cucumer question

[Carol Dee]

DH can not remember what variety of Cucumber he planted. They are doing great. But.... They tend to have a lot of bigger, tough seeds than I think I like! I am getting them picked when they are about 2 (maybe 3 inches max) and about 8 inches long. Even those I picked smaller have an abundance of seed. They taste great. Do you think this summers HEAT and low water conditions caused this or was it the variety planted? Which cucmbers do you like best for eating fresh?

 

[vfem]

Maybe Straight-8 variety? I grew them last year and they had large hard seeds I wasn't happy with. Eventually they got very bitter skins too. This year we only grew pickling varieties and I let some get over sized and they turned out to be good slicers too! :coolsun

 

[lesa]

I would say it is the weather....Mine are the same, now. Early in the season, they were good- but when the heat hit, they started getting big, yellow and seedy.

 

[digitS']

I think that Turbo is about the best of the American slicers that I've grown over the last few years. It is a little late so I always have a little-earlier slicer to go with it.

Late, the Japanese English cukes are kind of wonderful. Tastygreen has been out there a long time and is a favorite. Tasty King has also done fine for me.

Last year, Muncher did just fine in my garden and I've got it again. It is an open-pollinated Beit Alpha-type little cucumber. When I've tried the more modern varieties like Diva, they haven't done well in my garden . . . actually, it was only Diva that I tried. Muncher is kind of a cute little wrinkled thing but with a very good flavor and, like, no seeds.

I'm afraid this may not be much of a cucumber year in my garden. There are lots of plants but the cool June & early July was not to their liking. I should have the 1st ones in just a few days but the later plantings and those long English cukes are going to need a later-that-usual summer cool-down to do much out there.

Steve

 

[NwMtGardener]

Ah, interesting to hear you say that, Steve. I've never grown cukes, dont remember what variety i have right now either. But...i was surprised at how LOOOOONG it seemed to take my plants to fruit. I'm on my 4th cuke today for lunch (been eating lettuce wraps with hummus, lunch meat, and a big spear of cucumber, delish!)

edited to add: I just realized that I said "I'm on my 4th cuke today" when I meant "I have gotten 4 cukes from my plants so far!" ...was really making myself look like a pig! Sometimes I do get carried away eating my fresh garden produce tho!!

I was excited to have any, since its my first time, but next year i'll have bigger expectations!

 

[thistlebloom]

I was watering my cukes this morning and wondering why they never vined enough to trellis, when I looked under one and saw a fruit!
I picked 10 cukes this morning, the Sumters had 8 and the Little Leafs had two. I had no idea they were doing anything!

 

[Greenthumb18]

Carol Lee,

You need to plant cucumbers that get long and narrow those types are usually the best. This year I believe I found a really great tasting variety its called, Spring Swallow. Its doing really well for me so far I've picked at least 7 or 8 cucumbers form it already and they still are producing even with all the heat and humidity. It also doesn't get that seedy, with a sweet crunchy taste. You really need to try these!

Hope this helps

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

Cucs were a bust for me this year in the spring/summer garden. I only picked 25 pounds and half of them ended up going to the chickens, they were sooooo bitter and dry!

For the number of plants I put in, I could/should have had well over 150lbs had the weather and bugs not been so terrible. Jeepers, things were tough here this year!! Thankfully, I was able to get a fair (not great) number of zucs, and made a good bit of relish out of those this year. We have lots of pickles left from last year, so it wasn't a total disaster!

Oh, and we also like to use pickling varieties as fresh salad cucs. Also, young zucs, too!