Growing Cucumbers

Growing Cucumbers in the Garden

Cucumbers need at least eight hours of sun every day and rich soil. They are frost-sensitive and prefer warm, humid weather to produce a good crop. Cucumbers are 90 percent water, so adequate watering throughout the growing season is vital to get a juicy crop.

Cucumbers are best grown in three-foot wide hills, spaced 4-5 feet apart, but can also be grown in rows with similar spacing. Plant three transplants per hill. For seeds, sow seven or eight seeds in each hill and thin by cutting off all but the strongest three when they are a few inches tall. Do not pull them out, as this could disturb the roots on the others. For row planting, sow seeds a few inches apart, and thin to one foot apart when the plants are a few inches tall.

If growing cucumbers from seeds started indoors, plant in individual peat pots rather than trays. This will ensure that the roots are not damaged during transplanting. Start seeds two weeks before last frost date. Plant three or four seeds in each pot, ½ inch deep. When two or three leaves have developed, snip off all but the strongest. Harden off before transplanting outdoors.

To start seeds outdoors, wait at least four weeks after the last frost to ensure that temperatures and soil are warm enough. Spread black plastic over the bed to increase soil temperature. If not provided with ample water, the plants will produce bitter or tasteless, deformed cucumbers. If watering with a hose or overhead sprinkler system, water early in the day to allow leaves to dry completely before evening. This helps prevent insect and disease problems.

Provide a trellis or fence to support row plantings, keep the fruit off the ground and conserve space. When the plants begin flowering, start training them on the trellis. This gives the fruit room to grow and allows easy access for harvesting. Add a layer of organic mulch, which will also help retain moisture and keep down weeds. These pests spread disease and eat young seedlings.

Pests and Diseases

Handpick and destroy cucumber beetles from the foliage and inside flowers. To prevent them, plant later in the season. Use floating row covers to keep cucumber beetles away from young plants. Remove the covers when plants begin flowering. Pick off green melon worms as well. Use a strong hose spray to remove spider mites. Use BTK (bacillus thuringiensis) to rid plants of squash vine borers. Plant disease resistant cultivars and plant cucumbers away from melons and squash to prevent spreading diseases. Destroy any diseased vines and dispose of them. Do not add to a compost pile.

Harvesting Cucumbers

Pick cucumbers before they mature, which may be daily for some varieties. If seeds mature on the plant, the plant will stop producing. The harvest for cucumbers lasts about six weeks. Twist the cucumber to remove from the vine or clip it off.

Growing cucumbers will provide a bountiful crop to eat fresh or pickle. Choose varieties that are resistant to pests and diseases to reap the benefits of a healthy crop.

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