Cucumbers...what's your favorite variety?

Alba, TX(Zone 8a)

Ewwww, you guys. Last year was a year horrible for the copperheads here in my garden. Brrrrr, I don't mind snakes if I know where they are and they stay away from where I am. So that doen't really work out well for me, and all this talk of finding snakes in the cucumbers is giving me the willies LOL.

That being said, last year we tried Boothby's Blonde and DH thought is was good and he liked the name. Does have spines, though. I'll always try something new to me if it has alliteration in the name! I'm just starting out learning to pickle, but I found Alibi easy to grow and also Homemade Pickles. This year I'm going to try Suyo Long--but maybe not now that you've mentioned the snakes....

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

Another thing feral hogs adore- the snakes. Dont think you will have any prob with snakes Terri- the hogs will have gotten your problems taken care of. Enjoy your cukes growin- and by the way, snakes climb into trees to cool off, copperheads dont climb as often as moccadins or chicken snakes.

Alba, TX(Zone 8a)

The hogs don't come into my garden since DH installed the electric fence. Knock wood...☺

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

I simply mean that you can play in your garden without fear of being in a nest of snakes- as Many hogs as you have your snake population shouldn't be bad- tho snakes WON'T know inside the electric fence is a safe haven. Let me know how those cukes taste please? I am growin lemon cukes this year.

Alba, TX(Zone 8a)

LOL! I kinda did know what you meant, but the snakes made their way into my garden last year anyway. My goofiest dog, the border collie/German shepherd mix even got bit--not once, but twice. She's fine, she's got an iron constitution, bless her. And the pigs did try to break through my fence last year....Always a adventure gardening in my neck of the woods. Hope those hogs are feasting right now.

I'll try to remember to post photos of the cukes I grow. My New Year's resolutions were to stop using exclamation points so much and to get that camera out and take more photos to share. I'm just learning to pickle so the cukes will get some special attention this year. My grandmother used to grow a cuke called Blue Ribbon. Can't find that one anywhere now.

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

I haven't heard that one in a really long time. Will let ya know if i find anything on it tho. Borders hate snakes and are usy REALLY good at hunting and killing them.

SE Houston (Hobby), TX(Zone 9a)

►Never grew cukes before.

►Just ordered Fanfare and Alibi from Totally Tomatoes.

►Will need ya'lls help....

►Hugs!

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

Lynda, give em room to sprawl out from your boxes, or give em trellis to go up. They can shade everything. are sun lovers that don't like bein touched. Thsts why mine are planted at edge of box and run across a lattice that keeps em out of grass and lets em dangle. Yum pina colada cheesecake, just what my sweet tooth wanted! Where was I? The burpless ones can get watery, if overwatered. Other than that they are a grateful and easy plant packed full of goodness.

Madison, AL(Zone 7b)

Also, your drip irrigation system will come in handy. They don't like water on their leaves (promotes fungus). Also, watch out for squash bugs.

Deep East Texas, TX(Zone 8a)

Not only not liking water on the leaves but cucumbers need a consistant watering. Drip irrigation will be perfect. If they are allowed to become too dry, they quickly become bitter. You will do fine. Cucumbers grow themselves.

Talihina, OK

For my weekly Garden class this week the topic is to be Using your digital camera as a garden tool I just hope no one tries digging with one ..But with my class you never can tell...

Deep East Texas, TX(Zone 8a)

Quote from grits74571 :
For my weekly Garden class this week the topic is to be Using your digital camera as a garden tool I just hope no one tries digging with one ..But with my class you never can tell...



Excellent topic! I always take photos of a new found plant and then after it has been established to see how well it has grown. The comparisons are remarkable. How else do you use the camera besides digging with it? lol

Talihina, OK

After reading this thread I thought about putting some cukes in the latest hugelkulture bed but my DW soon trashed that idea by reminding me that ,my dog has access to that bed and she is a cucumber thief..So now I need to come up with something else and will do a bed like my Mother used a long time ago..and this is a method I have used before ..When I get started I will post pictures

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

Good! I am curious to see what that will be...

Deep East Texas, TX(Zone 8a)

Same here Kittriana ~ always fun to see/learn different things. I also find the old ways were the best ways most of the time.

DeLand, FL(Zone 9b)

Yes!

Deep East Texas, TX(Zone 8a)

Hey David...

Lifes lessons make me wish I had listened and learned more. Two ways of learning things. One is from others' experience (the easy way) and one is by making my own mistakes (the HARD way). lol

Talihina, OK

Christi if we did learn from our mistakes I would be the smatest ****** on the planet.I told my class the best use For my camera is to post pictures on Daves and get IDs of unknown plants within an hour

Deep East Texas, TX(Zone 8a)

Absolutely on the ID forum and the Daves suggestion too. Good going Grits!

The camera can chronicle the plantings in your garden also and document what you had purchased. I take a photo of the tag first, followed up by the photo of the plant. That way I will always have the ID on file.... if I can find it. lol

Talihina, OK

Just needed to bring up this old thread and say that the new cucumber bed did not happen due to some sewer problems i was forced to leave room for the workers truck ..On the other subject I have both the Diva and the Fanfare planted the fanfare is a very fast growing plant and is starting to put on fruit as is the Diva will keep posted on the eating results soon

Talihina, OK

I did get something new put into use I have piped the drain (condensate) water from the A/C unit to a small row of cukes they are loving the constant supply of water...

