Pickling Cucumber
H-19 Little Leaf Cucumber is an open-pollinated bush variety bred for compact growth and reliable yields, reaching harvest in just 57 days from transplants. Unlike sprawling cucumber vines that demand trellising and space, this cultivar produces an abundant crop on a uniquely compact plant, making it perfect for gardeners working with limited room. The little leaf designation signals both the plant's manageable size and its efficient foliage-to-fruit ratio, allowing sunlight to reach developing cucumbers while keeping the plant tidy and productive.
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Moderate
3-12
?in H x ?in W
Annual
Moderate
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What sets H-19 Little Leaf apart is its space-efficient growth habit paired with genuine productivity. This is not a novelty dwarf variety that sacrifices yield for compactness, it's a working plant bred to deliver reliable harvests on a frame small enough for containers, tight garden beds, or smaller plots. The 57-day maturity means you're harvesting fresh cucumbers in under two months from transplant, and its open-pollinated genetics mean you can save seed year after year if you want to deepen your relationship with this variety.
These cucumbers are grown for fresh eating, slicing for salads, or pickling, the standard culinary roles for cucumber varieties. The bush habit makes them especially practical for gardeners who want to grow cucumbers without dedicating large sections of garden space to sprawling vines, or for those using high tunnels and greenhouses where vertical space is at a premium.
Sow seeds indoors in 50-cell plug trays, placing 1–2 seeds per cell, 3–4 weeks before your transplant date. Maintain temperatures above 70°F (21°C) during the day and no lower than 60°F (16°C) at night to keep seedlings vigorous. Cucumbers germinate quickly and grow fast; avoid starting them too early or they'll outgrow their containers.
Transplant seedlings outdoors 12 inches apart in rows spaced 5–6 feet apart once soil and air have warmed and all frost danger has passed. Handle seedlings carefully and avoid disturbing their roots during the transplanting process, as cucumbers resent root disturbance and may struggle to establish if roughly handled.
Begin harvesting when fruit bearing commences, picking daily to maintain productivity and prevent the plant from wasting energy on oversized or mature fruit. Daily harvesting encourages the plant to flower and set new fruit continuously throughout the season rather than shutting down production once it's successfully matured a few cucumbers.
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