Telegraph

Telegraph Cucumber

A true heritage classic! This traditional British cucumber variety has been loved for generations — and is still one of the best. It produces long, dark green, smooth-skinned fruits with a crisp, refreshing flavour and no bitterness. Perfect for growing in the greenhouse or outdoors, this open-pollinated variety gives you that proper old-fashioned cucumber taste you can’t buy in the shops!

Harvest

June to November, around 8–10 weeks after planting, once fruits reach about 40cm long and the tip changes from pointed to gently rounded.

Growing Instructions

• Planting: Space 45cm apart in fertile, well-prepared soil in a sunny, sheltered spot (above 16°C). Plant only after all frosts have passed.
• Training: Can be left to sprawl, but will stay straighter and cleaner if trained up a trellis, wire, fence, cane, or string.
• Support Method: Train stems clockwise up the support, removing side shoots and flowers up to 30cm, then continue removing side shoots as the plant climbs to about 6ft. After reaching the top, let it trail back down naturally.
• Watering: Keep consistently watered until established and during dry spells.
• Feeding: Begin feeding only once you see the first two cucumbers forming — never earlier.
• Pollination: As an older open-pollinated type, it may need hand-pollination if bees are scarce. Use a small brush to transfer pollen from male flowers (thin stem) to female flowers (tiny cucumber behind the bloom).
• Maintenance: Remove any yellowing or dead leaves to keep plants healthy.

Top Tips

• Pick Often: Regular harvesting keeps the plant producing long, juicy cucumbers.
• Keep Them Straight: Training fruits off the ground helps prevent curling — though Telegraph is naturally a bit quirky!
• No Manure: Avoid farmyard manure, which may contain herbicide residues harmful to cucumbers.
• Warmth Matters: These cucumbers love heat — the warmer the spot, the straighter and sweeter the fruit.