Green wonder in your own garden bed: Discover my special cucumber variety!

Growing your own vegetables is much more than just a hobby – it's a small, everyday magic. In a world that spins incredibly fast, the garden teaches us patience and mindfulness. When we plant a seed or carefully bed a young plant, we make a pact with nature. We give water, care, and hope, and nature responds with abundance.

Cucumbers, in particular, are true teachers of joie de vivre. You can practically watch them grow! With their delicate, spiraling tendrils, they greedily grasp at anything that gives them support, reach for the sun, and transform water and light into crisp, refreshing fruits. There's hardly a more satisfying feeling than strolling through the garden on a warm summer evening and munching on your first sun-warmed cucumber straight from the plant. A taste that no supermarket in the world can replicate.

To bring this green miracle into your garden (or onto your balcony!), I have some wonderful news: From early May, I will again have crisp, vigorous cucumber plants available for you!

This year, I've once again opted for the proven classics, but I also offer genuine rarities and historical varieties that no garden should be without.

Here's this year's line-up for your garden bed:

The Proven Classics

Salad Cucumber 'Tanja'

An absolutely reliable choice for every garden. Botanically, it's a classic garden cucumber (Cucumis sativus), whose wild ancestors once originated from the warm, humid valleys of the Himalayas. 'Tanja' is a traditional, open-pollinated variety perfectly adapted to our Central European climate. It grows excellently outdoors, is incredibly robust, and yields very high harvests. It's wonderfully juicy and the perfect companion for fresh salads.

• Harvest size: approx. 25–35 cm

Snack and Pickling Cucumber 'Hokus'

Craving healthy snacks or delicious preserves from your own garden? 'Hokus' (Cucumis sativus) is also a fantastic, historic all-rounder and an open-pollinated variety that has proven itself in cottage gardens for decades. It's a strong viner and can tolerate weather fluctuations. You can harvest it very young to pickle it as crisp gherkins or cornichons, or let it grow a bit larger for pure snacking pleasure in between meals.

• Harvest size: approx. 6–12 cm

The Aromatic Rarities

Yellow Spicemaster (Gelber Würzer)

A historic variety (Cucumis sativus), a true agricultural cultural asset that was almost forgotten. Unlike modern varieties, it was intentionally selected for its bright yellow color at maturity. Its thick skin protects a wonderfully firm, aromatic, and guaranteed bitter-free flesh. It is the undisputed star for the traditional pantry, ideal for stewed cucumbers or hearty mustard pickles.

• Harvest size: approx. 12–15 cm

Abruzzese Chiaro Cucumber Melon

An Italian insider tip! Botanically, it's not a cucumber at all, but a cantaloupe (Cucumis melo), more precisely of the "Carosello" or "Tortarello" type. It originates from Southern Italy (Apulia and Abruzzo) and is traditionally harvested unripe and eaten like a cucumber. Typical is a fine fuzz on the skin that rubs off when washed. The ribbed fruits are extremely crunchy, have a delicate, almost sweet aroma, and, being melons, are guaranteed never bitter. A feast!

• Harvest size: approx. 20–30 cm

The Special Discoveries

Mexican Miniature Cucumber

The darling for snack fans! Botanically, it's called Melothria scabra and is a wild plant from Central America and Mexico, where it's also called "Cucamelon" or "Sandiita" (little watermelon). It grows on delicate, very fine vines, which are surprisingly robust. A real secret: underground, it forms small storage tubers that you can dig up in autumn and overwinter frost-free like dahlias! The small fruits taste crisp like cucumber and develop a wonderfully tangy note reminiscent of a splash of lime as they ripen.

• Harvest size: approx. 2–3 cm (grape-sized)

West Indian Gherkin

Small, spiky, and mighty! The West Indian Gherkin (Cucumis anguria) looks like a small, pale green hedgehog with soft spines. Botanically, it's a wild relative of our cultivated cucumber. It originally came from Africa before crossing the Atlantic and becoming native to the Caribbean and South America. It's a strong viner, extremely heat-tolerant, and almost immune to common cucumber diseases – ideal for hot, dry summers. You can snack on it raw when very young or pickle it wonderfully as crisp gherkins, as it naturally never gets bitter.

• Harvest size: approx. 4–6 cm

Kiwano (Horned Melon)

A real eye-catcher! The Kiwano (Cucumis metuliferus) originally comes from the semi-deserts of the African Kalahari. This wild survivor loves warmth and is a very strong viner. It captivates with its hard, orange skin with thick spines, which makes it remarkably long-lasting (often for months!) at room temperature. The green, jelly-like interior tastes refreshingly like a mix of banana, lime, and cucumber.

• Harvest size: approx. 10–15 cm

The Giants & Curiosities

Hercules' Club Gourd

Here, the name says it all. Botanically, it is a bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), originally from Africa. Unlike other gourds, it opens beautiful, bright white flowers in the evening, which are pollinated by moths. When harvested young, it is prepared and eaten just like a zucchini or cucumber. It grows enormously and requires an extremely stable trellis. The pale green clubs are an impressive ornamental – if left to fully mature, they can reach incredible sizes!

• Harvest size (for consumption): approx. 30–50 cm (fully grown often over 150 cm long!)

Luffa (Sponge Gourd)

Sustainability from the garden bed! Luffa (Luffa cylindrica) is an Asian-African gourd plant that needs a lot of sun and warmth (a sheltered location or greenhouse is ideal). In Asia, it is a highly valued stir-fry vegetable – provided it is harvested very young, while still tender like a zucchini. If you let it fully mature and dry until autumn, the vascular bundles inside become woody. If you then peel off the skin, you get a perfect, natural bath sponge.

• Harvest size (for consumption): approx. 15–20 cm

Visit us from early May or order online!

Secure your favorite varieties before they're gone. It's best to subscribe to my newsletter (bottom of the homepage) to not miss the official launch! I'm happy to advise you on the ideal location and optimal care – whether in person or via the online shop.

I look forward to seeing you and already wish you: Happy growing and a bountiful harvest!