We could not make up our minds so we grew both.

[jackb]

We wanted pickling cucumbers, but also wanted a mild greenhouse variety for slicing, as Miss Ava just loves just plain cucumbers with sour cream in the summer. We decided to grow both in the greenhouse, side by side, as I was pretty sure that both being greenhouse varieties there would be no crossing, and, I don't have insects flying around the greenhouse either. We are growing little leaf for pickling and telegraph improved for slicing, and there have been absolutely no problems at all, other than the fact that the telegraph leaves are huge; about eighteen to twenty four inches across. (Pop, those are big leaves!) For those who have never seen one, I have included a photo of a telegraph improved greenhouse cucumber. It is about a foot long now and I am going to let it grow another six inches so Ava can pick it when she comes over the weekend. About eighteen inches would be a normal size for these anyway, and the look on her face should be priceless....

Jack B

 

[Carol Dee]

WOW That is one big cucumber.

 

[jackb]

It is that, and there are two just about ready. Wrap your mind around 36 inches of cucumber.

Jack B

 

[baymule]

You need to enter that in the GIANT PUMPKIN all Curcubits contest!! It would win the cucumber division!!

 

[digitS']

Were these the original "English" cucumber, Jack? I can remember first seeing cucumbers labeled English in our supermarkets decades ago. When I decided to grow something different in the garden like those supermarket English ones, I chose "Burpless 26."

A few years later, I tried Tasty Green. Then, I found out that they were one and the same and weren't English at all! They are from a Japanese seed company.

I initially thought that all English must be Japanese but, I was wrong and just being cynical .

Steve

 

[jackb]

Were these the original "English" cucumber, Jack? I can remember first seeing cucumbers labeled English in our supermarkets decades ago. When I decided to grow something different in the garden like those supermarket English ones, I chose "Burpless 26."

A few years later, I tried Tasty Green. Then, I found out that they were one and the same and weren't English at all! They are from a Japanese seed company.

I initially thought that all English must be Japanese but, I was wrong and just being cynical .

Steve

Steve,

Yes, they are English forcing cucumbers and have been around for over a hundred years. Sometimes they are available individually wrapped in markets and tend to be expensive. I really don't know if they are grown much in the US though. I had an extra plant and put it in the garden outdoors and it seems to be doing OK. They are BIG plants and if the tendrils get under the polycarbonate panels the plants can actually start lifting the panels. I ripped out some aggressive lateral branches yesterday as they were going through the vents.

Jack B

 

[digitS']

Some older varieties were excellent. The food industry moved on - in characteristically, the wrong direction.

A tomato lover now but as a kid, I didn't like tomatoes. My parents didn't grow tomatoes that I can remember so, it was just whatever was available in the stores.

I can still remember the opening of the 1st "supermarket" in town. The tomatoes looked bad. It wasn't long before the industry just made the big jump to cosmetics over everything else because the lighting had improved .

Steve

 

[Collector]

Holy cow, a 3' cucumber would make one big salad lol. Sounds like you need to be vigilant with the pruning or they will tear your greenhouse down sheesh!...

 

[thistlebloom]

Wow that's like Jacks Beanstalk only in cucumber form!

You'll need to invite the whole family over to eat it!

 

[jackb]

Wow that's like Jacks Beanstalk only in cucumber form!

You'll need to invite the whole family over to eat it!

I am thinking that soon Miss Ava will be running a cucumber stand on the front lawn.

Jack B