Sikkim Cucumbers

This year I decided to grow out the Sikkim Cucumber. The whole reason for this was to try out something different. Up to this time, I have been primarily focusing on cucumbers grown immature as melons and I felt that there are some other indigenous cucumber varieties that may need some attention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sikkim cucumber is what I would call a Himalayan mountain variety. This is a variety that has been grown in the Himalayan mountains for a long time and has a dark flesh when mature. These varieties are often characterized by their tolerance to cool nights and their superior storage properties. I suppose you could call them “winter cucumbers” for their ability to last over a month in storage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The seed I received of this variety did require a little bit of cleaning up. There were a couple rouge seeds of another cucumber variety that I pulled out over time and I needed to discard some cucumbers that had set near those vines in order to eliminate cross-pollinated vines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The taste of the Sikkim is very mellow and the texture is very smooth. While the outside does get a bit hard, the inside flesh remains good for quite a while. Once the cucumber matures, the fruit begins to soften and the flesh around the seed cavity begins to turns a bit sour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unlike some other cucumber varieties I grew this summer, the Sikkim was late to give out its germplasm. The first 10-20 fruits only had 10-20 seeds at most, while most had much less – sometimes none at all. I have encountered this with other heirloom varieties and have wondered if the variety has some parthenocarpic qualities or was just picky. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the case of the Sikkim, there were not even seed pods, so it was entirely possible that there was no pollination at all. Or perhaps there is a time in the life of the fruit during which the flower is still receptive to pollen, but is past the time of being able to receive pollen for production. For whatever reason it may be, those who grow Sikkim may want to just consume the first flush of fruit prior to trying their hand at seed production.

The Hmong Red Cucumber

The Hmong Red cucumber is what I would call an Asian storage cucumber. Like the Poona Kheera and the Sikkim, the thick dark skin and firm flesh allows the cucumber to store for weeks to be eaten after the plant is past its prime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This cucumber variety is relatively interesting in that it did quite well despite the lack of water it had later on in the season. I had two seed sources for this cultivar. While both produced cucumbers with a nice yellow-orange skin, one produced a cucumber with white clear flesh and the other produced a cucumber with darker orange flesh. The lighter fleshed cucumbers were more juicy, the orange fleshed fruit were a little sweeter. Upon inquiring, the lighter-fleshed variety did turn out to originate from Baker Creek seeds. As the lighter-fleshed Hmong Red Cucumbers had a more cylindrical shape, I believe I will probably keep the lighter-fleshed line for further cultivation, but I am grateful that I did grow them side-by-side so that I can continue to develop traits of both varieties in my future population. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Hmong red only produced green fruit on an occasional basis. Most of the time it would begin white, then turn a little darker until it was yellow, then almost orange. While I did take a whole lot of pictures of this variety, I had a mishap with some of my Google photo pictures in which I lost almost a month of my gardening pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Altogether, I would say that the Hmong Red would make a good pickling or storage cucumber variety, but is probably not the best fresh picking cucumber variety around. While I am sure that they can be enjoyed when slightly young, I would not want to eat many of these cucumbers in salads once they harden up and reach over a pound in weight.

Dealing with Disappointing Vegetable Seed

One of the really difficult things to deal with when gardening is anticipating that a seed will grow and produce a specific way and having the seed produce something completely different. Especially if what the seed produced is less desirable than what the grower was anticipating. If a gardener planted seed anticipated growing a nice large red sandwich tomato, and ended up growing some yellow cherry tomatoes, they may be quite miffed. How can a seed supplier advertise one type of tomato, provide something completely different? Should gardeners and growers just take this in stride, or should they complain? What is the “right” thing to do? Should I just ignore the problem? Should I contact the seed company about the problem, or should I do something else?

 

 

This seed was no longer germinated at over 80%, from 2021.

 

 Although things like this can be frustrating, they are not uncommon when dealing with heirloom vegetable varieties. Not only do vegetable varieties change over time, but the incentive to maintain cultivars often wanes over the years. Unfortunately, while I would prefer to work with the very best genetic traits that are typical of a specific cultivar, I am sometimes provided with what seems to be the very worst seed. If no other source for the variety can be found, I have to consider the time and energy I have to clean it up and compare that with the opportunity I have to work with other varieties that may have much more promise. While everything in life cannot be quantified, because life is short – and despite disappointments – if I continue to work on varieties with the most potential, things will eventually work out.

 

 

Yet again in 2022, Newer seed germinating poorly.

 

 

So – what would most gardeners do? Beginning gardeners may do nothing, but most would likely experienced gardeners would just lose trust in the company they purchased from. Next season, they would purchase their seeds from another supplier.

While bananas can grow in my climate (and often do) they are definitely a tropical plant. Here are some pictures of my Grand Nain banana trees. I am happy to grow them another year, but if they do not produce by this coming year, I may just remove them to grow something that will actually produce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preserving Squash by Air Drying

I know that this is in Italian, but here's an idea that Carol Deppe mentioned in one of her books that she borrowed from Native Americans to preserve and use their squash for longer. It is really nice to see pictures of the process and know that people are still using this same technique today as demonstrated by an Italian Heritage Food Association. So to those of you who have grown your summer squash for too long or your winter squash for not long enough, here is another option to preserve your harvest for later.