The Liso Calcutta Gherkin

The Liso Calcutta is a Cucumis anguria variety that originates from Africa. It is characterized by not just the regular thorny appearance of the Cucumis anguria, but by burly longitudinal ridges that straddle the sides of the fruit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It took a while for me to find the Liso Calcutta. Most seed companies sell one of a multitude of Cucumis anguria under the name of “West Indian Gherkin”. They are called this because there were a number of Cucumis anguria that made their way to the Caribbean via the slave trade. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My experience with the Liso Calcutta was that they grew fairly well. They produced good seed easily, which can be hard for some of the C. anguria varieties. Some other varieties don’t produce good seed until the plant has grown very large, the fruits have substantially plumped up and the fruit has been aged until it is nearly rotting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those looking for something a little different, the Liso Calcutta is a very interesting variety to grow. While they exhibit many of the same qualities as the New Word gherkins (disease resistance and consistent production until the first frost) I personally prefer them much more than the Melothria scabra Sanditas or “Mexican Sour Gherkins” both in flavor and in texture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Conqueror Cucumber

Unfortunately, I didn’t take the time to snap enough pictures of the Conqueror cucumber. The Conqueror is an extremely productive, long parthenocarpic English-style cucumber. The drawbacks to the variety are that the fruit does tend to get a little bitter in hot temperatures, the fruit doesn’t grow straight unless trellised and the seed is extremely difficult to harvest. Otherwise, the vines pump out a ton of high-quality fruit.

 

I’m really grateful that I was able to grow the Conqueror in 2024 because in 2023 the cucumber beetles were so bad that I was hardly able to harvest anything. Fortunately I was able to avoid the cucumber beetles on the farm land altogether in 2024 by planting the soil blocks into raised beds in-town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One funny thing did happen over the course of the season. When harvesting the vines, I found a cucumber I didn’t expect. It had grown into and back out of a deli cup. – making a nearly perfect V shape.

The 2024 Scopattizo di San Luigi

What can I say about the Scopattizo di San Luigi that I have not already said before? This is a southern Italian immature muskmelon that is consumed like a cucumber. The flavor is very good (some say it is the best) and the texture is very nice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With all that being said, the Scopattizo di San Luigi is extremely difficult to harvest high-quality seeds from the fruit. I have been working on this for several years now, without consistent results. So – even though this is a wonderful cucumber variety that I would love to share with others, it is not ready for the general public. Sorry folks. Hopefully, in several years we can get this variety growing so that it produces full heavy seeds. Until then, enjoy the pictures!