- Purpose
- Description & Prices (Seeds & Shipping)
- Background
- Pre-Sprouting
- Reviews
- Refund Policy
- Frequently Asked Questions
Purpose
Our Purpose:
To Discover: To discover and gather as many Carosello and other unique cucumber-melon varieties as possible.
To Preserve: We grow out each variety, selecting unique traits that have historically characterized each specific cucumber variety. A portion of the first crop is often offered to original seed donors to replenish their own stock.
To Provide Access: Because access is key to preservation, we desire to distribute these incredible cucumber varieties with others.
Description
Cucumber Shop is a hobby business that specializes in open-pollinated cucumber and cucumber-melon varieties. Between the seed that I import and the seed that I produce, the minimal profit that is generated is cycled back into the business. I am always looking for new and exciting cucumber varieties. Each variety that I grow is stabilized to keep it as close to keep it as true-to-type as possible. Over time, various cucumber strains are refined until I offer them at Cucumber Shop.
What to expect when you order: High quality seed that will produce delicious cucumbers. Seed packets are labeled, with directions on the back.
Each sample seed packet contains 24 seeds. Priced at a set amount per packet (See more information after the Guarantee below) with free shipping in the U.S.
Each packet is protected with padding in an envelope.
Major Credit Cards and Paypal accepted.
Free seeds from my own vegetable seed collection are included in each order.
Guarantee: Cucumber Shop guarantees only seed quality and purity and will not be liable for more than the purchase price.
Pricing: The less it costs me to sell, the cheaper my prices. I charge the least for in-person transactions (no shipping required), I charge more for Venmo (“Jay Tracy@Cucumber_Shop” for Venmo) and Zelle (“[email protected]” for Zelle ),I charge more for Paypal and Stripe (various fees required), and – because of additional fees, I charge the most for other marketplaces, such as Etsy.
Background
The idea for Cucumber Shop began well before 2012, from a conversation I had with an Arizona and Tucson gardening guru named George Brookbank. At one Tucson Organic Gardener’s meeting I told him several of my concerns with the regular Armenian cucumber variety, to which he recommended an Armenian-type cucumber called a “Serpentine Cucumber”. His suggestion began my search for more regular cucumber and cucumber-melon varieties that would grow well in Arizona’s climate. Each time I grew out each new cucumber variety and experienced more success, I decided that I could offer these varieties to others. Over time, as I obtained more and more varieties, the little hobby shop has taken shape to become Cucumber Shop.
2012- registered CucumberShop domain & developed logo
2013- registered trademark and began ecommerce shop on Blogger
2014- CucumberShop opened on Etsy
2019- CucumberShop.com became its own website
Other events include acquiring specific cucumber varieties and domain names.
Several other domains that are incorporated into Cucumber Shop include CucumberSeed.com, CucumberSeeds.com, CucumberSeeds.net and CucumberSeedShop.com.
Pre-Sprouting
Higher germination can be achieved by pre-sprouting seed.
Pre-sprouting is different from transplanting. Because cucumbers have sensitive roots, transplanting can stunt cucumber growth. On the other hand, pre-sprouting can save growing time and help you achieve greater success in growing cucumbers. You can find my presprouting video here, or you can just follow the directions and pictures for my pre-sprouting method below.
Next- Add water to the paper towel (just enough to wet the paper towel). It is important to wring (or press) out any excess water before closing the ziploc bag. Too much water can make the seeds rot!
Reviews
If you have any questions about my service please see my reviews on Google, at Dave’s Garden or Etsy.
Any other questions you have can be directed to [email protected].
Refund Policy
-Questions about Refunds? Go to our Refund Policy page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you grow all of your own seeds?
A: I do grow many of the varieties that I sell and hope to continue to grow more varieties myself – to ensure better seed germination (sprouting) and vigor (healthy growth) than I get from any of the seeds I purchase.
Q: How many kinds of cucumber-melons do you offer?
A: Currently, we are offering 18 different varieties of cucumber melon. We currently offer more types of carosello cucumber than anyone else.
Q: Will these cucumbers cross with my other cucumbers?
