Keeping Cucumbers From Growing Astray

Exploring the World of Cucumbers

Unless you grow cucumbers, you may not realize that this juicy, refreshing vegetable comes in many types and sizes. Besides the traditional thick-skinned green cucumber, there are other varieties worth exploring:

Popular Cucumber Varieties

  • Lemon Cucumber: A light yellow cucumber the same size, color, and shape as a pale lemon.
  • Armenian Cucumber: Known as yard-long cucumbers, these can grow quite long and tend to have a sweet, mild flavor with thin skins.
  • Dwarf Bush Varieties: Perfect for containers, offering compact growth.
  • Pickling Cucumbers: Ideal for making your own pickles.
  • Burpless Cucumbers: A variety that is easy on digestion and very mild.

Cucumbers thrive in warm weather and can be planted now by seed or transplant. According to Wendy Krupnick, garden manager of Shepherd’s Garden Seeds, some cucumbers are juicy enough to be picked straight from the vine and eaten like an apple.

Growing Cucumbers: Tips for Success

To have success growing cucumbers in your garden, follow these expert tips:

  • Find a Sunny Location: Cucumbers need full sun to thrive. If you’re in a hot inland area, a little afternoon shade can prevent plant stress. Aim for at least 5-6 hours of full sun each day.
  • Prepare the Soil: Incorporate organic material like homemade or bagged compost into the soil. Work the material down to at least 8 inches, or ideally 12 inches deep.
  • Water Properly: Cucumbers have deep tap roots and require long, slow soakings. Avoid overhead watering, as it promotes mildew.
  • Fertilize at Planting: Use well-rotted manure or a balanced organic fertilizer when planting. If leaves turn yellow, it’s likely a nitrogen deficiency, and a dilute solution of fish emulsion will help.
  • Support with a Trellis: Growing cucumbers on a trellis or fence prevents contact with the soil, protecting them from rot, mold, and mildew. It also saves space and makes harvesting easier.
  • Planting Distance: Space cucumber plants 2-3 feet apart in pairs, or plant them singly about 6-8 inches apart.
  • Protect from Birds: Cover seedlings with berry baskets to discourage birds. Remove the baskets once the plants are larger.
  • Monitor for Pests: Watch for cucumber beetles and aphids. Aphids can be controlled with soap spray or a strong water blast. Cucumber beetles, resembling green ladybugs, should be manually crushed.
  • Use Garden Cloth: To keep cucumber beetles away, cover plants with lightweight garden cloth. Remove it once the plants begin flowering so that pollination can occur naturally.
  • Pick Early: Harvest cucumbers before they become too large, as this keeps them tender and flavorful.

Learn More

For more information or to receive a free catalog, call Shepherd’s Garden Seeds at (408) 335-6910.

Julie Bawden-Davis

Julie Bawden-Davis is a bestselling journalist, novelist, blogger, and YouTuber. A prolific author, Julie writes in several genres. She enjoys creating page-turning suspense served up with a dose of romance, garden books that turn any brown thumb green, and spiritual books meant to enlighten and inspire. Widely published, Julie has written 45 books and more than 4,000 articles for a wide variety of national and international publications. She lives in Southern California, where she enjoys sunny, blue skies most days and year-round gardening. Julie gains inspiration from being surrounded by plants when she writes.