Vegetable:
Cucumber
1. When – Plant around the middle of Spring, cucumbers enjoy warm weather and cannot tolerate cold weather well. Plants seeds in May, or start seeds indoors in April.
2. Where – 6-8 hours of full sun. A trellis for the plants to climb on is useful to assist with harvesting later on. Also, a trellis helps prevent diseases that the cucumber plant can pick up by growing along the ground.
3. How – Plant seeds 1 inch into the surface of the soil, at least 1 foot apart. If not using a trellis, allocate a fairly large area of land for the vines to cover. Cucumber vines can easily reach 6 feet in length and possibly longer. A trellis is highly recommended.
4. Harvesting – Cucumbers cannot necessarily be harvested too early, they are edible at all sizes. Test different sizes with your variety and see what tastes best. The sweetness and crunchiness will change depending on the size. To harvest, use a sharp knife or pair of clippers in the early morning to cut them off the vine. Avoid twisting or tearing the vines with your hands as it can damage the vine itself.
5. Tips – Fertilize with 5-10-5 when first planting. A trellis is highly recommended, diseases such as powdery mildew is common to pick up off the ground. Also, avoid planting cucumbers in the same area each year as this will assist in avoiding diseases.
Type:
Annual
Time to harvest:
50-70 days
Plant Origin:
India around 3,000 years ago
How to Cultivate 