Cucumber Recommendations - Page 2

Adenn1 · March 10, 2006

I will be placing an order today with Baker Creek for Poona Kheera! Very unique and anxious to see its disease resistence. I am going to drop Boothby's and Tendergreen for this year and try two other new varities...maybe an Asian variety and then one local slicer.

Decisions!

cdntomato · March 10, 2006

Poona Kheera? Glenn doesn't give it much of a sales pitch, unfortunately, so I was going to give it a pass for one he does (a rarity for him!) and one I've liked in the past, Uzbekski.

Any comments on Uzbekski vs Poona Kheena? Or on Mirella, one he particularly 'raves' about?

TIA,
Jennifer

cdntomato · March 10, 2006

Sorellina · March 10, 2006

What's Boothby's Blonde like? We got that one as a freebie and our 6 year old wants to grow it on his teepee this year. It looks like it will withstand growing up a structure like that. I assume you just tie it as it grows until it's strong enough to wind around on its own with its tendrils?

Earl · March 11, 2006

Mischka, I went to Johnny's to get some of the Poona Kheeras by there was a 'crop failure.' Will check again next year.

**carolyn137** · March 11, 2006

Earl, Sandhill also sells Poona Kheera and if I looked hard enough I might be able to find some 2-3 year old seeds here which should still be good. Your choice.

Jennifer, I haven't grown the other varieties you mentioned.

Julianna, I haven't grown the Boothby's Blonde either.

Since moving to my new place in 1999 I've cut way back on most all vine crops and just two hills of my fave Asian or Armenian cukes are plenty for me each summer since my cat kids don't like cukes.

Earl · March 11, 2006

Carolyn, sure a few seeds would be great. No hurry as I won't need them until a month or so. Thanks.

Adenn1 · March 13, 2006

Sorellina:

Boothby's Blonde was a very good cuke in my opinion...very good flavor and one that I did not have to skin. I grew mine on a trellis...and yes I had to tie the fist few tendrils down till they caught on. I picked the fruit when they were small...around 4"--I found that the larger ones developed a pretty large seed cavity. Some of the fruit were a very pale yellow...some came out a dark yellow.

Adenn1 · June 6, 2006

Thought I would bring this thread up again to give a report on my cukes. I ended up with four varities: Poona Keera, Marketmore 76, Boothby's Blond and Burpee's Hybrid.

Boothby's is in first place...did not seem to dislike a cooler spell we had after planting...growing up the trellis now--about 2.5' tall--and just starting to show fruit. Marketmore 76 in second...not too far behind...with fruit. Burpee and Poona Keera both starting now...just about 12" tall and will be attaching to trellis soon.

I am looking forward to not buying small expensive cukes at the store...that have little flavor

Worth1 · June 6, 2006

Adenn
Good going!

Mine are doing great too, it’s a shame that cucumbers have gone the way of the store bought tomato.
I was in a hurry and hoed up a mound around an old mesquite tree in the front yard and let them go.

You made some good choices and I don’t think you will be sorry.

Worth

michael johnson · June 7, 2006

For some reason or the other- I cannot grow cucumbers for the life of me!!.

Some year I get them to grow ok but most of the time zilch.

I start off with good germination, leading to lovely big healthy looking plants, dozens of varieties I have tried- but as soon as I plant them in the soil or compost they collapse and die within a few days, and I just cant get to the bottom of the reason, or they grow for a while until about three feet high and then collapse and die.

And yet- tomatoes I can grow to perfection, ??? so why not cucumbers, I have even tried them on high nitrogen feed which is supposed to make them go,but-zilch, what am I doing wrong

.

Worth1 · June 7, 2006

Vine borers?

Look close to the start of the vine, you should see where the grubs crawled in and start eating away on the inside of the vine, they leave a little sawdust pile where they go in
.
A wasp like critter lays its eggs around the base of the plant and there you go.
The vine will collapse over night I hate the things!!!!

Worth

michael johnson · June 8, 2006

Thanks Worth1, you might well have solved a problem I have being trying to fix for several years

, do you spray them with anything in particular -if so at what stage of growth ??.

Worth1 · June 8, 2006

I really don’t know what to tell you, I do know that Bill P posted a picture of him stabbing one of the wasp like critters on the vegetable forum at another site last year.

By the time I knew I had them it was too late, as is the case most of the time.

Look vine borers on the web or in a book they should tell you what to do to prevent them.
That is IF it’s what you have in the UK.
Sorry, not at home now to look in my organic pest control book, and wont be for 2 weeks.

Best of luck Worth

angelique · June 8, 2006

Okay, now I am really confused. I live in NorCal and didn't plant my cukes until about a week ago. I noticed that some of you live in much colder parts of the country and already have established plants. Did I plant mine too late?

The varieties that I am trying are Armenian, Lemon, Greek, White Miniture and Jelly Melon. Next year, I definitely want to try Poona Keera. I wonder if I still have time to start them for this year.

