Challenges in the beginning that the cucumbers emerged victorious from included Johnson Grass, Field Bind Weed, cold, second year extreme drought, and various animals.
I planted almost all of the seed from my 23 harvest with the desirable characteristics I was curious to replicate. I consider that giving priority to a naturally occurring hybrid. I hung onto around twenty to ensure I was able to produce seed this year. They were all direct sown at different times throughout the garden beginning in early April and ending in early June.
The plants themselves were really long. Vines kept dwarfing my tomatoes and taking over the bed. I pulled them to the side a couple times and they just kept growing up and up. Extremely vigorous.
Not too much variation in the fruit from last year but the trichomes (black spikes) were fewer. I tasted as I saved the seed and yes they totally were firm and edible at seed saving stage. I could see this as a desirable trait as it is for sure unique in comparison. I left them sitting on my bakers rack for a week or so after they had ripened to yellow on the vine. The middle was total liquid, just poured out. The flesh was still firm and tasted like a cucumber. I tried one before seed saving stage and it was almost TOO cucumbery. I think they would be really phenomenal for fermenting or pickles.
I attempted to introduce cold tolerance on 4/7/2024 with soil temperature of 57 degrees Fahrenheit
4/9/2024 Germination with alot of seedlings and rain overnight
4/20/2024 I planted more. Overnight low was 33 degrees Fahrenheit
All was well until it wasn’t because of skunks! Completely ravaged the garden. Within a week they had the whole area dug up/devoured. My only defense was to flash lights and yell at them. I’m sure that didn’t appear insane at all Also residing within 20 feet of my yard is both a possum and a groundhog. Everything’s got to eat and they eat well! This first planting did not make it but I mention it to note a cold tolerance is definitely there.
Fast forward to 5/14/2024 The animals are not at all in check but the garden is beginning to grow and they don’t seem to be digging in the areas that are full of tomatoes or walking onions. Maybe they don’t care for the smell? I planted more seeds in various parts of the garden focusing on hiding them in the safer spots. I basically direct sowed them everywhere for the next two weeks as to give them the best chance to blend into the background and be protected by the bigger plants.
There were around ten in total that produced fruit for seed. Thank goodness I planted some along the dripline. The plants in other areas produced a few. As in two! Plants really really appreciate water. It was easy to brag that I did not water when we had rain. Now in the thick of a two year drought… My dripline provides a little irrigation via the runoff from our reverse osmosis. Definitely not enough to be considered coddling but on a regular basis enough to be called consistent and an ALMOST normal amount.
10/14/2024
They said it was going to be a freeze. 30 degrees fahrenheit overnight. I was totally cool with a frost to gain some cold tolerance but a freeze I cannot protect against. I spent the day harvesting all viable fruit I didn’t want to become damaged. I cut them back along with all the tomatoes on the side of the home in preparation for planting garlic. They looked pretty sad by this point as they had been exposed to blight for a couple months and had finally started to succumb. I figured they had done good and deserved the rest. Interesting that one has the reemergence of the thickened black trichomes as well as pretty significantly sized warty bumps. Still not quite ready to harvest seed but should be within the week. After harvest they still have to dry before a freeze. Almost impossible to make the November time frame but I shall try to get them in. If not I’ll just send what I have.
In summation, returning seed that has endured a dry and cool shortened growing season in my no till organic garden. I’ve kept it separated for the steward to decide if they would like to prioritize any of the differentiating characteristics noted. They have seen weed pressure, powdery mildew, blight, mosaic virus, cucumber beetles, squash bugs, various rodents, etc. I did not fertilize with anything nor perform any type of pest management. They continued to produce, the taste is above excellent and they exhibit characteristics that are slightly varied from the conventional norm. I think that’s pretty dang impressive.
In the future I would like to continue to allow my plants to gain cold tolerance and faster maturation. Facts are facts and my growing season is shorter and milder. It didn’t quite warm up to 70 degree overnight temperatures till midJune here and it was done by August. A couple of weeks of really hot weather but then just kind of mild with a spike in temperature for a few days here and there. Definitely zero consistency. I’ve saved a handful for planting next year in my garden and am returning the rest to the program. I’ve enjoyed growing them and appreciate both the experience and the sweet seedstock score.