One of the best producers in our garden year after year is the Achocha Cucumbers. Also sometimes called the Bolivian Cucumber or Fat Baby Cucumber. They are normally grown in Central and South American but perform really well in much the North American climate.
They are pest and disease resistant and will produce a lot of fruit in later summer if you give them something substantial to climb on. An arbor makes a great choice they will really fill it in well. Not only will they produce heavily, but they are really attractive once they take over a climbing area.
One thing I forgot to mention is that all the vines at the end of the year can be composted and produce a really good compost for the next year. In some climates, you can get a lot of volunteers to come up from seeds that fell the year before.
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I will be buy some of your seeds. I like trying different plants.
Hey Zac! This is my 2nd year in growing them! No success the first year but this year I have 3 plants growing. Their vines probably only got to around 6 or 7 feet but still producing. I have been able to harvest a couple times now and another batch is coming in now. It is amazing how much water is inside them, even with the drought here in central IL. When I took them into work more than one person noticed how much water was in them, oh and they also looked at it funny and was not sure about eating spikes! Once they did eat it they at least said they enjoyed it! I still have some seeds from you but also will try to harvest a few of my own this year. It has been fun growing them, thanks for introducing them!
Great to hear about your success. If you can find some rabbit manure, watch them explode in growth.
Great Video Zack I finally got Steemit to work and found you
Welcome aboard! Glad to have you here!
Silly questions: Can you can (pickle) or freeze the little guys?
Freeze maybe...pickles didn't turn out so great on our first try. We just prefer to eat them fresh in the later summer and early fall.
Good question! I like pickles. :)
We eat tons of pickles, but only homemade ones...
Another awesome visit to the homestead! Shared for others!
Shalom Brother Zac,
I found the only store in the whole of Australia that has both varieties of Achocha in stock.
The spiny Fat Baby Achocha and the smooth, larger variety of Achocha called Giant Bolivian Slipper Cucumber.
I'm growing the Giant slipper variety on a trellis with red malbar spinach, loofa, muscadines and Tromboncino squash.
I figure it'll confuse the pests that like to eat my muscadines by hiding them in a forest of other less palatible species.
Blessings from my household to yours,
~D.
Wow! I need to look into these since I live in Panama. We recently went to a flower festival and saw a cucumber vine growing there. I don't know why I never thought of getting one started here. Need to get some seeds.
Bought some from you last year, didn't enjoy it myself. Would still buy for future uses one day when I can afford a homestead.
@mericanhomestead, lucky you. I purchased seeds and planted them under a cattle panel trellis I built to support the vines. Then ... nothing! not a single start ... not a vine. Very disappointing. So glad you are having luck with them.