8 Things to Know About Growing Cucumbers

Cucumbers are a classic staple in many home gardens. They’re delicious for pickling as well as enjoying fresh on salads, sandwiches, or paired with your favorite veggie dip. Keep reading to learn how to grow cucumbers from seed and keep them thriving throughout the growing season.

There are two basic kinds of cucumber plants: vining and bush cucumbers. Vining cucumbers tend to have a sprawling growth habit and grow well on a trellis. Bush cucumber varieties stay more compact, which makes them an excellent choice for container gardening.

In reference to the fruit, cucumber cultivars get classified as either pickling or slicing types. Pickling cucumbers are usually short and wide. They have thin skins and relatively low moisture content, which allows them to absorb the pickling brine better. Slicing cucumbers typically measure at least 12 inches long. They have thick, dark green rinds and sweet, juicy flesh.

“Burpless” cucumber varieties are known for having thin skins and few seeds, if any. They also don’t contain cucurbitacin, which is the compound that gives cucumbers a slightly bitter flavor.

How Do Cucumbers Grow?

Homegrown cucumbers are a favorite summertime treat thanks to their satisfying crunch, refreshing taste, and numerous health benefits. Many people may wonder, “How do cucumbers grow?”

Cucumbers thrive in full sun and consistently moist, nutrient-rich soil. Plant cucumbers in a location with morning sun for the best possible results. Doing so helps raise the soil temperature and dry the leaves early in the day.

In exceptionally hot climates, the intense afternoon sun may scorch cucumber leaves. In that case, provide the plants with afternoon shade. Growing taller plants like sunflowers or corn nearby is an excellent way to shade your cucumbers and efficiently use your available garden space.

Many gardeners prefer growing cucumbers on soil mounds to facilitate better drainage and prevent the plants’ main stems from sitting on wet soil, which sometimes leads to stem rot and fungal disease problems. In damp climates, trellising cucumber plants provides better airflow and helps prevent pest and disease problems.

Cucumber plants are not self-pollinating, which means they have separate male and female flowers. The male flowers produce pollen from the stamen, and female flowers receive pollen via their pistils. Practice companion planting around your garden to attract pollinators and other beneficial insects.

Growing Cucumbers from Seed

In mild climates, it’s possible to plant cucumber seeds directly in the ground. Sow cucumber seeds in your veggie garden two to three weeks after the last danger of frost passes and the soil temperature is at least 65℉.

If your region gets late spring frosts, it’s beneficial to start your cucumber seeds indoors in late winter or early spring. Plant the seeds three to six weeks before your expected last frost date.

Seed Starting Supplies

• Organic cucumber seeds
• Seedling tray with two-inch cells, peat pots, or a cardboard egg carton
• Seed starting potting mix
• Grow lights
• Humidity dome
• Heat mat

Fill a seedling tray with a nutrient-rich seed-starting potting mix. It’s helpful to pre-saturate the soil. Plant the seeds one inch deep, then cover them over with soil. Top them with a humidity dome or sheet of plastic wrap to hold in moisture.

Cucumber seeds normally germinate in three to nine days, although it may take longer in cold soil. The optimal soil temperature for cucumber seed germination is 80-90℉. You’ll get the best results by using a heat mat to keep the soil consistently warm.

When your cucumber seedlings sprout, move them to a sunny, south-facing windowsill that receives a minimum of six hours of bright light each day. Otherwise, use grow lights to prevent the seedlings from becoming elongated or “leggy.”

Begin hardening off your cucumber seedlings when daytime temperatures are consistently above 65℉. Place them outside in a sheltered location for progressively more extended periods over one or two weeks. Gradually acclimatizing the young plants to the elements helps to prevent transplant shock.

Transplant your seedlings two to three weeks after the last danger of frost for your zone. Cover the planting area with a dark mulch or sheet of black plastic a week or two before transplanting to warm the ground.

