slw
AGA Bounty
Posts: 849 
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Post by slw on Oct 8, 2023 18:18:24 GMT -5
lynnee--thanks for the kind words, but I don't do anything special. I just use the AG nutes and keep the water level up. I do pinch side branch buds to keep the growth focused on a single vine to wind around the trellis instead of climbing straight up, even in the Farm. I think that keeps more leaves closer to the lights, but I can't say for sure that it makes any difference.
scarfguy--the taste is similar IMO. Very mild, crunchy and juicy. The AG cukes have more of those little "spikes" on the skin but they are easily rubbed off while rinsing under cold water. Both have thin skins and don't need peeling.
With my somewhat limited experience I'd choose the AG cukes over Iznik, but we all know there are so many variables... water, age of seeds, etc. So whatever grows best this time could be a dud next time.
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slw
AGA Bounty
Posts: 849
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Post by slw on Oct 8, 2023 18:23:43 GMT -5
Oh, lynnee--I forgot to answer you about the room temperature. We have central a/c and the room stays pretty much at a constant 76 degrees. I will try to keep the temp around the same when it's time to turn on the furnace! |
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slw
AGA Bounty
Posts: 849
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Post by slw on Oct 8, 2023 18:48:00 GMT -5
From the AG website, one of the questions about the cukes is what variety are they. The response from AG: "This cucumber in this kit will be a bush variety, ready to harvest in 10-12 weeks." That 10-12 weeks sounds a tad long to me. Also, the picture of the cucumbers on the AG website looks nothing like the ones I have so far.
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tdse
AGA Sprout
Posts: 122
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Post by tdse on Oct 10, 2023 15:27:52 GMT -5
From the AG website, one of the questions about the cukes is what variety are they. The response from AG: "This cucumber in this kit will be a bush variety, ready to harvest in 10-12 weeks." That 10-12 weeks sounds a tad long to me. Also, the picture of the cucumbers on the AG website looks nothing like the ones I have so far. I found this information on another site /forum, and cannot validate, but there it said that the AG cukes were the "Quick Snack" variety (you can find these at Territorial Seeds). I do have some Quick Snack seeds, but have not yet attempted to plant them. Actually, just remembered that I had an unused box of AG cucumbers, and looked on the side of the box - it does say "Quick Snack". Edit: Here's a pic of the side of the AG Cucumber box:  And the picture of the plant on the Territorial Seed site looks just like the AG Cukes I have growing in my Bounty currently. |
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slw
AGA Bounty
Posts: 849
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Post by slw on Oct 10, 2023 22:47:43 GMT -5
Good info, tdse. I threw the box for my cucumber pods in the trash so thanks for posting that label. |
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Post by lynnee on Oct 10, 2023 23:46:16 GMT -5
tdse, Good info, indeed! Now I can say that I like the Mini Munch slightly better than the AG cuke without being embarrassed when it turned out that AG was using Mini Munch. 
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slw
AGA Bounty
Posts: 849
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Post by slw on Oct 21, 2023 17:15:12 GMT -5
Today I terminated the Iznik but the AG cukes are still going gang-busters. There are probably 8-10 cukes on there that are ready to harvest.
I think I have figured out what I don't like about either variety... both are very watery. I like a juicy cucumber but so far the types I have grown hydroponically are tasteless when compared to a soil-grown cuke. Since I had great success earlier this summer with pickling cucumbers in raised soil beds I have decided to try one of those seeds in a Bounty. I'm curious to see if they will be more firm and "meaty" than the thin-skin varieties. I'd love to make some nice crunchy pickles and my first attempt with AG cukes was a disappointing jar of limp pickles.
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Post by scarfguy on Oct 21, 2023 17:55:20 GMT -5
Nothing worse than a limp pickle, slw.  |
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Post by lynnee on Oct 21, 2023 19:16:03 GMT -5
Today I terminated the Iznik but the AG cukes are still going gang-busters. There are probably 8-10 cukes on there that are ready to harvest.
I think I have figured out what I don't like about either variety... both are very watery. I like a juicy cucumber but so far the types I have grown hydroponically are tasteless when compared to a soil-grown cuke. Since I had great success earlier this summer with pickling cucumbers in raised soil beds I have decided to try one of those seeds in a Bounty. I'm curious to see if they will be more firm and "meaty" than the thin-skin varieties. I'd love to make some nice crunchy pickles and my first attempt with AG cukes was a disappointing jar of limp pickles.
The AG Quick Snack cukes are intended to be harvested at 3" max, and eaten raw, I think. My AG cuke keeps figuring out how to hide at least one developing cuke from me, and so I harvested another big fat 4" cuke this morning. I'll eat it, because I love cucumbers, but I know that it will be somewhat bitter. H doesn't like these, but he loves the 2-1/2" to 3" cukes. The snack-size cukes have a delicate, extra-fresh flavor.  |
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slw
AGA Bounty
Posts: 849
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Post by slw on Oct 21, 2023 23:41:20 GMT -5
The AG Quick Snack cukes are intended to be harvested at 3" max, and eaten raw, I think. My AG cuke keeps figuring out how to hide at least one developing cuke from me, and so I harvested another big fat 4" cuke this morning. I'll eat it, because I love cucumbers, but I know that it will be somewhat bitter. H doesn't like these, but he loves the 2-1/2" to 3" cukes. The snack-size cukes have a delicate, extra-fresh flavor.  I don't know if it's the difference in water or the nutes, but I have not found any of the Aerogarden cukes (either variety) to be bitter and I wait till they are 4-5" to pick them. At that size, the seeds are still not mature and they look perfect... they just don't have much flavor and seem watery.
Also, my AG cukes are on day 51 (~7 wks) and I've been picking them for a couple of weeks. If I waited the 10-12 weeks that Aerogarden says is the "ready to harvest" estimate, they'd be a lot bigger than 2.5-3".
Here's one from today...
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Post by lynnee on Oct 22, 2023 10:28:13 GMT -5
slw, have you tried one of the little-finger-sized cukes? Was it tasteless like the larger ones you've been harvesting? My "babies" taste a little different. FWIW, the AG cukes really crisp up if refrigerated right after harvesting. Must confess, I'm really lucky, because our water comes out of the tap with neutral pH. It comes from a creek that has its source in the Sierras. I grow cukes with AG nutes alone.
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slw
AGA Bounty
Posts: 849
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Post by slw on Oct 22, 2023 11:03:10 GMT -5
Yes, I have tried the small size; they are definitely more firm but taste about the same. I always store cukes in the refrigerator, and put them into an ice water bath for an hour or so before pickling.
I don't know anything about the pH of my tap water but things seem to grow properly. I was just mentioning that because you said you get bitter cukes and I have not had that experience. It sounds like you are harvesting them at "gherkin" size.
I picked 15 cukes this morning and I'm going to try making another jar of pickles. This time I'm leaving the cukes whole instead of slicing them in half so we'll see how this goes.
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Post by lynnee on Oct 22, 2023 22:36:24 GMT -5
Yes, slw, I harvest the Mini Munch and Quick Snack cukes at large gherkin (sweet pickle) size. Good luck with the whole pickle pickling!  |
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