If You Could Grow Only One Crop This Season, What Would It Be?

digitS'

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Zucchini, @Rhodie Ranch ! How about Rhubarb ?!

😁 We are having a very good cucumber year, @Dahlia . It started early and is continuing. The cukes are not playing out as they regularly did in the distant garden which was so much more exposed to sun and wind. The vines doing the best have late afternoon shade. I am now struggling to keep them from growing onto the lawn and keep a path open. We are also at mid-September with very warm days and no frosts :).

Both DW and I are doing our best to have one cucumber every day but we still can't keep up. Of course, we are enjoying this daily task :).

I can imagine that if a gardener has only limited space. cucumbers would be a rewarding choice but I wish that they would climb better. I tried short trellises between the caged tomatoes last year. Oh, they were both quite happy but the cukes went trailing off under the tomatoes. This year, a second best location is in the full sun, no Summer shade except during the earliest mornings and the latest afternoons. The one plant there is doing fine but it is hiding behind the eggplant.

Steve
 

Dahlia

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Zucchini, @Rhodie Ranch ! How about Rhubarb ?!

😁 We are having a very good cucumber year, @Dahlia . It started early and is continuing. The cukes are not playing out as they regularly did in the distant garden which was so much more exposed to sun and wind. The vines doing the best have late afternoon shade. I am now struggling to keep them from growing onto the lawn and keep a path open. We are also at mid-September with very warm days and no frosts :).

Both DW and I are doing our best to have one cucumber every day but we still can't keep up. Of course, we are enjoying this daily task :).

I can imagine that if a gardener has only limited space. cucumbers would be a rewarding choice but I wish that they would climb better. I tried short trellises between the caged tomatoes last year. Oh, they were both quite happy but the cukes went trailing off under the tomatoes. This year, a second best location is in the full sun, no Summer shade except during the earliest mornings and the latest afternoons. The one plant there is doing fine but it is hiding behind the eggplant.

Steve
Any idea why cucumbers sometimes taste bitter? I have had some less than best varieties.
 

Dahlia

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Any idea why cucumbers sometimes taste bitter? I have had some less than best varieties.
That's awesome that you are having such a great cuke harvest! Have you tried dipping them in high quality blue cheese dressing? Once you try this, you will be a slave to growing cucumbers!
 

digitS'

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Oh, I was a slave to growing cucumbers probably before the apple cider vinegar and Mrs Dash :).

Well, certainly have used Blue Cheese, or Ranch but I don't know about the quality. I'm not much of a salad fan, @Dahlia . So, I'm not very oriented to salad dressings. BTW I don't like any pickles other than dill and that's probably because I like the smell of dill so well. And yet, I'm not inclined to eat more than a few slices of the pickle or, dice it up and in my simple version of Tartar Sauce (with mayonnaise).

Bitter cucumbers ... I'd guess that it may be stress on the plants 🥒. Hey now! The Spruce agrees with me. LINK

Steve, grower of Beit Alpha cucumbers, primarily
 

akroberts

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I make a homemade tartar sauce but I use a tiny bit of ketchup and dill pickle relish. Adding a touch of mustard is next time. Yes I use Best food's mayo
 
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