Bench Card

Burpless cucumbers are nearly seedless and make a great slicing cucumber. It produces a consistently straight, cylindrical fruit for easy slicing. Fruit is a medium to dark green, 8-10" in length. Tender fruit requires no peeling as the skin is soft and tender. Burpless cucumbers should be grown on stakes for a larger harvest. Disease resistant.

The inside temperature of a cucumber can be 20 degrees F cooler than the outside.  Cucumbers consist of 95% water and a half cup sliced contains only 8 calories!  Keeping the ripe fruits picked at least every other day will encourage new growth and more pickles!  Cucumbers are also very popular as a skin care product.

Water Day/Week -- Cucumbers like plenty of water, 1" plus per week, more during dry spells.  Water in the morning deeply at the roots.  Avoid getting the leaves wet to prevent disease.

Harvest -- Pick fruits that are 8" and under for the best flavor.  Check plants every other day and remove large fruits and discard.  Removing these over-mature cucumbers will encourage more production.

Bench Card

Bush pickle cucumbers are great for containers and are high yielding. These 4-5" cucumbers are grown on 3-4' long, bushy vines. Consider growing on a trellis or fence to conserve garden space and reap higher yields. Excellent for pickling and perfect as a fresh slicer.

Cucumbers contain silica, a mineral that can boost collagen production to lessen those fine lines around the eyes.

Water Day/Week -- Likes plenty of water, 1" plus per week, more during dry spells. Water in the morning deeply at the roots. Avoid getting the leaves wet to prevent disease.

Harvest -- Pick fruits that are 8" and under for the best flavor.  Check plants every other day and remove large fruits and discard.  Removing these over-mature cucumbers will encourage more production.

Bench Card

This is a popular, award winning variety of slicing cucumbers.  It is an early bearer of smooth, straight 8" long fruit. The dark green, uniform fruits measure 2 1/2" across with a small seed cavity and crisp flesh. Good fresh or pickled.

To refresh your eyes, grate some cucumber and apply to the area under the eyes.  Rest for 20 minutes, then rinse with cool water.

Water Day/Week --  Likes plenty of water, 1" plus per week, more during dry spells.  Water in the morning deeply at the roots.  Avoid getting the leaves wet to prevent disease.

Harvest -- Pick fruits that are 8" and under for best flavor.  Check plants every other day and remove large, over-mature fruits to encourage more production.

Bench Card

Also known as muskmelon, this variety is very popular due to its great flavor. Extra sweet and juicy, with a great aroma. The 6" melons average 5 pounds each. Vines are vigorous and disease resistant. Harvest when the stem easily breaks away from the melon. Plant on hills at the edge of the garden for best production.

Water Day/Week -- Water deeply at the base of the plants several times a week (1-2") and avoid getting water on the foliage.  Melons do not like drought and lack of water can stress your plants.  Water regularly after planting and while fruit is developing, then cut back when the melons are about 1-2 weeks from harvest to increase the sugar content for better tasting melons.

Harvest -- When the netting becomes rough and coarse and the stem also "slips" away easily from the melon.

Bench Card

Super sweet, high yielding watermelon. Excellent home garden variety. Nearly round melons are light green with darker green striping, and weigh between 15-25 pounds each. Deep red, crispy, super sweet flesh and only a few seeds. Transplant two plants on slightly elevated hills, at the edge of garden to conserve space.

Water Day/Week -- Water deeply at the base of the plants several times a week (1-2") and avoid getting water on the foliage.  Melons do not like drought and lack of water can stress your plants.  Water regularly after planting and while fruit is developing, then cut back when the melons are about 1-2 weeks from harvest to increase the sugar content for better tasting melons.

Harvest -- Apply light pressure with your thumbnail to the rind.  If the rind is soft and the nail pierces the melon, it's not quite ripe yet.  Roll the melon and look at the bottom.  A white or green ground spot (bottom) means the melon is not ripe.  A yellow ground spot is what you're looking for!

