The Main Plant entry for Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus)

I always like planting four or five varieties of cucumbers for summer use. This year I chose Straight Eight, Early Fortune, Muncher, and Homemade Pickles. Two or three hills of each produce more than we can possibly use, so we share them with neighbors. We also donate many to a local food charity in this county. Extra rainfall in June gave us lush, healthy vines with plenty of fruits.

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"The cucumber is a creeping vine that roots in the ground and grows up trellises or other supporting frames, wrapping around supports with thin, spiraling tendrils. The plant has large leaves that form a canopy over the fruit. The fruit of the cucumber is roughly cylindrical, elongated with tapered ends, and may be as large as 24 inch long and 3.9 inch in diameter. Having an enclosed seed and developing from a flower, botanically speaking, cucumbers are classified as accessory fruits. Much like tomatoes and squash they are often also perceived, prepared and eaten as vegetables. Cucumbers are usually more than 90% water.

There appears to be variability in the human olfactory response to cucumbers, with the majority of people reporting a mild, almost watery flavor or a light melon taste, while a small but vocal minority report a highly repugnant taste, some say almost perfume-like. Cucumbers vary in bitterness, even from the same plant. This bitter taste is attributed to the chemical compound Cucurbitacin C. Cucurbitacin is poisonous to livestock, especially sheep."

Taken from wikipedia's page at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C...

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I have been growing cucumbers in my Long Island garden for more years than I care to admit. I eat them in the summer when I have my own, but I do not care for supermarket cucumbers, so I never buy them. A favorite light lunch or snack is a nice bowl of cucumber and tomato salad.

There are so many varieties to choose from, but all cucumbers are vines. You can grow them sprawled on the ground or you can grow them vertically on supports.

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