I Love Cucumbers.
Luckily, I also love growing cucumbers and always want a cucumber in the refrigerator. Sandwiches, salads, or sushi are three reasons why I must have them in my garden.
So in my books, they are one of the coolest inhabitants of the “Vege” plot. They are quite adaptable and can range from sitting on the edge of a cocktail glass to a plain cucumber sandwich. Pickled or plain, they make a terrific summer “vegetable.” The common cucumber is a versatile and refreshing crop.
Cucumbers in the Garden.
The plant’s unusual fruit and lovely yellow blossoms make it a charming addition to the yard. Additionally, cucumbers are incredibly space-efficient climbers, so when thinking of kitchen garden ideas, it’s worth making room for a few plants, even in patio containers.
Cucumbers will grow extremely nicely in most containers or pots if they are placed in a warm location and given support from sticks or a trellis.
Vining or Bush Cucumbers?
Vining cucumbers and bush cucumbers are the two different varieties of cucumber plants.
The most popular kind of cucumbers, known as vining cucumbers, grows on strong vines covered in broad leaves. If you take good care of these plants, they develop quickly and provide a lot of crops. When trained up a trellis or fence, vine-type plants flourish the most. As opposed to fruits that grow directly on the soil, fruits that grow above the ground are usually cleaner, more plentiful, and simpler to pick.
However, bush cucumbers also work well in small gardens and pots. But today we are going to concentrate on “vining” cucumbers.
Pickling Cucumbers.
What makes a good pickling cucumber?
Thin skin lets the brine penetrate into the cucumber, so a thin-skinned cucumber is the best type.
Pickling cucumbers should have firmer, drier flesh that continues to be crunchy even after a lengthy soaking.
Small sizes ranging in length from 1-1/2 to around 6 inches. Some cucumbers have been specially bred for this purpose. They also have squarish shapes with blunt rather than pointed ends, which makes it possible to pack entire and spear-cut cucumbers tightly into jars.
Calypso, Little leaf, Boston pickling, and National pickling are all good examples of varieties of cucumbers for pickling and can be purchased from your local nursery.
Recipe For Pickling Cucumbers. (Video)
Growing from Seeds or Cuttings?
Since cucumbers are so simple to grow from seed, you should sow your own rather than purchase plants from the garden center, unless you missed the growth season.
When all threat of frost has passed, put cucumber seeds in pots or small trays on the windowsill or in the greenhouse. In the early summer, you could also direct-sow the outdoor varieties.
Cucumber seeds should be sown in little trays or pots using potting soil that serves several purposes. Before you sow the seeds, moisten your potting soil.
To prevent rotting, the seeds should be placed towards the outside border of the pot and laid on their side. They should be planted about half an inch deep.
Place the cucumber seeds on a heated propagator or on a bright windowsill if you want them to sprout; they need warmth and ideally need a temperature of around 70°F or 21.1°C.
Within a few days, germination ought to take place.
Make sure your potting mix is moist but not soggy.
From Seeds to Seedlings.
Keep the seedlings from getting too cold; they should ideally remain above 53°F or 21.1°C, however, outdoor types are a little hardier.
Once your cucumber seedlings have grown their first set of “real” leaves, pot them.
Your cucumber seedlings can move into their final locations once they are about 10 inches tall, either in 10-inch pots, grow bags, or directly into the garden.
You must first give them a few days to “harden up” before planting them outdoors. Just keep an eye out for late frosts and, if necessary, cover plants with horticultural cover.
As your cucumber plants grow, bind them to sticks or a trellis to support them.
Water cucumbers every day and in little amounts frequently. As soon as the fruit begins to develop, feed them ( similar to what you would feed tomatoes) then repeat every two weeks.
How to Grow Cucumbers Vertically.
Although cucumbers can be grown to trail on the ground, growing them vertically is far more space-efficient and offers greater fruit protection.
There are several fantastic vegetable garden trellis concepts to consider. G growing cucumbers on tripods or climbing You are limited only by your imagination.
You can have them grow up an existing fruit tree or you could arrange them to use as a screen by putting 2 or 3 trellises together.
Do Cucumbers Have to Climb?
Cucumbers could just sprawl across the ground; they don’t need to climb. The most space-effective way to grow them, though, is as climbers, which also makes for a more eye-catching garden feature.
Reducing the number of pests that visit the plants by raising them off the ground is also another reason to grow them vertically.
Cucumber plants have offshoots, making it simple to train them to grow upward. They can be trained over any feature that gives them a chance to hold onto thus giving a Mediterranean feel to your garden.
Cucumber Pests and Diseases and problems.
The gardener’s worst friend. When the plants are young, slugs and snails can be an issue for the cucumber so use netting to cover them or take other preventative steps.
Also, mildew could be an issue. The plants’ susceptibility to mildew might be decreased by relocating them to cooler locations or applying comfrey or seaweed solutions to the leaves.
And watch out for the mosaic virus, which aphids transmit and which stunts the growth of plants. The only treatment is to remove and destroy the afflicted plants.
If you are growing your cucumbers in the greenhouse, whiteflies can be a problem; apply appropriate sprays such as neem oil which is a natural less toxic pesticide.
In Conclusion.
For novice farmers, cucumbers are not the easiest crop to grow; in fact, many seasoned farmers have trouble with them.
However, learning how to cultivate cucumbers is definitely worthwhile because they taste so much better than store-bought ones.
So persevere and you will be rewarded with fantastic-tasting cucumbers and not the bland ones so commonly available today.
Products.
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Every vegetable grower needs this book by their side, even those who have never used a trowel and have no idea what mulch or muck is! The Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook’s practical counsel demystifies gardening by offering the best, most tried-and-true techniques for planting, growing, and harvesting.
