User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

What kind of cucumbers are you growing?

This year, I'm growing Yamato. Here are photos of our first two:
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/Image7680.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/Image7683.jpg[/img]
It's very tender skinned and good, but apparently, I didn't wait long enough to harvest. The top 3 inches or so where the seeds had not started to develop were way too bitter. There are 2 more starting to lengthen on the vine, so I'll let them grow a little bit more.

I'm also growing 2nd generation Picarow pickling cuke. I let one fruit mature last fall and collected seeds. Picked about 2 from that so far with 3rd and 4th almost ready.

3rd variety I'm growing is Lemon. A female fruit was finally pollinated, so I should have a first harvest soon.

tylianna
Full Member
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 8:43 pm
Location: Elkhart, IN

I'm simple and grew Straight 8 cukes. I don't really care for them as much as I liked the cukes from last year that I bought from Menards. I don't know what kind they were, though!


Those are some interesting cukes!

User avatar
rootsy
Green Thumb
Posts: 435
Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 1:58 pm
Location: Litchfield, Michigan

Been growing "Sweet Slice" for the past 4 years. Long in length (up to a foot or more) and have a sweet mild flavor. They are burpless and even if they get too large (where people would frown on them) the seeds stay soft and edible, ie. immature. I generally let one go to size "huge" and take it to market and slice it to show the interior for customers. They give an abundant yield also...

Last year I also grew "Sweet Success". They didn't produce nearly as well as the sweet slice for me. I may give them another shot next year...

I would like to grow some of the seedless "english" cukes...

User avatar
nes
Green Thumb
Posts: 631
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:20 am
Location: Rural Ottawa, ON

Straight 8s I saved from last year & Calypso for pickles :).

Unfortunately I seem to have mixed up my seeds so I'm just waiting as they grow to find out which plant is which :D

LindsayArthurRTR
Green Thumb
Posts: 527
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 10:41 pm
Location: South Carolina, Upstate

We grew strait 8's and Ashley to start the season off! They are since done. Just planted my second summer crop of cukes. We planted Armenian yard long and Asian burpless! I can't wait to taste them!!! I've only ever grown your run of the mill ordinary cukes, never anything fancy or fun :(). I'm really branching out this year!!! I ordered some tiger melons too, and I'm just waiting on them to get here!

And, I love that beauty of a tomato there in the middle, Apple! It's too pretty to eat!

User avatar
stella1751
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1494
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:40 am
Location: Wyoming

Those Yamatoes are cool, Applestar! I've never seen them before.

Two wet-and-cold spells in June contributed to a mish-mash of cucumbers in one bed: Bush Champions in three stages of maturity and Slice Masters I bought because I wanted cucumbers and didn't want to wait forever to get them. I trellissed last night and today, 6' rectangular mesh for the Slice Masters and 3' chicken wire for the Bush Champions. It looks very odd.

The other bed has Bush Salad in 2 stages of maturity. I ate my first Slice Master yesterday, and there are enough young ones to keep me in cucumbers until the Bush Champions kick in, after which I can eat Bush Salad. I won't run out of cucumbers any time soon :lol:

User avatar
gixxerific
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 5889
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:42 pm
Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B

I'm growing something from Lowe's, very productive and okay.

I also have Hmong Red that are starting to come into play now nothing ripe as of yet but soon. In fact I should go check them now they were fat and white yesterday maybe they have color today.

My tomato basket was too full to do a full garden weep earlier. :wink:

FieldofFlowers
Cool Member
Posts: 79
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:53 pm
Location: MN, Zone 4a

This is what I planted anyway (bought at menards):

Burpee's sweet burpless hybrid
Burpee's bushmaster cucumber
Burpee's sweet sugar crunch

American Pickling (or similar name.) 1 plant grew, old seed. (previous years this and straight 8's were our staples, but after a disappointing last year, I decided to try other varieties.)

