Cucumbers

A Peruvian treasure that was collected in Chacas, Peru, by the late pepper historian Jean Andrews. This landrace traces its ancestry to cucumbers brought from Spain in the 1500s. It’s also known as Pepino Criollo Chacasino or Ancashino. It has been carefully selected for its resistance to pests and mildew. Grown in the cool climate of the high Andes, this cucumber is especially suited to cooler parts of the U.S. and will remain productive all season if grown on trellises. The cucumbers are best when harvested 6 inches long.

• 8-12 hours of Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Plant Spacing: 18-36"
• Frost Hardy: No
  
• Cucumis sativus
  

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

Exceptionally sweet, tender, and above all, hardy! Aonaga Jibai is one of our finds from a recent seed saving expedition to Japan. Known in the southern islands of Japan, the seeds have been preserved over generations by an old family in Beppu City on Kyushu Island. The long, slender 8-inch fruit is bitter free and super sweet with inconspicuous seeds, making it a perfect marketing cucumber with flavor that stands out from the rest! The 1939 seed catalog of Tanaka & Co. said: “Hardiness and prolific bearing character are meritorious features of Japanese varieties of cucumber. They withstand drought, moisture and attack of fungoid disease to a remarkable degree.”

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

60-70 Days. Light green, mild tasting, deeply ribbed fruit. The elongated fruit yields uniform, easily digestible, fluted slices. They are apt to twist and coil growing on the ground, but develop nice and straight when hanging from a trellis. Fruit reaches over 24 inches long, but is best harvested at about 15 inches. This classic Armenian “cucumber” is actually a melon genetically. 

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo
  

55 Days. A delicious, very sweet cucumber that is usually picked small and does not need peeling, as the skin is very tender. This variety is very popular in the Mediterranean, having been developed in Israel at a kibbutz farm, and it is now becoming popular with Americans because of the fruit’s fine flavor and high yields. This cuke is also burpless and has great shelf life. A parthenocarpic variety, you can grow in a greenhouse without pollinators.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

55 Days. An old heirloom dating back to 1880. Vigorous vines give large yields of smooth green fruit. It is excellent for pickles--very crisp and good quality. A very popular variety at the turn of the 20th century.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

Stunning jade flesh and unmatched sweet flavor make this a superb snacking cucumber. A popular cucumber from northern China, these grow well both in the garden or in the greenhouse. The crop is believed to have been brought from western China to the east during the Han dynasty in 216. Cucumbers have long been selected and perfected in China for sweet, nutty gourmet flavor. This variety is an homage to those many years of natural breeding. The long, slender, thin-skinned fruit will develop without pollination, making a seedless and burpless cuke. In Chinese medicine the cucumber is used as a natural refrigerant in the intense heat of summer. The cooling effect is said to soothe heat-related ailments and even heat-induced bouts of anger! A favorite in our trials; we just love the flavor and gemstone-colored flesh! Try growing this variety in a greenhouse without pollinators! The result is a tender and delectable burpless fruit without seeds.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

60 days. Here’s a gorgeous all-purpose type for slicing and pickling. The plants are of bush habit, usually running no more than 18 inches or so, making them superior for small gardens, containers, or anywhere space is tight. Fruit holds well on the plants, avoiding the need for constant picking. Plants are also tolerant to downy mildew, which is so often a problem in humid summer climates. The bumpy, brightly striped exterior is particularly attractive as well. A superb new Polish variety!

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

55-65 Days. Beautiful cream-colored fruit is about the size and shape of a large egg! Mild, bitter free, and sweet tasting, this little cucumber sets massive yields in our gardens. So fun to grow, and very unique! Great not only for children, but all who enjoy delicious cucumbers. We were sent this heirloom favorite by Reinhard Kraft, a German seed collector, but this heirloom originated in Croatia.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

65 Days. This is a large yellow cucumber that was popular in Holland for making yellow, sliced pickles. The Dutch call this cucumber the “ancient race”. The ripe fruit is quite colorful in its sunny yellow color. A fine old strain that is very rare now even in Europe.

