3w ago

Request: Cucumber Breed

My bird loves a good cucumber, one that has a really goopy center. The problem I'm having is the store bought cucumbers in my area are pathetic even when they are in season. They consist of mostly the white firm flesh with very little goop or seed in the center. Additionally, at 22yo, My friend is running out of summers and I always promised him we would try to grow a good cucumber one day.

I'm not exactly a gardener but this seems easy enough. My grandfather gardened and I remember him going out of his way to get certain breeds of seeds to get the precise genes he wanted. I'm trying to do that with cucumbers, and I'm looking for that goop.

Any cucumber enthusiasts able to recommend a brand? Planting and growing tips are welcome as well, but I'm not trying to turn this into a large project either.

I'm in the Pittsburgh, PA area. I have several areas to plant for adjusting sunlight duration. Soil is poor and a bit swampy. I could probably use a container. Unsure what's best yet.

12 comments

I agree with your parrot, the more seeds the better.
In New Zealand we have a cucumber called the port Albert cucumber, its big, easy to grow, and has tons of seeds. Unfortunately I couldn't find it for sale outside of NZ (maybe under a different name?).
A slightly smaller international alternative, still with lots of big seeds (tho not quite as many), is the Crystal apple cucumber. Its also easy to grow.
We've grown both of them and will grow both again. They get more/bigger seeds when left to mature, but go sour if left for to long. I still love them when they are sour (your parrot might to) but everyone else thinks I'm crazy.
- Oh, and I wanted to ask you a specific (or anyone else for that matter). Feel free to tell me to pound it sideways if you don't know.
  When I was looking up the Port Albert, I also discovered a sort-of kin to it called a 'Lemon Cucumber'. Are they any good?
  
  crystal apple cucumbers seem to be a variety of lemon cucumber.
  Crystal apple cucumbers are spherical and can both go sour if left to long, they also go yellow as they age on the vine making them look like lemons so that's probably where the name comes from. there seems to be other varietys of lemon cucumber as well but I have not tried others.
  Both would be kin to port Albert, I prefer port albert as they are a bit larger making them have a bit more seed per flesh.
- I was able to find the Port Albert seeds for sale to my region. I'm unsure if it's lineage is purer than yours, but it had the right name. The crystal apple was another one that made the initial list of breeds to pick from. I can't say if I've ever had a sour cucumber or not. It's one of those fruits that always kind of tastes the same to me, watery and earthy with a pinch of salt. If its a drastic difference, then I maybe haven't had that honor.
  
  They taste like watered down sour, you will know it when you taste it.
  Crystal apples and Port Albert only go sour if left on the vine way too long (they also get a very tough skin and sometimes go bitter if left really long). So you're unlikely to find sour ones at the store.
  I should have said it before, but you still get a lot of seediness before they go sour. I think all cucumbers go sour eventually, if you don't like it just pick them early enouph and there will still be plenty of seeds. (For port Albert and crystal apples the more yellow the more sour)

I am not really a cucumber enthusiast, but 'Longfellow' might be worth growing. The seed core looks fairly robust for these, and it's the only one I've spotted where the description talks about the flesh being melty
- Yes, this is one I hear a lot. It's likely going to be a finalist.

I've only grown Marketmore, which is basically what you get in supermarkets but with the advantage that you can eat it right off the plant rather than trucking it from Mexico or California. I grew it in full sun with a trellis, and the four plants I had last year were very productive. Make sure it gets consistent water or the fruits can develop badly or split.
With some cucumber varieties you have to prevent pollination by picking off the male flowers, that's not the case for Marketmore.
- A fairly reliable choice in a wide range of conditions, but unfortunately not very goopy.
- This is the other variety that keeps coming up. Straight 8 is also on the list. I'm working in a grocery store right now and have access to people who SHOULD be in the know. I've been told that the ones readily available to my Pittsburgh region are the seedless hybrids trucked in and 30 days between picking and slicing.
  Sadly, the guy I spoke with knew a fair amount about the differences in cucumber varieties. He advised I seek elsewhere as to how best grow them. I truly don't need another chore to do after work and don't want to prune either.

Possibly pushing your definition of "cucumber" a bit, but Cucumis anguria comes to mind. Probably not fit for the swamp, but in a container in full sun, it could work.
- I've never eaten one but have seen them at the grocery store before. I had no idea it was a cucumber variety. I thought it to be along the lines of a sweet fruit (like starfruit or dragon fruit).
  As for Dale, I'd have to be over cautious. I'm unfamiliar with it and it has a known hazards entry regarding the seeds. I'd have to defer to Dr. Mike (his vet) to be sure it's not the last thing he eats. I give him other fruits that have toxic parts, and I remove those parts, but it's a fruit I'm familiar with and am comfortable doing it. as an example, cherries are one of his favorite fruits, but the pits are deadly if he eats one. Grapes on the other hand, I'm not sure. I won't give him one. Not worth the risk in my opinion. Leeching can occur from the seeds and even seedless grapes can have small underdeveloped seeds.
  On that note, chocolate, caffeine, avocados, tobacco and any fruit pits are all deadly. Alcohol, salt, oil, honey and fake sugars should be avoided. As part of his daily diet, he eats a serving of fresh fruit/melon for breakfast and steamed veggies at night. He eats most of whatever I eat for dinner as well. Especially chicken. He LOVES chicken. We tell him it's his cousin Arnold or aunt Ruth. It seems to make him happier.

12 comments