Your best (favorite) cucumber

Yeah, sue, that's where I got the idea. Looks like it's the best and most cost effective way for us to go. And Welcome to DG, CompostR. Dave don't care if you link other sites as long as it's not selling your stuff. We have classified ads for that. The more information the better, it's great! :)

doccat
great minds think alike :)

Thanks all !

I use cattle panel for tomato cages and they would probably make good cages for cucs as well. We have a ton of cattle panel from old fencing so it's free. I cut enough panel to make a cage about 1-1/2 feet in diameter and tie together with some wire. Without stakes, they'll blow over - best to use two steel fence posts (these are cheap) and wire the cage to the posts. These will stand up to the strong winds we have here. We have found using only one post isn't enough.

I don't see why you couldn't cover the whole cage with bubble wrap (tape together with good packaging tape) and have a little mini greenhouse for when the temps go below the plant's comfort zone (?)

I got more cucs
Yamato extra long
Boston pickling
i already have
Lemon
I was thinking of the apple one too
Bakers has a great selection on the asian cucs. very hard to choose
sue

Here is a tip for those of you who make pickles. I let my dill self sow. It is usually all over the garden, and if you don't want it in a certain spot, it is easy to yank out. I usually don't do much yanking, because I love the dill popping up everywhere.

The dill attracts aphids. I have seen dill literally covered with them, which was fine, because it kept them off of other plants.

Here is the tip: You can freeze your excess dill. Last summer alot of my dill grew before my cucumbers and I wanted to use my own dill for pickles, so I froze my dill in sandwhich baggies and when it was time to make pickles, I just took out a few baggies at a time. We have been eating alot of homemade pickles lately and the dill looks so fresh. DM

Shoe: my internet has been down and I only saw your post just now. I wondered why they were called lemon, and being ignorant just assumed it was the flavor. I'll be extra anxious to see those lemon cukes grow now. The seeds were a gift from another DGer.

Welcome aboard CompostR. It is all about sharing here.

Lily

DigMontana, thank you, I'd forgotten about using dill as a trap crop for aphids. :)

I love dill
oohhh the smell of it , i love it
Had tons of it at my old house.
I did the same as BigMontana i just let it grow
I believe it is called lemon due to the look of it. It looks like a lemon. There is a tomato called Lemon and i saw a pic and it really does loook like a lemon
The lemon cuc is mild and sweet, very nice cuc. I highly recomend it. IMHO :)
i m getting more into the asian variety. MY DH is in China , i guess that is why . They have alot of the asian varietys at BakersCreek
still deciding on which one s ? i got one so far
sue

Thanks Lily. And Dig - I have been wondering how to keep dill weed fresh - thanks for the idea. I have a ton of dried dill seed, but seed doesn't have that heavenly licorishy fragrance and taste.

Hey Guys; With Lemon cucumbers when they look like lemons they are past their prime.You'll want to pick them while they are still green/white and a little bigger than a golf ball. And if your dill seed has a licorice smell, they are fennel seeds.

i love fennel too
:)

Zebraman, actually I pick lemon cukes when they are "light yellow" (vs dark or bright yellow). At that point they are as big as they are gonna get and have the best flavor. However, even when they are dark yellow/bright yellow they are still good to eat they just have a tougher rind and the flavor becomes a bit more tart(?).

I hope to grow baskets of them this year! Can't get too many of them, eh?

Shoe

Amen to that Shoe. :)
sue

Last year my best performer was General Lee. This year I'm trying several of the oriental hybrids from Evergreen. I don't know how well they'll do in my climate, but I've got to give them a try. Any of you southern gardeners have any input about 'em? Paul

DigMontana...Long story short...I planted four hills with the 15 Socrates F1 seeds and thinned to two plants per hill...used composted horse manure to cultivate and mulch. Included a couple of feedings of Mirical Grow initially to all garden plants.

Watered with a soaker hose which also fed squash plants. Initially I planted radishes btw cuke and squash hills, and later placed folded over newspaper under soaker hose btw the hills. My soil is reclaimed rock dust with fall disked horse manure. Very porous soil which turns rock hard when dry without the horse manure additive. Sixth year of working the soil and third year of gardening at most in some sections. There is very little rain in the center of the valley where I live...mountains claim it...so my response is to water liberally three or four times a day with well water. Squash virtually double in size in a day when hot, and cukes are not far behind.

The flavor is outstanding...probably the horse manure...but beats recycled toilet paper. I never cease to be amaized at how little flavor there is in grocery store purchased vegetables and fruits after producing my own...and three plus dollars a pound for tomatoes now! My four kids are in their thirties with families of their own, but we spent easily $400 a month on groceries when they were younger. At todays prices that wouldn't begin to feed six people. Off my soap box...hope there is something here that helps!

m

mraider you make a very good point. I also agree. :)
I m going to have to try some of the F1 varietys . Pretty humid here in OH in summer.
Cacutus im very interested in which ones you choose fory our asian varietys. I too am going to try a few varietys.
sue

Folks, there are 642 cultivars of cucumber in the plantfiles but only 52 have pictures. Let's see if we can't get the cameras out and take pictures of some of the fine varieties you are growing.

