Poinsett 76 Cucumber

Cucumis sativus

Also known as: Poinsett


A classic dark green slicing cucumber. The fruit is straight and cylindrical, 18–20cm long and about 6cm across, with crisp, cool flesh and no bitterness. The vines are vigorous and heavy-cropping. It was bred for hot, humid summers, where most cucumbers struggle with disease. It resists anthracnose, angular leaf spot, scab, and both downy and powdery mildew, so it keeps cropping late into the season after other cucumbers have given up. Vigorous climbing vine — best on a trellis for straight fruit and clean picking.

Days to harvest 60–70 days from sowing
Fruit size Straight, cylindrical fruit, 18–20cm long
Sowing depth 1–1.5cm
Germination 5–10 days at soil temperature 21–30°C
Spacing 30cm apart, rows about 90cm apart
Aspect Full sun; rich, well-drained soil
Frost tolerance Frost-tender — sow after the last frost

Growing notes

A warm, sunny spot with a trellis suits it best. Poinsett 76 handles summer heat and humidity better than most cucumbers. Steady watering and regular picking keep it producing.

Soil preparation: Dig in well-rotted compost before sowing. Cucumbers do better with a moderate, balanced feed than with heavy nitrogen.

Sowing method: Sow two seeds per station 1–1.5cm deep into warm soil, then thin to the stronger seedling once it has three leaves. Or start seed in large pots and transplant with the root ball intact.

Support: A sturdy trellis, net or A-frame is strongly preferred. Trellised fruit grows straight and clean and is easy to pick at the right size.

Containers: Grows in a pot of 40L or more with a sturdy trellis. Keep the water steady, as pots dry out quickly in summer.

Watering & feeding: Water deeply and consistently at the base, never overhead. Uneven watering can make cucumbers bitter or misshapen. Once flowering starts, side-dress lightly with a balanced liquid feed.

Harvest: Pick every two to three days once fruit reaches 18–20cm and is still dark green and firm. Fruit left on the vine turns yellow and seedy and slows the whole plant, so pick even the ones you don’t need straight away.

Timing: First fruit ready around 60–70 days from sowing.

Key features

  • Long, straight, dark green slicing fruit, 18–20cm
  • Crisp, cool flesh with no bitterness
  • Resists anthracnose, angular leaf spot, scab and both mildews
  • Bred for hot, humid summers
  • Heavy cropping over a long season
  • Sister variety to Marketmore, from the same breeder

Short season tips


Direct sow into warm ground once frost risk has passed. In Coonabarabran and similar inland zones, that means mid-November onwards. If time is tight, start seed indoors in large pots 3–4 weeks ahead. Thanks to its disease resistance, a second sowing in early January will usually crop well into autumn.

  • Spring
  • Summer

Annual

  • Corn, climbing beans, dill, nasturtium, borage, marigold, radish
  • Potatoes, sage, and other cucumber varieties within cross-pollination distance if saving seed


Bred by Dr Henry Munger of Cornell University and released in 1976 together with Clemson University and the Virginia agricultural experiment station. The aim was to improve the earlier Poinsett cucumber with resistance to the diseases that wiped out cucumber crops across the hot, humid American South. Munger spent his career breeding open-pollinated vegetables that home gardeners could save seed from. Poinsett 76 is one of his best-known, and gardeners growing in tough summers still rely on it.