A: Many of the varieties that I offer are cucumber-melons (botanically a melon and agriculturally a cucumber). If you are a seed saver and want to save pure seeds, you can any cucumber-melon (Cucumis Melo) next to regular cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) without crossing. If you are trying to grow pure seed, just make sure not to grow two cucumber-melon varieties (Cucumis Melo) together or two regular cucumber varieties (Cucumis Melo) together, as they will cross.
Q: What makes your cucumbers better than other cucumber varieties on the market?
A: The Carosello and Armenian-type cucumber varieties I offer are bitter-free, burpless rare heirloom cucumber seeds. Our goal is to offer the most delicious gourmet fresh-eating cucumbers that can be found anywhere. Many varieties possess specific shapes, contours, coloring, or incredible flavor that make them stand out from other cucumber varieties. Although they originate from southern Europe (mostly Italy) these cucumber varieties can (and do) grow anywhere you can grow regular cucumbers and perform even better in hot climates.
Q: Why don’t I see more of these cucumbers in the supermarket?
A: Because these cucumber-melon varieties have crisp, yet tender skin they do not travel as well as other cucumber varieties. Additionally, the more porous skin of cucumber- melons does not trap water in as well as many other hard waxy-skinned cucumber varieties. Out of these cucumber varieties, the regular Armenian cucumber variety travels better than some of the others, if picked later. You may even find this variety sold at a local farmer’s market. Once you start serving these fresh-picked cucumbers at home you may have difficulty returning to the store to pick up regular cucumbers.
Q: Why is there fuzz on the cucumber-melons you offer?
A: The slight fuzz is a characteristic that is exhibited by fruit in the melon family. Though some Carosello varieties exhibit more fuzz than others, the fuzz is generally harmless and can be easily brushed off. The fuzz may act as a natural deterrent for sap-sucking insects that would otherwise take advantage of the cucumber’s tender skin.
Q: Are your seeds Heirloom, Organic or Genetically-Modified?
A: Each seed variety that I sell is open-pollinated and, in a sense, heirloom. I personally grow each cucumber variety in an organic fashion, without the use of pesticides. None of the varieties that I offer are genetically modified
Q: Where do your cucumber varieties come from?
A: The majority of the cucumber-melon varieties that I offer have well over 50 years of history and are prized for their taste, texture and ability to grow in the environment of the Mediterranean and beyond. A few of the varieties are stable, recently introduced crosses, but the C. Melo variant Flexuosus that includes carosello are of ancient origin, dating back to at least ancient Egypt and are even spoken of in biblical text ( Hudáková, 2016) (Paris, 2008).
Q: Where does the Carosello cucumber name come come from?
A: The name “Carosello” for these cucumbers came by Italian seed companies trying to label the seeds with a word that would be familiar with consumers. A good friend of mine with a family history in the region where these cucumber-melons come from further explains: “In Italian the word “carosello” means the same as the English word “carousel” [meaning the amusement ride for children in which children ride around on a circle while listening to music from an organ]. In the case of the carosello cucumber, the most accepted explanation is that it comes from a local dialect word: “carusieddo” because the first place in Puglia in ancient times when “carusieddo” was first cultivated is Carosino, a small village close to Taranto. When seed companies decided to market “carusieddo”, they couldn’t write on seed packets a vernacular word, so they chose the closest Italian word to “carusieddo” as a sound: carosello, which doesn’t have anything to do with “carousel” in this case.”
To learn more about the origin of cucumber-melons, see: Paris, Harry & Janick, J. (2008). Reflections on linguistics as an aid to taxonomical identification of ancient Mediterranean cucurbits: the Piqqus of the Faqqous1., Hudáková, Lubica (2016) Gardening at Deir el-Bersha in the Middle Kingdom: a unique representation of Cucurbitaceae cultivation, and Janick, Jules & Paris, Harry & C Parrish, David. (2008). The Cucurbits of Mediterranean Antiquity: Identification of Taxa from Ancient Images and Descriptions. Annals of botany. 100. 1441-57.
The Cucumbershop logo is a registered Trademark.
No permission is given to use any picture on this website, without express consent.
Cucumbershop strives to provide regular Cucumber seed and Carosello cucumber seed varieties at the lowest price.
