Can I grow lemon cucumbers in my area, Southeast VA, zone8? Pic incl'd

Question

Lemon cucumbers: I found these on the Bonnie plants website, and usually there's info attached on where you can find a retailer that has them, but instead it had a disclaimer stating not all Bonnie retailers would have them.... But nowhere here has them, and I've checked everywhere. I finally found a different brand of the seeds at a small local spot, and even the cashier said "hmmm, I've never seen anyone buy these".

It makes me wonder if these plants are hard to find here because the conditions needed differ than pickling or straight cukes. Or maybe they're just rare. Can I grow these in Norfolk, VA, USA? If so, I'm assuming (I could be wrong) it's too late for this season, but, when is the best time for me to plant seeds?

Answer 1

I don't see why you couldn't. Where I live, it's USDA zone 8a and my parents always grew them. I never thought of them as rare but few people knew what they were. I'd say they're more akin in flavour to the long English cucumbers but a little juicier. Their skin is nicely thin so no peeling is needed. The tiny spines on the skin are soft and can be rubbed off easily.

Most sites that sell the seeds say they are ideal for cooler climates and don't need as much heat to ripen. Rare Seeds has a list of reviews from people who grew them you can look at. The cucumbers aren't rare but they are heirloom. Best time to plant them would be the same as regular cukes since all plants when young are more susceptible to cold temperatures. Or you could start seeds early - 2 weeks max - and use peat pots so you can directly transplant them without disturbing the roots. It was my parents' method.