UC Master Gardener Program of Alameda County

Cucumbers, squash, and melons

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Cucumbers

UC COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Recommended Cucumber Varieties
VarietyDescription
ArmenianHarvest at 8"-18" long • 65-70 days • Dark and light green • Vining

Valued for its flavor and attractive fruits, this cucumber is also known as snake melon. It is a heavy producer of light and dark green striped fruit that have a curved shape. An excellent slicer, the flesh is mild, sweet and crunchy. This variety requires a long and warm growing season.
Boston3-7" • 55 days • Green • Heirloom • Vining

An old heirloom dating back to 1880. Vigorous vines give large yields, excellent for pickles, very crisp and good quality. A very popular variety at the turn of the 20th century.
Bush6-8" • 55 days • Green • Hybrid • Bush

Juicy slicing cucumbers in record time on dwarf bushes, perfect for small space or container gardens. These sturdy indeterminate hybrid vines yield strong crops in both cool conditions and real summer heat. Resistant to powdery mildew, cucumber mosaic virus and scab.
DivaHarvest at 5-7" long • 58 days • Green • 5-6' • Vining

Distinctly tender, crisp, sweet and bitter free seedless cukes. Adapted for growing in fields, so no need for support. Especially flavorful when harvested small. Disease and mildew resistant.
EndeavorHarvest at 3-4" • 53 days • Green • Hybrid • Vining

This early-bearing pickling or “Kirby” cucumber is a kitchen garden dynamo that produces an extended harvest of crispy, curved fruits.
Garden Sweet Burpless10-12" • 55 days • Green • Vining

Unbelievable yields of fruits with faint striping and a smooth, thin skin. Completely burpless and bitter-free.
Green FingersHarvest at 3-5" • 60 days • Green • Vining

Cute mini cucumbers that are smooth, thin-skinned and crispy. The vigorous, powdery mildew tolerant vines are self-pollinating.
LemonHarvest at 1.5-2.5" • 65 days • Yellow • Vining

Small, rounded, pale yellow cucumbers. This versatile cucumber is sweet and flavorful, and doesn't have much of the chemical that makes other cucumbers bitter.
Pepinex12-14" • 65-70 days • Green • Vining

Flawless and refined, Pepinex produces premium English-type cucumbers on productive plants.
Straight Eight8" • 58 days • Green • Heirloom • Vining

Classic variety whose vigorous leafy vines bear good crops of juicy slicing cucumbers with a crunchy texture and mild, sweet flavor.

Squash

UC COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Recommended Squash Varieties
VarietyDescription
Igor Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin8-20 lbs. • 100 days • Orange • Vining

The traditional pumpkin of Halloween. Excellent for carving and cooking.

Catalog photo credits: UC Master Gardeners—1P. Dimas, 2P. Joki, 3D. Laner, 4T. Loftus, 5G. Myers, 6S. Wentz, 7S. Wood, 8C. Yip, 9Unknown UC Master Gardener of Alameda County.