Are you a fan of pickles ? One of my boy ’ favourite snack isgherkin pickles , while I love cucumber dipped inhomemade ranch dressing .
If you ’re a cucumber fan too , then you should be grow them in your garden . They ’re spat - free and you only need a few plant life to have an abundant harvest home .
Whether you have atraditional gardenor acontainer garden , this veggie could be a bully fit for you .
Let ’s plunge in .
Quick Gardening Facts for Cucumbers
BestCucumbers Varieties to Plant
The varieties for cuke seem almost sempiternal . I ’m going to divvy up with you some of the more pop types and their uses . It should put you on the correct track for blame the good multifariousness of cucumber for your garden .
The 2 Types of Cucumbers
The first affair to know is that there are two type of cucumber plant . pluck the type that act upon considerably for your motive .
1. Vining Cucumbers
The most common character of cucumbers are vining , and this type is quite vigorous in its ontogeny . They originate tight and have abundant output if you care for them right .
You need to have a treillage or a fencing as a sustenance system for vining cucumber vine . Since they spring up upward , the cucumbers are cleaner and prosperous to pick . It ’s also easier to ensure you do n’t drop picking one of them .
2. Bush Cucumbers
If you have a pocket-sized garden or want to grow in containers , bush cucumbers are a better option . These grow from a central base rather than as a vine and take up less room .
you could use succession planting strategies for bush cucumbers . Typically , bush varieties take 6 - 8 weeks to mature in full . They develop promptly especially in fertile soil
Here are some sound selection of both vining and bush cucumbers to check out :
Carolina
Carolina cucumber are a vine - case range adulthood in 51 days . They ’re an excellent choice for pickle and are well known for being undifferentiated in shape .
Armenian
The Armenian variety is unlike from traditional style cucumber . They take 50 - 75 Day to reach maturity .
You do n’t have to uncase this variety or seed them either , which makes this an excellent selection for snacking , or as an plus to your salads .
Armenian cucumbers are a vine grower .
Suyo Long
This vine - type variety of cucumber vine takes 60 daylight to achieve maturity for production . It has a fresh flavor and is a burpless diverseness . The cucumber grow to be about 16 in in length .
Suyo Long is anheirloom varietywhich loves hot weather and is a good pick for your salad or to make pickle . The downside is that they tend to have lots of spines .
Calypso
Calypso is one of my favorite character of cucumbers to plant . They take only 52 days to reach out maturity and they grow small fruit .
Because I rise cucumbers for pickling purposes , this is a heavy option . If you choose a small cucumber vine and need a sort to produce quicker , this could be the right-hand choice for your garden .
This type grows as a vine .
Spacemaster 80
Spacemaster 80 is another worthful selection for a smaller cucumber variety . They take 60 days to produce and are double-dyed for smaller gardens or containers . The President George W. Bush reach three metrical foot and produces eight - inch cucumbers .
English Telegraph
The English Telegraph vine variety take only 60 days to develop . This miscellanea is an splendid selection for nosh because the cucumbers are long , but they have a thin skin which helps to avoid the demand for peeling .
Lemon
This is a orderly vine variety of Cucumis sativus . At first glance , this cucumber look like a lemon since it grow in a rounded shape and has yellow skin .
However , it only take in 65 days to create and is an splendid option formaking picklesor as a gorgeous addition to your salads .
Marketmore 86
This cucumber assortment takes 55 - 58 days to strain maturity . It ’s a great option for nosh , adding to a salad mixture , or pickling .
The cucumbers are more lilliputian , and the works bush more than it vines , which makes it a wonderful addition to a small garden .
Parisian Gherkin
Parisian Gherkin cucumbers ideal for pickling . They take only 50 - 60 day to reach matureness and produce cucumbers with a naturally odoriferous look . Also a nice option for salads and as an summation to your slaw recipe .
This is a semi - vining variety .
Dasher II
Dasher is a disease repellent variety which is helpful for the new nurseryman . They take only 55 day to reach maturity and produce cucumbers that are 8 ½ inches long . This vine - type variety can be used for snacking or slicing .
Muncher
The Muncher variety will produce between 58 - 62 days . These cucumber vine are a more prolonged miscellany which is also burpless . Because of their sweet flavour , it construct them an option for both snacking and pickling .
They produce on vines .
Homemade Pickles
The name of this multifariousness gives away their purpose . Homemade Pickles are one of the unspoilt option for pickle because of the smaller size of the cucumbers . They arrive at maturity in 55 - 60 days and are also disease tolerant .
This type is a vining motley .
Persian
The Persian vining variety takes 50 days to reach maturity . They have a seraphic smack and a crunchy texture , which is a pleasant combination . They are also a beneficial option for differentplanting zonesbecause they can handle a variety of unlike temperature and still produce well .
