By Justin Young
A “small” harvest.We give quite a few tours of The Garden at the High Plains Food Bank, and whether it is to kids or adults, there always seems to be at least one in the crowd that seems unimpressed. No matter how much passion and enthusiasm we pour out, the beauty of organic produce is lost on some. And that is why we plant Armenian cucumbers.
Actually, we plant them for lots of reasons. They are delicious and nutritious, but so are lots of other fruits and vegetables. So what puts Armenian cucumbers over the top and into our garden plans every summer? It’s the fact that I can jump in amongst the vines and hoist up a giant, green, cave-m
Cucumber Teepees at The Gardenan –club-looking, attention grabber.
Often referred to as the “yard-long cucumber” or “snake cucumber”, the Armenian cucumber is able to twist and curl itself up to 3 feet in length, but is best when harvested between 12 and 15 inches. It is actually a variety of muskmelon with thin, green skin that looks and tastes much like the close relative with which it shares a name. They are great for pickling and making relish and can be enjoyed without being peeled. Just slice and eat.
Armenian cucumbers prefer to be grown in full sun and while they do well trellised or on the ground, a cucumber teepeeshould be required in all gardens. If you do decide to try them out in your garden next year, make sure your love of cucumbers is proportional to the amount of seeds you sow. They are big producers, both in size and quantity.
