Cucumbers: The Perfect Addition to Your Green Garden

As a pickling enthusiast, I’m always on the lookout for the perfect cucumber varieties to add to my garden. With so many options out there, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. But fear not, dear reader, for I’m about to share with you my top 12 favorite cucumber varieties that are perfect for green gardeners with no green thumbs.

Why Cucumbers?

Cucumbers are a great addition to any garden, not only do they make a great salad topping or stand-alone snack, but with a little work, they transform into a delicious pickle. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love a good pickle?

Choosing the Right Variety

When it comes to choosing the right cucumber variety, it’s essential to consider a few things. You’ll want to choose disease-resistant varieties to ensure a successful harvest. Look for varieties with high yields, compact vines, and resistance to cucumber mosaic virus.

The Top 12 Cucumber Varieties

1. Burpless #26

This slicing cucumber has a dark green flesh and is not at all bitter. It’s ready in about 50 days, and the more you pick off the vines, the more fruit it will provide.

Freshly picked cucumbers from the garden

2. Bush Champion

This hybrid bush produces bright green cucumbers and is ideal for growing in a container or raised bed. It’s also resistant to the mosaic virus.

3. Diva

According to Gardener’s Path, “Diva is a hybrid cultivar that produces semi-glossy, thin-skinned fruits of six to eight inches long.” It has a mild and sweet flavor, while being mostly seedless.

Diva cucumbers are perfect for snacking

4. Marketmore 76

This variety serves double duty for pickling and slicing. They have a thick, dark green skin and are impressive with their disease resistance.

5. Sweet Success

This is a thin-skinned seedless cucumber that grows best staked or on a trellis.

6. Lemon Cucumbers

These sweet cucumbers are yellow and round and actually resemble a lemon. They have minimal seeds and a thin skin, making them perfect for pickling or eating raw.

7. English Cucumbers

This cucumber is very popular in grocery stores. These cukes have a mild, almost non-existent flavor, making them the perfect addition to cocktails.

8. Persian Cucumbers

These are very similar to English cucumbers in that they look almost identical. They do come in a wider range or lengths, and some have a bumpy skin.

9. Gherkins

These are a great choice to pickle, given their small size that easily fits in a jar. In France, they are called cornichons when pickled.

10. Armenian Cucumbers

These range in color from dark to light green. They have very soft cucumber seeds and don’t need to be peeled before eating. Avoid using these for pickling, as they’ll turn mushy.

11. Kirby Cucumber

This cucumber variety is smaller than normal, only being about 6 inches long. They are crunchy with a mild flavor, and are the most popular for pickling.

12. Straight Eight Cucumber

This heirloom cucumber looks exactly like it sounds. It grows completely straight until it is about 8 inches long. They are relatively easy to grow and need to have an A-frame or trellis to grow straight.

Conclusion

Regardless of whether you choose a watermelon, zucchini, cucumber, or other green fruits and vegetables, these summer vining crops make the perfect addition to your garden. Grab a slicer and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

A bountiful cucumber harvest