Straight Eight
When you fancy Cucumis sativus , you probably visualize this vining diversity . direct eight is anotherheirloom varietythat takes only 60 days to raise . The cucumbers grow to be approximately eight inches long – an fantabulous pick for pickling and snack .
Bush Champion
As you probably guessed , this is a bush - type cucumber . It take up a third of the space of vining plants , but you still get a freehanded harvest in just 55 days .
It grows tumid cuke that reach up to 12 - column inch long .
How to Plant Cucumbers
Pick the Right Spot
Theright locationis key to a healthy cucumber crop .
break up an area that has full sunlight . Cucumbers need sight of Christ Within and warmth , so before you engraft them , verify the area you want to establish them in gets 6 - 8 hours of light .
If you have a location that receives 8 - 10 hours of sunlight , that ’s even more ideal !
You also need to pick a place that has well - drain soil . Be sure it ’s not an arena that has frequent standing body of water .
The Right Soil for Cucumbers
Like a raft of plant , cucumber are heavy feeders , so you require to verify they have fat filth . Mix compost or aged manure into the soil before constitute the seeds or seedling into the dry land .
wreak it into the filth approximately eight inches abstruse , ensuring the cucumber vine will have the necessary nutrients they need while acquire .
Also , contain the soil pH levelwhen planting . The filth also take to be neutral or slightly alkaline with a pH level around 7.0 .
The earth needs to be well - draining rather than compacted . Work the compost or other fertilizers 2 inches into the dirt , and rake the stain 6 - 8 inches mystifying .
When to Plant Cucumbers
Cucumis sativus do n’t tolerate any cold weather or hoarfrost , so it ’s important that you do n’t transfer them outside any sooner than 2 week after the final frost . This is dependable whether you require to plant source or sow transplant .
The ground should be 60 ° F or above when seed cum . If you live in a cool climate and are afraid you wo n’t have a big enough window to raise cucumbers , consider adding black credit card over the grime to help generate heat underneath it more cursorily .
The giving menace to cuke is frost . That ’s why it ’s important to know yourplanting zoneandfrost date .
When you bang when the net frost should be for your field , wait a couple of workweek after this time to assure there are no sudden cold press stud .
Start Seeds Indoors
If you do n’t have a two to a three - calendar month growing period of time to make cucumbers , considerstarting them indoors .
This is n’t idealistic as cucumbers do n’t care to have their roots agitate . However , if this is your only option to turn them , you do what needs to be done .
If you desire to get a headstart in your garden , you could sow the cucumber seeds 3 week before you plan to put them in the garden . The seeds want to be kept somewhere that is ardent , so you may use a heating plant mat or something similar .
Keep seed moist until they sprout and have reached several in tall . Then move to even watering ( more on that below ) .
Plant Seeds Outdoors
If temperature are affectionate betimes enough , direct - sow semen into the stain alfresco . you may create a hill ( or lowly mound ) of grime to engraft the source in , or you may fag a shallow hole in the garden to put the seed in .
Either way , the come need to be placed one inch in the soil . Keep the grunge moist until they sprout .
Plant Spacing
Cucumber seeds need to be plant 1 inch deep and 12 inches apart . Keep the row 2 - 3 feet apart if you ’re using bush multifariousness .
Vine varieties should be 18 inches asunder with 6 foot between rows .
Another option is to plant cuke in mounds or hills that are 1 - 2 feet apart with 2 - 3 source in each mound . Once the seeds sprout , thin to 1 sprout per hill .
Pick a Support System
If you pick out a vining cucumber , you necessitate to have a trellis or arch to allow the vine to climb . trellis protect the yield from any damage if you provide them to lay on the ground .
Another choice is to habituate stakes or tomato cages to hold up the cucumber plants . The vines have little tendrils that grab onto support structure .
Can You Grow Cucumbers in Containers?
perfectly ! In most cases , it ’s best to select bush cucumbers , but you may add a treillage into your sess to grow vining cuke .
get cucumbers in container requires a large flowerpot with a lot of ground to avail support their extensive stem systems . Their antecedent grow vigorously , so pick a container that holds at least 5 gallons of ground for each works .
When you produce cucumbers in pots , you need to check the grunge wet daily . Containers lose wet faster than in - ground or raised bed gardening . So , train with your finger each Clarence Day to ward off the soil drying out and move the flavor of the cucumbers .
If you could puzzle your digit into the soil one inch and it ’s dry , it ’s prison term to piddle .
Fill the container withquality soiland compost . plant life two to three seeds per container . As long as you wait to embed when the weather is warm enough , you should have quality cucumber vine in no sentence .
How to Care for Cucumbers in the Garden
Now that the cucumbers are implant in your garden , you need to take caution of them . Here are the key things to commend when grow Cucumis sativus .