Deep East Texas, TX(Zone 8a)

And that is a good thing. They will not be bitter with a consistent supply of moisture.

Monte Vista, CO(Zone 4a)

When I lived in Texas, as a kid, I always had to watch for rattlers in the watermelon vines. One thing we learned early, when one came slithering across your path, you just stand still and let it pass.

Liberty Hill, TX(Zone 8a)

Ohhh...don't use the word "slither" I hate that word. Lol

I plant Rosella where the A/C condensation comes out. I saw that water and I couldn't pass it up.

Talihina, OK

Picked the first Diva today and DW gave it high marks it sure looked good as she scarfed it down (sigh) maybe tomorrow I will get one for myself just eat it out there in the garden ,where she seldom treads LOL

Lewisville, MN(Zone 4a)

Ours are really taking off now. Vines are near 7 ft tall. On strings in a high tunnel.
Fanfare, Eos & one other.

North Shore of L. I., NY(Zone 6b)

I picked Burpless cukes today which I grow every year. Really love this variety which makes big fruit that is always tender and tasty. I also picked Straight Eight, an old stanby in the garden that I often grow. Next to the Straight Eight in the picture is one from my Suyo Longs. Impressed with these so far.

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North Shore of L. I., NY(Zone 6b)

Also picked Camilla Cukes. First year growing Camilla for me but really like them so will be growing from now on. These are one of those all female varieties that sets tons of fruits.

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Cleveland,GA/Atlanta, GA(Zone 7b)

Enjoying reading everyone's favorites. I've grown several cukes mentioned and currently grow Suyo and Boston Pickling (known as Green Prolific at one time). Spacemaster was a favorite in the square foot yarden back in the 70's. It's prolific but I seem to recall it has a short season. We have more space now to grow cukes vertically due to snails and slugs.

Burpee Burpless is good but the Asian cukes are burpless and not watery, Jo.

I don't favor smooth skin, market-type cukes anymore (Marketmore and Straight Eight). Though the traditional farm garden cuke around here is Straight Eight, it has a reputation for being prone to every disease a cucumber can get. No worries, they use lots of chemicals. I do a lot of canning and like Boston Pickling for relishes and pickles. It's a little scary looking with its black spines but they come right off. My garden leans toward old American varieties and saved seed.

Copperheads are a problem here in the country and much worse in the city. They love the gutter downspout drains because chipmunks and flying squirrels go in them. Not a problem in the country so much. Maybe hawks pick them off? One of our two dogs is a hunting hound (Plotthound) and she can scent and hear a copperhead moving underground. She stands over a mouse or vole run and listens for them moving, then pounces on the run and digs like crazy. Once she gets them out she starts whipping them around. She has been bitten sixteen times over the last six or seven years. She occasionally delivers them to the back door not quite dead. Both sides of her dewlaps have V-shaped scars running from cheek to mouth where the fangs have gone in. No fur grows there. Gives her a vicious looking Joker scowl. We think she might be a million dollar anti-venom machine at this point. She only kills copperheads (in the snake department). We have an emergency snake kit for her that we travel with. It consists of Benadryl right away, Rimadyl for two days and amoxicillan for ten days.

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

There will come a time when the poison starts affecting her, but she knows her calling, keep up with the benadryl and Rimadyl, she knows you are pleased when she catches the snakes...I did not get cukes in this year, have an issue to resolve on trellises with my daughters views of front yard esthetics. The cucumbers look really good. From this early spring...

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Hummelstown, PA(Zone 6b)

Burpless and straight 8's are my favs

Madison, AL(Zone 7b)

I grew Boston Pickling, H-19 Little Leaf and Muncher this year. For taste, Muncher still wins by a mile. Burpless and no spines, too. However, the pickle worms seem to prefer Muncher, too, and for productivity it doesn't come close to matching Boston Pickling. BP gives me an awful tummyache, though -- they look like they'd be great for pickling but not so much for fresh eating.

The H-19 Little Leaf had an early flush of high productivity but now only has minor yields. The leaves are also burning up as the temperatures ramp up. This makes me suspect that H-19 might be a good cuke for short season climates.

North Shore of L. I., NY(Zone 6b)

Burpless cucumbers. Second Picture Straight Eight (smaller one) and Camilla.

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Pueblo, CO(Zone 5b)

I read an article just recently where plants release a chemical signal to attract good bugs &/or repel bad bugs. Since it isn't something that breeders were looking for, some varieties have had it almost bred out of them. Now they are going to try to reselect and breed it back in. The article talked about aphids and ladybugs in particular. But I had noticed that with Beans and Bean beetles, too - they really prefer some varieties to others.

North Shore of L. I., NY(Zone 6b)

I decided to start a second crop of cucumbers. Sowed seeds of Suyo Long and Orient Expess both of which are Asian types.

North Shore of L. I., NY(Zone 6b)

Burpless cucumbers picked yesterday.

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Westbrook, CT(Zone 6a)

Picked my first Suyo Long this week. It is long--about 17 inches--and a little crunchier than my other cukes.

This message was edited Jul 21, 2013 6:00 AM

North Shore of L. I., NY(Zone 6b)

I like the taste of those Suyo Longs.

North Shore of L. I., NY(Zone 6b)

Straight Eight first picture, Camilla second pictire.

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North Shore of L. I., NY(Zone 6b)

I just bought some seeds of a pickling type called Double Yield. Supposed to be a very. very, great producer.

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