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After years of growing plain old cucumbers (my preference was Corinto from Johnny's Seeds), I decided to give lemon cucumbers a try. Mostly, I was just looking to change things up, and I know a ridiculous number of people who "love love LOVE" lemon cucumbers. So instead of using my seeds, I bought a lemon cucumber plant from my farmer's market.
Okay, I've got them. They are prolific. I have more lemon cucumbers than I know what to do with. But I don't get what's to love. They're all seed, no matter how large or small I pick them. They seem to have one giant seedy core and very little actual fruit. The skins are prickly, and though my Corintos were too, I found it WAY easier to rub the spines off a regular cucumber than all these little baseball sized lemons. Peeling is much easier too, I can use a vegetable peeler on my Corintos. Due to the shape and small size of lemon cucumbers, I've got to use a paring knife. I also need to peel a ton of them just to make a decent sized cucumber salad.
So what am I missing? I read the Johnny's description of lemon cucumbers to see what they describe in their sales pitch. It said something about lemon cucumbers not being bitter. I will grant that they aren't bitter, they do have good flavor. But if you grow the right variety of standard cucumbers, those aren't bitter either. So why do people love them so much?
I remember California in the 1970's and lemon cucumbers were all the rage - I don't know why....
Then I didn't see one for another 30 years. Didn't miss them either.
Couple of years ago my coworker decided to grow lemon cucumbers in a shared garden patch. They vined all over everything and took off for the neighboring tomatoes on their way toward the parking lot. To the moon and beyond!
By the end of July there were lemon cucumbers galore. Nobody wanted them. He ate a couple and kept trying to give them away. Nope, no takers. Hundreds of lemon cucumbers, homeless and rejected. I think we finally composted them.
There really aren't many good uses for lemon cucumbers. Nobody seems to like them much either.
My advice? Leave yours on the neighbors doorstep in the middle of then night -and then run! Don't grow lemon cucumbers again.
yep, give them to anyone that will take them and go back to the good old fashion ones next year. I think the rage is just a trend. It is something a little different.
LOL I have been sending them to work with my husband then giving some to a coworker who gushes over how much she loves them. At least they are going to an appreciative home.
I agree that it's probably the idea of something unusual that gets people so excited. And it is true that regular cucumbers can be bitter if they don't have good growing conditions or you aren't selecting a good variety. Depending on the weather, sometimes the first couple cucumbers to ripen on my vines are a little bitter. But I know that as the season progresses the bitterness goes away. Could be people try the first cucumber, it's bitter, then they pull the whole plant. Lemon cucumbers don't have that problem so they loooove lemon cucumbers. Maybe. I'm just guessing now.
LOL I have been sending them to work with my husband then giving some to a coworker who gushes over how much she loves them. At least they are going to an appreciative home.
I agree that it's probably the idea of something unusual that gets people so excited. And it is true that regular cucumbers can be bitter if they don't have good growing conditions or you aren't selecting a good variety. Depending on the weather, sometimes the first couple cucumbers to ripen on my vines are a little bitter. But I know that as the season progresses the bitterness goes away. Could be people try the first cucumber, it's bitter, then they pull the whole plant. Lemon cucumbers don't have that problem so they loooove lemon cucumbers. Maybe. I'm just guessing now.
I Think weather does influencet the flavor of a lot of produce, certainly cukes. How often have we tasted a cuke, if we also eat the skin and it is really bitter? It happens, then the next are wonderful.
As for giving them away, I had a couple of years with squash and cherry tomatoes in NM, when I am sure my neighbors and friends turned out the lights and hid when they say me coming. They could only use so much of my harvest. That isn't this year for sure.
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