FarmerD, that is an excellent suggestion. I've noticed the veggie information is sometimes pretty slim pickins on here. I love the flowers but I love my veggies!

I will try and do the asian ones that i grow . Knock on wood :) i get some good ones and figure out my new digital camera
sue

Taynors, I have Southern Delight and Soarer, two hybrids from Evergreen. Paul

i will have to look into that Evergreen. Always looking for some good seeds
anything southern i like too. expecially the food !!
thanks Paul
sue

I have grown Orient Express burpless cukes for many years. I use hog wire trellis and leave in place year around. But for each hill of cukes I add my compost, alfalfa pellets, organic fert. I only plant 3 hills of cukes and have enough to take to senior center and give my sister quite a few and she makes very good Bread & Butter pickles. Orient Express is the only variety that I plant now, have tried others over the year, used to plant Straight 8. OE doesn't have to be peeled and is very mild. Love my cucumber sandwiches. I will try to find a good photo to include.

Donna

sounds great rutho. I will enjoy seeing the pics .
Paul i looked at Evergreen and wow . I can't make up my mind . :)

Hope I'm not breaking any rules here. There is a lot of information in the posts in this thread and it is all interesting and helpful. If any of you are looking for a synopsis of what you said I'm going to copy my abrievated version, created for my own use, of your responses in this post. I hope this is ok and will prove useful to some of you. I've copied farmerdill's request for pictures, that appears late in the tread, to the beginning, because I thought it would serve all of us well.

Cucumbers

farmerdill : Folks, there are 642 cultivars of cucumber in the PlantFiles but only
52 have pictures. Let's see if we can't get the cameras out and take
pictures of some of the fine varieties you are growing



Farmerdill: Straight Nine

Zebraman: For pickles - Lemon and Picollo di Parigi

Lettuceman: Cool Breeeze - Not bitter regardless the time of harvest

Paracelsis" Pioneer for pickling but good fresh

DigMontana: Muncher - ordered off the internet - only one not bitter

Horseshoe: Lemon Apple cuke (sometimes referred to as simply Lemon cuke
Lillte Leaf - a parthenocarpic strain - can be grown under
Reemay row covers and does not need insects to polinate

doccat5: Straight eight

Big_Red: National Pickling - Grow first of crop a bit longre for slicing then when
crop comes in good, for pickling - No better ones here (Kentucky)
Plant 3 to the hill of 12" of composted manure, then 2" of garden soil.
Keep watered in dry times.

JeannineAnne: Carmen for slicing, Cool Breeze for pickles. Also Lemon round ones.

mraider3: Johnny's 2008 Catalog, pg 27, Cucumber, Slicing, Cat #2989,
Socrates (F1), pkt $9.35, 15 seeds 52 days, Excellent producer, 7-8"
long, thin skin, tolerates cool weather.

doccat5 Interplant cukes with radishes. Beetles go for radishes first. Also grow
cukes on trellises.
Also trellis watermelons to defeat bugs. Use pantyhose to make a
sling. You can use the shade from trellised vines to grow cool lovers
like lettuce and spinach. Plant dill in sunken pot (dill takes over)
nearby if you are going to pickle to have dill handy.

CompostR: Homemade Pickles for pickling or eating. Produce one crop all at
once.
Cornell maintains a site where veggies can be rated
vegvariety.cce.cornell.edu

taynors: Yamato extra long, Boston pickling, Lemon, Bakers has a great
selection on the asian cucs

DigMontana: You can freeze your excess dill in baggies. Dill can also be used as a
trap crop for aphids.

taynors: Lots of asian varities at Bakers Creek

Zebraman: Lemon cukes are past their prime when they look like a lemon. Pick
them while they are still green/white and a little bigger than a golf ball.
If your dill seeds have a licorice smell, they are fennel seeds.

cactusman8: General Lee best performer last year. Trying several oriental hybrids
this year from Evergreen.

mraider3 : DigMontana...Long story short...I planted four hills with the 15
Socrates F1 seeds and thinned to two plants per hill...used
composted horse manure to cultivate and mulch. Included a couple of
feedings of Miricle Grow initially to all garden plants.

farmerdill : Folks, there are 642 cultivars of cucumber in the PlantFiles but only
52 have pictures. Let's see if we can't get the cameras out and take
pictures of some of the fine varieties you are growing

rutholive: OrientExpress - burpless - Uses hog wire trellis. For each hill adds
compost, alfafa pellets, organic fert.. Only 3 plants per hill. Only one
she grows now. Doesn't need to be peeled.

