I grew Mexican gerkins last year for the first time and didn't know quite what to expect. What I got were these beautifully patterned little morsels about a half an inch long with an initial tartness followed by a surprising, lingering sweet cucumber flavor. They make a crunchy and unique addition to a salad. The vine is slow to start, so its about 75 days to usable fruit. Once they get going, the vines reach a length of 6 feet, though I just let them mound over.