2019 Long Dark Armenian Cucumber or Tortarello Barese Verde (Scuro)

Usually I have the opportunity to grow one or two crops of cucumber-melon in each garden I work in. Last year, I made an attempt to grow out the Long Dark Armenian cucumber. I’m probably the exception, but it seems that every summer I am always trying to get one more crop in before summer is over. This last year was no exception. Before starting back at my work, I sprouted my cucumbers, then put them in 2 inch soil blocks, followed by 4 inch soil blocks.

In Italian, this is the Tortarello Barese Verde (Scuro)

 

 

The 4” blocks are really difficult to use, though it is fun to put the 2 inch blocks in once they are complete.

 

 

 

 

I had to go on a trip and didn’t want to worry about the 4” blocks, so I just put a drip line over the 4” blocks and put wood boards on either side to ensure that they would receive ample water each day. The bottom of each block was also on a wood board, so I could just take them out of the garden and transplant them to my work garden.

 

 

The plot I was working with had not been used for at least several years. Previously it was mostly weeds. 

 

 

By the time I was able to transplant the cucumbers, the vines were pretty overgrown for the size of the soil blocks.

 

 

The plants grew relatively quickly, though they were a little stressed.

 

 

Something about the transplanting process didn’t go so smoothly and the local aphids took note. Soon a large colony of aphids was congregating on my cucumber plants.

 

 

It wasn’t until I grew out this generation of dark Armenian cucumbers that I realized that, like other cucumber-melons, the dark Armenian cucumber is also photosensitive. Many of the cucumbers that were under shade were relatively light, while those that were exposed to more direct sunlight developed much darker rinds.

 

 

I really enjoyed the opportunity to share some of my fresh cucumber varieties with colleagues. Most of them really enjoyed this cucumber variety. It seems that many people appreciate crispy crunchy cucumbers more than tender, yet crisp high-quality cucumbers.

 

 

Eventually, the cucumber plants began to succumb to powdery mildew. I believe that one day I will be able to find a better remedy for powdery mildew than diluted milk, baking powder or just pulling letting it run its course. I have tried many of the home remedies without any success.

 

 

  

Near the end of the season, the plants finally produced a really long female flower, but alas the plant was so stressed that the fruit was not able to fully develop.

 

Of all my longer cucumber varieties, the dark Armenian is one of my favorite. Hopefully I can get another few long cucumbers next time so that I can select for future generations of Long Dark Armenian cucumbers.

 

Difference between Armenian-type cucumbers

Other than color, there are a number of similarities and differences between the Light Armenian, the Dark Armenian and the Striped Armenian (or Painted Serpent) cucumber melon.

The similarities between all three of these cucumbers is that they are all melons. As such, they prefer warmer weather and will grow very well in the heat. Each of them grows a long cucumber, though based on breeding one variety may end up longer than the other. Each have very visible fuzz when the cucumbers are small, that becomes less noticeable as the fruit fills out. Each of them grows cucumbers that are bitter-free and don’t cause indigestion – unless there is a genetic fluke that makes the melon plant produce bitter melons.

 As for differences, I’ll start with the light, or regular, Armenian cucumber. The light Armenian cucumber is one of the fastest producing cucumbers. Though it requires warm soil, once established, the plant grows very quickly. The plant produces a lot of fruit quickly, then deteriorates quickly. Unlike other cucumber-melons, regular Armenian cucumbers have minimal resistance to some regular cucumber diseases such as cucumber mosaic virus. This variety is the least disease resistant. As for the fruit of the light Armenian, it usually starts out tender and dry. Over time, the fruit becomes more juicy. However, at the same time as the fruit grows, it becomes harder. Thus, for fresh eating the gardener should pick the fruit when the diameter is no wider than they can fit around from thumb to forefinger or to middle finger. Anything wider is going to end up very crunchy, yet also very hard. Those who like mature Armenian cucumbers don’t care if there are hard seeds or if the flesh (especially the outer flesh) is hard. Trying to find the balance between small and tender and large and juicy can be very difficult as the fruit grows incredibly quickly. Thus, those who want a high-quality cucumber may have to do more checking for fruit than they would for other plants. This cucumber is very similar in many ways to summer squash. Sometimes the cucumber is only in “prime” picking stage for a day or two.

The dark Armenian cucumber is somewhere in the middle. It grows vines and fruit a little slower than the light Armenian, but it also has greater disease resistance. It is usually resistant to cucumber mosaic virus, but if stressed it will quickly succumb to powdery mildew. This variety has fruit that begins tender and dry when young, while becoming more juicy and slightly more stiff as it grows. The window of time that this variety can be picked and still be sliced is longer than the light Armenian. The dark fruit definitely has a wider window picking. Usually its prime picking stage is at least a couple days up to a whole week.

The striped Armenian cucumber is the very slowest of them all. This variety takes a lot longer to germinate, grow and produce. The sprawling vines grow quite a ways out and the plant produces larger leaves than the other two varieties. This variety also has the greatest disease and climate resistance. While powdery mildew resistant cucumbers succumb to the fungus, this cucumber variety will keep growing and producing. The beautiful striped cucumbers that are produced on the plant begin dry and crisp and seem to become more tender, yet remaining crisp and tender as they grow. The plants will often grow to a specified thickness and length, then slowly widen and lengthen. The prime picking stage for this variety is usually around a week – unless the plant has grown very big and there is only one fruit on the vine. Of all the cucumber-melon varieties I have grown, this one is the most resistant to the cold. This variety will often continue to produce fruit right up until the first frost. Its ability to hold onto live is much greater than the other two varieties.

So that is it. Though some others may have had different experiences with their Armenian cucumbers, this has been my experience with these three varieties so far. If you decide to try all three in your garden at one time, you may discover some of the similarities and differences for yourself.

The Passion Flower Butterfly

While visiting with a friend of mine, I noticed a vine along the fence line with their neighbor. The friend said that it was a passionfruit vine and that the neighbor really liked the fruit. Along with the neighbor enjoying the fruit, I also noticed something else – butterflies.

Over the last several years, I have been noticing passionfruit/flower butterflies a lot more. The butterfly uses the passionfruit vine as its main foodsource from egg to butterfly. Then the butterflies sip nectar from flowers while completing their lifecycle by mating and looking for more food sources.

At the school where I have an office is the garden bed where I took most of these photos. It is important to appreciate the insects that are an integral part of our survival. If living spaces and outdoors continue to be bombarded with toxic substances with the intent to kill off insects, we may find that the bees that are necessary to agriculture can no longer survive. Then what will become of us?

The shell of a passionflower butterfly's chrysalis

Sometimes just letting things be is the best solution. At one of the high schools where I work, I noticed a bunch of passionflower butterflies flying around the corner of the parking lot. Sure enough, there is a giant, weedy passionflower that spreads across the fence and over nearby foliage in a very dominating fashion. The area is alive with butterflies.

So in short, insects are important. Perhaps a person may not like them in his home, his food or his garden. However, when anyone eliminates nature from the equation, they also eliminate life.