Sustainable Garden Planting to Plate Lemon Cucumber


Introduced in 1894, this interesting departure from your normal cucumber looks like a lemon with flattened ends. The flavor is far from lemon, however, it is actually delicate and slightly sweeter than the green varieties, and can be used as a replacement in most any recipe calling for cucumber.


Botanical Name: Cucumis sativus Maturity: 60-75 days


When to plant outside: Spring, after the average last date of frost and when soil is at least 65 degrees F.


When to start inside: 4-6 weeks before the average last date of frost.


Spacing: If planting in rows, sow every 4 inches. Once the seedlings have 2 or 3 true leaves, about 2 inches tall, thin to 1 plant per foot. Mounds should be 4 feet apart with 6 seedlings per mound, thinned to 3 plants per mound.


Harvesting: Pick when cucumbers are about the size of a lemon or slightly larger. Cut from vine rather than pulling or twisting. If over mature cucumbers are allowed to stay on the vine it can slow or halt production. Immediately after harvesting immerse in cold water. This will dissipate “field heat”, increasing quality and shelf life of the fruit.


You can also try growing your lemon cucumbers up a trellis. This saves space and keeps the fruit off the ground. If you live in a region that has very hot summers such as the desert southwest and plan to trellis, you may want to protect from drying winds and afternoon sun. This variety will also do well in large pots on the patio.


28 Sustainable Online Magazine


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