Little Leaf H-19

Family: Cucurbitaceae Vegetable

Crisp as chilled glass, Little Leaf H-19 delivers a lively snap with a clean, classic cucumber flavor and a tight, pickling-ready texture.

Compact and productive at about 50 days, it forms small, even fruits that stay pleasantly firm—ideal for those who love bracing, tangy results. Grow it for reliable harvests in cool weather, where its tidy habit makes every garden bed feel instantly more orderly and abundant.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 50 DaysHabit: Vine

Botanical illustration of Little Leaf H-19

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Direct Sow
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	May 9th
Harvest Begins	Jun 28th
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	50
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Vine
Support Needed	Trellis
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	75
Min Soil Temp (°F)	65
Min Night Temp (°F)	55
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Little Leaf H-19 is a pickling cucumber in spirit and in bite—small, even fruit with a tight crunch that doesn’t collapse when it hits vinegar. If you want briny tang with a clean snap (not watery-soft), it’s built for refrigerator pickles and cold, crisp applications.

Best Uses

quick refrigerator pickles with sharp vinegar and garlic
thin-sliced crunch for deli-style sandwiches and wraps
tossing into cold salads that need to stay crisp under dressing
batched cucumber salad with salt-squeeze and sour cream or yogurt

Flavor Profile

clean, classic cucumber flavor bracing wateriness snappy, tight-crisp texture built for brine refreshing, mildly sweet finish

Kitchen Pairings

garlic white vinegar lemon black pepper Greek yogurt

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Cucumis sativus (cucumber) leaves turning yellow with fuzzy gray patches, and what should I do?

Fuzzy gray growth and spotting that spreads on leaves/stems is often gray mold (Botrytis), which is common when foliage stays wet and nights are cool. Remove affected leaves immediately, improve airflow with wider spacing and by training vines upward if possible, and water at the soil line in the morning to keep leaves dry. If it keeps worsening, switch to a labeled fungicide for cucurbits and follow the product’s interval closely.

How often should I water my Cucumis sativus during the main growing phase, and what soil moisture level should I maintain?

During active vine growth and fruiting, keep the top 1–2 in (2–5 cm) of soil consistently moist—typically watering about 1–2 times per week, but more often in hot, windy weather. Use deep watering so moisture reaches the root zone, and avoid letting the soil fully dry out because cucumbers develop bitter fruit after drought stress. Mulch around the plants to reduce moisture swings and reduce leaf wetness.

How can I tell when my Cucumis sativus is ready to harvest (and when to pick to keep producing)?

Harvest cucumbers when they reach the variety’s typical size for eating and the skin is firm, glossy, and still easy to puncture with a fingernail. Pick regularly—about every 1–3 days once fruits start—to prevent overgrown, seedy cucumbers and to encourage continued flowering. If fruits start looking dull or the ends turn hard, they’re usually past their best harvest window.