So, one of my current experimental grows, is three different varieties of cucumbers. In terms of growing them in the AeroGarden, I planted them in one bay of my FarmXL, one plant for every three holes (4 plants total in the bay, the 3 cucumbers and one snow pea), and fed them just as recommended on the bottle of AeroGarden nutrients, save for feeding half strength for the first two feedings.
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| Left, Ukraine Heirloom; right back Puccini; right front Ronda Cornichon |
As you can see in the pic, the Ronda Cornichons are significantly smaller, and I haven't gotten a fully developed fruit from it, so it isn't included in the taste test. If I get developed fruit from it later, I will update.
However, the Ukraine Heirlooms and Puccinis both came about ripe at the same time, so on to the tasting!
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| Ukraine Heirloom |
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| Puccini |
The first thing that struck me even before I got to the taste, is that the Ukraine Heirloom is incredibly juicy. I think it's the first time I've ever had a cucumber actually dripping as I cut into it!
As expected, both are indeed seedless, being parthenocarpic fruit that set without pollination. In addition to the juiciness of the Ukraines, the flesh was lighter in color, almost white, while the Puccinis had a slight yellowish-greenish cast.
So, the taste test verdict? They were both delicious! Tasting them plain one after the other, it was surprising the different flavor profile they had, though.
The Ukraine Heirlooms were very juicy, and had a very fresh, clean, hint-of-sweet taste. Very much what I think of as the "classic cucumber flavor".
The Puccinis, meanwhile, had a distinct crispness, and an interesting tang to them, as if they were very lightly vinegar'ed already.
I would say the Puccini would be better suited to pickling, while the Ukraine Heirloom would be more suited to eating fresh. But, this is only compared to one another - I am quite sure either would be wonderful in either preparation. (And in fact, I ate them both cut onto my salad shortly after taking these pictures!)
One interesting side note: the Ukraine Heirlooms, as you can see in the pic, have a funky little 'mini cap' that stays very small and is spineless. That wasn't just a deformation of this single fruit, it seems to be the way this kind of cucumber grows. Out of curiosity, I tried tasting that section; it was not pleasant like the rest of the fruit. It had a bitter, slightly 'dirt' flavor to it. I would definitely recommend removing that part for eating.
Overall, I think the Puccinis have come out just slightly ahead in this matchup. Though I prefer the ultra-fresh flavor of the Ukraine Heirlooms slightly, the Puccini is much more vigorous, and has set at least 2-3 times the fruit in about the same amount of vine, which I think more than makes up for the very slight flavor advantage.
Update!
I did finally get one cucumber from my Ronda. It was larger than either of the other two varieties, but the flavor also wasn't quite as good. It had a certain earthiness to it that I didn't care for as much. The skin was a bit thicker, as well. That said, it was a perfectly good flavor, and I'd certainly not object to eating them! The earthiness, rather than being sweet like the Ukraines, might actually make for better pickles, too. For the sake of fairness, though, this may as well have been an effect of the fungal issue I've been battling with since the Ronda's very first leaf. (I suspect it came in with the seeds.)
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| Ronda in the foreground, Puccini to the back |
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| Seedless, with a thicker skin |
Have you ever grown a parthenocarpic bush cucumber that is suitable size for the Aerogarden?
ReplyDeleteThese are the only cukes I've grown in an AG so far. I didn't have much luck finding ones that were parthenocarpic, bush, and small/pickling size.
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