How are your cucumbers? I learned something about straight 8 cucumbers. I love this gardening always learning.

          Here we go again with another blog.  Sorry I missed 3 days, and I haven't missed that many since I started in February.  Friday we didn't have internet, then Saturday and Sunday spent time just working around the house.  Our weather is fall like, so now time for me to realize that this is late summer.  I have been asked many times, what are you doing now without all the customers for the greenhouse?  I have had a few stop but still have 6 large racks of plants that I have to decide what to do with.  First do I just throw away the plants for composting and recycle the plastic containers, do I just keep them on the rack for the unheated greenhouse this winter or do I replant and put into the heated greenhouse for this winter?  With the cooler weather I will work out there every morning to get some of these decisions made.  I have plans for some of the plants all ready.  I have 2 flower beds in front of our house, I am going to just plant, plant and plant and see if they will come back next year.  So full I will not have weeds????  See what happens. You will hear about what I am going to do?  I promise. 
        Today talking about a surprise and something I learned about straight eight cucumbers.  Last week at my garden club meeting, one of the members showed me his cucumbers thin, small cucumbers and he said they just grow long and thin and don't get bigger and yellow.  I sell just the bulk seeds, and knew what I had given him but straight eight.  I thought they looked like the picture I have here but I did find that they can look like the 2nd picture thin, 8 inches long and very green.  How are your cucumbers growing this year?  Very well is what I have been told.  Share if you have time please.  Here is what I found out about straight 8 cucumbers. 
Straight Eight Cucumber was introduced by Ferry Morse in 1935

Straight 8's are extremely dependable at producing a crop.  Bad luck with other cucumbers last season, then this is the one to try this year.  Eight inches of perfect straight cucumber slicing excellence!  You'll be giving them away to the neighbors there are so many!

1937 MacFayden Seed Co. catalog says Straight Eight Cucumber seeds...
"A real forward step in Cucumbers. Received the Gold Medal Award in the All American Trials, 1935, and the Mark of Approval of the Manitoba Market Growers' Association on inspection of our Trial Grounds last season. Well grown, it ... ... 8 inches in length, just what the Market wants; is uniformly cylindrical and retains its dark green color, flesh is thick; seed cavity small; flavor excellent. It is early, following the early Pickling sorts in maturity. The most outstanding cucumber developed to date. Originator's stock."

1947 Pike Seed Co. catalog says about Straight Eight Cucumber seeds...
"8 inches in length and about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. The long, dark green fruits are well rounded at the ends and show no objectionable striping at the tips. A heavy cropper."

1950 Lindenberg Seed Co. catalog says about Straight Eight Cucumber seeds ..
"A favorite for home or market, fruits are straight and about 8 inches long. Its even deep color and symmetrical shape are outstanding characteristics."

1968 Buckerfield Seed Co. catalog. says about Straight Eight Cucumber seeds..
"We consider this one of the best varieties offered, having a good deep color and superior flavor. The fruit is about 8 inches in length and 2 to 2 1/4 inches in diameter.
Taken from: http://sustainableseedco.com/heirloom-vegetable-seeds/ce-k/cucumber-heirloom-seeds/straight-eight-cucumber-seeds.html
I love this passion of gardening because I am always learning something new.  It is a different crop each year because of the weather.  Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty, Iowa