How to Grow Cucumbers

These tips on how to grow cucumbers will help you care for your cucumber plants from seed to harvest.

Cucumbers are a summertime staple, and one of the easiest plants to grow in your garden. If you are considering planting cucumbers this year, enjoy a healthy and happy crop when you give these tips for how to grow cucumbers in your garden a try. You will find that with little effort, you too can grow an abundance of cucumbers in your garden, perfect for munching on all summer long. Here is how you can get started.

How to Grow Cucumbers

How to plant cucumber seeds:

Cucumbers need warmth to get off to a strong start. You can begin cucumber seeds indoors as long as you start 3-4 weeks before the last frost of the season. Use a nutrient-rich soil and seed starter kit, and make sure your seeds get a good 6 hours of sunlight per day. You can plant multiple seeds per planter, and simply thin out when you are ready to transplant outdoors. Plant each seed about 1 inch deep.

How to transplant cucumber seedlings:

If you wish to sow your seeds directly outside or you wish to plant/transplant seedlings, there are a few things you should know. First, be sure all threats of frost have passed. You never want to rush planting cucumbers because if it is not at least 65 degrees or warmer, your plants could easily die.

You again want nutrient rich, well-drained soil, and a growing space that gets at least 6-8 hours of daily sun. Smaller cucumber varieties can be planted in containers if you wish, just offer them a trellis so they can extend upward.

When planting/transplanting your cucumbers, bury them at least 2 inches deep and 12 inches apart. This will give the vines plenty of room to grow and stretch.

How to care for cucumber seedlings:

You might find that your cucumber plants benefit from a trellis. They tend to become heavy plants and the trellis keeps them dry and off the ground. This can help protect the plant from rot as well as pests.

Cucumbers need at least 6-8 hours of sun per day, and about 2 inches of water per week. Fertilizing isn’t necessary, but if you wish you can offer them liquid plant food after they have settled in for a few days. Mulch can help the plant retain moisture as well as protect the roots.

A variety of pests are attracted to cucumbers. A light netting can help with critters and birds, while a food safe pest deterrent can help with bugs. One bug you do wish to attract is bees, as they can help the plant produce more fruit. If you wish, you can mist your cucumber plants with sugar water to help attract bees and get a more bountiful crop.

How to harvest cucumbers:

One of the biggest mistakes people make when harvesting cucumbers is leaving them on the vine too long. You should pick most varieties when they are 6-8 inches in size and bright green. Allowing them to grow any bigger or turn light green/yellow is not a good idea as they will start to turn soft and bitter.

Pick your cucumbers close to the vine and store in a cool and dry place until you are ready to use.

Growing cucumbers can be easy and enjoyable when you give these planting and growing tips a try!

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