'It Took Over Everything': Gardener Reveals The One Plant They'll Never Grow Again

Every year, it seems like there's a new trendy plant to try out in your vegetable garden. One year it was luffa for homemade sponges, another it was sour gherkins (tiny cucumbers that look like miniature watermelons), and then it was lemon cucumbers (Cucumis sativus 'Lemon'). Lemon cucumbers, with their bright yellow, baseball-sized fruits and slightly sweeter taste than the average cucumber, promise to be a fun addition to salads, pickles, or simply a novelty plant to show off in your garden. But they can also be a giant menace because of their fast-growing vining nature, as one Reddit user discovered.

Some trendy veggies or fruits should come with a warning label — without knowing it, you may be introducing a monster into your garden. One Reddit user shared their cautionary tale: "Lemon cucumbers. Insanely aggressive foliage all for bland seedy tiny fruits. I thought they'd be a unique little trial plant on the side, but it took over everything. My son likes them for baseball hitting practice though." What started as an innocent experiment quickly turned into a massive regret. This unique vegetable is surprisingly easy to grow, but it can quickly take over if not managed properly. And with all the misinformation online, it's no wonder this Reddit user was caught off guard. That doesn't mean you have to steer clear — by following a few tips, you may have a better experience with this very interesting cucumber cultivar.

It's always a good idea to do a little independent research when deciding to try something new in your garden, as seed packets don't always give enough info. And it's best to look up other's experiences with whatever you are planting before deciding if it's right for you. When you see a phrase like "vigorous vining plant" on the seed packet, adjust your expectations for a possible garden takeover.

The best way to grow lemon cucumbers is to use a sturdy trellis. There are many types of DIY trellis you can use for this vegetable to help keep it in check. Although this cultivar isn't considered invasive, it grows quickly. Allow at least four to five feet of growing space for this rapidly expanding cucumber. Remember, it has tiny vines that will grab on to anything and grow around it.

To get the optimum flavor from any of your garden plants, it's important to water your vegetables efficiently and provide the appropriate soil. Lemon cucumbers taste best when harvested when they are about the size of a tennis ball and have bright yellow skin. It is best to harvest them early in the day or they will taste bitter. Not everyone enjoys the mild, sweet flavor of this cultivar — it really is a matter of personal taste. Still, it's always fun to try something new and experiment with all the wonderful varieties of produce available to the modern gardener.