Early Fortune Cucumber is a dependable heirloom variety that traces its lineage back to 1906, when Michigan gardener George Starr selected it from the now-extinct Davis Perfect. Upon release, it earned praise as 'the earliest and best white spine cucumber ever offered.' The fruits grow 7 to 8 inches long and mature in just 55 to 60 days, making this a swift producer for gardeners eager to harvest. Whether you're pickling or slicing, Early Fortune delivers consistent results in full sun with minimal fuss.
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Born from careful selection rather than modern breeding, Early Fortune carries the reliability of its Davis Perfect parentage while arriving on your plate weeks faster than many cucumber varieties. The white spine cucumbers grow to a handy 7 to 8 inches, sized perfectly for both pickle jars and fresh-eating plates. Its reputation as an early maturing variety means you can count on a harvest 55 to 60 days after sowing, and once it starts producing, it delivers steadily throughout the season.
Early Fortune excels in both roles that define cucumber gardening. For pickling enthusiasts, the 7 to 8 inch fruits are ideally sized for traditional dill pickles and bread-and-butter preparations. The same size and crisp texture also make it a superb slicing cucumber for fresh salads and garden-to-table eating straight off the vine.
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Sow seeds directly into the garden after the last frost date and when soil temperature reaches at least 70°F. Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep, spacing them 12 to 18 inches apart. Seeds typically sprout within 5 to 14 days under warm conditions.
Pick cucumbers when they reach 7 to 8 inches in length, well before they turn yellow or oversized. A young fruit at this stage will be firm, crisp, and packed with flavor. Harvest every two to three days once production begins; removing fruits regularly signals the plant to keep flowering and setting new cucumbers rather than ripening seeds on the older fruits. Use a sharp knife or pruners to cut the stem just above the fruit, or gently twist the cucumber from the vine if it releases easily without breaking branches.
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“Early Fortune emerged from the careful work of George Starr in Royal Oak, Michigan, who selected this variety from Davis Perfect in 1906. Davis Perfect itself is now believed to be extinct, making Early Fortune one of the few living descendants of that once-celebrated lineage. When Starr released his selection, contemporary seedsmen hailed it as the earliest and best white spine cucumber available to home gardeners. The variety survived the decades because it simply works: it produces abundantly, matures quickly, and performs reliably in home gardens across North America.”