Description
(Cucumis sativus) sweeter, smoother little sister of Silver Slicer. Powdery Mildew & Angular Leaf Spot resistance, the genius of Cornell’s public plant breeding & Molly Jahn and Jason Cavatorta. Regional adaptation and organics have been part of this cucumber’s vision from inception and the taste is sincerely spectacular. Best suited for eating fresh and pickling.
When mature, the skin turns a pale yellow; growing darker the longer the cucumber is left on the vine. The inner flesh is pale green with many translucent seeds. These cucumbers were carefully chosen due to the combination of disease resistance and a quality flavour. The appearance of the immature cucumber with its white skin and black spines was the inspiration for the name “Salt and Pepper.”
50 days to maturity
approx 40 seeds
Mag –
Your Salt & Pepper cukes lived up to your description! Chunky little white cukes with tiny black spines are juicy, crisp & delish as well as very prolific & disease resistant!!! We grew 2 plants at our community garden (neighbourhood rabbit got the rest of the seedlings!) that produced 70+ cukes & flourished all season long!! Amazing germination, too! Thanks, Kat!! ❤️ ❤️
Kat –
Wonderful to hear! (except for the rabbits…) Thank you 🙂
M Cook (verified owner) –
I bought several packets of these cucumbers for 2023 & grew them in both ’23 & ’24. (I’m ordering a few more packets today, for 2025.) These “Salt & Pepper” cucumbers are absolutely amazing. They started producing as early in the season as any other (non-hybrid) cukes I’ve ever grown & they stayed disease free even during the heat of mid August. Not a sign of powdery mildew or mosaic virus.
The fermented dills turned out as crisp & delicious & any green pickling variety I’ve used in the past (which includes Wisconsin SMR, Sumter, National Pickling, Chicago Pickling & Morden Early). ***But with the added bonus that the pickles are a lovely, pale, barely-a-hint-of-soft-green colour.***
NB. The black spines rub off when you wash them, before processing, so the pickles are a pure, creamy colour with no black specks. (Despite the name “Salt & Pepper” , there’s no “pepper” specks on the finished pickles.)
This year I’m going to try adding some beets to one batch of pickles. And turmeric to another batch…..hopefully the resulting pickles turn out pink & yellow, respectively.
I didn’t save seeds because I also grew slicing cucumbers both years (cross pollination is almost guaranteed). But since this variety is so mild & crisp I don’t feel the need to grow slicing cucumbers, anymore, so I’m going to start saving my own seeds because this is a variety I don’t want to lose. They’re the best.
NB: These white cucumbers are a LOT easier to find under the vines than green cucumbers.
NB #2: I’ve been growing cucumbers & fermenting pickles since the early 1990’s. This is a truly excellent variety & my new favourite.
Kat –
Wow! What a wonderful review of this deserving variety! Thank you very much. We all appreciate your comment I’m sure. Happy growing and seed saving 🙂