Description

LEMON CUCUMBER (Cucumis sativus) is an heirloom introduced in 1894 by Samuel Wilson of Mechanicsville, Pennsylvania. Similar in appearance and size to a lemon, fruit averages 3" by 2". The skin is so thin there is no need to peel. Used primarily for pickling, slicing and in salads. Easy to digest - burpless! Rust and drought resistant, extremely productive. Allowed to mature it even has a citrusy flavor. 58-70 days. 10 seeds.

MEDICINAL: Cucumber dates back 3,000 years, in various forms, falling in and out of favor. It has little food value, being 96% water, but is a culinary delight nonetheless. The seeds are diuretic. The flesh has long been recognized for its cosmetic value in soothing, softening and lightening the skin, especially in delicate areas such as that surrounding the eye. One of my favorite and most effective homemade skin treatments is a chilled slush of ripe avocado and cucumber applied as a mask for 20 minutes after I've been out in the garden. It nourishes and soothes and is of course totally natural!

GROWING TIPS: Since water is what makes your cucumbers so luscious, be sure they receive regular watering during all phases of their growth. Unless they are hybrid bush types, cukes need to be trained onto some sort of vertical apparatus (I prefer simply string and stake method, but you can put containers with a conical trellis. They like warmth and a sweet soil so you may need to add some lime a few weeks before you sow. You can sow directly or start indoors. Most importantly, once they begin to fruit you should pick regularly, because any spent cucumbers on the vine will signal the vine to stop producing and shut down.