Watering Cucumbers
The most important part of growing Cucumis sativus is remembering that they need to be water – often . Consistent lacrimation is key ; they need 1 - 2 in of water per week or more if the temperatures are gamey .
How do you know if your Cucumis sativus ask more water ?
Put your finger into the soil need your plants . If it ’s teetotal past the first roast of your digit , you call for to irrigate . You need to be uniform with your watering , or your industrial plant will rise biting - taste .
The best meter to water your plant is ahead of time in the break of day or in the former good afternoon . You want to fend off grow water on the leaves because that encourage diseases that could smash your intact craw . It ’s best to water your plant with a soaker hosiery or drip mold irrigation .
You need to increase tearing as the fruits start to grow . When you see fruits forming , increase your watering to a gallon per week .
Fertilizing Cucumbers
If you append compost or other fertilizer to your soil before plant your cucumbers , you will only need to add some compost later in the arise season . Just put compost on the side of your plant .
Another option is to use fluent fertilizer on your cucumber plants . face for a fertilizer that is advertise as a vegetable plant food that has downcast nitrogen with high potassium and phosphorus .
utilise the liquid fertilizer when you embed the seedling or seeds , a calendar week after blush and every 3 weeks after that . Another option is to work a granulose fertilizer into the soil , but be certain not to overfertilize or you ’ll cause the fruit growth to slow .
Mulching Around Cucumber Plants
Mulch around cucumber plants after you plant them to stop gage and pests from bothering the tender seedling . Use straw , chop leaf , sens clippings , or other constitutional mulches .
Problems with Cucumbers
Cucumbers have a few diseases and pests which could cause problem for your harvest . Here ’s what you need to keep an eye out for :
Aphids
Aphids are tiny hemipteran that can be found attaching themselves to your plants . If you see them on your cucumbers , try give them a spritz of dusty pee with your pee hosepipe .
However , if they remain attached , try hosing them down with saponaceous water . This should do them to detach themselves from your plants .
Cucumber Beetles
Cucumber beetles will cause a expectant deal of impairment to your seedling . They ’re also known for spreading bacterial wilt disease .
The best alternative to discourage them is to place row covers over your plants . Be sure to remove the row extend when your cucumbers flower to leave room forpollinators .
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mould is a mildew picture show which covers your plants . It come about when the foliage of your plants become too cockeyed .
The best means to discourage powdery mildew is to irrigate your cucumbers in enough time for the leaves to dry . you could also use a antimycotic to rid your plants of this disease or scratch the leaves together to brush the mold off .
Spider Mites
Spider tinge will dwell on the leaves of your cuke flora and drink the fluid from within the plant . you could disembarrass your plant of these bug withpesticides , restrain aclean garden , and by introducingbeneficial louse .
Scab
Scab is a disease which most variety of cucumbers are immune to today . If you run across it , you ’ll find your plants and fruit have benighted scabs on them which lead to moulder .
The safe way to stay away from this disease is topractice crop rotationand leave plenteous outer space between cucumber plant to keep the leaves dry .
Fruiting Issues
While not a disease or a pest , cucumber can have problem with developing small to no fruit . Not setting yield is n’t a disease ; it ’s a pollenation take .
Just like zucchinis , cucumbers have virile and female flowers that bloom and pollinators need to take pollen from the male flowers to the females . If you are n’t getting many fruit , it could be a lack of bees and other pollinators , excess rain , cold temperatures , or the use of insecticides .
you’re able to cross-pollinate by hand . Dip a cotton mop into pollen from the virile flower and transfer it to the center of the female bloom .
Best and Worst Companion Plants
There are certain plant cucumbers grow particularly well around . Those plants are :
There are plant life that should be avoided around cucumber vine as well . Those plants are :
How to Harvest and Store Cucumbers
cuke are round-eyed to harvest . You should pick them when they ’re young . If you hold back until they ’ve been sitting on the vine for a few day at maturity , they become with child .
With the increase in size , their flavor becomes bitter , the seed become larger , and they commence to turn jaundiced .
It ’s a unspoiled estimation to check your cuke vine day by day because it ’s easy to overlook them when picking since the fruit and plant are the same color .
The smaller varieties should be pick when they ’re or so 6 inches long , and larger variety should be picked when they ’re around 8 in long .
When it ’s time to pick your cucumber , use pruning shear or a piercing knife to cut them from the vine . This should help discourage any hurt to the industrial plant .
ultimately , you should wrap your cucumber harvest home tightly in plastic wrap . This will help to exert the wet within the cucumber . They should last a week in your refrigerator .
If you have an copiousness of cucumbers , consider makingpicklesandcanning them .
Was this article helpful?
What went wrong?
This clause contains wrong information
This clause does not have the entropy I am looking for
How can we improve it?
We appreciate your helpful feedback!
Your reply will be used to improve our subject matter . The more feedback you give us , the better our varlet can be .
