A small-scale trial by Valley Grown Nurseries (VGN) at Nazeing has identified the opportunity to source home-grown cucumbers over the Christmas period as an added value product.
Only 120 plants have been involved in the trial, but VGN - better known for its 10 acres of red, yellow and orange capsicums - has picked on average 10 boxes a week since January 4.
This has been achieved using 15,000 lux lighting for 18 hours a day for the past three months, growing the plants on rockwool with computerised irrigation and maintaining a temperature of between 19°C and 20°C.
Waitrose account manager at VGN Clive Lewis said: “We are hoping to get some feedback to assess the demand for UK-grown produce in the winter.”
Md Gary Taylor, pictured, said that he followed his own instincts on the trial and chose a Dutch and Finnish variety. Plants were sown in late-October and transplanted to the glasshouse in late November. They were strung two plants to a square metre and pinched out as soon as they reached 2m high. Taylor found that the plants demanded a lot of water and so some cues failed to reach the right size and shape specifications.
“It was a challenge and we started cropping a week later than we expected, but we proved it possible,” he said. “Certainly the product tasted fresh and clean. And the characteristic new season pale skin and sweet crisp flavour was confirmed by tasting panels.”
Taylor was impressed by the comparative yields of his cucumbers but recognises the limitations for an English crop that requires a £180,000 investment in light installation on top of fuel and labour costs. Nevertheless, he is targeting customers who will pay a premium for the British product over in-season Mediterranean supplies because they want to support the UK industry.
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