Armenian Cucumbers

Is it a cucumber or something else entirely?
 
Also known as snake cucumbers, snake melons, and yard-long cucumbers, Armenian cucumbers (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) are more muskmelon (C. melo) than cuke (C. sativus). These are not to be confused with another long member of the melon family, serpent gourds, which also taste like cucumber.
 
Long, skinny, and ridged, Armenian cucumbers taste like common cucumbers, but their skin is thinner and lighter than grocery store cucumbers. There are three types of Armenian cucumber that I know of: regular, striped, and dark green. In each case, these crisp fruits can grow three feet (90 cm) long and they can handle all the heat your summers can dish out.

Armenian cucumber (Katpatuka) Public Domain

You can start Armenian cucumbers from seed any time from late winter through early summer, as long as soil temperatures are consistently above 65°F (18°C). As far as these plants are concerned, hotter is better. And they don’t turn bitter the way true cucumbers do.
 
Seeds should be planted one inch deep, and plants should be at least 12” apart. You can allow the vines to stay on the ground or train them up a trellis. Your Armenian cucumbers need full sun, but they will still produce abundant crops even if they get some afternoon shade.
 
Because these plants are susceptible to the same problems as other cucurbits, crop rotation is an excellent preventative measure. Aphids, cucumber beetles, fruit flies, pill bugs, and spider mites are the most common pests of Armenian cucumbers.
 
Overhead watering Armenian cucumbers often leads to anthracnose, black rot, blight, downy mildew, powdery mildew, root rot, and rust. Instead, water deeply using furrow irrigation and allow plants to dry out between waterings.
 
If your Armenian cucumbers get away from you and grow extra-large, you may cut into them and discover the mucilage around the seeds has turned orangish and the flesh may taste less cucumber-like. You can still eat it, but this is the best time to select seeds for saving for next year.