How to Grow Cucumbers

Whether slicing up for fresh eating or jarring as pickles, cucumbers' cool, crisp taste, and ease of growing make them one of the most popular vegetables each summer.

A classic choice for any home garden. Whether slicing up for fresh eating or jarring as pickles, their cool, crisp taste, and ease of growing make them one of the most popular vegetables each summer.

How To Plant Cucumbers

Start: Seeds best started directly in the garden after soil temperatures reach 60° to 65°F, after danger of frost has passed. Plant 4-6 seeds in groups 24” apart. Cover in 1” of soil and keep evenly moist. Seedling emerge in 7-14 days. Thin to 3-4 strongest seedlings when they are 1-2” high.

Water: Keep plants well-watered especially during dry spells. This will help keep cucumbers from becoming bitter. Cucumbers have shallow root systems so mulching will help in retaining soil moisture, maintaining even soil temperatures, as well as keeping down weeds. Cucumbers need 1-2” of rain per week.

Light: Full sun

Soil: Cucumbers prefer fertile, rich soil so work some organic material like compost or manure into the soil. pH 6.0-7.0

Fertilize: Use a fertilizer high in potassium and phosphorus and low in nitrogen. Cucumbers have low nitrogen needs and too much nitrogen will put the plant’s energy into more leaves and vines and less fruit. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations for frequency of use.

Harvest: Harvest cucumbers when fully grown yet still young and tender generally about 6-8” for slicing cucumbers or 3-5” for pickling cucumbers. Harvest about 50-60 days after seeding. Cut cucumbers from the vine rather than pulling them which could damage the vine.

Notes: Growing cucumbers up a trellis will save space and lead to straighter, more uniform fruit.

Farmer’s Almanac Gardening By the Moon Calendar

Cucumber Facts You May Not Know

Cucumber Recipes

Cucumber Soup

Make Your Own Pickles – It’s Easy!

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lexi

i eat grass

Mariana marcellin

Want to know when to prune trees can somebody help

Susan Higgins

Hi Mariana, pruning depends a lot of the type of tree and the climate you live in. We recommend you contact your local agricultural extension to get the best information for your growing zone.

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