The lemon cucumber experiment continues. The fruit is ripe when it is the size of a large lemon. I estimate this cucumber to be three-fourths of the way there. I cannot believe how fabulously prickly it looks. Sort of reminds me of my husband's beard after a long holiday weekend without shaving!
27 comments:
i'm loving your site. i just planted lemon cucumber and so i am looking forward to them from your photos!
i'm loving your site. i just planted lemon cucumber and so i am looking forward to them from your photos!
These lemon cucumbers can be really seedy. Try not to let them sit on the vines too long unless you like seeds. Yuck!
I'm really enjoying your blog lately.
Thanks for the info. I was thinking of plucking this one from the vine tomorrow. Maybe I will do it today instead. I'll let you know if I got to it before the seeds got too big.
interesting to know. what about the little spiny hairs?
I picked the cuke this afternoon. The easy thing to do would have been to peel the skin. That would have taken care of the spiny hairs. However, I removed them one by one by rubbing gently with my fingers. The cucumber is beautiful. I haven't sliced it yet. I am chilling it right now. I will keep you posted.
i generally find that when they get fully yellow that they are not great. you are clearly figuring it out just fine. I am loving your site, I just found it.
Chris
I find that fully yellow is too far, but it seems that you have figured that out. I am loving your blog. I just discovered it.
Glad you like the site. I'm having lots of fun blogging.
I picked two of the cukes when they were bright yellow. Yikes! I think they are awfully seedy and small for me to have in the garden again. I think I will stick to the seedless varieties in the future.
HI,
I first saw/tasted lemon cucumbers in Chico,CA. They were great! I live in SoCal and finally found a plant and have it growing in my planter box. My question is... how do you know when to pick them? HELP!!!!!
I picked my first lemon cucumber too early. It still tasted great but I could tell it was a little small once I peeled and served. If you think of the size of a really large lemon, you should use that as a guide. The downside of letting the cuke get too big is it will be seedy. Hope this helps.
I just harvested some from my garden, and they are awsome. Pick them young, and you won't run into the seed problem. I have been reading about the lemon cucumber all over the internet(thats how I found this site btw), and I have heard everything from harvesting them when they are golf ball sized to lemon sized, to not yellow. Experience is the best teacher in my book. I just got done eating one that was larger than a golf ball, and smaller than a lemon, hehe go figure. Seeds were not an issue either.
I will definitely plant them again next year. Oh, and just rub the spines off with your hands when washing them after picking, thats what I did.
picture here...
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/8915/lemoncuke1fs8.jpg
Thanks for your information. Maybe I will pick one of the small cukes and one of the larger cukes and do a side by side taste comparision!
The other thing I notice about this variety of cukes is the flowers are produced in great abundance!
Zone 5.
I'm in my 8th year of volunteering in a garden project for female inmates, at the county jail, here in Kane County Il.. We sell produce to the public, with all proceeds going to non-profit org's in our county. Tried Lemon Cuc's for the first time this year, and they are a big hit. Not a hit with the over 55 crowd. They are afraid to try new stuff. The under 55's are a little more adventurous. We will definately have them in the garden next year.
Barbara
Sounds like a very worthwhile project you are involved with. These cukes are definitely different looking but taste great.
I am taking care of a friends garden and having problmes with the yellow cucumbers. The first week they seemsed to be okay, then the next the leaves all started to dye. Now it has been 3 or 4 weeks and the whole plant looks to be very dead. The leaves are all dried out and cracking and very dark. I watered once every other day, and the weather has been warm.. Is it just my black thumb or am I missing something!?
(all the other plants are doing great!)
I can only comment on my situation with the lemon cukes not knowing in which part of the country you are located. My cukes and beans are past their prime and are drying up for the season. I bet you have not done anything to cause this situation in your friend's garden. It's just the end of the season. The only summer vegetable in my garden which is still going strong is my green pepper plants. They are still producing.
Hello,
last year I was in Seattle and I bought some cucumber lemon seeds.
My family loves this vegetables very much.
Now I want to buy some seeds, I can´t get some in Germany.
Do you know, whrere I can buy it?
thank you
Birgit
Brigit: I suggest you go to www.google.com and enter Germany and Lemon Cucumber in the search area. A web site came up for Victory Seeds which states it ships to Germany. I am not personally familiar with this company so use your own discretion before placing an order. There may be other companies which are closer to your location which carry these seeds. Good Luck.
Why would prickleyness be "fabulous"?
Sounds kinda strange, to me.
I just thought you should know that dh and I are 61 & 65 years & just came home with 5 lemon cucumbers to try -- that's how I found this site looking for suggestions on how to use them
They are as tasty as can be if you "pickle" them in about 1 cup water, 1/4 cup tarragon vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for an hour. Yummy
This season is my first with the lemon cucumbers. Found them quite by accident at the local nursery. I planted one plant and it went crazy. Very hearty and tons of cucumbers. Everyone I give them too thinks they are pretty cool. They are great for South Dakota summers! I'll definitely plant again next year.
I am growing these Lemon Cucumbers in my backyard here in Southern California. I have a rather sandy soil and am on the coast where is is cool and foggy. My Lemon Cucumbers have grown well and are taking off even though it is nearly the end of August. I bought the plants as seedlings at the Home Depot store. So far the harvest has been good. These cukes are way different!
I agree with you. My lemon cukes were prolific!
I Planted three cuc's a week ago and I would like to know is the plant a bush or vine. We have Armenian cuc's growing now for a good month and a half and you can feed a whole city block and still have a lot left over. I trellis them and it is fun to watch them grow. The longest one I have right now is a good two and a half foot long.
Hey...let those buggers turn YELLOW!
What a great and fast growing plant...the bees love the flowers!
wowooooooooo hooooo
cucumber soup anyone?
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