has yours stopped producing fruit? mine has, but it continues to grow well... i'm hopeful that it will kick back into production later in the season. has your armenian started setting fruit? mine has... and it was immediately attacked by the $#(#*&*#$ pickleworm. ah, well...

Hey Guys and Gals, so far I'm with Michael regarding the Armenian cukes, but bugs seem to have no interest in the Asian calabash gourds (India Long, Asia Short), they are still producing, and the India Long is a monster, shorter but fatter than the cucuzzi. I'm going to post a picture of my new arbor later today, I'll show them.

My 2 cucuzzi vines are dead. The Armenian cuke plants look terrible. However, my one 'Green Dragon' cuke is doing quite well even with pure neglect. It is starting to produce. Picked a big, Straight 8 style cuke this evening.

Tom, just saw your post with your calabash. How are they different from the cucuzzi? They sure to look very similar. I'm still getting Metki Painted Serpent melons. I'm really, really hooked on them.

Hi Christine,

I would love some seeds if still available.

Thx
Tina

I sent an email to you for some seeds too, did you get it? ;o)

Most of the seeds I tried just recently didn't do well except for the pumpking types. They seem to be going to produce some veggies. Silvia loves the metki too, so that's on my list to try next.

Hi Christime,

Sending you an email for a few seeds if still available. They look wonderful!!

Ginny

gotta get them metki... very tasty. the quality of the flesh is slightly inferior to a good cuke, but they're sweet and crunchy.

Christine,
Would love some seeds also, I am so inspired by all of the gardens.!!!!!!!!!!!!I am going to try everything I can get my hands on. Thanks Joan(the couple on the motorcycle)

Ok, where do you get seeds for the Metki? I just googled it and if it tastes anything like a cuke I would love it!! I wish I had some seeds to swap, but any I have are ornamental.

Ginny

wait... i can't remember... are the thai serpent and the metki the same? christine gave me a thai serpent... it was tasty and looked cool...

I guess this will solve the mystery about the Metki. However if you never try A Japanese cucumber, that one wins top honors for me. It is producing now in this heat, no bitterness and almost no seeds.
Silvia

Here is a link that might be useful: metki seeds

Silvia, thanks for the link. Do they all taste the same as they have three different varieties? Which have you grown that is the tastiest?

Ginny

which japanese do you grow? the Sakata's Sweet that's listed on baker, or another? and, sylvia, do you grow the armenian yard-long? (sorry, christine, for hijacking the thread a bit...)

Ginny
They are all called Armenian cucumbers. And I have been growing them since I lived in Arizona. First time that I grow the Painted serpent, they have kind of similar taste, however, for the looks I like the painted serpent better than others.

Michael
I stumbled upon packets of oriental seeds when I went to the Oriental market to get sticky rice. Only Orientals shopped there so is the real deal, stuff not found anywhere else. And because seeds were cheap, I got few packets to try. One of them was the cucumber that they said does well with the heat, and they were not kidding. I have to go knock on doors this morning to give my neighbors cucumbers!

If you look on the pics from yesterday Sunday activities. They are there, the dark green ones.

When Willy comes home, I will go back again to the market and hopefully I will still find some more seeds. I will grow this from now on.

The bad part is that you do have to cover them with the knee-highs. A little extra step, it works!

Silvia

Sorry Christine, for hijacking the thread, but Michael started,lol

Michael & Silvia
I'm taking great pleasure in you "hijacking" the thread. Great discussions. I'll get a little off track too and show you a new pic of the Thai Serpent. Just started picking them last week. This is the vine that has been producing lacy white flowers for quite a while. I was beginning to think that it was never going to set any fruit. Michael, what I gave you was Metki Painted Serpent. Silvia, I would like to try the Japanese cuke if you can spare a couple of seeds.

Ginny, I grew 2 of the 3 varieties that Baker Creek has (seeds given to me from Tom). The Medki White melon produced first. It tasted like a cuke with pronounced seeds. They stopped producing. Then the Metki Painted Serpent melon started producing, fairly heavily. I found this one to be more tender. I will surely grow this one again unless Silvia's Japanese cuke changes my mind.

I got emails from Ginny and Wanda so far. Will the rest of you send me your home addresses so I can mail the seeds? I cut open the second mature Cucuzzi tonight so there will be plenty of seeds to share.

I will have some Cocozelle zucchini squash seeds soon to share. The zucchini has matured to orange so I presume that it is mature enough to cut open and take the seeds. If anyone wants some of those seeds too, let me know.

Christine

Christine, didn't you get my email? I sent it through GW, as I am having problems with my pc.

Christine, I would love a couple of the Cocozelle seeds as well if you have enough.

Ginny

Kathy, I emailed you.

I've been way to busy at work, been away from this post for two whole days!

