I dont have an answer, but I think it's amazing that this was the first question at the top of the list, because I just learned of the existence of these 2 cukes yesterday for the first time, and I came here today to ask almost the same question!

I assumed that nobody would even be looking at this forum this late in the year.

My roomate was throwing out a seed catalog yesterday, and I spotted it with many other magazines lying next to the trash can and I decided to keep it and I briefly looked into it before leaving for work. The first page I opened was about cukes, and I've never heard of any of the listed varieties.

The usual variety that we grow here is Burpless hybrid from Burpee, as it is the only one sold as a seedling in the garden centers. It's pretty good, but I'd like to try others.

We have a wooded lot, with 2 small clearings that dont get more than 5 hours of mid day sun, and so far cukes have been the only vegetable, aside from peppers, that grow reasonably well and produce well in that not-so-sunny situation. Tomatoes have NOT produced well at all, and they end up tall and stringy, but cukes do well.

Anyway, are the Sweet Slice cukes any better than the typical burpless varieties, and how productive are they? Are they really any sweeter than normal?

Is Sweet Slice a variety that you have to grow another variety to pollinate it?

I just bought some Sweeter Yet seed and after I bought it I found out it comes with another variety of seed to grow along with it for pollination purposes-- I wasn't planning on growing an extra plant just for pollination...

I also bought another variety named Sweet Success and it doens't need an extra plant to pollinate it so it looks like I will only be growing this one for this season.

I may change my mind depending on if people have rave reviews for Sweet Success though...

I think Sweet Slice is better than typical burpless varities. It is sweet, crisp, never bitter, good disease resitance, 10-12 inches long and the seeds are small. The yield is average. Sweet Slice doesn't need to be planted with a pollinator.

I grew sweet slice for a 2 seasons and thought they were quite good. Then while shopping at my local SStates I mistakenly picked up sweeter yet. And to me it seemed true, they are sweeter yet than sweet slice. But you can't go wrong with either unless they get too large & seedy. First I've heard of summer dance.

Sweeter Yet, IMO is a longer, slimmer cuc with a more tender skin than sweet slice. You might compare it more to Sweet Success although the latter will be larger diameter. I would suggest that you try Tasty Green as it combines the long, slim shape and tender skin with good production. It is my personal favorite for greenhouse production.

Summer Dance is a very high-quality cucumber, especially for hot-summer climates. Can't vouch for humid climates. It is slim, tender and sweet. It is a on the late side for a cucumber, so you can plant it with an earlier variety for a long season of cukes. Last year I also grew Summer Top and Tasty Green. Both also stayed bitter-free but Tasty Green succumbed to disease or heat faster than the other two. Summer Top is very vigorous, but Summer Dance is more refined and tender, with flavor I like a little better.

Sweeter Yet and Diva turn bitter for me here, as do several varieties which are supposed to be bitter-free. In a cooler-summer climate, I would recommend trying one of the all-female parthenocarpic varieties such as Sweet Success or Diva if you want maximum production, especially in part shade where bees may not visit as frequently.

Summer dance is the best and most productive cucumber I have ever grown. Have been growing it for several years. We have very hot and humid weather and it likes a little afternoon shade. I get many pounds of cucumbers from one plant and requires no pollinator. I could only get the seed from pine tree seed for several years, but now others are offering it. You can let the fruit get very large and it is still good. zone 8 La.

My wife’s favorite cucumbers last year, were: Sweeter Yet and Straight Eight.

Mine was Sweet Slice.

I don’t know about Summer Dance.

Summer Dance is wonderful. I only grow Japanese cucumbers I order from Kitazawa Seed Co. Far better than any of the seeds you can buy from most sites. I also love Tsuyataro. They are both long straight cucumbers with very small seeds and never turn bitter. They also keep well after harvesting. We have long hot summers here and they produce very well.