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.
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 flour plants I had last year were very oroductive. 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.
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.
A fairly reliable choice in a wide range of conditions, but unfortunately not very goopy.