Kitchen Garden Forum

Can somebody please explain to me why some cucumbers have prickly skins and some are smooth? Is it a characteristic of specific varieties or of F1 hybrids? Last year year I grew three plants; but two of them were unknown varities purchased from a garden centre to replace two home-germinated ones I lost. Some had smooth skins and others had prickly skins which weren't so nice and I want to try and avoid this happening again.

Dear Primrose, a lot of the older varieties have prickly skins, i think over the years through selective breeding they have bred out the pricklyness.
Although i think some of the old prickly ones are a lot nicer.

Same with people OH

Alan

i thought that indoor growing varieties had smooth skins and the outdoor growing varieties had knobbly/prickly skins - perhaps not?
Seedling

Some of the modern outdoor ones are quite smooth now Seedling.

Is there any way you can tell what you're going to get? The seed providers don't ofteninclude this sort of information on the packet.

Most of my seed catalogues tell you whether they are spineless or have few spines, i think most of the F1's are spineless though Primrose.

I hate to admit it, but he's right. Just check the rules. Most of the indoor ones are smooth.......

Dear Tigger, i don't mind if you don't like me.

And lets not forget that F1 hybrids or indoor types should not be grown with open pollinated outdoor types.
The F1 /indoor do not want to be fertlised wheras the outdoor types should be let fertilise.
If F1/indoor types get fetilised their fruits will become bitter!

I am a big fan of 'F1 petita' or 'F1 passandra'. loads of 8" cucumbers. A normal household (4 people)would only need one of these plants. 8" is ideal amount for the kitchen table anyhow. I got mine from Kings seeds. other companys will have similar types.