Tom, just saw your post with your calabash. How are they different from the cucuzzi? They sure to look very similar. I'm still getting Metki Painted Serpent melons. I'm really, really hooked on them.

The cucuzzi and the Tromboncino's gave out way before the Asian calabash gourds, although they are all in the calabash family I think.

...show you a new pic of the Thai Serpent. Just started picking them last week....

I was not wild about the Thai Serpent snake gourds but I'm definitely sold on the Metki Painted Serpent cukes and probably will grow them in the fall, but I sure want to try Silvia's Japanese cukes too.

For those of you who want to see the seeds we were spreading around this spring here's the original post, with links to descriptions....

Tom, the tromboncino vines have gotten a second wind. They are running over the ground taking over the veggie garden. There's lots of little squashes but none have set. Doesn't matter because they can't stay there. Veggie planting time is only a month away. Too bad that the Thai Serpent is so unspactacular because the flowers are so unusual. Looking forward to growing Silvia's Japanese cukes.

Christine

Tom
The crops producing in my garden now and that I really like are the Table Dainty, that you so generously shared with me. Shishito Japanese peppers, yard longs, the Asian cucumber. I have some painted Metki too.

As soon as Willy comes home, I will go over to the market and get all the seeds they have. They are all written in symbols, Chinese or something similar. But, I remember the picture and is a variety popular for them because I saw them picking it out. And I ask one man. Is this good? He said, very good.
They were growing in an arbor just like the one you made it. I think this way, they get long and straight.

And Christine, I will send you some too. Just don't blame me when you have to put the knee-highs on them. Is like putting pantyhose on a man!lol

Silvia

silvia, i'd love some, too! you can send them to christine and we'll share. i planted some of your yellow submarine tomatoes two days ago and they're already up! your yellow tamarillo is doing very well, too.

Michael, no problem. I will mail them to you. Those yellow submarines, are my neighbors favorites. I just talked to them today and they are asking me to grow this variety for them again.

If you get to fruit that yellow tamarillo will be great. I keep mine under the bananas in pots. They should fruit in 2 years. You can juice them, use them in salads, desserts or make a hot sauce, my favorite!

Try to grow those Shishito peppers, I think I gave you some. They are small and sweet with a little bit of spice. They are doing great with the heat. It is in the list of my other neighbor favorites. He made them in a stir fry with the red noodle yard long.

Silvia

Just don't blame me when you have to put the knee-highs on them. Is like putting pantyhose on a man!lol

Hey, it that's what it takes I'll wear them, oops, I'm mean I'll put them on ;-)

I have 23 of the Dolma Kabak seeds, I know Silvia wants to try it, anyone else? It's supposed to be a summer squash from Turkey.

Tom

Tom, am I on your list? You know I'm up to trying anything new.

Also, LAST CALL FOR ASKING FOR CUCUZZI SEEDS. I will be mailing them out the beginning of next week. I got a greater response than expected. I also have some cocozelle zucchini seeds to share. Oh, and some extra Seminole pumpkins seeds too. Email me soon if you want some.

Christine

Tom, am I on your list? You know I'm up to trying anything new.

Of course you are Christine; you're on the short list for the Dolma Kabak. I know I can count on you, Silvia and Michael to try any seeds I purchase so we can hopefully all come up with new fruits and veggies...on that note I also purchased some Galia seeds. I prefer honeydews better but know they won't produce here so I'm trying to trick my mind into accepting a green cantaloupe :-) The UF website says they will grow here, guess we'll find out. I purchased Girlie and Gala from here; now the question is, fall or spring? :-)

Tom

SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN MAILING OUT SEEDS. I will have them in the mail tomorrow, Friday.

Christine

they have attained consciousness...

i'm not one who normally speaks with plants, but this weekend i told my cucuzzi that i was going to put an abrupt end to its plans for WORLD DOMINATION if it didn't start putting out (fruit)... and today, i noticed two six-inch long fruits hanging from its arbor...

pickleworm! i have defeated you...

There you go with those pickle worms again. . . Well, if I get pickleworms, I'll just tell them that I know Ill-man kung-foo. They'll run.

You two are too funny! My calabash India Long never stopped putting out squash, I hate to say this but I'm tired of them, they have a distinct flavor that is different from traditional summer squash....

Tom

Tom---Have you tried the Calabash 'Green Bell'? I just got those seeds in the mail recently from Evergreen Enterprises.

You know, I still see some little Metki Painted Serpents trying to form. Haven't gotten any in a while. I'll never get sick of those.

Pickleworms ... yummy, chickens say thanks.

Christine

You know, I still see some little Metki Painted Serpents trying to form. Haven't gotten any in a while. I'll never get sick of those.

I agree with you on that one Christine, I just gave away most of the Asian seeds but I did keep all the Metki's, and loved the Painted Serpent so much I think I'll try it again this fall along with the traditional cukes....

Tom