Cucumbers, What are you growing

[bugsy]

feldon, I'm not sure if you're joking or not so I'll answer your question just in case, also in case others were curious. The cucumbers you buy at the store will never have viable seed. Why? What you get at the store are immature fruit. You wouldn't want them to have viable seed because cucumbers are really gross when ripe, as in big, bloated and full of nasty seeds in the middle. Cukes are in the same family as melons and pumpkins so that is basically what they look like when they're ripe.

In fact, most people like the really immature ones because they are generally seedless (without even little immature bendy white seeds) and you just get pure, seedless, crunchy goodness.

So...yes I would need access to a ripe cucumber. What can I do. I have no idea at this point. I have tried to look around at overseas purveyors and haven't really seen anything. I have googled and googled. Perhaps someone else with better skillz will be able to find a source. I would be so happy because then my family will get off my back.

--I forgot that Diva was also pretty close to the persian cuke ideal but not an exact match. If all else fails maybe I'll buy some more Diva seeds.

[mdvpc]

Bugsy-I grew Diva last year and it was great. I am not sure what you are talking about re Persian cukes. How are they different? I have little experience with growing cukes-we grew Diva and Poona Kheera last year and liked them both.

[bugsy]

Oh I like Diva, like it a lot. But it doesn't matter what I think. My family thinks it's okay but they don't clamor for it. The persian cucumbers are smaller, crispier (when you can get it fresh at the market and I live in an area where that's doable) and great for all kinds of things like pickes, kimchi, etc. They're also a very nice even baton shape that makes it easy to cut even slices. They do like the Japanese and Korean cucumbers almost as much as the persian ones so I am okay for now. *sigh*

[mathfed]

I grew Diva the last two summers and really liked it both times. The wife and kids liked it, too. Last summer, I made pickle slices with them. They were pretty good, but not as crisp as I like. This summer, I'm growing Burpee pickler, County Fair, and Lemon. I plan to eat fresh and pickle all three kinds. It should be a fun experiment. I made three 4 foot by 5 foot trellises out of remesh, one trellis for each variety of cuke. If one variety start to die, I'll start a new plant of that variety on the other side of the trellis. I plan to just have one plant per trellis producing at a time.

I love cucumbers. The foliage is really pretty when the vines are long, full of blooms, and hanging vertically on a trellis or cage. The fruit is pretty good, too.

[shelleybean]

I've grown Diva twice and I grew a similar variety from Seeds of Change called Mideast Prolific and it was very good. Another one of those burpless type with the same thin skin, shape and size is supposed to be Muncher and it's one of the three I'm trying this summer. We'll see how it compares.

[duajones]

This is my second time growing diva, tried it last fall but it went in pretty late. They seem to take quite awhile to start blooming as compared to the other varieties I have grown.

[shelleybean]

Yes, they do start blooming late. Parthenocarpic varieties like Diva set fruit without pollination but fruit set is triggered by day length. I found that their total season was much shorter than the plain old varieties with both male and female flowers. I have a decent number of bumble bees so I went back to those.

[duajones]

First PK getting close, cant wait to eat this one.

[feldon30]

Lucky dog. I'm at least a month behind you.

[mresseguie]

I'm impressed by all the cuke talk. [I love cukes!] I saw my first Persian cukes two days ago in a Seattle market called Ranch 99. I searched the pile for a decent cuke, but left it empty handed. They were a week past what I think of as edible. That was difficult as I really want to try one.

Someday.....

I have a question for you all.

Have you ever grown a Hmong cuke with red skin? The flesh is a pale pink to white color. It's supposed to have a mild flavor.

I look forward to any feedback.

Michael

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[blatanna]

Am growing Marketmore this year. Its an outdoor cuc but i have grown it under glass as well and it does just fine. About 10 inches long with a cool fresh taste.

[nctomatoman]

Diva for me - don't need all that many, and I like the flavor very much.

[Ruth_10]

We grow the variety 'Homemade Pickles' every year for both fresh eating and pickles. Last summer I grew Mexican Sour Gherkin as well. It is a teeny tiny fruit--for me, falls in the novelty category. Will have to try 'Diva'--sounds like a good one.

[obispo45]

Think I'm growing 4 varieties most likely. HUGE HUGE fan of Poona Kheera, it'll be my third year growing it. Far and away my tastiest and most productive cuke each year I've grown it. Also growing White Wonder and Armenian...realize its in the melon family but it looks like(sort of) and tastes like a cucumber. Need to get a pickling variety too, to keep my better half happy. Thats her deal, don't get me wrong I love pickles homemade or otherwise but I prefer the slicers for growing and munching.

[duajones]

Had my first PK last night with a store bought tomato, vinegar and oil with a touch of tabasco, salt and pepper. Very Good! The plant is loading up with fruit.