The Ultimate Cucumber Collection – 4 Varieties – 40 Seeds
Grow a varied selection of cucumbers with the Red Dragon Seeds Ultimate Cucumber Collection, featuring four distinctive open-pollinated varieties chosen for flavour, productivity and variety of use.
The collection includes everything from dependable slicing cucumbers to a traditional French pickling type and the eye-catching round Crystal Lemon.
Each variety is supplied in its own individually labelled sachet, so the seeds are not mixed together.
Included varieties
Beth Alpha – 10 Seeds
A popular smooth-skinned cucumber producing crisp, tender fruits with excellent flavour. Particularly well suited to protected growing, although it can also perform well outdoors in warm, sheltered conditions.
Crystal Lemon – 10 Seeds
A distinctive heirloom-style cucumber producing unusual round, pale yellow fruits. Crisp and refreshing with a mild flavour, making it excellent for salads, slicing and fresh eating.
Fin de Meaux – 10 Seeds
A traditional French cucumber associated with cornichon-style pickling. Produces smaller, crisp green fruits that can be harvested young for pickling or allowed to develop further for fresh eating.
Marketmore 70 – 10 Seeds
A classic, dependable outdoor slicing cucumber producing long, dark green fruits. Known for good productivity, excellent flavour and reliable garden performance.
Why grow this collection?
The four varieties have been selected to give a useful mix of fruit types rather than four cucumbers that all do the same job.
You can grow:
Smooth slicing cucumbers
Round yellow cucumbers
Traditional pickling cucumbers
Reliable outdoor cucumbers
This makes the collection ideal for gardeners who want to experiment with different cucumber types without buying four full-size packets separately.
Seed count
4 varieties
10 seeds per variety
40 seeds in total
Seeds are supplied in 4 separate individually labelled sachets.
Growing Guide
SOWING
Sow seeds
1–2 cm deep in small pots or modules from
March to May. Keep warm at around
20–25°C for best germination. Sow one seed per pot where possible, as cucumbers dislike root disturbance.
GROWING ON
Keep seedlings warm and bright. Pot on carefully once roots fill the pot. Plant out only after all risk of frost has passed, or grow under cover in a greenhouse or polytunnel.
PLANTING POSITION
Choose a
warm, sheltered, sunny position with fertile, moisture-retentive soil. Cucumbers are hungry plants, so adding compost or well-rotted organic matter before planting helps enormously.
SUPPORT & TRAINING
Provide canes, netting or strings for climbing varieties. Tie stems in loosely as they grow and keep fruit off the soil where possible. Outdoor plants can also be allowed to trail if space permits.
WATERING
Water regularly and deeply, especially once flowering and fruiting begins. Avoid letting plants repeatedly dry out, as uneven watering can reduce fruit quality.
FEEDING
Once plants start flowering and setting fruit, feed regularly with a
high-potash liquid feed, similar to a tomato feed. Continue throughout the main cropping period.
POLLINATION
Outdoor cucumbers are normally pollinated naturally by insects. Avoid removing flowers unless a variety specifically requires it.
HARVESTING
Pick fruits
young and regularly for the best flavour and texture. Frequent harvesting encourages continued fruit production. Fin de Meaux can be picked very young for pickling.
QUICK TIP
Cucumbers love
warm roots, steady moisture and regular feeding. Avoid cold, wet compost early in the season.
Troubleshooting Common Cucumber Problems
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Bitter Flavor: Caused by moisture stress, temperature spikes, or irregular watering. Maintain a steady watering schedule and mulch beds well.
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Powdery Mildew: Appears as white, talcum-like spots on leaves. Prevent it by watering at the base, spacing plants generously, and applying an organic copper or sulfur fungicide at the first sign of infection.
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Misshapen or Tapered Fruit: Usually stems from incomplete pollination due to low bee activity or extreme heat. Plant pollinator-friendly companion flowers nearby (like marigolds, dill, and borage).