What is actually growing seems to be the sugar crunch and sweet burpless. The bush cucumbers started out strong, but aren't doing as well. I had to pull one up. The one growing in a container is hanging on, but the leaves are yellow. The sweet burpless is really a rogue, taking over my small patch. So far out of what I have, I've filled a gallon sized ziplock bag. They will make great sliced pickles when finished.

The Helpful Gardener
Mod
Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

Mine were started late and have been lacklustre. The Marketmore climbers are still tiny and mostly fruitless. The Pickle Bush have seen the most eating action but are still smallish. Can't say I have found one I am fond of yet...

HG

User avatar
tomf
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3233
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 8:15 am
Location: Oregon

I just grow lemon cucumbers as they do not give me hart burn and you can eat the skin, they taste sweet and make the best pickles. IMHO

orgoveg
Green Thumb
Posts: 468
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Ohio

I got big on heirlooms this year, so I'm currently growing straight eights. They are okay, but I really prefer the marketmores that I grew in the past. Marketmores are very productive, are perfect for pickling and great for salads or veggie trays when allowed to grow larger.

I have my first batch of straight eights fermenting right now for pickles. I'll see how they turn out, but I was disappointed with the flavor of the small plain cucumbers. Maybe they need to be larger for good flavor.

User avatar
Scarecrow
Full Member
Posts: 37
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 9:13 am
Location: UpState, SC - Zone 7B

Straight 8's planted from transplants and a pickling cuke of which verity was unlabeled. I planted from seed and they look like "county fair"

For some reason my local feed and seed store failed to label the seed container with the variety.

gumbo2176
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3065
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:01 am
Location: New Orleans

Straight 8's on a trellis. Been getting more than I can eat for weeks now with no end in sight. Next time, I will plant a small, pickling variety along with a slicing variety since there is room on the trellis for 2 types.

User avatar
jal_ut
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7447
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:20 pm
Location: Northern Utah Zone 5

Marketmore 76. it is a straight eight type. Very productive and has disease resistance. None yet this year. They are slow coming.

Bitter cukes are caused by stress, usually not enough water.

filmnet
Senior Member
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 2:49 pm
Location: USA

I have been growing Armenian cuke's nice took all spring before they grew outside, do I save the seeds the same way as tomatoes?
[img]https://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss256/filmnet1/ArmanianCukes.jpg[/img]

User avatar
lj in ny
Full Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 4:00 pm
Location: Z 5b-6a WNY

I'm growing Armenian cukes too and lemon cucumbers. I've harvested a bunch of lemons, no Aremenian's yet.

User avatar
Earl K
Green Thumb
Posts: 351
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:44 pm
Location: Melbourne ,Fl.

I grew Sumter (pickling variety) the last two seasons,Last time bugs were eating them,this time the heat killed em.I did manage to get 3 cukes this time though,one was a beast of a pickling cuke.will def try something different in the fall.

Joyfirst
Green Thumb
Posts: 361
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:45 pm
Location: Southern California

I grew several kinds, that got eaten by aphids. Now I have Mexican Sour Gherkins just starting to fruit - they look like miniature watermelons, and I keep waiting for West Indian Burr Gherkins to fruit, but nothing so far. Thse I spray with garlic-soap-oil-water solution from aphids and it seems to be helping nicely.

LindsayArthurRTR
Green Thumb
Posts: 527
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 10:41 pm
Location: South Carolina, Upstate

I saw the Mexican Sours in southern exposure and they are on my list to try for next year :()

kgall
Senior Member
Posts: 220
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 4:37 pm
Location: New Hampshire

I am growing American slicing and Japanese Soyu.
The Americans are just starting to produce. I have harvested 2 lovely cukes but some of the vines are producing cukes that are big on one end and that don't grow and are curled at the blossom end. I am going to feed them today and see if that works for me.
I planted the Soyu late so I am still waiting for them.

