Steps for Cultivating Cucumbers
Master Growing Tasty Cucumbers, Anytime, Anywhere!
Summer's freshest veggie is the zippy cucumber, adding a crunchy, crisp zing to your favorite salads, drinks, and pickles. Why not grow your own cucumbers, making them extra tasty? Whether you opt for traditional long types or small ones meant for fresh snacking or pickling, you've got options galore!
Two main types of cucumbers exist - greenhouse cucumbers and outdoor ones.
For greenhouse lovers, choose heat-loving greenhouse cucumbers that thrive in warm temperatures of 70-80°F (20-27°C). These varieties produce long, smooth fruits like supermarket varieties. Don't forget to remove male flowers when growing in the greenhouse to avoid bitter, seed-filled fruits. Some greenhouse varieties, like the popular 'Bella', produce only female flowers, eliminating this step.
Prefer growing outside? Opt for hardy, lower-temp tolerant outdoor cucumbers, which can be found in a sunny spot. These shorter, fatter fruits sport a rough, ridged skin. Flowers on outdoor cucumbers are pollinated by insects, so both male and female flowers are needed. Some varieties trail and can be trained up a support, while bush varieties are more compact for smaller spaces.
Mixing cucumber varieties can lead to cross-pollination, so be sure to grow greenhouse and outdoor types separately.
Wanna give certain cucumber varieties a whirl? Here are some top picks:
Greenhouse Cucumbers:- 'Bella': Known for long, 35cm fruits and strong resistance to powdery mildew- 'Delistar': Offers thin, pale green, translucent skin without the need for peeling- 'Mini Munch': Yields very small but tasty 7cm fruits
Outdoor Cucumbers:- 'Marketmore': Produces short, dark fruits- 'Venlo Pickling': Ideal for salads or pickling
Average Yield:Multiple fruits on one plant
Greenhouse and Outdoor Cucumbers:- 'Burpless Tasty Green': Known for high vitamin levels and excellent disease resistance- 'Swing': Yields long, crisp cucumbers; all-female flowering variety- 'La Diva': Produces prolific crops of chunky, seedless cucumbers
For small spaces, consider bush varieties like 'Burpless Bush Hybrid' or 'Bush Crop'. Need a change? Try fun varieties like 'Lemon' (round, yellow fruits) or 'Crystal Lemon' (unique, round, pale yellow fruits).
Ready to start sowing seeds? Sow in late winter or early spring, or buy seedlings at your local nursery in late spring. Plant seedlings in greenhouses after they develop their first pair of "true" leaves. For outdoor cucumbers, ensure the risk of frost has passed before planting. Train the main stem up sturdy supports, tie it in if needed, and water regularly.
Keep an eye on your plants, as they may have pests such as whitefly or red spider mites. Watch for signs of powdery mildew and powdery mosaic virus—if you spot these, isolate the infected plants and take measures to protect your other cucumber plants.
Spacing:60 apart
Happy cucumber growing!
For those who love home-and-garden projects and are interested in home-gardening, growing your own cucumbers can add a delightful touch to your lifestyle. Greenhouse enthusiasts should consider heat-loving varieties like the 'Bella', giving you a continuous supply of long, smooth cucumbers, while outdoor cultivators might prefer hardier options such as the 'Marketmore' for shorter, darker fruits. It's essential to grow greenhouse and outdoor cucumbers separately to prevent cross-pollination, and be mindful of spacing your plants about 60 cm apart for optimal growth.