• 65 Days
• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

55 days. A super dependable garden cucumber, great for pickles and slicing. Fruit grows 7 to 8 inches long, 2 inches in diameter. Originally selected out of Davis Perfect (now believed extinct) by George Starr in Royal Oak, Michigan, in 1906. Upon its release it was described as “the earliest and best white spine cucumber ever offered.”

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

(Cucumis melo) You won’t believe how long this traditional variety from India will get! It’s versatile too: crisp and delicious raw, cooked in curries, and pickled. Even bigger and less bitter than Armenian cucumbers, it thrives in hot weather. You’ll definitely want to trellis this fast-growing large variety to give the fruits plenty of room to develop.

The sweetest cucumber we have tasted, this Japanese variety is a perfect snacking cucumber with no bitter flavor! Produces shorter, slightly thicker fruit than other Japanese varieties. Can be grown on the ground or on poles and is vigorous. Deep green fruit is about 7-8 inches long. Adapted to high temperature, humidity, and is disease and powdery mildew resistant.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

60 days. The shape, size, and color of a lemon, but with super-sweet flavor! This cucumber was famously peddled by one snake oil salesman as a genuine cross between an orange and a green cucumber. The huckster claimed that he had plucked an orange blossom from his daughter’s bridal bouquet (orange blossoms were a popular bridal flower in those days) and used it to pollinate a cucumber plant! These “true lemon cucumber” seeds were sold at a bargain price of $1 per seed! Indeed, the lemon cucumber is a pretty convincing fake, with round, lemon-yellow fruit and a swollen blossom end, just like a real lemon. Alas, the lemon cuke is a true cucumber, a result of naturally selecting for round, yellow fruit. The lemon cucumber originated in the late 19th century and was introduced to the U.S. in 1894. The tasty fruit is low in cucurbitacin, that naturally occurring cucumber chemical that accounts for a slightly bitter taste. The flesh is citrusy and adds a real zip to salads! Fantastic for kids’ gardens. One of our all-time favorite garden crops!

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

70 days. Marketmore ‘76 is a name that is synonymous with vigor and productivity. Marketmore ‘76 is possibly one of the most recognizable heirlooms, and rightfully so, decades after its initial introduction, this delicious refreshing cuke still boasts impressive disease and pest resistance. Fruit averages 8-9 inches long, perfect for slicing. Dark green with thick protective skin, a perfect choice for market gardening as the rugged little fruit stand up well to shipping but still have the high quality of flavor and texture that grocery store cukes simply can’t match!

The original Marketmore cucumber was developed at Cornell University in 1968 by Dr. Henry Munger, it was hailed as a breeding breakthrough for cucumbers. For 30 years Dr. Munger perfected the Marketmore (and many other incredible vegetable varieties). In 1976 he released a particularly vigorous open pollinated strain of Marketmore, and it remains a favorite of home and market gardeners alike! We are grateful to Dr. Munger, who in his 60 years of breeding at Cornell championed the idea of bringing more densely nutritious vegetables to the forefront of the diet in order to promote health.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

65 days. This bitter-free, thinskinned delicacy is botanically a melon, but it possesses all of the best qualities of the cucumber. An ancient heirloom from Armenia, the long, slender fruit is best harvested at 12-18 inches; however it can grow much longer if left on the vine. Its mild, sweet flavor, coupled with its thin, mild skin makes it a delectable treat raw, pickled or even cooked!

