Kooky Cukes

Usually I grow vegetables... and sometimes we have fresh fruit in season at PSF.

This year, however, I grew weapons of self-defense. At least, that's what my neighbor exclaimed the other evening as she passed by and spied me harvesting a basketful of cucumbers.

I happened to have a Japanese cucumber slung over my shoulder like a baseball bat--and to say that the Japanese cucumber was the size of a bat was not much of an exaggeration. This year I harvested some that were almost 24 inches long! Japanese cukes are massive and the vines are prolific producers; I would only recommend growing them if you [and your family and your neighbors] are serious cucumber lovers. My family is getting tired of them. My neighbors have had their fill. And they're still coming strong. We've even starting feeding cukes to the chickens, who seem to be getting bored with them as well!

Can you guess which one is the Japanese cucumber?

I probably could thwart an attacker with this thing if provoked!

The next type of cuke I grew this year was the lemon cucumber. I'm sure you can guess which one that is! These were definitely a novelty. Every time I took some to a dinner party to share, people picked them up thinking they actually were lemons. Despite being eye-popping on the vine (and a conversation starter), I have to admit that they were a little disappointing when it came time to eat them. They are harder to peel because of their sphere-like shape, they have lots of seeds unless you pick them very small (which makes them even harder to peel), and once peeled, you can't tell the difference between them and any other cuke. I was hoping for at least a hint of a tangy flavor!

Lemon cucumbers are cute, but maybe not worth the effort.

The last cukes I grew this year were of a pickling variety. I have yet to make any pickles this summer, but it is still on my to-do list. For more on making homemade pickles, click here. I truly believe they are worth the effort, and an easy way to start canning!

Pickling cucumbers look like regular slicing cucumbers but have a thicker skin that stays crisp during the pickling process (pictured bottom right).

It's a little late in the season to start planting out cucumbers this year, but come next spring, remember that there are so many different varieties you can grow at home! They are super easy to grow, even for a beginning gardener. Stick them in a pot or a raised bed. Plant them next to a trellis and watch them soar sky high, or let them trail along the ground if you prefer. You can't really go wrong with these kooky cukes!