heat energy - loving and easy to grow , this plant produces tons of fresh fruits in summer .
grow your own crunchy , just - the - rightfield - sizecucumbersis a child’s play . take from dozens of change to turn at rest home . They will thrive in the garden , raised layer , and even large container . They brandish in hot summertime weather and the more you harvest , the more the plants will produce .
From long heirloom Formosan cucumber to thumb - size of it pickling cucumber , there is a wide range of cucumber vine varieties to choose from , and you ’ll have a bounty to share with friend .
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Where to Plant Cucumber
take a localization in full sun and well - drained land with a slightly acid pH. If your vegetable garden fulfills these condition , any spot is fair secret plan , except those beds where you have grown other member of the cucumber family ( melons , watermelons , wintertime or summertime squash , zucchini ) , in the two years prior . Crop rotary motion help to break pest and disease cycles and ameliorate ground health .
Also , study the emergence habit of the variety you pick out . For a little garden infinite , look for bush variety instead of vining cuke which give rise 6- to 8 - foot - long vine .
How and When to Plant Cucumber
Cucumbers are planted in the spring . you may either direct sow them in the garden orstart the seed indoorsin pot about 4 week before transplantation . This is advocate for nerveless climates as it gives you a head get going on the growing season . For the seeds to develop , the ideal soil temperature is around 70 degrees F. Cucumber seeds wo n’t germinate in a soil temperature downcast than 50 grade F. Sow seeds ½ inch bass , 2 seminal fluid per fundament or in a 4 - inch pot . For potted seedling , only keep one seedling per pot and cut the other one at the soil level .
Seedlings started indoors need copious brightness level to keep them from becoming leggy . If you do n’t have a south- or west - face windowpane , place them under grow lights . After the last frost , gradually bring out the seedling to out-of-door conditions . Transplant them when nighttime temperatures are consistently above 55 point .
Space transplants 1 fundament apartor thin directly seeded plant accordingly .
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Cucumber Care Tips
cucumber are one of the easy vegetables to grow .
Light
Cucumbers postulate at least 8 hours offull sunevery daylight .
Soil and Water
plant life cucumber in loose , well - drained dirt that is fertile in organic matter . Improve garden grunge , if involve , by incorporating a 4 - inch - thickheaded layer of well - decompose manure orcompost into it before planting . Theideal pHfor growing cucumbers is between 6.0 and 6.8 .
Cucumber flora need consistent wet . In the absence of sufficient rain , give them at least 1 inch of water per week . Irrigation is especially significant once there is fruit on the flora — lack of H2O realize the cucumber taste bitter .
Temperature and Humidity
Cucumbers are not cold - stout ; they are a warm - weather crop that prospers in temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees F. The flora do not have any particular humidness necessary or emergence with high or low humidity as long as they are properly watered .
Fertilizer
Once the plants have started flowering , inseminate them with an all - purposevegetable garden fertilizer . Repeat the plant food covering about 3 weeks afterwards . For specific amounts , follow the label instructions .
Pruning
Pollination
With the exception of self - pollinating cucumber varieties , cucumbers require pollenation to produce fruit . They are mostly pollinated by bee , including honeybees , humblebee , swither bees , and ants . Attract pollinators to your gardenby planting bee balm , lavender , or catmint nearby .
Potting and Repotting Cucumber
Because bush cucumbers are succinct and shorter than vining cucumbers , they are the best choice for containers . apply a container that is at least 1 human foot wide and deep . Fill it with well - draining potting mix and a few smattering of compost . Plant the semen 1 inch deep and at least 4 inch from the sharpness of the container . When plant are 4 inch , trim down off all but the strongest seedlings at the soil level ( do not pull it out , which may damage the seedling you want to keep ) . water system at least daily , up to double in spicy summer atmospheric condition . As cucumbers are annuals , repotting wo n’t be necessary .
Pests and Problems
Cucumbers are susceptible to several cuss and diseases , admit cucumber beetles , bacterial wilt disease , powdery mildew , and mosaic virus . Selecting a variety show with good disease - electric resistance is no guarantee that the plant wo n’t have any issues but it sure as shooting fall the odds .
How to Propagate Cucumber
Harvesting
Plan to reap your first cucumber 50 to 70 days after embed the semen , depending on the variety and weather conditions . for harvest the cucumber at the right time , it is significant to know the mature sizing of the cucumber variety you are growing . This information is usually included on the seed package or industrial plant label . harvesting pickling cuke when they are 2 to 4 inches long . set about pick slicing cucumbers when they are 6 to 9 column inch long .
Make indisputable you check Cucumis sativus vine at least every other day for yield that is quick to glean . Use scissors grip or pruning shears to ignore the cucumbers off the tender vines rather than pulling them off the plant .
Pick all ripe cucumber , because when fruits are left on a vine they signal the industrial plant to stop producing . Plus , oversize Cucumis sativus tend to be unwell or bitter . Eat or preserve cucumbers within a day or two for the good taste .
Credit: Bill Stites
Types of Cucumber
‘Green Fingers’ Cucumber
' Green Fingers ' , also known as Iranian child cucumbers , are crispy - sweet mini cucumbers that are cull when they are 3 to 5 inches long . They have a tender , smooth cutis and a small seed cavity . The plant is self - pollinating . 60 days to harvest .
‘Lemon’ Cucumber
This heirloom variety bear tennis ball - sized yellow cucumber vine that are 2 to 3 inch in diameter . The crispy cucumber are used for pickling or slice . 60 days to glean .
‘Salad Bush’ Cucumber
Because of its thick size of 6 to 8 inches in height and spreading 26 inches , this hybrid cucumber is ideal for container and lift beds . The slice cuke are harvested when they are 8 column inch long . 57 twenty-four hours to maturity .
‘Marketer’ Cucumber
If you live on a hot and humid southern climate , this old - prison term dearie is a unspoilt selection for a belated outpouring planting . It is a slicing cucumber and was an All - America Selections success in 1943 . The uniformly shaped cucumber are harvested when they are 8 in long . 65 twenty-four hour period to maturity .
‘Tasty Jade Hybrid’ Cucumber
This Asian - type hybrid cucumber is a vigorous , gamy yielder with slender , foot - long fruit . It command trellis . The plant has only female flowers and bears yield without pollination . 54 day to maturity .
Garden Plants for Cucumber
French Kitchen Garden
Thiskitchen garden planreflects the French kitchen garden esthetic with geometrically mold beds separated by path and stick in within a wall or hedgerow . The raised beds are filled with a variety of vegetables , herbs , and edible flowers . you could substitute the suggested cucumber assortment with another one worthy for container gardening .
Easy Children’s Vegetable Garden
This easychildren ’s vegetable garden planwill please gardener of all ages with unusual and fun - looking vegetables and a shade - provide playhouse made out of bean vine . Themarigoldsthat wing the bottom ’s edge deter cucumber beetles and attract pollinators .
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily , there are vine and bush cucumbers ; only the first type benefit from climbing instead of disseminate over the ground , which makes them susceptible to disease and moulder and wet conditions . They are also well-situated to clean when climbing .
How often and how much you ask to water cucumbers depends on many factors , such as the living degree of the plant , natural soil wet , and the amount of rain . Cucumber source want reproducible wet to pullulate , which signify a day-after-day light watering . Young seedlings should also be water every day , unless the weather condition is wet . Once the industrial plant are established , they need at least 1 in of water per week in the absence of rainwater but significantly more in hot weather . Container works need to be watered day by day because the soil dry out much faster than garden filth . During a heating undulation , also water the cucumber plant life in your garden daily .
update by Nadia Hassani
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Jay Wilde
Credit: Jon Jensen
