Baby Cucumber Cucino

[sebrightlover]

Considering purchasing this cucumber, but the price makes me hesitant (as well as it seeming to be a hybrid and not OP).

From Park Seed:
Two Bites of Heaven!
These mini Cukes make perfect snacks and canapes.

46 days. The perfect size for a single-serving salad, a snack, and a canape tray, these charming 2- to 3-inch baby Cukes are a gourmand's delight. With smaller seeds, less water, and more "meat" than full-size Cucumbers, they have a crunchier, more satisfying bite. And two bites is all you get -- they're the perfect pick-up nibble!

Cucino is very adaptable to unseasonably cold or warm climates, and very easy to grow. It needs no pruning, and its fruit is a fat-free source of potassium and vitamin C. Pkt is 10 seeds.
1 Pkt for 4.95 each.

Anyone have experience with these? Or a comparable heirloom or OP variety - I like the idea of itty bitty little cukes!

 

[silkiechicken]

Eek! That is some expensive seed there for 5 bucks!!! 50 cents a pop! I can't get cucumbers to grow here for some reason so don't have any experience with that kind of stuff.

 

[digitS']

Holly, that looks like one of those new Beit Alpha type cucumbers originally from Israel. They are small and supposed to be really healthy and prolific. Of course, I haven't gotten around to growing 'em . . .

Another cuke I haven't gotten around to growing is Diva. It was an All America winner a few years ago and Park has it.

I really intend to grow a Beit Alpha this year but 50 cents a seed would keep me from doing so. Here's a list of those that I know about. They may be a little longer than Cucino but I suspect it would fit into this list. The first 2 are sold by Ferry-Morse so those are probably at the hardware store.

1. Celebrity
2. Zaina
3. Coolgreen
4. Aseel
5. Alba
6. Jade
7. Jordan
8. Muncher
9. Niagara Green
10. Reia
11. Sweet Alphee
12. Sweet Crunch
13. Sweet'N Crunchy
14. Tigris

Steve
:tools

 

[sebrightlover]

thanks

 

[digitS']

Honestly, I haven't spent the last 6 hours looking for those darn cucumber seeds (it only feels like it :/. There was a Sunday dinner in there . . .

I checked thru the non-Ferry-Morse Beit Alpha cukes that I mentioned and essentially couldn't find any ! The list I posted came from North Carolina State U . . .

There are dealers who sell Ferry-Morris online but I see them as risky. I suppose that any hardware store can sell their seeds online and one shouldn't be suspicious . . . just don't know. In my part of the world, lots of brick & mortar stores sell Ferry-Morse seeds. I think they are fine. So, that's Celebrity & Zaina.

I did find out from Pinetree Seeds that, "Diva is considered a Beit Alpha type, the smooth skinned class of fruits that originated in the Middle East." Lots of companies are selling Diva this year, including Parks. The prices are good.

The garden center not far away has seeds from Fothergills, & others. Fothergills also sells online and have Beit Alpha F1 seed for a good price. This one may be more suited to greenhouse growing, but it may be at your garden center . . . . ?

Finally, there's Stokes. And, I may ordering their Top Green cucumber - - "A novelty mini bite size type. Small, uniform, dark green, cylindrical fruit average 6 in . . . " "Approx. 30-60 hybrid seeds per pkt . . ." $2.15.

This kind of cuke will be new-to-me this year and can go with my American slicers and Asian longs!! (Would these be my Israeli shorts ?!?

Steve :tools