Green Mantis
Greener Thumb
Posts: 931
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 6:52 pm
Location: Alberta, Canada zone 1a

tomf----When you say lemon cucumbers are you talking about the round ones? They are SO good! Just love them!---Do you start your's first in the house or greenhouse? Any special fertilizer or anything? I want to grow them here next year. But Alberta is so different from British Columbia it's un-real! I sure hope they will grow for me though. If I started them indoors, When would I start them? Thanks in advance.

lilturtle
Cool Member
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:16 am
Location: west coast

I been growing the lemon cukes for 3 years now and they are just wonderful, very tasty and very prolific last 2 years..this year they have not grown hardly at all, I think I just started them way to late.

Did I read right that you can eat the skin off lemon cukes? What about the little black prickly things all over it?

Applestar I love the trellis idea for cukes and will be doing this next year :wink:

garden5
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3062
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:40 pm
Location: ohio

I'm growing straight 8 and burpee hybrid.

I, too, have had a few cuckes with "tails" on them. I'm glad to hear the great reviews about the lemon cukes as I really want to give them a go next year.

tedln
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2179
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:06 pm
Location: North Texas

Great pics applestar.

I grew the Armenian, sweet success, and Burpee sweet burpless hybrid this year. Have grown the sweet slicer in past years. Have also grown straight eight some in the past, but I can't stand the bitter taste of mature straight eights. They are okay if picked about half developed. The Armenian has been the best tasting of the group. I love the tender, edible, skin. The fruit is very crisp in texture and goes well with anything in any salad. The texture of the Armenian is similar to the crispness of water chestnuts in salads.

The Armenian's are the only ones to live and produce through the heat this year. The sweet success and Burpee hybrids simply succumbed to the heat after producing a few fruit. They usually produce so much I can't find takers for the fresh cucumbers. I will probably grow the same next year but will also throw some sweet slicers back in the mix.

Your Yamamotos look like my Armenians are supposed to look except for the dark green skin.

Ted

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Thanks Tedln. These are fun to grow and fun to harvest. :wink:

According to Seed to Seed, Armenian cucumber is a Cucumis melo, and will cross with all other melons -- cantalopes, musk melons, honeydew, crenshaw, etc. West Indian gherkin is Cucumis anguria. Neither will cross with Cucumber, which is Cucumis sativus.

Japanese Yamato is a Cucumis sativus so it's a true cucumber.

AIP
Newly Registered
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 11:18 am
Location: Southeastern PA

went with pickle bush, here is my problem they are round, why are my cukes round?

how do I post a pic ?

garden5
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3062
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:40 pm
Location: ohio

I wish I could tell you all the pros and cons of the 2 varieties I planted....but they are so inter-tangled that the only way you can tell which type the cucumbers are is to trace the vine all the way to the ground :shock:. "Easier said then done" would be an understatement is that situation :lol:.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Here's a photo of our first Lemon Cucumber:
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/Image7812.jpg[/img]

I didn't get to eat it, but my DD said it was very good. :D Its leaves were yellowing so I gave it a dose of AACT today to encourage it to grow stronger and give us more fruit! :wink:

tedln
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2179
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:06 pm
Location: North Texas

Nice photo applestar. Did your DD eat the cucumber before it turned yellow? I've always thought the contrast of the yellow skin and light green flesh were striking when you cut a lemon cucumber.

Ted

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Thanks :D

I suppose the color combo WOULD look interesting. But this was the first one, I'd heard that by the time the skin turns yellow the seeds are more developed and not as good to eat, and I wanted DD to have a good first taste of it. She loves cukes. (She said so herself, "I don't like cucumbers, I LOOOVE cucumbers!" :lol:)

I'll check out the colors when we have some more fruits on the vines. :wink:

tedln
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2179
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:06 pm
Location: North Texas

What you heard is probably correct. It has been a lot of years since I ate some lemon cucumbers. The seeds probably were well developed. I don't remember. I never ate one still green so I don't have a taste comparison.

I also love cucumbers in a lot of different ways. I think my odd ball cucumber was probably the best I've eaten. I really have a hard time comparing it to other cucumbers because it had texture more like a melon, but with a mild cucumber flavor. Because it had a fully developed seed cavity, the flesh was seedless. I have another of possibly larger size I am allowing to ripen on the vine. I pulled one last night that is more like a normal cucumber in size. I will eat it tonight. My vines are doing well and I expect to have more until fall. I'm saving seed if you want some.

