DOUBLE-CROPPING CUCUMBER AND TOMATOES TO REDUCE THE COST OF STAKING CUCUMBER

• Published in: HortScience Vol. 25; no. 8; p. 856
• Main Authors: Hanna, H. Y, Edling, R. J, Adams, A. J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.08.1990
• ISSN: 0018-5345; 2327-9834
• DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI.25.8.856e

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) double-cropped with tomato (Lycoperscum esculentum Mill.) and staked with the double-cropping system needed less than half the man-hours to stake than the standard system. Tomato rods and tomato plants were not removed which could result in further cost reduction. Glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethly) glycine] was used to kill all the vegetation at a cost of $45-$50/acre. Double-cropped cucumber produced comparable yields of high quality fruits to cucumber staked by the standard system. The standard system produced more No. 2 fruits resulting in more marketable yield. The 2 systems produced an equal percentage of culls or rots. In-row spacing of 22.5 or 30 cm appeared to be the best choice when cucumber was staked by the double-cropping system. The side of the row where cucumber was planted did not affect the yield significantly. However, planting cucumber on both sides gave the highest yield. It appears that there was enough residual fertilizer left over after tomatoes to produce the cucumber crop.