In our urban demonstration garden here in northeast Florida, we like to try new-to-us varieties of common crops, along with our tried-and-true varieties. Just to see what happens! Will they grow well in our soil and weather? Will they be bothered by our insects? Will they have a trait that we especially like? How do they compare to our standard varieties? Will they taste good? Last spring we tried Armenian cucumbers, and set out to answer these questions.  We think you may want to try them too.

Our Experimental Crop

The Armenian cucumber (Cucumis melo var. Flexuosus,) is, technically, not a cucumber (Cucumis sativus) at all. It’s a melon. But it looks kind of like a cucumber, and it tastes a lot like one. Its cultivation originated in Asia and the Middle East and dates to at least the 15th century. From there, it traveled to Europe and North America by the 1800s. Today it is grown worldwide, and there are many different cultivars.

Also known as yard long cucumber, snake cucumber or snake melon, it is a very long, thin skinned fruit. It may be curved and curly or straight.  Unlike cucumbers familiar to many Americans, the green skin is not smooth, but “rippled” in long rows, and has varying shades of green, to pale yellow, at maturity. It contains vitamins C, A, and K, and is a great source of hydration.

Planting and Growing

As with any crop, a key to success is planting it in the right place at the right time. For the Armenian cucumber this means planting in full sun only once the soil has warmed up in the spring. Like other members of the Cucurbit family, it needs warm soil (about 70°F.) to germinate and thrive. It tolerates heat very well, an advantage for Florida growers.

Direct seed 6-12 inches apart and thin to 18-36 inches apart. Although the Armenian cucumber grows in a variety of soils, it does best in well-drained, fertile soil with a pH of 6:0-6.8.  Consistent and sufficient water throughout the growing phase is a must for good production. Slow-release fertilizer helps improve production. Under ideal conditions, you can go from seed to abundant harvest in about two months.

Like other cucumbers you may know, the Armenian cucumber is a vigorous climber, easily clinging to a trellis or a fence. Nevertheless, it can also be grown on the ground. Those grown on the ground will typically be curlier, while those grown on a trellis will be straighter. In our garden last year, the cucumbers grew on the ground with minimal insect or disease damage. This was one of its biggest selling points, since we typically have heavy insect pressure on cucumbers in our demonstration garden. Row covers at night can help minimize insect pressure. Just be sure to uncover them during the day to allow pollination, or hand pollinate.

Harvesting

Harvest for best flavor at 12 to 14 inches in length. Even at full length of about 24 inches, however, the cucumber is still tasty. Harvest early in the day and cut the fruit off the vine (rather than pulling) to avoid damaging the vine. Immerse it in ice water for a bit to help lengthen the storage time. And be sure to harvest regularly to encourage the plant to keep producing fruit. Happy vines will produce a large amount of fruit relatively quickly.

Cooking and Eating

So, how does it taste?  After growing it successfully, we tasted it.   Master Gardener Volunteer Joanie Raiford made a

cucumber salad and a cucumber walnut bread.  Our taste-testers enjoyed both.  It has a mild flavor and is not bitter.  It’s cucumber-like, but crunchier.  The crunch helped it hold up to dressing in our salad.  The skin is indeed thin and does not need to be peeled.  You can eat it raw.  It would be good in salads or sandwiches.  It could also be used in sushi, dips, such as tzatziki, relishes and breads. You can pickle it.  You can stir-fry or grill it.  Once you start growing it, you will likely have a lot of fruit, so you may want to try several types of recipes.    

Our Conclusion

The Armenian cucumber is definitely worth growing here in northeast Florida.  It grows easily and quickly, tolerates heat well, produces lots of fruit, and was not as bothered by insects as regular cucumbers were in our garden.  Its crunchier texture makes it a more versatile ingredient in a wider range of recipes than regular cucumbers, and it tasted good.

A Recipe to Try

Below is the recipe for Cucumber Walnut Bread that our Master Gardener Volunteer made using our Armenian cucumber. We loved it. Try it and see what you think!

Cucumber Walnut Bread
Author: Uma Raghupathi

Makes one 9″x5” Loaf

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Wheat flour
• 1 Tsp Baking power
• 1 Tsp Baking soda
• ½ Tsp Salt
• ½ Cup Corn Oil, or any oil
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Cup grated cucumber
• ½ Cup Walnuts
• ½ Tsp Cinnamon
• ½ Tsp Nutmeg
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tbsp Flaxseed Meal or Chia Seeds
• 6 Tbsp warm water

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.  Grease 9 x 5-inch loaf pan lightly with oil. Soak flaxseed in 6 Tbsp. warm water. Whisk and mix dry ingredients: Flour, soda, salt, powder, nutmeg, salt and cinnamon. Grate cucumber. Layout on paper towel to strain excess water. Do not squeeze. In separate bowl, combine sugar, oil, vanilla and flaxseed or chia “eggs.” Mix well for an even consistency.

Combine dry mixture into wet. Stir until combined. Fold in walnuts. Pour all into loaf pan and bake 50 minutes. Once done, remove from oven and cool in pan for 20 minutes. Invert onto cooling rack. Serve warm or cold.

Master Gardener Volunteer Joanie Raiford contributed to this column and prepared the recipes mentioned.

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