By the way, can anyone suggest a good "pan" type squash? I absolutely love these; they are my fav. I don't know how I could have forgot to plant them. So far, I have very well established Ronde de Nice, Costata Romanesco, and Cocozelle. I have already eaten a few of the cocozelle. All three varieties are loaded with fruit (veggy?).

March 10, 2006	#19
Sorellina Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 300	What's Boothby's Blonde like? We got that one as a freebie and our 6 year old wants to grow it on his teepee this year. It looks like it will withstand growing up a structure like that. I assume you just tie it as it grows until it's strong enough to wind around on its own with its tendrils? __________________ Grazie a tutti, Julianna

March 11, 2006	#21
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Earl, Sandhill also sells Poona Kheera and if I looked hard enough I might be able to find some 2-3 year old seeds here which should still be good. Your choice. Jennifer, I haven't grown the other varieties you mentioned. Julianna, I haven't grown the Boothby's Blonde either. Since moving to my new place in 1999 I've cut way back on most all vine crops and just two hills of my fave Asian or Armenian cukes are plenty for me each summer since my cat kids don't like cukes. __________________ Carolyn

March 10, 2006	#16
Adenn1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philly Posts: 559	I will be placing an order today with Baker Creek for Poona Kheera! Very unique and anxious to see its disease resistence. I am going to drop Boothby's and Tendergreen for this year and try two other new varities...maybe an Asian variety and then one local slicer. Decisions!

March 10, 2006	#17
cdntomato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Kingston, Ontario Posts: 554	Poona Kheera? Glenn doesn't give it much of a sales pitch, unfortunately, so I was going to give it a pass for one he does (a rarity for him!) and one I've liked in the past, Uzbekski. Any comments on Uzbekski vs Poona Kheena? Or on Mirella, one he particularly 'raves' about? TIA, Jennifer

March 11, 2006	#20
Earl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,278	Mischka, I went to Johnny's to get some of the Poona Kheeras by there was a 'crop failure.' Will check again next year.

March 13, 2006	#23
Adenn1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philly Posts: 559	Sorellina: Boothby's Blonde was a very good cuke in my opinion...very good flavor and one that I did not have to skin. I grew mine on a trellis...and yes I had to tie the fist few tendrils down till they caught on. I picked the fruit when they were small...around 4"--I found that the larger ones developed a pretty large seed cavity. Some of the fruit were a very pale yellow...some came out a dark yellow.

June 6, 2006	#24
Adenn1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philly Posts: 559	Thought I would bring this thread up again to give a report on my cukes. I ended up with four varities: Poona Keera, Marketmore 76, Boothby's Blond and Burpee's Hybrid. Boothby's is in first place...did not seem to dislike a cooler spell we had after planting...growing up the trellis now--about 2.5' tall--and just starting to show fruit. Marketmore 76 in second...not too far behind...with fruit. Burpee and Poona Keera both starting now...just about 12" tall and will be attaching to trellis soon. I am looking forward to not buying small expensive cukes at the store...that have little flavor

June 6, 2006	#25
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Adenn Good going! Mine are doing great too, it’s a shame that cucumbers have gone the way of the store bought tomato. I was in a hurry and hoed up a mound around an old mesquite tree in the front yard and let them go. You made some good choices and I don’t think you will be sorry. Worth

June 7, 2006	#26
michael johnson Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: UK. Posts: 960	For some reason or the other- I cannot grow cucumbers for the life of me!!. Some year I get them to grow ok but most of the time zilch. I start off with good germination, leading to lovely big healthy looking plants, dozens of varieties I have tried- but as soon as I plant them in the soil or compost they collapse and die within a few days, and I just cant get to the bottom of the reason, or they grow for a while until about three feet high and then collapse and die. And yet- tomatoes I can grow to perfection, ??? so why not cucumbers, I have even tried them on high nitrogen feed which is supposed to make them go,but-zilch, what am I doing wrong .

June 8, 2006	#28
michael johnson Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: UK. Posts: 960	Thanks Worth1, you might well have solved a problem I have being trying to fix for several years , do you spray them with anything in particular -if so at what stage of growth ??.

June 8, 2006	#30
angelique Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Rocklin, California Posts: 501	Okay, now I am really confused. I live in NorCal and didn't plant my cukes until about a week ago. I noticed that some of you live in much colder parts of the country and already have established plants. Did I plant mine too late? The varieties that I am trying are Armenian, Lemon, Greek, White Miniture and Jelly Melon. Next year, I definitely want to try Poona Keera. I wonder if I still have time to start them for this year. By the way, can anyone suggest a good "pan" type squash? I absolutely love these; they are my fav. I don't know how I could have forgot to plant them. So far, I have very well established Ronde de Nice, Costata Romanesco, and Cocozelle. I have already eaten a few of the cocozelle. All three varieties are loaded with fruit (veggy?).