Cucumber Straight 8

Heirloom Slicer | Perfectly Uniform | All-Season Favorite

Since its introduction as an All-America Selections winner in 1935, Straight 8 has remained the benchmark for slicing cucumbers. This heirloom variety is prized for its remarkable consistency, producing smooth, dark green fruits that stay true to their name—straight, cylindrical, and roughly 8 inches long.

The flesh is crisp, white, and exceptionally mild, with a small seed cavity that makes it a delight for fresh eating. Whether you are layering them into sandwiches, tossing them into a summer salad, or simply enjoying them chilled with a bit of salt, Straight 8 delivers that classic, garden-fresh cucumber flavor without any bitterness.

Planting Instructions

Days to Maturity: 58–65 Days
Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
Seed Spacing: 12 inches (or 3 seeds per hill)
Row Spacing: 3–4 feet Sun: Full Sun

Harvest Tips

For the best flavor and texture, harvest when the fruits reach 6 to 8 inches in length. Picking regularly is the key to a productive garden; the more you harvest, the more the vine will produce. If they grow much larger, the skin can toughen, so keep those garden shears handy!

The Pickling Window:  For the best pickles, harvest your cucumbers when they are between 2 and 4 inches long. If you miss a day and they get bigger, don't worry—they still taste great sliced fresh, but the smaller ones stay the crunchiest in the jar.

3. Direct Sowing vs. Starts In our climate, cucumbers love warm soil. If you're direct-sowing your Cucumbers, wait until the soil is consistently warm (mid-to-late May). For a head start, you can start them indoors 3–4 weeks before the last frost, but be gentle when transplanting—cucumbers don't like their roots disturbed!