A Gardener's Diary

[Monksdream]

August 6,7-Sunday was a cloudless day, and more important, less humid. I was able to work into the afternoon clearing weeds and sowing cucumber seeds. It rained overnight. I picked a dozen Jenny Lind cantaloupes. I'm still waiting on the Sugar Baby watermelons. I may not pick another one until the end of August. More brassica seeds have germinated and sit in a tray in their Jiffy pellets. The ones in the soil are looking better each day.

Seed Savers Exchange, in Decorah, Iowa, usually provides some interesting anecdotes on the back of the packets. This one is for the Russian Pickling cukes I sowed in 7 hills Sunday afternoon.

First offered in the 1991 Yearbook by Daniel L. Flyger from South Dakota who said the seed was brought to Hutchinson County, SD by Schwartmeer Duetsch (aka Black Sea Germans) in the 1870s. Daniel originally received his seeds from his neighbor, Viola Neuharth. Early maturing smooth green pickling cucumber with a delicious sweet flavor and good crunch. 50-55 days.