Bench Card

AAS Winner! Also known as a breakfast, Christmas or dessert melon, this oval fruit has a smooth yellow skin with green mottling. Sweet, white, aromatic flesh inside these 2 to 4 pound melon. Stores well in fridge. Plant 2 plants on slightly elevated hills. Melons will not continue to ripen once cut from the vine. A good indicator of when to pick a melon is by applying some pressure to the blossom end - there should be some "give".

Water Day/Week -- Water deeply at the base of the plants several times a week (1-2") and avoid getting water on the foliage.  Melons do not like drought and lack of water can stress your plants.  Water regularly after planting and while fruit is developing, then cut back when the melons are about 1-2 weeks from harvest to increase the sugar content for better tasting melons.

Harvest -- When you harvest this melon, look for a fruit that feels heavy for its size, has a pleasant aroma and when you apply a little pressure to the blossom end, it has some "give."

Bench Card

Popular, heavy yielding pumpkin with good handles and deep ribs. Vigorous vines produce deep orange fruits, with a uniform, deep rounded shape. Each pumpkin weighs an average of 20-25 pounds. Excellent for carving and fall displays. Use the flesh for delicious pie, cookie, and bread recipes.

Water Day/Week -- Water deeply at the roots (early in the day) when the soil is dry -- 1 to 2" is plenty for the week, divided into two waterings if conditions are really hot and dry.  Keep water off of the foliage to reduce the changes of disease.  You can reduce watering as harvest time draws near.

Harvest -- When the vines die off or a frost is predicted.  If your crop is ready before the vines wither or frost gets them, you can wait until the pumpkins are a deep orange color as they will not change color once you cut them from the vine.  To encourage ripening, cut away some of the larger leaves near the pumpkin.  Using a knife or clippers, cut the stem, leaving at least 4" for the handle (for carving).  Allow the pumpkin to just hang out in the garden to cure for 1 week, then you can remove it from the garden for carving or cooking.

Bench Card

This variety of squash produces a large, unique fruit that can be served with spaghetti sauce. Fruits are 8-9" long, about 3-4 pounds each. Rind is hard, smooth, and medium yellow and the inside looks like spaghetti. A nutritious, low calorie alternative to pasta. Store for several months in a cool, dry location for an early winter treat. Excellent flavor.

Water Day/Week -- Squash set down long taproots to access moisture deep within the garden but still enjoy at least 1" of water weekly, sometimes more depending on the weather.  Water deeply at the roots early in the day and avoid moisture fluctuations when plants are setting fruit to avoid blossom end rot.  Avoid water getting on the leaves to help reduce the chance of disease.

Harvest -- Fruits are ready to harvest when the skin has hardened (your thumbnail can't easily pierce the skin) and the "ground spot" changes from white to a cream or gold color.

Bench Card

Compact and bushy, these high yielding plants produce an abundance of straight fruits. Excellent summer squash for flavor and color, with firm, meaty flesh. Best flavor when harvested between 6-8" in length. Can be eaten raw, but more commonly baked, boiled, or used in stir fry.

Water Day/Week -- Squash set down long taproots to access moisture deep within the garden but still enjoy at least 1" of water weekly, sometimes more depending on the weather.  Water deeply at the roots early in the day and avoid moisture fluctuations when plants are setting fruit to avoid blossom end rot.  Avoid water getting on the leaves to help reduce the chance of disease.

Harvest -- Fruits are ready to harvest when the skin is still tender and the "ground spot" changes from white to cream or gold color.

Bench Card

Easy to grow, prolific producer in the warm summer garden. This plant performs well under stressful conditions, yielding abundant fruits that are nearly spineless. For optimum flavor, harvest fruits when they are 4-6". Pick often to encourage new growth. Use raw for salads, cook in soups, or use in baked goods.

Water Day/Week -- Squash set down long taproots to access moisture deep within the garden but still enjoy at least 1" of water weekly, sometimes more depending on the weather.  Water deeply at the roots early in the day and avoid moisture fluctuations when plants are setting fruit to avoid blossom end rot.  Avoid water getting on the leaves to help reduce the chance of disease.

Harvest -- Optimal size for harvesting is between 4 and 6" in lenght.  Cut from the vines with a knife or nippers.  Remove over-mature fruits to encourage new growth.