Growing Cucumbers on a Trellis

Growing your cucumber plants on a trellis is advantageous for many reasons. It saves space in your garden by utilizing vertical areas. Trellising also makes harvesting cucumbers easier and helps to prevent the spread of plant diseases by keeping the branches off the ground and providing better air circulation.

Choose vining cucumber varieties to grow on a trellis. The structure should be around four to six feet tall, so the cucumber vines have ample room to grow. Use sturdy materials for your trellis to support the weight of mature cucumber vines loaded with fruit.

To train cucumber vines to grow vertically, carefully weave the branches into the lattice. They don’t normally need to be tied, as the curly tendrils soon begin wrapping around the structure as they grow. However, you may occasionally need to untangle wandering vines from nearby plants.

Outstanding Cucumber Varieties

The best cucumber variety to plant depends on your available growing space and intended culinary use. Growing smaller bush varieties or trellised vining cucumbers in raised beds and container gardens will take up less overall space. Here are some of the top cultivars favored by home gardeners.

Best Slicing Cucumbers

• Marketmore 76 (heirloom, vining, disease-resistant, 8-10 inch fruits, 70-80 days to harvest)
• Bush Champion (hybrid, bush, disease-resistant, 8-12 inch fruits, 55-65 days to harvest)
• Diva (hybrid, vining, seedless, disease-resistant, 6-8 inch fruits, 60-70 days to harvest)
• Long Green Improved (heirloom, vining, disease-resistant, 10-12 inch fruits, 55-65 days to harvest)

While there are noticeable taste and texture differences between pickling and slicing cucumbers, it’s perfectly fine to pickle slicing cucumbers and eat pickling cucumbers fresh. Some people prefer pickling varieties because they produce smaller fruits.

Best Pickling Cucumbers

• Homemade Pickles (heirloom, bush, disease-resistant, 2-6 inch fruits, 55-65 days to harvest)
• Parisian (heirloom, semi-vining, disease-resistant, 4-6 inch fruits, 50-60 days to harvest)
• Calypso (hybrid, vining, disease-resistant, 2-3 inch fruits, 50-60 days to harvest)
• Bush Pickle (hybrid, compact bush, disease-resistant, 4-6 inch fruits, 50-60 days to harvest)

Lemon cucumbers produce round, yellow fruits with a mildly sweet flavor. They have a vining growth habit and begin producing fruit later in the growing season than most other cucumber types.

Harvesting Cucumbers

In general, cucumbers are ready to harvest within 50-70 days. After the plant starts flowering, the fruit ripens rapidly. Cucumbers are usually ready to pick within ten days from when the female flower first opens.

Harvest cucumbers with a clean, sharp pair of pruners to avoid accidentally breaking a branch. Don’t let the fruit sit on the vine for too long, or they’ll become bitter, tough, and inedible.

To encourage continued fruit production, harvest your cukes regularly. Some gardeners suggest that picking cucumbers early in the morning gives them a less bitter taste.

Best Soil for Growing Cucumbers

Cucumber plants grow best in soil that’s well-draining and rich in nutrients. Several weeks before transplanting cucumber seedlings, apply several inches of organic compost over the planting area. Water it in, then cover the ground with a thick layer of dark-colored mulch or sheet of black plastic to warm the ground.

Growing cucumbers on raised mounds of soil helps water drain away from the plant’s crown. Cucumber plants are highly susceptible to stem and root rot, so ensuring adequate drainage is essential.

Cucumber plants have relatively shallow root systems that are easily disturbed. Use caution when weeding, and avoid stepping directly on the surrounding soil surface. Create established pathways through your garden beds to keep from compacting the earth.

Fertilizing Cucumber Plants

In addition to providing nutrient-rich soil, it’s crucial to fertilize your cucumber plants regularly throughout the growing season. There are three fundamental macronutrients present in plant fertilizers: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Nitrogen supports green leafy growth, phosphorus encourages robust root systems, and potassium boosts fruiting and flowering processes.

