Cucurbits

The cucurbit family encompasses a broad range of edible plants including cucumbers, squash, gourds, pumpkins, watermelons, and zucchinis.

All cucurbits are $6 for two plants unless otherwise noted. We sell plants from this family in pairs because in our experience cucurbits set fruit more reliably and produce better quality fruit when grown with a second plant for pollination.

Sold out! Buttercup Burgess - Winter Squash

Cucurbita maxima. A time-tested winner for northern gardeners, Burgess Buttercup offers household-sized 1.5-3 k.g. (3-5 lb) fruits full of creamy orange flesh loaded with sweet flavour. Stores well. Compact vines tend to max out around 2 metres (6') long, and can be trellised for added space effiency.

  • Variety origin: USA
  • Date of origin: 1952
  • Seed status: Open pollinated
  • First grown by us: 2019
Burgess Buttercup
Burgess Buttercup

New! Costata Romanesca - Zuchini

Cucurbita pepo. Legendary heirloom zuchini with grey-green fruit ribbed down the sides, Costata Romanesca is sure to please the most exacting of chefs with its sweet, mildly nutty flavour. Not quite as productive as some other types, but makes up for it with its culinary qualities. Also bears edible flowers which can be battered and fried for a summer delicacy. $3 for one plant.

  • Variety origin: Italy
  • Date of origin: Unknown (heirloom)
  • Seed status: Open pollinated
  • First grown by us: 2023 trial
Costata Romanesca zucchini
Costata Romanesca

New! English Long Telegraph - Cucumber

Cucumis sativa. This heirloom English-style cucumber grows extra long and non-bitter, ideal for fresh eating. Cut cucumbers when young for best flavour, and train the vines up a trellis for straighter fruits.

  • Variety origin: Unknown
  • Date of origin: 1880s
  • Seed status: Open pollinated
  • First grown by us: 2023 trial
English Long Telegraph
English Long Telegraph

New! Green Machine F1 - Zuchini

Cucurbita pepo. This reliable producer will give you a bounty of zucchinis all season long. Fruits are long and straight, growing on plants which are broadly disease-resistant, including resistance to powdery mildew, which often strikes cucurbits in NS. $3 for one plant.

  • Variety origin: USA
  • Date of origin: Unknown
  • Seed status: F1 hybrid
  • First grown by us: 2023 trial
Green Machine zucchini
Green Machine F1

Sold out! Honey Bear F1 - Winter squash

Cucurbita pepo. This gorgeous little acorn squash is the perfect size to feed two people, with a rich and sweet flavour. It's also ideally suited to grow where space is too tight for other winter squash, with a compact, semi-bush habit that only spreads 4-5 feet. Intermediate resistance to powdery mildew, which is a big problem for cucurbits in Nova Scotia. AAS winnter.

  • Variety origin: USA, bred by Dr. Brent Loy at the University of New Hampshire
  • Date of origin: 2009
  • Seed status: F1 hybrid
  • First grown by us: 2022
Honey Bear F1 acorn squash
Honey Bear

Jack-O-Lantern - Pumpkin

Cucurbita pepo. Get ready to say boo! These classic pumpkins live up to their name, with smooth orange skin and thick walls that make for a sturdy Halloween staple. If you trick-or-treated at our door last fall, you saw these pumpkins in action.

  • Variety origin: USA
  • Date of origin: Unknown
  • Seed status: Open pollinated
  • First grown by us: 2022
Jack-O-Lantern
Jack-O-Lantern

New! Klondike Blue Ribbon - Watermelon

Citrullus lanatus. These oblong watermelons with beautiful light and dark stripes aren't just good looking, they're sweet and crisp and juicy! An heirloom type with a thinner rind than what anything you'll find in the grocery stores these days; a treat you can only get fresh off the vine.

  • Variety origin: USA
  • Date of origin: Early 1900s
  • Seed status: Open pollinated
  • First grown by us: 2023 trial
Klondike Blue Ribbon
Klondike Blue Ribbon

Sold out! National Pickling - Cucumber

Cucumis sativa. A versatile little cuke that set the bar for pickles. Always crisp and crunchy, these plants will keep pumping out thick fruits with small black spines for as long as you keep picking them. Tasty enough to eat fresh, too.

  • Variety origin: USA
  • Date of origin: 1924
  • Seed status: Open pollinated
  • First grown by us: 2019 trial
National Pickling cucumber
National Pickling

Spacemaster - Cucumber

Cucumis sativa. Compact and ideal for small spaces, this reliable bush-style cucumber is the perfect choice for gardeners who don't have room for sprawling vines but want fresh cukes that are crisp and tasty.

  • Variety origin: USA
  • Date of origin: 1980
  • Seed status: Open pollinated
  • First grown by us: 2022
Spacemaster
Spacemaster

Sold out! Straight Eight - Cucumber

Cucumis sativa. A classic slicing cucumber that's been a favourite for almost 90 years. Living up to its name, it produces long, straight, 8" fruit on vigorous vines.

  • Variety origin: USA
  • Date of origin: 1935
  • Seed status: Open pollinated
  • First grown by us: 2021
Straight Eight
Straight Eight

New! Suyo Long - Cucumber

Cucumis sativa. Asian-style cucumber that sets fruit early and produces them steadily, even in the heat. Bitter-free and burpless, with a sweet taste and thin skin. Grow up a trellis for straighter fruits.

  • Variety origin: China
  • Date of origin: Heirloom
  • Seed status: Open pollinated
  • First grown by us: 2023
Suyo Long
Suyo Long