Palestinian Cucumber Baladi Irish Grown

The Palestinian cucumber baladi (also called khiyar baladi, meaning “local cucumber”) is a traditional heirloom variety grown for generations across villages in Palestine. The word baladi means “of the land” or “homegrown,” reflecting its deep roots in small-scale farming and seed-saving traditions.

This cucumber is typically shorter and slightly thicker than commercial varieties, with tender, thin skin in shades of soft to deep green. It has a crisp bite, high water content, and a clean, slightly sweet flavor with none of the bitterness often found in larger industrial types. Because the skin is delicate, it is rarely peeled — making it ideal for fresh eating straight from the field.

In Palestinian kitchens, baladi cucumbers are essential. They are diced finely into salata arabieh (Arab salad), served alongside olive oil and fresh bread, paired with tomatoes and mint, or preserved as pickles. Their refreshing crunch balances rich dishes like musakhan and maqluba, and they are a staple at nearly every meal during the summer season.

Traditionally grown in open fields and home gardens using saved seed, the baladi cucumber represents biodiversity, resilience, and food sovereignty. It thrives in warm Mediterranean climates, producing abundantly throughout the summer when harvested regularly.

More than just a vegetable, the Palestinian cucumber baladi is a symbol of local agriculture — rooted in land, memory, and community.

Palestinian Cucumber Baladi grown and seed saved in Cork, Ireland. We commit to donate 50% of the proceed of each cucumber seed packet to a seed sovereignty association in the Middle-East working to preserve this variety.

Scientific Name: Cucumis sativus

Plant Life Cycle: annual

Optimal Germination Temperature: 23C

Germination time in days: 4-10 days

Indicative Days to maturity: 92 days

Sunlight: Full sun

Soil requirement: rich in organic matter, well drained, fertile

Sowing and cultivation: Sow seeds indoors 6 weeks before last frost if you will be growing them in a heated greenhouse. Sow cucumber seeds on their side, 1–2 cm deep, in small pots. Keep them at 21°C . Or Sow directly outside after the last chance of frost has passed and the soil temperature is at 21 C. It is recommended to give the plant support.