Ted

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Oooh that's a temping offer ... I think I would like some seeds.
Thanks! :D

tedln
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2179
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:06 pm
Location: North Texas

PM me where to send them. I already have some seed dried, but there is a chance that seed could have been cross pollinated with some normal cucumbers. I will wait to get seed from the cucumber that is ripening on the vine. Since all my normal cucumbers are now dead, it should guarantee the purity of the seed. I believe the Armenian is an OP variety. The seed cavity on the large one was very large and full of seed, so I should have enough to send to anyone who wants it when the next one matures.

Another unusual thing I noticed about the Armenian is the fact that it is very, very slow growing. I planted them at the same time I planted the normal cucumbers back in April. The normal cukes took off and grew fast. The Armenians produced weak, thin little vines in comparison. I think they were just waiting for the heat to arrive. When the heat did get here, it killed my other cukes, but the Armenian vines came to life and produced thick vines that climbed and bloomed rapidly. The Armenians also produce a lot of side vines from the main vines which covers the trellis pretty quickly. When my normal cukes died, I replanted some more normal cukes and some more Armenians. The normal vines couldn't take the heat after germinating and died quickly. The new Armenian vines are growing fine, but a little slow. I think next year, I will plant the Armenians on a different trellis than the normal cukes.

Ted

garden5
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3062
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:40 pm
Location: ohio

Some people just won't eat a cucumber when it gets large enough that it has seeds. I, personally, will eat them no matter how large or small, seeds or no seeds. As long as it's a cucumber, it's fair game for my appetite.

tedln
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2179
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:06 pm
Location: North Texas

I'm the same way about cucumbers. I have found that some varieties really become bitter when grown to maturity. I had some last year even my dog wouldn't eat and he loves cucumbers.

Ted

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

The Yamato variety seems to tend to bitterness, though drought is a factor to keep in mind. I only give the kids the bottom 1/2 of the cuke. The cats sometimes get the next 1/6 of the cuke. :lol:

A few days ago, I bit into a top 1/2 and it was so incredibly bitter I couldn't spit it out fast enough. But when I followed a typical Chinese cucumber prep of cutting them in chunks and liberally salting them in a strainer, they released about 1/4C of liquid. I added them to an unsalted pasta sauce I was cooking after giving them a quick rinse, and they tasted terrific.

tedln
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2179
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:06 pm
Location: North Texas

In Asian culture, they grow what I understand is called "Bitter Melon" and use it in their cuisine. I've often wondered if the Bitter Melon is in fact simply a bitter cucumber. I don't know how anyone could eat them. Bitter cucumbers are more than my taste buds can handle. Maybe they prep the fruit similar to applestars method which is often used for bitter eggplant also. If they do prep the melon by removing the bitterness, why would they grow them at all?

Ted

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Somebody more knowledgeable can correct me or elaborate, but I believe in Chinese Medicine, "bitter" food is considered an important element in balancing your diet and your body's Chi. (Hmm... that didn't sound right -- should Chi be considered "body's" or should Chi be considered independent but integral part of your body?)

tedln
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2179
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:06 pm
Location: North Texas

I think independent, but integral. Simply a life force that can be manipulated in many ways. Always strive to attain a balance.

Ted

Decado
Green Thumb
Posts: 480
Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 10:52 pm
Location: Crystal, MN (Zone 4)

I'm growing Marketmore, Burpless, Northern Pickling, and Diva, 4 plants of each. I'm overwhelmed by cucumbers right now as the heat finally hit us the past few weeks, mostly picking all varieties pickle sized. I'll be eating pickles all winter. One thing I found to be strange though was according to johnnyseeds.com Diva is seedless and this Diva of mine has seeds, but looks like a Diva cucumber should.



Return to “Vegetable Gardening Forum”