I like what you did here. Condensing this post will save those interested a lot of time. But I also understand that not everyone will take the time to do what you did. Nice job! Paul

I found this thread a bit late, but my absolute favorite (for now) is Summer Delight. (a hybrid) Crisp, and with a most wonderful flavor. Prolific too. Grows long, slender cucumbers. Oh, I can't wait for summer...

Hey thanks Lilly
great idea IMHO :)
i m sure others will be glad to see it and find it very time saving for references
sue

mraider,
Thank-you for your response. I was in Helena a couple days ago and could not believe that you had hardly any snow. We have loads of snow. Helena is so pretty with all the rolling hills and mountains in the background.

I will have to try watering more and possibly try the cucumber you recommended. DM

Lily, that's a great synopsis of the thread! Thanks :)

doccat5 et all.
I hope compiling the main data in the thread has helped someone else sort things out easier. It is what I do for myself.

All the blurbs in catalogs make every product sound easy to grow and delicious. They aren't going to tell us if their product is prone to disease, bitter, overpriced etc. You who have grown the product before are the true judges. Thanks for sharing.
Lily

To true about the blurbs in the catalog. But you have to keep in mind that unless you are saving your own seed it's always a crap shoot. You may not get the same results I do. A lot of it depends on so many factors, soil and soil preparation, weather and light conditions etc. Cukes seem to be especially sensitive to changes in weather.

Thanks for the warning doccat5. Correct culture is so important with anything that is grown. We usually get out of a veggie what we put into it. What I love about DG is that we benefit from the experiences of others.

DigMontana...never been to Liby but I looked it up on our state Atlas...looks like a great place. The Kootenai river looks really inviting. I stole a few moments yesterday to catch a couple of rainbow from the Missouri and I am always excited to drive through the mountains. It's a rare day when I get up and don't see a new snow cap in one direction or another. Problem is the mountains capture the snow and rain before it hits the center of the valley. With the porous soil I couldn't possibly garden without a well and soaker hoses. I have learned a variety of ways to mulch various crops and each year I try something new. I have 20 risers running off a burried 1/2-inch plastic irrigation line and controlling the water flow on a timmer gets a bit tricky, but I am getting much better at it. There are periods in the summer where the heat and humidity are like a desert. Then the sun goes down and temperatures will drop as much as 40-degrees. Greats some interesting gardening challenges, but that is exactly what I like about gardening. Hardly a day goes by that I don't learn at least three new tricks from the DG foums. Neighbors think I'm crazy as a lune and their probably right...but each year more and more people are stopping to ask me quesitons about what I'm doing. I thing the words out...free food! Me Crazy...You betcha.

m

mraider If it wern't for crazy people we would'nt have most of the inventions we have today . lol
People thought Eisnstien was crazy
i happen to appreciate crazy people ,
keep on being crazy m
sue

Same here, m and sue. DH and I have been doing organic gardening for a long time. Use to get hassled, laughed at and didn't care. Now their coming to us with questions..........LOL I'm not rabid about it, but there are certain things that we just won't do. I wanted my kids to be able to eat fresh veggies and fruit without any "additives". And it worked, all the kids in the neighborhood were the same way. And some of them are now mature adults and gardeners too. Makes me smile. You pick anything out of my garden and eat it on the spot. I was always finding my salt shaker out by the tomato patch...........LOL

I always grow my rosemary and basil right next to my matos so i can pick a leaf , tomato and eat away. yummers

Great info here. Insects got my cucumbers early last year so the radish thing makes sense to me. I have a few questions though.

Why do you plant cucumbers on a hill? I would think that they should be planted level with the ground- or lower- since they require a lot of water. It would help with mulching too I would think. I planted my squash level with the ground and it did great in the beginning of the season but quit producing later on. Probably because of not enough water.

Also, has anyone ever made a teepee trellis? Would that work as well as a cattle/hog wire trellis? I don't have the know-how to construct anything too elaborate. Space is an issue for me.

Finally, can someone provide a link to Evergreen?

Hills are traditional, but serve only two purposes. 1. They prevent heavy soils from baking and waterlooging around the roots. 2. The soil warms up faster allowing earlier emergence. I n loam or sandy soils there is no advantage.

Anything the vines can climb up on works. One the best, we use to use when I was younger were the old metal bedsprings ( before innerspring mattresses) set at a 45 degree angle. Toda y I just use a wire cage, as I only grow a few cukes for table use.

http://www.evergreenseeds.com/ Note that any seed vendor an be looked up either in the Watchdog or just by googling the name.

General Lee in a cage.

Thanks for all the info. I like your cage style. How tall and wide do you think is best? How many plants per cage? Looks like it would be good for tomatoes too.

I am using five foot cages as it just happens to the height of the wire that I have. I use 10 ft lenghts which makes a cage approximately 3 ft in diameter. I plant the cukes about 9 inches apart around the diameter of cage which averages about 15 plants per cage. I use the same wire to cage tomatoes but make smaller cages with six foot lenghts.