Slicing Cucumber
The Straight Eight cucumber stands as one of America's most celebrated heirloom varieties, earning its All-America Selections Gold Medal in 1935 for producing remarkably uniform, perfectly straight 8-inch fruits. This dependable slicing cucumber thrives across zones 2-13 and delivers its harvest in just 50-59 days, making it ideal for gardeners who've struggled with finicky cucumber varieties in the past. Dark green with white spines and thick flesh surrounding a small seed cavity, Straight Eight combines reliable production with exceptional flavor for both fresh eating and pickling.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-13
48in H x ?in W
Annual
High
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What sets Straight Eight apart is its legendary reliability and dual-purpose versatility. Nearly a century after its introduction, this variety remains unmatched for producing consistently straight, 8-inch cucumbers with thick flesh and excellent flavor. The vines are so productive that even two plants can overwhelm a household with their bounty. Its resistance to Cucumber Mosaic Virus and Powdery Mildew, combined with its early maturity, makes this the cucumber to try when others have failed in your garden.
Straight Eight excels as both a fresh slicing cucumber and a pickling variety, making it uniquely versatile in the kitchen. The thick flesh and small seed cavity create perfect slices for salads, sandwiches, and eating fresh off the vine. Its uniform 8-inch size and excellent flavor also make it ideal for pickling, while the crisp texture works beautifully mixed into plain yogurt with herbs for refreshing summer dishes.
Start seeds indoors 3-4 weeks before transplanting, sowing 3-4 seeds 1 inch deep per cell in loamy, sandy, well-draining soil with pH 6-6.5. Seeds germinate in 3-10 days at temperatures above 50°F.
Transplant when true leaves establish and night temperatures stay above 50°F, spacing plants 36-48 inches apart in the garden.
Direct sow groups of 2-3 seeds 1½ feet apart and 1 inch deep with 3 feet between rows, or create mounded hills 5 feet apart with 5-6 seeds per hill. Thin to the 3 strongest plants.
Harvest Straight Eight cucumbers when they reach 8 inches long and display solid dark green color with firm texture. Cut cucumbers at the stem using harvesting shears or pruning shears rather than pulling them from the plant to prevent vine damage. Harvest frequently while fruits are young to encourage continued production, as allowing cucumbers to become overly mature will reduce overall yields. Classic slicing cucumbers like Straight Eight are sweetest when 7-9 inches long and become bitter and yellow if left on the vine too long.
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“Straight Eight cucumber emerged as a breakthrough variety in 1935 when Ferry Morse introduced this game-changing cultivar that would win the All-America Selections Gold Medal and earn the Mark of Approval from the Manitoba Market Growers' Association. The 1937 MacFayden Seed Co. catalog proclaimed it 'a real forward step in Cucumbers' and 'the most outstanding cucumber developed to date.' Developed specifically to meet market demands for uniformly straight, 8-inch fruits with superior color retention and flavor, Straight Eight represented a quantum leap in cucumber breeding. This heirloom has maintained its reputation for nearly 90 years, continuing to be recommended by agricultural institutions like the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences as a proven performer in home gardens across diverse growing conditions.”