Use an organic, all-purpose fertilizer when transplanting your seedlings. Place two tablespoons of fertilizer in the bottom of each planting hole. Reapply again in four to six weeks. Once the plants start flowering, switch to a fertilizer with higher levels of phosphorus and potassium.

Commonplace Cucumber Pests

Despite all of our best efforts, cucumber plants sometimes suffer from issues with pests and diseases. Healthy plants are considerably more resilient against attacks from insects and pathogens. Fertilize regularly and practice companion planting techniques to create an interdependent garden ecosystem.

There are two kinds of cucumber beetles commonly found throughout North America. Striped cucumber beetles feature a dark-colored head, black and yellow stripes on their abdomen, and measure about a quarter-inch long. They exclusively feed on cucurbits like cucumber, pumpkin, squash, and watermelon.

Spotted cucumber beetles have 12 black spots on their yellow abdomen are similar in size to their striped cousins. However, they also feed on other plants in addition to cucurbits.

These beetles cause significant damage to flowers, leaves, and stems when they feed, especially when the plants are still young. They also frequently spread plant diseases like bacterial wilt.

Protect newly transplanted cucumber seedlings with floating row covers to keep cucumber beetles from killing the plants. Once they begin flowering, remove the row covers for several hours every day to allow for pollination. Neem oil and insecticidal soap are safe, natural insecticides to use on sensitive cucumber plants. They effectively kill cucumber beetles and other prevalent insect pests like aphids, spider mites, and whiteflies.

Treating Prevalent Plant Diseases

Powdery mildew is a prevalent fungal disease that affects cucumber plants. White, fuzzy patches appear on the plant’s leaves and stems and occasionally on the fruit. The fungus prefers warm, humid conditions and can survive on discarded plant debris through the winter.

Downy mildew causes the affected leaves to develop light green to yellow colored patches, followed by dark grey or purple spores appearing on the leaves’ undersides. Downy mildew thrives in damp, shady areas and overwinters on plant material in temperate climates.

To treat these fungal diseases, start by removing all of the affected leaves or stems from the plant. Be sure to sanitize your pruners afterward. Then, spray all parts of the plant with an organic copper or sulfur fungicide. Neem oil is also an effective antifungal remedy. Utilize drip irrigation or a soaker hose to keep cucumber leaves dry when watering.

Companion Plants for Cucumbers

Companion planting utilizes the mutually beneficial interactions of compatible plant pairings. Specific plants work to attract beneficial insects, deter pests, and enhance the flavor and overall growth of nearby plants. However, some hinder one another’s growth and must live separately.

Catnip, corn, marigolds, nasturtiums, and radishes deter cucumber beetles and other pests like aphids and whiteflies. Plants in the Allium family, including garlic, onions, and chives, repel aphids and spider mites as well as deer and rabbits.

Dill does double duty in the garden. It repels many pests like aphids, beetles, and spider mites while also attracting beneficial predatory insects like lacewings, ladybugs, and parasitic wasps (which don’t sting humans).

Oregano wards off cucumber beetles and mosquitoes and attracts lacewings. Its flowers draw in numerous types of pollinators. Flowers like borage, calendula, chamomile, cosmos, and lavender also attract pollinators to your garden.

Plant brassicas, fennel, potatoes, and sage away from cucumbers. These plants reportedly stunt each other’s growth. In addition, it’s best to grow other cucurbits like melons and squash away from your cucumbers since they tend to be susceptible to the same pest and disease problems.

Have you ever wondered, “How do cucumbers grow?” Between their numerous health benefits and culinary uses, it’s no wonder that cucumbers are one of the most popular garden vegetables to grow at home. As long as you can provide them with plenty of water and sunshine and have well-draining, fertile garden soil, cucumbers are an easy and rewarding crop to grow. Consider growing your vining cucumbers on a trellis for easier harvesting and less risk of fungal disease. Remember to fertilize regularly to ensure healthy growth and steady fruit production.

Do you have any questions or suggestions? Please post them in the comments! If you enjoyed learning about how to grow cucumbers, please share these gardening tips with your fellow plant geeks.