Ancash Market Cucumber is a Peruvian landrace collected from the cool highlands of Chacas, Peru, and represents a living link to cucumbers introduced from Spain five centuries ago. This frost-tender heirloom thrives in zones 4 through 12 and reaches harvest in 55 to 65 days, making it responsive enough for gardeners seeking quick production without sacrificing depth of character. Bred for resilience in the Andes' challenging climate, it brings proven pest and mildew resistance to North American gardens, especially those in cooler regions where traditional cucumber varieties struggle.
Full Sun
Moderate
4-12
?in H x ?in W
—
High
Hover over chart points for details
Ancash Market Cucumber carries the genetic memory of high-altitude Peruvian agriculture, selected over generations for disease resistance and steady productivity in cool conditions. Grown on a trellis, it produces continuously throughout the season rather than exhausting itself in a single flush. Its lineage traces directly to Spanish introductions of the 1500s, making it both a working heirloom and a piece of agricultural history that Jean Andrews, the late pepper historian, helped rescue from near-obscurity.
Ancash Market Cucumber is grown fresh as a slicing cucumber, typical of market varieties bred to produce uniform fruits suitable for direct sale or immediate consumption. Its reliable productivity and trellis-friendly growth make it well-suited to intensive home garden production, where even space-constrained gardeners can grow substantial harvests by training it vertically.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 3 to 4 weeks before your last frost date in a warm spot where soil temperatures stay between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant seeds about 1/2 inch deep in sterile seed-starting mix. Transplant seedlings outdoors only after nighttime temperatures consistently stay above 50 degrees Fahrenheit and all danger of frost has passed.
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before transplanting. Move them to the garden when soil temperatures have warmed to at least 60 degrees and nighttime lows stay above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Space transplants 12 inches apart in full sun, and set up a trellis immediately to support their climbing growth.
Direct sow seeds into the garden after the last frost date when soil temperatures reach 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep and 12 inches apart, thinning to final spacing once seedlings develop their first true leaves. Water gently to keep soil moist until germination occurs.
Harvest Ancash Market Cucumber fruits when they reach market size, typically around 55 to 65 days after planting. Pick fruits regularly while they are still firm and crisp; consistent harvesting encourages the plant to continue producing new flowers throughout the season. Slice fruits from the vine with a knife or pruner rather than twisting them off, which can damage the delicate plant stems.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“This cucumber arrived in Peru aboard Spanish galleons in the 1500s, then underwent centuries of natural selection in the cool mountain valleys of the Ancash region, particularly around Chacas. Over generations, Peruvian farmers unconsciously bred it to thrive in the Andes' demanding climate, favoring plants that resisted pests and mildew while producing steadily through cooler growing seasons. Jean Andrews, a renowned pepper historian and seed preservationist, discovered and collected this landrace directly from Peruvian farmers, recognizing its value for gardeners beyond its native mountains. The variety is also known locally as Pepino Criollo Chacasino or Ancashino, names that embed its specific origin in the language of the region that preserved it.”