loamy
Feeding
Heavy feeder
Companion planting
Good neighbors
legume family (Fabaceae)
Beans and peas enrich the soil with nitrogen, which cucurbits, as heavy feeders, can make good use of.
For example PeaBush beanPole beanBroad beanMarker peaSugar pea and 31 more species in the catalogue
Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)
Rather not
nightshade family (Solanaceae)
You should avoid planting potato and cucumber together because they share disease pathogens such as leaf and brown rot and stand in each other's way as strong feeders.
For example PotatoTomatoSweet pepperCocktail tomatoEggplantCape gooseberry and 9 more species in the catalogue
Source: basic crop-rotation rule
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
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