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Cucumber plants

LynLyn Posts: 23,190
in Fruit & veg
Can you suggest best cucumbers grown from seeds for juiciest and soft skins please.
GH or outside,   My African Snails are getting very fussy. 
Also some tips,  I haven’t grown much veg, I’m a flower grower but need to think about this now.  
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Hi Lyn
    The first one I grew from seed was Cucino that I grew in a 22L pot in the greenhouse.
    The fruits are 4-6" - skin is not noticable and in 2018 I harvested 294 cucumbers from one plant!
    I've not been able to find Cucino since ☹
    Since then I've grown Mini-Munch - similar in many respects but not as prolific.
    I had less than 100 from 1 plant in 2019 and 2020
    I'm growing it again this year and have harvested 51 so far with the first being ready on 31 May - 


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I am growing one in my greenhouse called "Picolino", l bought it as a plug plant but l think you can get seeds. They are mini cucumbers which is fine for just the 2 of us, l have harvested about 8 so far and plenty more to come. 
    So far it's a fine healthy plant, just needs plenty of water. 

  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    I am growing Beth Alfa bought as seed from GC , so maybe easy to obtain. Soft/thin skinned, germinated well, and is a shorter plant than most I've tried ( so you won't need a 10ft wall to grow it on 😄) Had a dozen cucumbers to date, from a slow start.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Thank you, I’ve made a note of those.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    Lyn  Burpless Tasty Green are proving popular here.  I've been doing thin round slices and then halving each slice.  Laid on leaves, the 3 T's finish off the whole thing skin included.
    First time I've grown this type and they seem to be cropping well - 1 in GH and 1 outside.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    @Lyn  Should have said we eat them as well - wouldn't particularly say they are tastier than my usual Ridge cukes but they aren't bad.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Thanks Philippa, they’re eating loads now,  they’ve grown very big all of a sudden, I’m putting them in two tanks  now.
    They eat a chunk of cucumber about 4” long, cut across the length daily, as well as the lettuce but they only scoop the soft pips out of the middle the rest get left.  They eat two a week but that will soon go up to three I think.
    Along with 6 lettuce leaves.   I’m tempted to put them in the garden to chose what they want. 😀
    Do you give them a dish of water, they drink that through the night. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I now think I need to go for a full sized fruit,  so probably go  with Philippa’s suggestion,  if they were for us, the mini ones look nice, but I’m feeding the 5,000 here so will need bigger ones. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    But the bigger take longer @Lyn so have you room for 4/5 8ft plants? Minis are ready faster, so maybe a better bet.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    They never ate the skin of the shop bought - just exactly as described - they scoop out the soft and leave the rest.
    I haven't heard them Burp with the variety I suggested ( then again I haven't stopped up all night to listen ! )  I'm just finding if the slices are thin enough, they will polish off the whole slice. Whether it is actually the variety as such or the fact that shop bought are "old" rather than picked straight off the vine and presented to them..  In fact, I don't actually know which variety is the most commonly sold.  I imagine it is something which lasts reasonably well wrapped in plastic - tasty it isn't !
    I'm picking mine at between 4 to 5 inches in length which suits both us and the T's.
    As I type this, I'm just watching Big White eyeing up this evening's meal  ;)
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