• Vine Support
• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Plant Spacing: 18-36"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

75 days. Incredible, small cucumber-like fruit is shaped like baby watermelons. They are good added to salads or can be pickled. They have a cucumber-like taste with a touch of lemon. The ornamental vines have tiny leaves and flowers and are perfect for the cottage garden. Very unique and fun for kids. Huge yields.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Melothria scabra

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

55 days. From our Polish grower, who recommends ‘Monika’ for pickles. This one is parthenocarpic, which simply means it doesn’t need pollination to set fruit. This is great news to gardeners who find they lack local bee populations to pollinate regular cucumbers. It also means you can grow pickling cukes under glass. Makes a nice slicer as well.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

60 days. The productive pickling cucumber that has fed generations of gardeners with perfect pickles! This is the famous, old French “gherkin or cornichon” pickler. Listed in America in 1892 by the seedsman J.H. Gregory. Great for making tiny sweet pickles, slices, or fancy dill pickles.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

60 days. This creamy, light green fruit has delicious, crisp, and juicy flesh. A sweet and mild Indian variety, it hails from the city of Poonah, or Pune, the cultural capital of the state of Maharashtra, India. There, it is popular in salads or juiced, and Pune street vendors sell these as a snack to beat the intense heat. They are simply divine when sliced and sprinkled with a bit of salt and pepper. Potato-shaped with yellow skin, it turns a handsome brown as it ripens. Disease resistant and very hardy, it is one of our best varieties. Vines produce early and the yield is very heavy.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

70 Days. Super sweet fruit is crisp, like an apple! A unique heirloom from Australia, where it is still popular. The fruit is the size of a lemon but is of a beautiful lime green color. These are excellent for eating: very mild, sweet and juicy. Hard to find and really fun to grow. Excellent flavor! This is an annual favorite at the Baker Creek farm and is truly bitter free. We eat these green globes skin and all.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

65-75 Days. The historic cucumber of Sikkim. Fat, large fruit can reach several pounds in size. The ripe fruit is a unique rusty red color and is good eaten cooked or raw. In Asia, cucumbers are often stir-fried and are quite tasty. This variety is grown in the Himalayas of Sikkim and Nepal. Botanist Sir Joseph Hooker wrote of it in 1848 while exploring the eastern Himalayas: “So abundant were the fruits, that for days together I saw gnawed fruits lying by the natives’ paths by the thousands, and every man, woman and child seemed engaged throughout the day in devouring them."

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

65 days. Long, ribbed, dark green fruit can grow to 18 inches. Very mild, sweet, and burpless. One of our favorites for fresh eating, this productive heirloom comes from northern China and is very attractive. A parthenocarpic variety, you can grow in a greenhouse without pollinators and vines will produces masses of burpless fruits that have no seeds, making them more tender and crisp!

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

Great Taste! The small, 9-inch fruit with tender skin and few seeds makes excellent pickles and sets the standard for slicing cucumbers; buttery soft, supremely sweet, and never bitter. This old Japanese variety, also known as “Tokyo Green,” came from China in the Meiji era, then became the dominant variety sold around Tokyo. The 1932 edition of the Oriental Seed Company catalog noted: “The vines attain twice the length of common varieties.” They do well on fences and trellises, saving space in the gardens. Vines are almost mildew proof and well adapted to hot, dry summers.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

65 Days. A super funky cucumber relative great for kids’ gardens, snacking, and pickling! Believed to be native to Africa and introduced to the Caribbean and eventually the U.S. in the 1700s. Pickled and boiled by the colonists in Jamaica, and a favorite of 3rd president Thomas Jefferson who was known to be a lover of pickled gherkins. Very beautiful long vines and hundreds of small tasty fruit. Grows well in hot, humid weather. Yields better than any other cucumber. Will not cross with traditional cucumbers.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis anguria
  

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.

70 Days. This variety has shown exceptional resistance in powdery mildew studies, especially in high heat. In Japanese, fushi means “node” and nari means “setting fruit.” The aptly named Natsu Fushinari is a high yielder due to setting ability at every node. This Japanese variety can be grown on the ground or on poles and is an early maturing cucumber. It has a deep green color, glossy skin, good uniformity, and fruit 8 inches long.

• 70 Days
• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis sativus

Growing Tips: Needs abundant soil moisture and rich soil. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hottest summer weather. Trellis growing saves space. Harvest frequently to maintain production.