“The cucumber is about as close to neutrality as a vegetable can get without ceasing to exist.” ~ Waverley Lewis Root, author (Photo by Jessica Salmond)

Love them or hate them, cucumbers are an interesting vegetable. They’re a fruit, but classified as a vegetable just like tomatoes. They can be as much as 20 degrees cooler on the inside that the outside – hence the phrase cool as a cucumber. The temperature difference is likely due to the high water content; cucumbers are 95-percent water. They’re low in calories and contain vitamins C and K.

The cucumber is native to India, where it has been grown for almost 3000 years. It came to England during the reign of Henry VIII when Catherine of Aragon demanded them for her Spanish salads. Columbus brought them to the new world. The largest cucumber ever produced was grown in China. It was 67 inches long and weighted 154 pounds.

Today’s guest is David Trinklein, horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension. He has tips for growing this popular home-garden plant.

Cucumber: A Brief History

Vegetable Planting Calendar: Cucumber