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07/25/2019 | Campus-Meldung

Unknown about cucumbers on August 18

It is related to pumpkins and melons, has been cultivated for over 5,000 years, is basically eaten unripe and sometimes placed on the face in slices? The Association for the Preservation of Crop Diversity (Verein zur Erhaltung der Nutzpflanzenvielfalt e. V.) wants to contribute to the preservation and dissemination of little-known wild species as well as cultivated varieties with special characteristics and lauds the cucumber as the Vegetable of the Years 2019/2020. As every year, the tropical greenhouse organizes a themed afternoon on the occasion of the annual vegetable.

Image: University of Kassel.

On Sunday, August 18, everything will revolve around cucumbers in the tropical greenhouse of the University of Kassel at the Witzenhausen site from 2 to 4:30 pm. It is the vegetable par excellence that is richest in water and lowest in calories and can be used in many ways: they taste good boiled, fried or pickled. Their economic importance is immense: the fruits can be found on markets and supermarket shelves worldwide. In this country, we are mostly familiar with the salad or snake cucumbers grown under glass, the somewhat thicker mustard or peeled cucumbers for greenhouse and outdoor cultivation, and the small mini cucumbers. We have cucumber growers to thank for the fact that most cucumbers are almost free of bitterness. However, the appearance of bitter ends can still occur in older varieties in unfavorable weather. Cucumber breeding is still carried out with good success in Germany today - but many old varieties have disappeared.

In addition to exciting lectures by Alexander Artmann, "A brief cultural history of the cucumber and its relatives," and Michael Stork, "A foray into cucumber diversity," there will be a hands-on tour of the garden with Cathrin Merx. Visitors will learn how to grow cucumbers themselves, which varieties are good for this, how to avoid the "bitter end" and how to obtain seeds. There will also be tastings of different types and varieties of cucumbers.

Pre-registrations are accepted until Monday, August 12, at tropengewaechshaus[at]uni-kassel[dot]de or 05542-981231. The entrance fee is 5 euros.

 

Date: Sunday, August 18

Place: Tropical greenhouse of the university Kassel, stone road 19, 37213 Witzenhausen

Pre-registration: until Monday, August 12, under tropengewaechshaus[at]uni-kassel[dot]de or 05542-981231

Admission: 5 Euro